bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prosecutor v. Bemba et al.
Authors: Nilsson Jonas
Published: August 2018

The case against Jean-Pierre Bemba, Aimé Kilolo Musamba, Jean-Jacques Mangenda Kabongo, Fidèle Babala Wandu, and Narcisse Arido is the first case before the International Criminal Court (ICC) dealing with offenses against administration of justice. The case is exceptional in terms of scope and size in comparison to other international prosecutions dealing with this kind of offense. The charges concern a systematic scheme aimed at producing false testimony of a large number of witnesses. Five people, including members of a defense team in another case before the ICC, carried out this operation over a period of many years. The case also involves several interesting evidentiary and procedural issues, including the overall regime for admission of evidence before the ICC.
Protection Through Presence: UN Peacekeeping and the Costs of Targeting Civilians
Authors: Fjelde Hanne , Hultman Lisa , Nilsson Desirée
Published: August 2018

Are UN peacekeepers effective in protecting civilians from violence? Existing studies examine this issue at the country level, thereby making it difficult to isolate the effect of peacekeepers and to assess the actual mechanism at work. We provide the first comprehensive evaluation of UN peacekeeping success in protecting civilians at the subnational level. We argue that peacekeepers through their sizable local presence can increase the political and military costs for warring actors to engage in civilian targeting. Since peacekeepers’ access to civilian populations rests on government consent, peacekeepers will primarily be effective in imposing these costs on rebel groups, but less so for government actors. To test these conjectures we combine new monthly data on the location of peacekeepers with data on the location and timing of civilian killings in Africa. Our findings suggest that local peacekeeping presence enhances the effectiveness of civilian protection against rebel abuse, but that UN peacekeeping struggles to protect civilians from government forces.
Immune reactivity against a variety of mammalian milks and plant-based milk substitutes
Authors: Vojdani Aristo , Turnpaugh Chris , Vojdani Elroy
Published: August 2018

The research reported here seeks to evaluate the allergenicity and antigenicity of different mammalian and plant-based milks/milk substitutes in healthy subjects. We used ELISA to measure IgE and IgG antibodies against cow, goat, sheep, camel, human milks, and soy, almond, and coconut plant-based milk substitutes, as well as IgA antibodies against all these apart from human milk, in 500 individuals in order to find the percentage of antibody elevation. IgG and IgE positivity showed that human milk was the least antigenic and allergenic, followed by camel milk. Cow's milk showed the highest percentage of elevation or reactivity. Among plant-based milk substitutes, the almond-based substitute was the most allergenic with the highest IgE reactivity, while the coconut milk substitute was lowest. For IgG and IgA immuno-reactivity, soy was first, with coconut again the lowest. We found IgE and IgG immune reactivity against coconut, almond and soymilks in some individuals who were non-reactive to mammalian milk, therefore, we should not assume that consumption of these milks is automatically without risk of allergenic response. We selected 24 samples out of the original 500 for the measurement of IgE antibodies against five different types of cow's milk, from non-organic to organic, A1 and A2. Statistical variance analysis detected no significant difference in IgE, IgG and IgA immune reactivities of the five different cow milks. Our results showed that if an individual is immuno-reactive to cow's milk, organic or not, the probability of reacting to goat and sheep milk is very high. Overall, the results presented here showed that for individuals allergic to cow's milk, the least allergenic alternatives in descending order are human, camel, sheep, and goat milks. Before choosing an alternative for cow's milk, one must go through accurate and quantitative blood testing for determination of IgE, IgG and IgA antibodies against different mammalian and plant-based milks/milk substitutes.
Artificial neuronal networks (ANN) to model the hydrolysis of goat milk protein by subtilisin and trypsin
Authors: Espejo-Carpio Francisco Javier , Pérez-Gálvez Raúl , Guadix Antonio , Guadix Emilia María
Published: August 2018

The enzymatic hydrolysis of milk proteins yield final products with improved properties and reduced allergenicity. The degree of hydrolysis (DH) influences both technological (e.g., solubility, water binding capacity) and biological (e.g., angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition, antioxidation) properties of the resulting hydrolysate. Phenomenological models are unable to reproduce the complexity of enzymatic reactions in dairy systems. However, empirical approaches offer high predictability and can be easily transposed to different substrates and enzymes. In this work, the DH of goat milk protein by subtilisin and trypsin was modelled by feedforward artificial neural networks (ANN). To this end, we produced a set of protein hydrolysates, employing various reaction temperatures and enzyme/substrate ratios, based on an experimental design. The time evolution of the DH was monitored and processed to generate the ANN models. Extensive hydrolysis is desirable because a high DH enhances some bioactivities in the final hydrolysate, such as antioxidant or antihypertensive. The optimization of both ANN models led to a maximal DH of 23·47% at 56·4 °C and enzyme–substrate ratio of 5% for subtilisin, while hydrolysis with trypsin reached a maximum of 21·3% at 35 °C and an enzyme–substrate ratio of 4%.
Shared Parental Leave: Exploring Variations in Attitudes, Eligibility, Knowledge and Take-up Intentions of Expectant Mothers in London
Authors: TWAMLEY KATHERINE , SCHOBER PIA
Published: August 2018

