bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Value added or tunneling? Evidence from new product announcements by Taiwanese business groups
Authors: Chang Shao-Chi , Chen I-Fen
Published: January 2016

Using new product announcement events made by group member firms in Taiwan, this study examines whether the firms’ multiple network ties within business groups benefit member firms or whether they provide a channel for controlling shareholders to tunnel. We find that the announcement of new products by group member firms has a positive effect on the market value of other, non-announcing group peers. This evidence is consistent with the value-added hypothesis. More importantly, this effect is stronger when member firms are connected via equity ties. Furthermore, we also offer an original analysis of how family control in business groups affects the impact of network ties on value creation. Our results suggest that the controlling family may discount the market value of member firms.
A CHARACTER-THEORETIC CRITERION FOR THE SOLVABILITY OF FINITE GROUPS
Authors: LIU YAN-JUN , LIU YANG
Published: January 2016

Let $p$ be an odd prime. In this note, we show that a finite group $G$ is solvable if all degrees of irreducible complex characters of $G$ not divisible by $p$ are either 1 or a prime.
On Historical Exhaustion: Argentine Critique in an Era of “Total Corruption”
Authors: Muir Sarah
Published: January 2016

This essay examines the experience of corruption as an unavoidable and self-destructive dynamic of everyday life in post-crisis Argentina. Embedded in both everyday practices and popular evaluations of those practices, corruption in this context of neoliberal crisis operated as a folk category of socio-moral critique much like witchcraft does in some other settings, for it named a cannibalistic logic that imperiled the very framework of sociality. In order to grasp the reflexive pragmatics of this category, the essay attends first to the conceptual, then to the ethnographic, and finally to the historical dimensions of its practical life. Moving across these three dimensions, it argues that corruption indexed a very particular moral sensibility, marked by the sense of exhausted historical possibilities and inevitable national crisis.
HOBBES'S PUBLISHER AND THE POLITICAL BUSINESS OF ENLIGHTENMENT
Authors: BULMAN WILLIAM J.
Published: January 2016

This article argues for an ideologically neutral understanding of the early Enlightenment, the Enlightenment public, and later Stuart religious politics. It approaches these topics from the perspective of the book trade. Thomas Hobbes's publisher and man of business in the 1670s, William Crooke, set up his London bookshop as a public forum on ‘Hobbism’ that showcased the confrontation between the Anglican clergy and their most formidable foe. In his shop, Crooke set scribal copies of illicit Hobbes tracts alongside the works of his second prized author, an Enlightened Anglican apologist named Lancelot Addison. The stationer's projects included two separate schemes to publish a controversial Hobbes tract and a bishop's response to it in a single volume. The shop was frequented not only by some of the period's foremost republicans, tolerationists, and freethinkers, but also by powerful members of the political and religious establishment, many of whom condoned and actively supported Crooke's schemes. This case-study shows from the ground up why the early Enlightenment is most profitably understood as a site of struggle between competing schemes for making internecine bloodshed a thing of the past.
Identification and fine mapping oflemma-distortion1, a single recessive gene playing an essential role in the development of lemma in rice
Authors: YANG D. W. , YE X. F. , ZHENG X. H. , CHENG C. P. , YE N. , LU L. B. , HUANG F. H. , LI Q. Q.
Published: January 2016

Floral organ development influences plant reproduction and crop yield. The mechanism of floral organ specification is generally conserved in angiosperms as demonstrated by the ‘ABC’ model. However, mechanisms underlying the development of floral organs in specific groups of species such as grasses remain unclear. In the genusOryza(rice), a spikelet consists of a fertile floret sub-tended by a lemma, a palea, two sterile lemmas and rudimentary glumes. To understand how the lemma is formed, a curve-shapedlemma-distortion1(ld1) mutant was identified. Genetic analysis confirmed that theld1mutant phenotype was due to a single recessive gene mutation. Using a largeF2population, theLD1gene was mapped between markers Indel-7-15 and Indel-7-18, which encompassed a region of 15·6 kilo base pairs (kbp). According to rice genome annotations, two putative genes,LOC_Os07g32510andLOC_Os07g32520, were located in this candidate region. However, DNA sequencing results indicated only 1 base pair (bp) substitution (T⇨C) was found inLOC_Os07g32510between the wild-type and theld1mutant. ThusLOC_Os07g32510, encoding a DNA binding with one zinc finger (DoF) containing protein, was the candidate gene forLD1. Further analysis showed that mutation of the amino acid cysteine (C) to arginine (R) was likely to lead to zinc finger protein deactivation. Phylogenetic and conservation analysis of the gene from different species revealed that cysteine was critical toLD1function. As a new gene controlling lemma development, the study ofLD1could provide insights into rice floral organ formation mechanisms.
Nen
Authors: Evans Nicholas , Miller Julia Colleen
Published: January 2016

Nen (ISO 639–3 code: nqn) is the easternmost language of the Yam (Morehead-Maro) family of Southern New Guinea. This family is one of over forty maximal genetic groupings in New Guinea, and is currently not relatable to any other language family in New Guinea or elsewhere. As with other aspects of their grammar, the phonology of the Morehead-Maro languages differs significantly from those of other Papuan languages. The phonology of Nen is broadly similar to that of other members of the family, except that (like most other members of the Nambu branch, of which it is a member) it lacks the velar nasal phoneme found in more westerly languages, and it has a smaller fricative inventory: other languages of the family include /ɸ ɣ θ/, all absent from Nen.
Fine-scale genetic structuring, divergent selection, and conservation prospects for the overexploited crab (Cardisoma guanhumi) in tropical mangroves from North-eastern Brazil
Authors: Gama-Maia D.J. , Torres R.A.
Published: January 2016

