bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tenotomia do glúteo máximo em artroplastia total do quadril como prevenção de lesão do nervo ciático
Authors: Paiva Leonardo , Oliveira Karina , Macedo Souto Diogo , Macedo Neto Sílvio , Kircov Nicolay , Freitas Anderson
Published: April 2018

Os autores relatam um único caso de artroplastia total de quadril primária complexa em uma paciente do sexo feminino de 34 anos, com dismetria de membros inferiores de 5,5 cm, na qual foi feita tenotomia do glúteo máximo a fim de prevenir lesão do nervo ciático. Tal cirurgia foi feita sob monitoração eletroneurofisiológica dos ramos fibular e tibial do nervo ciático. Foram coletados dados pré-tenotomia, pós-tenotomia e pós-redução artroplástica. Os achados demonstram que a tenotomia do glúteo máximo melhorou a reposta motora do componente fibular do nervo ciático.
O impacto da histologia do carcinoma pulmonar na frequência das metástases ósseas
Authors: Oliveira Marcelo Bragança dos Reis , Souza Larissa Costa , Sampayo Ermides Javier Garcia , Carvalho Gustavo Sobral de , Mello Fernanda Carvalho de Queiroz , Paschoal Marcos Eduardo Machado
Published: April 2018

Objetivo O câncer de pulmão é a principal causa de morte por neoplasia, e os ossos são os principais locais de metástases desse tipo de câncer. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a influência do tipo histológico do carcinoma de pulmão na frequência das metástases ósseas.

Métodos Foram avaliados retrospectivamente os registros médicos de 407 pacientes diagnosticados com câncer de pulmão entre 2003 e 2012. A prevalência de metástases ósseas e suas associações com os subtipos histológicos foram avaliadas com o teste qui-quadrado, razão de probabilidade (RP), e intervalos de confiança (IC) de 95%. A sobrevida global foi avaliada com o método de Kaplan-Meier.

Resultados A prevalência das metástases ósseas foi de 28,2% (n = 115), e a coluna vertebral foi o local mais frequente (98 metástases: 32,1%). O adenocarcinoma foi o subtipo histológico mais comum de carcinoma pulmonar (46,7%) e foi significativamente mais frequente entre os pacientes com metástases ósseas (13,0% versus 29,8%; p = 0,0004; OR = 0,35; 95% IC: 0,19–0,64). O tempo médio de sobrevida após o diagnóstico da primeira metástase óssea foi de 4 meses.

Conclusão O adenocarcinoma foi o subtipo histológico mais comum de carcinoma pulmonar e foi significativamente associado a um maior risco de desenvolvimento de metástases ósseas.
The art of mapping IoT devices in networks
Authors: Bajpai Pranshu , Sood Aditya K , Enbody Richard J
Published: April 2018

Improperly secured Internet of Things (IoT) devices have been commandeered by bot herders and other malicious attackers. Organisations need a way to identify and track these IoT devices, which are often brought in unofficially by users. But network administrators face a number of challenges in tracking IoT devices across their organisation.

Improperly secured Internet of Things (IoT) devices have been exploited by bot herders and other malicious attackers. So organisations need a way to identify and track these devices.

Pranshu Bajpai, Aditya Sood and Richard J Enbody look at the difficulty of defining identifying characteristics of IoT devices due to their immensely diverse nature. They offer a model to identify IoT devices in networks using a variety of scanning techniques and they discuss the pros and cons of discovery techniques, presenting results from actual scans.
Resting Heart Rate Variability Predicts Inhibitory Control Above and Beyond Impulsivity
Authors: Ottaviani Cristina , Zingaretti Pietro , Petta Anna Maria , Antonucci Gabriella , Thayer Julian F. , Spitoni Grazia Fernanda
Published: April 2018

Abstract. Heart rate variability (HRV) has been linked to effective functioning of prefrontal-subcortical inhibitory circuits. Despite the recognized role of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in executive functions linked to inhibitory capacity, studies linking HRV to executive functions are inconsistent, likely due to potential confounders. The present study sought to examine this relation in a sample of 50 healthy participants (31 females; Mage = 24.2 years) who underwent assessment of resting HRV and two executive tasks assessing inhibitory control, namely the Rule Shift Cards and the Hayling Sentence Completion Test. Hierarchical multiple regressions showed that HRV predicted performance on both tasks (i.e., time taken to inhibit a strongly activated response) above and beyond the role of sex, body mass index, and impulsivity. Present results disconfirm that the HRV-executive function association is only due to confounders, and corroborate such relationship with the use of two ecological tasks assessing inhibitory control. Current findings support the Neurovisceral Integration Model and provide plausible explanation for previous inconsistent results.
Polar Liquid Cloud Base Detection Algorithms for High Spectral Resolution or Micropulse Lidar Data
Authors: Silber Israel , Verlinde Johannes , Eloranta Edwin W. , Flynn Connor J. , Flynn Donna M.
Published: April 2018