In April 2015, the UK introduced Shared Parental Leave (SPL), allowing mothers to transfer their maternity leave to their partners from two weeks after the birth or adoption of a child. There has been very limited research conducted on this leave policy to date and knowledge on take-up is poor. We present findings from an in-depth survey conducted with expectant mothers in two NHS trusts in England on their knowledge, views and plans around leave after the birth of their child and examine variations across educational and ethnic groups. A total of 575 expectant mothers took part in the survey. Around 7.4 per cent of expectant mothers who were (self-)employed or in education intended to take SPL. Finances and worries over fathers’ careers were cited as the primary barriers to take up of SPL. Individual entitlement for fathers and knowing others who took SPL increased individuals’ reported intention to take SPL. Applying logistic regression models, we found that knowledge of and access to SPL is correlated with education, ethnicity and home ownership. Future research and policy design should attend to such issues to ensure equitable access across families.
A computationally efficient algorithm to find time-optimal trajectory of redundantly actuated robots moving on a specified path
Authors: Mansouri Saeed , Sadigh Mohammad Jafar , Fazeli Masoud
Published: August 2018

A time-optimal problem for redundantly actuated robots moving on a specified path is a challenging problem. Although the problem is well explored and there are proposed solutions based on phase plane analysis, there are still several unresolved issues regarding calculation of solution curves. In this paper, we explore the characteristics of the maximum velocity curve and propose an efficient algorithm to establish the solution curve. Then we propose a straightforward method to calculate the maximum or minimum possible acceleration on the path based on the pattern of saturated actuators, which substantially reduces the computational cost. Two numerical examples are provided to illustrate the issues and the solutions.
Analysing the huge mailbag: Reception of John Honey's
The Language Trap
Authors: van Ostade Ingrid Tieken-Boon
Published: August 2018

Just after the start of the research project Bridging the
Unbridgeable: Linguists, Prescriptivists and the General Public in
2011, we laid our hands on a file called ‘Reactions to L. Trap’. The
file contains well over 200 documents: letters, picture postcards,
notes, newspaper clippings, and various other items, almost all of
them relating to the reception of a pamphlet called The
Language Trap, written by John Honey (1933–2001) and
published in 1983 by the British National Council for Educational
Standards (NCES). The file was offered for sale by Plurabelle Books
in Cambridge as part of the late John Honey's library, and acquiring
it offered a unique opportunity to study the reception of this
highly controversial publication, not only by linguists, but also by
the general public. Both groups responded in large numbers to the
publicity the pamphlet inspired, in the press as well as on the
radio.
The Empire of International Legalism
Authors: Hurd Ian
Published: August 2018

The international rule of law is a political system of governance. It rests on the expectation that governments will abide by their legal obligations and so defines what counts as appropriate behavior for states. The relationship between law and politics in global governance is better understood as an empire of global legalism than as an anarchic world of sovereign states. Legal justification is the lingua franca of legitimation contests among governments, as states strive to show that their preferred policies are lawful and that those they oppose are unlawful. Seeing the world this way helps to show the political content of international law: neither a neutral framework that sustains all viewpoints nor an inherently progressive contribution to global order, international law is a political system of governance that advances some interests at the expense of others, and our attention should be directed toward assessing which interests are served by the turn to global legalism and at whose expense.
Covert Positive Incentives as an Alternative to War
Authors: Pattison James
Published: August 2018

Although often overlooked, positive incentives can play a key role in tackling aggression, human rights abuses, and the spread of weapons of mass destruction. In this essay, I focus on one form of positive incentives: covert incentives. First, I argue that covert incentives are preferable to overt incentives since they enable policymakers to eschew the shackles of public opinion and avoid worries of moral hazard and the corruption of international society. Second, I argue that covert incentives are often more justifiable than covert force since they do not involve problematic methods and do not make it easier to undertake military action. Accordingly, I conclude that there is a prima facie duty to employ covert positive incentives as opposed to overt incentives and covert force.
Acute Inferior Myocardial Infarction Caused by Lightning Strike
Authors: Aydin Fatih , Turgay Yildirim Ozge , Dagtekin Evrin , Huseyinoglu Aydin Ayse , Aksit Ercan
Published: August 2018

Lightning strike is an infrequent natural phenomenon with serious medical complications, like multiple organ damage, and it is associated with increased risk of mortality. Cardiovascular complications are among the most hazardous complications of lightning strike. Lightning strike can cause various serious consequences ranging from electrocardiographic changes to death. We reported a 21-year-old patient with no cardiovascular risk factors struck by lightning and presented by inferior ST elevated myocardial infarction (MI). The patient was followed up in the intensive care unit and MI complication did not develop during follow-up. The patient was lost due to multi-organ failure after 20 hours.

