bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Closed Method to Retrieve Broken Teflon Tube during Intramedullary Nailing in Proximal Humeral Fracture
Authors: Fai Lau Yuk , Hin Chan Alexander Pak , Cheong Koo Jeffrey Justin Siu , Bon Kwok Ka , Ho Fan Jason Chi
Published: January 2017

Broken medullary tubes have been used for intramedullary (IM) nailing of femoral and tibial fractures. In these reported cases, fragments of the medullary tube were retrieved by opening the fracture sites or left in situ, which might jeopardize periosteal blood supply. We herein present the case of a 58-year-old woman who underwent IM nailing for proximal humeral fracture, which was complicated by breakage of the medullary tube intraoperatively. Different instruments including guide rods, straight forceps, and cement extract hook were used to retrieve the retained fragments from the medullary canal, but these attempts were unsuccessful. Finally, the fragments were successfully removed using an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ENDOBUTTON depth gauge. This case highlights that medullary tubes can break during humeral IM nailing, which could be minimized by ensuring integrity of the medullary tube prior to surgery and disposing medullary tubes with more than 100 exposures. A novel method of using ACL ENDOBUTTON depth gauge to retrieve retained tube fragments is recommended because of its long and slim design.
Correction of Combined Flexed and Stiff Knee Gait in Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy by Double Tendon Transfers around the Knee as Part of Multilevel Surgery
Authors: Ling Kung Kam , Yiu Choi Alexander Kai , Hay Ma Arthur King , Miu Lao Miko Lai , Chi Chan Nerita Nar , Leung Kwun Tung
Published: January 2017

Background/Purpose

Flexed knee gait and stiff knee gait are common coexisting gait disturbances in children with cerebral palsy. We analyzed the effect of medial hamstring transfer and distal rectus transfer around the knee as part of multi-level surgery for this group of patient.

Methods

Eleven lower limbs of six patients who received double transfer were retrospectively studied. Instrumented gait analysis were carried out before and a minimum of 2 years after operation.

Results

Comparing the kinematic study before and after the operation, maximum knee extension in stance phase (MKES), total knee swing (TKS) and the time to maximum knee flexion in swing phase (TMKFS) showed statistically significant improvement (p <0.05). Hip extension in swing phase and hip extension power were maintained. The oxygen consumption during walking also decreased after operation (p <0.05).

Conclusion

Double transfer around the knee can improve both flexed knee gait and stiff knee gait, without causing significant hip extension weakness.
Exámenes de alto impacto: implicaciones educativas
Authors: Sánchez-Mendiola Melchor , Delgado-Maldonado Laura
Published: January 2017

Introducción: Los exámenes de alto impacto o altas consecuencias tienen una larga historia en la educación superior y han contribuido al desarrollo científico de la evaluación educativa como una disciplina sofisticada. A pesar de ello, han surgido reacciones encontradas sobre el tema en diversos sectores de la sociedad y los profesionales de la educación, cuestionando su valor real y enfatizando sus potenciales efectos negativos. Es necesaria una discusión balanceada de esta temática, fundamentada en argumentos académicos con sustento en investigación, específicamente en educación médica. Objetivo: Proveer un panorama de las implicaciones educativas de la evaluación sumativa con exámenes de alto impacto, con énfasis en la educación médica. Método: Revisión narrativa de la literatura. Se identificaron publicaciones relevantes al tema en las bases de datos disponibles de literatura académica publicada y gris, sobre los exámenes de alto impacto en educación superior en niveles internacional y nacional. Se enfocó en artículos académicos que reportaran aspectos metodológicos y resultados, principalmente en evaluación de educación médica. Discusión: Los exámenes de alto impacto han tenido en general efectos positivos en la educación, aunque también se han reportado efectos negativos importantes y sobre los cuales siempre se debe reflexionar. Existe abundante literatura sobre el tema, pero más del 95% no son trabajos formales de investigación, lo que hace difícil tener una discusión razonable usando argumentos con sustento metodológico. La mayoría de los estudios sobre este tema están publicados en el litigioso contexto de Norteamérica, por lo que es necesario realizar investigación original sobre evaluación educativa en el contexto nacional y local, sin perder la perspectiva global. Conclusión: Los exámenes de alto impacto tienen efectos positivos y negativos en el currículo, los métodos de enseñanza y las estrategias de aprendizaje. Es necesario hacer un uso prudente y profesional de los resultados de estos exámenes, incorporando el concepto moderno interpretativo de validez para obtener inferencias apropiadas de estos datos.
Effects of horizontal pressure gradients on bed destabilization under waves
Authors: Berni C. , Michallet H. , Barthélemy E.
Published: January 2017

We report on new experiments designed to investigate bed destabilization processes in a two-dimensional wave flume physical model of a beach. The mobile bed consists of non-cohesive granular material of low density. The wave conditions are provided by repeating a cycle of waves made of two bichromatic groups of different period. The horizontal and vertical velocities are acoustically profiled vertically from free-stream elevation down to the still bed level in the surf zone. Additional measurements of the fluid pressure at positions closely aligned horizontally and vertically in and slightly above the sediment bed are undertaken. Mobile bed interfaces, still bed and top interface, are detected via acoustic and optical methods. Both methods are cross-compared and give similar results. Flow turbulence over the bed is analysed, the Reynolds turbulent shear stress is found negligible compared to the orbital flow induced momentum diffusion. The shear stress and the horizontal pressure gradient are computed at near-bed elevation and used in the bed incipient plug flow model of Sleath (Cont. Shelf Res., vol. 19 (13), 1999, pp. 1643–1664). Both the model and the measurements confirm that destabilization occurs when the non-dimensional pressure gradient (or Sleath number) exceeds the threshold value of 0.3 which is simultaneous with strong flow acceleration. The near-bottom fluid shear stress detected during these flow accelerations at steep wave fronts is found experimentally to be negative, which is retrieved with an unsteady plug flow model. This is suggesting that the fluid above the bed resists the sediment layer motion at these particular phases.
Viscous propulsion in active transversely isotropic media
Authors: Cupples G. , Dyson R. J. , Smith D. J.
Published: January 2017

