bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intrinsically shaping the focal behavior with multi-ring Bessel-Gaussian beam
Authors: Ye H. , Huang K. , Liu H. , Wen F. , Jin Z. , Teng J. , Qiu C.-W.
Published: July 2017

Traditional manipulation of light generally employs diffractive optical elements such as binary phase or amplitude masks. However, we have found that vector Bessel-Gaussian (BG) beams have the intrinsic capacity of forming a special intensity pattern without additional optical elements. Using the vector diffraction theory, we theoretically show that several optical patterns (e.g., hollow beam, bottle beam, optical needle, and spot) can be created only by dynamically tailoring vector BG beams through their beam parameters (viz., polarization order n, transverse wave number β, and beam waist w0). These results yield a useful guideline for the adjustable beam parameter to generate a certain optical pattern in the focal region. The proposed roadmap of manipulating the structured beams by their intrinsic properties might open an alternative avenue for beam shaping.
The role of shear stress and altered tissue properties on endothelial to mesenchymal transformation and tumor-endothelial cell interaction
Authors: Mina Sara G. , Huang Peter , Murray Bruce T. , Mahler Gretchen J.
Published: July 2017

Tumor development is influenced by stromal cells in aspects including invasion, growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Activated fibroblasts are one group of stromal cells involved in cancer metastasis, and one source of activated fibroblasts is endothelial to mesenchymal transformation (EndMT). EndMT begins when the endothelial cells delaminate from the cell monolayer, lose cell-cell contacts, lose endothelial markers such as vascular endothelial-cadherin (VE-cadherin), gain mesenchymal markers like alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and acquire mesenchymal cell-like properties. A three-dimensional (3D) culture microfluidic device was developed for investigating the role of steady low shear stress (1 dyne/cm2) and altered extracellular matrix (ECM) composition and stiffness on EndMT. Shear stresses resulting from fluid flow within tumor tissue are relevant to both cancer metastasis and treatment effectiveness. Low and oscillatory shear stress rates have been shown to enhance the invasion of metastatic cancer cells through specific changes in actin and tubulin remodeling. The 3D ECM within the device was composed of type I collagen and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate. An increase in collagen and GAGs has been observed in the solid tumor microenvironment and has been correlated with poor prognosis in many different cancer types. In this study, it was found that ECM composition and low shear stress upregulated EndMT, including upregulation of mesenchymal-like markers (α-SMA and Snail) and downregulated endothelial marker protein and gene expression (VE-cadherin). Furthermore, this novel model was utilized to investigate the role of EndMT in breast cancer cell proliferation and migration. Cancer cell spheroids were embedded within the 3D ECM of the microfluidic device. The results using this device show for the first time that the breast cancer spheroid size is dependent on shear stress and that the cancer cell migration rate, distance, and proliferation are induced by EndMT-derived activated fibroblasts. This model can be used to explore new therapeutics in a tumor microenvironment.
Interferometric control of the photon-number distribution
Authors: Kondakci H. Esat , Szameit Alexander , Abouraddy Ayman F. , Christodoulides Demetrios N. , Saleh Bahaa E. A.
Published: July 2017

We demonstrate deterministic control over the photon-number distribution by interfering two coherent beams within a disordered photonic lattice. By sweeping a relative phase between two equal-amplitude coherent fields with Poissonian statistics that excite adjacent sites in a lattice endowed with disorder-immune chiral symmetry, we measure an output photon-number distribution that changes periodically between super-thermal and sub-thermal photon statistics upon ensemble averaging. Thus, the photon-bunching level is controlled interferometrically at a fixed mean photon-number by gradually activating the excitation symmetry of the chiral-mode pairs with structured coherent illumination and without modifying the disorder level of the random system itself.
Self-assembled core-shell CoFe2O4@BaTiO3 particles loaded P(VDF-HFP) flexible films with excellent magneto-electric effects
Authors: Zhou Ling , Fu Qiuyun , Zhou Dongxiang , Zheng Zhiping , Hu Yunxiang , Luo Wei , Tian Yahui , Wang Chaohong , Xue Fei , Tang Xiahui
Published: July 2017

Flexible composited multiferroic films with excellent magnetic-electric effects were prepared. The films were composed of self-assembled CoFe2O4@BaTiO3 core-shell nanoparticle fillers and a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene) matrix. The CoFe2O4@BaTiO3 core-shell particles were prepared using a hydrolysis-hydrothermal method. The surface modification of CoFe2O4 with the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide promoted the BaTiO3 nanocrystals' self-assembly precipitation. Compared with the films loaded by bare CoFe2O4, the films filled with core-shell particles exhibited reduced leakage current density, enhanced dielectric properties, ferroelectric (FE) polarization, and magneto-electric (ME) effects. An excellent ME voltage coefficient of 1835 mV/cm Oe was measured at a DC bias field of −3500 Oe and an AC magnetic field of 3.5 Oe with a frequency of 45 kHz. This enhancement of ME effects was attributed to the large FE-ferromagnetic (FM) interface to volume and the increment of induced polarization, which were originated from the efficient impediment of the aggregation of FM fillers in the core-shell matrix.
On the formation of surface nanostructures induced by slow highly charged ions
Authors: Djebli Mourad , Kiouche Amina , El-Said Ayman S. , Bahlouli Hocine
Published: July 2017

