bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dipolar‐Distribution Cavity γ‐Fe2O3@C@α‐MnO2 Nanospindle with Broadened Microwave Absorption Bandwidth by Chemically Etching
Authors: You Wenbin , Bi Han , She Wen , Zhang Yu , Che Renchao
Published: November 2016

Developing microwave absorption materials with ultrawide bandwidth and low density still remains a challenge, which restricts their actual application in electromagnetic signal anticontamination and defense stealth technology. Here a series of olive‐like γ‐Fe2O3@C core–shell spindles with different shell thickness and γ‐Fe2O3@C@α‐MnO2 spindles with different volumes of dipolar‐distribution cavities were successfully prepared. Both series of absorbers exhibit excellent absorption properties. The γ‐Fe2O3@C@α‐MnO2 spindle with controllable cavity volume exhibits an effective absorption (<−10 dB) bandwidth as wide as 9.2 GHz due to the chemically dipolar etching of the core. Reflection loss of the γ‐Fe2O3@C spindle reaches as high as −45 dB because of the optimized electromagnetic impedance balance between polymer shell and γ‐Fe2O3 core. Intrinsic ferromagnetism of the anisotropy spindle is confirmed by electron holography. Strong coupling of magnetic flux stray lines between spindles is directly imaged. This unique morphology and facile etching technique might facilitate the study of core–shell type microwave absorbers.
Assisting the continuous improvement of Scrum projects using metrics and Bayesian networks
Authors: Perkusich Mirko , Gorgônio Kyller Costa , Almeida Hyggo , Perkusich Angelo
Published: November 2016

Scrum is a simple process to understand, but hard to adopt. Therefore, there is a need for resources to assist on its adoption. In this paper, we present the process followed to build a Bayesian network to assist on the assessment of the quality of the software process in the context of Scrum projects. The model provides data to help Scrum Masters lead the improvement of business value delivery of Scrum teams. The process is divided into 2 phases. In the first phase, we built the Bayesian network based on expert knowledge extracted from the literature and experts. We used a top‐down approach and reasoning to define the key metrics necessary to build the models and their relationships. In the second phase, we updated the Bayesian network based on limitations of the first version. We validated the Bayesian network inferences with 10 simulated scenarios. Comparing both versions, for all scenarios, we improved the accuracy of the inferences. Therefore, we concluded that the Bayesian networks adequately represent Scrum projects from the viewpoint of the Scrum Master. Finally, the model built is in conformance with agile methods tailoring and can be adapted to any Scrum team.
Preparing work‐ready sonography trainees: An accelerated model of ultrasound training by the University of Auckland
Authors: Sim J.
Published: November 2016

Introduction

New Zealand is experiencing a national shortage of sonographers. The intense nature of clinical supervision negatively impacts on supervisor and workplace productivity thereby further exacerbating the workforce shortage. The University of Auckland piloted a new education initiative to prepare sonography trainees to be more ‘work ready’ and to reduce supervision burden of sonographers.

Methods

Trainees attended a 12‐week intensive course on campus full time. The course focused on building sonographer core competencies, placing equal emphasis on the development of critical thinking and psychomotor skill of ultrasound scanning. An independent evaluator was appointed to determine the quality of the course and the impact of the trainees on supervision burden and workplace productivity.

Results

Trainees were reported to be 6 to 9 months ahead of students who did not undergo the 12‐week intensive course. The clinical supervision burden was reduced without compromising on quality of clinical practice.

Discussion

This new education initiative represents a departure from the traditional model by having trainees to commence their initial training full time at the university. With the successful conclusion of the pilot study, both public and private sectors currently jointly contribute to the funding of the intensive course.
Modelling a family of systems for crisis management with concern‐oriented reuse
Authors: Alam Omar , Kienzle Jörg , Mussbacher Gunter
Published: November 2016

Concern‐oriented reuse (CORE) proposes the concern as a new unit of model‐based reuse encapsulating software artefacts pertaining to a domain of interest that span multiple development phases and levels of abstraction. With CORE, a concern encapsulates multiple reusable features, while allowing its generic models to be customized to problem‐specific contexts. We report on our experience of designing a family of crisis management systems (CMS) with the help of reusable concern libraries. The collected metrics show a considerable amount of reuse in our CMS design. The study provides encouraging evidence that CORE's vision to create large‐scale, generic and reusable entities that are expressed with the most appropriate modelling formalisms at the right level of abstraction is feasible. We present our experience in the design of the CMS and elaborate on the advantages as well as the efforts required to adopt CORE in an industrial setting. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the first‐order and buckling behaviour of thin walled regular polygonal tubes
Authors: Gonçalves Rodrigo , Camotim Dinar
Published: November 2016

This paper summarizes the work carried out in the context of an ongoing investigation that aims to understand and characterize the structural behaviour of thin‐walled single‐cell regular convex polygonal section (RCPS) tubes, such as those widely employed in the steel construction industry. In particular, the first‐order and buckling (bifurcation) behaviours are addressed and it is shown that they

exhibit several peculiarities, stemming essentially from the cross‐section rotational symmetry, and

can be significantly influenced by distortion‐type deformation.

