bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inducing Therapeutic Hypothermia in Cardiac Arrest Caused by Lightning Strike
Authors: Scantling Dane , Frank Brian , Pontell Mathew E. , Medinilla Sandra
Published: July 2016

Only limited clinical scenarios are grounds for induction of therapeutic hypothermia. Its use in traumatic cardiac arrests, including those from lightning strikes, is not well studied. Nonshockable cardiac arrest rhythms have only recently been included in resuscitation guidelines. We report a case of full neurological recovery with therapeutic hypothermia after a lightning-induced pulseless electrical activity cardiac arrest in an 18-year-old woman. We also review the important pathophysiology of lightning-induced cardiac arrest and neurologic sequelae, elaborate upon the mechanism of therapeutic hypothermia, and add case-based evidence in favor of the use of targeted temperature management in lightning-induced cardiac arrest.
An anionic defensin fromPlutella xylostellawith potential activity againstBacillus thuringiensis
Authors: Xu X.-X. , Zhang Y.-Q. , Freed S. , Yu J. , Gao Y.-F. , Wang S. , Ouyang L.-N. , Ju W.-Y. , Jin F.-L.
Published: July 2016

Insect defensins, are cationic peptides that play an important role in immunity against microbial infection. In the present study, an anionic defensin fromPlutella xylostella, (designated as PxDef) was first cloned and characterized. Amino acid sequence analysis showed that the mature peptide owned characteristic six-cysteine motifs with predicted isoelectric point of 5.57, indicating an anionic defensin. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that PxDefwas significantly induced in epidermis, fat body, midgut and hemocytes after injection of heat-inactivatedBacillus thuringiensis, while such an induction was delayed by the injection of liveB. thuringiensisin the 4th instar larvae ofP. xylostella. Knocking down the expression of nuclear transcription factor Dorsal inP. xylostellaby RNA interference significantly decreased the mRNA level of PxDef, and increased the sensitivity ofP. xylostellalarvae to the infection by liveB. thuringiensis.The purified recombinant mature peptide (PxDef) showed higher activity against Gram-positive bacteria, with the minimum inhibition concentrations of 1.6 and 2.6 µM againstB. thuringiensisandBacillus subtilis, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first report about an anionic PxDef, which may play an important role in the immune system ofP. xylostellaagainstB. thuringiensis.
ARCHIBALD PITCAIRNE AND SCOTTISH HETERODOXY, c. 1688–1713
Authors: RAFFE ALASDAIR
Published: July 2016

This article argues that the Edinburgh physician Archibald Pitcairne made a significant and original contribution to European religious heterodoxy around 1700. Though Pitcairne has been studied by historians of medicine and scholars of literary culture, his heterodox writings have not been analysed in any detail. This is partly because of their publication in Latin, their relative rarity, and their considerable obscurity. The article provides a full examination of two works by Pitcairne: hisSolutio problematis de historicis; seu, inventoribus(‘Solution of the problem concerning historians or inventors’) (1688); and theEpistola Archimedis ad Regem Gelonem(‘Letter of Archimedes to King Gelo’) (1706). As well as untangling their bibliographical and textual difficulties, the article places these tracts in the context of Pitcairne's medical, mathematical, and religious interests. A range of readers deplored the sceptical implications of the pamphlets, but others, particularly in free-thinking circles in the Netherlands, admired Pitcairne's work. And yet Pitcairne himself was no atheist. He doubted a priori proofs of God's existence, but had been convinced by a version of the argument from ‘design’. The article concludes by relating Pitcairne's complex religious attitudes to his background in late seventeenth-century Scotland.
Trade-offs between indicators of performance and sustainability in breeding suckler beef herds
Authors: VOSOUGH AHMADI B. , NATH M. , HYSLOP J. J. , MORGAN C. A. , STOTT A. W.
Published: July 2016

Management of beef suckler cattle herds requires a difficult but vitally important balance between farm profits, animal health and welfare and sustainable food production. A dynamic programming (DP) model was implemented to investigate the consequences of replacement and management decisions on the interactions and possible trade-offs between animal welfare, fertility and profitability in breeding beef suckler cattle herds. The model maximized profit from the current cow and all successors by identifying the best keep/replace decision. The 150 states incorporated in the DP model were all combinations of: ten cow-parity, five calving periods including one barren state (five in total) as fertility indicators and three body condition scores at weaning as an animal welfare indicator reflecting feeding and nutritional conditions of animals. Statistical models were fitted to data from a breeding suckler cattle herd, consisting of performance records of 200 cattle over 5 years, to parameterize the DP model. Estimated parameters used in the DP model were: (i) probabilities of transitions between states and (ii) probability of involuntary culling. These estimates were used in the form of conditional probabilities of successful or failed (as a result of involuntary culling) transitions to the next state. In addition, statistical models were used to estimate probability of calving difficulty. There was strong evidence (P<0·001) that parity affected calving difficulty and weak evidence (P= 0·067) that parity affected the incidence of involuntary culling. The DP model outcomes indicated that cows calving very early, i.e. those who conceived in the first 21 days after artificial insemination, showed reduced frequencies of calving difficulty as well as voluntary culling, and so gave better financial returns than late-calving cows and barren cows. As a result, fewer replacements were needed that reduced the frequency of calving difficulty, further implying a win–win scenario for both profit and welfare. In contrast, in late-calving animals, the frequency of calving difficulty increased and they were less profitable and more prone to be culled. Results of sensitivity analysis showed that the optimum voluntary culling rate was sensitive to commodity market prices. These findings suggest well-informed nutrition and reproduction management could deliver a win–win outcome for profit and animal welfare.
V. Memoir on Sirmór
Authors: Blane George Rodney
Published: July 2016