Slow highly charged ions were successfully utilized for the creation of different types of surface structures. Hillock-like nanostructures were created in most of the investigated material surfaces. Here, we report on using the plasma expansion approach to explain the main features of the nanohillocks creation on the sapphire surface irradiated by slow highly charged ions. In order to explain the creation mechanism of hillocks, we used a two dimensional axisymmetric plasma expansion model, where the plasma parameters are correlated to the hillocks shape characteristics. Our strategy is based on following the expanding plasma front, assuming that the longitudinal and transverse initial conditions are different throughout the multi-fluid plasma model. The results show that the size of the ion-induced hillock is determined by the temperature and density ratios in the ion impact region.
Optical detection of graphene nanoribbons synthesized on stepped SiC surfaces
Authors: Lastras-Martínez L. F. , Almendarez-Rodríguez J. , Flores-Rangel G. , Ulloa-Castillo N. A. , Ruiz-Cigarrillo O. , Ibarra-Becerra C. A. , Castro-García R. , Balderas-Navarro R. E. , Oliveira M. H. , Lopes J. M. J.
Published: July 2017

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) are nanostructures considered to be promising building blocks for the realization of graphene-based devices. The optical properties of GNRs are hard to determine due to their nanoscopic dimensions. Reflectance Anisotropy Spectroscopy/Reflectance Difference Spectroscopy (RAS/RDS) is a powerful optical tool to characterize highly anisotropic structures. RAS/RDS has shown to be very useful to measure the optical response of materials including semiconductor heterostructures. The technique is non-destructive and can be used in air or in vacuum conditions. Considering the highly anisotropic geometry of the GNRs, the RAS/RDS becomes a quite convenient technique to characterize the optical properties of GNRs and in general to study the dependence on the thickness of the optical properties of graphene. The GNRs used in the present work were synthesized on 6H-SiC stepped substrates and annealed in air to obtain quasi-free-standing bilayer graphene (widths: 240 nm, 210, and 120 nm). For this system, the isolation of the optical signal coming from the GNRs in the RAS spectra is not an easy task due to the fact that both GNRs and the 6H-SiC stepped substrate are highly anisotropic. To study and characterize the GNRs, we present and discuss an experimental approach to isolate the RAS signal coming from the GNRs. We also have performed nano-RAS measurements by using a near-field scanning optical microscopy technique (nanometric resolution) that supports our method. We show that RAS and nano-RAS are powerful complementary optical probes that can be used to characterize GNRs and also properties such as the visual transparency of one-, two-, or few-layer thick graphene.
Semitransparent anisotropic and spin Hall magnetoresistance sensor enabled by spin-orbit torque biasing
Authors: Yang Yumeng , Xu Yanjun , Xie Hang , Xu Baoxi , Wu Yihong
Published: July 2017

We demonstrate an ultrathin and semitransparent anisotropic and spin Hall magnetoresistance sensor based on NiFe/Pt heterostructures. The use of a spin-orbit torque effective field for transverse biasing allows us to reduce the total thickness of the sensors down to 3–4 nm, thereby leading to the semitransparency. Despite the extremely simple design, the spin-orbit torque effective field biased NiFe/Pt sensor exhibits levels of linearity and sensitivity comparable to those of sensors using more complex linearization schemes. In a proof-of-concept design using a full Wheatstone bridge comprising four sensing elements, we obtained a sensitivity up to 202.9 mΩ Oe−1, a linearity error below 5%, and a detection limit down to 20 nT. The transmittance of the sensor is over 50% in the visible range.
A correlation between the defect states and yellow luminescence in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures
Authors: Jana Dipankar , Sharma T. K.
Published: July 2017

AlGaN/GaN heterostructures are investigated by performing complementary spectroscopic measurements under novel experimental configurations. Distinct features related to the band edge of AlGaN and GaN layers are clearly observed in surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPS) spectra. A few more SPS features, which are associated with defects in GaN, are also identified by performing the pump-probe SPS measurements. SPS results are strongly corroborated by the complementary photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation (PLE) measurements. A correlation between the defect assisted SPS features and yellow luminescence (YL) peak is established by performing pump-probe SPS and PLE measurements. It is found that CN-ON donor complex is responsible for the generation of YL peak in our sample. Further, the deep trap states are found to be present throughout the entire GaN epilayer. It is also noticed that the deep trap states lying at the GaN/Fe-GaN interface make a strong contribution to the YL feature. A phenomenological model is proposed to explain the intensity dependence of the YL feature and the corresponding SPS features in a pump-probe configuration, where a reasonable agreement between the numerical simulations and experimental results is achieved.
Characteristics of exploding metal wires in water with three discharge types
Authors: Han Ruoyu , Wu Jiawei , Zhou Haibin , Ding Weidong , Qiu Aici , Clayson Thomas , Wang Yanan , Ren Hang
Published: July 2017

