bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
38. Solar production and modulation of cosmic rays, and their propagation through interplanetary space
Authors: Simpson J. A.
Published: July 2016

The principal characteristics for changes of cosmic ray intensity as a function of time and primary particle energy are reviewed for those intensity variations which are thought to be of non-terrestrial origin. These variations are either (a) temporary increases of cosmic ray intensity arising from thede novoproduction of cosmic ray particles in the vicinity of the sun in association with some solar flares, or (b) the modulation of extra-solar cosmic radiation within the interplanetary volume by a modulation mechanism related to solar activity.

The study of these variations for low-energy cosmic ray particles is also a unique tool for the investigation of interplanetary magnetic fields and other properties of interplanetary space. As an example, the cosmic ray events associated with the giant solar flare of 23 February 1956 have been studied. The experimental evidence shows that interplanetary magnetic fields must exist for the storage and redistribution of the solar flare cosmic ray particles. A more specific model indicates that disordered magnetic fields lie mainly beyond the orbit of the earth and that diffusion through these irregular magnetic fields is the prominent mechanism for particle storage. In addition, this cosmic ray intensity increase was fortunately superposed in such a way upon a change of intensity arising from a modulation mechanism that it is possible to restrict the kinds of models which account for modulation of cosmic ray intensity within the interplanetary volume.
Random affine code tree fractals: Hausdorff and affinity dimensions and pressure
Authors: JÄRVENPÄÄ ESA , JÄRVENPÄÄ MAARIT , WU MENG , WU WEN
Published: July 2016

We prove that for random affine code tree fractals the affinity dimension is almost surely equal to the unique zero of the pressure function. As a consequence, we show that the Hausdorff, packing and box counting dimensions of such systems are equal to the zero of the pressure. In particular, we do not presume the validity of the Falconer–Sloan condition or any other additional assumptions which have been essential in all the previously known results.
Sustainability Concepts in Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Cultures
Authors: Throsby David , Petetskaya Ekaterina
Published: July 2016

The concepts of sustainability, and of the more specific notion of sustainable development, have become entrenched in national and international policy making over the last half century. However, little attention has been paid to sustainability as it relates to indigenous communities. This article discusses sustainability concepts as understood in indigenous and non-indigenous societies, drawing a number of illustrations from the experiences and practices of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia. We point out that the two approaches to sustainability share many common concerns, although significant differences are evident. While the paradigm of sustainability can be seen as a universal concept that can be applied irrespective of social, political, or cultural context, it is argued that a fully realized model of sustainability for application in non-indigenous societies will only be possible if it acknowledges the importance of culture and incorporates the insights that have been accumulated over generations in indigenous knowledge systems.
Cambridge University Natural Radiocarbon Measurements II
Authors: Godwin H. , Willis E. H.
Published: July 2016

The dates given have been obtained during the year 1959. They have been made with carbon dioxide at 2 atmospheres pressure in a proportional gas-counter, as for the series given in Radiocarbon Supplement, volume 1.
Cities as biological computers
Authors: Pasquero Claudia , Poletto Marco
Published: July 2016

In this paper the authors propose a conceptual model and a bio-computational design method to articulate the world's Urbansphere, suggesting new terms for its co-evolution with the Biosphere.

The proposed model responds to principles of biological self-organisation, and operates by embedding a numerical/computational engine, a living Physarum polycephalum, onto a spatial/morphogenetic substratum, a Satellite driven informational territory. This integration is embodied in the Physarum Machine, a bio-digital design apparatus conceived by the authors and further developed within the Urban Morphogenesis Lab at the UCL in London.

The use of specifically designed apparatus of material computation to demonstrate and solve problems of urban morphogenesis is not new and the authors refer to the work of German Architect Frei Otto and his theory for the occupation and connection of territories.

This research leads to a notion of bio-city of the future where manmade infrastructures and non-human biological systems will constitute parts of a single biotechnological whole. To this respect it can be read as a manifesto for the extension of biotechnology to the scale of the Biosphere (biosphere geo-engineering) by expanding the scope and material articulation of global informational and energetic infrastructures (the internet of things and the internet of energy).

In the tradition of design based research, the paper also suggests an application of the proposed model to a specific case study demonstrating its efficacy in the re-conceptualization of the post-industrial and ecologically depleted landscapes of eastern Arizona. In conclusion the experiment describes the potential of augmenting materiality through sensors and microprocessors so that it would become possible to harvest the computational power latent in micro-organisms like the slime mould.

The dream outlined here is for an era where descriptive computation will be superseded by our capability to simulate and compute through the world that surrounds us.
Cola in the German Democratic Republic. East German Fantasies on Western Consumption
Authors: Veenis Milena
Published: July 2016

Coca Cola is frequently used to signal the large-scale transformation from socialism to capitalism in eastern and middle Europe, which began in East Germany in the autumn of 1989. In the famous GermanWende-movieGoodbye Lenin, the caffeinated drink figures prominently. The main character in this movie is a middle-aged woman who has fallen into coma during one of the mass demonstrations in Berlin, in November 1989. When she finally wakes up, about one year later, her country no longer exists. Her children successfully hide this fact from her, surrounding her with the material remnants of the past. One day, when she gets out of bed, she sees people attaching a huge banner of Coca Cola to the large flat in front of her apartment bloc. The scene marks the beginning of her awareness that the world in which she used to live is definitively gone.
Buds of the tree: the highway to the last universal common ancestor
Authors: de Farias Savio Torres , Prosdocimi Francisco
Published: July 2016