The analytical and numerical results reported in this paper are obtained using generalized beam theory (GBT) and its computationally efficient specialization for RCPS recently developed by the authors [1]. In particular, the unique modal decomposition features of GBT make it possible to

identify the most relevant cross‐section deformation modes,

draw valuable conclusions concerning the mechanics of the problem under consideration from the analysis of the (modal) solution, and

develop analytical and semi‐analytical formulae for problems of significant practical interest.
Cyclic behaviour of external diaphragm joint to CHS column with built‐in replaceable links
Authors: Khador Majd , Chan Tak‐Ming
Published: November 2016

A series of full‐scale laboratory experiments was conducted to investigate the cyclic behaviour of an external diaphragm joint between a steel I‐beam and a circular hollow section column. The joint incorporated two diaphragm plates (DPs) welded to the column's external wall and bolted to the flanges of the beam using tapered cover plates (TCPs). The joint was designed to limit yielding and plastic hinging of the TCPs while the other joint components remained elastic. This is necessary if the joint is to qualify for use in structures classified in the damage control structural performance range according to FEMA 356. Two parameters of the TCPs are investigated in this paper: steel grade and bolt preload force. The use of higher steel grades was found to impose undesirable higher strain demands on the beam and DPs and dissipate less energy than the joints with the lower grade. A controlled reduction in the bolt preload force allowed connection slippage to occur beyond the serviceability limit, created an additional energy dissipation fuse and allowed rotation of the plastic hinge region to exceed the 25 mrad required for medium ductility class structures.
Concise Review: Geminin—A Tale of Two Tails: DNA Replication and Transcriptional/Epigenetic Regulation in Stem Cells
Authors: Patmanidi Alexandra L. , Champeris Tsaniras Spyridon , Karamitros Dimitris , Kyrousi Christina , Lygerou Zoi , Taraviras Stavros
Published: November 2016

Molecular mechanisms governing maintenance, commitment, and differentiation of stem cells are largely unexploited. Molecules involved in the regulation of multiple cellular processes are of particular importance for stem cell physiology, as they integrate different signals and coordinate cellular decisions related with self-renewal and fate determination. Geminin has emerged as a critical factor in DNA replication and stem cell differentiation in different stem cell populations. Its inhibitory interaction with Cdt1, a member of the prereplicative complex, ensures the controlled timing of DNA replication and, consequently, genomic stability in actively proliferating cells. In embryonic as well as somatic stem cells, Geminin has been shown to interact with transcription factors and epigenetic regulators to drive gene expression programs and ultimately guide cell fate decisions. An ever-growing number of studies suggests that these interactions of Geminin and proteins regulating transcription are conserved among metazoans. Interactions between Geminin and proteins modifying the epigenome, such as members of the repressive Polycomb group and the SWI/SNF proteins of the permissive Trithorax, have long been established. The complexity of these interactions, however, is only just beginning to unravel, revealing key roles on maintaining stem cell self-renewal and fate specification. In this review, we summarize current knowledge and give new perspectives for the role of Geminin on transcriptional and epigenetic regulation, alongside with its regulatory activity in DNA replication and their implication in the regulation of stem and progenitor cell biology.
Expression Analysis of the Stem Cell Marker Pw1/Peg3 Reveals a CD34 Negative Progenitor Population in the Hair Follicle
Authors: Besson Vanessa , Kyryachenko Sergiy , Janich Peggy , Benitah Salvador A. , Marazzi Giovanna , Sassoon David
Published: November 2016

Pw1/Peg3 is a parentally imprinted gene expressed in adult stem cells in every tissue thus far examined including the stem cells of the hair follicle. Using a Pw1/Peg3 reporter mouse, we carried out a detailed dissection of the stem cells in the bulge, which is a major stem cell compartment of the hair follicle in mammalian skin. We observed that PW1/Peg3 expression initiates upon placode formation during fetal development, coincident with the establishment of the bulge stem cells. In the adult, we observed that PW1/Peg3 expression is found in both CD34+ and CD34− populations of bulge stem cells. We demonstrate that both populations can give rise to new hair follicles, reconstitute their niche, and self-renew. These results demonstrate that PW1/Peg3 is a reliable marker of the full population of follicle stem cells and reveal a novel CD34− bulge stem-cell population.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Microvesicles Modulate Lipopolysaccharides-Induced Inflammatory Responses to Microglia Cells
Authors: Jaimes Yarúa , Naaldijk Yahaira , Wenk Kerstin , Leovsky Christiane , Emmrich Frank
Published: November 2016