This paper presents the characteristics of underwater electrical wire explosion (UEWE) with three discharge types, namely, Type-A, Type-B, and Type-C. Experiments were carried out with copper and tungsten wires (4 cm long and 50–300 μm in diameter) driven by a microsecond time-scale pulsed current source with 500 J stored energy. A time-integrated spectrometer and a photodiode were used to measure the optical emission of UEWE. A Polyvinylidene Fluoride probe was adopted to record the pressure waveforms. Experimental results indicate that from Type-A to Type-C, more energy deposits prior to the voltage peak and the first peak power increases drastically. This variation of energy deposition influences the optical emission and shock wave generation process. Specifically, the light intensity decreases by more than 90% and the peak of continuous spectra moves from ∼400 nm to ∼700 nm. In addition, the peak pressure of the first shock wave increases from ∼2 MPa to more than 7.5 MPa.
All-zigzag graphene nanoribbons for planar interconnect application
Authors: Chen Po-An , Chiang Meng-Hsueh , Hsu Wei-Chou
Published: July 2017

A feasible “lightning-shaped” zigzag graphene nanoribbon (ZGNR) structure for planar interconnects is proposed. Based on the density functional theory and non-equilibrium Green's function, the electron transport properties are evaluated. The lightning-shaped structure increases significantly the conductance of the graphene interconnect with an odd number of zigzag chains. This proposed technique can effectively utilize the linear I-V characteristic of asymmetric ZGNRs for interconnect application. Variability study accounting for width/length variation and the edge effect is also included. The transmission spectra, transmission eigenstates, and transmission pathways are analyzed to gain the physical insights. This lightning-shaped ZGNR enables all 2D material-based devices and circuits on flexible and transparent substrates.
Characterization of nitride hole lateral transport in a charge trap flash memory by using a random telegraph signal method
Authors: Liu Yu-Heng , Jiang Cheng-Min , Lin Hsiao-Yi , Wang Tahui , Tsai Wen-Jer , Lu Tao-Cheng , Chen Kuang-Chao , Lu Chih-Yuan
Published: July 2017

We use a random telegraph signal method to investigate nitride trapped hole lateral transport in a charge trap flash memory. The concept of this method is to utilize an interface oxide trap and its associated random telegraph signal as an internal probe to detect a local channel potential change resulting from nitride charge lateral movement. We apply different voltages to the drain of a memory cell and vary a bake temperature in retention to study the electric field and temperature dependence of hole lateral movement in a nitride. Thermal energy absorption by trapped holes in lateral transport is characterized. Mechanisms of hole lateral transport in retention are investigated. From the measured and modeled results, we find that thermally assisted trap-to-band tunneling is a major trapped hole emission mechanism in nitride hole lateral transport.
Cladistic analysis of the family Nomoclastidae with descriptions of a new genus and eight new species (Opiliones, Laniatores)
Authors: Pinto-da-Rocha Ricardo , Bragagnolo Cibele
Published: July 2017

The family Nomoclastidae is revised and, based on a cladistic analysis, Callcosma Roewer, 1932 is transferred to the family from Cranaidae. The monotypic genus Napostygnus Roewer, 1929, hitherto considered incertae sedis, is also assigned to Nomoclastidae. Zygopachylus Chamberlin, 1925 and Poassa Roewer, 1943 are synonymised under Quindina Roewer, 1914, consequently creating the new combinations Quindina limbata (Roewer, 1914) and Quindina albomarginis (Chamberlin, 1925). The new combination Quindina marginata (Roewer, 1963), comb. nov. is proposed, as the type-species of Deriacrus, D. simoni Roewer, 1932, is not congeneric with Deriacrus marginatus Roewer, 1963 and has the synapomorphies of Quindina, such as a row of large rounded tubercles on the lateral margin and enlarged tubercles on the dorsal scutum. A new genus and species are proposed, Kichua rheimsae, sp. nov., from Ecuador (type locality: Ecuador, Napo, Cantón Quijos, Parroquira Cozanga, Yanayacu Research Station). In addition, seven new species are herein described: Callcosma abrapatricia, sp. nov. (type locality: Peru, Moyobamba, Abra Patricia Private Conservation Area); Callcosma cofan, sp. nov. (type locality: Ecuador, Sucumbíos, Cabanas Cuyabeno); Callcosma barasana, sp. nov. (type locality: Colombia, Vaupés, Tararira, Estacción Biológica da Caparu); Quindina albiocularia, sp. nov. (type locality: Panama, Coclé, Valle de Antón); Quindina burbayar, sp. nov. (type locality: Panama, Reserva Natural Privada Burbayar); Quindina kuna, sp. nov. (type locality: Panama, Darién, Chucantí); and Quindina morae, sp. nov. (type locality: Panama, Gamboa, Sendero del Oleoducto).
A new phoronid species, Phoronis embryolabi, with a novel type of development, and consideration of phoronid taxonomy and DNA barcoding
Authors: Temereva Elena N. , Chichvarkhin Anton
Published: July 2017