Liquid layers in clouds affect their microphysical processes, as well as the surface energy budget. Studies focusing on these and other areas of research are often in need of skillful estimation of liquid‐bearing cloud layer boundaries. The bases of these layers are predominantly determined by ground‐based lidar instruments. Most studies requiring liquid cloud base height (LCBH) information use either fixed lidar parameter (depolarization and/or backscatter cross section) thresholds or cloud base height data products that do not distinguish between ice and liquid, all of which might introduce inconsistencies and errors in the resolved LCBH. In this paper, two explicit LCBH detection algorithms are presented. The first algorithm uses the high spectral resolution lidar (HSRL) data. Examination of this algorithm in multiple cases and scenarios during numerous days and first‐order comparison with microwave‐radiometer data show satisfactory results. The second algorithm incorporates widely available micropulse lidar (MPL) data for the LCBH detection. A 1‐year long comparison of data gathered at Barrow, Alaska, and McMurdo Station, Antarctica, which includes other cloud base detection methodologies (ceilometer, MPL value‐added product cloud base height, and LCBHs detected using a fixed MPL depolarization threshold), emphasizes the merits of the presented MPL algorithm. Examination of several unusual LCBH configurations suggests that the current practice of operating lidar at a tilting angle of 4° off zenith may not be sufficient to avoid specular reflection from oriented ice crystals. Data collected at Madison Wisconsin are used to show that specular reflection may impact measurements even at 4°.
Shortwave Sand Transport in the Shallow Surf Zone
Authors: Brinkkemper J. A. , Aagaard T. , de Bakker A. T. M. , Ruessink B. G.
Published: April 2018

Empirical parameterizations of the shortwave sand transport that are used in practical engineering models lack the representation of certain processes to accurately predict morphodynamics in shallow water. Therefore, measurements of near‐bed velocity and suspended sand concentration, collected during two field campaigns (at the Sand Engine and Ameland, the Netherlands) and one field‐scale laboratory experiment (BARDEXII), were here analyzed to study the magnitude and direction of the shortwave sand flux in the shallow surf zone. Shortwave sand fluxes dominated the total sand flux during low‐energetic accretive conditions, while the mean cross‐shore current (undertow) dominated the total flux during high‐energetic erosive conditions. Under low‐energetic conditions, the onshore‐directed shortwave sand flux scales with the root‐mean‐square orbital velocity urms and velocity asymmetry Au but not with the velocity skewness. Under more energetic conditions the shortwave flux reduces with an increase in the cross‐shore mean current
and can even become offshore directed. For all data combined, the contribution of the shortwave flux to the total flux scales with
, with a high contribution of the shortwave flux (∼70%) when this ratio is high (∼ 10) and low contributions (∼0%) when this ratio is low (∼1). We argue that the velocity asymmetry is a good proxy for the net effect of several transport mechanisms in the shallow surf zone, including breaking‐induced turbulence. These field and laboratory measurements under irregular waves thus support the hypothesis that the inclusion of velocity asymmetry in transport formulations would improve the performance of morphodynamic models in shallow water.
Twentieth Century Seawater δ18O Dynamics and Implications for Coral‐Based Climate Reconstruction
Authors: Stevenson S. , Powell B. , Cobb K. M. , Nusbaumer J. , Merrifield M. , Noone D.
Published: April 2018

The oxygen isotopic composition of tropical coral skeletons (δ18O) is a crucial source of information on past El Niño/Southern Oscillation behavior. Both temperature and the δ18O of the surrounding seawater (δ18Osw) affect coral δ18O; a linear proportionality with δ18Osw is often used to infer past salinity variations, but the degree to which dynamical influences on δ18Osw may affect that relationship is still unclear. Here we use the isotope‐enabled Regional Ocean Modeling System to investigate the dynamics of δ18Osw and salinity variations in different twentieth century climate regimes. The dominant modes of δ18Osw variability are the background trend and eastern/central Pacific El Niño, similar to salinity; likewise, budget analysis reveals a strong impact of ocean dynamics (both advection and vertical mixing/diffusion) on δ18Osw variations during El Niño and La Niña events. These dynamics lead to alterations in the δ18Osw:salinity relationship across the Pacific: the linear approximation is most accurate near the eastern edge of the western Pacific warm pool but with nonlinearities due to large δ18Osw excursions during El Niño. At other sites, the δ18Osw:salinity relationship has substantial scatter and explains relatively little δ18Osw variance. Strikingly, interannual variability can lead to site‐specific δ18Osw:salinity regression coefficient changes of up to 0.4‰/psu on multiyear time scales. This calls the reliability of coral‐based estimates of El Niño/Southern Oscillation extremes into question and highlights the need for increased dynamical understanding as well as sustained in situ observations of δ18Osw and salinity variability.
Data‐Driven Experimental Evaluation Method for the Safety Assessment of Implants With Respect to RF‐Induced Heating During MRI
Authors: Yao Aiping , Zastrow Earl , Kuster Niels
Published: April 2018

Small (mm size) distal electrodes of active medical implants can cause localized radio frequency (RF)‐induced power deposition with extreme spatial gradient (5–6 dB/mm). We propose a method that aims to improve the accuracy of the traditional experimental evaluation, which relies solely on hardware instrumentation. A numerically derived local deposition distribution is used to assist the estimation of power deposition. The method was successfully validated against numerical simulations, considering three different generic implants with a single electrode. The power deposition in the surrounding region of the implant electrodes estimated with the proposed method was validated with less than 1 dB (30%) of uncertainty.
A Stakeholder‐Science Based Approach Using the National Urban Water Innovation Network as a Test Bed for Understanding Urban Water Sustainability Challenges in the U.S.
Authors: Bolson J. , Sukop M. C. , Arabi M. , Pivo G. , Lanier A.
Published: April 2018