AydinF, Turgay YildirimO, DagtekinE, Huseyinoglu AydinA, AksitE. Acute inferior myocardial infarction caused by lightning strike. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(6):658–659.
The Perks and Perils of Interdisciplinary Research
Authors: Leahey Erin
Published: August 2018

This paper synthesizes findings from two studies the author conducted that examine how engagement in interdisciplinary research (IDR) influences scholars’ careers. Results from these two studies, one large-scale and quantitative and the other small-scale and qualitative, provide a much needed empirical assessment of IDR’s effects on individual careers. In essence, they provide a nice antidote (and some caution) to the rhetoric and enthusiasm surrounding IDR. My co-authors of these studies and I find that engaging in interdisciplinary research increases a scholar’s visibility in terms of citations, but also presents challenges, including reduced productivity, cognitive challenges, lack of support, extra time and commitment, and framing of one’s work. This paper concludes by discussing the policy implications of this research.
A citizen perspective on nutritional warnings as front-of-pack labels: insights for the design of accompanying policy measures
Authors: Ares Gastón , Aschemann-Witzel Jessica , Curutchet María Rosa , Antúnez Lucía , Moratorio Ximena , Bove Isabel
Published: August 2018

Objective

Nutritional warnings have recently been suggested as a simplified front-of-pack nutrition labelling scheme to facilitate citizens’ ability to identify unhealthful products and discourage their consumption. However, citizens’ perspective on this policy is still under-researched. The objective of the present work was to study how citizens perceive nutritional warnings and to evaluate public support of this policy, with the goal of deriving recommendations for the design of policy measures accompanying the introduction of nutritional warnings.

Design

An online survey with 1416 Uruguayan citizens, aged 18–75 years, 61 % female, was conducted. Participants had to answer a series of questions (open-ended and multiple-choice) related to their perception of warnings as a front-of-package nutrition labelling scheme.

Results

Participants showed a positive attitude towards nutritional warnings, which were regarded as easy to understand and to identify on food packages. The majority of respondents emphasized that they would take nutritional warnings into account when making their food choices, stating that they would allow them to make informed choices and, consequently, to increase the quality of their diet and their health status. Health motivation appeared as a crucial driver for taking nutritional warnings into consideration.

Conclusions

A high level of public support for nutritional warnings was observed. Responses can be used to derive a range of recommendations for a policy mix that should synergistically support the introduction of nutritional warnings and encourage citizens to take them into account when making their food purchases.
Uncertainty in Sea Level Rise Projections Due to the Dependence Between Contributors
Authors: Le Bars Dewi
Published: August 2018

Sea level rises at an accelerating pace threatening coastal communities all over the world. In this context sea level projections are key tools to help risk mitigation and adaptation. Projections are often made using models of the main contributors to sea level rise (e.g., thermal expansion, glaciers, and ice sheets). To obtain the total sea level these contributions are added; therefore, the uncertainty of total sea level depends on the correlation between the uncertainties of the contributors. This fact is important to understand the differences in the uncertainty of sea level projections from different methods. Using two process‐based models to project sea level for the 21st century, we show how to model the correlation structure and its time dependence. In these models the correlation primarily arises from uncertainty of future global mean surface temperature that correlates with almost all contributors. Assuming that sea level contributors are independent of each other, an assumption made in many sea level projections underestimates the uncertainty in sea level projections. As a result, high‐end low probability events that are important for decision making are underestimated. The uncertainty in the strength of the dependence between contributors is also explored. New dependence relations between the uncertainty of dynamical processes and surface mass balance in glaciers and ice sheets are introduced in our model. Total sea level uncertainty is found to be as sensitive to the dependence between contributors as to uncertainty in certain individual contributors like thermal expansion and Greenland ice sheet.
Statistical Analysis of Separation Distance Between Equatorial Plasma Bubbles Near Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand
Authors: Bumrungkit Acharaporn , Supnithi Pornchai , Saito Susumu
Published: August 2018

Ionospheric disturbances can lead to the major detrimental effects on the availability of ground‐based augmentation system. In low‐latitude regions, equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) frequently arise. They originated from the bottom side of the ionosphere with the electron density inside the plasma bubbles lower than the outside area. It is well known that the EPB causes the strong fluctuation on Global Positioning System signals when passing through the ionospheric disturbed regions. Sometimes the EPBs may have more than one front. To better understand the ionospheric anomaly effect on ground‐based augmentation system efficiency, the separation distance between EPBs needs to be studied. In this work, we analyze the slant total electron content from dual‐frequency Global Positioning System receivers near Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand, to ascertain the EPB occurrence. The distance between observed EPBs is computed based on the Haversine formula technique. The results found that the estimated separation distances between depletions on disturbed days in 2015 are in the range of 100 to 1,200 km.
Contribution of Convection‐Induced Heat Flux to Winter Ice Decay in the Western Nansen Basin
Authors: Ivanov Vladimir , Smirnov Alexander , Alexeev Vladimir , Koldunov Nikolay V. , Repina Irina , Semenov Vladimir
Published: August 2018

Gradually decaying Arctic sea ice changes the boundary conditions at the surface, separating ocean and atmosphere. In recent years, substantial reductions in sea ice during winter have been observed in the Atlantic sector of the Arctic Ocean, which forms the gateway for warm water inflow from the midlatitudes. In this study, we used routine output from the Mercator Ocean global operational system (MOGOS) to assess the efficiency of winter thermohaline convection transporting heat from deep layers to the ocean surface along the Atlantic origin water (AW) pathway, between Svalbard and Franz Joseph Land in the Nansen Basin. Positive temperature extremes in the AW layer in midwinter promote favorable prerequisite conditions for deep‐reaching thermohaline convection, with explicit signs captured by the MOGOS. Balance equations with several assumptions for the compact region around the position (81.30°N, 31°E) of the long‐term (2004–2010) mooring demonstrated that winter heat loss at the ocean surface is mainly compensated by convective heat flux from the AW layer. Heat and salt fluxes, associated with horizontal advection, are compatible with convective fluxes, while contribution of ice formation/melt is substantially smaller. Conclusion about the dominant role of vertical convection in shaping thermohaline structure and reducing sea ice in winter is supported by correlation analysis of the MOGOS output and mooring‐based measurements. Unfavorable background conditions (thick and consolidated sea ice in combination with specific directions of ice drift) may significantly alter convection development, as demonstrated for two sequential years with substantially different external forcing.
Sources, Sinks, and Propagation Characteristics of the Quasi 6‐Day Wave and Its Impact on the Residual Mean Circulation
Authors: Gan Quan , Oberheide Jens , Pedatella Nicholas M.
Published: August 2018