Taylor’s swimming sheet is a classical model of microscale propulsion and pumping. Many biological fluids and substances are fibrous, having a preferred direction in their microstructure; for example, cervical mucus is formed of polymer molecules which create an oriented fibrous network. Moreover, suspensions of elongated motile cells produce a form of active oriented matter. To understand how these effects modify viscous propulsion, we extend Taylor’s classical model of small-amplitude zero-Reynolds-number propulsion of a ‘swimming sheet’ via the transversely isotropic fluid model of Ericksen, which is linear in strain rate and possesses a distinguished direction. The energetic costs of swimming are significantly altered by all rheological parameters and the initial fibre angle. Propulsion in a passive transversely isotropic fluid produces an enhanced mean rate of working, independent of the initial fibre orientation, with an approximately linear dependence of the energetic cost on the extensional and shear enhancements to the viscosity caused by fibres. In this regime, the mean swimming velocity is unchanged from the Newtonian case. The effect of the constant term in Ericksen’s model for the stress, which can be identified as a fibre tension or alternatively a stresslet characterising an active fluid, is also considered. This stress introduces an angular dependence and dramatically changes the streamlines and flow field; fibres aligned with the swimming direction increase the energetic demands of the sheet. The constant fibre stress may result in a reversal of the mean swimming velocity and a negative mean rate of working if it is sufficiently large relative to the other rheological parameters.
A REPRESENTATION FOR THE INVERSE GENERALISED FOURIER–FEYNMAN TRANSFORM VIA CONVOLUTION PRODUCT ON FUNCTION SPACE
Authors: CHANG SEUNG JUN , CHOI JAE GIL
Published: January 2017

We study a representation for the inverse transform of the generalised Fourier–Feynman transform on the function space $C_{a,b}[0,T]$ which is induced by a generalised Brownian motion process. To do this, we define a transform via the concept of the convolution product of functionals on $C_{a,b}[0,T]$. We establish that the composition of these transforms acts like an inverse generalised Fourier–Feynman transform and that the transforms are vector space automorphisms of a vector space ${\mathcal{E}}(C_{a,b}[0,T])$. The vector space ${\mathcal{E}}(C_{a,b}[0,T])$ consists of exponential-type functionals on $C_{a,b}[0,T]$.
CHARACTERISATIONS OF PARTITION OF UNITIES GENERATED BY ENTIRE FUNCTIONS IN
Authors: CHRISTENSEN OLE , KIM HONG OH , KIM RAE YOUNG
Published: January 2017

Collections of functions forming a partition of unity play an important role in analysis. In this paper we characterise for any $N\in \mathbb{N}$ the entire functions $P$ for which the partition of unity condition $\sum _{\mathbf{n}\in \mathbb{Z}^{d}}P(\mathbf{x}+\mathbf{n})\unicode[STIX]{x1D712}_{[0,N]^{d}}(\mathbf{x}+\mathbf{n})=1$ holds for all $\mathbf{x}\in \mathbb{R}^{d}.$ The general characterisation leads to various easy ways of constructing such entire functions as well. We demonstrate the flexibility of the approach by showing that additional properties like continuity or differentiability of the functions $(P\unicode[STIX]{x1D712}_{[0,N]^{d}})(\cdot +\mathbf{n})$ can be controlled. In particular, this leads to easy ways of constructing entire functions $P$ such that the functions in the partition of unity belong to the Feichtinger algebra.
Gauthier, Equilibrium, and the Emergence of Morality
Authors: MULLINS BRETT
Published: January 2017

David Gauthier develops morality in the social contract tradition as an emergent property rationally necessitated by the presence of inefficiency. To demarcate situations in which morality arises from those in which it does not, two principles, Strategic Emergence and Market Emergence, are motivated and assumed by Gauthier to be equivalent. Following the work of Bob Bright, this paper formalizes and expands upon a demonstration of the inconsistency of the two principles. Eliminating each of the emergence conditions is considered to resolve the inconsistency. Additionally, the Kantian equilibrium is examined in place of the Nash equilibrium; however, Gauthier’s approach resists such amendments.
An efficient way to evidence and to measure the metal ion fraction in high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) post-discharge with Pt, Au, Pd and mixed targets
Authors: Cuynet S. , Lecas T. , Caillard A. , Brault P.
Published: January 2017