Urban water systems across the United States are struggling to adapt to an evolving set of threats. Understanding specific pressures and the regional responses to those pressures requires input from practitioners with knowledge of sociotechnological aspects of urban water systems. The Urban Water Innovation Network (UWIN), a consortium of academic institutions and partners supported by the National Science Foundation Sustainability Research Network program, provides a unique opportunity to engage stakeholder and research communities across the U.S. Interactions between UWIN researchers and water stakeholders from five regions (Southeast Florida, Sun Corridor, Mid‐Atlantic, Pacific Northwest, and Front Range) form the basis for case studies on transitions toward sustainability. Analysis of qualitative data on pressures, states, and responses collected during interactions provides insight into the challenging context of urban water management. Top pressures identified include climate change, aging infrastructure, water quality impairments, and funding limitations. Additionally, stakeholders described resistance to change and short‐term perspectives among elected officials, limited understanding/awareness of water systems among decision makers, and lack of leadership on water issues as contributing to pressures. More than technological solutions, practitioners call for improved coordination in water management, strengthened communication with elected officials, and behavioral change among citizens. Regarding stakeholder‐scientist interactions, participants sought practical outcomes, such as the organization of seemingly abundant scientific products into usable products. The utility of the pressure‐state‐response model as a framework for data collection and analysis in the context of understanding transitions toward urban water sustainability is discussed and recommendations for future studies are presented.
Conjoint Analysis of Surface and Atmospheric Water Balances in the Andes‐Amazon System
Authors: Builes‐Jaramillo A. , Poveda G.
Published: April 2018

Surface and atmospheric water balances analysis for Amazon River basin at monthly time scale are performed with an emphasis on the linkages between the Andes and low‐lying Amazonia. Analyses are performed using observational and reanalysis data covering five different periods of analysis (depending on length of evapotranspiration data sets) for the entire basin, major subcatchments, and for the Andes and low‐lying Amazonia. Results for the entire basin show a state close to balance within tolerance, while the spatial disaggregation produced a less clear picture, presenting major discrepancies between observations and reanalysis data sets. The atmospheric budget exhibits no closure and positive residuals regardless of data set, with the magnitude of residuals for the entire Amazon basin highly dependent on evapotranspiration data source. The imbalance between the two water budgets (14%–16%) is driven by higher values of runoff and by an abrupt change in runoff when changing from dry to wet seasons in the Amazon. We unveil two shortcomings of the available data, namely poor quality in the representation of surface processes by reanalysis, and flaws and scarcity of information in the high Andes that induce uncertainties and errors in both water budgets. The results of the present study highlight the importance of the Andean region for the hydrological integrity of the entire Amazon River basin. Our results confirm the paramount importance of the joint analysis of atmospheric and surface water budgets at the basin level with respect to achieving a complete understanding of the whole hydrological cycle at the continental scale.
Can MODIS Land Reflectance Products be Used for Estuarine and Inland Waters?
Authors: Feng Lian , Hu Chuanmin , Li Junsheng
Published: April 2018

Although designed for land surfaces, MODIS Aqua surface reflectance data products (MYD09, termed as R_Land in this work) have also been used for water applications. Yet to date their uncertainties and general suitability in such applications have rarely been documented. In this study, R_Land products of two regions (Chesapeake Bay and Taihu Lake) between July 2002 and December 2015 are evaluated against in situ measurements and against reflectance products derived by the MODIS Ocean Team using atmospheric correction schemes specifically designed for water applications, namely the default atmospheric correction method based on the near‐infrared (NIR) bands (denoted as R_NIR, data products available from NASA) and alternative atmospheric correction method based on the shortwave‐infrared (SWIR) bands (denoted as R_SWIR, data products not available from NASA but require customized processing by the user), respectively. Results suggest high accuracy in R_Land(645) and R_Land(645/555) for both Chesapeake Bay and Taihu Lake in terms of daily spatial distributions, seasonality, and long‐term trends. A sensitivity test also shows improved data quality in R_Land(645/555) when data are binned by 7 × 7 pixels in space and 32 days in time. Improved data quality can also be obtained for R_Land(645) when data are only binned in time to minimize the patchiness noise in R_Land daily images. Given the fact that most users do not have the capacity to process low‐level data to obtain R_SWIR and the standard NASA R_NIR products often lack coverage over inland waters because they are optimized for global oceans instead of inland waters, this study provides a general guide on the applicability of the widely available R_Land products in inland and estuarine water applications in the absence of customized R_NIR or R_SWIR data products for local regions.
Quantifying Ground Deformation in the Los Angeles and Santa Ana Coastal Basins Due to Groundwater Withdrawal
Authors: Riel Bryan , Simons Mark , Ponti Daniel , Agram Piyush , Jolivet Romain
Published: April 2018

We investigate complex surface deformation within the Los Angeles and Santa Ana Coastal Basins due to groundwater withdrawal and subsequent aquifer compaction/expansion. We analyze an 18 year interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) time series of 881 interferograms in conjunction with global positioning system (GPS) data within the groundwater basins. The large data set required the development of a distributed time series analysis framework able to automatically decompose both the InSAR and GPS time series into short‐term and long‐term signals. We find that short‐term, seasonal oscillations of ground elevations due to annual groundwater withdrawal and recharge are unsteady due to changes in seasonal withdrawal by major water districts. The spatial pattern of seasonal ground deformation near the center of the basin corresponds to a diffusion process with peak deformation occurring at locations with highest groundwater production. Long‐term signals occur over broader areas and are ultimately caused by long‐term changes in groundwater production. Comparison of the geodetic data with hydraulic head data from major water districts suggests that different regions of the groundwater system are responsible for different temporal components in the observed ground deformation. Short‐term, seasonal ground deformation is caused by compaction of shallower aquifers used for the majority of groundwater production whereas long‐term ground deformation is correlated with delayed compaction of deeper aquifers and potential compressible clay layers. These results demonstrate the potential for geodetic analysis to be an important tool for groundwater management to maintain sustainable pumping practices.
Fossilized Caribbean Corals Reveal Ancient Summer Rains
Authors: Stanley Sarah
Published: April 2018