The Phoronida, which is one of the smallest phyla of invertebrates, includes only 13 valid species, although ~40 larval forms of phoronids were recently described. This report uses light microscopy and molecular methods to describe a new phoronid species, Phoronis embryolabi Temereva & Chichvarkhin, sp. nov. The morphology of P. embryolabi, which lives commensally in the burrows of Axiidea shrimp Nihonotrypaea japonica in Vostok Bay (the Sea of Japan), is extremely similar to that of Phoronis pallida Silen, 1952; the bodies of both species exhibit specific regionalisation. However, the organisation of the metanephridia differs between P. pallida and P. embryolabi. Moreover, P. embryolabi has a unique type of development, viviparity, in which mothers release fully developed larvae into the environment. In all other phoronid species, the spawning occurs as a release of fertilised eggs or early embryos. Viviparity of completely developed larvae has not been previously described for any phoronid. According to analysis of partial 28S rRNA, P. embryolabi is close to Phoronis pallida. On the other hand, analysis of partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I indicated a unique position of P. embryolabi among phoronids. These results should be used for revision of phoronid taxonomy (i.e. the type of development should be considered as characteristic of subgenera within the genus Phoronis). This report also establishes the relationship between P. embryolabi and an Actinotrocha sp. that was described in a previous paper.
A subtle cartography
Authors: Grafton Janet
Published: July 2017

The shift from rural to urban is mapped out in fiction, providing crucial reference points in environmental and cultural history. The old-fashioned worlds depicted in L.M. Montgomery’s Jane of Lantern Hill and Dorothy Canfield Fisher’s Understood Betsy are mapped not visually but verbally, conveying a strong sense of place that roots the characters with an intrinsic cartography. In this chapter, the author applies ecocriticism to fiction from the past to explore how personal geography and physical geography are entwined and informed by the other. The author analyzes the ways in which substantial and experiential contact with the land helps the protagonists develop their geographic literacy.
Metaphorical maps in picturebooks
Authors: Kümmerling-Meibauer Bettina , Meibauer Jörg
Published: July 2017

This chapter focuses on the cognitive and narrative functions of metaphorical maps in picturebooks. In contrast to maps that present real or fictional city- and landscapes, metaphorical maps are used to visualize abstract concepts. In particular, two types of metaphorical maps in picturebooks are distinguished: maps of (existing) cities and countries that are shaped like animals and humans, and entities such as the heart and the brain that are structured like maps. In order to understand this map category, children have to develop a basic knowledge of the symbols and functions of maps in general, and to learn that metaphorical maps are imaginative guides which symbolize specific patterns of thinking.
Bruno Munari’s visual mapping of the city of Milan
Authors: Campagnaro Marnie
Published: July 2017

Bruno Munari was one of the most pioneering and ingenious thinkers of the twentieth century. Pablo Picasso called him “the new Leonardo” and Pierre Restany “the Leonardo and the Peter Pan of Italian design.” During his long career as an artist and a designer, Bruno Munari achieved a special bond with the infant universe. He explored the area of visual narration in children’s literature with sublime results. Munari’s witty picturebooks pay special attention to young readers’ capacity to organize and orientate their reading experience by means of visible and invisible details. This chapter examines the picturebook Nella nebbia di Milano (The Circus in the Mist, 1968). The aim of the chapter is to provide an overview of Munari’s original approach and of his capacity to visualize and map places in children’s everyday lives.
Mapping Middle Earth
Authors: Sundmark Björn
Published: July 2017

In this chapter, J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy maps in The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954–55) are assessed and analyzed. The analysis shows that the five maps – two in The Hobbit and three in The Lord of the Rings – are less uniform than one would assume. It is also clear that the maps in The Hobbit represent a more child-oriented aesthetics than in the latter work. A few examples are then given of how Tolkien’s maps have influenced subsequent writers of fantasy. Finally, it is demonstrated how the Tolkienian fantasy map is transformed when it is moved from the printed page to the screen.
Becoming social and interactive with language
Authors: Clark Eve V.
Published: July 2017

Children interact with others from early in infancy: They smile in response to smiles, follow adult gaze, attend to objects others are looking at, mimic adult intonation contours in their babbling, and make use of gestures and actions to attract attention. They interact more intensively as they advance from crawling to walking. When they begin to talk, they add words to their gestures and gradually move on to more complex utterances. But to communicate content effectively, children must take turns in conversational exchanges. For this, they need to contribute appropriate content and get the timing right so that they come in on time when they answer a question or make a further contribution to the ongoing conversation.
Requests in Turkish and German child-directed and child speech
Authors: Korecky-Kröll Katharina , Uzunkaya-Sharma Kumru , Dressler Wolfgang U.
Published: July 2017

On the basis of parent-child interaction data of families from different socio-economic status (SES), we discuss the usage of requests in input and output of three-year old monolingual German-speaking children and bilingual children speaking mainly Turkish at home. Whereas high SES parents are known to use more conversation-eliciting speech acts, low SES parents often show a behavior-directing conversation style. Especially, directive speech acts provide an interesting testing ground for exploring different conversation styles. Results confirm the expected SES differences for the monolingual, but not for the bilingual parents. Nevertheless, we find similar tendencies in both monolingual and bilingual children, such as HSES children use more indirect requests, whereas LSES children use more direct requests and ask more real questions.
How robust is the effect of parental response to child gesture in facilitating child vocabulary development across different learners?
Authors: Özçalışkan Şeyda , Limia Valery , Dimitrova Nevena
Published: July 2017

