bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Urban backyards as a new model of pineapple germplasm conservation
Authors: da Silva Ronilze Leite , de Souza Everton Hilo , Ledo Carlos Alberto da Silva , Pelacani Claudinéia Regina , Duarte Souza Fernanda V.
Published: May 2018

The conservation of pineapple in urban backyards is an innovative strategy that aims to involve city residents. A program of this nature requires careful planning and monitoring because of the involvement of people who do not have technical knowledge. This paper reports the implementation and evaluation of 30 gardens in urban backyards in Cabaceiras do Paraguaçú, Bahia, Brazil, to establish the parameters to allow creating a model for pineapple germplasm conservation cells with the collaboration of urban residents. A questionnaire was applied in two steps to people interested in participating, from which it was possible to choose and evaluate a general profile of the participants. Thirty pineapple accessions from the Active Germplasm Bank (AGB) of the Embrapa were selected for testing in the gardens. Two production cycles were considered, during which quantitative and qualitative traits of the plants and fruits were evaluated. The data were compared with the characteristics of the same accessions in the Pineapple AGB and were analysed by mixed principal component analysis. With respect to adequate maintenance, 20 gardens were well cared for until the end of the assessments, five were reasonably well tended and five were lost, due to home remodelling or lack of care by the guardians. Despite the loss of the five gardens, no accession was totally lost, thanks to the experimental design with three plants of each accession in three different gardens. The plants preserved in the gardens did not differ from those maintained by the AGB, demonstrating the effectiveness of this conservation strategy.
Ultramontane Efforts in the Ottoman Empire during the 1860s and 1870s
Authors: Kartashyan Mariam
Published: May 2018

The attempts of Pope Pius IX to restrict the ecclesiastical rights of the Armenian Catholics with his bull Reversurus (1867) led to the Armenian schism in 1871. A factor which was decisive for the development of the relationship between the Armenian Catholic Church and the Ottoman empire, under whose rule the Church existed, was the influence of other powers. This article analyses the background of this relationship and its significance for the Armenian schism. For this purpose, first, the ecclesiastical rights of the Armenian Catholic Church during the period before the publication of Reversurus and their relation to the internal policy of the Ottoman empire are outlined. Second, the influence of the domestic and foreign policy of the Ottoman state on its relationship with its Armenian Catholic subjects is elucidated. In this way, it is shown that the historical background of the Armenian Catholic Church and the internal political circumstances of the Ottoman empire were intertwined and shaped the relationship between the Armenian Catholics and the Ottoman state. Despite this, relations between the Ottoman empire, the Holy See and other European empires came to exercise a predominant influence, leading by the end of the 1870s to the Armenian Catholic Church's enforced acquiescence in ecclesiastical change.
A Triangular Conflict: The Nyasaland Protectorate and Two Missions, 1915–33
Authors: Thompson David M.
Published: May 2018

The idea that the churches became agents of empire through their missionary activity is very popular, but it is too simple. Established Churches, such as those of England and Scotland, could certainly be used by government, usually willingly; so could the Roman Catholic Church in the empires of other countries. But the position of the smaller churches, usually with no settler community behind them, was different. This study examines the effects of the Chilembwe Rising of 1915 on the British Churches of Christ mission in Nyasaland (modern Malawi). What is empire? The Colonial Office and the local administration might view a situation in different ways. Their decisions could thus divide native Christians from the UK, and even cause division in the UK church itself, as well as strengthening divisions on the mission field between different churches. Thus, even in the churches, imperial actions could foster the African desire for independence of empire.
Social Anglicanism and Empire: C. F. Andrews's Christian Socialism
Authors: Lockley Philip
Published: May 2018