Microglia cells are the central nervous system immune cells and have been pointed out as the main mediators of the inflammation leading to neurodegenerative disorders. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a heterogeneous population of cells with very high self-renewal properties and uncomplicated in vitro culture. Research has shown that MSCs have the capacity to induce tissue regeneration and reduce inflammation. Studies demonstrated that MSCs have complex paracrine machineries involving shedding of cell-derived microvesicles (MVs), which entail part of the regulatory and regenerative activity of MSCs, as observed in animal models. We proposed MSC-derived MVs as potent regulators of microglia activation and used an in vitro model of stimulation for BV-2 cells, a microglia cell line, with lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Here we demonstrated that presence of MSCs-derived MVs (MSC-MVs) prevents Tumor necrosis factor-α, Interleukin (IL)−1β and IL-6 upregulation by BV-2 cells and primary microglia cells toward LPS. Also, inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthases and Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 upregulation were hampered in presence of MSC-MVs. Higher levels of the M2 microglia marker chemokine ligand-22 were detectable in BV-2 cells after coculture with MSC-MVs in presence and absence of LPS. Moreover, upregulation of the activation markers CD45 and CD11b by BV-2 cells was prevented when cocultured with MSC-MVs. Furthermore, MSC-MVs suppressed the phosphorylation of the extracellular signal kinases 1/2, c-Jun N-terminal kinases and the p38 MAP kinase (p38) molecules. Consequently, MSC-MVs might represent a modulator of microglia activation with future therapeutic impact.
A kernel approach to implementation of local linear discriminant analysis for face recognition
Authors: Shi Zhan , Hu Jinglu
Published: November 2016

The multiple linear model is used successfully to extend the linear model to nonlinear problems. However, the conventional multilinear models fail to learn the global structure of a training data set because the local linear models are independent of each other. Furthermore, the local linear transformations are learned in the original space. Therefore, the performance of multilinear methods is strongly dependent on the results of partition. This paper presents a kernel approach for the implementation of the local linear discriminant analysis for face recognition problems. In the original space, we utilize a set of local linear transformations with interpolation to approximate an optimal global nonlinear transformation. Based on the local linear models in the original space, we derive an explicit kernel mapping to map the training data into a high‐dimensional transformed space. The optimal transformation is learned globally in the transformed space. Experimental results show that the proposed method is more robust to the partition results than the conventional multilinear methods. Compared with the general nonlinear kernels that utilize a black‐box mapping, our proposed method can reduce the negative effects caused by the potential overfitting problem. © 2016 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Preserving feature layout information for object recognition
Authors: Zhao Qian , Ge Shuzhi Sam , Liu Sibang , Ma Li
Published: November 2016

In this paper, we have proposed a method to preserve layout information of feature maps, which is vanished in fully connected layer, for object classification tasks. In bag‐of‐features framework, codebook encodes an image to produce a group of response maps by convolution operation. And the maps hold location information of features in regular grids. To obtain mid‐level representation, it is common to concatenate all the features into a long feature vector. Based on the representation, a linear classifier or full‐connected layer is implemented to predict labels. However, because of the disappearance of regular girds, the spatial information of features vanish before being fed to the higher layer, even though it is preserved in the feature extraction process. In this paper, this problem is addressed by applying spatial description feature (SDF) to preserve more useful information with modified spatial pyramids. In addition, to enhance the performance of SDFs, we have designed a forward–backward strategy to select receptive fields. In the experiment, it is shown that the knowledge of feature spatial layout can promote classification and the forward–backward learning scheme can generate a compact and high‐performance pipeline. © 2016 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Effects of an electric field shield on the neutralizing characteristics of a corona discharge air ionizer
Authors: Okano Makoto
Published: November 2016

The effects of an electric field shield on the electric field noise and neutralizing current of a corona discharge air ionizer were investigated as a means to prevent soft errors during quality control inspections. The neutralizing current and noise voltage were measured for shielded and nonshielded air ionizers using a charged plate monitor. The use of an electric field shield decreased both the neutralizing current and the noise voltage. Therefore, neutralizing current to noise voltage ratio was calculated to evaluate the effect of the shield on the neutralization performance, and this ratio was several times higher for the shielded air ionizer than for the nonshielded air ionizer. © 2016 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Analytical study of a circular inhomogeneity with homogeneously imperfect interface in plane micropolar elasticity
Authors: Videla J. , Atroshchenko E.
Published: November 2016

In this paper we derive the full analytical solution for the problem of a circular micropolar inhomogeneity in an infinite micropolar plate subjected to a remote uni‐axial tension. The interface between the inhomogeneity and the surrounding matrix is considered to be homogeneously imperfect. This model has been well known in classical elasticity and was validated experimentally and verified analytically . Mathematically it is expressed in the assumption that the stresses are continuous across the interface and proportional to the jumps in the corresponding displacements. This idea was extended to micropolar elasticity , where the additional assumption of continuous couple‐tractions proportional to the jumps in the corresponding microrotations was introduced. In the present work we show the asymptotic derivation of the linear interface model in micropolar elasticity (plane‐strain), based on the expansion of all fields in a thin “interphase” layer between the inhomogeneity and the matrix, , and link the interface parameters to the properties of the interphase layer. The problem is subsequently solved with the use of Eringen's stress functions, which allow to express all stresses/couple stresses and displacements/microrotation as a linear combination of the solutions of two governing equations and reduce the boundary conditions on the interface to a system of algebraic equations for the unknown coefficients. A parametric study is conducted to show that the stress concentration factors are significantly dependent on the micropolar material constants as well as the parameters characterizing the imperfect bonding between the inhomogeneity and the matrix. The solution is given in a ready‐to‐use form, freely downloadable, and can be further used, for example, for the analysis of interface failures or as a reference solution in numerical methods.
Jealousy in adolescents' daily lives: How does it relate to interpersonal context and well‐being?
Authors: Lennarz Hannah K. , Lichtwarck‐Aschoff Anna , Finkenauer Catrin , Granic Isabela
Published: November 2016

