bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inflammatory mediator ultra-low-molecular-weight hyaluronan triggers necrosis of B-precursor leukemia cells with high surface CD44 expression
Authors: Kasai Shin , Furuichi Yoshiyuki , Ando Norie , Kagami Keiko , Abe Masako , Nakane Takaya , Goi Kumiko , Inukai Takeshi , Saitoh Sei , Ohno Shinichi , Okazaki Shogo , Nagano Osamu , Saya Hideyuki , Sugita Kanji
Published: June 2017

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene rearrangements (MLL+ALL) has a dismal prognosis and is characterized by high surface CD44 expression. Known that CD44 has the specific binding sites for a natural ligand hyaluronan (HA), we investigated biological effects of HA with different molecular sizes on MLL+ALL cell lines, and found that the addition of ultra-low-molecular-weight (ULMW)-HA strongly suppressed their thymidine uptakes. The MLL+ALL cell line lacking surface CD44 expression established by genome editing showed no suppression of thymidine uptake. Surface CD44-high B-precursor ALL cell lines other than MLL+, but not T-ALL cell lines, were also suppressed in their thymidine uptakes. The inhibition of thymidine uptakes was because of induction of cell death, but dead cells lacked features of apoptosis on cytospin smears and flow cytometric analysis. The cell death was neither blocked by pan-caspase inhibitor nor autophagy inhibitor, but was completely blocked by necrosis inhibitor necrostatin-1. Necrotic cell death was further supported by a marked release of a high-mobility protein group B1 and morphological changes on transmission electron microscopy. Elevation of intracellular reactive oxygen species production suggested a role for inducing this necrotic cell death. ULMW-HA-triggered cell death was similarly demonstrated in surface CD44-high primary B-precursor leukemia cells. Assuming that ULMW-HA is abundantly secreted at the site of infection and inflammation, this study sheds light on understanding the mechanism of a transient inflammation-associated remission of leukemia. Further, the CD44-targeting may become an effective approach in future for the treatment of refractory B-precursor ALL by its capability of predominantly eradicating CD44-high leukemia-initiating cells.
Clinical manifestations in two patients with pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency and long-term survival
Authors: Yoshida Takanobu , Kido Jun , Mitsubuchi Hiroshi , Matsumoto Shirou , Endo Fumio , Nakamura Kimitoshi
Published: June 2017

Pyruvate dehydrogenase E1-alpha deficiency (PDHAD) results in lactic acidosis and hyperpyruvatemia. Two patients with PDHAD, a man with a p.R263Q mutation, and a girl with a p.C145del mutation in PDHE1α, presented with lactic acidosis with neurological disorder. These patients were able to survive for a long period under careful nursing care. Herein, we discuss the factors contributing to their relatively stable clinical course, albeit with intellectual disability.
Detection of Zak phases and topological invariants in a chiral quantum walk of twisted photons
Authors: Cardano Filippo , D’Errico Alessio , Dauphin Alexandre , Maffei Maria , Piccirillo Bruno , de Lisio Corrado , De Filippis Giulio , Cataudella Vittorio , Santamato Enrico , Marrucci Lorenzo , Lewenstein Maciej , Massignan Pietro
Published: June 2017

Topological insulators are fascinating states of matter exhibiting protected edge states and robust quantized features in their bulk. Here we propose and validate experimentally a method to detect topological properties in the bulk of one-dimensional chiral systems. We first introduce the mean chiral displacement, an observable that rapidly approaches a value proportional to the Zak phase during the free evolution of the system. Then we measure the Zak phase in a photonic quantum walk of twisted photons, by observing the mean chiral displacement in its bulk. Next, we measure the Zak phase in an alternative, inequivalent timeframe and combine the two windings to characterize the full phase diagram of this Floquet system. Finally, we prove the robustness of the measure by introducing dynamical disorder in the system. This detection method is extremely general and readily applicable to all present one-dimensional platforms simulating static or Floquet chiral systems.
Evidence for a palaeo-subglacial lake on the Antarctic continental shelf
Authors: Kuhn Gerhard , Hillenbrand Claus-Dieter , Kasten Sabine , Smith James A. , Nitsche Frank O. , Frederichs Thomas , Wiers Steffen , Ehrmann Werner , Klages Johann P. , Mogollón José M.
Published: June 2017

Subglacial lakes are widespread beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet but their control on ice-sheet dynamics and their ability to harbour life remain poorly characterized. Here we present evidence for a palaeo-subglacial lake on the Antarctic continental shelf. A distinct sediment facies recovered from a bedrock basin in Pine Island Bay indicates deposition within a low-energy lake environment. Diffusive-advection modelling demonstrates that low chloride concentrations in the pore water of the corresponding sediments can only be explained by initial deposition of this facies in a freshwater setting. These observations indicate that an active subglacial meltwater network, similar to that observed beneath the extant ice sheet, was also active during the last glacial period. It also provides a new framework for refining the exploration of these unique environments.
Experimental discrimination of ion stopping models near the Bragg peak in highly ionized matter
Authors: Cayzac W. , Frank A. , Ortner A. , Bagnoud V. , Basko M. M. , Bedacht S. , Bläser C. , Blažević A. , Busold S. , Deppert O. , Ding J. , Ehret M. , Fiala P. , Frydrych S. , Gericke D. O. , Hallo L. , Helfrich J. , Jahn D. , Kjartansson E. , Knetsch A. , Kraus D. , Malka G. , Neumann N. W. , Pépitone K. , Pepler D. , Sander S. , Schaumann G. , Schlegel T. , Schroeter N. , Schumacher D. , Seibert M. , Tauschwitz An. , Vorberger J. , Wagner F. , Weih S. , Zobus Y. , Roth M.
Published: June 2017