Charles Freer Andrews (1871–1940) was a close friend of Mohandas K. Gandhi and played a celebrated role in the Indian struggle for independence within the British empire. This article makes the case for understanding Andrews as a pioneering example of the evolution from nineteenth-century Christian Socialism to twentieth-century global ‘social Anglicanism’, as Andrews's career fits a form better recognized in later campaigners. The article draws attention to three beliefs or principles discernible in Andrews's life as a Christian Socialist in the 1890s: the incarnation as a doctrine revealing the brotherhood of humanity; the Church's need to recognize and minister to the poor; and the Church's call to send out its adherents to end ‘social abuses’ and achieve ‘moral victories’. These three core Christian Socialist beliefs were applied in Andrews's thought and achievements during the second half of his life, in the colonial contexts of India, South Africa and Fiji. By comparing his thought and activity with perceptions of empire traceable among contemporary Anglican Christian Socialists, Andrews's colonial career is found to have enabled Anglican social thought to take on a global frame of reference, presaging proponents of an Anglican global social conscience later in the century.
Emperor and Church in the Last Centuries of Byzantium
Authors: Macrides Ruth
Published: May 2018

This study discusses relations between the Church and the emperor in the last two centuries of the Byzantine empire's existence, in the Palaiologan period (thirteenth to fifteenth centuries). It questions the accepted view that the Church rose in importance and status as imperial power and authority declined. According to this view, expressed by Steven Runciman and accepted by historians since, a strong Church was the legacy of the Byzantine empire to the Ottomans. In this article the ceremonies of the late Byzantine court, as represented by the mid-fourteenth-century text of Pseudo-Kodinos, are examined for indications of continuity in the emperor's dominant role in the Church in this later period. Gilbert Dagron's contrary perspective is considered. It is then argued that the writings of two late Byzantine churchmen, Symeon of Thessalonike and Makarios of Antioch, who insist on a lesser role for the emperor in the selection and the making of a patriarch, provide evidence for the contemporary performance of the promotion of a patriarch as described by Pseudo-Kodinos. While the two churchmen tried to show that the emperor was subject to the Church, practice shows something different.
An English Bishop Afloat in an Irish See: John Bale, Bishop of Ossory, 1552–3
Authors: Tong Stephen
Published: May 2018

The Reformation in Ireland has traditionally been seen as an unmitigated failure. This article contributes to current scholarship that is challenging this perception by conceiving the sixteenth-century Irish Church as part of the English Church. It does so by examining the episcopal career of John Bale, bishop of Ossory, County Kilkenny, 1552–3. Bale wrote an account of his Irish experience, known as theVocacyon, soon after fleeing his diocese upon the accession of Queen Mary to the English throne and the subsequent restoration of Roman Catholicism. The article considers Bale's episcopal career as an expression of the relationship between Church and state in mid-Tudor England and Ireland. It will be shown that ecclesiastical reform in Ireland was complemented by political subjugation, and vice versa. Having been appointed by Edward VI, Bale upheld the royal supremacy as justification for implementing ecclesiastical reform. The combination of preaching the gospel and enforcing the 1552 Prayer Book was, for Bale, the best method of evangelism. The double effect was to win converts and align the Irish Church with the English form of worship. Hence English reformers exploited the political dominance of England to export their evangelical faith into Ireland.
Weakened Lithosphere Beneath Greenland Inferred From Effective Elastic Thickness: A Hot Spot Effect?
Authors: Steffen Rebekka , Audet Pascal , Lund Björn
Published: May 2018

The effective elastic thickness (Te) of the lithosphere provides geophysical information about long‐term flexural strength and can be used to constrain thermorheological properties of the lithosphere. Te is typically calculated from the spectral analysis of gravity and topography data; variations in Te are, however, not well resolved in Greenland due to poor constraints on crustal structure (including crustal thickness) and complications due to ice loading. In addition, geological and geophysical constraints on the tectonic history of Greenland are sparse due to the thick ice cover. Here we use the global gravity model EIGEN‐6C4 together with a new model of the crust‐mantle boundary to obtain a high‐resolution Te map of Greenland. The distribution of Te indicates reduced strength in the lower crust and lithospheric mantle beneath southern and central Greenland, which may be due to the passage of the Iceland hot spot during the last 100 Ma. In contrast, the northern part of Greenland shows a large Te, implying mechanical coupling between crust and uppermost mantle and suggesting the existence of a cold and strong tectonic unit. In a relative sense, the distribution of Te values is consistent with estimates of lithospheric thickness based on seismic velocity models, indicating a dominantly thermal control on lithospheric structure and evolution.
Episodic Southern Ocean Heat Loss and Its Mixed Layer Impacts Revealed by the Farthest South Multiyear Surface Flux Mooring
Authors: Ogle S. E. , Tamsitt V. , Josey S. A. , Gille S. T. , Cerovečki I. , Talley L. D. , Weller R. A.
Published: May 2018