Past studies have shown that jealousy peaks in adolescence. However, little is known about how and when adolescents experience jealousy in their daily lives. The current study aimed to examine the relation between state jealousy, the more general propensity to feel jealous, the interpersonal contexts in which jealousy arises, and different forms of social comparison. The impact of jealousy on perceptions of well‐being was also explored. We used an experience sampling method during two weekends with 68 adolescents (Mage = 13.94; 64.70% girls). Jealousy was common: On average, 90% of our sample experienced jealousy in 20% of the assessments. Adolescents reported more jealousy with peers than with family. Additionally, they experienced more jealousy when in online contexts than when in face‐to‐face peer contexts. The normative nature of jealousy, its developmental function and relation with well‐being, and implications for understanding jealousy triggered in (highly social) online contexts are discussed.
Culpable Carelessness
Authors: Stark Findlay
Published: November 2016

The question of when a person is culpable for taking an unjustified risk of harm has long been controversial in Anglo-American criminal law doctrine and theory. This survey of the approaches adopted in England and Wales, Canada, Australia, the United States, New Zealand and Scotland argues that they are converging, to differing extents, around a 'Standard Account' of culpable unjustified risk-taking. This Standard Account distinguishes between awareness-based culpability (recklessness) and inadvertence-based culpability (negligence) for unjustified risk-taking. With reference to criminal law theory and philosophical literature, the author argues that, when explained appropriately, the Standard Account is defensible and practical. Defending the Standard Account involves analysing in depth a number of controversial matters, including the meaning of advertence/awareness, the role of attitudes such as indifference in culpable risk-taking, and the question of whether negligence should be used in the criminal law.
STELES AND STATUS: EVIDENCE FOR THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW ELITE IN YUAN NORTH CHINA
Authors: Iiyama Tomoyasu
Published: November 2016

Drawing on stele inscriptions in a Yuan-period ancestral graveyard, this article aims to shed light on the emergence and evolution of a Chinese office-holding family in North China under Mongol rule (thirteenth- to fourteenth century). Tracing the family's connections with Mongols, it argues that adaptation to the Mongolian patronage system was essential to obtaining and maintaining political status during the Yuan, and that the kin group was stratified with the patronized descent line monopolizing political privilege. In doing so, the article highlights the value of stone inscriptions in clarifying official status, patronage, and inheritance rights in North China during the Yuan period.
THE HARMONIZATION OF THE AVOIDANCE RULES IN EUROPEAN UNION INSOLVENCIES
Authors: Keay Andrew
Published: November 2016

Cross-border transactions and resultant legal proceedings often cause problems. One major problem is knowing which law should govern the transaction and any legal proceedings. Cross-border insolvencies in the EU are subject to the European Regulation on Insolvency Proceedings (EIR) but this legislation does not determine which substantive insolvency law rules apply in a given insolvency. There are many differences in the insolvency rules applicable in the various EU Member States and this has caused concern in relation to the avoidance of transactions entered into by an insolvent prior to the opening of insolvency proceedings. In light of this, the paper examines options to address divergence between national avoidance rules. One option, harmonization, is analysed as well as its possible benefits and drawbacks.
Dynamics of zonal flows: failure of wave-kinetic theory, and new geometrical optics approximations
Authors: Parker Jeffrey B.
Published: November 2016

The self-organisation of turbulence into regular zonal flows can be fruitfully investigated with quasi-linear methods and statistical descriptions. A wave-kinetic equation that assumes asymptotically large-scale zonal flows leads to ultraviolet divergence. From an exact description of quasi-linear dynamics emerges two better geometrical optics approximations. These involve not only the mean flow shear but also the second and third derivative of the mean flow. One approximation takes the form of a new wave-kinetic equation, but is only valid when the zonal flow is quasi-static and wave action is conserved.
Morphological awareness as a function of semantics, phonology, and orthography and as a predictor of reading comprehension in Chinese
Authors: LI HONG , DRONJIC VEDRAN , CHEN XI , LI YIXUN , CHENG YAHUA , WU XINCHUN
Published: November 2016