Isotope records and climate modeling suggest that the rainy Intertropical Convergence Zone expanded northward into the southern Caribbean during a warm interglacial period about 125,000 years ago.
Evidence of Extensive Ice Deposits Near Mercury’s South Pole
Authors: Cook Terri
Published: April 2018

New radar observations and refined illumination maps reveal uneven water ice deposits twice the size of those found around the planet’s north pole, suggesting the source may be a recent comet impact.
MAVEN Observations of Solar Wind‐Driven Magnetosonic Waves Heating the Martian Dayside Ionosphere
Authors: Fowler C. M. , Andersson L. , Ergun R. E. , Harada Y. , Hara T. , Collinson G. , Peterson W. K. , Espley J. , Halekas J. , Mcfadden J. , Mitchell D. L. , Mazelle C. , Benna M. , Jakosky B. M.
Published: April 2018

We present Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN observations of large‐amplitude magnetosonic waves propagating through the magnetosheath into the Martian ionosphere near the subsolar point on the dayside of the planet. The observed waves grow in amplitude as predicted for a wave propagating into a denser, charged medium, with wave amplitudes reaching 25 nT, equivalent to ∼40% of the background field strength. These waves drive significant density and temperature variations (∼20% to 100% in amplitude) in the suprathermal electrons and light ion species (H+) that correlate with compressional fronts of the magnetosonic waves. Density and temperature variations are also observed for the ionospheric electrons, and heavy ion species (O+ and O
); however, these variations are not in phase with the magnetic field variations. Whistler waves are observed at compressional wave fronts and are thought to be produced by unstable, anistropic suprathermal electrons. The magnetosonic waves drive significant ion and electron heating down to just above the exobase region. Ion heating rates are estimated to be between 0.03 and 0.2 eVs−1 per ion, and heavier ions could thus gain escape energy if located in this heating region for ∼10–70 s. The measured ionospheric density profile indicates severe ionospheric erosion above the exobase region, and this is likely caused by substantial ion outflow that is driven by the observed heating. The effectiveness of these magnetosonic waves to energize the plasma close to the exobase could have important implications for the long‐term climate evolution for unmagnetized bodies that are exposed to the solar wind.
A Dictionary Approach to Identifying Transient RFI
Authors: Czech Daniel , Mishra Amit , Inggs Michael
Published: April 2018

As radio telescopes become more sensitive, the damaging effects of radio frequency interference (RFI) become more apparent. One particular approach to mitigating RFI is to deploy independent, omnidirectional wideband monitoring systems at radio telescope arrays. Near such radio telescopes, detected RFI sources are often easily removed or replaced; the challenge lies in identifying them. Transient (impulsive) RFI is particularly difficult to identify. We propose a novel dictionary‐based approach to transient RFI identification. RFI events are treated as sequences of subevents, drawn from particular labeled classes. We demonstrate an automated method of extracting and labeling subevents using a data set of transient RFI. A dictionary of labels may be used in conjunction with hidden Markov models to identify the sources of RFI events reliably. We attain improved classification accuracy over traditional approaches such as support vector machines or a naïve k‐Nearest Neighbor classifier. Finally, we investigate why transient RFI is difficult to classify. We show that cluster separation in the principal components domain is influenced by the alternating current supply phase for certain sources.
Pore‐Scale Experimental Investigation of Two‐Phase Flow Through Fractured Porous Media
Authors: Arshadi M. , Khishvand M. , Aghaei A. , Piri M. , Al‐Muntasheri G. A.
Published: April 2018

We present the results of a systematic pore‐scale experimental investigation of two‐phase oil/brine flow through a miniature water‐wet, fractured sandstone core sample. X‐ray microtomography is employed to generate three‐dimensional fluid occupancy maps within a rough‐walled fracture and its neighboring rock matrix during drainage and imbibition flow experiments. Several different imbibition flow conditions were created by changing brine flow rate, fracture aperture field, and interfacial tension between the fluids. These maps along with steady‐state pressure drop data are then used to shed light on the dominant flow mechanisms and preferential flow paths through the matrix and fracture domains as well as fluid transfer between them during the imbibition processes. Depending on the fracture aperture properties and the magnitude of the local capillary pressures that are established under varying flow conditions, transport of the wetting phase across the hybrid matrix‐fracture medium is governed by flow through wetting layers of brine on fracture walls (fracture layer flow), center of the fracture (fracture bulk flow), and brine‐filled pores within the matrix. The hydraulic conductivity through these conduits is regulated by the medium as it identifies a combined flow path with minimum pressure drop from the inlet to the outlet of the system. The resulting balance determines the magnitude of fluid transfer experienced by the neighboring matrix and ultimate oil recovery as a result.
A comparative review of the aqueous corrosion of glasses, crystalline ceramics, and metals
Authors: Frankel Gerald S. , Vienna John D. , Lian Jie , Scully John R. , Gin Stephane , Ryan Joseph V. , Wang Jianwei , Kim Seong H. , Windl Wolfgang , Du Jincheng
Published: April 2018