Sirmór is bounded, on the north by Bisér, from which it is divided by the river Páber; on the west by Hindūr and the Barah Tukrái, or twelve districts; on the south by the Sikh possessions; and on the east by Gerhwál, and the river Jumna. It is divided into Pergunahs, and each Pergunah into Pattis. The head of a Patti is styled a Siana, and is responsible to the Government for its revenues. Some villages are possessed by the tenure of military service. Náhen is the capital, once a flourishing town.
XIV. Some Account of a Secret Association in China, entitled the Triad Society
Authors: Milne
Published: July 2016

The writer of this paper is fully sensible how difficult it is to discover that which is studiously concealed, under the sanction of oaths, curses, and the (supposed,) impending vengeance of the gods; and how liable one is, even after the utmost care, to be mistaken in tracing the progress of any set of principles and schemes, which the fortunes or lives of the parties who have adopted them are concerned to hide, to varnish, to distort, and to misrepresent. He therefore offers the following remarks, not as the result of firm and unhesitating conviction, but as having a good deal of probability to support them, and as containing the substance of the best information procurable in his situation. He begs then to say a few words on the name, objects, government, initiatory ceremonies, secret signs, and seal of the said association, and to conclude with a few miscellaneous remarks.
XXII. Extracts from the Peking Gazette for 1824, being the Fourth Year of Taou-kwang
Authors: Davis John Francis
Published: July 2016

The Censor, Wang-shĭ-fŎ, has presented to us a paper, concerning the malversations in office prevalent among the clerks and official assistants in the government offices of Chĭh-le province.
Description of Temples of the Jainas in South Bihar and Bhagalpur
Authors: Hamilton F. Buchanan
Published: July 2016

The sect of Jain has in the division of Nawádá in South Bihar two places of pilgrimage. One is a tank named Nakhaur, about a mile and a half north from Nawádá, and which is of no great size, extending in its greatest length from east to west. It is choked with weeds, especially the nelumbium. The temple is on a small square island covered with a terrace of brick, and is a neat but inconsiderable building, covered with one dome. A very bad road with a rude bridge leads into the island. The temple contains two stones, on each of which is an inscription, and the representation of two human feet, the most usual object of worship among the Jainas of this district. The inscriptions are exactly the same: only the one is a year earlier than the other: I give therefore a copy only of the earliest, dated in Samvat 1676 (A.D. 1619). The object of worship is Gautama, whom the Jainas, as well as the orthodox and Bauddhas, claim as, of their sect; and the image was made by a certain Níháló, mother of Thákur Sangráma, son of Góvardhana dás, son of Góvardhana dás, son of Bimala dás, of the Chóprá tribe, descended of Mantrídal, all persons equally obscure.
XXII. Memoir on the Diplomatic Relations between the Courts of Dehli and Constantinople in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
Authors: de Hammer Joseph
Published: July 2016

The first intimation of any intercourse by embassies between the courts of Dehli and Constantinople occurs in the reign of Suliman the Lawgiver, in the year 1536; when Burhân, the son of Sikandar, the king of Dehli, sought refuge at the Ottoman Porte from the displeasure of Humayun. In Ferdi's excellent history of Sultan Suliman'S reign is the following account of this event:

“Burhan Beg, the son of Sikandar, king of Hindustan, ruined by the “invasions of the Jagataïan armies, fled to the Sublime Porte; where he “was honoured by being allowed to kiss the imperial hand, and was pro-“vided with a daily pension of three hundred aspers.”
XXIII. Observations on the Sculptures in the Cave Temples of Ellora
Authors: Grindlay Robert Melville
Published: July 2016

In presenting to the Royal Asiatic Society the four accompanying representations of the Ellora Sculptures, in continuation of those which I had the honour of submitting last session, I have to regret that, from the very scanty and imperfect intelligence procurable on the spot, I am unable to attach to some of them any descriptive notice that would be at all satisfactory.
IV.—Notice respecting the Natives of New Guinea
Authors: Marsden Wm.
Published: July 2016

That the extensive island of New Guinea (by the Malays denominated Tanah Papūah or land of people with frizzled hair) should be less known to Europeans than almost any other part of the Eastern Archipelago, may be chiefly attributed to the savage manners of its inhabitants, whom the more civilized race of people in the neighbouring islands have always represented as cannibals; but of the justness of which imputation no direct proofs have hitherto been furnished by our navigators. How far the following detail of circumstances may warrant a belief that a practice well ascertained to exist in Sumatra and New Zealand, prevails also in a district of this country, the reader will form a judgment for himself, upon estimating the degree of credit to which it is entitled. The evidence of what is so abhorrent from our nature ought, doubtless, to be free from the suspicion either of credulity, or of a disposition to the marvellous; but on the other hand it may be questioned whether those who, from attachment to preconceived opinions, endeavour by captious arguments, or by ridicule, to discredit what is supported by unexceptionable testimony, are not equally enemies to the cause of truth, with those who by plausible relations give colour to what is false.
VI.—Comparison of the Hindu and Theban Hercules, illustrated by an ancient Hindu Intaglio.
Authors: Tod James
Published: July 2016