This study investigates the contributions of semantic, phonological, and orthographic factors to morphological awareness of 413 Chinese-speaking students in Grades 2, 4, and 6, and its relationship with reading comprehension. Participants were orally presented with pairs of bimorphemic compounds and asked to judge whether the first morphemes of the words shared a meaning. Morpheme identity (same or different), whole-word semantic relatedness (high or low), orthography (same or different), and phonology (same or different) were manipulated. By Grade 6, children were able to focus on meaning similarities across morphemes while ignoring the distraction of form, but they remained influenced by whole-word semantic relatedness. Children's ability to overcome the distraction of phonology consistently improved with age, but did not reach ceiling, whereas the parallel ability for orthography reached ceiling at Grade 6. Morphological judgment performance was a significant unique predictor of reading comprehension when character naming and vocabulary knowledge were accounted for.
THE PLACE OF FORCE IN GENERAL JURISPRUDENCE
Authors: Pojanowski Jeffrey A.
Published: November 2016

This essay reviews Frederick Schauer's book, The Force of Law (2015). Schauer argues that coercion is central to legal practice and should be no less important in legal theory. In doing so, Schauer presents formidable challenges to standard versions of legal positivism—and does so from within the positivist framework. Much of Schauer's criticism on that score is sound. His analysis of the role coercion can play in accomplishing law's moral tasks is also welcome and important. Nevertheless, Schauer's jurisprudential framework comes up short in its inability to distinguish law from other social practices that also use force. The Force of Law’s strong critique of contemporary positivism and the incompleteness of its own method make an indirect case for the classical tradition of theorizing that understands law in light of its moral purposes.
Exposure to the Law: Accountability and Its Impact on Street-level Bureaucracy
Authors: Murphy Mark , Skillen Paul
Published: November 2016

Little research has been conducted exploring the relationship between public-sector accountability and the law. This is a significant oversight given the potential for this relationship to cause unintended consequences around issues of liability, especially in the context of a growing litigation culture. The purpose of the current research is to explore this relationship, using qualitative studies of public-sector professionals in England. The findings of the study suggest that increasing emphasis on accountability has led to a growing magnification of legal risk in the public sector, with consequences for the ways public-sector professionals perceive their relationships with the public.
Fast ensemble representations for abstract visual impressions
Authors: Leib Allison Yamanashi , Kosovicheva Anna , Whitney David
Published: November 2016

Much of the richness of perception is conveyed by implicit, rather than image or feature-level, information. The perception of animacy or lifelikeness of objects, for example, cannot be predicted from image level properties alone. Instead, perceiving lifelikeness seems to be an inferential process and one might expect it to be cognitively demanding and serial rather than fast and automatic. If perceptual mechanisms exist to represent lifelikeness, then observers should be able to perceive this information quickly and reliably, and should be able to perceive the lifelikeness of crowds of objects. Here, we report that observers are highly sensitive to the lifelikeness of random objects and even groups of objects. Observers’ percepts of crowd lifelikeness are well predicted by independent observers’ lifelikeness judgements of the individual objects comprising that crowd. We demonstrate that visual impressions of abstract dimensions can be achieved with summary statistical representations, which underlie our rich perceptual experience.
Carbene footprinting accurately maps binding sites in protein–ligand and protein–protein interactions
Authors: Manzi Lucio , Barrow Andrew S. , Scott Daniel , Layfield Robert , Wright Timothy G. , Moses John E. , Oldham Neil J.
Published: November 2016

Specific interactions between proteins and their binding partners are fundamental to life processes. The ability to detect protein complexes, and map their sites of binding, is crucial to understanding basic biology at the molecular level. Methods that employ sensitive analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry have the potential to provide valuable insights with very little material and on short time scales. Here we present a differential protein footprinting technique employing an efficient photo-activated probe for use with mass spectrometry. Using this methodology the location of a carbohydrate substrate was accurately mapped to the binding cleft of lysozyme, and in a more complex example, the interactions between a 100 kDa, multi-domain deubiquitinating enzyme, USP5 and a diubiquitin substrate were located to different functional domains. The much improved properties of this probe make carbene footprinting a viable method for rapid and accurate identification of protein binding sites utilizing benign, near-UV photoactivation.
Sulfheme formation during homocysteine S-oxygenation by catalase in cancers and neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Padovani Dominique , Hessani Assia , Castillo Francine T. , Liot Géraldine , Andriamihaja Mireille , Lan Annaïg , Pilati Camilla , Blachier François , Sen Suvajit , Galardon Erwan , Artaud Isabelle
Published: November 2016