The Ocean Observatories Initiative air‐sea flux mooring deployed at 54.08°S, 89.67°W, in the southeast Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean, is the farthest south long‐term open ocean flux mooring ever deployed. Mooring observations (February 2015 to August 2017) provide the first in situ quantification of annual net air‐sea heat exchange from one of the prime Subantarctic Mode Water formation regions. Episodic turbulent heat loss events (reaching a daily mean net flux of −294 W/m2) generally occur when northeastward winds bring relatively cold, dry air to the mooring location, leading to large air‐sea temperature and humidity differences. Wintertime heat loss events promote deep mixed layer formation that lead to Subantarctic Mode Water formation. However, these processes have strong interannual variability; a higher frequency of 2 σ and 3 σ turbulent heat loss events in winter 2015 led to deep mixed layers (>300 m), which were nonexistent in winter 2016.
Reconstructing Depth‐Averaged Open‐Channel Flows Using Image Velocimetry and Photogrammetry
Authors: Piton Guillaume , Recking Alain , Le Coz Jérôme , Bellot Hervé , Hauet Alexandre , Jodeau Magali
Published: May 2018

Steep streams with massive sediment supply are among the most complex systems to study, even in the laboratory. Their shallow sediment‐laden flows create self‐adjusting bed geometries that evolve rapidly. Often, morphological changes and flow processes cannot be dissociated. Because these very shallow and unstable flows cannot be equipped with measurement sensors, image analysis techniques, such as photogrammetry (e.g., structure‐from‐motion, SfM) and large‐scale particle image velocimetry (LSPIV), are interesting options for capturing the characteristics of these systems. The present work describes a complete procedure using both techniques to measure spatially distributed surface velocity and bed properties (deposit patterns, channel slope, and local roughness). The velocity data are used to assess the local flow directions along which the channel slope and roughness are extracted from the SfM digital elevation models. Fergusons “variable power equation” friction law, having been previously validated by comparison with approximately 100 local flow depth measurements, was used in a second step with the collected data to reconstruct a complete mapping of the depth‐averaged flows, thereby enabling a comprehensive analysis of the hydrogeomorphic system where shallow water equations apply. The assumptions, details, use of the friction law with roughness standard deviation rather than diameter as parameter and limitations of the procedure as well as possible sources of errors are discussed here, along with possibilities for improvements. This affordable and simple‐to‐implement procedure can provide a large amount of data, allowing for a more comprehensive analysis of complex hydraulic systems.
An Information Theory Approach to Identifying a Representative Subset of Hydro‐Climatic Simulations for Impact Modeling Studies
Authors: Pechlivanidis I.G. , Gupta H. , Bosshard T.
Published: May 2018

Uncertainties in hydro‐climatic projections are (in part) related to various components of the production chain. An ensemble of numerous projections is usually considered to characterize the overall uncertainty; however in practice a small set of scenario combinations are constructed to provide users with a subset that is manageable for decision‐making. Since projections are unavoidably uncertain, and multiple projections are typically informationally redundant to a considerable extent, it would be helpful to identify an informationally representative subset in a large model ensemble. Here a framework rooted in the information theoretic Maximum Information Minimum Redundancy concept is proposed for identifying a representative subset from an available ensemble of hydro‐climatic projections. We analyze an ensemble of 16 precipitation and temperature projections for Sweden, and use these as inputs to the HBV hydrological model to project river discharge until the mid of this century. Representative subsets are judged in terms of different statistical properties of three essential climate variables (precipitation, temperature and discharge), whilst we further assess the sensitivity of the optimized subset for different seasons and future periods. Our results indicate that a quarter to a third of the available set of projections can represent more than 80% of the total information of hydro‐climatic changes. We find that the representative subsets are sensitive to the regional hydro‐climatic characteristics and the choice of variables, seasons and periods of interest. Therefore we recommend that any selection process should not be solely driven by climatic variables but, rather, should also consider variables of the impact model.
Copula‐Based Chance‐Constrained Hydro‐Economic Optimization Model for Optimal Design of Reservoir‐Irrigation District Systems under Multiple Interdependent Sources of Uncertainty
Authors: Alizadeh Hosein , Mousavi S. Jamshid , Ponnambalam Kumaraswamy
Published: May 2018