The last universal common ancestor (LUCA) has been considered as the branching point on which Bacteria, Archaea and Eukaryotes have diverged. However, the increased information relating to viruses’ genomes and the perception that many virus genes do not have homologs in other organisms opened a new discussion. Based on these facts, there has emerged the idea of an early LUCA that should be moved further into the past to include viruses, implicating that life should have originated before the appearance of cellular life forms. Another point of view from advocates of the RNA-world suggests that the origin of life happened a long time before organisms were capable of organizing themselves into cellular entities. Relevant data about the origin of ribosomes indicate that the catalytic unit of the large ribosomal subunit is what should actually be considered as the turning point that separated chemistry from biology. Other researchers seem to think that a tRNA was probably some sort of a strange attractor on which life has originated. Here we propose a theoretical synthesis that tries to provide a crosstalk among the theories and define important points on which the origin of life could have been originated and made more complex, taking into account gradualist assumptions. Thus, discussions involving the origin of biological activities in the RNA-world might lead into a world of progenotes on which viruses have been taken part until the appearance of the very first cells. Along this route of complexification, we identified some key points on which researchers may consider life as an emerging principle.
Prevalence rates of youths diagnosed with and medicated for ADHD in a nationwide survey in Taiwan from 2000 to 2011
Authors: Wang L.-J. , Lee S.-Y. , Yuan S.-S. , Yang C.-J. , Yang K.-C. , Huang T.-S. , Chou W.-J. , Chou M.-C. , Lee M.-J. , Lee T.-L. , Shyu Y.-C.
Published: July 2016

Aims.

Public controversy regarding the potential overdiagnosis and overmedication of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has continued for decades. This study used the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan (NHIRD-TW) to explore trends in ADHD diagnosis in youths and the proportion of those receiving medication, with the aim of determining whether ADHD is overdiagnosed and overmedicated in Taiwan.

Method.

Youths (age ≤18 years) who had at least two NHIRD-TW claims records with ADHD diagnosis between January 2000 and December 2011 were selected as the subject cohort. In total, the study sample comprised 145 018 patients with ADHD (mean age at a diagnosis of ADHD: 7.7 ± 3.1 years; 21.4% females). The number of cases of ADHD were calculated annually for each year (from 2000 to 2011), and the number of cases per year who received medication was determined as those with at least one record of pharmacotherapy (immediate-release methylphenidate, osmotic controlled-release formulation of methylphenidate, and atomoxetine) in each year.

Results.

The prevalence rates of a diagnosis of ADHD in the youths ranged from 0.11% in 2000 to 1.24% in 2011. Compared with children under 6 years of age, the ADHD diagnosis rates in children aged between 7 and 12 years (ratio of prevalence rates = 4.36) and in those aged between 13 and 18 years (ratio of prevalence rates = 1.42) were significantly higher during the study period. The prevalence in males was higher than that in females (ratio of prevalence rates = 4.09). Among the youths with ADHD, 50.2% received medications in 2000 compared with 61.0% in 2011. The probability of receiving ADHD medication increased with age. More male ADHD patients received medications that females patients (ratio of prevalence rates = 1.16).

Conclusions.

The rate of ADHD diagnosis was far lower than the prevalence rate (7.5%) identified in a previous community study using face-to-face interviews. Approximately 40–50% of the youths with ADHD did not receive any medications. These findings are not consistent with a systematic public opinion about overdiagnosis or overmedication of ADHD in Taiwan.
Catalytic transformation of dinitrogen into ammonia and hydrazine by iron-dinitrogen complexes bearing pincer ligand
Authors: Kuriyama Shogo , Arashiba Kazuya , Nakajima Kazunari , Matsuo Yuki , Tanaka Hiromasa , Ishii Kazuyuki , Yoshizawa Kazunari , Nishibayashi Yoshiaki
Published: July 2016

Synthesis and reactivity of iron-dinitrogen complexes have been extensively studied, because the iron atom plays an important role in the industrial and biological nitrogen fixation. As a result, iron-catalyzed reduction of molecular dinitrogen into ammonia has recently been achieved. Here we show that an iron-dinitrogen complex bearing an anionic PNP-pincer ligand works as an effective catalyst towards the catalytic nitrogen fixation, where a mixture of ammonia and hydrazine is produced. In the present reaction system, molecular dinitrogen is catalytically and directly converted into hydrazine by using transition metal-dinitrogen complexes as catalysts. Because hydrazine is considered as a key intermediate in the nitrogen fixation in nitrogenase, the findings described in this paper provide an opportunity to elucidate the reaction mechanism in nitrogenase.
SIRT7 is a histone desuccinylase that functionally links to chromatin compaction and genome stability
Authors: Li Lei , Shi Lan , Yang Shangda , Yan Ruorong , Zhang Di , Yang Jianguo , He Lin , Li Wanjin , Yi Xia , Sun Luyang , Liang Jing , Cheng Zhongyi , Shi Lei , Shang Yongfeng , Yu Wenhua
Published: July 2016