Accumulating evidence suggests that abnormal levels of homocysteine are associated with vascular dysfunctions, cancer cell proliferation and various neurodegenerative diseases. With respect to the latter, a perturbation of transition metal homeostasis and an inhibition of catalase bioactivity have been reported. Herein, we report on some of the molecular bases for the cellular toxicity of homocysteine and demonstrate that it induces the formation of sulfcatalase, an irreversible inactive state of the enzyme, without the intervention of hydrogen sulfide. Initially, homocysteine reacts with native catalase and/or redox-active transition metal ions to generate thiyl radicals that mediate compound II formation, a temporarily inactive state of the enzyme. Then, the ferryl centre of compound II intervenes into the unprecedented S-oxygenation of homocysteine to engender the corresponding sulfenic acid species that further participates into the prosthetic heme modification through the formation of an unusual Fe(II) sulfonium. In addition, our ex cellulo studies performed on cancer cells, models of neurodegenerative diseases and ulcerative colitis suggest the likelihood of this scenario in a subset of cancer cells, as well as in a cellular model of Parkinson’s disease. Our findings expand the repertoire of heme modifications promoted by biological compounds and point out another deleterious trait of disturbed homocysteine levels that could participate in the aetiology of these diseases.
In silico Pathway Activation Network Decomposition Analysis (iPANDA) as a method for biomarker development
Authors: Ozerov Ivan V. , Lezhnina Ksenia V. , Izumchenko Evgeny , Artemov Artem V. , Medintsev Sergey , Vanhaelen Quentin , Aliper Alexander , Vijg Jan , Osipov Andreyan N. , Labat Ivan , West Michael D. , Buzdin Anton , Cantor Charles R. , Nikolsky Yuri , Borisov Nikolay , Irincheeva Irina , Khokhlovich Edward , Sidransky David , Camargo Miguel Luiz , Zhavoronkov Alex
Published: November 2016

Signalling pathway activation analysis is a powerful approach for extracting biologically relevant features from large-scale transcriptomic and proteomic data. However, modern pathway-based methods often fail to provide stable pathway signatures of a specific phenotype or reliable disease biomarkers. In the present study, we introduce the in silico Pathway Activation Network Decomposition Analysis (iPANDA) as a scalable robust method for biomarker identification using gene expression data. The iPANDA method combines precalculated gene coexpression data with gene importance factors based on the degree of differential gene expression and pathway topology decomposition for obtaining pathway activation scores. Using Microarray Analysis Quality Control (MAQC) data sets and pretreatment data on Taxol-based neoadjuvant breast cancer therapy from multiple sources, we demonstrate that iPANDA provides significant noise reduction in transcriptomic data and identifies highly robust sets of biologically relevant pathway signatures. We successfully apply iPANDA for stratifying breast cancer patients according to their sensitivity to neoadjuvant therapy.
Mechanical gating of a mechanochemical reaction cascade
Authors: Wang Junpeng , Kouznetsova Tatiana B. , Boulatov Roman , Craig Stephen L.
Published: November 2016

Covalent polymer mechanochemistry offers promising opportunities for the control and engineering of reactivity. To date, covalent mechanochemistry has largely been limited to individual reactions, but it also presents potential for intricate reaction systems and feedback loops. Here we report a molecular architecture, in which a cyclobutane mechanophore functions as a gate to regulate the activation of a second mechanophore, dichlorocyclopropane, resulting in a mechanochemical cascade reaction. Single-molecule force spectroscopy, pulsed ultrasonication experiments and DFT-level calculations support gating and indicate that extra force of >0.5 nN needs to be applied to a polymer of gated gDCC than of free gDCC for the mechanochemical isomerization gDCC to proceed at equal rate. The gating concept provides a mechanism by which to regulate stress-responsive behaviours, such as load-strengthening and mechanochromism, in future materials designs.
Deconvoluting complex structural histories archived in brittle fault zones
Authors: Viola G. , Scheiber T. , Fredin O. , Zwingmann H. , Margreth A. , Knies J.
Published: November 2016

Brittle deformation can saturate the Earth’s crust with faults and fractures in an apparently chaotic fashion. The details of brittle deformational histories and implications on, for example, seismotectonics and landscape, can thus be difficult to untangle. Fortunately, brittle faults archive subtle details of the stress and physical/chemical conditions at the time of initial strain localization and eventual subsequent slip(s). Hence, reading those archives offers the possibility to deconvolute protracted brittle deformation. Here we report K-Ar isotopic dating of synkinematic/authigenic illite coupled with structural analysis to illustrate an innovative approach to the high-resolution deconvolution of brittle faulting and fluid-driven alteration of a reactivated fault in western Norway. Permian extension preceded coaxial reactivation in the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous fluid-related alteration with pervasive clay authigenesis. This approach represents important progress towards time-constrained structural models, where illite characterization and K-Ar analysis are a fundamental tool to date faulting and alteration in crystalline rocks.
Dendritic NMDA spikes are necessary for timing-dependent associative LTP in CA3 pyramidal cells
Authors: Brandalise Federico , Carta Stefano , Helmchen Fritjof , Lisman John , Gerber Urs
Published: November 2016