The proportion of metal ions in a high power impulse magnetron sputtering discharge is key information for the potential development of new materials and new layer architectures deposited by this technique. This paper aims to measure this proportion by using a homemade system consisting of a quartz crystal microbalance and a grid energy analyser assembly. Such a system yields relevant results on the composition of the post-discharge depending on the nature of the gas (Ar, Kr, Xe) and the target materials (Pt, Pd, Au, $\text{Pt}_{50}\text{Au}_{50}$ and $\text{Pt}_{5}\text{Pd}_{95}$). In our conditions, the highest proportion of metal ions in the post-discharge are obtained by using Ar gas and reaches 10 %, 12 %, 50 %, 19 % and 88 % for Pt, Au, Pd, $\text{Pt}_{50}\text{Au}_{50}$ and $\text{Pt}_{5}\text{Pd}_{95}$ targets, respectively.
Slavery in Plato's Allegory of the Cave: Alain Badiou, Jacques Rancière, and the Militant Intellectual from the Global South
Authors: Henao Castro Andrés Fabián
Published: January 2017

In this article I argue that Plato's allegory of the cave dramatizes democracy's dependency on slavery. Plato's cave forces the theatre, the political space of ancient Greek representation, to confront its material dependency upon a space from which it is otherwise visually and territorially separated: the mines where intensive use was made of slave labor. As many have argued, the most salient aspects of Plato's allegory of the cave are the complete absence oflexis(speech) andpraxis(action), the evacuation of the acoustic and the distortion of the visual. These are also the most decisive features when delimiting the border between the free and the unfree in Greek antiquity:

Do you think these prisoners have ever seen anything of themselves and one another besides the shadows that the fire casts on the wall of the cave in front of them? … And if they could engage in discussion with one another, don't you think they would assume that the words they used applied to the things they see passing in front of them?
Existence results for semilinear problems in the two-dimensional hyperbolic space involving critical growth
Authors: Ganguly Debdip , Karmakar Debabrata
Published: January 2017

We consider semilinear elliptic problems on two-dimensional hyperbolic space. A model problem of our study is

where H1(𝔹2) denotes the Sobolev space on the disc model of the hyperbolic space and f(x, t) denotes the function of critical growth in dimension 2. We first establish the Palais–Smale (PS) condition for the functional corresponding to the above equation, and using the PS condition we obtain existence of solutions. In addition, using a concentration argument, we also explore existence of infinitely many sign-changing solutions.
Aging Filipino Domestic Workers and the (In)Adequacy of Retirement Provisions in Canada
Authors: Ferrer Ilyan
Published: January 2017

Bien que la recherche canadienne sur le travail domestique ait surtout porté sur les expériences immigratoires et migratoires des travailleurs domestiques dans le cadre du Programme concernant les employés de maison étrangers et du Programme des aides familiaux résidants, la recherche est rare sur la retraite de ces travailleurs et la façon dont ils vieillissent dans la société canadienne. Cet article met l’accent sur les expériences de vieillissement des travailleurs domestiques philippins qui, en entrant à la retraite, se retrouvent dans l’économie secondaire et / ou souterraine, tout en fournissant et en recevant des soins de leurs conjoints, petits-enfants et membres locales ou transnationales de leur famille. Les données ont été tirées des six entrevues qualitatives et approfondies avec vieilles domestiques philippines qui a parlé de l’expérience de l’immigration, travail dans la prestation de soins, la retraite et le vieillissement. Les résultats soulignent (1) la pauvreté que les travailleurs domestiques philippins âgés rencontrent quand ils abordent leur retraite ; (2) la nécessité pour mais l’insuffisance des dispositions sur la retraite de l’État ; (3) la nécessité de trouver du travail à la main-d’oeuvre non déclarée ; et (4) comment la pratique d’accompagnement est effectuée, comme une stratégie de survie, entre les générations.
Atlas data indicate forest dependent bird species declines in South Africa
Authors: COOPER TESSA J. G. , WANNENBURGH ANDREW. M. , CHERRY MICHAEL I.
Published: January 2017

Forest ecosystems in South Africa are at risk from a variety of anthropogenic threats impacting the faunal species dependent on them. These impacts often differ depending on species-specific characteristics. Range data on forest dependent bird species from the South African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1 and SABAP2) were analysed to determine links between deforestation, species characteristics and range declines. Half of the species studied were found to have declining ranges. Range change data for these species were correlated with data on changes in land cover from 1990 to 2014. To determine which land cover changes affect extinction, occupancy was modelled for 30 sites across South Africa which experienced a loss of more than 10 species. Most species lost were birds of prey or insectivores. Indigenous forest decreased in 17% (n = 5) sites, while plantations/woodlots decreased in 60% (n = 18) sites. Occupancy modelling showed extinction to be mitigated by plantations in 6/28 species, and forest expansion mitigated extinction in 7/28 species. Responses to deforestation did not appear to be related to particular species characteristics. Half of South Africa’s forest-dependent bird species have declining ranges, with the loss of these species most prominent in the Eastern Cape province. Four responses to changes in forest and plantation cover are discussed: direct effects, with forest loss causing species loss; matrix effects, where plantation loss resulted in species loss; degradation of indigenous forest; and the advent of new forest arising from woody thickening caused by carbon fertilisation, which may not result in optimal habitat for forest-dependent birds.
Do Corncrakes Crex crex benefit from unmown refuge strips?
Authors: ARBEITER SUSANNE , HELMECKE ANGELA , BELLEBAUM JOCHEN
Published: January 2017