This study employs a troposphere to lower thermosphere assimilation model data set generated by the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with data assimilation provided by the Data Assimilation Research Test Bed (WACCM + DART) to explore the sources, sinks, and propagation characteristics of the quasi 6‐day wave (Q6DW) in the year 2007. WACCM + DART reproduces the burst‐like Q6DW and compares well with Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry and Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics Doppler Interferometer observations. The most prominent Q6DW took place in later February and mid‐October, while the Q6DW was absent during solstice conditions in 2007. The occurrence of a large Q6DW in the equinoctial mesosphere and lower thermosphere is highly dependent on wave amplification and overreflection processes associated with barotropic/baroclinic instabilities and wave critical layers defined by the zonal mean zonal winds. During solstices, the winter hemisphere waveguide is negative and prevents the vertical wave propagation from the source region into the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. Meanwhile, the critical layer for the Q6DW encloses the unstable region in the summer hemisphere and thus blocks the energy conversion from the mean flow to the wave. The resulting circulation pattern due to the Q6DW momentum deposition is upward and poleward in both hemispheres and thus weakens the residual mean circulation in the summer hemisphere but strengthens it in the winter hemisphere. Also, the Q6DW impact on the residual mean circulation points to broader implications for the mean state of the upper atmosphere, for example, the thermospheric O/N2 ratio due to upward constituent transport and related changes in the ionospheric plasma.
Mapping the Lateral Development of Lightning Flashes From Orbit
Authors: Peterson Michael , Rudlosky Scott , Deierling Wiebke
Published: August 2018

Optical lightning measurements from the Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) are used to map the lateral development of lightning flashes and produce statistics that describe their motion through the electrified cloud. This is accomplished by monitoring the frame‐by‐frame (group‐level) evolution of the optical signals produced during each flash. While the optical flash properties recorded by LIS gravitate towards the most exceptional optical signals produced during the flash, group‐level data describe the evolution and lateral development of the flash resulting from physical lightning process that emits enough light out of the top of the cloud to be detected from orbit. The groups that comprise LIS flashes constitute examples of complex lateral flash structure that can extend 80 km in length with dozens to hundreds of visible branches. The lateral development of individual flashes is described in terms of its speed and direction of motion, whether the development extends the overall length of the flash or reilluminates an existing segment, and whether it is directed inbound or outbound with respect to the origin. Sixty‐five percent of propagating groups are directed outbound from the origin, 22% extend the length of the flash, and 3–5% reilluminate an existing branch. LIS flashes are commonly oriented from east to west and develop at speeds ranging from 104 to 106 m/s, consistent with large‐scale leader development. These results provide evidence that lightning imagers may be used in conjunction with Lightning Mapping Array systems to document physical lightning phenomena across global domains.
Novel β-phenylacrylic acid derivatives exert anti-cancer activity by inducing Src-mediated apoptosis in wild-type KRAS colon cancer
Authors: Kim Su Jin , Noh Tae Hwan , Son Sujin , Kim Do Hyun , Kim Wooseong , Lee Yunna , Choo Jieun , Heo Gwangbeom , Kim Min Jae , Chung Hae Young , Jung Yunjin , Jung Jee Hyung , Moon Hyung Ryong , Im Eunok
Published: August 2018

Many stress conditions including chemotherapy treatment is known to activate Src and under certain condition Src can induce the apoptotic signal via c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation. Here we report that the newly synthesized β-phenylacrylic acid derivatives, MHY791 and MHY1036 (MHYs), bind to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase domains and function as EGFR inhibitors, having anti-cancer activities selectively in wild-type KRAS colon cancer. Mechanistically, MHYs-induced Src/JNK activation which enhanced their pro-apoptotic effects and therefore inhibition of Src by the chemical inhibitor PP2 or Src siRNA abolished the response. In addition, MHYs generated reactive oxygen species and increased ER stress, and pretreatment with antioxidant-inhibited MHY-induced ER stress, Src activation, and apoptosis. Furthermore, the irreversible EGFR inhibitor PD168393 also activated Src while the reversible EGFR inhibitor gefitinib showed the opposite effect, indicating that MHYs are the irreversible EGFR inhibitor. Collectively, Src can play a key role in apoptosis induced by the novel EGFR inhibitor MHYs, suggesting that activation of Src might prove effective in treating EGFR/wild-type KRAS colon cancer.
Author Correction: A family of archaea-like carboxylesterases preferentially expressed in the symbiotic phase of the mycorrhizal fungus Tuber melanosporum
Authors: Cavazzini Davide , Grossi Guido , Levati Elisabetta , Vallese Francesca , Montanini Barbara , Bolchi Angelo , Zanotti Giuseppe , Ottonello Simone
Published: August 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and the PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.
Author Correction: NMDA-receptor inhibition and oxidative stress during hippocampal maturation differentially alter parvalbumin expression and gamma-band activity
Authors: Hasam-Henderson Luisa A. , Gotti Grace C. , Mishto Michele , Klisch Constantin , Gerevich Zoltan , Geiger Jörg R. P. , Kovács Richard
Published: August 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.
Vector measurement and performance tuning of a terahertz bottle beam
Authors: Li Heting , Wang Xinke , Wang Sen , Sun Wenfeng , Ye Jiasheng , Han Peng , Feng Shengfei , Yu Yue , Zhang Yan
Published: August 2018