All materials can suffer from environmental degradation; the rate and extent of degradation depend on the details of the material composition and structure as well as the environment. The corrosion of silicate glasses, crystalline ceramics, and metals, particularly as related to nuclear waste forms, has received a lot of attention. The corrosion phenomena and mechanisms of these materials are different, but also have many similarities. This review compares and contrasts the mechanisms of environmental degradation of glass, crystalline ceramics, and metals, with the goal of identifying commonalities that can seed synergistic activities and advance the current knowledge in each area.
Imaging of angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells by uptake of exosomes secreted from hepatocellular carcinoma cells
Authors: Yukawa Hiroshi , Suzuki Kaoru , Aoki Keita , Arimoto Tomoko , Yasui Takao , Kaji Noritada , Ishikawa Tetsuya , Ochiya Takahiro , Baba Yoshinobu
Published: April 2018

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a typical hyper-vascular tumor, so the understanding the mechanisms of angiogenesis in HCC is very important for its treatment. However, the influence of the exosomes secreted from HCC cells (HCC-exosomes) on angiogenesis remains poorly understood. We herein examined the effects of the exosomes secreted from HepG2 cells (HepG2-exosomes) on the lumen formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) by the imaging of angiogenesis. The degree of lumen formation of HUVECs was dependent on the number of HepG2-exosomes. The HepG2-exosomes expressed NKG2D, an activating receptor for immune cells, and HSP70, a stress-induced heat shock protein associated with angiogenesis through the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor. In addition, the HepG2-exosomes contained several microRNAs (miRNAs) reported to exist in the serum of HCC patients. These results suggest that the HCC-exosomes play an important role in angiogenesis. Further studies on the function of HCC-exosomes may provide a new target for HCC treatment.
Author Correction: A population-specific reference panel empowers genetic studies of Anabaptist populations
Authors: Hou Liping , Kember Rachel L. , Roach Jared C. , O’Connell Jeffrey R. , Craig David W. , Bucan Maja , Scott William K. , Pericak-Vance Margaret , Haines Jonathan L. , Crawford Michael H. , Shuldiner Alan R. , McMahon Francis J.
Published: April 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.
Galactic Cosmic Radiation Induces Persistent Epigenome Alterations Relevant to Human Lung Cancer
Authors: Kennedy E. M. , Powell D. R. , Li Z. , Bell J. S. K. , Barwick B. G. , Feng H. , McCrary M. R. , Dwivedi B. , Kowalski J. , Dynan W. S. , Conneely K. N. , Vertino P. M.
Published: April 2018

Human deep space and planetary travel is limited by uncertainties regarding the health risks associated with exposure to galactic cosmic radiation (GCR), and in particular the high linear energy transfer (LET), heavy ion component. Here we assessed the impact of two high-LET ions 56Fe and 28Si, and low-LET X rays on genome-wide methylation patterns in human bronchial epithelial cells. We found that all three radiation types induced rapid and stable changes in DNA methylation but at distinct subsets of CpG sites affecting different chromatin compartments. The 56Fe ions induced mostly hypermethylation, and primarily affected sites in open chromatin regions including enhancers, promoters and the edges (“shores”) of CpG islands. The 28Si ion-exposure had mixed effects, inducing both hyper and hypomethylation and affecting sites in more repressed heterochromatic environments, whereas X rays induced mostly hypomethylation, primarily at sites in gene bodies and intergenic regions. Significantly, the methylation status of 56Fe ion sensitive sites, but not those affected by X ray or 28Si ions, discriminated tumor from normal tissue for human lung adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas. Thus, high-LET radiation exposure leaves a lasting imprint on the epigenome, and affects sites relevant to human lung cancer. These methylation signatures may prove useful in monitoring the cumulative biological impact and associated cancer risks encountered by astronauts in deep space.
Effect of Electroacupuncture on 99mTc-Sodium Pertechnetate Uptake and Extracellular Fluid Free Molecules in the Stomach in Acupoint ST36 and ST39
Authors: Gao Rui , Gao Shan , Feng Jinteng , Cui Hongying , Cui Yanchao , Fu Junke , Zhang Guangjian
Published: April 2018

Electroacupuncture (EA) is a therapeutic modality in which the electrical stimulation is integrated with concepts of acupuncture to treat diseases. This study was designed to evaluate the connection between the electro-acupuncture induced increase in Na99mTcO4 uptake in the stomach wall, and the ionic molecule levels in the extracellular fluid in the acupoints. Wistar rats were treated by 2 or 100 Hz EA at Zusanli (ST 36) and Xiajuxu (ST 39) bilaterally for 60 minutes. The accumulation of Na99mTcO4 in the gastric wall and the free ions, including Ca2+, K+, Na+, and Cl−, in the acupoints were measured every 60 minutes. The radioactivity uptake in the stomach was significantly increased during EA, reaching peak at 180 minutes after the EA. The concentration of extracellular ions was also significantly increased during EA. The Ca2+ level continued to rise until 60 minutes after EA, then started to decrease at 120 minutes post-EA. The results suggest this up-regulatory effect of EA on gastric activity might be triggered by the increase of the extracellular ion levels, this effect lasts longer than stimulating the release of transmembrane Ca2+ flow alone. This might aid in providing a better understanding of the long-lasting effect claimed in acupuncture treatment.
Pathway-based dissection of the genomic heterogeneity of cancer hallmarks’ acquisition with SLAPenrich
Authors: Iorio Francesco , Garcia-Alonso Luz , Brammeld Jonathan S. , Martincorena Iňigo , Wille David R. , McDermott Ultan , Saez-Rodriguez Julio
Published: April 2018