Children express their burgeoning abilities in referential communication initially in gesture. Parents frequently provide verbal labels for the referents children express only in gesture but not yet in speech, which, in turn boosts children’s subsequent vocabulary development. In this chapter, we ask whether the link between early gesture and early words, mediated through parental verbal input, remains preserved across different learners, including typically developing, children learning one or more languages and children with developmental disorders learning language with delays. Overall, research to date indicates the robustness of the gesture-speech link in early vocabulary development across different learners; it also highlights the importance of parental verbal scaffold in this process.
Preschoolers’ use of questions in their joint decisions with peers
Authors: Köymen Bahar , Lieven Elena
Published: July 2017

This paper investigates how preschoolers use questions to invite their peers’ input for their joint decisions. Three- and 5-year-old peer dyads were asked to build a zoo and jointly decide on where to place each item. Both age groups used wh-questions predominantly with inanimate subjects, eliciting objective information (Where does this go?) and yes/no questions with animate subjects, eliciting subjective information (Do you want to put it here?). Five-year-olds used more animate subjects in their wh-questions than did 3-year-olds (Where do we place this?). Thus, preschool children phrase questions differently depending on whether they look for subjective or objective input from their peers. In later preschool years, they use both kinds of questions more flexibly to mark cooperative decision-making.
Event perception and language learning
Authors: Göksun Tilbe , Aktan-Erciyes Asli , Hirsh-Pasek Kathy , Golinkoff Roberta Michnick
Published: July 2017

How do children learn relational words such as verbs and prepositions? We present a framework for testing children’s acquisition of relational words. We argue that learning relational language requires first discriminating and abstracting a set of components in events. Children then come to interpret these event components in line with their native language. In this process of trading spaces, infants start from a common non-linguistic base and focus on event components encoding once they start to learn their native language, becoming language-specific interpreters. Not only does language focus attention on particular components of events, but it also might serve as a tool for constructing complex event concepts. We discuss the implications both for first language learning and second language acquisition.
Developing construals of a narrative event sequence
Authors: Berman Ruth A.
Published: July 2017

The chapter examines Hebrew-language excerpts relating to a particular episode in the “frog-story” picture book following on from Aksu-Koç and Tekdemir’s (2004) study of “the interplay between narrativity and mindreading.” Verbalizations of Hebrew-speaking preschoolers and school children compared with adults provide further evidence for the complex interweaving of cognitive and linguistic knowledge in development of narrative abilities. Young preschool children show native-like command of clause-level grammar and lexicon, but fail to recognize the protagonist’s misconception whereas by school-age, participants invariably correctly identify the objects depicted graphically by the author-illustrator. Findings are discussed in terms of the developing ability to recognize this complex interrelation between events and to verbalize them in linguistically appropriate terms.
A first study on the development of spatial viewpoint in sign language acquisition
Authors: Sümer Beyza , Perniss Pamela , Özyürek Aslı
Published: July 2017

The current study examines, for the first time, the viewpoint preferences of signing children in expressing spatial relations that require imposing a viewpoint (left-right, front-behind). We elicited spatial descriptions from deaf children (4–9 years of age) acquiring Turkish Sign Language (TİD) natively from their deaf parents and from adult native signers of TİD. Adults produced these spatial descriptions from their own viewpoint and from that of their addressee depending on whether the objects were located on the lateral or the sagittal axis. TİD-acquiring children, on the other hand, described all spatial configurations from their own viewpoint. Differences were also found between children and adults in the type of linguistic devices and how they are used to express such spatial relations.
Restricting Russians: language and immigration laws in Soviet Latvia, 1956–1959
Authors: Loader Michael
Published: July 2017

In 1956, a prominent faction within the leadership of Soviet Latvia, the Latvian national communists, launched two ambitious initiatives designed to redress perceived Stalinist Russification polices – a language law and residency restrictions. This article examines and evaluates these two policies and asks if they were part of a “Latvianization” program that deliberately targeted Russians for denial of residency permits and required Russians to gain Latvian-language competency within a two-year timeframe or face the threat of dismissal. In an effort to restore the primacy of the Latvian language, the national communists created a law enforcing knowledge of Latvian and Russian for Communist Party and government functionaries and service sector personnel. Using the Soviet legal system, the national communists also attempted to halt the influx of predominantly Slavic immigration to the Latvian capital, Riga. By instituting passport restrictions on settling in the city, the national communists sought to limit Slavic migration in order to maintain Riga's Latvian character and reduce pressure on the city's housing supply and municipal services. Existing studies deem passport restrictions in other Soviet cities a failure. The author argues, however, that the national communists’ scheme was generally successful, dramatically curbing migration to Riga during its operation.
Dietary daidzein, but not genistein, has a hypocholesterolemic effect in non-ovariectomized and ovariectomized female Sprague-Dawley rats on a cholesterol-free diet
Authors: Bhattarai Keshab , Adhikari Sudhashree , Fujitani Mina , Kishida Taro
Published: July 2017