This paper presents a new explicit stochastic hydro‐economic optimization model for reservoir‐irrigation district systems design affected by multiple interdependent sources of uncertainties. The model solution determines both optimal design and long‐term operation policies of the systems while accounting for uncertainties of reservoir inflow, rainfall, crop yield, crop price, and production costs. The problem is formulated as a chance‐constrained program in which the dependence structure of discrete and continuous random coefficients is accounted for using copula. In addition to design variables such as the sizing of reservoir capacity and the irrigable area, optimal reservoir operation policies and irrigation management strategies are determined. The model performance and significance is tested in the case study of Chamshir hydrosystem in Iran, consisting of Chamshir Dam and downstream irrigation districts. Various scenarios assessing baseline conditions, risk attitude, and the impacts of change in climatic inputs and upstream conditions are also evaluated. The model results are used to quantify the interrelationships and trade‐offs among optimal values of design parameters, optimal irrigation policy, decision‐makers' risk‐attitude, uncertainty levels of agro‐economic factors, and target reliability levels of meeting crop yield and water requirement. The results demonstrate that smaller sizes of the reservoir and the irrigation district and stress‐avoidance irrigation policies, rather than deficit‐irrigation policies, are preferred when the decision maker is risk‐averse and uncertainties in agro‐economic factors and reliability levels are large. Additionally, we show how the optimal cropping pattern and irrigation strategies are affected by climate change‐induced rainfall variations and the alteration of conditions upstream of the project.
Nonstationary Hydrologic Behavior in Forested Watersheds Is Mediated by Climate‐Induced Changes in Growing Season Length and Subsequent Vegetation Growth
Authors: Hwang Taehee , Martin Katherine L. , Vose James M. , Wear David , Miles Brian , Kim Yuri , Band Lawrence E.
Published: May 2018

Forested watersheds provide important ecosystem services through the provision of high quality freshwater, mitigation of floods, and maintenance of base flows. How alteration of these services under ongoing climate change is mediated by vegetation dynamics is not fully understood. Combining independent remote sensing based vegetation information and distributed hydrological modeling, we investigated the impact of climate‐induced vegetation dynamics on long‐term non‐stationary hydrologic behavior in two forested watersheds in the southern Appalachians. We found significant increases in precipitation‐runoff deficit (defined as annual precipitation minus annual runoff), equivalent to annual evapotranspiration plus storage changes, over the last three decades. This non‐stationary hydrologic behavior was significantly correlated with long‐term and interannual changes in growing season length and subsequent vegetation growth. These patterns in vegetation phenology were attributed primarily to minimum temperature regimes, which showed steeper and more consistent increases than temperature maxima. Using a distributed modeling framework, we also found that the long‐term non‐stationary hydrologic behavior could not be simulated unless full vegetation dynamics, including vegetation phenology and long‐term growth, were incorporated into the model. Incorporating seasonal vegetation dynamics also led to the improved simulation in streamflow dynamics, while its effect spread out through the following dormant seasons. Our study indicates that non‐stationary hydrologic behavior has been closely mediated by long‐term seasonal and structural forest canopy interaction with climate variables rather than directly driven by climatic variables. This study emphasizes the importance of understanding the ecosystem responses to ongoing climate change for predictions of future freshwater regimes.
A New Fully Distributed Model of Nitrate Transport and Removal at Catchment Scale
Authors: Yang Xiaoqiang , Jomaa Seifeddine , Zink Matthias , Fleckenstein Jan H. , Borchardt Dietrich , Rode Michael
Published: May 2018