Corncrakes Crex crex mainly breed in grassland, where they are threatened by mowing. Conservation requires delayed mowing or modified mowing methods. In large fields, it has been suggested that leaving strips of uncut grass may reduce mortality, especially of unfledged chicks. We attended mowing operations (2012–2015) in the Lower Oder Valley National Park in north-eastern Germany, where 10-m refuge strips were introduced. We documented the escape behaviour of adults and chicks and their use of refuge strips by observations and radio-telemetry. Flightless chicks crossed significantly shorter distances of mown area (< 20 m) than adults. When mowing from the outside inwards, chicks were not able to successfully escape to the field edge at > 31 m, adults at > 60 m distance to the edge and returned to the unmown block. Twenty-three percent of adults, 30% of families and 49% of independent chicks survived in 10 m-wide strips until such strips were either mown or left as refuges. Whereas adults departed the strips the next day, independent chicks stayed for up to 22 days after mowing in 15–30 m wide refuges. We recommend refuge strips for breeding sites where more effective measures cannot be applied. Farmers face less additional effort and lower financial losses compared with delayed mowing. A width of 10 m should be considered as the absolute minimum, because most birds left the cover already > 10 m for the first time and only wider refuges served as temporary habitat for young.
A PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION: OUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND THE ECONOMY
Authors: Brockless Adrian
Published: January 2017

The topics of education and the role of educational institutions in society are seldom far from the headlines, the lips of politicians, schoolteachers and parents. Discussion of education (and its associated institutions) within these forums tends to assume uncritically that its ultimate point is to benefit the economy and, by extension, empower the individual through increased prestige and material wealth. This article argues that such a conception of education is misguided and, indeed dangerous, as it estranges us from forms of thought that are frequently united with our conception of what it means to be human, alongside damaging prospects of long-term economic welfare. It is, therefore, the responsibility of our educational institutions to maintain a critical resistance to the culture of the times by ensuring that they do not merely become factories that train their students in ways purely designed to maximize economic impact and increased personal wealth.
Rigorous study of propagation in metallic circular waveguide filled with anisotropic metamaterial
Authors: Sakli Hedi , Yahia Mohamed , Fathallah Wyssem , Tao Jun Wu , Aguili Taoufik
Published: January 2017

This paper presents an extension of the formulation of wave propagation in transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) modes in the case of metallic circular waveguides filled with anisotropic metamaterials. The determined higher-order modes have been analyzed and exploited to the design of filters. Among the particularities of anisotropic material, the backward waves can propagate below the cut-off frequency. The numerical results for TE and TM modes have been compared with theoretical predictions. Good agreements were obtained. We analyzed a periodic structure containing waveguides filled with anisotropic metamaterial using the mode-matching technique. By using modal analysis, our approach reduced considerably the computation time compared to HFSS.
Applying the ‘Cognitive Bias Modification’ concept to smoking cessation – A Systematic Review
Authors: Mühlig Stephan , Paulick Jeanine , Lindenmeyer Johannes , Rinck Mike , Cina Reto , Wiers Reinout W.
Published: January 2017

Abstract. Background: In recent years, new neurocognitive explanatory approaches such as dual-process theories offer significant progress in understanding long-term relapse in substance use disorders. Based on such explanatory concepts stemming from basic research, novel methods of intervention have been deduced which focus on directly changing cognitive biases. The efficacy of these Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) concepts has been evaluated in a growing number of studies in the context of different substance use and addictive disorders. By now, there are also first findings for using CBM in the context of smoking. Objectives: To evaluate the empirical evidence, whether CBM qualifies i) for reducing attentional or approach bias towards smoking-related cues, ii) for effectively reducing the high relapse rates in smoking cessation, iii) for the reduction of smoking behaviour and iv) craving. Methods: The systematic evidence search has been carried out in clinical databases (Cochrane Library, PsycArticles, PSYNDEX, PsycINFO, Medline) as well as via manual reverse search. Finally, 12 studies have been identified which met the inclusion criteria (RCT, CBM interventions for smokers; outcomes: change in attentional or approach bias, craving, number of cigarettes smoked, abstinence). Results: Despite the heterogeneity of the studies in terms of sample selection, realisation of interventions and methodological aspects, the findings collectively indicate that different forms and ‘dosages’ of CBM interventions can influence attentional or approach bias in smokers. Also, positive effects on craving and motivation to quit could be detected. Effects on smoking behaviour are inconsistent and often statistically non-significant. First online applications showed encouraging results. Discussion: The results concerning the efficacy of CBM in smoking cessation are still rudimentary and inconsistent. However, a large portion of the studies was not conducted under naturalistic conditions, but rather in laboratories with non-treatment seekers or participants partially motivated to quit. Despite these limitations, the findings can be evaluated as encouraging. The results suggest that CBM will be implemented in routine care as an adjunct intervention within a behavioural therapy-oriented cessation programme. However, specific studies which assess the efficacy of CBM as a component for relapse prevention in smoking cessation intervention in routine care are still lacking.
Alkoholabstinenz allein verbessert die Leberfunktion und verlängert das Überleben bei der alkoholischen Lebererkrankung!
Authors: Seitz Helmut K. , Arslic-Schmitt Tatjana
Published: January 2017