The intaglio, of which the engraving is a fac-simile, represents Baladéva, the Hercules of the Hindus, naked; the head encircled with a diadem, or fillet, the ends flowing behind. His lion's hide (Bágambra) thrown over his right arm, extended; on which is perched a figure presenting him a wreath, or coronet. In his left he grasps a club; adjoining which is a monogram, composed of two letters, of an ancient and still undeciphered character, found on monumental rocks and pillars wherever the Pándús colonized. In various points of view, this gem will be considered a relic of more than ordinary curiosity.
XV.—Remarks on the Siamese Language, by the Rev. Mr. Gutslaff
Authors: Fullerton Robert
Published: July 2016

La Loubere, Kæmpfer, Finlayson, Crawfurd, and Major Burney have all treated upon a language, either casually or specifically, which is spoken from Quedah, on the western coast of the Malayan Peninsula, to the country of Laos; and is surrounded by its sister languages, those of Camboja, Pegu, Ava, and Laos. The Siamese language is one of the principal dialects of the Indo-Chinese nations, and is the next link in the chain which the Cochin-Chinese language forms between the Chinese and the Indo-Chinese languages. It bears a strong resemblance to that of Laos, has derived much from the Cambojian, but differs remarkably from the Peguan and Burmese.
XXXII. Remarks on an erroneous Explanation of one of the Inscriptions at Naksh-i-Rustam, occurring in the “Mémoires sur diverses Antiquités de la Perse, par le Baron Silvestre de Sacy.”
Authors: Money Robert Cotton
Published: July 2016

The Baron De Sacy, in his essay on the inscriptions and sculptures at Naksh-i-Rustam, by way of reconciling the historical relation to the representation itself, is led to assert that the design illustrates the conquest of Ardashír over the last sovereign of the Arsacidœ, or the contest for the crown. The inscription on the horse belonging to the monarch, supposed to be one of the Arsacidœ, as copied from Niebuhr's plate, is ΤΟΓ ΤΟΠΡΟCΩΠΟΝ ΔΙΟC ΘΕΟΥ, and M. de Sacy imagines that the Greek who traced it, if the word be ΘΕΟΥ, was ignorant of the deity whose name is inserted in the other inscription, i.e. μασδασνγ, and gives it as his opinion that the inscription, rightly translated, originally meant,

“This is the representation of the god Hormuzd,”

one of the last Sassanian kings. From an inspection of the monument, I conceive this to be an error.
‘Our Soviet Americanism’:Jolly Fellows, Music, and Early Soviet Cultural Ideology
Authors: KUPFER PETER
Published: July 2016

The musical comedy film was perhaps a surprising genre to appear and flourish in the Soviet Union during the 1930s, a decade traditionally associated with the grimmer realities of Stalin's ruthless consolidation of power, show trials, and purges. Despite (and in many ways because of) this, the musical comedy became quite popular, with audiences and officials alike. Its creation did not, however, proceed without controversy or difficulty. In this article, I examine how director Grigory Aleksandrov and composer Isaak Dunayevsky drew on well-known and well-liked American musical and cinematic models to construct the first Soviet musical comedy film,Jolly Fellows(1934), and the role of music in the controversy that the film sparked. I argue that in choosing musical content appropriate for contemporary Soviet viewers and transmitting it by using American-inspired formal structures that rely on music, Aleksandrov and Dunayevsky created a powerful hybrid that spoke convincingly to audiences and critics, who ultimately used the film and its music as a means for debating issues of cultural significance.
On the Value of Selection Among Assured Lives, and its Effect Upon the Adjustment of a Scale of Premiums, as Between Persons Assuring at Different Ages
Authors: Higham John Adams
Published: July 2016

I cannot better introduce the subject of this paper than by a quotation from Mr. Morgan's Preface to his Tables of the experience of the Equitable Society. He writes as follows, viz.:—

“In a body of lives of the same age, all selected as healthy from the general mass of mankind, it is obvious that the rate of mortality must be considerably less for the first ten or twenty years after selection, than amongst those from whom they are thus chosen. As, however, these selected lives advance in age, their general health and the rate of mortality amongst them will naturally approximate to the common standard.
On a general method of approximation to the Values of Annuities and Assurances, for long terms of years, depending on One or Two Lives
Authors: Brown Samuel
Published: July 2016

The discovery of some general Law of Mortality, by means of which the values of the contingencies, depending upon human life, might be expressed in some simple formulæ, without the necessity of performing the numerous calculations which are required even for the chances of a single life, and still more in the various cases, in which two or more lives are involved, has occupied the attention and labours of many scientific men. But the result has not hitherto been satisfactory, in spite of the skill with which their investigations have been conducted, and the unwearied patience which they have brought to the task. The failure has probably arisen from the want of a sufficient number of observations, the authenticity of which could be relied upon; or for want of that accuracy in the data, without which it is in vain to attempt to find the traces of a regular law, disturbed as it must be by the peculiar circumstances under which the observations were made, or by the ignorance, and, in some cases it may be, by the wilful errors of those who have been employed to collect the facts.
On the proper Allowance to be made for the Surrender of Policies of Assurance
Authors: Jellicoe Charles
Published: July 2016

In any Company or Society for the assurance of lives—let it be constituted in whatever manner it may—it is evident that certain rates of mortality and interest are always prevailing; and that such rates are more or less constant throughout any given period, as the causes on which they depend are more or less stationary.