Although SIRT7 is a member of sirtuin family proteins that are described as NAD+-dependent class III histone deacetylases, the intrinsic enzymatic activity of this sirtuin protein remains to be investigated and the cellular function of SIRT7 remains to be explored. Here we report that SIRT7 is an NAD+-dependent histone desuccinylase. We show that SIRT7 is recruited to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in a PARP1-dependent manner and catalyses desuccinylation of H3K122 therein, thereby promoting chromatin condensation and DSB repair. We demonstrate that depletion of SIRT7 impairs chromatin compaction during DNA-damage response and sensitizes cells to genotoxic stresses. Our study indicates SIRT7 is a histone desuccinylase, providing a molecular basis for the understanding of epigenetic regulation by this sirtuin protein. Our experiments reveal that SIRT7-catalysed H3K122 desuccinylation is critically implemented in DNA-damage response and cell survival, providing a mechanistic insight into the cellular function of SIRT7.
Terahertz spectroscopy on Faraday and Kerr rotations in a quantum anomalous Hall state
Authors: Okada Ken N. , Takahashi Youtarou , Mogi Masataka , Yoshimi Ryutaro , Tsukazaki Atsushi , Takahashi Kei S. , Ogawa Naoki , Kawasaki Masashi , Tokura Yoshinori
Published: July 2016

Electrodynamic responses from three-dimensional topological insulators are characterized by the universal magnetoelectric term constituent of the Lagrangian formalism. The quantized magnetoelectric coupling, which is generally referred to as topological magnetoelectric effect, has been predicted to induce exotic phenomena including the universal low-energy magneto-optical effects. Here we report the experimental indication of the topological magnetoelectric effect, which is exemplified by magneto-optical Faraday and Kerr rotations in the quantum anomalous Hall states of magnetic topological insulator surfaces by terahertz magneto-optics. The universal relation composed of the observed Faraday and Kerr rotation angles but not of any material parameters (for example, dielectric constant and magnetic susceptibility) well exhibits the trajectory towards the fine structure constant in the quantized limit.
Investigation of directionally solidified InGaSb ternary alloys from Ga and Sb faces of GaSb(111) under prolonged microgravity at the International Space Station
Authors: Nirmal Kumar Velu , Arivanandhan Mukannan , Rajesh Govindasamy , Koyama Tadanobu , Momose Yoshimi , Sakata Kaoruho , Ozawa Tetsuo , Okano Yasunori , Inatomi Yuko , Hayakawa Yasuhiro
Published: July 2016

InGaSb ternary alloys were grown from GaSb (111)A and B faces (Ga and Sb faces) under microgravity conditions on board the International Space Station by a vertical gradient freezing method. The dissolution process of the Ga and Sb faces of GaSb and orientation-dependent growth properties of InGaSb were analysed. The dissolution of GaSb(111)B was greater than that of (111)A, which was found from the remaining undissolved seed and feed crystals. The higher dissolution of the Sb face was explained based on the number of atoms at that face, and its bonding with the next atomic layer. The growth interface shape was almost flat in both cases. The indium composition in both InGaSb samples was uniform in the radial direction and it gradually decreased along the growth direction because of segregation. The growth rate of InGaSb from GaSb (111)B was found to be higher than that of GaSb (111)A because of the higher dissolution of GaSb (111)B.
An acellular biologic scaffold treatment for volumetric muscle loss: results of a 13-patient cohort study
Authors: Dziki Jenna , Badylak Stephen , Yabroudi Mohammad , Sicari Brian , Ambrosio Fabrisia , Stearns Kristen , Turner Neill , Wyse Aaron , Boninger Michael L , Brown Elke H P , Rubin J Peter
Published: July 2016

Volumetric muscle loss (VML) is a severe and debilitating clinical problem. Current standard of care includes physical therapy or orthotics, which do not correct underlying strength deficits, and surgical tendon transfers or muscle transfers, which involve donor site morbidity and fall short of restoring function. The results of a 13-patient cohort study are described herein and involve a regenerative medicine approach for VML treatment. Acellular bioscaffolds composed of mammalian extracellular matrix (ECM) were implanted and combined with aggressive and early physical therapy following treatment. Immunolabeling of ultrasound-guided biopsies, and magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography imaging were performed to analyse the presence of stem/progenitor cells and formation of new skeletal muscle. Force production, range-of-motion and functional task performance were analysed by physical therapists. Electrodiagnostic evaluation was used to analyse presence of innervated skeletal muscle. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, numbers NCT01292876. In vivo remodelling of ECM bioscaffolds was associated with mobilisation of perivascular stem cells; formation of new, vascularised, innervated islands of skeletal muscle within the implantation site; increased force production; and improved functional task performance when compared with pre-operative performance. Compared with pre-operative performance, by 6 months after ECM implantation, patients showed an average improvement of 37.3% (P<0.05) in strength and 27.1% improvement in range-of-motion tasks (P<0.05). Implantation of acellular bioscaffolds derived from ECM can improve strength and function, and promotes site-appropriate remodelling of VML defects. These findings provide early evidence of bioscaffolding as a viable treatment of VML.
Correction: Corrigendum: A polyalanine peptide derived from polar fish with anti-infectious activities
Authors: Cardoso Marlon H. , Ribeiro Suzana M. , Nolasco Diego O. , de la Fuente-Núñez César , Felício Mário R. , Gonçalves Sónia , Matos Carolina O. , Liao Luciano M. , Santos Nuno C. , Hancock Robert E. W. , Franco Octávio L. , Migliolo Ludovico
Published: July 2016

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 21385; published online: 26 February 2016; updated: 20 July 2016 In this Article, there is a typographical error in the Results section. “Pa-MAP 1.9 (NH2-LAAKLTKAATKLTAALTKLAAALT-COOH) was designed …” should read: “Pa-MAP 1.9 (NH2-LAAKLTKAATKLTAALTKLAAALTAAAT-COOH) was designed …”
Placebo Response is Driven by UCS Revaluation: Evidence, Neurophysiological Consequences and a Quantitative Model
Authors: Puviani Luca , Rama Sidita
Published: July 2016