The energy deposition of ions in dense plasmas is a key process in inertial confinement fusion that determines the α-particle heating expected to trigger a burn wave in the hydrogen pellet and resulting in high thermonuclear gain. However, measurements of ion stopping in plasmas are scarce and mostly restricted to high ion velocities where theory agrees with the data. Here, we report experimental data at low projectile velocities near the Bragg peak, where the stopping force reaches its maximum. This parameter range features the largest theoretical uncertainties and conclusive data are missing until today. The precision of our measurements, combined with a reliable knowledge of the plasma parameters, allows to disprove several standard models for the stopping power for beam velocities typically encountered in inertial fusion. On the other hand, our data support theories that include a detailed treatment of strong ion-electron collisions.
Tracing the oxygen isotope composition of the upper Earth’s atmosphere using cosmic spherules
Authors: Pack Andreas , Höweling Andres , Hezel Dominik C. , Stefanak Maren T. , Beck Anne-Katrin , Peters Stefan T. M. , Sengupta Sukanya , Herwartz Daniel , Folco Luigi
Published: June 2017

Molten I-type cosmic spherules formed by heating, oxidation and melting of extraterrestrial Fe,Ni metal alloys. The entire oxygen in these spherules sources from the atmosphere. Therefore, I-type cosmic spherules are suitable tracers for the isotopic composition of the upper atmosphere at altitudes between 80 and 115 km. Here we present data on I-type cosmic spherules collected in Antarctica. Their composition is compared with the composition of tropospheric O2. Our data suggest that the Earth's atmospheric O2 is isotopically homogenous up to the thermosphere. This makes fossil I-type micrometeorites ideal proxies for ancient atmospheric CO2 levels.
Direct and simultaneous observation of ultrafast electron and hole dynamics in germanium
Authors: Zürch Michael , Chang Hung-Tzu , Borja Lauren J. , Kraus Peter M. , Cushing Scott K. , Gandman Andrey , Kaplan Christopher J. , Oh Myoung Hwan , Prell James S. , Prendergast David , Pemmaraju Chaitanya D. , Neumark Daniel M. , Leone Stephen R.
Published: June 2017

Understanding excited carrier dynamics in semiconductors is crucial for the development of photovoltaics and efficient photonic devices. However, overlapping spectral features in optical pump-probe spectroscopy often render assignments of separate electron and hole carrier dynamics ambiguous. Here, ultrafast electron and hole dynamics in germanium nanocrystalline thin films are directly and simultaneously observed by ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy in the extreme ultraviolet at the germanium M4,5 edge. We decompose the spectra into contributions of electronic state blocking and photo-induced band shifts at a carrier density of 8 × 1020 cm−3. Separate electron and hole relaxation times are observed as a function of hot carrier energies. A first-order electron and hole decay of ∼1 ps suggests a Shockley–Read–Hall recombination mechanism. The simultaneous observation of electrons and holes with extreme ultraviolet transient absorption spectroscopy paves the way for investigating few- to sub-femtosecond dynamics of both holes and electrons in complex semiconductor materials and across junctions.
Immune cell-derived cytokines contribute to obesity-related inflammation, fibrogenesis and metabolic deregulation in human adipose tissue
Authors: Caër Charles , Rouault Christine , Le Roy Tiphaine , Poitou Christine , Aron-Wisnewsky Judith , Torcivia Adriana , Bichet Jean-Christophe , Clément Karine , Guerre-Millo Michèle , André Sébastien
Published: June 2017

Adipose tissue contains a variety of immune cells, which vary in abundance and phenotype with obesity. The contribution of immune cell-derived factors to inflammatory, fibrotic and metabolic alterations in adipose tissue is not well established in human obesity. Human primary adipose tissue cells, including pre-adipocytes, endothelial cells and mature adipocytes, were used to investigate deregulation of cell- and pathway-specific gene profiles. Among factors known to alter adipose tissue biology, we focus on inflammatory (IL-1β and IL-17) and pro-fibrotic (TGF-β1) factors. rIL-1β and rIL-17 induced concordant pro-inflammatory transcriptional programs in pre-adipocytes and endothelial cells, with a markedly more potent effect of IL-1β than IL-17. None of these cytokines had significant effect on fibrogenesis-related gene expression, contrasting with rTGF-β1-induced up-regulation of extracellular matrix components and pro-fibrotic factors. In mature adipocytes, all three factors promoted down-regulation of genes functionally involved in lipid storage and release. IL-1β and IL-17 impacted adipocyte metabolic genes in relation with their respective pro-inflammatory capacity, while the effect of TGF-β1 occurred in face of an anti-inflammatory signature. These data revealed that IL-1β and IL-17 had virtually no effect on pro-fibrotic alterations but promote inflammation and metabolic dysfunction in human adipose tissue, with a prominent role for IL-1β.
Reconstruction of Complex Directional Networks with Group Lasso Nonlinear Conditional Granger Causality
Authors: Yang Guanxue , Wang Lin , Wang Xiaofan
Published: June 2017