Now, the annual amount required by any such Company to meet its engagements, will entirely depend upon the particular rates which happen to obtain in it; and hence it becomes a question of the utmost importance to such bodies, to determine as nearly as possible how they are situated in this respect.
Considerations in the Use of Interactive Voice Recording for the Temporal Assessment of Suicidal Ideation and Alcohol Use
Authors: Bishop Todd M. , Maisto Stephen A. , Britton Peter C. , Pigeon Wilfred R.
Published: July 2016

Abstract. Background: A greater understanding of the temporal variation of suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior is needed to inform more effective prevention efforts. Interactive voice recording (IVR) allows for the study of temporal relationships that cannot be captured with most traditional methodologies. Aims: To examine the feasibility of implementing IVR for the assessment of suicidal ideation. Method: Participants (n = 4) receiving a brief intervention based on dialectical behavior therapy were asked to respond to three phone-based surveys each day over 6 weeks that assessed suicidal ideation and alcohol consumption. Results: Participants completed 77.7% of daily assessments, reported that calls were not burdensome, and indicated that calls were sometimes helpful in interrupting suicidal ideation. Conclusion: The preliminary data reported here provide optimism for the use of IVR and other forms of ecological momentary assessment in the exploration of the antecedents of suicidal behavior.
An Analysis of Depression, Self-Harm, and Suicidal Ideation Content on Tumblr
Authors: Cavazos-Rehg Patricia A. , Krauss Melissa J. , Sowles Shaina J. , Connolly Sarah , Rosas Carlos , Bharadwaj Meghana , Grucza Richard , Bierut Laura J.
Published: July 2016

Abstract. Background: Social networking about depression can be indicative of self-reported depression and/or can normalize risk behaviors such as self-harm and suicidal ideation. Aim: To gain a better understanding of the depression, self-harm, and suicidal content that is being shared on Tumblr. Method: From April 16 to May 10, 2014, 17 popular depression-related Tumblr accounts were monitored for new posts and engagement with other Tumblr users. A total of 3,360 posts were randomly selected from all historical posts from these accounts and coded based on themes ascertained by the research team. Results: The 17 Tumblr accounts posted a median number of 185 posts (range = 0–2,954). Content was engaged with (i.e., re-blogged or liked) a median number of 1,677,362 times (range = 0–122,186,504). Of the 3,360 randomly selected posts, 2,739 (82%) were related to depression, suicide, or self-harm. Common themes were self-loathing (412, 15%), loneliness/feeling unloved (405, 15%), self-harm (407, 15%), and suicide (372, 14%). Conclusion: This study takes an important first step at better understanding the displayed depression-related references on Tumblr. The findings signal a need for suicide prevention efforts to intervene on Tumblr and use this platform in a strategic way, given the depression and suicidal content that was readily observed on Tumblr.
Side Effects of Business Coaching and Their Predictors From the Coachees’ Perspective
Authors: Graßmann Carolin , Schermuly Carsten C.
Published: July 2016

Abstract. Sound research demonstrates the substantial positive effects of business coaching, but little is known about potential side effects. This study sheds light on the characteristics of side effects of coaching from the coachees’ perspective and investigates three possible predictors: relationship quality between coach and coachee, the coach’s expertise, and the coachees’ motivation to change. Data was collected in a time-lagged design from 111 coachees who received business coaching in Germany. Coachees reported that side effects were frequent but with low to moderate intensity. The number of side effects was negatively associated with relationship quality at both measurement times and with coach’s expertise at Time 1. Results expand knowledge about side effects of coaching and reveal opportunities for how they can be reduced.
Precision Landing Will Be Key to NASA's Mars 2020 Rover
Authors: Coombs Amy
Published: July 2016

Landing robotics distinguish the craft from past models, allowing researchers to target smaller flat areas that are surrounded by rock.
Repertoire comparison of the B‐cell receptor‐encoding loci in humans and rhesus macaques by next‐generation sequencing
Authors: Vigdorovich Vladimir , Oliver Brian G , Carbonetti Sara , Dambrauskas Nicholas , Lange Miles D , Yacoob Christina , Leahy Will , Callahan Jonathan , Stamatatos Leonidas , Sather D Noah
Published: July 2016

Rhesus macaques (RMs) are a widely used model system for the study of vaccines, infectious diseases and microbial pathogenesis. Their value as a model lies in their close evolutionary relationship to humans, which, in theory, allows them to serve as a close approximation of the human immune system. However, despite their prominence as a human surrogate model system, many aspects of the RM immune system remain ill characterized. In particular, B cell‐mediated immunity in macaques has not been sufficiently characterized, and the B‐cell receptor‐encoding loci have not been thoroughly annotated. To address these gaps, we analyzed the circulating heavy‐ and light‐chain repertoires in humans and RMs by next‐generation sequencing. By comparing V gene segment usage, J‐segment usage and CDR3 lengths between the two species, we identified several important similarities and differences. These differences were especially notable in the IgM+ B‐cell repertoire. However, the class‐switched, antigen‐educated B‐cell populations converged on a set of similar characteristics, implying similarities in how each species responds to antigen. Our study provides the first comprehensive overview of the circulating repertoires of the heavy‐ and light‐chain sequences in RMs, and provides insight into how they may perform as a model system for B cell‐mediated immunity in humans.
Multiple sulfur isotope evidence for massive oceanic sulfate depletion in the aftermath of Snowball Earth
Authors: Sansjofre Pierre , Cartigny Pierre , Trindade Ricardo I. F. , Nogueira Afonso C. R. , Agrinier Pierre , Ader Magali
Published: July 2016