Cancer hallmarks are evolutionary traits required by a tumour to develop. While extensively characterised, the way these traits are achieved through the accumulation of somatic mutations in key biological pathways is not fully understood. To shed light on this subject, we characterised the landscape of pathway alterations associated with somatic mutations observed in 4,415 patients across ten cancer types, using 374 orthogonal pathway gene-sets mapped onto canonical cancer hallmarks. Towards this end, we developed SLAPenrich: a computational method based on population-level statistics, freely available as an open source R package. Assembling the identified pathway alterations into sets of hallmark signatures allowed us to connect somatic mutations to clinically interpretable cancer mechanisms. Further, we explored the heterogeneity of these signatures, in terms of ratio of altered pathways associated with each individual hallmark, assuming that this is reflective of the extent of selective advantage provided to the cancer type under consideration. Our analysis revealed the predominance of certain hallmarks in specific cancer types, thus suggesting different evolutionary trajectories across cancer lineages. Finally, although many pathway alteration enrichments are guided by somatic mutations in frequently altered high-confidence cancer genes, excluding these driver mutations preserves the hallmark heterogeneity signatures, thus the detected hallmarks’ predominance across cancer types. As a consequence, we propose the hallmark signatures as a ground truth to characterise tails of infrequent genomic alterations and identify potential novel cancer driver genes and networks.
Stable isotope compositions (δ2H, δ18O and δ17O) of rainfall and snowfall in the central United States
Authors: Tian Chao , Wang Lixin , Kaseke Kudzai Farai , Bird Broxton W.
Published: April 2018

Stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen (δ2H, δ18O and δ17O) can be used as natural tracers to improve our understanding of hydrological and meteorological processes. Studies of precipitation isotopes, especially 17O-excess observations, are extremely limited in the mid-latitudes. To fill this knowledge gap, we measured δ2H, δ18O and δ17O of event-based precipitation samples collected from Indianapolis, Indiana, USA over two years and investigated the influence of meteorological factors on precipitation isotope variations. The results showed that the daily temperature played a major role in controlling the isotope variations. Precipitation experienced kinetic fractionation associated with evaporation at the moisture source in the spring and summer and for rainfall, while snowfall, as well as precipitation in the fall and winter, were mainly affected by equilibrium fractionation. The 17O-excess of both rainfall and snowfall were not affected by local meteorological factors over the whole study period. At the seasonal scale, it was the case only for the spring. Therefore, 17O-excess of rainfall, snowfall and the spring precipitation could be considered as tracers of evaporative conditions at the moisture source. This study provides a unique precipitation isotope dataset for mid-latitudes and provides a more mechanistic understanding of precipitation formation mechanisms in this region.
Nucleolar-nucleoplasmic shuttling of TARG1 and its control by DNA damage-induced poly-ADP-ribosylation and by nucleolar transcription
Authors: Bütepage Mareike , Preisinger Christian , von Kriegsheim Alexander , Scheufen Anja , Lausberg Eva , Li Jinyu , Kappes Ferdinand , Feederle Regina , Ernst Sabrina , Eckei Laura , Krieg Sarah , Müller-Newen Gerhard , Rossetti Giulia , Feijs Karla L. H. , Verheugd Patricia , Lüscher Bernhard
Published: April 2018

Macrodomains are conserved protein folds associated with ADP-ribose binding and turnover. ADP-ribosylation is a posttranslational modification catalyzed primarily by ARTD (aka PARP) enzymes in cells. ARTDs transfer either single or multiple ADP-ribose units to substrates, resulting in mono- or poly-ADP-ribosylation. TARG1/C6orf130 is a macrodomain protein that hydrolyzes mono-ADP-ribosylation and interacts with poly-ADP-ribose chains. Interactome analyses revealed that TARG1 binds strongly to ribosomes and proteins associated with rRNA processing and ribosomal assembly factors. TARG1 localized to transcriptionally active nucleoli, which occurred independently of ADP-ribose binding. TARG1 shuttled continuously between nucleoli and nucleoplasm. In response to DNA damage, which activates ARTD1/2 (PARP1/2) and promotes synthesis of poly-ADP-ribose chains, TARG1 re-localized to the nucleoplasm. This was dependent on the ability of TARG1 to bind to poly-ADP-ribose. These findings are consistent with the observed ability of TARG1 to competitively interact with RNA and PAR chains. We propose a nucleolar role of TARG1 in ribosome assembly or quality control that is stalled when TARG1 is re-located to sites of DNA damage.
Transition from poor ductility to room-temperature superplasticity in a nanostructured aluminum alloy
Authors: Edalati Kaveh , Horita Zenji , Valiev Ruslan Z.
Published: April 2018

Recent developments of nanostructured materials with grain sizes in the nanometer to submicrometer range have provided ground for numerous functional properties and new applications. However, in terms of mechanical properties, bulk nanostructured materials typically show poor ductility despite their high strength, which limits their use for structural applications. The present article shows that the poor ductility of nanostructured alloys can be changed to room-temperature superplastisity by a transition in the deformation mechanism from dislocation activity to grain-boundary sliding. We report the first observation of room-temperature superplasticity (over 400% tensile elongations) in a nanostructured Al alloy by enhanced grain-boundary sliding. The room-temperature grain-boundary sliding and superplasticity was realized by engineering the Zn segregation along the Al/Al boundaries through severe plastic deformation. This work introduces a new boundary-based strategy to improve the mechanical properties of nanostructured materials for structural applications, where high deformability is a requirement.
Effects of inhaled nitric oxide on outcome after prolonged cardiac arrest in mild therapeutic hypothermia treated rats
Authors: Brücken Anne , Bleilevens Christian , Berger Philipp , Nolte Kay , Gaisa Nadine T. , Rossaint Rolf , Marx Gernot , Derwall Matthias , Fries Michael
Published: April 2018