Zusammenfassung. Zielsetzung: Im Folgenden soll dargelegt werden, dass Alkoholkarenz sowohl die Leberfunktion als auch das Überleben in jedem Stadium einer alkoholischen Lebererkrankung günstig beeinflusst. Ergebnisse: Täglicher Alkoholkonsum von mehr als 25 Gramm reinen Alkohols, etwas mehr als ¼ Liter Wein beim Mann und etwa die Hälfte bei der Frau sind, mit einem erhöhten Risiko für eine alkoholische Lebererkrankung (ALE) behaftet. Die ALE besteht aus einem breiten Spektrum von histopathologischen Veränderungen. Sie beginnt immer mit einer alkoholischen Fettleber, die sich in eine alkoholische Steatohepatitis weiterentwickeln kann. Fortgeschrittene Formen der ALE beinhalten die Leberfibrose, die Leberzirrhose und das hepatozelluläre Karzinom. In der Behandlung jeder Form der ALE ist die Alkoholabstinenz von zentraler Bedeutung. Ein Großteil der alkoholischen Fettlebern bildet sich unter Alkoholkarenz oder sogar Alkoholreduktion zurück. Die alkoholische Hepatitis, ein klinisches Syndrom mit hoher Mortalität, führt ohne Alkoholkarenz innerhalb von Tagen und Wochen zum Tode. Darüber hinaus ist selbst die Leberfibrose (perivenös und perisinusoidal) unter Alkoholkarenz rückbildungsfähig. Bei allen Formen der fortgeschrittenen ALE (kompensiert und nicht-kompensierte Leberzirrhose) wird die Mortalität durch Alkoholkarenz oder signifikante Reduktion im Gegensatz zum fortgesetzten Alkoholkonsum signifikant verringert. Selbst Patienten mit alkoholischer Leberzirrhose können über mehr als 20 Jahre ohne Komplikationen weiterleben, wenn sie komplett auf Alkohol verzichten. Schlussfolgerung: Im Vergleich zu Leberzirrhose anderer Ätiologie, wie zum Beispiel Zirrhosen, die durch das Hepatitis-B Virus oder das Hepatitis-C Virus verursacht sind, haben alkoholische Leberzirrhosen unter Alkoholkarenz eine wesentlich bessere Prognose. Damit ist Alkoholkarenz eine gute Therapie und der Erfolg jeder anderen neuen Therapie muss mit Alkoholkarenz verglichen werden.
Hat Computational Psychiatry Relevanz für die klinische Praxis der Psychiatrie?
Authors: Stephan Klaas Enno , Siemerkus Jakob , Bischof Martin , Haker Helene
Published: January 2017

Zusammenfassung. Computational Psychiatry (CP) ist ein junges Wissenschaftsfeld an der Schnittstelle zwischen der klinischen Psychiatrie und den mathematischen Neurowissenschaften, das sich in den letzten Jahren zu entfalten begonnen hat. Dieser Artikel widmet sich den möglichen klinischen Implikationen dieser jungen Disziplin. Wir (i) beginnen mit einer kurzen Übersicht über die Geschichte, Ziele und Inhalte der CP, (ii) beschreiben die zentralen Themen, Modelle und Theorien der CP, (iii) untersuchen die Relevanz und das Potenzial modell-basierter diagnostischer Tests (computational assays) für die Lösung zentraler Probleme in der klinischen Psychiatrie, und (iv) stellen zukünftige Herausforderungen und Chancen der CP dar.
Computational Psychiatry
Authors: Huys Quentin J. M.
Published: January 2017

Zusammenfassung. „Computational Psychiatry“ ist eine neue Forschungsrichtung, die Fortschritte aus den theoretischen und experimentellen Neurowissenschaften in klinische Anwendungen für die Psychiatrie umzusetzen will. Der mögliche Nutzen mathematischer Modelle für psychiatrische Anwendungen ergibt sich vor allem aus der Komplexität psychiatrischer Phänomene, deren Beherrschung neue analytische Herangehensweisen erfordert. Konkret können mithilfe solcher Modelle erstens innerpsychische und ansonsten nicht direkt messbare Prozesse erfasst werden. Ein Beispiel hierfür sind Lernprozesse. Zweitens können Phänomene auf verschiedenen Ebenen quantitativ miteinander in Verbindung gebracht werden, z.B. der Effekt von Ionenkanalstörungen auf das Kurzzeitgedächtnis. Drittens können Methoden aus dem maschinellen Lernen mit diesen Modellen verbunden werden, um grosse Datensätze zu analysieren. Obwohl erste Ansätze aus dieser Forschung schon möglichen klinischen Nutzen erwiesen haben, ist das Feld noch jung. Der Artikel schliesst mit dem Vorschlag, Prozeduren aus der Entwicklung pharmazeutischer Produkte für die Validierung theoretischer Anwendungen herbeizuziehen.
Sumoylation-deficient Prdx6 gains protective function by amplifying enzymatic activity and stability and escapes oxidative stress-induced aberrant Sumoylation
Authors: Chhunchha Bhavana , Kubo Eri , Fatma Nigar , Singh Dhirendra P
Published: January 2017