Popularly known as blue land crab,Cardisoma guanhumiis heavily exploited as food and considered as an important economic resource in Brazil. In recent decades, the species has experienced a sharp population decline by the loss and/or degradation of its natural habitat and overfishing. The present study aimed to investigate the genetic variation and connectivity among 154 specimens ofC. guanhumisampled along the coast of Pernambuco in five different levels of tropical mangroves conservation. Nine ISSR primers were used for assessing the genetic variation of the species. The genetic diversity observed inC. guanhumiwas high reinforcing the condition of a resilient species, indicating a good conservation status of this resource in Pernambuco. The hypothesis of panmixia was rejected in favour of a heterogeneous distribution of the genotypes ofC. guanhumi(ФST= 0.19) despite the high gene flow observed in the study region. Such difference could be attributed to the candidate loci being under positive selection and differentially distributed between the geographic regions assessed. The genetic structure showed a pattern of fine-scale genetic structuring better fitted to a model of selection-mediated geographic cline. Cluster analysis and candidate loci under positive selection suggested that the populations ofC. guanhumiin the North-central and South coasts of Pernambuco might be different management units and must be managed independently. In conclusion, exhaustion of natural stocks upon which fishing is totally dependent will lead to serious ecological and sociocultural impacts.
Population census of Thornicroft's giraffeGiraffa camelopardalis thornicroftiin Zambia, 1973−2003: conservation reassessment required
Authors: Berry Philip S. M. , Bercovitch Fred B.
Published: January 2016

Thornicroft's giraffeGiraffa camelopardalis thornicroftiis limited in distribution to a single population resident in the Luangwa Valley, Zambia. During 1973−2003 regular counts were recorded along the Luangwa River in the core section of the subspecies’ range. In 2013 we conducted a count in the same region for comparison with the earlier survey results. During the 30-year period 1973−2003 the giraffe index (no. of individuals per km surveyed) was relatively stable, with an increase in 1994 and 1995 coinciding with an influx of giraffes to the west bank following an exceptionally reduced flow of the Luangwa River. The mean giraffe index during this period was 0.51 km−1, whereas the 2013 count yielded an index of 0.44 km−1. Given the limited range of the Thornicroft's giraffe, we estimate that the population comprises c. 500–600 individuals.
RELATIVE EFFECTIVENESS IN BREAST CANCER TREATMENT: A HEALTH PRODUCTION APPROACH
Authors: Puig-Peiro Ruth , Mason Anne , Mestre-Ferrandiz Jorge , Towse Adrian , McGrath Clare , Jonsson Bengt
Published: January 2016

Background: Pharmaceuticals’ relative effectiveness has come to the fore in the policy arena, reflecting the need to understand how relative efficacy (what can work) translates into added benefit in routine clinical use (what does work). European payers and licensing authorities assess value for money and post-launch benefit–risk profiles, and efforts to standardize assessments of relative effectiveness across the European Union (EU) are under way. However, the ways that relative effectiveness differs across EU healthcare settings are poorly understood.

Methods: To understand which factors influence differences in relative effectiveness, we developed an analytical framework that treats the healthcare system as a health production function. Using evidence on breast cancer from England, Spain, and Sweden as a case study, we investigated the reasons why the relative effectiveness of a new drug might vary across healthcare systems. Evidence was identified from a literature review and national clinical guidance.

Results: The review included thirteen international studies and thirty country-specific studies. Cross-country differences in population age structure, deprivation, and educational attainment were consistently associated with variation in outcomes. Screening intensity appeared to drive differences in survival, although the impact on mortality was unclear.

Conclusions: The way efficacy translates into relative effectiveness across health systems is likely to be influenced by a range of complex and interrelated factors. These factors could inform government and payer policy decisions on ways to optimize relative effectiveness, and help increase understanding of the potential transferability of data on relative effectiveness from one health system to another.
Attitudinal Differences within the Cultural Revolution Cohort: Effects of the Sent-down Experience
Authors: Harmel Robert , Yeh Yao-Yuan
Published: January 2016

This study addresses whether individuals who were sent down during the Cultural Revolution reveal different political attitudes from those who were socialized during the same period but were not themselves sent down. Using data from the urban sample of the 2006 General Social Survey of China, the authors find evidence that formerly sent-down youth – and particularly sent-down women – as compared to their not-sent-down peers, are today more willing to accept the class-struggle foundation of Mao's communist ideology but are, at the same time, more willing to assess the performance and structure of the communist regime critically.
Dietary patterns of women aged 50–69 years and associations with nutrient intake, sociodemographic factors and key risk factors for non-communicable diseases
Authors: Markussen Marianne S , Veierød Marit B , Kristiansen Anne Lene , Ursin Giske , Andersen Lene F
Published: January 2016

Objective

In women, the risk for non-communicable diseases increases after menopause. We aimed to identify major dietary patterns and study their associations with nutrient intake, sociodemographic factors and risk factors for non-communicable diseases among women aged 50–69 years.