The computational repertoire of neurons is enhanced by regenerative electrical signals initiated in dendrites. These events, referred to as dendritic spikes, can act as cell-intrinsic amplifiers of synaptic input. Among these signals, dendritic NMDA spikes are of interest in light of their correlation with synaptic LTP induction. Because it is not possible to block NMDA spikes pharmacologically while maintaining NMDA receptors available to initiate synaptic plasticity, it remains unclear whether NMDA spikes alone can trigger LTP. Here we use dendritic recordings and calcium imaging to analyse the role of NMDA spikes in associative LTP in CA3 pyramidal cells. We show that NMDA spikes produce regenerative branch-specific calcium transients. Decreasing the probability of NMDA spikes reduces LTP, whereas increasing their probability enhances LTP. NMDA spikes and LTP occur without back-propagating action potentials. However, action potentials can facilitate LTP induction by promoting NMDA spikes. Thus, NMDA spikes are necessary and sufficient to produce the critical postsynaptic depolarization required for associative LTP in CA3 pyramidal cells.
Contributions of distinct gold species to catalytic reactivity for carbon monoxide oxidation
Authors: Guo Li-Wen , Du Pei-Pei , Fu Xin-Pu , Ma Chao , Zeng Jie , Si Rui , Huang Yu-Ying , Jia Chun-Jiang , Zhang Ya-Wen , Yan Chun-Hua
Published: November 2016

Small-size (<5 nm) gold nanostructures supported on reducible metal oxides have been widely investigated because of the unique catalytic properties they exhibit in diverse redox reactions. However, arguments about the nature of the gold active site have continued for two decades, due to the lack of comparable catalyst systems with specific gold species, as well as the scarcity of direct experimental evidence for the reaction mechanism under realistic working conditions. Here we report the determination of the contribution of single atoms, clusters and particles to the oxidation of carbon monoxide at room temperature, by the aid of in situ X-ray absorption fine structure analysis and in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy. We find that the metallic gold component in clusters or particles plays a much more critical role as the active site than the cationic single-atom gold species for the room-temperature carbon monoxide oxidation reaction.
Polarization curling and flux closures in multiferroic tunnel junctions
Authors: Peters Jonathan J. P. , Apachitei Geanina , Beanland Richard , Alexe Marin , Sanchez Ana M.
Published: November 2016

Formation of domain walls in ferroelectrics is not energetically favourable in low-dimensional systems. Instead, vortex-type structures are formed that are driven by depolarization fields occurring in such systems. Consequently, polarization vortices have only been experimentally found in systems in which these fields are deliberately maximized, that is, in films between insulating layers. As such configurations are devoid of screening charges provided by metal electrodes, commonly used in electronic devices, it is wise to investigate if curling polarization structures are innate to ferroelectricity or induced by the absence of electrodes. Here we show that in unpoled Co/PbTiO3/(La,Sr)MnO3 ferroelectric tunnel junctions, the polarization in active PbTiO3 layers 9 unit cells thick forms Kittel-like domains, while at 6 unit cells there is a complex flux-closure curling behaviour resembling an incommensurate phase. Reducing the thickness to 3 unit cells, there is an almost complete loss of switchable polarization associated with an internal gradient.
Epigenetic and genetic components of height regulation
Authors: Benonisdottir Stefania , Oddsson Asmundur , Helgason Agnar , Kristjansson Ragnar P. , Sveinbjornsson Gardar , Oskarsdottir Arna , Thorleifsson Gudmar , Davidsson Olafur B. , Arnadottir Gudny A. , Sulem Gerald , Jensson Brynjar O. , Holm Hilma , Alexandersson Kristjan F. , Tryggvadottir Laufey , Walters G. Bragi , Gudjonsson Sigurjon A. , Ward Lucas D. , Sigurdsson Jon K. , Iordache Paul D. , Frigge Michael L. , Rafnar Thorunn , Kong Augustine , Masson Gisli , Helgason Hannes , Thorsteinsdottir Unnur , Gudbjartsson Daniel F. , Sulem Patrick , Stefansson Kari
Published: November 2016

Adult height is a highly heritable trait. Here we identified 31.6 million sequence variants by whole-genome sequencing of 8,453 Icelanders and tested them for association with adult height by imputing them into 88,835 Icelanders. Here we discovered 13 novel height associations by testing four different models including parent-of-origin (|β|=0.4–10.6 cm). The minor alleles of three parent-of-origin signals associate with less height only when inherited from the father and are located within imprinted regions (IGF2-H19 and DLK1-MEG3). We also examined the association of these sequence variants in a set of 12,645 Icelanders with birth length measurements. Two of the novel variants, (IGF2-H19 and TET1), show significant association with both adult height and birth length, indicating a role in early growth regulation. Among the parent-of-origin signals, we observed opposing parental effects raising questions about underlying mechanisms. These findings demonstrate that common variations affect human growth by parental imprinting.
Magnetofermionic condensate in two dimensions
Authors: Kulik L. V. , Zhuravlev A. S. , Dickmann S. , Gorbunov A. V. , Timofeev V. B. , Kukushkin I. V. , Schmult S.
Published: November 2016