Aberrant Sumoylation of protein(s) in response to oxidative stress or during aging is known to be involved in etiopathogenesis of many diseases. Upon oxidative stress, Peroxiredoxin (Prdx) 6 is aberrantly Sumoylated by Sumo1, resulting in loss of functions and cell death. We identified lysines (K) 122 and 142 as the major Sumo1 conjugation sites in Prdx6. Intriguingly, the mutant Prdx6 K122/142 R (arginine) gained protective efficacy, increasing in abundance and promoting glutathione (GSH) peroxidase and acidic calcium-independent phospholipase A2 (aiPLA2) activities. Using lens epithelial cells derived from targeted inactivation of Prdx6−/− gene and relative enzymatic and stability assays, we discovered dramatic increases in GSH-peroxidase (30%) and aiPLA2 (37%) activities and stability in the K122/142 R mutant, suggesting Sumo1 destabilized Prdx6 integrity. Prdx6−/−LECs with EGFP-Sumo1 transduced or co-expressed with mutant TAT-HA-Prdx6K122/142 R or pGFP-Prdx6K122/142 R were highly resistant to oxidative stress, demonstrating mutant protein escaped and interrupted the Prdx6 aberrant Sumoylation-mediated cell death pathway. Mutational analysis of functional sites showed that both peroxidase and PLA2 active sites were necessary for mutant Prdx6 function, and that Prdx6 phosphorylation (at T177 residue) was essential for optimum PLA2 activity. Our work reveals the involvement of oxidative stress-induced aberrant Sumoylation in dysregulation of Prdx6 function. Mutant Prdx6 at its Sumo1 sites escapes and abates this adverse process by maintaining its integrity and gaining function. We propose that the K122/142R mutant of Prdx6 in the form of a TAT-fusion protein may be an easily applicable intervention for pathobiology of cells related to aberrant Sumoylation signaling in aging or oxidative stress.
Slow cooling and efficient extraction of C-exciton hot carriers in MoS2 monolayer
Authors: Wang Lei , Wang Zhuo , Wang Hai-Yu , Grinblat Gustavo , Huang Yu-Li , Wang Dan , Ye Xiao-Hui , Li Xian-Bin , Bao Qiaoliang , Wee AndrewThye-Shen , Maier Stefan A , Chen Qi-Dai , Zhong Min-Lin , Qiu Cheng-Wei , Sun Hong-Bo
Published: January 2017

In emerging optoelectronic applications, such as water photolysis, exciton fission and novel photovoltaics involving low-dimensional nanomaterials, hot-carrier relaxation and extraction mechanisms play an indispensable and intriguing role in their photo-electron conversion processes. Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides have attracted much attention in above fields recently; however, insight into the relaxation mechanism of hot electron-hole pairs in the band nesting region denoted as C-excitons, remains elusive. Using MoS2 monolayers as a model two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide system, here we report a slower hot-carrier cooling for C-excitons, in comparison with band-edge excitons. We deduce that this effect arises from the favourable band alignment and transient excited-state Coulomb environment, rather than solely on quantum confinement in two-dimension systems. We identify the screening-sensitive bandgap renormalization for MoS2 monolayer/graphene heterostructures, and confirm the initial hot-carrier extraction for the C-exciton state with an unprecedented efficiency of 80%, accompanied by a twofold reduction in the exciton binding energy.
EU-Forest, a high-resolution tree occurrence dataset for Europe
Authors: Mauri Achille , Strona Giovanni , San-Miguel-Ayanz Jesús
Published: January 2017

We present EU-Forest, a dataset that integrates and extends by almost one order of magnitude the publicly available information on European tree species distribution. The core of our dataset (~96% of the occurrence records) came from an unpublished, large database harmonising forest plot surveys from National Forest Inventories on an INSPIRE-compliant 1 km×1 km grid. These new data can potentially benefit several disciplines, including forestry, biodiversity conservation, palaeoecology, plant ecology, the bioeconomy, and pest management.
Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields Enhance the Anti-tumour Effects of the mTOR Inhibitor Everolimus against Melanoma
Authors: Dai Jie , Wu Shan , Kong Yan , Chi Zhihong , Si Lu , Sheng Xinan , Cui Chuanliang , Fang Jing , Zhang Jue , Guo Jun
Published: January 2017

The PI3K/mTOR/AKT pathway is activated in most melanomas, but mTOR inhibitors used singly have limited activity against advanced melanomas. The application of nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) is a promising cancer therapy approach. In this study, we evaluated the synergistic anti-tumour efficacy of the mTOR inhibitor everolimus in conjunction with nsPEFs against melanoma. The combined treatment of nsPEFs and everolimus gradually decreased cell growth concurrent with nsPEF intensity. nsPEFs alone or combined with everolimus could promote melanoma cell apoptosis, accompanied with a loss in cellular mitochondrial membrane potential and an increase in Ca2+levels.In vivoexperiments showed that a combination of the mTOR inhibitor everolimus and nsPEFs improved the inhibitory effect, and all skin lesions caused by nsPEFs healed in 1 week without any observed adverse effect. Combination treatment induced caspase-dependent apoptosis through the upregulation of the pro-apoptotic factor Bax and downregulation of the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2. Everolimus and nsPEFs synergistically inhibited angiogenesis by decreasing the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), VEGF receptor (VEGFR), and CD34. Our findings indicate that nsPEFs in combination with an mTOR inhibitor can be used as a potential treatment approach for advanced melanoma.
Experimental investigation on the characteristics of supersonic fuel spray and configurations of induced shock waves
Authors: Wang Yong , Yu Yu-song , Li Guo-xiu , Jia Tao-ming
Published: January 2017