The terminal Neoproterozoic Era (850–542 Ma) is characterized by the most pronounced positive sulfur isotope (34S/32S) excursions in Earth’s history, with strong variability and maximum values averaging δ34S∼+38‰. These excursions have been mostly interpreted in the framework of steady-state models, in which ocean sulfate concentrations do not fluctuate (that is, sulfate input equals sulfate output). Such models imply a large pyrite burial increase together with a dramatic fluctuation in the isotope composition of marine sulfate inputs, and/or a change in microbial sulfur metabolisms. Here, using multiple sulfur isotopes (33S/32S, 34S/32S and 36S/32S ratios) of carbonate-associated sulfate, we demonstrate that the steady-state assumption does not hold in the aftermath of the Marinoan Snowball Earth glaciation. The data attest instead to the most impressive event of oceanic sulfate drawdown in Earth’s history, driven by an increased pyrite burial, which may have contributed to the Neoproterozoic oxygenation of the oceans and atmosphere.
An integrated genomic and transcriptomic survey of mucormycosis-causing fungi
Authors: Chibucos Marcus C. , Soliman Sameh , Gebremariam Teclegiorgis , Lee Hongkyu , Daugherty Sean , Orvis Joshua , Shetty Amol C. , Crabtree Jonathan , Hazen Tracy H. , Etienne Kizee A. , Kumari Priti , O’Connor Timothy D. , Rasko David A. , Filler Scott G. , Fraser Claire M. , Lockhart Shawn R. , Skory Christopher D. , Ibrahim Ashraf S. , Bruno Vincent M.
Published: July 2016

Mucormycosis is a life-threatening infection caused by Mucorales fungi. Here we sequence 30 fungal genomes, and perform transcriptomics with three representative Rhizopus and Mucor strains and with human airway epithelial cells during fungal invasion, to reveal key host and fungal determinants contributing to pathogenesis. Analysis of the host transcriptional response to Mucorales reveals platelet-derived growth factor receptor B (PDGFRB) signaling as part of a core response to divergent pathogenic fungi; inhibition of PDGFRB reduces Mucorales-induced damage to host cells. The unique presence of CotH invasins in all invasive Mucorales, and the correlation between CotH gene copy number and clinical prevalence, are consistent with an important role for these proteins in mucormycosis pathogenesis. Our work provides insight into the evolution of this medically and economically important group of fungi, and identifies several molecular pathways that might be exploited as potential therapeutic targets.
Nuclear receptor NR5A2 controls neural stem cell fate decisions during development
Authors: Stergiopoulos Athanasios , Politis Panagiotis K.
Published: July 2016

The enormous complexity of mammalian central nervous system (CNS) is generated by highly synchronized actions of diverse factors and signalling molecules in neural stem/progenitor cells (NSCs). However, the molecular mechanisms that integrate extrinsic and intrinsic signals to control proliferation versus differentiation decisions of NSCs are not well-understood. Here we identify nuclear receptor NR5A2 as a central node in these regulatory networks and key player in neural development. Overexpression and loss-of-function experiments in primary NSCs and mouse embryos suggest that NR5A2 synchronizes cell-cycle exit with induction of neurogenesis and inhibition of astrogliogenesis by direct regulatory effects on Ink4/Arf locus, Prox1, a downstream target of proneural genes, as well as Notch1 and JAK/STAT signalling pathways. Upstream of NR5a2, proneural genes, as well as Notch1 and JAK/STAT pathways control NR5a2 endogenous expression. Collectively, these observations render NR5A2 a critical regulator of neural development and target gene for NSC-based treatments of CNS-related diseases.
Single reconstructed Fermi surface pocket in an underdoped single-layer cuprate superconductor
Authors: Chan M. K. , Harrison N. , McDonald R. D. , Ramshaw B. J. , Modic K. A. , Barišić N. , Greven M.
Published: July 2016

The observation of a reconstructed Fermi surface via quantum oscillations in hole-doped cuprates opened a path towards identifying broken symmetry states in the pseudogap regime. However, such an identification has remained inconclusive due to the multi-frequency quantum oscillation spectra and complications accounting for bilayer effects in most studies. We overcome these impediments with high-resolution measurements on the structurally simpler cuprate HgBa2CuO4+δ (Hg1201), which features one CuO2 plane per primitive unit cell. We find only a single oscillatory component with no signatures of magnetic breakdown tunnelling to additional orbits. Therefore, the Fermi surface comprises a single quasi-two-dimensional pocket. Quantitative modelling of these results indicates that a biaxial charge density wave within each CuO2 plane is responsible for the reconstruction and rules out criss-crossed charge stripes between layers as a viable alternative in Hg1201. Lastly, we determine that the characteristic gap between reconstructed pockets is a significant fraction of the pseudogap energy.
A disorder-enhanced quasi-one-dimensional superconductor
Authors: Petrović A. P. , Ansermet D. , Chernyshov D. , Hoesch M. , Salloum D. , Gougeon P. , Potel M. , Boeri L. , Panagopoulos C.
Published: July 2016