Coherent condensate states of particles obeying either Bose or Fermi statistics are in the focus of interest in modern physics. Here we report on condensation of collective excitations with Bose statistics, cyclotron magnetoexcitons, in a high-mobility two-dimensional electron system in a magnetic field. At low temperatures, the dense non-equilibrium ensemble of long-lived triplet magnetoexcitons exhibits both a drastic reduction in the viscosity and a steep enhancement in the response to the external electromagnetic field. The observed effects are related to formation of a super-absorbing state interacting coherently with the electromagnetic field. Simultaneously, the electrons below the Fermi level form a super-emitting state. The effects are explicable from the viewpoint of a coherent condensate phase in a non-equilibrium system of two-dimensional fermions with a fully quantized energy spectrum. The condensation occurs in the space of vectors of magnetic translations, a property providing a completely new landscape for future physical investigations.
Lack of Diaph3 relaxes the spindle checkpoint causing the loss of neural progenitors
Authors: Damiani Devid , Goffinet André M. , Alberts Arthur , Tissir Fadel
Published: November 2016

The diaphanous homologue Diaph3 (aka mDia2) is a major regulator of actin cytoskeleton. Loss of Diaph3 has been constantly associated with cytokinesis failure ascribed to impaired accumulation of actin in the cleavage furrow. Here we report that Diaph3 is required before cell fission, to ensure the accurate segregation of chromosomes. Inactivation of the Diaph3 gene causes a massive loss of cortical progenitor cells, with subsequent depletion of intermediate progenitors and neurons, and results in microcephaly. In embryonic brain extracts, Diaph3 co-immunoprecipitates with BubR1, a key regulator of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC). Diaph3-deficient cortical progenitors have decreased levels of BubR1 and fail to properly activate the SAC. Hence, they bypass mitotic arrest and embark on anaphase in spite of incorrect chromosome segregation, generating aneuploidy. Our data identify Diaph3 as a major guard of cortical progenitors, unravel novel functions of Diaphanous formins and add insights into the pathobiology of microcephaly.
The threshold effects of meteorological factors on Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in China, 2011
Authors: Du Zhicheng , Zhang Wangjian , Zhang Dingmei , Yu Shicheng , Hao Yuantao
Published: November 2016

We explored the threshold effects of meteorological factors on hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in mainland China to improve the prevention and early warning. Using HFMD surveillance and meteorological data in 2011, we identified the threshold effects of predictors on the monthly incidence of HFMD and predicted the high risk months, with classification and regression tree models (CART). The results of the classification tree showed that there was an 82.35% chance for a high risk of HFMD when the temperature was greater than 24.03 °C and the relative humidity was less than 60.9% during non-autumn seasons. According to the heatmap of high risk prediction, the HFMD incidence in most provinces was beyond the normal level during May to August. The results of regression tree showed that when the temperature was greater than 24.85 °C and the relative humidity was between 80.59% and 82.55%, the relative risk (RR) of HFMD was 3.49 relative to monthly average incidence. This study provided quantitative evidence for the threshold effects of meteorological factors on HFMD in China. The conditions of a temperature greater than 24.85 °C and a relative humidity between 80.59% and 82.55% would lead to a higher risk of HFMD.
129I and its species in the East China Sea: level, distribution, sources and tracing water masses exchange and movement
Authors: Liu Dan , Hou Xiaolin , Du Jinzhou , Zhang Luyuan , Zhou Weijian
Published: November 2016

Anthropogenic 129I as a long-lived radioisotope of iodine has been considered as an ideal oceanographic tracer due to its high residence time and conservative property in the ocean. Surface water samples collected from the East China Sea (ECS) in August 2013 were analyzed for 129I, 127I and their inorganic chemical species in the first time. The measured 129I/127I ratio is 1–3 orders of magnitude higher than the pre-nuclear level, indicating its dominantly anthropogenic sources. Relatively high 129I levels were observed in the Yangtze River and its estuary, as well as in the southern Yellow Sea, and 129I level in seawater declines towards the ECS shelf. In the open sea, 129I and 127I in surface water exists mainly as iodate, while in Yangtze River estuary and some locations, iodide is dominated. The results indicate that the Fukushima nuclear accident has no detectable effects in the ECS until August 2013. The obtained results are used for investigation of interaction of various water masses and water circulation in the ECS, as well as the marine environment in this region. Meanwhile this work provides essential data for evaluation of the possible influence of the increasing NPPs along the coast of the ECS in the future.
Unconventional Increase in Non-Radiative Transitions in Plasmon-Enhanced Luminescence: A Distance-Dependent Coupling
Authors: Guidelli Eder José , Ramos Ana Paula , Baffa Oswaldo
Published: November 2016

We used Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) from X-ray-irradiated sodium chloride nanocrystals to investigate how silver nanoparticle (AgNP) films enhanced luminescence. We controlled the emitter-AgNP distance and used the OSL intensity and decay times to explore the plasmonic interactions underlying the enhanced luminescence. Both intensity and decay times depended on the emitter-AgNP distance, which suggested that a mechanism involving energy transfer from the localized surface plasmons (LSPs) to the trapped electrons took place through a distance-dependent coupling. Compared to other plasmon-enhanced mechanisms, the energy transfer observed here occurred in the opposite bias: LSP relaxation stimulated electron transfer from non-optically active traps to optically active traps, which culminated in enhanced emission. Therefore, a different mechanism of plasmonic coupling converted optically unreachable electrons into useful luminescence information.