The macro characteristics and configurations of induced shock waves of the supersonic sprays are investigated by experimental methods. Visualization study of spray shape is carried out with the high-speed camera. The macro characteristics including spray tip penetration, velocity of spray tip and spray angle are analyzed. The configurations of shock waves are investigated by Schlieren technique. For supersonic sprays, the concept of spray front angle is presented. Effects of Mach number of spray on the spray front angle are investigated. The results show that the shape of spray tip is similar to blunt body when fuel spray is at transonic region. If spray entered the supersonic region, the oblique shock waves are induced instead of normal shock wave. With the velocity of spray increasing, the spray front angle and shock wave angle are increased. The tip region of the supersonic fuel spray is commonly formed a cone. Mean droplet diameter of fuel spray is measured using Malvern’s Spraytec. Then the mean droplet diameter results are compared with three popular empirical models (Hiroyasu’s, Varde’s and Merrigton’s model). It is found that the Merrigton’s model shows a relative good correlation between models and experimental results. Finally, exponent of injection velocity in the Merrigton’s model is fitted with experimental results.
Salidroside promotes peripheral nerve regeneration based on tissue engineering strategy using Schwann cells and PLGA: in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Liu Hui , Lv Peizhen , Zhu Yongjia , Wu Huayu , Zhang Kun , Xu Fuben , Zheng Li , Zhao Jinmin
Published: January 2017

Salidriside (SDS), a phenylpropanoid glycoside derived from Rhodiola rosea L, has been shown to be neuroprotective in many studies, which may be promising in nerve recovery. In this study, the neuroprotective effects of SDS on engineered nerve constructed by Schwann cells (SCs) and Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) were studied in vitro. We further investigated the effect of combinational therapy of SDS and PLGA/SCs based tissue engineering on peripheral nerve regeneration based on the rat model of nerve injury by sciatic transection. The results showed that SDS dramatically enhanced the proliferation and function of SCs. The underlying mechanism may be that SDS affects SCs growth through the modulation of neurotrophic factors (BDNF, GDNF and CNTF). 12 weeks after implantation with a 12 mm gap of sciatic nerve injury, SDS-PLGA/SCs achieved satisfying outcomes of nerve regeneration, as evidenced by morphological and functional improvements upon therapy by SDS, PLGA/SCs or direct suture group assessed by sciatic function index, nerve conduction assay, HE staining and immunohistochemical analysis. Our results demonstrated the significant role of introducing SDS into neural tissue engineering to promote nerve regeneration.
Relationship between structural order and water-like anomalies in metastable liquid silicon: Ab initio molecular dynamics
Authors: Zhao G. , Yan J. L. , Yu Y. J. , Ding M. C. , Zhao X. G. , Wang H. Y.
Published: January 2017

The relationship between structural order and water-like anomalies in tetrahedral liquids is still open. Here, first-principle molecular dynamics are performed to study it in metastable liquid Si. It is found that in T-P phase diagram, there indeed exists a structural anomaly region, which encloses density anomaly but not diffusivity anomaly. This is consistent with that of SW Si and BKS SiO2 but different from that of SPC/E water. Two-body excess entropy anomaly can neither capture the diffusivity, structural, and density anomalies, as it can in a two-scale potential fluid. In structural anomaly region, tetrahedrality order qtetra (measuring the extent to which an atom and its four nearest neighbours adopt tetrahedral arrangement) and translational order ttrans (measuring the tendency of two atoms to adopt preferential separation) are not perfectly correlated, which is different from that in SW Si and renders it impossible to use the isotaxis line to quantify the degree of structural order needed for water-like anomalies to occur. Along the isotherm of critical temperature Tc, ttrans/qtetra is approximately linear with pressure. With decreasing pressure along the isotherm below Tc, ttrans/qtetra departs downward from the line, while it is the opposite case above Tc.
Yersinia pestis halotolerance illuminates plague reservoirs
Authors: Malek Maliya Alia , Bitam Idir , Levasseur Anthony , Terras Jérôme , Gaudart Jean , Azza Said , Flaudrops Christophe , Robert Catherine , Raoult Didier , Drancourt Michel
Published: January 2017

The plague agent Yersinia pestis persists for years in the soil. Two millennia after swiping over Europe and North Africa, plague established permanent foci in North Africa but not in neighboring Europe. Mapping human plague foci reported in North Africa for 70 years indicated a significant location at <3 kilometers from the Mediterranean seashore or the edge of salted lakes named chotts. In Algeria, culturing 352 environmental specimens naturally containing 0.5 to 70 g/L NaCl yielded one Y. pestis Orientalis biotype isolate in a 40 g/L NaCl chott soil specimen. Core genome SNP analysis placed this isolate within the Y. pestis branch 1, Orientalis biovar. Culturing Y. pestis in broth steadily enriched in NaCl indicated survival up to 150 g/L NaCl as L-form variants exhibiting a distinctive matrix assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry peptide profile. Further transcriptomic analyses found the upregulation of several outer-membrane proteins including TolC efflux pump and OmpF porin implied in osmotic pressure regulation. Salt tolerance of Y. pestis L-form may play a role in the maintenance of natural plague foci in North Africa and beyond, as these geographical correlations could be extended to 31 plague foci in the northern hemisphere (from 15°N to 50°N).
Functional analysis of the ABCs of eye color in Helicoverpa armigera with CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutations
Authors: Khan Sher Afzal , Reichelt Michael , Heckel David G.
Published: January 2017