Design

A cross-sectional study. Food intake was recorded by a 253-item FFQ. Dietary patterns were identified using principal component analysis. The associations between the dietary patterns and nutrients were described by Pearson’s correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis was used to examine the associations between the dietary patterns and age, education, BMI, physical activity and smoking.

Setting

The Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening Programme.

Subjects

Women (n 6298) aged 50–69 years.

Results

Three dietary patterns were identified: ‘Prudent’, ‘Western’ and ‘Continental’. Adherence to the ‘Prudent’ pattern was related to older age, higher education, higher BMI, more physical activity (Ptrend<0·001) and being a non-smoker (P<0·001). Adherence to the ‘Western’ pattern was related to older age, lower education, higher BMI, less physical activity (0·001≤Ptrend≤0·006) and lower alcohol intake (r =−0·28). Adherence to the ‘Continental’ pattern was related to younger age, higher education, higher BMI, less physical activity, (Ptrend<0·001), being a smoker (P<0·001) and higher alcohol intake (r=0·36).

Conclusions

Three distinct dietary patterns were identified. High adherence to a ‘Prudent’ pattern was associated with a healthy lifestyle, while high adherence to a ‘Western’ or ‘Continental’ pattern was associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. These findings are valuable knowledge for health authorities when forming strategies to promote a healthier lifestyle among women.
Genetic diversity ofAchillea fragrantissimain Egypt inferred from phenotypic variations and ISSR markers associated with traits of plant size and seed yield
Authors: Badr Abdelfattah , El-Shazly Hanaa H. , Ahmed Hanan I. Sayed , Hamouda Marwa , El-Khateeb Eman , Sakr Mahmoud
Published: January 2016

Substantial variation in phenotypic traits and ISSR fingerprinting was observed among twenty populations ofAchillea fragrantissima(Forssk.) Sch. Bip. in Egypt. Such variation was reflected in the clustering of the examined populations into two major groups: one representing populations in the mountainous area of South Sinai and the other comprising populations growing at low elevations in the middle of Sinai and the desert west of the Suez Canal from Suez in the east to Cairo in the west. Five populations in the eastern part of Sinai near Nuwieba and Taba on the Gulf of Aqaba were loosely assigned to the first group. The populations growing at high elevations in South Sinai, under lower temperature and higher humidity, were characterized by a higher number of total and polymorphic ISSR markers compared with other populations. Unique ISSR markers were more often observed in the fingerprinting of seven populations including five populations growing in the high mountains of Saint Catherine in South Sinai and two populations growing at low elevations but at Wadi Hof south-east of Cairo. Interestingly, unique bands were found in the populations that possessed traits associated with larger plant size and seed yield as well as better vigour. These are important criteria for the selection ofA. fragrantissimapopulations for conservation and sustainable commercial use.
Social Asymmetries and Anonymity in Dyadic Computer-Mediated Communication
Authors: Guegan Jérôme , Moliner Pascal , Milland Laurent
Published: January 2016

Abstract. This research concerns the influence of dominant/dominated asymmetries in the perceptual structure of social categories in computer-mediated communication (CMC). We explore the connection between the cognitive effects described by the social identity model of deindividuation effects (SIDE) and the impact on perceptions of the asymmetrical status that characterizes gender groups. The study analyzes the gender perception of two interlocutors in a communication context of anonymity or visibility. The experiment was based on a standardized protocol designed to control the various declarative contents expressed during the communication. Eighty-eight participants were placed in a CMC situation with a confederate of the opposite sex. We manipulated visibility and anonymity through interlocutors’ names (provided vs. withheld) and the presence or absence of a webcam in the communication situation. In accordance with our predictions, the results suggest that gender asymmetry can modulate the cognitive effects of anonymity. The results and prospects of this research are discussed in light of work on the dominant/dominated groups and the SIDE model.
Self-Reported Compliance with Traffic Rules in a Sample of Iranian Preschoolers
Authors: Tabibi Zahra , Grayeli Fatemeh , Abdekhodaei Mohammad Saeid
Published: January 2016

Abstract. Traffic injuries represent an important danger to children’s health. Safe traffic behavior requires both perceptual and cognitive abilities as well as compliance with traffic rules. The present study examines the relationship between knowledge of traffic rules, perception of traffic danger, moral judgment, self-regulation, and compliance with traffic rules among preschool children. It also examined gender differences across the study variables. A sample of 100 children aged 3–6 years participated in the study. Knowledge of traffic rules, perception of danger, and compliance with rules were assessed by interviewing each child using photos of traffic situations. Two components of self-regulation – impulse control and following an adult’s directions – were assessed using the Tower Task, the Tower Clean Up Task, and the Toy Sorting Task from the Preschool Self-Regulation Assessment. Moral judgment was assessed using Piaget’s task of stealing/clumsiness. Significant positive relationships among knowledge of rules, perception of danger, and self-reported compliance with rules were found. The ability to quickly follow an adult’s directions predicted greater self-reported compliance with rules over and above perception of danger and knowledge of rules. There were no significant gender differences in any of the variables. Using our results, educational programs for preschoolers could seek to improve their traffic knowledge of rules, perception of traffic danger, and self-regulation.
Do Ambiguous Normative Ingroup Members Increase Tolerance for Deviants?
Authors: Leite Ana C. , Pinto Isabel R. , Marques José M.
Published: January 2016