A powerful approach to analysing quantum systems with dimensionality d>1 involves adding a weak coupling to an array of one-dimensional (1D) chains. The resultant quasi-1D (q1D) systems can exhibit long-range order at low temperature, but are heavily influenced by interactions and disorder due to their large anisotropies. Real q1D materials are therefore ideal candidates not only to provoke, test and refine theories of strongly correlated matter, but also to search for unusual emergent electronic phases. Here we report the unprecedented enhancement of a superconducting instability by disorder in single crystals of Na2−δMo6Se6, a q1D superconductor comprising MoSe chains weakly coupled by Na atoms. We argue that disorder-enhanced Coulomb pair-breaking (which usually destroys superconductivity) may be averted due to a screened long-range Coulomb repulsion intrinsic to disordered q1D materials. Our results illustrate the capability of disorder to tune and induce new correlated electron physics in low-dimensional materials.
Structural and magnetic depth profiles of magneto-ionic heterostructures beyond the interface limit
Authors: Gilbert Dustin A. , Grutter Alexander J. , Arenholz Elke , Liu Kai , Kirby B. J. , Borchers Julie A. , Maranville Brian B.
Published: July 2016

Electric field control of magnetism provides a promising route towards ultralow power information storage and sensor technologies. The effects of magneto-ionic motion have been prominently featured in the modification of interface characteristics. Here, we demonstrate magnetoelectric coupling moderated by voltage-driven oxygen migration beyond the interface in relatively thick AlOx/GdOx/Co(15 nm) films. Oxygen migration and Co magnetization are quantitatively mapped with polarized neutron reflectometry under electro-thermal conditioning. The depth-resolved profiles uniquely identify interfacial and bulk behaviours and a semi-reversible control of the magnetization. Magnetometry measurements suggest changes in the microstructure which disrupt long-range ferromagnetic ordering, resulting in an additional magnetically soft phase. X-ray spectroscopy confirms changes in the Co oxidation state, but not in the Gd, suggesting that the GdOx transmits oxygen but does not source or sink it. These results together provide crucial insight into controlling magnetism via magneto-ionic motion, both at interfaces and throughout the bulk of the films.
Methane seep carbonates yield clumped isotope signatures out of equilibrium with formation temperatures
Authors: Loyd S. J. , Sample J. , Tripati R. E. , Defliese W. F. , Brooks K. , Hovland M. , Torres M. , Marlow J. , Hancock L. G. , Martin R. , Lyons T. , Tripati A. E.
Published: July 2016

Methane cold seep systems typically exhibit extensive buildups of authigenic carbonate minerals, resulting from local increases in alkalinity driven by methane oxidation. Here, we demonstrate that modern seep authigenic carbonates exhibit anomalously low clumped isotope values (Δ47), as much as ∼0.2‰ lower than expected values. In modern seeps, this range of disequilibrium translates into apparent temperatures that are always warmer than ambient temperatures, by up to 50 °C. We examine various mechanisms that may induce disequilibrium behaviour in modern seep carbonates, and suggest that the observed values result from several factors including kinetic isotopic effects during methane oxidation, mixing of inorganic carbon pools, pH effects and rapid precipitation. Ancient seep carbonates studied here also exhibit potential disequilibrium signals. Ultimately, these findings indicate the predominance of disequilibrium clumped isotope behaviour in modern cold seep carbonates that must be considered when characterizing environmental conditions in both modern and ancient cold seep settings.
Exosome engineering for efficient intracellular delivery of soluble proteins using optically reversible protein–protein interaction module
Authors: Yim Nambin , Ryu Seung-Wook , Choi Kyungsun , Lee Kwang Ryeol , Lee Seunghee , Choi Hojun , Kim Jeongjin , Shaker Mohammed R. , Sun Woong , Park Ji-Ho , Kim Daesoo , Heo Won Do , Choi Chulhee
Published: July 2016

Nanoparticle-mediated delivery of functional macromolecules is a promising method for treating a variety of human diseases. Among nanoparticles, cell-derived exosomes have recently been highlighted as a new therapeutic strategy for the in vivo delivery of nucleotides and chemical drugs. Here we describe a new tool for intracellular delivery of target proteins, named ‘exosomes for protein loading via optically reversible protein–protein interactions’ (EXPLORs). By integrating a reversible protein–protein interaction module controlled by blue light with the endogenous process of exosome biogenesis, we are able to successfully load cargo proteins into newly generated exosomes. Treatment with protein-loaded EXPLORs is shown to significantly increase intracellular levels of cargo proteins and their function in recipient cells in vitro and in vivo. These results clearly indicate the potential of EXPLORs as a mechanism for the efficient intracellular transfer of protein-based therapeutics into recipient cells and tissues.
Synergistic Effect of Surface Plasmonic particles and Surface Passivation layer on ZnO Nanorods Array for Improved Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting
Authors: Liu Yichong , Yan Xiaoqin , Kang Zhuo , Li Yong , Shen Yanwei , Sun Yihui , Wang Li , Zhang Yue
Published: July 2016