We compared the effects of two major isoflavones, daidzein and genistein, on lipid metabolism in rats. Daidzein (150 mg/kg diet), genistein (150 mg/kg diet), daidzein and genistein (1:1, 300 mg/kg diet), or control diets were fed to 4 groups of 6-week-old ovariectomized (Ovx) and non-Ovx Sprague Dawley rats for 4 weeks. Dietary daidzein, but not genistein, reduced serum and hepatic total cholesterol levels significantly relative to that by the control group, regardless of whether the rats had undergone ovariectomy. Genistein did not exhibit any physiological effects on lipid levels, but did affect genes involved in cholesterol metabolism. These results indicate that daidzein and genistein may influence lipid regulation via differing modes of action.
A short synthetic chimeric sequence harboring matrix attachment region/PSAR2 increases transgene expression in Chinese hamster ovary cells
Authors: Li Qin , Wang Wen , Guo Xiao , Jia Yan-Long , Wang Yan-Fang , Wang Tian-Yun
Published: July 2017

A chimeric DNA fragment containing an interferon-beta matrix attachment region (MAR) and an immunoglobulin MAR (PSAR2) was synthesized. PSAR2 was cloned into the upstream or downstream region of an enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) expression cassette in a eukaryotic vector, which was then transfected into CHO cells. The results showed that PSAR2 did not effectively increase transgene expression when it was cloned into the upstream region of the eGFP expression cassette. However, when inserted downstream of the eGFP expression cassette, PSAR2-enhanced transient transgene expression and significantly increased the numbers of stably transfected cells compared with the control vector. Additionally, PSAR2 significantly increased eGFP copy numbers as compared with the control vector. PSAR2 could significantly enhance transgene expression in CHO cells according to the position in the vector and increased transgene copy numbers. We found a short chimeric sequence harboring two MARs effectively increased transgene expression in CHO cells.
Microglia control the glycinergic but not the GABAergic synapses via prostaglandin E2 in the spinal cord
Authors: Cantaut-Belarif Yasmine , Antri Myriam , Pizzarelli Rocco , Colasse Sabrina , Vaccari Ilaria , Soares Sylvia , Renner Marianne , Dallel Radhouane , Triller Antoine , Bessis Alain
Published: July 2017

Microglia control excitatory synapses, but their role in inhibitory neurotransmission has been less well characterized. Herein, we show that microglia control the strength of glycinergic but not GABAergic synapses via modulation of the diffusion dynamics and synaptic trapping of glycine (GlyR) but not GABAA receptors. We further demonstrate that microglia regulate the activity-dependent plasticity of glycinergic synapses by tuning the GlyR diffusion trap. This microglia–synapse cross talk requires production of prostaglandin E2 by microglia, leading to the activation of neuronal EP2 receptors and cyclic adenosine monophosphate–dependent protein kinase. Thus, we now provide a link between microglial activation and synaptic dysfunctions, which are common early features of many brain diseases.
Phylotyper: in silico predictor of gene subtypes
Authors: Whiteside Matthew D , Gannon Victor P J , Laing Chad R
Published: July 2017

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is being adopted in public health for improved surveillance and outbreak analysis. In public health, subtyping has been used to infer phenotypes and distinguish bacterial strain groups. In silico tools that predict subtypes from sequences data are needed to transition historical data to WGS-based protocols. Phylotyper is a novel solution for in silico subtype prediction from gene sequences. Designed for incorporation into WGS pipelines, it is a general prediction tool that can be applied to different subtype schemes. Phylotyper uses phylogeny to model the evolution of the subtype and infer subtypes for unannotated sequences. The phylogenic framework in Phylotyper improves accuracy over approaches based solely on sequence similarity and provides useful contextual feedback.

Availability and implementation

Phylotyper is a python and R package. It is available from: https://github.com/superphy/insilico-subtyping.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
FRB as products of accretion disc funnels
Authors: Katz J. I.
Published: July 2017

The repeating FRB 121102, the only fast radio burst (FRB) with an accurately determined position, is associated with a variable persistent radio source. I suggest that an FRB originates in the accretion disc funnels of black holes. Narrowly collimated radiation is emitted along the wandering instantaneous angular momentum axis of accreted matter. This emission is observed as a fast radio burst when it sweeps across the direction to the observer. In this model, in contrast to neutron star (pulsar, RRAT or SGR) models, repeating FRBs do not have underlying periodicity and are co-located with persistent radio sources resulting from their off-axis emission. The model is analogous, on smaller spatial, lower mass and accretion rate and shorter temporal scales, to an active galactic nucleus (AGN), with FRB corresponding to blazars in which the jets point towards us. The small inferred black hole masses imply that FRBs are not associated with galactic nuclei.
Systematic Review of Costs and Effects of Self-Management Interventions for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Spotlight on Analytic Perspective and Outcomes Assessment
Authors: Hernon Marian J. , Hall Amanda M. , O’Mahony James F. , Normand Charles , Hurley Deirdre A.
Published: July 2017

Background

Evidence for the cost-effectiveness of self-management interventions for chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) lacks consensus, which may be due to variability in the costing methods employed.