Despite growing scientific interest in the placebo effect and increasing understanding of neurobiological mechanisms, theoretical modeling of the placebo response remains poorly developed. The most extensively accepted theories are expectation and conditioning, involving both conscious and unconscious information processing. However, it is not completely understood how these mechanisms can shape the placebo response. We focus here on neural processes which can account for key properties of the response to substance intake. It is shown that placebo response can be conceptualized as a reaction of a distributed neural system within the central nervous system. Such a reaction represents an integrated component of the response to open substance administration (or to substance intake) and is updated through “unconditioned stimulus (UCS) revaluation learning”. The analysis leads to a theorem, which proves the existence of two distinct quantities coded within the brain, these are the expected or prediction outcome and the reactive response. We show that the reactive response is updated automatically by implicit revaluation learning, while the expected outcome can also be modulated through conscious information processing. Conceptualizing the response to substance intake in terms of UCS revaluation learning leads to the theoretical formulation of a potential neuropharmacological treatment for increasing unlimitedly the effectiveness of a given drug.
Correction: Corrigendum: Fast generation of three-qubit Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state based on the Lewis-Riesenfeld invariants in coupled cavities
Authors: Huang Xiao-Bin , Chen Ye-Hong , Wang Zhe
Published: July 2016

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 25707; published online: 24 May 2016; updated: 20 July 2016 The Acknowledgements section in this Article is incomplete. “This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grants No. 11404061, and the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province under Grant No.
Correction: Corrigendum: Assisted reproduction causes placental maldevelopment and dysfunction linked to reduced fetal weight in mice
Authors: Chen Shuqiang , Sun Fang-zhen , Huang Xiuying , Wang Xiaohong , Tang Na , Zhu Baoyi , Li Bo
Published: July 2016

Scientific Reports 5: Article number: 10596; published online: 18 June 2015; updated: 20 July 2016 In the Supplementary Information file originally published with this Article, Tables S1–S3 were omitted. These errors have been corrected in the Supplementary Information that now accompanies the Article.
Biodegradation mechanism of 1H-1,2,4-triazole by a newly isolated strain Shinella sp. NJUST26
Authors: Wu Haobo , Shen Jinyou , Wu Ruiqin , Sun Xiuyun , Li Jiansheng , Han Weiqing , Wang Lianjun
Published: July 2016

The highly recalcitrant 1H-1,2,4-triazole (TZ) is widely used in the synthesis of agricultural pesticide and considered to be an environmental pollutant. In this study, a novel strain NJUST26 capable of utilizing TZ as the sole carbon and nitrogen source, was isolated from TZ-contaminated soil, and identified as Shinella sp. The biodegradation assays suggested that optimal temperature and pH for TZ degradation by NJUST26 were 30 °C and 6–7, respectively. With the increase of initial TZ concentration from 100 to 320 mg L−1, the maximum volumetric degradation rate increased from 29.06 to 82.96 mg L−1 d−1, indicating high tolerance of NJUST26 towards TZ. TZ biodegradation could be accelerated through the addition of glucose, sucrose and yeast extract at relatively low dosage. The main metabolites, including 1,2-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one (DHTO), semicarbazide and urea were identified. Based on these results, biodegradation pathway of TZ by NJUST26 was proposed, i.e., TZ was firstly oxidized to DHTO, and then the cleavage of DHTO ring occurred to generate N-hydrazonomethyl-formamide, which could be further degraded to biodegradable semicarbazide and urea.
Intraradical colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi triggers induction of a lipochitooligosaccharide receptor
Authors: Rasmussen S. R. , Füchtbauer W. , Novero M. , Volpe V. , Malkov N. , Genre A. , Bonfante P. , Stougaard J. , Radutoiu S.
Published: July 2016

Functional divergence of paralogs following gene duplication is one of the mechanisms leading to evolution of novel pathways and traits. Here we show that divergence of Lys11 and Nfr5 LysM receptor kinase paralogs of Lotus japonicus has affected their specificity for lipochitooligosaccharides (LCOs) decorations, while the innate capacity to recognize and induce a downstream signalling after perception of rhizobial LCOs (Nod factors) was maintained. Regardless of this conserved ability, Lys11 was found neither expressed, nor essential during nitrogen-fixing symbiosis, providing an explanation for the determinant role of Nfr5 gene during Lotus-rhizobia interaction. Lys11 was expressed in root cortex cells associated with intraradical colonizing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Detailed analyses of lys11 single and nfr1nfr5lys11 triple mutants revealed a functional arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, indicating that Lys11 alone, or its possible shared function with the Nod factor receptors is not essential for the presymbiotic phases of AM symbiosis. Hence, both subfunctionalization and specialization appear to have shaped the function of these paralogs where Lys11 acts as an AM-inducible gene, possibly to fine-tune later stages of this interaction.
Association of the molecular regulation of ear leaf senescence/stress response and photosynthesis/metabolism with heterosis at the reproductive stage in maize
Authors: Song Yi , Zhang Zhe , Tan Xianjie , Jiang Yufeng , Gao Jiong , Lin Li , Wang Zhenhua , Ren Jun , Wang Xiaolei , Qin Lanqiu , Cheng Weidong , Qi Ji , Kuai Benke
Published: July 2016