Guidelines endorse targeted temperature management to reduce neurological sequelae and mortality after cardiac arrest (CA). Additional therapeutic approaches are lacking. Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) given post systemic ischemia/reperfusion injury improves outcomes. Attenuated inflammation by iNO might be crucial in brain protection. iNO augmented mild therapeutic hypothermia (MTH) may improve outcome after CA exceeding the effect of MTH alone. Following ten minutes of CA and three minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, 20 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to receive MTH at 33 °C for 6hrs or MTH + 20ppm iNO for 5hrs; one group served as normothermic control. During the experiment blood was taken for biochemical evaluation. A neurological deficit score was calculated daily for seven days post CA. On day seven, brains and hearts were harvested for histological evaluation. Treatment groups showed a significant decrease in lactate levels six hours post resuscitation in comparison to controls. TNF-α release was significantly lower in MTH + iNO treated animals only at four hours post ROSC. While only the combination of MTH and iNO improved neurological function in a statistically significant manner in comparison to controls on days 4–7 after CA, there was no significant difference between groups treated with MTH and MTH + iNO.
Defects and lithium migration in Li2CuO2
Authors: Kordatos Apostolos , Kuganathan Navaratnarajah , Kelaidis Nikolaos , Iyngaran Poobalasuntharam , Chroneos Alexander
Published: April 2018

Li2CuO2 is an important candidate material as a cathode in lithium ion batteries. Atomistic simulation methods are used to investigate the defect processes, electronic structure and lithium migration mechanisms in Li2CuO2. Here we show that the lithium energy of migration via the vacancy mechanism is very low, at 0.11 eV. The high lithium Frenkel energy (1.88 eV/defect) prompted the consideration of defect engineering strategies in order to increase the concentration of lithium vacancies that act as vehicles for the vacancy mediated lithium self-diffusion in Li2CuO2. It is shown that aluminium doping will significantly reduce the energy required to form a lithium vacancy from 1.88 eV to 0.97 eV for every aluminium introduced, however, it will also increase the migration energy barrier of lithium in the vicinity of the aluminium dopant to 0.22 eV. Still, the introduction of aluminium is favourable compared to the lithium Frenkel process. Other trivalent dopants considered herein require significantly higher solution energies, whereas their impact on the migration energy barrier was more pronounced. When considering the electronic structure of defective Li2CuO2, the presence of aluminium dopants results in the introduction of electronic states into the energy band gap. Therefore, doping with aluminium is an effective doping strategy to increase the concentration of lithium vacancies, with a minimal impact on the kinetics.
A protocol for culturing environmental strains of the Buruli ulcer agent, Mycobacterium ulcerans
Authors: Zingue Dezemon , Panda Arup , Drancourt Michel
Published: April 2018

Contaminations and fastidiousness of M. ulcerans may have both hamper isolation of strains from environmental sources. We aimed to optimize decontamination and culture of environmental samples to circumvent both limitations. Three strains of M. ulcerans cultured onto Middlebrook 7H10 at 30 °C for 20 days yielded a significantly higher number of colonies in micro-aerophilic atmosphere compared to ambient atmosphere, 5% CO2 and anaerobic atmosphere. In a second step, we observed that M. ulcerans genome uniquely encoded chitinase, fucosidase and A-D-GlcNAc-diphosphoryl polyprenol A-3-L-rhamnosyl transferase giving M. ulcerans the potential to metabolize chitine, fucose and N-acetyl galactosamine (NAG), respectively. A significant growth-promoting effect of 0.2 mg/mL chitin (p < 0.05), 0.01 mg/mL N-acetyl galactosamine (p < 0.05), 0.01 mg/mL fucose (p < 0.05) was observed with M. ulcerans indicating that NAG alone or combined with fucose and chitin could complement Middlebrook 7H10. Finally, the protocol combining 1% chlorhexidine decontamination with micro-aerophilic incubation on Middlebrook 7H10 medium containing chitin (0.2%), NAG (0.01%) and fucose (0.01%) medium and auto-fluorescence detection of colonies allowed for the isolation of one mycolactone-encoding strain from Thryonomys swinderianus (aulacode) feces specimens collected near the Kossou Dam, Côte d’Ivoire. We propose that incubation of chlorhexidine-decontaminated environmental specimens on Middlebrook 7H10-enriched medium under micro-aerophilic atmosphere at 30 °C may be used for the tentative isolation of M. ulcerans strains from potential environmental sources.
Controlled three-dimensional polystyrene micro- and nano-structures fabricated by three-dimensional electrospinning
Authors: Vong M. , Speirs E. , Klomkliang C. , Akinwumi I. , Nuansing W. , Radacsi N.
Published: April 2018

The combination of electrospinning and extrusion based 3D printing opens new pathways for micro- and nanofabrication in a wide range of applications. The fast production of a highly stable self-standing polystyrene 3D structure is demonstrated.
A novel porous silica monolith functionalized with 5-amino-1,10-phenanthroline for SPE of metal ions in groundwater samples prior to their analysis using ICP-MS
Authors: AlSuhaimi Awadh O. , AlMohaimadi Khaled M. , AlAlawi Bader N. , Ali Imran
Published: April 2018