Reconstruction of networks underlying complex systems is one of the most crucial problems in many areas of engineering and science. In this paper, rather than identifying parameters of complex systems governed by pre-defined models or taking some polynomial and rational functions as a prior information for subsequent model selection, we put forward a general framework for nonlinear causal network reconstruction from time-series with limited observations. With obtaining multi-source datasets based on the data-fusion strategy, we propose a novel method to handle nonlinearity and directionality of complex networked systems, namely group lasso nonlinear conditional granger causality. Specially, our method can exploit different sets of radial basis functions to approximate the nonlinear interactions between each pair of nodes and integrate sparsity into grouped variables selection. The performance characteristic of our approach is firstly assessed with two types of simulated datasets from nonlinear vector autoregressive model and nonlinear dynamic models, and then verified based on the benchmark datasets from DREAM3 Challenge4. Effects of data size and noise intensity are also discussed. All of the results demonstrate that the proposed method performs better in terms of higher area under precision-recall curve.
Statistical Analysis of Zebrafish Locomotor Behaviour by Generalized Linear Mixed Models
Authors: Liu Yiwen , Ma Ping , Cassidy Paige A. , Carmer Robert , Zhang Gaonan , Venkatraman Prahatha , Brown Skye A. , Pang Chi Pui , Zhong Wenxuan , Zhang Mingzhi , Leung Yuk Fai
Published: June 2017

Upon a drastic change in environmental illumination, zebrafish larvae display a rapid locomotor response. This response can be simultaneously tracked from larvae arranged in multi-well plates. The resulting data have provided new insights into neuro-behaviour. The features of these data, however, present a challenge to traditional statistical tests. For example, many larvae display little or no movement. Thus, the larval responses have many zero values and are imbalanced. These responses are also measured repeatedly from the same well, which results in correlated observations. These analytical issues were addressed in this study by the generalized linear mixed model (GLMM). This approach deals with binary responses and characterizes the correlation of observations in the same group. It was used to analyze a previously reported dataset. Before applying the GLMM, the activity values were transformed to binary responses (movement vs. no movement) to reduce data imbalance. Moreover, the GLMM estimated the variations among the effects of different well locations, which would eliminate the location effects when two biological groups or conditions were compared. By addressing the data-imbalance and location-correlation issues, the GLMM effectively quantified true biological effects on zebrafish locomotor response.
CT-Based Local Distribution Metric Improves Characterization of COPD
Authors: Hoff Benjamin A. , Pompe Esther , Galbán Stefanie , Postma Dirkje S. , Lammers Jan-Willem J. , ten Hacken Nick H. T. , Koenderman Leo , Johnson Timothy D. , Verleden Stijn E. , de Jong Pim A. , Mohamed Hoesein Firdaus A. A. , van den Berge Maarten , Ross Brian D. , Galbán Craig J.
Published: June 2017

Parametric response mapping (PRM) of paired CT lung images has been shown to improve the phenotyping of COPD by allowing for the visualization and quantification of non-emphysematous air trapping component, referred to as functional small airways disease (fSAD). Although promising, large variability in the standard method for analyzing PRMfSAD has been observed. We postulate that representing the 3D PRMfSAD data as a single scalar quantity (relative volume of PRMfSAD) oversimplifies the original 3D data, limiting its potential to detect the subtle progression of COPD as well as varying subtypes. In this study, we propose a new approach to analyze PRM. Based on topological techniques, we generate 3D maps of local topological features from 3D PRMfSAD classification maps. We found that the surface area of fSAD (SfSAD) was the most robust and significant independent indicator of clinically meaningful measures of COPD. We also confirmed by micro-CT of human lung specimens that structural differences are associated with unique SfSAD patterns, and demonstrated longitudinal feature alterations occurred with worsening pulmonary function independent of an increase in disease extent. These findings suggest that our technique captures additional COPD characteristics, which may provide important opportunities for improved diagnosis of COPD patients.
Role of flagella and type four pili in the co-migration of Burkholderia terrae BS001 with fungal hyphae through soil
Authors: Yang Pu , Zhang Miaozhi , van Elsas Jan Dirk
Published: June 2017

Burkholderia terrae BS001 has previously been found to be able to disperse along with growing fungal hyphae in soil, with the type-3 secretion system having a supportive role in this movement. In this study, we focus on the role of two motility- and adherence-associated appendages, i.e. type-4 pili (T4P) and flagella. Electron microcopy and motility testing revealed that strain BS001 produces polar flagella and can swim on semi-solid R2A agar. Flagellum- and T4P-negative mutants were then constructed to examine the ecological roles of the respective systems. Both in liquid media and on swimming agar, the mutant strains showed similar fitness to the wild-type strain in mixed culture. The flagellar mutant had completely lost its flagella, as well as its swimming capacity. It also lost its co-migration ability with two soil-exploring fungi, Lyophyllum sp. strain Karsten and Trichoderma asperellum 302, in soil microcosms. In contrast, the T4P mutant showed reduced surface twitching motility, whereas its co-migration ability in competition with the wild-type strain was slightly reduced. We conclude that the co-migration of strain BS001 with fungal hyphae through soil is dependent on the presence of functional flagella conferring swimming motility, with the T4P system having a minor effect.
Imbalance-Aware Machine Learning for Predicting Rare and Common Disease-Associated Non-Coding Variants
Authors: Schubach Max , Re Matteo , Robinson Peter N. , Valentini Giorgio
Published: June 2017