Maize exhibits a wide range of heterotic traits, but the molecular basis of heterosis at the reproductive stage has seldom been exploited. Leaf senescence is a degenerative process which affects crop yield and quality. In this study, we observed significantly delayed ear leaf senescence in the reciprocal hybrids of B73/Mo17 and Zheng58/Chang7-2 after silking and all the hybrids displayed larger leaf areas and higher stems with higher yields. Our time-course transcriptome analysis identified 2,826 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two parental lines (PP-DEGs) and 2,328 DEGs between parental lines and the hybrid (PH-DEGs) after silking. Notably, several senescence promoting genes (ZmNYE1, ZmORE1, ZmWRKY53 and ZmPIFs) exhibited underdominant expression patterns in the hybrid, whereas putative photosynthesis and carbon-fixation (ZmPEPC)-associated, starch biosynthetic (ZmAPS1, ZmAPL), gibberellin biosynthetic genes (ZmGA20OX, ZmGA3OX) expressed overdominantly. We also identified 86 transcription factors from PH-DEGs, some of which were known to regulate senescence, stress and metabolic processes. Collectively, we demonstrate a molecular association of the regulations of both ear leaf senescence/stress response and photosynthesis/metabolism with heterosis at the late developmental stage. This finding not only extends our understanding to the molecular basis of maize heterosis but also provides basic information for molecular breeding.
Measuring the Electronic Properties of DNA-Specific Schottky Diodes Towards Detecting and Identifying Basidiomycetes DNA
Authors: Periasamy Vengadesh , Rizan Nastaran , Al-Ta’ii Hassan Maktuff Jaber , Tan Yee Shin , Tajuddin Hairul Annuar , Iwamoto Mitsumasa
Published: July 2016

The discovery of semiconducting behavior of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has resulted in a large number of literatures in the study of DNA electronics. Sequence-specific electronic response provides a platform towards understanding charge transfer mechanism and therefore the electronic properties of DNA. It is possible to utilize these characteristic properties to identify/detect DNA. In this current work, we demonstrate a novel method of DNA-based identification of basidiomycetes using current-voltage (I-V) profiles obtained from DNA-specific Schottky barrier diodes. Electronic properties such as ideality factor, barrier height, shunt resistance, series resistance, turn-on voltage, knee-voltage, breakdown voltage and breakdown current were calculated and used to quantify the identification process as compared to morphological and molecular characterization techniques. The use of these techniques is necessary in order to study biodiversity, but sometimes it can be misleading and unreliable and is not sufficiently useful for the identification of fungi genera. Many of these methods have failed when it comes to identification of closely related species of certain genus like Pleurotus. Our electronics profiles, both in the negative and positive bias regions were however found to be highly characteristic according to the base-pair sequences. We believe that this simple, low-cost and practical method could be useful towards identifying and detecting DNA in biotechnology and pathology.
Effect of Exendin-4 on Autophagy Clearance in Beta Cell of Rats with Tacrolimus-induced Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Lim Sun Woo , Jin Long , Jin Jian , Yang Chul Woo
Published: July 2016

Growing evidence suggests that GLP-1 protects beta cells against various cellular injuries by modulating autophagy. In this study, we examined whether exendin-4 (Ex-4), a GLP-1 analog, had preventive effects on tacrolimus (Tac)-induced beta cell injury by improving autophagy clearance. Rats with Tac-induced diabetes mellitus exhibited increased autophagy-associated protein expression, light chain 3B levels, and autophagic vacuole numbers in pancreatic beta cells. Additionally, Tac increased autophagy in a dose- and time-dependent manner in vitro, and inhibition of autophagosome using 3-methyladenine reduced Tac-induced islet cell injury by decreasing reactive oxygen species production and apoptosis. Ex-4 treatment decreased Tac-induced hyperglycaemia, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, accompanied by decreased autophagy-associated protein expression and autophagosome numbers. In vivo and in vitro studies showed that Tac treatment impaired lysosomal function and autophagosome-lysosome fusion; these processes were improve by Ex-4 treatment. Moreover, addition of bafilomycin A1, an inhibitor of lysosomal function, abolished the protective effects of Ex-4. Our findings reveal that Tac-induced diabetes mellitus was a state of excessive burden of autophagosomes and impairment of autophagy clearance and that Ex-4 protected against Tac-induced pancreatic islet injury by reducing the burden of autophagosomes via activation of autophagosome clearance. Thus, Ex-4 had therapeutic effects on Tac-induced pancreatic beta cell injury.
Accumulation of arachidonic acid-containing phosphatidylinositol at the outer edge of colorectal cancer
Authors: Hiraide Takanori , Ikegami Koji , Sakaguchi Takanori , Morita Yoshifumi , Hayasaka Takahiro , Masaki Noritaka , Waki Michihiko , Sugiyama Eiji , Shinriki Satoru , Takeda Makoto , Shibasaki Yasushi , Miyazaki Shinichiro , Kikuchi Hirotoshi , Okuyama Hiroaki , Inoue Masahiro , Setou Mitsutoshi , Konno Hiroyuki
Published: July 2016