One-dimensional zinc oxide nanorods array exhibit excellent electron mobility and thus hold great potential as photoanode for photoelelctrochemical water splitting. However, the poor absorption of visible light and the prominent surface recombination hider the performance improvement. In this work, Au nanoparticles and aluminium oxide were deposited onto the surface of ZnO nanorods to improve the PEC performance. The localized surface plasmon resonance of Au NPs could expand the absorption spectrum to visible region. Simultaneously, the surface of passivation with Au NPs and Al2O3 largely suppressed the photogenerated electron-hole recombination. As a result, the optimal solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of ZnO/Au/Al2O3 with 5 cycles was 6.7 times that of pristine ZnO, ascribed to the synergistic effect of SPR and surface passivation. This research reveals that the synergistic effect could be used as an important method to design efficient photoanodes for photoelectrochemical devices.
A Reactive 1O2 - Responsive Combined Treatment System of Photodynamic and Chemotherapy for Cancer
Authors: Wang Xiaojun , Meng Guoqing , Zhang Song , Liu Xinli
Published: July 2016

The development of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive drug delivery and drug release has gradually attracted much attention in recent years as a promising therapeutic strategy. Singlet oxygen (1O2) as the major ROS species is widely used in photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer. In the present study, we introduce a combined treatment using ROS-sensitive thioketal (TK) linkage as a linker between upconversion nanoparticles (UNs)-based PDT and doxorubicin (DOX)-based chemotherapy. UNs can not only play a role in PDT, but can also be used as a nanocarrier for drug delivery of DOX. Moreover, the products of 1O2 during PDT are able to cleave TK linker inducing the release of DOX which can further achieve the goal of chemotherapy. By using this 1O2-responsive nanocarrier delivery system, DOX can easily reach the tumor site and be accumulated in the nuclei to effectively kill the cancer cells and therefore decreasing the side effects of chemotherapy on the body. Thus, PDT also has the function of controlling drug release in this combination treatment strategy. Compared with monotherapy, the combination of PDT with chemotherapy also possesses excellent drug loading capability and anticancer efficiency.
The association between gallstones and metabolic syndrome in urban Han Chinese: a longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Zhu Qian , Sun Xiubin , Ji Xiaokang , Zhu Lin , Xu Jing , Wang Chunxia , Zhang Chengqi , Xue Fuzhong , Liu Yanxun
Published: July 2016

The precise association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and gallstone disease remains unclear in China. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between MetS and gallstone and evaluate whether counts of metabolic abnormalities had influence on gallstone disease. We fitted gender-specific generalized estimating equation (GEE) regression models with data from a large-scale longitudinal study over 6-year follow-up to elucidate the real association. This study included 18291 participants with 3 times repeated measures at least who were free from a prior history of gallstone disease and cholecystectomy. A total of 873 cases of gallstones occurred during 6-year follow-up. The incidence density of gallstone in the group of subjects with MetS was higher than the group without MetS (10.27 vs 5.79). The GEE analyses confirmed and clarified the association between MetS and gallstone disease in males (RR = 1.33, P = 0.0020), while this association was not significant in females (RR = 1.15, P = 0.4962). With numbers of metabolic syndrome components increasing, the risk of gallstone disease showed corresponding increasing in males. In conclusion, the associations of MetS and gallstone are different in males and in females. And the risk of gallstone disease increases with the number of components of MetS for males but not for females.
Hollow ZnxCd1−xS nanospheres with enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light
Authors: Jin Ying , Zhang Haoyun , Song Chuang , Wang Lanfang , Lu Qingyi , Gao Feng
Published: July 2016

Formation of solid solutions is a good strategy to acquire materials with special properties and bring forth new type of applications or enhance the performance of currently existing devices. In this study, hollow ZnxCd1−xS nanospheres with different molar ratios were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal process. The products were fully characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. It was found that the photocatalysis performance of the as-prepared samples could be enhanced by formation of ZnxCd1−xS solid solutions. In addition, their photocatalytic activities are dependent on the Zn/Cd molar ratios and nanostructures of ZnxCd1−xS solid solutions. Hollow Zn0.2Cd0.8S spheres exhibit extremely high photocatalytic activity and good re-usability, and the photocatalytic conversion of RhB reaches as high as 96% after 50 min of irradiation.
Assessment of Ovarian Cancer Tumors Treated with Intraperitoneal Cisplatin Therapy by Nanoscopic X-ray Fluorescence Imaging
Authors: Laforce Brecht , Carlier Charlotte , Vekemans Bart , Villanova Julie , Tucoulou Rémi , Ceelen Wim , Vincze Laszlo
Published: July 2016

Ovarian cancer is amongst the most common types of cancer in women, with a relatively low overall cure rate of approximately 30%. This is therefore an important incentive to urge for further research in order to maximize the chances of survival for these patients. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy with Cisplatin is an effective treatement for ovarian cancer; however, many questions still remain concerning the ideal treatment protocol and tumor resistance towards the drug, which should be resolved for optimal application of this therapy. For the first timein-vivogrown tumors treated with both hyper- and normothermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy have been studied using nano-XRF spectroscopy to examine the platinum (Pt) distribution within the analyzed tissues. These measurements prove Pt resides predominantly outsides the cancer cells in the stroma of the tissue. These findings indicate the resistance mechanism of the cancer cells prevents Cisplatin from diffusing through their cell membranes. This is an important addition to the existing knowledge on the resistance mechanism providing insights which might help to overcome this effect. In our aim to find the optimal treatment protocol, no significant differences were found between the two examined procedures. A more extensive data set will be needed to draw definite conclusions.
A new kind of 2D topological insulators BiCN with a giant gap and its substrate effects
Authors: Fu Botao , Ge Yanfeng , Su Wenyong , Guo Wei , Liu Cheng-Cheng
Published: July 2016