Disease and trait-associated variants represent a tiny minority of all known genetic variation, and therefore there is necessarily an imbalance between the small set of available disease-associated and the much larger set of non-deleterious genomic variation, especially in non-coding regulatory regions of human genome. Machine Learning (ML) methods for predicting disease-associated non-coding variants are faced with a chicken and egg problem - such variants cannot be easily found without ML, but ML cannot begin to be effective until a sufficient number of instances have been found. Most of state-of-the-art ML-based methods do not adopt specific imbalance-aware learning techniques to deal with imbalanced data that naturally arise in several genome-wide variant scoring problems, thus resulting in a significant reduction of sensitivity and precision. We present a novel method that adopts imbalance-aware learning strategies based on resampling techniques and a hyper-ensemble approach that outperforms state-of-the-art methods in two different contexts: the prediction of non-coding variants associated with Mendelian and with complex diseases. We show that imbalance-aware ML is a key issue for the design of robust and accurate prediction algorithms and we provide a method and an easy-to-use software tool that can be effectively applied to this challenging prediction task.
High-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Regenerating Adult Zebrafish Heart
Authors: Koth Jana , Maguire Mahon L. , McClymont Darryl , Diffley Leonie , Thornton Victoria L. , Beech John , Patient Roger K. , Riley Paul R. , Schneider Jürgen E.
Published: June 2017

The adult zebrafish is a well-established model for studying heart regeneration, but due to its tissue opaqueness, repair has been primarily assessed using destructive histology, precluding repeated investigations of the same animal. We present a high-resolution, non-invasive in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method incorporating a miniature respiratory and anaesthetic perfusion set-up for live adult zebrafish, allowing for visualization of scar formation and heart regeneration in the same animal over time at an isotropic 31 µm voxel resolution. To test the method, we compared well and poorly healing cardiac ventricles using a transgenic fish model that exhibits heat-shock (HS) inducible impaired heart regeneration. HS-treated groups revealed persistent scar tissue for 10 weeks, while control groups were healed after 4 weeks. Application of the advanced MRI technique allowed clear discrimination of levels of repair following cryo- and resection injury for several months. It further provides a novel tool for in vivo time-lapse imaging of adult fish for non-cardiac studies, as the method can be readily applied to image wound healing in other injured or diseased tissues, or to monitor tissue changes over time, thus expanding the range of questions that can be addressed in adult zebrafish and other small aquatic species.
One dimensional transport in silicon nanowire junction-less field effect transistors
Authors: Mirza Muhammad M. , Schupp Felix J. , Mol Jan A. , MacLaren Donald A. , Briggs G. Andrew D. , Paul Douglas J.
Published: June 2017

Junction-less nanowire transistors are being investigated to solve short channel effects in future CMOS technology. Here we demonstrate 8 nm diameter silicon nanowire junction-less transistors with metallic doping densities which demonstrate clear 1D electronic transport characteristics. The 1D regime allows excellent gate modulation with near ideal subthreshold slopes, on- to off-current ratios above 108 and high on-currents at room temperature. Universal conductance scaling as a function of voltage and temperature similar to previous reports of Luttinger liquids and Coulomb gap behaviour at low temperatures suggests that many body effects including electron-electron interactions are important in describing the electronic transport. This suggests that modelling of such nanowire devices will require 1D models which include many body interactions to accurately simulate the electronic transport to optimise the technology but also suggest that 1D effects could be used to enhance future transistor performance.
Lipopolysaccharides induced inflammatory responses and electrophysiological dysfunctions in human-induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes
Authors: Yücel Gökhan , Zhao Zhihan , El-Battrawy Ibrahim , Lan Huan , Lang Siegfried , Li Xin , Buljubasic Fanis , Zimmermann Wolfram-Hubertus , Cyganek Lukas , Utikal Jochen , Ravens Ursula , Wieland Thomas , Borggrefe Martin , Zhou Xiao-Bo , Akin Ibrahim
Published: June 2017

Severe infections like sepsis lead frequently to cardiomyopathy. The mechanisms are unclear and an optimal therapy for septic cardiomyopathy still lacks. The aim of this study is to establish an endotoxin-induced inflammatory model using human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) for mechanistic and therapeutic studies. hiPSC-CMs were treated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in different concentrations for different times. ELISA, FACS, qPCR, and patch-clamp techniques were used for the study. TLR4 (Toll-like receptor 4) and its associated proteins, CD14, LBP (lipopolysaccharide binding protein), TIRAP (toll-interleukin 1 receptor domain containing adaptor protein), Ly96 (lymphocyte antigen 96) and nuclear factor kappa B as well as some pro-and anti-inflammatory factors are expressed in hiPSC-CMs. LPS-treatment for 6 hours increased the expression levels of pro-inflammatory and chemotactic cytokines (TNF-a, IL-1ß, IL-6, CCL2, CCL5, IL-8), whereas 48 hour-treatment elevated the expression of anti-inflammatory factors (IL-10 and IL-6). LPS led to cell injury resulting from exaggerated cell apoptosis and necrosis. Finally, LPS inhibited small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel currents, enhanced Na+/Ca2+-exchanger currents, prolonged action potential duration, suggesting cellular electrical dysfunctions. Our data demonstrate that hiPSC-CMs possess the functional reaction system involved in endotoxin-induced inflammation and can model some bacterium-induced inflammatory responses in cardiac myocytes.
Pretreatment C-reactive protein to albumin ratio for predicting overall survival in advanced pancreatic cancer patients
Authors: Hang Junjie , Xue Peng , Yang Haiyan , Li Shaobo , Chen Donghui , Zhu Lifei , Huang Weiyi , Ren Shujuan , Zhu Yue , Wang Liwei
Published: June 2017