Abstract. Subjective group dynamics theory ( Marques, Páez, & Abrams, 1998 ) proposes that deviant ingroup members who threaten the positive value of the group members’ social identity are evaluated negatively. In an experiment, we investigated whether group members evaluate deviant ingroup members less negatively when the normative member’s commitment to the ingroup is ambiguous. Participants evaluated one normative and one deviant ingroup or outgroup member. Two conditions were contrasted, in which the normative target showed high versus low commitment to the group. As predicted, the participants evaluated deviant ingroup targets more negatively and normative ingroup targets more positively than their respective outgroup counterparts – but only when the normative member’s commitment to the ingroup was unambiguous. When presented with a normative member with ambiguous commitment, the deviant ingroup member was evaluated less negatively. We discuss these results in light of subjective group dynamics theory.
Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Schulterchirurgie bei älteren Patienten
Authors: Meyer Dominik C. , Wieser Karl
Published: January 2016

Zusammenfassung. Das fortgeschrittenere Alter stellt eigene Ansprüche an die orthopädisch-chirurgische Behandlung von Schulterleiden, auf welche speziell eingegangen werden sollte. Auf der herausfordernden Seite stehen eine häufig schlechtere Knochen-, Knorpel- und Sehnenqualität, schlechtere Durchblutungsverhältnisse und eine gesamthaft ältere Biologie. Auf der positiven Seite sind jedoch die Ansprüche wie auch die Belastung oft sehr moderat und auch die limitierte Lebenserwartung von künstlichem Gelenkersatz fällt weniger ins Gewicht. Bei lokalen Beschwerden über dem Acromioclavicular(AC)-Gelenk oder der Bizepssehne kommen auch im Alter einfache arthroskopische Massnahmen infrage. Bei Omarthrose oder ausgedehnter Rotatorenmanschetten-Ruptur ist heute aufgrund der hohen Zuverlässigkeit und der kurzen Rehabilitation zunehmend der anatomische oder inverse Gelenkersatz die Therapieoption der Wahl, häufig auch im Fall einer Fraktur.
Pragmatic Prospection: How and Why People Think about the Future
Authors: Baumeister Roy F. , Vohs Kathleen D. , Oettingen Gabriele
Published: January 2016

In the present, the past is more knowable than the future—but people think far more about the future than the past. Both facts derive from the principle that the future can be changed whereas the past cannot. Our theory of pragmatic prospection holds that people think about the future so as to guide actions to bring about desirable outcomes. It proposes that thoughts about the future begin by imagining what one wants to happen, which is thus initially optimistic. A second stage of such prospective thinking maps out how to bring that about, and this stage is marked by consideration of obstacles, requisite steps, and other potential problems, and so it tends toward cautious realism and even pessimism. Pragmatic prospection presents a form of teleology, in which brains can anticipate possible future events and use those cognitions to guide behavior. Toward that end, it invokes meaning, consistent with evidence that thinking about the future is highly meaningful. Prospection often has narrative structure, involving a series of events in a temporal sequence linked together by meaning. Emotion is useful for evaluating different simulations of possible future events and plans. Prospection is socially learned and rests on socially constructed scaffolding for the future (e.g., future dates). Planning is perhaps the most common form of prospection, and it exemplifies all aspects of our theory (including pragmatic utility, meaning, teleological and narrative structure, and sociality). Bracing for bad news and defensive pessimism are strategies that inspire adaptive responses to feared outcomes.
Symmetry induced semimetal-semiconductor transition in doped graphene
Authors: Sirikumara Hansika I. , Putz Erika , Al-Abboodi Mohammed , Jayasekera Thushari
Published: January 2016

Substitutional chemical doping is one way of introducing an electronic bandgap in otherwise semimetallic graphene. A small change in dopant arrangement can convert graphene from a semiconducting to a semimetallic state. Based on ab initio Density Functional Theory calculations, we discuss the electron structure of BN-doped graphene with Bravais and non-Bravais lattice-type defect patterns, identifying semiconducting/semimetallic configurations. Semimetallic behavior of graphene with non-Bravais lattice-type defect patterns can be explained by a phase cancellation in the scattering amplitude. Our investigation reveals for the first time that the symmetry of defect islands and the periodicity of defect modulation limit the phase cancellation which controls the semimetal-semiconductor transition in doped graphene.
A Low Input Current and Wide Conversion Ratio Buck Regulator with 75% Efficiency for High-Voltage Triboelectric Nanogenerators
Authors: Luo Li-Chuan , Bao De-Chun , Yu Wu-Qi , Zhang Zhao-Hua , Ren Tian-Ling
Published: January 2016

It is meaningful to research the Triboelectric Nanogenerators (TENG), which can create electricity anywhere and anytime. There are many researches on the structures and materials of TENG to explain the phenomenon that the maximum voltage is stable and the current is increasing. The output voltage of the TENG is high about 180–400 V and the output current is small about 39 μA, which the electronic devices directly integration of TENG with Li-ion batteries will result in huge energy loss due to the ultrahigh TENG impedance. A novel interface circuit with the high-voltage buck regulator for TENG is introduced firstly in this paper. The interface circuit can transfer the output signal of the TENG into the signal fit to a lithium ion battery. Through the circuit of the buck regulator, the average output voltage is about 4.0 V and the average output current is about 1.12 mA. Further, the reliability and availability for the lithium ion battery and the circuit are discussed. The interface circuit is simulated using the Cadence software and verified through PCB experiment. The buck regulator can achieve 75% efficiency for the High-Voltage TENG. This will lead to a research hot and industrialization applications.
Transcriptome profiling unveils the role of cholesterol in IL-17A signaling in psoriasis
Authors: Varshney Pallavi , Narasimhan Aarti , Mittal Shankila , Malik Garima , Sardana Kabir , Saini Neeru
Published: January 2016