A terahertz (THz) bottle beam is realized by adopting the combination of a Teflon axicon and a silicon lens. By using a THz imaging system with a focal-plane array, the vector characteristics of the THz bottle beam are coherently measured and detailedly analyzed, including the transverse (Ex) and longitudinal (Ez) components. The experimental phenomena vividly reveal the distribution characteristics and the formation origin of the THz optical barrier. A vectorial diffraction integral algorithm of a focusing optical system are utilized to exactly simulate the measured results. Besides, the features of the THz bottle beam are effectively tuned by varying the parameters of the Teflon axicon and the silicon lens. This work gives a full view to understand the evolution characteristics of the THz bottle beam and provide a solid experimental foundation for guiding the future applications of this type of THz beam.
Author Correction: Exploring intrinsically disordered proteins in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Authors: Zhang Yizhi , Launay Hélène , Schramm Antoine , Lebrun Régine , Gontero Brigitte
Published: August 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.
Genetics of serum urate concentrations and gout in a high-risk population, patients with chronic kidney disease
Authors: Jing Jiaojiao , Ekici Arif B. , Sitter Thomas , Eckardt Kai-Uwe , Schaeffner Elke , Li Yong , Kronenberg Florian , Köttgen Anna , Schultheiss Ulla T.
Published: August 2018

We evaluated genetics of hyperuricemia and gout, their interaction with kidney function and medication intake in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of urate and gout were performed in 4941 CKD patients in the German Chronic Kidney Disease (GCKD) study. Effect estimates of 26 known urate-associated population-based single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were examined. Interactions of urate-associated variants with urate-altering medications and clinical characteristics of gout were evaluated. Genome-wide significant associations with serum urate and gout were identified for known loci at SLC2A9 and ABCG2, but not for novel loci. Effects of the 26 known SNPs were of similar magnitude in CKD patients compared to population-based individuals, except for SNPs at ABCG2 that showed greater effects in CKD. Gene-medication interactions were not significant when accounting for multiple testing. Associations with gout in specific joints were significant for SLC2A9 rs12498742 in wrists and midfoot joints. Known genetic variants in SLC2A9 and ABCG2 were associated with urate and gout in a CKD cohort, with effect sizes for ABCG2 significantly greater in CKD compared to the general population. CKD patients are at high risk of gout due to reduced kidney function, diuretics intake and genetic predisposition, making treatment to target challenging.
Identification of a dioxin-responsive oxylipin signature in roots of date palm: involvement of a 9-hydroperoxide fatty acid reductase, caleosin/peroxygenase PdPXG2
Authors: Hanano Abdulsamie , Shaban Mouhnad , Almousally Ibrahem , Murphy Denis J.
Published: August 2018

Dioxins are highly hazardous pollutants that have well characterized impacts on both animal and human health. However, the biological effects of dioxins on plants have yet to be described in detail. Here we describe a dioxin-inducible caleosin/peroxygenase isoform, PdPXG2, that is mainly expressed in the apical zone of date palm roots and specifically reduces 9-hydroperoxide fatty acids. A characteristic spectrum of 18 dioxin-responsive oxylipin (DROXYL) congeners was also detected in date palm roots after exposure to dioxin. Of particular interest, six oxylipins, mostly hydroxy fatty acids, were exclusively formed in response to TCDD. The DROXYL signature was evaluated in planta and validated in vitro using a specific inhibitor of PdPXG2 in a root-protoplast system. Comparative analysis of root suberin showed that levels of certain monomers, especially the mono-epoxides and tri-hydroxides of C16:3 and C18:3, were significantly increased after exposure to TCDD. Specific inhibition of PdPXG2 activity revealed a positive linear relationship between deposition of suberin in roots and their permeability to TCDD. The results highlight the involvement of this peroxygenase in the plant response to dioxin and suggest the use of dioxin-responsive oxylipin signatures as biomarkers for plant exposure to this important class of xenobiotic contaminants.
Tissue-engineered 3D melanoma model with blood and lymphatic capillaries for drug development
Authors: Bourland Jennifer , Fradette Julie , Auger François A.
Published: August 2018

While being the rarest skin cancer, melanoma is also the deadliest. To further drug discovery and improve clinical translation, new human cell-based in vitro models are needed. Our work strives to mimic the melanoma microenvironment in vitro as an alternative to animal testing. We used the self-assembly method to produce a 3D human melanoma model exempt of exogenous biomaterial. This model is based on primary human skin cells and melanoma cell lines while including a key feature for tumor progression: blood and lymphatic capillaries. Major components of the tumor microenvironment such as capillaries, human extracellular matrix, a stratified epidermis (involucrin, filaggrin) and basement membrane (laminin 332) are recapitulated in vitro. We demonstrate the persistence of CD31+ blood and podoplanin+/LYVE-1+ lymphatic capillaries in the engineered tissue. Chronic treatment with vemurafenib was applied to the model and elicited a dose-dependent response on proliferation and apoptosis, making it a promising tool to test new compounds in a human-like environment.
Two-Dimensional Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy versus J-Editing for GABA Quantification in Human Brain: Insights from a GABA-Aminotransferase Inhibitor Study
Authors: Prescot Andrew P. , Prisciandaro James J. , Miller Steven R. , Ingenito Gary , Kondo Douglas G. , Renshaw Perry F.
Published: August 2018