Although previous studies demonstrated that elevated C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR) predicted poor prognosis in various solid tumors, little was known about the prognostic value of CAR in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (APC). The aim of the present study was to assess CAR as one independent prognostic factor in predicting overall survival (OS) in APC patients who had received palliative chemotherapy. Data of 142 APC patients who received palliative chemotherapy between 2009 and 2014 were retrospectively documented. We classified the patients into two groups based on the optimal cutoff value of CAR identified by generating receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve. The clinicopathological parameters were compared between two CAR groups. Pearson correlation test showed that the level of C-reactive protein (CRP) was inversely correlated with albumin (r = −0.387; P < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated overall survival (OS) was significantly longer in CAR < 0.156 group than CAR ≥ 0.156 group (11.2 vs 5.9 months, P < 0.001). CAR was an independent prognostic factor for OS in the Cox regression model (HR, 1.623; 95% CI, 1.093–2.410; P = 0.016). Furthermore, the discrimination ability of CAR (AUC = 0.648, P = 0.025) was slightly higher than that of other inflammation-based factors. Therefore, pretreatment CAR could be an independent prognostic biomarker for APC patients.
Simplifying the design of microstructured optical fibre pressure sensors
Authors: Osório Jonas H. , Chesini Giancarlo , Serrão Valdir A. , Franco Marcos A. R. , Cordeiro Cristiano M. B.
Published: June 2017

In this paper, we propose a way to simplify the design of microstructured optical fibres with high sensitivity to applied pressure. The use of a capillary fibre with an embedded core allows the exploration of the pressure-induced material birefringence due to the capillary wall displacements and the photoelastic effect. An analytical description of pressure-induced material birefringence is provided, and fibre modal characteristics are explored through numerical simulations. Moreover, a capillary fibre with an embedded core is fabricated and used to probe pressure variations. Even though the embedded-core fibre has a non-optimized structure, measurements showed a pressure sensitivity of (1.04 ± 0.01) nm/bar, which compares well with more complex, specially designed fibre geometries reported in the literature. These results demonstrate that this geometry enables a novel route towards the simplification of microstructured fibre-based pressure sensors.
RETRACTED ARTICLE:
ω-3 free fatty acids and all-trans retinoic acid
synergistically induce growth inhibition of three subtypes of breast
cancer cell lines
Authors: Lin Guangxiao , Zhu Shenglong , Wu Yikuan , Song Ci , Wang Wanjing , Zhang Yuan , Chen Yue-Lei , He Zhao
Published: June 2017

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), one of vitamin A
derivatives, shows greater growth inhibition of breast cancer cell
for ER-positive than ER-negative cells, while triple negative breast
cancer cell such as MDA-MB-231 cell is poorly responsive to ATRA
treatment. In this study, we found that combination of ω-3 free fatty acids (ω-3 FFAs) and ATRA exhibited
synergistic inhibition of cell growth in three subtypes
(ER+ MCF7,
HER2+ SK-BR-3, Triple negative
HCC1806 and MDA-MB-231 cells) of human breast cancer cell lines. The
combined treatment of ω-3 FFAs
and ATRA resulted in cell cycle arrest. ω-3 FFAs combined with ATRA synergistically provoked
cell apoptosis via the caspase signals but not p53. These findings
suggest that combined chemotherapy of ω-3 FFAs with ATRA is beneficial for improvement of
ATRA sensitivity in breast cancer cells.
Historical grassland desertification changes in the Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China (1985–2013)
Authors: Li Jinya , Xu Bin , Yang Xiuchun , Qin Zhihao , Zhao Lina , Jin Yunxiang , Zhao Fen , Guo Jian
Published: June 2017

Since rural reforms in the 1980s, both the state and local governments of China have devoted great efforts to combating desertification through a number of eco-environmental restoration campaigns, resulting in burgeoning contention at all levels of government and sparking public concern. Monitoring and accurately assessing the statuses and trends of grassland desertification are important for developing effective restoration strategies. The Horqin Sandy Land (HSL), a very typical desertified grassland (DG) with better hydrothermal conditions among sandy lands in north China, was recently selected (1985–2013) to assess the spatiotemporal dynamic performances of grassland desertification before and after implementing restoration projects. Landsat images (TM/ETM+/OLI), field investigations and expert review were integrated to form a classification scheme for the HSL. Then, spectral mixture analysis and the decision-tree method were used to extract bare-sand ratios and vegetation cover fraction dynamics. A favourable phenomenon of DG was seen to be reversed in an accelerated pace during 2001–2013, despite challenge from both climatic and anthropogenic factors. However, overexploitation of grassland (especially for farming) and ground water for irrigation has led to remarkable decreases in the ground water level in recent decades, which should be highly concerning regarding the formulation of restoration campaigns in the sandy land.
Imaging gold nanoparticles in mouse liver by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
Authors: Li Qing , Wang Zheng , Mo Jiamei , Zhang Guoxia , Chen Yirui , Huang Chuchu
Published: June 2017

Imaging the size distribution of metal nanoparticles (NPs) in a tissue has important implications in terms of evaluating NP toxicity. Microscopy techniques used to image tissue NPs are limited by complicated sample preparation or poor resolution. In this study, we developed a laser ablation (LA) system coupled to single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS) for quantitative imaging of gold (G)NPs in tissue samples. In this system, GNPs were ablated but did not disintegrate and integrate under optimised operation conditions, which were verified by characterising LA particles by scanning electron microscopy. The feasibility of imaging size distributions in tissue was validated using reference GNPs 60 and 80 nm in size on matrix-matched kidney. A transport efficiency of 6.07% was obtained by LA-SP-ICP-MS under optimal conditions. We used this system to image 80-nm GNPs in mouse liver and the size distribution thus obtained was in accordance with that determined by nebuliser SP-ICP-MS. The images revealed that 80-nm GNPs mainly accumulate in the liver and did not obviously aggregate. Our results demonstrate that LA-SP-ICP-MS is an effective tool for evaluating the size distribution of metal NPs in tissue.
A protein-protein interaction dictates Borrelial infectivity
Authors: Thakur Meghna , Sharma Kavita , Chao Kinlin , Smith Alexis A. , Herzberg Osnat , Pal Utpal
Published: June 2017