Purpose

The purposes of the study were to identify how costs and effects have been assessed in economic analysis of self-management interventions for CMP and to identify the effect of the chosen analytical perspective on cost-effectiveness conclusions.

Data Sources

Five databases were searched for all study designs using relevant terms.

Study Selection

Two independent researchers reviewed all titles for predefined inclusion criteria: adults (≥18 years of age) with CMP, interventions with a primary aim of promoting self-management, and conducted a cost analysis.

Data Extraction

Descriptive data including population, self-management intervention, analytical perspective, and costs and effects measured were collected by one reviewer and checked for accuracy by a second reviewer.

Data Synthesis

Fifty-seven studies were identified: 65% (n = 37) chose the societal perspective, of which 89% (n = 33) captured health care utilization, 92% (n = 34) reported labor productivity, 65% (n = 24) included intervention delivery, and 59% (n = 22) captured patient/family costs. Types of costs varied in all studies. Eight studies conducted analyses from both health service and societal perspectives; cost-effectiveness estimates varied with perspective chosen, but in no case was the difference sufficient to change overall policy recommendations.

Limitations

Chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions where self-management is recommended, but not as a primary treatment, were excluded. Gray literature was excluded.

Conclusion

Substantial heterogeneity in the cost components captured in the assessment of self-management for CMP was found; this was independent of the analytic perspective used. Greater efforts to ensure complete and consistent costings are required if reliable cost-effectiveness evidence of self-management interventions is to be generated and to inform the most appropriate perspective for economic analyses in this field.
Cross-Sectional Relationships of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior With Cognitive Function in Older Adults With Probable Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Falck Ryan S. , Landry Glenn J. , Best John R. , Davis Jennifer C. , Chiu Bryan K. , Liu-Ambrose Teresa
Published: July 2017

Background

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) represents a transition between normal cognitive aging and dementia and may represent a critical time frame for promoting cognitive health through behavioral strategies. Current evidence suggests that physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior are important for cognition. However, it is unclear whether there are differences in PA and sedentary behavior between people with probable MCI and people without MCI or whether the relationships of PA and sedentary behavior with cognitive function differ by MCI status.

Objective

The aims of this study were to examine differences in PA and sedentary behavior between people with probable MCI and people without MCI and whether associations of PA and sedentary behavior with cognitive function differed by MCI status.

Design

This was a cross-sectional study.

Methods

Physical activity and sedentary behavior in adults dwelling in the community (N = 151; at least 55 years old) were measured using a wrist-worn actigraphy unit. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment was used to categorize participants with probable MCI (scores of <26/30) and participants without MCI (scores of ≥26/30). Cognitive function was indexed using the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive-Plus (ADAS-Cog Plus). Physical activity and sedentary behavior were compared based on probable MCI status, and relationships of ADAS-Cog Plus with PA and sedentary behavior were examined by probable MCI status.

Results

Participants with probable MCI (n = 82) had lower PA and higher sedentary behavior than participants without MCI (n = 69). Higher PA and lower sedentary behavior were associated with better ADAS-Cog Plus performance in participants without MCI (β = −.022 and β = .012, respectively) but not in participants with probable MCI (β < .001 for both).

Limitations

This study was cross-sectional and therefore could not establish whether conversion to MCI attenuated the relationships of PA and sedentary behavior with cognitive function. The diagnosis of MCI was not confirmed with a physician; therefore, this study could not conclude how many of the participants categorized as having probable MCI would actually have been diagnosed with MCI by a physician.

Conclusions

Participants with probable MCI were less active and more sedentary. The relationships of these behaviors with cognitive function differed by MCI status; associations were found only in participants without MCI.
Modulation of the transcription factor NF-κB in antigen-presenting cells by bovine respiratory syncytial virus small hydrophobic protein
Authors: Pollock Nicola , Taylor Geraldine , Jobe Fatoumatta , Guzman Efrain
Published: July 2017

Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) is an important cause of respiratory disease in young cattle and is closely related to human RSV (HRSV), which causes severe respiratory disease in infants and the elderly. The RSV genome encodes a small hydrophobic (SH) protein with viroporin activity. Previous studies have shown that recombinant BRSV lacking the SH gene (rBRSVΔSH) is attenuated in the lungs, but not in the upper respiratory tract, of calves and mucosal vaccination with rBRSVΔSH induced long-lasting protective immunity. Attenuation of rBRSVΔSH may be due to the ability of this virus to induce an early innate response as rBRSVΔSH induces higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines than wild-type (wt) rBRSV. In this study, we investigated the effects of the BRSV SH protein on NF-κB p65 phosphorylation, a master step in the regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Expression of SH resulted in the inhibition of NF-κB p65 phosphorylation in response to BRSV infection and extracellular lipopolysaccharide, and a reduction in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In contrast, rBRSVΔSH does not inhibit NF-κB p65 phosphorylation in bovine antigen-presenting cells, including monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells, resulting in increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased activation of T cells compared to cells infected with wt BRSV. These findings highlight an important role for the BRSV SH protein in immune modulation.
The Role of the Sex Chromosomes in the Inheritance of Species Specific Traits of the Shape of the Copulatory Organ in Drosophila
Authors: Kulikov Alex M. , Sorokina Svetlana Yu. , Melnikov Anton I. , Gornostaev Nick G. , Seleznev Dmitriy G. , Lazebny Oleg E.
Published: July 2017