Metabolite-specific, scalar spin-spin coupling constant (J)-editing 1H MRS methods have become gold-standard for measuring brain γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) levels in human brain. Localized, two-dimensional (2D) 1H MRS technology offers an attractive alternative as it significantly alleviates the problem of severe metabolite signal overlap associated with standard 1D MRS and retains spectroscopic information for all MRS-detectable species. However, for metabolites found at low concentration, a direct, in vivo, comprehensive methods comparison is challenging and has not been reported to date. Here, we document an assessment of comparability between 2D 1H MRS and J-editing methods for measuring GABA in human brain. This clinical study is unique in that it involved chronic administration a GABA-amino transferase (AT) inhibitor (CPP-115), which induces substantial increases in brain GABA concentration, with normalization after washout. We report a qualitative and quantitative comparison between these two measurement techniques. In general, GABA concentration changes detected using J-editing were closely mirrored by the 2D 1H MRS time courses. The data presented are particularly encouraging considering recent 2D 1H MRS methodological advances are continuing to improve temporal resolution and spatial coverage for achieving whole-brain, multi-metabolite mapping.
Plasma metabolomic profiles differ at the time of artificial insemination based on pregnancy outcome, in Bos taurus beef heifers
Authors: Phillips Kaitlyn M. , Read Casey C. , Kriese-Anderson Lisa A. , Rodning Soren P. , Brandebourg Terry D. , Biase Fernando H. , Marks M. Landon , Elmore Joshua B. , Stanford M. Kent , Dyce Paul W.
Published: August 2018

Infertility remains the most prevalent reason for cattle being removed from production environments. We utilized metabolomic profiling to identify metabolites in the blood plasma that may be useful in identifying infertile heifers at the time of artificial insemination (AI). Prior to AI, phenotypic parameters including body condition, weight, and reproductive organ measurements were collected. These were determined not effective at differentiating between fertile and infertile heifers. Analysis of the resulting metabolomic profiles revealed 15 metabolites at significantly different levels (T-test P ≤ 0.05), with seven metabolites having a greater than 2-fold difference (T-test P ≤ 0.05, fold change ≥2, ROC-AUC ≥ 0.80) between infertile and fertile heifers. We further characterized the utility of using the levels of these metabolites in the blood plasma to discriminate between fertile and infertile heifers. Finally, we investigated the potential role inflammation may play by comparing the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the white blood cells of infertile heifers to that of fertile heifers. We found significantly higher expression in infertile heifers of the proinflammatory markers tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interleukin 6 (IL6), and the C-X-C motif chemokine 5 (CXCL5). Our work offers potentially valuable information regarding the diagnosis of fertility problems in heifers undergoing AI.
Dengue virus infection changes Aedes aegypti oviposition olfactory preferences
Authors: Gaburro Julie , Paradkar Prasad N. , Klein Melissa , Bhatti Asim , Nahavandi Saeid , Duchemin Jean-Bernard
Published: August 2018

Aedes aegyptimosquitoes, main vectors for numerous flaviviruses, have olfactory preferences and are capable of olfactory learning especially when seeking their required environmental conditions to lay their eggs. In this study, we showed that semiochemical conditions duringAedes aegyptilarval rearing affected future female choice for oviposition: water-reared mosquitoes preferred to lay eggs in water or p-cresol containers, while skatole reared mosquitoes preferred skatole sites. Using two independent behavioural assays, we showed that this skatole preference was lost in mosquitoes infected with dengue virus. Viral RNA was extracted from infected female mosquito heads, and an increase of virus load was detected from 3 to 10 days post infection, indicating replication in the insect head and possibly in the central nervous system. Expression of selected genes, potentially implied in olfactory learning processes, were also altered during dengue infection. Based on these results, we hypothesise that dengue virus infection alters gene expression in the mosquito’s head and is associated with a loss of olfactory preferences, possibly modifying oviposition site choice of female mosquitoes.
Giant barocaloric tunability in [(CH3CH2CH2)4N]Cd[N(CN)2]3 hybrid perovskite
Authors: Bermúdez-García Juan Manuel , Yáñez-Vilar Susana , García-Fernández Alberto , Sánchez-Andújar Manuel , Castro-García Socorro , López-Beceiro Jorge , Artiaga Ramón , Dilshad Melony , Moya Xavier , Señarís-Rodríguez María Antonia
Published: August 2018

[TPrA]Cd[dca]3 shows giant barocaloric tunability and large barocaloric effect, which are desirable for future low-pressure barocaloric cooling applications.
Photochemical degradation of halogenated estrogens under natural solar irradiance
Authors: Milstead Reid P. , Nance Keeton T. , Tarnas Kulananalu S. , Egelhofer Kira E. , Griffith David R.
Published: August 2018