Two Borrelia burgdorferi interacting proteins, BB0238 and BB0323, play distinct roles in pathogen biology and infectivity although a significance of their interaction remained enigmatic. Here we identified the polypeptide segment essential for BB0238-BB0323 interaction and examined how it supports spirochete infectivity. We show that the interaction region in BB0323 requires amino acid residues 22–200, suggesting that the binding encompasses discontinuous protein segments. In contrast, the interaction region in BB0238 spans only 11 amino acids, residues 120–130. A deletion of these 11 amino acids neither alters the overall secondary structure of the protein, nor affects its stability or oligomerization property, however, it reduces the post-translational stability of the binding partner, BB0323. Mutant B. burgdorferi isolates producing BB0238 lacking the 11-amino acid interaction region were able to persist in ticks but failed to transmit to mice or to establish infection. These results suggest that BB0238-BB0323 interaction is critical for post-translational stability of BB0323, and that this interaction is important for mammalian infectivity and transmission of B. burgdorferi. We show that saturation or inhibition of BB0238-BB0323 interaction could be studied in a luciferase assay, which could be amenable for future identification of small molecule inhibitors to combat B. burgdorferi infection.
Molecular “topological insulators”: a case study of electron transfer in the bis(methylene) adamantyl carbocation
Authors: Joubert-Doriol Loïc , Izmaylov Artur F.
Published: June 2017

A topological or geometric phase blockade can be introduced in molecular electron transfer processes if a conical intersection occurs between two charge configurations.
Comparison of the electrochemical performance of iron hexacyanoferrate with high and low quality as cathode materials for aqueous sodium-ion batteries
Authors: Cai Daoping , Yang Xuhui , Qu Baihua , Wang Taihong
Published: June 2017

High quality iron hexacyanoferrate nanocubes (HQ-PB NCs) were synthesized, which exhibited excellent electrochemical performance as cathode materials for aqueous sodium-ion batteries.
Mechanochemical synthesis of two-dimensional aromatic polyamides
Authors: Yang Yang , Bu Fanxing , Liu Jingjing , Shakir Imran , Xu Yuxi
Published: June 2017

2D aromatic polyamides (2DAPAs) were synthesized for the first time via a facile mechanochemical route under solvent-free and room temperature conditions.
A near-infrared organic photosensitizer for use in dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical water splitting
Authors: Suryani Okta , Higashino Yuta , Mulyana Jacob Yan , Kaneko Masayoshi , Hoshi Takayuki , Shigaki Koichiro , Kubo Yuji
Published: June 2017

Photo-induced water splitting to hydrogen and oxygen was shown to occur in a DSPEC with a near-infrared dye D1.
Reconfigurable opto-thermoelectric printing of colloidal particles
Authors: Lin Linhan , Peng Xiaolei , Zheng Yuebing
Published: June 2017

We have developed a new optical technique – opto-thermoelectric printing – to print colloidal particles with reconfigurable patterns on substrates via light-controlled thermoelectric fields.
Aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition of WS2 from the single source precursor WS(S2)(S2CNEt2)2
Authors: Richey Nathaniel E. , Haines Chandler , Tami Jessica L. , McElwee-White Lisa
Published: June 2017

WS(S2)(S2CNEt2)2 is a single source precursor for deposition of nanostructured WS2 above 350 °C.
Improving the crystallinity and magnetocaloric effect of the perovskite La0.65Sr0.35MnO3 using microwave irradiation
Authors: McBride Katherine , Bennington-Gray Suzanne , Cook James , Stella Lorenzo , Felton Solveig , Poulidi Danai
Published: June 2017

MW heating produces materials that are superior in terms of both structure and magnetic properties.
Electronic and optical properties of nanostructured MoS2 materials: influence of reduced spatial dimensions and edge effects
Authors: Mlinar Vladan
Published: June 2017

Theoretical prediction of how the electronic and optical properties of nanostructured MoS2 materials are influenced by reducing spatial dimensions and edge effects is presented. We open pathways for further experimental studies and potential optoelectronic applications.
Selective conversion of bio-derived ethanol to renewable BTX over Ga-ZSM-5
Authors: Li Zhenglong , Lepore Andrew W. , Salazar Mariam F. , Foo Guo Shiou , Davison Brian H. , Wu Zili , Narula Chaitanya K.
Published: June 2017

The exchanged Ga(iii) sites are the active sites for promoting BTX formation during ethanol conversion.
Effects of diffusion and mixing pattern on microfluidic-assisted synthesis of chitosan/ATP nanoparticles
Authors: Pessoa Amanda C. S. N. , Sipoli Caroline C. , de la Torre Lucimara G.
Published: June 2017

Appropriate diffusional barriers modulate the synthesis of chitosan nanoparticles to overcome the formation of microfiber-like structures.
Multi-dimensional studies of synthetic genetic promoters enabled by microfluidic impact printing
Authors: Fan Jinzhen , Villarreal Fernando , Weyers Brent , Ding Yunfeng , Tseng Kuo Hao , Li Jiannan , Li Baoqing , Tan Cheemeng , Pan Tingrui
Published: June 2017