Many insect pigments are localized in subcellular pigment granules, and transport of pigment precursors from the cytoplasm is accomplished by ABC proteins. Drosophila melanogaster has three half-transporter genes (white, scarlet, and brown, all affecting eye pigments) and Bombyx mori has a fourth (ok). The White, Brown, Scarlet and Ok proteins each have one transmembrane and one cytoplasmic domain and they heterodimerize to form functional transporters with different substrate specificities. We used CRISPR/Cas9 to create somatic and germ-line knockout mutations of these four genes in the noctuid moth Helicoverpa armigera. Somatic knockouts of white block pigmentation of the egg, first instar larva and adult eye, but germ-line knockouts of white are recessive lethal in the embryo. Knockouts of scarlet are viable and produce pigmentless first instar larvae and yellow adult eyes lacking xanthommatin. Knockouts of brown show no phenotypic effects on viability or pigmentation. Knockouts of ok are viable and produce translucent larval cuticle and black eyes. CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutations are a useful tool for analyzing how essential and non-essential genes interact to produce the diversity of insect pigmentation patterns found in nature.
Deviation from power law of the global seismic moment distribution
Authors: Serra Isabel , Corral Álvaro
Published: January 2017

The distribution of seismic moment is of capital interest to evaluate earthquake hazard, in particular regarding the most extreme events. We make use of likelihood-ratio tests to compare the simple Gutenberg-Richter power-law (PL) distribution with two statistical models that incorporate an exponential tail, the so-called tapered Gutenberg-Richter (Tap) and the truncated gamma, when fitted to the global CMT earthquake catalog. Although the Tap distribution does not introduce any significant improvement of fit respect the PL, the truncated gamma does. Simulated samples of this distribution, with parameters β = 0.68 and mc = 9.15 and reshuffled in order to mimic the time occurrence of the order statistics of the empirical data, are able to explain the temporal heterogeneity of global seismicity both before and after the great Sumatra-Andaman earthquake of 2004.
Stochastic kinetics reveal imperative role of anisotropic interfacial tension to determine morphology and evolution of nucleated droplets in nematogenic films
Authors: Bhattacharjee Amit Kumar
Published: January 2017

For isotropic fluids, classical nucleation theory predicts the nucleation rate, barrier height and critical droplet size by ac- counting for the competition between bulk energy and interfacial tension. The nucleation process in liquid crystals is less understood. We numerically investigate nucleation in monolayered nematogenic films using a mesoscopic framework, in par- ticular, we study the morphology and kinetic pathway in spontaneous formation and growth of droplets of the stable phase in the metastable background. The parameterκthat quantifies the anisotropic elastic energy plays a central role in determining the geometric structure of the droplets. Noncircular nematic droplets with homogeneous director orientation are nucleated in a background of supercooled isotropic phase for smallκ. For largeκ, noncircular droplets with integer topological charge, accompanied by a biaxial ring at the outer surface, are nucleated. The isotropic droplet shape in a superheated nematic background is found to depend onκin a similar way. Identical growth laws are found in the two cases, although an unusual two-stage mechanism is observed in the nucleation of isotropic droplets. Temporal distributions of successive events indi- cate the relevance of long-ranged elasticity-mediated interactions within the isotropic domains. Implications for a theoretical description of nucleation in anisotropic fluids are discussed.
Quorum-quenching limits quorum-sensing exploitation by signal-negative invaders
Authors: Tannières Mélanie , Lang Julien , Barnier Claudie , Shykoff Jacqui A. , Faure Denis
Published: January 2017

Some bacteria produce and perceive quorum-sensing (QS) signals that coordinate several behaviours, including the costly processes that are exoenzyme production and plasmid transfer. In the case of plasmid transfer, the emergence of QS signal-altered invaders and their policing are poorly documented. In Agrobacterium tumefaciens, the virulence Ti-plasmid encodes both synthesis and sensing of QS-signals, which promote its transfer from a donor to a recipient cell. Here, we reported that QS-altered A. tumefaciens mutants arose during experimental evolution. All showed improved growth compared to their ancestor. Genome sequencing revealed that, though some had lost the Ti-plasmid, most were defective for QS-signal synthesis and Ti-plasmid conjugation (traR mutations) and one exhibited a QS-signal exploitation behaviour, using signal produced by other cells to enhance its own Ti-plasmid transfer. We explored mechanisms that can limit this QS-hijacking. We showed that the A. tumefaciens capacity to inactivate QS-signals by expressing QS-degrading enzyme could attenuate dissemination of the QS signal-negative Ti-plasmids. This work shows that enzymatic QS-disruption whether encoded by the QS-producing Ti-plasmid itself, by a companion plasmid in the same donor cells, or by one in the recipient cells, in all cases can serve as a mechanism for controlling QS exploitation by QS signal-negative mutants.
An efficient analog Hamming distance comparator realized with a unipolar memristor array: a showcase of physical computing
Authors: Ge Ning , Yoon Jung Ho , Hu Miao , Merced-Grafals E. J. , Davila Noraica , Strachan John Paul , Li Zhiyong , Holder Helen , Xia Qiangfei , Williams R. Stanley , Zhou Xing , Yang J. Joshua
Published: January 2017

We propose and demonstrate a novel physical computing paradigm based on an engineered unipolar memristor that exhibits symmetric SET switching with respect to voltage polarity. A one-dimensional array of these devices was sufficient to demonstrate an efficient Hamming distance comparator for two strings of analog states represented by voltages from the physical world. The comparator first simultaneously applies the two sets of voltages to the array of memristors, each of which is initially in its high resistance state and switches to its low resistance state only if the two voltages applied on that memristor differ by more than the switching threshold. An accurate analog representation of the Hamming distance is then obtained by applying a reading voltage to the memristors and summing all the resultant currents. The comparator with a small footprint can directly process analog signals and store computation results without power, representing a promising application for analog computing based on memristor crossbar arrays.