Estrogen photolysis is strongly influenced by the extent of halogenation and pH.
Effects of the suspended sediment concentration and oil type on the formation of sunken and suspended oils in the Bohai Sea
Authors: Gao Yali , Zhao Xue , Ju Zhonglei , Yu Yue , Qi Zhixin , Xiong Deqi
Published: August 2018

Schematic description of the interaction between oil and sediments under increasing sediment particle concentration.
Iron and nitrogen cycling, bacterioplankton community composition and mineral transformations involving phosphorus stabilisation in the ferruginous hypolimnion of a post-mining lake
Authors: Petrash Daniel A. , Jan Jiří , Sirová Dagmara , Osafo Nana O.-A. , Borovec Jakub
Published: August 2018

In the ferruginous and sulfate-rich bottom waters of the oligotrophic Lake Medard, P is bound to mineral clusters dominated by FeOOH polymorphs. Below the hypolimnion, Fe, C and N cycling seems largely controlled by Proteobacteria.
Interaction of CuO nanoparticles with plant cells: internalization, oxidative stress, electron transport chain disruption, and toxicogenomic responses
Authors: Dai Yanhui , Wang Zhenyu , Zhao Jian , Xu Lili , Xu Lina , Yu Xiaoyu , Wei Yongpeng , Xing Baoshan
Published: August 2018

This study investigated the toxicity of CuO nanoparticles (NPs) toNicotiana tabacumL. cv. Bright Yellow-2 (BY-2) cells.
A general salt-resistant hydrophilic/hydrophobic nanoporous double layer design for efficient and stable solar water evaporation distillation
Authors: Yang Yawei , Zhao Hongyang , Yin Zongyou , Zhao Jianqiu , Yin Xingtian , Li Na , Yin Dandan , Li Yannan , Lei Bo , Du Yaping , Que Wenxiu
Published: August 2018

A unique hydrophilic/hydrophobic nanoporous double layer structure was designed for efficient and stable solar water evaporation distillation.
ZnO photoelectrode simultaneously modified with Cu2O and Co-Pi based on broader light absorption and efficiently photogenerated carrier separation
Authors: Ma Chonghao , Liu Zhifeng , Cai Qijun , Han Changcun , Tong Zhengfu
Published: August 2018

A ZnO/Cu2O/Co-Pi photoelectrode is applied in PEC water splitting, improving the light absorption and photogenerated carrier separation.
Silica-coated magnetic iron oxide functionalized with hydrophobic polymeric ionic liquid: a promising nanoscale sorbent for simultaneous extraction of antidiabetic drugs from human plasma prior to their quantitation by HPLC
Authors: Badragheh Sahar , Zeeb Mohsen , Talei Bavil Olyai Mohamad Reza
Published: August 2018

A sustainable nanoscale core–shell modified with hydrophobic polymeric ionic liquid was fabricated for simultaneous extraction and determination of antidiabetic drugs.
The role of the solvent and the size of the nanotube in the non-covalent dispersion of carbon nanotubes with short organic oligomers – a DFT study
Authors: Alrawashdeh Ahmad I. , Lagowski Jolanta B.
Published: August 2018

Among different dispersants of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), conjugated organic oligomers have the ability to interact strongly with SWCNTs and allow for effective dispersion in several organic solvents.
Design of a scalable AuNP catalyst system for plasmon-driven photocatalysis
Authors: Stolle Heike Lisa Kerstin Stephanie , Garwe Frank , Müller Robert , Krech Thomas , Oberleiter Bastian , Rainer Thomas , Fritzsche Wolfgang , Stolle Achim
Published: August 2018

An easy to prepare catalyst system on a support for plasmon catalysed degradation of ethanol in the gas-phase.
Preparation and characterization of petroleum-based mesophase pitch by thermal condensation with in-process hydrogenation
Authors: Li Ming , Zhang Yadong , Yu Shitao , Xie Congxia , Liu Dong , Liu Shiwei , Zhao Ruiyang , Bian Bing
Published: August 2018

A petroleum aromatic-rich component was used to prepare mesophase pitch by thermal condensation.
Preparation and properties of nanocomposites of β-cyclodextrin-functionalized polyacrylamide and its application for enhancing oil recovery
Authors: Hu Xu , Ke Yangchuan , Zhao Yi , Yu Chengcheng , Lu Shichao , Peng Fangfang
Published: August 2018

The introduction of nano-SiO2can significantly improve the performance of β-cyclodextrin-functionalized polyacrylamide in various aspects.
A novel nanofiltration membrane inspired by an asymmetric porous membrane for selective fractionation of monovalent anions in electrodialysis
Authors: Ding Jincheng , Yang Shanshan , Pan Jiefeng , Zheng Yu , Sotto Arcadio , Shen Jiangnan
Published: August 2018

The present study describes the synthesis of new nanofiltration membranes inspired by asymmetric porous membranes used as monovalent anion selective membranes for electro-membrane separation.
Microwave-assisted nanocatalysis: A CuO NPs/rGO composite as an efficient and recyclable catalyst for the Petasis-borono–Mannich reaction
Authors: Dandia Anshu , Bansal Sarika , Sharma Ruchi , Rathore Kuldeep S. , Parewa Vijay
Published: August 2018