A multi-parametric gradient generation system has been established for multi-dimensional, high-throughput, and low-consumption quantitative analysis of a synthetic genetic module.
Two-dimensional salt and temperature DNA denaturation analysis using a magnetoresistive sensor
Authors: Rizzi Giovanni , Dufva Martin , Hansen Mikkel Fougt
Published: June 2017

Denaturing DNA with increasing temperature and decreasing salt concentration allows two-dimensional studies of DNA hybridization.
Decoding the regulatory mechanism of glucose and insulin induced phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate dynamics in β-cells
Authors: Samanta Tagari , Sharma Peeyush , Kukri Dwijendra , Kar Sandip
Published: June 2017

Mathematical modeling study provides mechanistic insight into the glucose and insulin mediated synergistic activation of PIP3in MIN6 β-cells.
Visualising compositional heterogeneity during the scale up of multicomponent zeolite bodies
Authors: Martin A. J. , Mitchell S. , Kunze K. , Weston K. C. , Pérez-Ramírez J.
Published: June 2017

An unprecedented approach is introduced to compositionally map binder-containing Li-X zeolite sorbents at various stages of the industrial manufacture.
Boronate-affinity hollow molecularly imprinted polymers for the selective extraction of nucleosides
Authors: Hu Yue , Huang Wei , Tong Yukui , Xia Qinfei , Tian Miaomiao
Published: June 2017

Preparation of a boronate-affinity hollow molecularly imprinted polymer and its application as an SPE adsorbent for the selective enrichment of nucleosides.
Catalyst-free ultrasonic-promoted multicomponent synthesis of tertiary α-amino phosphonates
Authors: Kalla Reddi Mohan Naidu , Bae Jaeyeong , Kim Il
Published: June 2017

A highly efficient and green protocol has been developed for the synthesis of novel tertiary α-amino phosphonatesviaa catalyst-free multi-component Kabachnik–Fields reaction under ultrasound irradiation.
Rational design of potential spin qubits manipulated by the valence tautomerism mechanism: quantum-chemical modeling of the trinuclear transition metal complexes with bischelate linkers
Authors: Starikova A. A. , Minkin V. I.
Published: June 2017

A new series of transition metal coordination compounds capable of manifesting the properties of logical elements of quantum computers has been computationally designed using the DFT UB3LYP*/6-311++G(d,p) calculations.
Identification of new DNA i-motif binding ligands through a fluorescent intercalator displacement assay
Authors: Sheng Qiran , Neaverson Joseph C. , Mahmoud Tasnim , Stevenson Clare E. M. , Matthews Susan E. , Waller Zoë A. E.
Published: June 2017

This work describes a new way to screen for i-motif binding compounds and several new families of ligands with potential for use in experiments into the structure and function of i-motif DNA.
Excellent rheological performance and impact toughness of cellulose nanofibers/PLA/ionomer composite
Authors: Li Jingjing , Li Jian , Feng Dejun , Zhao Jingfeng , Sun Jingrong , Li Dagang
Published: June 2017

Ionomer can be used as an ideal compatibilizer to improve simultaneously both the flowability and the mechanical properties of cellulose nanofibers/PLA composite.
Fabricating an anionic polyacrylamide (APAM) with an anionic block structure for high turbidity water separation and purification
Authors: Feng Li , Zheng Huaili , Gao Baoyu , Zhang Shixin , Zhao Chuanliang , Zhou Yuhao , Xu Bincheng
Published: June 2017

Ultraviolet (UV)-initiated template polymerization (UTP) was used as a feasible strategy to prepare a novel anionic polyacrylamide (APAM) with a microblock structure.
Heterospin biradicals provide insight into molecular conductance and rectification
Authors: Kirk Martin L. , Shultz David A. , Zhang Jinyuan , Dangi Ranjana , Ingersol Laura , Yang Jing , Finney Nathaniel S. , Sommer Roger D. , Wojtas Lukasz
Published: June 2017

Properties of two isomeric triplet ground state biradical molecules, which serve as constant-bias analogs of single-molecule electronic devices, are described and experimental results are compared with transport calculations in a device geometry.
Dual cobalt–copper light-driven catalytic reduction of aldehydes and aromatic ketones in aqueous media
Authors: Call Arnau , Casadevall Carla , Acuña-Parés Ferran , Casitas Alicia , Lloret-Fillol Julio
Published: June 2017

A dual catalytic system based on earth-abundant elements reduces aromatic ketones and aldehydes to alcohols in aqueous media under visible light. An unprecedented selectivity for the reduction of aromatic ketones versus aliphatic aldehydes is reported.
Hydrogen bonding vs. halogen bonding: the solvent decides
Authors: Robertson Craig. C. , Wright James S. , Carrington Elliot J. , Perutz Robin N. , Hunter Christopher A. , Brammer Lee
Published: June 2017

Choice of solvent is used to direct the formation of either hydrogen bonds or halogen bonds in competitive self-assembly.
Biomimetic reduction of O2in an acid medium on iron phthalocyanines axially coordinated to pyridine anchored on carbon nanotubes
Authors: Venegas Ricardo , Recio Francisco J. , Riquelme Jorge , Neira Karinna , Marco José F. , Ponce Ingrid , Zagal José H. , Tasca Federico
Published: June 2017

An efficient and inexpensive catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is the key missing component for large-scale development of fuel cells.
Morphology-dependent electrochemical supercapacitors in multi-dimensional polyaniline nanostructures
Authors: Ma Yong , Hou Chunping , Zhang Hao , Qiao Mingtao , Chen Yanhui , Zhang Hepeng , Zhang Qiuyu , Guo Zhanhu
Published: June 2017