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by altered proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes as well as infiltration of immune cells. Increased expression of Th17 cells and cytokines secreted by them provides evidence for its central role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. IL-17A, signature cytokine of Th17 cells was found to be highly differentially expressed in psoriatic lesional skin. However, cellular and molecular mechanism by which IL-17A exerts its function on keratinocyte is incompletely understood. To understand IL-17A mediated signal transduction pathways, gene expression profiling was done and differentially expressed genes were analysed by IPA software. Here, we demonstrate that during IL-17A signaling total cholesterol levels were elevated, which in turn resulted in the suppression of genes of cholesterol and fatty acid biosynthesis. We found that accumulation of cholesterol was essential for IL-17A signaling as reduced total cholesterol levels by methyl β cyclodextrin (MBCD), significantly decreased IL-17A induced secretion of CCL20, IL-8 and S100A7 from the keratinocytes. To our knowledge this study for the first time unveils that high level of intracellular cholesterol plays a crucial role in IL-17A signaling in keratinocytes and may explain the strong association between psoriasis and dyslipidemia.
Phenotypic characterization of nanshi oral liquid alters metabolic signatures during disease prevention
Authors: Zhang Aihua , Liu Qi , Zhao Hongwei , Zhou Xiaohang , Sun Hui , Nan Yang , Zou Shiyu , Ma Chung Wah , Wang Xijun
Published: January 2016

This paper was designed to investigate the phenotypic characterization of Nanshi Oral Liquid (NOL) alters metabolic signatures of the ‘Kidney Yang Deficiency syndrome’ (KYDS). Urine metabolites were profiled by UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-HDMS. The significantly changed metabolites such as xanthurenic acid, 4,8-dihydroxyquinoline, 3-methyldioxyindole, 4,6-dihydroxyquinoline, kynurenic acid, hippuric acid, taurine, tyramine and 3-metanephrine, had been identified and were related to the disturbance in tyrosine metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism and lysine degradation, which were helpful to further understanding the KYDS and intervention mechanism of NOL. The biochemical result showed that NOL can alleviate the kidney impairment induced by KYDS. Metabolomics results indicated the significantly changed metabolites were found to be reasonable in explaining the action mechanism of NOL. Interestingly, the effectiveness of NOL against KYDS was proved using the established metabolomics method and regulated the biomarkers as well as adjusted the metabolic disorder pathways. NOL had potentially pharmacological effect through regulating multiple perturbed pathways to normal state. This work showed that the metabolomics method was a powerful approach for studying the phenotypic characterization of disease’s syndrome during disease prevention and its intervention mechanism.
Structural Elucidation of a Carnosine-Acrolein Adduct and its Quantification in Human Urine Samples
Authors: Bispo Vanderson S. , de Arruda Campos Ivan P. , Di Mascio Paolo , Medeiros Marisa H. G.
Published: January 2016

Aldehydes accumulate in inflammation, during myocardial infarction and have been associated with pain symptoms. One pathway of aldehyde detoxification is the conjugation with carnosine. A 3-methylpyridinium carnosine adduct from the reaction of carnosine and acrolein was characterized using extensive spectroscopic measurements. The adduct with urinary concentrations of 1.82 ± 0.68 nmol/mg of creatinine is one of the most abundant acrolein metabolites in urine and opens promising therapeutic strategies for carnosine.
De-repression of CSP-1 activates adaptive responses to antifungal azoles
Authors: Chen Xi , Xue Wei , Zhou Jun , Zhang Zhenying , Wei Shiping , Liu Xingyu , Sun Xianyun , Wang Wenzhao , Li Shaojie
Published: January 2016

Antifungal azoles are the major drugs that are used to treat fungal infections. This study found that in response to antifungal azole stress, Neurospora crassa could activate the transcriptional responses of many genes and increase azole resistance by reducing the level of conidial separation 1 (CSP-1), a global transcription repressor, at azole-responsive genes. The expression of csp-1 was directly activated by the transcription factors WC-1 and WC-2. Upon ketoconazole (KTC) stress, the transcript levels of wc-1 and wc-2 were not changed, but csp-1 transcription rapidly declined. A chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed a rapid reduction in the WC-2 enrichment at the csp-1 promoter upon KTC treatment, which might be responsible for the KTC-induced csp-1 downregulation. Deletion of csp-1 increased resistance to KTC and voriconazole, while csp-1 overexpression increased KTC susceptibility. CSP-1 transcriptionally repressed a number of azole-responsive genes, including genes encoding the azole target ERG11, the azole efflux pump CDR4 and the sterol C-22 desaturase ERG5. Deletion of csp-1 also reduced the KTC-induced accumulation of ergosterol intermediates, eburicol and 14α-methyl-3,6-diol. CSP-1 orthologs are widely present in filamentous fungi and an Aspergillus fumigatus mutant in which the csp-1 was deleted was resistant to itraconazole.
Perpendicularly oriented sub-10-nm block copolymer lamellae by atmospheric thermal annealing for one minute
Authors: Seshimo Takehiro , Maeda Rina , Odashima Rin , Takenaka Yutaka , Kawana Daisuke , Ohmori Katsumi , Hayakawa Teruaki
Published: January 2016