Accumulating evidence indicates that cancer cells show specific alterations in phospholipid metabolism that contribute to tumour progression in several types of cancer, including colorectal cancer. Questions still remain as to what lipids characterize the outer edge of cancer tissues and whether those cancer outer edge-specific lipid compositions emerge autonomously in cancer cells. Cancer tissue-originated spheroids (CTOSs) that are composed of pure primary cancer cells have been developed. In this study, we aimed to seek out the cancer cell-autonomous acquisition of cancer outer edge-characterizing lipids in colorectal cancer by analysing phospholipids in CTOSs derived from colorectal cancer patients with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-imaging mass spectrometry (IMS). A signal at m/z 885.5 in negative ion mode was detected specifically at the surface regions. The signal was identified as an arachidonic acid (AA)-containing phosphatidylinositol (PI), PI(18:0/20:4), by tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Quantitative analysis revealed that the amount of PI(18:0/20:4) in the surface region of CTOSs was two-fold higher than that in the medial region. Finally, PI(18:0/20:4) was enriched at the cancer cells/stromal interface in colorectal cancer patients. These data imply a possible importance of AA-containing PI for colorectal cancer progression, and suggest cells expressing AA-containing PI as potential targets for anti-cancer therapy.
Intermittent high oxygen influences the formation of neural retinal tissue from human embryonic stem cells
Authors: Gao Lixiong , Chen Xi , Zeng Yuxiao , Li Qiyou , Zou Ting , Chen Siyu , Wu Qian , Fu Caiyun , Xu Haiwei , Yin Zheng Qin
Published: July 2016

The vertebrate retina is a highly multilayered nervous tissue with a large diversity of cellular components. With the development of stem cell technologies, human retinas can be generated in three-dimensional (3-D) culture in vitro. However, understanding the factors modulating key productive processes and the way that they influence development are far from clear. Oxygen, as the most essential element participating in metabolism, is a critical factor regulating organic development. In this study, using 3-D culture of human stem cells, we examined the effect of intermittent high oxygen treatment (40% O2) on the formation and cellular behavior of neural retinas (NR) in the embryonic body (EB). The volume of EB and number of proliferating cells increased significantly under 40% O2 on day 38, 50 and 62. Additionally, the ratio of PAX6+ cells within NR was significantly increased. The neural rosettes could only develop with correct apical-basal polarity under 40% O2. In addition, the generation, migration and maturation of retinal ganglion cells were enhanced under 40% O2. All of these results illustrated that 40% O2 strengthened the formation of NR in EB with characteristics similar to the in vivo state, suggesting that the hyperoxic state facilitated the retinal development in vitro.
Acute effects of ferumoxytol on regulation of renal hemodynamics and oxygenation
Authors: Cantow Kathleen , Pohlmann Andreas , Flemming Bert , Ferrara Fabienne , Waiczies Sonia , Grosenick Dirk , Niendorf Thoralf , Seeliger Erdmann
Published: July 2016

The superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle ferumoxytol is increasingly used as intravascular contrast agent in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study details the impact of ferumoxytol on regulation of renal hemodynamics and oxygenation. In 10 anesthetized rats, a single intravenous injection of isotonic saline (used as volume control) was followed by three consecutive injections of ferumoxytol to achieve cumulative doses of 6, 10 and 41 mg Fe/kg body mass. Arterial blood pressure, renal blood flow, renal cortical and medullary perfusion and oxygen tension were continuously measured. Regulation of renal hemodynamics and oxygenation was characterized by dedicated interventions: brief periods of suprarenal aortic occlusion, hypoxia and hyperoxia. None of the three doses of ferumoxytol resulted in significant changes in any of the measured parameters as compared to saline. Ferumoxytol did not significantly alter regulation of renal hemodynamics and oxygenation as studied by aortic occlusion and hypoxia. The only significant effect of ferumoxytol at the highest dose was a blunting of the hyperoxia-induced increase in arterial pressure. Taken together, ferumoxytol has only marginal effects on the regulation of renal hemodynamics and oxygenation. This makes ferumoxytol a prime candidate as contrast agent for renal MRI including the assessment of renal blood volume fraction.
Poly(amino carbonate urethane)-based biodegradable, temperature and pH-sensitive injectable hydrogels for sustained human growth hormone delivery
Authors: Phan V. H. Giang , Thambi Thavasyappan , Duong Huu Thuy Trang , Lee Doo Sung
Published: July 2016

In this study, a new pH-/temperature-sensitive, biocompatible, biodegradable, and injectable hydrogel based on poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(amino carbonate urethane) (PEG-PACU) copolymers has been developed for the sustained delivery of human growth hormone (hGH). In aqueous solutions, PEG-PACU-based copolymers existed as sols at low pH and temperature (pH 6.0, 23 °C), whereas they formed gels in the physiological condition (pH 7.4, 37 °C). The physicochemical characteristics, including gelation rate, mechanical strength and viscosity, of the PEG-PACU hydrogels could be finely tuned by varying the polymer weight, pH and temperature of the copolymer. An in vivo injectable study in the back of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats indicated that the copolymer could form an in situ gel, which exhibited a homogenous porous structure. In addition, an in vivo biodegradation study of the PEG-PACU hydrogels showed controlled degradation of the gel matrix without inflammation at the injection site and the surrounding tissue. The hGH-loaded PEG-PACU copolymer solution readily formed a hydrogel in SD rats, which subsequently inhibited the initial hGH burst and led to the sustained release of hGH. Overall, the PEG-PACU-based copolymers prepared in this study are expected to be useful biomaterials for the sustained delivery of hGH.
Global Tree Cover and Biomass Carbon on Agricultural Land: The contribution of agroforestry to global and national carbon budgets
Authors: Zomer Robert J. , Neufeldt Henry , Xu Jianchu , Ahrends Antje , Bossio Deborah , Trabucco Antonio , van Noordwijk Meine , Wang Mingcheng
Published: July 2016