Multi-dimensional PANI nanostructures are fabricated by using a static surfactant system in a low acid environment and display morphology-dependent electrochemical performances.
Side-chain engineering in a thermal precursor approach for efficient photocurrent generation
Authors: Takahashi Kohtaro , Kumagai Daichi , Yamada Naoya , Kuzuhara Daiki , Yamaguchi Yuji , Aratani Naoki , Koganezawa Tomoyuki , Koshika Sota , Yoshimoto Noriyuki , Masuo Sadahiro , Suzuki Mitsuharu , Nakayama Ken-ichi , Yamada Hiroko
Published: June 2017

Careful molecular engineering has enabled solution processing of well-performing bulk-heterojunction photovoltaic layers comprising insoluble materials.
Onion derived carbon nanodots for live cell imaging and accelerated skin wound healing
Authors: Bankoti Kamakshi , Rameshbabu Arun Prabhu , Datta Sayanti , Das Bodhisatwa , Mitra Analava , Dhara Santanu
Published: June 2017

Nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorous co-doped water-soluble carbon nanodots are synthesized from culinary waste onion peel powder (OPP) by a short microwave treatment.
Core–shell gold nanocubes for point mutation detection based on plasmon-enhanced fluorescence
Authors: Cui Yanyun , Niu Caixia , Na Na , Ouyang Jin
Published: June 2017

A core–shell gold nanocube has been prepared for point mutation detection based on the PEF process.
One-step synthesis and self-assembly of a luminescent sponge-like network of gold nanoparticles with high absorption capacity
Authors: Zhu Jiayi , Lu Qian , Chen Chiyun , Hu Jianqiang , Liu Jinbin
Published: June 2017

One-step strategy to fabricate a luminescent sponge-like network of AuNPs with a high capacity for heavy metal ion absorption.
Monocyte subtypes and the CCR2 chemokine receptor in cardiovascular disease
Authors: França Carolina N. , Izar Maria C.O. , Hortêncio Marinella N.S. , do Amaral Jônatas B. , Ferreira Carlos E.S. , Tuleta Izabela D. , Fonseca Francisco A.H.
Published: June 2017

Monocytes circulate in the blood and migrate to inflammatory tissues, but their functions can be either detrimental or beneficial, depending on their phenotypes. In humans, classical monocytes are inflammatory cluster of differentiation (CD)14++CD16−CCR2++ cells originated from the bone marrow or spleen reservoirs and comprise ≥92% of monocytes. Intermediate monocytes (CD14++CD16+CCR2+) are involved in the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines [such as interleukin (IL)-10], reactive oxygen species (ROS), and proinflammatory mediators [such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and IL-1β). Nonclassical monocytes (CD14+CD16++CCR2−) are patrolling cells involved in tissue repair and debris removal from the vasculature. Many studies in both humans and animals have shown the importance of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and its receptor [chemokine receptor of MCP-1 (CCR2)] in pathologies, such as atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction (MI). This review presents the importance of these monocyte subsets in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and sheds light on new strategies for the blocking of the MCP-1/CCR2 axis as a therapeutic goal for treating vascular disorders.
Robust predictor‐based DC motor speed control under uncertain time delay
Authors: Kim I.H. , Yook J.H. , Son Y.I.
Published: June 2017

A robust speed controller for a time‐delay DC motor system is presented under large delay time uncertainty. Unlike a recent result relying on a disturbance observer on the slave side of the system, a new delay compensator is devised and combined with a lowpass filter to improve its robustness against uncertain delay times and external disturbances. The effectiveness of the proposed method is tested through comparative simulations and experiments using a testbed system.
Iterative Fourier filtering approach for phase‐retrieval holography based on autocorrelation theorem
Authors: Xu Yueshu , Ye Qian , Meng Guoxiang
Published: June 2017

The Misell algorithm is an effective phase‐retrieval holography method for measuring the surface error of large reflector antennas. However, it is investigated experimentally to have a low accuracy at low signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR). To decrease the great sensitivity to noise of Misell algorithm, a new iterative Fourier filtering approach based on autocorrelation theorem is proposed. The iterative Fourier filtering approach is used to remove some of the imperfection present in far‐field amplitude data. The computer simulation results of Shanghai Sheshan‐25m‐telescope model show that the proposed approach improved the accuracy of Misell algorithm at low SNR obviously.
Experiment demonstration of multi‐layer restoration in service‐oriented software defined optical network
Authors: Liu Yuze , Li Hui , Lyu Chunjian , Duan Zhiwei , Ji Yuefeng
Published: June 2017

A multi‐layer restoration scheme in service‐oriented software defined optical network (S‐SDON) is proposed. First, the S‐SDON architecture is introduced. Then a service variable optical equipment is designed to provide various services. Next, a multi‐layer restoration scheme is proposed. Finally, an experiment is presented to show the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed MLR scheme.
Decentralised stabilisation of positive fractional‐order interconnected systems
Authors: Van Hien Le , Kinh Chu Trong
Published: June 2017

This study addresses the stabilisation problem via decentralised controllers for continuous‐time positive fractional‐order (FO) interconnected systems. By virtue of the positivity, a necessary and sufficient condition is first derived for asymptotic stability of the interconnected closed‐loop system. Then, necessary and sufficient conditions for designing a decentralised state‐feedback controller are formulated in the form of a linear programming problem which can be effectively solved by using various convex optimisation algorithms. The effectiveness of the obtained theoretical results is demonstrated by a numerical example in positive FO circuits.