The directed self-assembly (DSA) of block co-polymers (BCPs) can realize next-generation lithography for semiconductors and a variety of soft materials. It is imperative to simultaneously achieve many requirements such as a high resolution, orientation control of micro-domains, etch selectivity, rapid and mild annealing, a low cost and compatibility with manufacturing for developing suitable BCPs. Here, we describe a new design for modified polysiloxane-based BCPs targeted for sub-10-nm-wide lines, which are able to form perpendicularly oriented lamellar structures in thin films. The hydroxyl groups in the side chains introduced in the polysiloxane block provide a good balance with the polystyrene surface free energy, thereby leading to the perpendicular orientation. Moreover, this orientation can be completed in only one minute at 130 °C in an air atmosphere. Oxygen plasma etching for the thin films results in the achievement of a line width of 8.5 nm.
High resolution Hall measurements across the VO2 metal-insulator transition reveal impact of spatial phase separation
Authors: Yamin Tony , Strelniker Yakov M. , Sharoni Amos
Published: January 2016

Many strongly correlated transition metal oxides exhibit a metal-insulator transition (MIT), the manipulation of which is essential for their application as active device elements. However, such manipulation is hindered by lack of microscopic understanding of mechanisms involved in these transitions. A prototypical example is VO2, where previous studies indicated that the MIT resistance change correlate with changes in carrier density and mobility. We studied the MIT using Hall measurements with unprecedented resolution and accuracy, simultaneously with resistance measurements. Contrast to prior reports, we find that the MIT is not correlated with a change in mobility, but rather, is a macroscopic manifestation of the spatial phase separation which accompanies the MIT. Our results demonstrate that, surprisingly, properties of the nano-scale spatially-separated metallic and semiconducting domains actually retain their bulk properties. This study highlights the importance of taking into account local fluctuations and correlations when interpreting transport measurements in highly correlated systems.
Tuned Magnetic Properties of L10-MnGa/Co(001) Films by Epitaxial Strain
Authors: Kim Dongyoo , Vitos Levente
Published: January 2016

We demonstrate that the interface structure has a significant influence on the magnetic state of MnGa/Co films consisting of L10-MnGa on face-centered-cubic Co(001) surface. We reveal an antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic magnetization reversal as a function of the lateral lattice constant. The magnetization reversal mainly originates from localized states and weak hybridization at interface due to charge redistribution between muffin-tin spheres and interstitial region. The magnetic anisotropy energy of Mn/Co interface system is enhanced with increasing in-plane lattice constant, which is ascribed to the interface interactions and the above magnetization reversal.
Switchable DNA wire: deposition-stripping of copper nanoclusters as an “ON-OFF” nanoswitch
Authors: Zhu Xiaoli , Liu Siyu , Cao Jiepei , Mao Xiaoxia , Li Genxi
Published: January 2016

Today, a consensus that DNA working as a molecular wire shows promise in nanoscale electronics is reached. Considering that the “ON-OFF” switch is the basis of a logic circuit, the switch of DNA-mediated charge transport (DNA CT) should be conquered. Here, on the basis of chemical or electrochemical deposition and stripping of DNA-templated copper nanoclusters (CuNCs), we develop an “ON-OFF” nanoswitch for DNA CT. While CuNCs are deposited, the DNA CT is blocked, which can be also recovered after stripping the CuNCs. A switch cycle can be completed in a few seconds and can be repeated for many times. Moreover, by regulating the amount of reagents, deposition/stripping time, applied potential, etc., the switch is adjustable to make the wire at either an “ON-OFF” state or an intermediate state. We believe that this concept and the successful implementation will promote the practical application of DNA wire one step further.
Combined ligand-observe 19F and protein-observe 15N,1H-HSQC NMR suggests phenylalanine as the key Δ-somatostatin residue recognized by human protein disulfide isomerase
Authors: Richards Kirsty L. , Rowe Michelle L. , Hudson Paul B. , Williamson Richard A. , Howard Mark J.
Published: January 2016

Human protein disulphide isomerase (hPDI) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) based isomerase and folding chaperone. Molecular detail of ligand recognition and specificity of hPDI are poorly understood despite the importance of the hPDI for folding secreted proteins and its implication in diseases including cancer and lateral sclerosis. We report a detailed study of specificity, interaction and dissociation constants (Kd) of the peptide-ligand Δ-somatostatin (AGSKNFFWKTFTSS) binding to hPDI using 19F ligand-observe and 15N,1H-HSQC protein-observe NMR methods. Phe residues in Δ-somatostatin are hypothesised as important for recognition by hPDI therefore, step-wise peptide Phe-to-Ala changes were progressively introduced and shown to raise the Kd from 103 + 47 μM until the point where binding was abolished when all Phe residues were modified to Ala. The largest step-changes in Kd involved the F11A peptide modification which implies the C-terminus of Δ-somatostatin is a prime recognition region. Furthermore, this study also validated the combined use of 19F ligand-observe and complimentary 15N,1H-HSQC titrations to monitor interactions from the protein’s perspective. 19F ligand-observe NMR was ratified as mirroring 15N protein-observe but highlighted the advantage that 19F offers improved Kd precision due to higher spectrum resolution and greater chemical environment sensitivity.
Assessing cellular and circulating miRNA recovery: the impact of the RNA isolation method and the quantity of input material
Authors: El-Khoury Victoria , Pierson Sandrine , Kaoma Tony , Bernardin François , Berchem Guy
Published: January 2016