Based on DFT calculation, we predict that BiCN, i.e., bilayer Bi films passivated with -CN group, is a novel 2D Bi-based material with highly thermodynamic stability and demonstrate that it is also a new kind of 2D TI with a giant SOC gap (~1 eV) by direct calculation of the topological invariant Z2 and obvious exhibition of the helical edge states. Monolayer h-BN and MoS2 are identified as good candidate substrates for supporting the nontrivial topological insulating phase of the 2D TI films, since the two substrates can stabilize and weakly interact with BiCN via van der Waals interaction and thus hardly affect the electronic properties, especially the band topology. The topological properties are robust against the strain and electric field. This may provide a promising platform for realization of novel topological phases.
Epigenetic silencing of miR-19a-3p by cold atmospheric plasma contributes to proliferation inhibition of the MCF-7 breast cancer cell
Authors: Lee Seungyeon , Lee Hyunkyung , Bae Hansol , Choi Eun H. , Kim Sun Jung
Published: July 2016

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has been proposed as a useful cancer treatment option after showing higher induction of cell death in cancer cells than in normal cells. Although a few studies have contributed to elucidating the molecular mechanism by which CAP differentially inhibits cancer cell proliferation, no results are yet to be reported related to microRNA (miR). In this study, miR-19a-3p (miR-19a) was identified as a mediator of the cell proliferation-inhibitory effect of CAP in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell. CAP treatment of MCF-7 induced hypermethylation at the promoter CpG sites and downregulation of miR-19a, which was known as an oncomiR. The overexpression of miR-19a in MCF-7 increased cell proliferation, and CAP deteriorated the effect. The target genes of miR-19a, such as ABCA1 and PTEN, that had been suppressed by miR recovered their expression through CAP treatment. In addition, an inhibitor of reactive oxygen species that is produced by CAP suppressed the effect of CAP on cell proliferation. Taken together, the present study, to the best of authors’ knowledge, is the first to identify the involvement of a miR, which is dysregulated by the CAP and results in the anti-proliferation effect of CAP on cancer cells.
Impact of structural polymorphism for the Helicobacter pylori CagA oncoprotein on binding to polarity-regulating kinase PAR1b
Authors: Nishikawa Hiroko , Hayashi Takeru , Arisaka Fumio , Senda Toshiya , Hatakeyama Masanori
Published: July 2016

Chronic infection withcagA-positiveHelicobacter pyloriis the strongest risk factor for atrophic gastritis, peptic ulcers and gastric cancer. CagA, the product of thecagAgene, is a bacterial oncoprotein, which, upon delivery into gastric epithelial cells, binds to and inhibits the polarity-regulating kinase, partitioning-defective 1b (PAR1b) [also known as microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 2 (MARK2)], via its CagA multimerization (CM) motif. The inhibition of PAR1b elicits junctional and polarity defects, rendering cells susceptible to oncogenesis. Notably, the polymorphism in the CM motif has been identified among geographic variants of CagA, differing in either the copy number or the sequence composition. In this study, through quantitative analysis of the complex formation between CagA and PAR1b, we found that several CagA species have acquired elevated PAR1b-binding activity via duplication of the CM motifs, while others have lost their PAR1b-binding activity. We also found that strength of CagA-PAR1b interaction was proportional to the degrees of stress fiber formation and tight junctional disruption by CagA in gastric epithelial cells. These results indicate that the CM polymorphism is a determinant for the magnitude of CagA-mediated deregulation of the cytoskeletal system and thereby possibly affects disease outcome ofcagA-positiveH. pyloriinfection, including gastric cancer.
Shared mechanism of teratogenicity of anti-angiogenic drugs identified in the chicken embryo model
Authors: Beedie Shaunna L. , Mahony Chris , Walker Heather M. , Chau Cindy H. , Figg William D. , Vargesson Neil
Published: July 2016

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, is essential for tumor growth, stabilization and progression. Angiogenesis inhibitors are now widely used in the clinic; however, there are relatively few published studies on the mechanism of their presumed teratogenic effects. To address this issue, we screened a variety of angiogenesis inhibitors in developing zebrafish and chicken embryo models to assess for developmental defects and potential teratogenic effects. We confirmed previous reports that sunitinib, sorafenib and TNP-470 are teratogenic and demonstrate that axitinib, pazopanib, vandetanib, and everolimus are also teratogens in these models. A dose response study identified the drugs inhibit HUVEC cell proliferation in vitro, and also target the developing blood vessels of embryos in vivo. This provides further evidence for the potential risk of fetal toxicity when using these drugs in a clinical setting, and emphasizes the importance of the development and maintenance of the vasculature in the embryo. We conclude that angiogenesis inhibitors, regardless of the molecular target, are teratogenic when exposed to chicken embryos.