This work reports a facile and inexpensive preparation of porous silica monolithsviaanin situsol–gel method using potassium silicate precursors in the presence of porosity controlling and drying regulatory additives.
Exploring the structural landscape with ‘partial’ fluoro-substitution as a probe
Authors: Chakraborty Shaunak , Desiraju Gautam R.
Published: April 2018

The landscape of β-cinnamic acid is explored by an extension of the previously reported fluorosubstitution protocol.
A uranyl phosphonate framework with a temperature-induced order–disorder transition and temperature-correlated photoluminescence
Authors: Wang Yi , Wang Xiangxiang , Zhang Dongya , Zhou Fan , Gui Daxiang , Zheng Tao , Li Jiansheng , Chai Zhifang , Wang Shuao
Published: April 2018

UPF-1 experiences a thermally induced order–disorder transition, leading to a negative linear correlation between the photoluminescence intensity and temperature, and may find application as a luminescent thermometer.
Synthesis and preliminary anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial evaluation of some diflunisal aza-analogs
Authors: Carta Davide , Brun Paola , Dal Pra Matteo , Bernabè Giulia , Castagliuolo Ignazio , Ferlin Maria Grazia
Published: April 2018

The new diflunisal aza-analogs multi-target approach is remarkable in the treatment of infections induced by multi-drug resistant bacteria. Diflunisal aza-analogs preserved the anti-inflammatory activity and significantly potentiated the antimicrobial activity of antibiotics.
Enhanced cycle performance and lifetime estimation of lead-acid batteries
Authors: Yang Shaoqiang , Li Ruhong , Cai Xianyu , Xue Kuiwang , Yang Baofeng , Hu Xinguo , Dai Changsong
Published: April 2018

In this study, we introduce a method to estimate the cycle life of lead–acid battery by analyzing the parameter of index of reaction depth.
Nickel–copper bimetal organic framework nanosheets as a highly efficient catalyst for oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline media
Authors: Zheng Xiangjiang , Song Xinyue , Wang Xiaomeng , Zhang Zhenhua , Sun Zhaomei , Guo Yingshu
Published: April 2018

NiCu MOF nanosheets on Ni foam (NiCu-MOFNs/NF) exhibit superior catalytic OER performance, needing an overpotential of 309 mV at 100 mA cm−2 in 1.0 M KOH.
Cation–anion interaction-directed formation of functional vesicles and their biological application for nucleus-specific imaging
Authors: Kong Qunshou , Zhuang Weihua , Li Gaocan , Jiang Qing , Wang Yunbing
Published: April 2018

A strategy for the construction of counterion-induced vesicles in aqueous media has been described. Furthermore, the imidazolium salt with an AIE fluorophore exhibits highly specific nucleus imaging in the living cells.
Kinetic theory for the formation of diamond nanothreads with desired configurations: a strain–temperature controlled phase diagram
Authors: Gao Junfeng , Zhang Gang , Yakobson Boris I. , Zhang Yong-Wei
Published: April 2018

Strain–temperature controlling to achieve desired structures of diamond nanothreads (DNTs), which may possess a high interfacial load-transfer ability.
Au–Ir nanoalloy nucleation during the gas-phase condensation: a comprehensive MD study including different effects
Authors: Abbaspour Mohsen , Akbarzadeh Hamed , Valizadeh Zahra
Published: April 2018

The number of formed clusters and their size increases with the increasing temperature and pressure, which is in good agreement with the experimental results.
NiMoO4nanorod deposited carbon sponges with ant-nest-like interior channels for high-performance pseudocapacitors
Authors: Huang Yunpeng , Cui Fen , Zhao Yan , Lian Jiabiao , Bao Jian , Liu Tianxi , Li Huaming
Published: April 2018

Monolithic carbon sponges with uniformly deposited NiMoO4nanorods and ant-nest-like interior channels are reported as elastic electrodes for asymmetric supercapacitors.
A dual fluorogenic and 19F NMR probe for the detection of esterase activity
Authors: Hu Jie , Cheng Kai , Wu Qiong , Ding Dashuang , Li Conggang , Li Zhen
Published: April 2018

A dual-channel probe of FlE based on flavonoid derivatives was successfully designed and synthesized, which could yield “turn-on” signals of both fluorometry and 19F nuclear magnetic resonance in response to the presence of esterase.
Effect of template removal using plasma treatment on the structure and catalytic performance of MCM-22
Authors: Hu Min , Zhao Binran , Zhao Dong-Yang , Yuan Mei-Ting , Chen Huiyong , Hao Qing-Qing , Sun Ming , Xu Long , Ma Xiaoxun
Published: April 2018

Template removal from MCM-22 using dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) plasma could decrease the formation of extra-framework aluminum (EFAl) and increase the concentration of the acidic sites and external surface area of MCM-22.
Evolution of cellular morphologies and crystalline structures in high-expansion isotactic polypropylene/cellulose nanofiber nanocomposite foams
Authors: Wang Long , Hikima Yuta , Ohshima Masahiro , Sekiguchi Takafumi , Yano Hiroyuki
Published: April 2018

The development of cell morphology and crystalline microstructure of high expansion injection-molded isotactic polypropylene/cellulose nanofiber (PP/CNF) nanocomposite foams was understood.