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as promising cancer biomarkers. However, exploiting their informative potential requires careful optimization of their detection. Here, we compared the efficiency of commonly used RNA extraction kits in miRNA recovery from cells, plasma and urine/plasma-derived exosomes, using single-gene RT-qPCR and miRNA profiling. We used increasing amounts of starting material to investigate the impact of the input material size on miRNA extraction. We showed that miRNA recovery was largely influenced by the isolation method and by the amount of input material. In particular, the miRCURY™ kit provided highly pure RNA. However, its columns poorly recovered miRNAs from limiting amounts of cells and plasma and rapidly saturated by large RNA species and plasma components, thus impeding miRNA recovery from high input amounts. Overall, the miRNeasy® kit permitted a better miRNA detection despite a less pure extracted RNA. Nevertheless, some miRNAs were preferentially or exclusively isolated by either of the methods. Trizol® LS resulted in very low purity RNA which affected RT-qPCR efficiency. In general, miRCURY™ biofluids kit efficiently extracted miRNAs from plasma. A careful selection of the RNA isolation method and the consideration of the type and size of input material are highly recommended to avoid biased results.
Coupling of soil prokaryotic diversity and plant diversity across latitudinal forest ecosystems
Authors: Wang Jun-Tao , Zheng Yuan-Ming , Hu Hang-Wei , Li Jing , Zhang Li-Mei , Chen Bao-Dong , Chen Wei-Ping , He Ji-Zheng
Published: January 2016

The belowground soil prokaryotic community plays a cardinal role in sustaining the stability and functions of forest ecosystems. Yet, the nature of how soil prokaryotic diversity co-varies with aboveground plant diversity along a latitudinal gradient remains elusive. By establishing three hundred 400-m2 quadrats from tropical rainforest to boreal forest in a large-scale parallel study on both belowground soil prokaryote and aboveground tree and herb communities, we found that soil prokaryotic diversity couples with the diversity of herbs rather than trees. The diversity of prokaryotes and herbs responds similarly to environmental factors along the latitudinal gradient. These findings revealed that herbs provide a good predictor of belowground biodiversity in forest ecosystems and provide new perspective on the aboveground and belowground interactions in forest ecosystems.
Hierarchically ordered mesoporous Co3O4 materials for high performance Li-ion batteries
Authors: Sun Shijiao , Zhao Xiangyu , Yang Meng , Wu Linlin , Wen Zhaoyin , Shen Xiaodong
Published: January 2016

Highly ordered mesoporous Co3O4 materials have been prepared via a nanocasting route with three-dimensional KIT-6 and two-dimensional SBA-15 ordered mesoporous silicas as templates and Co(NO3)2 · 6H2O as precursor. Through changing the hydrothermal treating temperature of the silica template, ordered mesoporous Co3O4 materials with hierarchical structures have been developed. The larger pores around 10 nm provide an efficient transport for Li ions, while the smaller pores between 3–5 nm offer large electrochemically active areas. Electrochemical impedance analysis proves that the hierarchical structure contributes to a lower charge transfer resistance in the mesoporous Co3O4 electrode than the mono-sized structure. High reversible capacities around 1141 mAh g−1 of the hierarchically mesoporous Co3O4 materials are obtained, implying their potential applications for high performance Li-ion batteries.
Olanzapine Prevents the PCP-induced Reduction in the Neurite Outgrowth of Prefrontal Cortical Neurons via NRG1
Authors: Zhang Qingsheng , Yu Yinghua , Huang Xu-Feng
Published: January 2016

Accumulating evidence suggests that reducing neurite outgrowth and synaptic plasticity plays a critical role in the pathology of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist phencyclidine (PCP) can induce symptoms of schizophrenia as well as reduce dendritic spine density and neurite growth. The antipsychotic drug olanzapine may improve these deficits. This study aimed to investigate: (1) if olanzapine prevents PCP-induced suppression of neurite outgrowth and synaptic protein expression; (2) if olanzapine affects the Akt-GSK3 signaling pathway; and (3) the role of neuregulin 1 (NRG1) in this process. Immunofluorescence revealed that PCP treatment for 24 hours reduces both neurite length (28.5%) and the number of neurite branches (35.6%) in primary prefrontal cortical neuron cultures. PCP reduced protein and mRNA expressions of synaptophysin (24.9% and 23.2%, respectively) and PSD95 (31.5% and 21.4%, respectively) and the protein expression of p-Akt (26.7%) and p-GSK3β (35.2%). Olanzapine co-treatment prevented these PCP-induced effects in normal neurons but not in neurons from NRG1-knockout mice. These results indicate that NRG1 mediates the preventive effects of olanzapine on the PCP-induced impairment of neurite outgrowth and synaptic protein expression. This study provides potential targets for interventions on improving the efficacy of olanzapine on preventing cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.
The nature of free-carrier transport in organometal halide perovskites
Authors: Hakamata Tomoya , Shimamura Kohei , Shimojo Fuyuki , Kalia Rajiv K. , Nakano Aiichiro , Vashishta Priya
Published: January 2016