Agroforestry systems and tree cover on agricultural land make an important contribution to climate change mitigation, but are not systematically accounted for in either global carbon budgets or national carbon accounting. This paper assesses the role of trees on agricultural land and their significance for carbon sequestration at a global level, along with recent change trends. Remote sensing data show that in 2010, 43% of all agricultural land globally had at least 10% tree cover and that this has increased by 2% over the previous ten years. Combining geographically and bioclimatically stratified Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 1 default estimates of carbon storage with this tree cover analysis, we estimated 45.3 PgC on agricultural land globally, with trees contributing >75%. Between 2000 and 2010 tree cover increased by 3.7%, resulting in an increase of >2 PgC (or 4.6%) of biomass carbon. On average, globally, biomass carbon increased from 20.4 to 21.4 tC ha−1. Regional and country-level variation in stocks and trends were mapped and tabulated globally, and for all countries. Brazil, Indonesia, China and India had the largest increases in biomass carbon stored on agricultural land, while Argentina, Myanmar, and Sierra Leone had the largest decreases.
A Superamphiphobic Sponge with Mechanical Durability and a Self-Cleaning Effect
Authors: Kim Daewon , Im Hwon , Kwak Moo Jin , Byun Eunkyoung , Im Sung Gap , Choi Yang-Kyu
Published: July 2016

A robust superamphiphobic sponge (SA-sponge) is proposed by using a single initiated chemical vapor deposition (i-CVD) process. Poly(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,10-heptadecafluorodecyl methacrylate) (PFDMA) is deposited on a commercial sponge by the polymerization of fluoroalkyl acrylates during the i-CVD process. This PFDMA is conformally coated onto both the exterior and interior of the sponge structure by a single step of the i-CVD process at nearly room temperature. Due to the inherent porous structure of the sponge and the hydrophobic property of the fluorine-based PFDMA, the demonstrated SA-sponge shows not only superhydrophobicity but also superoleophobicity. Furthermore, the fabricated SA-sponge is robust with regard to physical and chemical damage. The fabricated SA-sponge can be utilized for multi-purpose applications such as gas-permeable liquid separators.
Label-Free Detection of Single Living Bacteria via Electrochemical Collision Event
Authors: Lee Ji Young , Kim Byung-Kwon , Kang Mijeong , Park Jun Hui
Published: July 2016

We detected single living bacterial cells on ultramicroelectrode (UME) using a single-particle collision method and optical microscopic methods. The number of collision events involving the bacterial cells indicated in current-time (i-t) curves corresponds to the number of bacterial cells (i.e., Escherichia coli) on the UME surface, as observed visually. Simulations were performed to determine the theoretical current response (75 pA) and frequency (0.47 pM−1 s−1) of single Escherichia coli collisions. The experimental current response (83 pA) and frequency (0.26 pM−1 s−1) were on the same order of magnitude as the theoretical values. This single-particle collision approach facilitates detecting living bacteria and determining their concentration in solution and could be widely applied to studying other bacteria and biomolecules.
The transcription factor SKN7 regulates conidiation, thermotolerance, apoptotic-like cell death and parasitism in the nematode endoparasitic fungus Hirsutella minnesotensis
Authors: Hussain Muzammil , Hamid M. Imran , Wang Niuniu , Bin Lin , Xiang Meichun , Liu Xingzhong
Published: July 2016

The transcription factor SKN7 is a highly conserved protein among fungi and was initially recognized as a response regulator that protects cells from oxidative stress and maintains cell wall integrity in yeast. Orthologs of SKN7 are extensively present in biocontrol agents of plant pathogens, but they had not been functionally characterized. Here, we identified and characterized the transcription factor SKN7 in the nematode endoparasitic fungus Hirsutella minnesotensis. Null mutant lacking HIM-SKN7 (HIM_03620), which was generated by a gene disruption strategy, demonstrated reduced conidiation, increased sensitivity to high temperature, hydrogen peroxide, mannitol and ethanol, and reduced fungal resistance to farnesol. However, over-expression mutant showed increased conidial production, thermotolerance and resistance to farnesol, suggesting that HIM-SKN7 regulates antiapoptotic-like cell death in H. minnesotensis. Moreover, the results showed that in null mutant, H. minnesotensis had decreased endoparasitic ability as compared to wild type and over-expression strain. During the infection process, the relative expression of the HIM-SKN7 gene was significantly induced in the wild type and over-expression strain. The results of the present study advance our understanding of the functions of the SKN7 gene in biocontrol agents, in particular, nematode endoparasitic fungi.
Genomic content typifying a prevalent clade of bovine mastitis-associated Escherichia coli
Authors: Goldstone Robert J. , Harris Susan , Smith David G. E.
Published: July 2016