The sex chromosomes of the parental species, D. virilis and D. lummei were tested for the effect on trait dominance in the shape of the copulatory system in the interspecific crosses. The origin of the sex chromosome and the paternal genotype were found to affect the trait dominance in D. lummei × D. virilis progeny and backcross males heterozygous for the autosomes. A correlated variability analysis showed that the two sex chromosomes exert unidirectional effects, shifting dominance towards the conspecific phenotype. The effect of the X chromosome is to a great extent determined by epigenetic factors associated with the paternal genotype.
Intrinsically disordered linkers determine the interplay between phase separation and gelation in multivalent proteins
Authors: Harmon Tyler S. , Holehouse Alex S. , Rosen Michael K. , Pappu Rohit V.
Published: July 2017

Many intracellular membraneless bodies appear to form via reversible phase transitions of multivalent proteins. Two relevant types of phase transitions aresol-gel transitions(gelation) andphase separation plus gelation. Gelation refers to the formation of a system spanning molecular network. This can either be enabled by phase separation or it can occur independently. Despite relevance for the formation and selectivity of compositionally distinct protein and RNA assemblies, the determinants of gelation as opposed to phase separation plus gelation remain unclear. Here, we focus on linear multivalent proteins that consist of interaction domains that are connected by disordered linkers. Using results from computer simulations and theoretical analysis we show that the lengths and sequence-specific features of disordered linkers determine the coupling between phase separation and gelation. Thus, the precise nature of phase transitions for linear multivalent proteins should be biologically tunable through genetic encoding of or post-translational modifications to linker sequences.
Intraclass correlation: improved modeling approaches and applications for neuroimaging
Authors: Chen Gang , Taylor Paul A. , Haller Simone P. , Kircanski Katharina , Stoddard Joel , Pine Daniel S. , Leibenluft Ellen , Brotman Melissa A. , Cox Robert W.
Published: July 2017

Intraclass correlation (ICC) is a reliability metric that gauges similarity when, for example, entities are measured under similar, or even the same, well-controlled conditions, which in MRI applications include runs/sessions, twins, parent/child, scanners, sites, etc. The popular definitions and interpretations of ICC are usually framed statistically under the conventional ANOVA platform. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of ICC analysis in its prior usage in neuroimaging, and we show that the standard ANOVA framework is often limited, rigid, and inflexible in modeling capabilities. These intrinsic limitations motivate several improvements. Specifically, we start with the conventional ICC model under the ANOVA platform, and extend it along two dimensions: first, fixing the failure in ICC estimation when negative values occur under degenerative circumstance, and second, incorporating precision information of effect estimates into the ICC model. These endeavors lead to four modeling strategies: linear mixed-effects (LME), regularized mixed-effects (RME), multilevel mixed-effects (MME), and regularized multilevel mixed-effects (RMME). Compared to ANOVA, each of these four models directly provides estimates for fixed effects as well as their statistical significances, in addition to the ICC estimate. These new modeling approaches can also accommodate missing data as well as fixed effects for confounding variables. More importantly, we show that the MME and RMME approaches offer more accurate characterization and decomposition among the variance components, leading to more robust ICC computation. Based on these theoretical considerations and model performance comparisons with a real experimental dataset, we offer the following general-purpose recommendations. First, ICC estimation through MME or RMME is preferable when precision information (i.e., weights that more accurately allocate the variances in the data) is available for the effect estimate; when precision information is unavailable, ICC estimation through LME or the RME is the preferred option. Second, even though the absolute agreement version, ICC(2,1), is presently more popular in the field, the consistency version, ICC(3,1), is a practical and informative choice for whole-brain ICC analysis that achieves a well-balanced compromise when all potential fixed effects are accounted for. Third, approaches for clear, meaningful, and useful result reporting in ICC analysis are discussed. All models, ICC formulations, and related statistical testing methods have been implemented in an open source program3dICC, which is publicly available as part of the AFNI suite. Even though our work here focuses on the whole brain level, the modeling strategy and recommendations can be equivalently applied to other situations such as voxel, region, and network levels.
Congenital myotonic dystrophy—an RNA-mediated disease across a developmental continuum
Authors: Jagannathan Sujatha , Bradley Robert K.
Published: July 2017

Thomas and colleagues (pp. 1122–1133) demonstrate severe dysregulation of developmentally regulated alternative splicing and polyadenylation in congenital myotonic dystrophy (CDM). In doing so, they also highlight the importance of these post-transcriptional processes during normal fetal muscle development. Finally, they generate and characterize a mouse model of CDM that lacks all three Muscleblind-like proteins.