CuO NPs/rGO composite was synthesized and characterized by various analytical techniques an used as a recyclable catalyst for Petasis-borono–Mannich reaction under microwave irradiation.
Design and synthesis of N-substituted perylene diimide based low band gap polymers for organic solar cell applications
Authors: Meena Savita , Mohammad Tauheed , Dutta Viresh , Jacob Josemon
Published: August 2018

Newly designed N-substituted perylene diimide based acceptor copolymers have been characterized and tested for organic solar cells with P3HT in different weight ratios.
Retracted Article: Organometallic Ag nanostructures prepared usingHypericum perforatumextract are highly effective against multidrug-resistant bacteria
Authors: Maqbool Qaisar , Kruszka Dariusz , Kachlicki Piotr , Franklin Gregory
Published: August 2018

The tuning of bulk Ag+ions into organometallic Ag nanostructures usingHypericum perforatumextract is reported for the first time. The green-synthesised nanostructures showed an auspicious antibacterial performance against highly virulent multidrug resistant bacteria.
Green synthesis of surface-passivated carbon dots from the prickly pear cactus as a fluorescent probe for the dual detection of arsenic(iii) and hypochlorite ions from drinking water
Authors: Radhakrishnan K. , Panneerselvam P.
Published: August 2018

Efforts were made to develop a simple new approach for the green synthesis of surface-passivated carbon dots from edible prickly pear cactus fruit as the carbon source by a one-pot hydrothermal route.
A simple capillary viscometer based on the ideal gas law
Authors: Phu Pham Le Hoang , Bautista Luis , Vargas Deyvid C. , Luo Xiaolong
Published: August 2018

Fluid viscosity proportional to pressure drop in a capillary (L) was reflected by the air–fluid interface displacement (ΔL) to enclosed air.
Improved photodynamic effect through encapsulation of two photosensitizers in lipid nanocapsules
Authors: Barras Alexandre , Skandrani Nadia , Gonzalez Pisfil Mariano , Paryzhak Solomiya , Dumych Tetiana , Haustrate Aurélien , Héliot Laurent , Gharbi Tijani , Boulahdour Hatem , Lehen’kyi V'yacheslav , Bilyy Rostyslav , Szunerits Sabine , Bidaux Gabriel , Boukherroub Rabah
Published: August 2018

Encapsulation of two photosensitizers in lipid nanocapsules leads to enhanced photodynamic therapy efficiency.
Combining inverse and conventional pyroelectricity in antiferroelectric thin films for energy conversion
Authors: Hanrahan Brendan , Espinal Yomery , Liu Shi , Zhang Zeyu , Khaligh Alireza , Smith Andrew , Alpay S. Pamir
Published: August 2018

Resonant charging between inverted regions of pyroelectric coefficient in antiferroelectric thin films enables energy conversion schemes analogous to piston engines.
The effect of single atom replacement on organic thin film transistors: case of thieno[3,2-b]pyrrole vs. furo[3,2-b]pyrrole
Authors: Bulumulla Chandima , Gunawardhana Ruwan , Yoo Sang Ha , Mills Cody R. , Kularatne Ruvanthi N. , Jackson Thomas N. , Biewer Michael C. , Gomez Enrique D. , Stefan Mihaela C.
Published: August 2018

The smallest entries of S,N- and O,N-heteroacenes are systematically investigated in donor–acceptor–donor type small molecules toward OFETs.
Bisubstituted-biquinoline Cu(i) complexes: synthesis, mesomorphism and photophysical studies in solution and condensed states
Authors: Cretu C. , Andelescu A. A. , Candreva A. , Crispini A. , Szerb E. I. , La Deda M.
Published: August 2018

New ionic Cu(i) coordination complexes with 4,4′-bisubstituted-2,2′-biquinolines showing low temperature lamello-columnar and columnar hexagonal thermotropic mesomorphism, depending on the substituents, are synthesized and characterized.
Dual electric and magnetic responsivity of multilayered magnetite-embedded core/shell silica/titania nanoparticles with outermost silica shell
Authors: Yoon Chang-Min , Jang Yoonsun , Lee Seungae , Jang Jyongsik
Published: August 2018

Multilayered magnetite-embedded core/shell silica/titania (SiO2/TiO2) nanoparticles with an outermost silica shell (SiO2/TiO2@Fe3O4/SiO2) were synthesized and used to develop stimuli-responsive smart fluids.
On the design of an efficient load balancing mechanism on GridSim adapted to the computing environment of heterogeneity in both resources and networks
Authors: Patel Deepak Kumar , Tripathy Chita Ranjan
Published: August 2018

GridSim is a widely used grid simulation tool. Since it simulates a grid environment well, it has been widely used in studies of grids. Many researchers have proposed various load‐balancing techniques in the grid, but all those cannot be used in GridSim due to the structural differences of the grid. In this study, the authors propose an enhanced load balancing method called enhanced GridSim with heterogeneity aware load balancing (EGHLB) for GridSim. The proposed algorithm EGHLB estimates system parameters such as load on the resource, the expected finish time of a Gridlet on resources on each Gridlet arrival and then balances the load by providing a new mechanism of scheduling which prevents the resource overloading and executes all the Gridlets on the heterogeneous resources within the assigned deadline. A selection method for efficient scheduling of Gridlets among heterogeneous resources is presented by taking into account the deadline, network heterogeneity, and resource heterogeneity. They simulate the proposed algorithm on the GridSim platform.