Organometal halide perovskites are attracting great attention as promising material for solar cells because of their high power conversion efficiency. The high performance has been attributed to the existence of free charge carriers and their large diffusion lengths, but the nature of carrier transport at the atomistic level remains elusive. Here, nonadiabatic quantum molecular dynamics simulations elucidate the mechanisms underlying the excellent free-carrier transport in CH3NH3PbI3. Pb and I sublattices act as disjunct pathways for rapid and balanced transport of photoexcited electrons and holes, respectively, while minimizing efficiency-degrading charge recombination. On the other hand, CH3NH3 sublattice quickly screens out electrostatic electron-hole attraction to generate free carriers within 1 ps. Together this nano-architecture lets photoexcited electrons and holes dissociate instantaneously and travel far away to be harvested before dissipated as heat. This work provides much needed structure-property relationships and time-resolved information that potentially lead to rational design of efficient solar cells.
Repeated administration of an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor attenuates nicotine taking in rats and smoking behavior in human smokers
Authors: Ashare R L , Kimmey B A , Rupprecht L E , Bowers M E , Hayes M R , Schmidt H D
Published: January 2016

Tobacco smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death worldwide and current smoking cessation medications have limited efficacy. Thus, there is a clear need for translational research focused on identifying novel pharmacotherapies for nicotine addiction. Our previous studies demonstrated that acute administration of an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI) attenuates nicotine taking and seeking in rats and suggest that AChEIs could be repurposed for smoking cessation. Here, we expand upon these findings with experiments designed to determine the effects of repeated AChEI administration on voluntary nicotine taking in rats as well as smoking behavior in human smokers. Rats were trained to self-administer intravenous infusions of nicotine (0.03 mg kg−1 per 0.59 ml) on a fixed-ratio-5 schedule of reinforcement. Once rats maintained stable nicotine taking, galantamine or donepezil was administered before 10 consecutive daily nicotine self-administration sessions. Repeated administration of 5.0 mg kg−1 galantamine and 3.0 mg kg−1 donepezil attenuated nicotine self-administration in rats. These effects were reinforcer-specific and not due to adverse malaise-like effects of drug treatment as repeated galantamine and donepezil administration had no effects on sucrose self-administration, ad libitum food intake and pica. The effects of repeated galantamine (versus placebo) on cigarette smoking were also tested in human treatment-seeking smokers. Two weeks of daily galantamine treatment (8.0 mg (week 1) and 16.0 mg (week 2)) significantly reduced smoking rate as well as smoking satisfaction and reward compared with placebo. This translational study indicates that repeated AChEI administration reduces nicotine reinforcement in rats and smoking behavior in humans at doses not associated with tolerance and/or adverse effects.
Human DNA methylomes of neurodegenerative diseases show common epigenomic patterns
Authors: Sanchez-Mut J V , Heyn H , Vidal E , Moran S , Sayols S , Delgado-Morales R , Schultz M D , Ansoleaga B , Garcia-Esparcia P , Pons-Espinal M , de Lagran M M , Dopazo J , Rabano A , Avila J , Dierssen M , Lott I , Ferrer I , Ecker J R , Esteller M
Published: January 2016

Different neurodegenerative disorders often show similar lesions, such as the presence of amyloid plaques, TAU-neurotangles and synuclein inclusions. The genetically inherited forms are rare, so we wondered whether shared epigenetic aberrations, such as those affecting DNA methylation, might also exist. The studied samples were gray matter samples from the prefrontal cortex of control and neurodegenerative disease-associated cases. We performed the DNA methylation analyses of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer-like neurodegenerative profile associated with Down’s syndrome samples. The DNA methylation landscapes obtained show that neurodegenerative diseases share similar aberrant CpG methylation shifts targeting a defined gene set. Our findings suggest that neurodegenerative disorders might have similar pathogenetic mechanisms that subsequently evolve into different clinical entities. The identified aberrant DNA methylation changes can be used as biomarkers of the disorders and as potential new targets for the development of new therapies.
Label-free fluorescent catalytic biosensor for highly sensitive and selective detection of the ferrous ion in water samples using a layered molybdenum disulfide nanozyme coupled with an advanced chemometric model
Authors: Hu Jie , Zhuang Qianfen , Wang Yong , Ni Yongnian
Published: January 2016

The synergistically enhanced catalytic effect of a Fe2+/molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheet was exploited to construct a nanozyme biosensor for Fe2+.
Multicolour photochromism of colloidal solutions of niobate nanosheets intercalated with several kinds of metal ions
Authors: Kamada Kai , Tanaka Yosuke , Tokunaga Motoko , Ueda Taro , Hyodo Takeo , Shimizu Yasuhiro
Published: January 2016

Niobate nanosheets show multicolour photochromism depending on the kind of coexisting metal ions.
Thiacalixarene assembled heterotrinuclear lanthanide clusters comprising TbIII and YbIII enable f–f communication to enhance YbIII-centred luminescence
Authors: Karashimada Ryunosuke , Iki Nobuhiko
Published: January 2016

A mixture of heterotrinuclear lanthanide cluster complexes, Tb3−xYbxTCAS2 (x = 1, 2), was obtained by mixing thiacalix[4]arene-p-tetrasulfonate (TCAS), TbIII, and YbIII, which shows enhanced YbIII-centred luminescence as compared to Yb3TCAS2, indicating f–f communication.