E. coli represents a heterogeneous population with capabilities to cause disease in several anatomical sites. Among sites that can be colonised is the bovine mammary gland (udder) and a distinct class of mammary pathogenic E. coli (MPEC) has been proposed. MPEC are the principle causative agents of bovine mastitis in well-managed dairy farms, costing producers in the European Union an estimated €2 billion per year. Despite the economic impact, and the threat this disease presents to small and medium sized dairy farmers, the factors which mediate the ability for E. coli to thrive in bovine mammary tissue remain poorly elucidated. Strains belonging to E. coli phylogroup A are most frequently isolated from mastitis. In this paper, we apply a population level genomic analysis to this group of E. coli to uncover genomic signatures of mammary infectivity. Through a robust statistical analysis, we show that not all strains of E. coli are equally likely to cause mastitis, and those that do possess specific gene content that may promote their adaptation and survival in the bovine udder. Through a pan-genomic analysis, we identify just three genetic loci which are ubiquitous in MPEC, but appear dispensable for E. coli from other niches.
Chronic effects of temperature on mortality in the Southeastern USA using satellite-based exposure metrics
Authors: Shi Liuhua , Liu Pengfei , Wang Yan , Zanobetti Antonella , Kosheleva Anna , Koutrakis Petros , Schwartz Joel
Published: July 2016

Climate change may affect human health, particularly for elderly individuals who are vulnerable to temperature changes. While many studies have investigated the acute effects of heat, only a few have dealt with the chronic ones. We have examined the effects of seasonal temperatures on survival of the elderly in the Southeastern USA, where a large fraction of subpopulation resides. We found that both seasonal mean temperature and its standard deviation (SD) affected long-term survival among the 13 million Medicare beneficiaries (aged 65+) in this region during 2000–2013. A 1 °C increase in summer mean temperature corresponded to an increase of 2.5% in death rate. Whereas, 1 °C increase in winter mean temperature was associated with a decrease of 1.5%. Increases in seasonal temperature SD also influence mortality. We decomposed seasonal mean temperature and its temperature SD into long-term geographic contrasts between ZIP codes and annual anomalies within ZIP code. Effect modifications by different subgroups were also examined to find out whether certain individuals are more vulnerable. Our findings will be critical to future efforts assessing health risks related to the future climate change.
Functionalization effect on a Pt/carbon nanotube composite catalyst: a first-principles study
Authors: Kim Byung-Hyun , Lee Kwang-Ryeol , Chung Yong-Chae , Park Mina
Published: July 2016

Chemical interactions between Pt and both pristine and defective carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that were functionalized with various surface functional groups, including atomic oxygen (–O), atomic nitrogen (–N), hydroxyl (–OH) and amine (–NH2) groups, were investigated through first-principles calculations.
Rapid detection of Clostridium difficile via magnetic bead aggregation in cost-effective polyester microdevices with cell phone image analysis
Authors: DuVall Jacquelyn A. , Cabaniss Scott T. , Angotti Morgan L. , Moore John H. , Abhyankar Mayuresh , Shukla Nishant , Mills Daniel L. , Kessel Bryan G. , Garner Gavin T. , Swami Nathan S. , Landers James P.
Published: July 2016

A centrifugally-driven polyester microdevice for sequence-specific detection ofClostridium difficileusing magnetic beads, isothermal amplification, and cell phone image analysis.
Temporal drift in Raman signal intensity during SERS measurements performed on analytes in liquid solutions
Authors: Setti G. O. , Joanni E. , Poppi R. J. , dos Santos D. P. , Jesus D. P. de
Published: July 2016

SERS experiments performed with the substrate immersed in liquid solutions are subjected to a temporal drift in the Raman signal intensity. This effect could have a negative impact on in situ quantitative chemical analysis.
Sensitive SERS detection of miRNA via enzyme-free DNA machine signal amplification
Authors: Li Xiaoxiao , Ye Sujuan , Luo Xiliang
Published: July 2016

Coupling SERS technology with a DNA fueled molecular machine, an enzyme-free signal amplified detection platform is described for miRNA detection.
Enantiomers of tetrahedral metal–organic cages: a new class of highly efficient G-quadruplex ligands with potential anticancer activities
Authors: Xi Sai-Fei , Bao Ling-Yu , Lin Jian-Guo , Liu Qing-Zhu , Qiu Ling , Zhang Feng-Li , Wang Yu-Xia , Ding Zheng-Dong , Li Ke , Gu Zhi-Guo
Published: July 2016

A new class of chiral tetrahedral cages efficiently stabilized antiparallel G-quadruplex DNA with moderate enantioselectivity and displayed promising cytotoxicity against several cancer cell lines.
Laser irradiation-induced Au–ZnO nanospheres with enhanced sensitivity and stability for ethanol sensing
Authors: Zhang Hao , Wu Shouliang , Liu Jun , Cai Yunyu , Liang Changhao
Published: July 2016

A liquid phase laser-irradiation induced unique hybrid structure presents enhanced sensing performance, indicating the crucial roles of catalytic effects and electronic interactions from decorated metal nanoparticles.
A 1 + 1′ resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization scheme for rotationally state-selective detection of formaldehyde via the Ã 1A2 ← X̃ 1A1 transition
Authors: Park G. Barratt , Krüger Bastian C. , Meyer Sven , Wodtke Alec M. , Schäfer Tim
Published: July 2016

The new 1 + 1′ REMPI scheme is well-suited for sensitive determination of rotational state distributions in formaldehyde.
Aerobic epoxidation catalysed by transition metal substituted polyfluorooxometalates
Authors: Bugnola Marco , Neumann Ronny
Published: July 2016

Polyfluorooxometalates with a nitro ligands, Q9[NaH2CuII(NO2)W17F6O55], are oxygen donors for epoxidation of alkenes and catalytic with O2 as terminal oxidant.
Metal–ligand cooperation at tethered π-ligands
Authors: Verhoeven Dide G. A. , Moret Marc-Etienne
Published: July 2016

Recent advances in the use of tethered π-coordinating ligands for metal–ligand cooperation.