Hydrological water quality models have gained wide acceptance from environmental scientists and water managers to address deterioration of surface water quality. Higher spatiotemporal accuracy of such models is increasingly required for better understanding the functional heterogeneity of catchments and improving management decisions at different governance levels. However, balancing spatial representation and model complexity remains challenging. We present a new flexibly designed, fully distributed nitrate transport and removal model (mHM‐Nitrate) at catchment scale. The model was developed mainly based on the mesoscale Hydrological Model (mHM) and the Hydrological Predictions for the Environment (HYPE) model. The mHM‐Nitrate model was tested in the Selke catchment (Central Germany), which is characterized by heterogeneous physiographic and land‐use conditions, using adequate observed hydrological and nitrate data at three nested gauging stations. Long term (1997–2015) daily simulations showed that the model well reproduced the seasonal dynamics of biweekly nitrate observations in forested, agricultural and urban areas. High‐frequency measurements (2010‐2015) were additionally used to validate model performance of simulating short‐term changes in stream‐water concentrations that reflect changes in runoff partitioning and event‐based dilution effects. Uncertainty analysis confirmed the model's robustness. Moreover, model calculations showed that mean terrestrial nitrate input/output (in total 105 kg ha−1 yr−1) and in‐stream removal (8% of mean nitrate load) were in comparable ranges with literature, respectively. The new mHM‐Nitrate model is capable of providing detailed spatial information on nitrate concentrations and fluxes, which can motivate more specific catchment investigations on nitrate transport processes and provide guidance on spatially differentiated agricultural practices and measures.
Using Sensor Data to Dynamically Map Large‐Scale Models to Site‐Scale Forecasts: A Case Study Using the National Water Model
Authors: Fries Kevin J. , Kerkez Branko
Published: May 2018

There has been an explosive growth in the ability to model large water systems. While these models are effective at routing water across massive scales, they do not yet forecast the street‐level information desired by local decision makers. Simultaneously, the increasing affordability of sensors has made it possible for even small communities to measure the state of their watersheds. However, these real‐time measurements are often not attached to a predictive model, thus making them less useful for applications like flood warnings. In this paper, we ask the question: how can highly localized forecasts be generated by fusing site‐scale sensor measurements with outputs from large‐scale models? Rather than altering the larger physical model, our approach uses the outputs of the unmodified model as the inputs to a dynamical system. To evaluate the approach, a case study is carried out across the U.S. state of Iowa using publicly available measurements from over 180 water level sensors and outputs from the National Water Model. The approach performs well across a third of the studied sites, as quantified by a high normalized root mean squared error. A performance classification is carried out based on Principal Component Analysis and Random Forests. We discuss how these results will enable stakeholders with local measurements to quickly benefit from large‐scale models without needing to run or modify the models themselves. The results are also placed into a broader sensor‐placement context to provide guidance on how investments into local measurements can be made to maximize predictive benefits.
New Insights on Coastal Foredune Growth: The Relative Contributions of Marine and Aeolian Processes
Authors: Cohn Nicholas , Ruggiero Peter , de Vries Sierd , Kaminsky George M.
Published: May 2018

Coastal foredune growth is typically associated with aeolian sediment transport processes, while foredune erosion is associated with destructive marine processes. New data sets collected at a high energy, dissipative beach suggest that total water levels in the collision regime can cause dunes to accrete—requiring a paradigm shift away from considering collisional wave impacts as unconditionally erosional. From morphologic change data sets, it is estimated that marine processes explain between 9% and 38% of annual dune growth with aeolian processes accounting for the remaining 62% to 91%. The largest wind‐driven dune growth occurs during the winter, in response to high wind velocities, but out of phase with summertime beach growth via intertidal sandbar welding. The lack of synchronization between maximum beach sediment supply and wind‐driven dune growth indicates that aeolian transport at this site is primarily transport, rather than supply, limited, likely due to a lack of fetch limitations.
The Influence of Internal Atmospheric Variability on the Ionosphere Response to a Geomagnetic Storm
Authors: Pedatella N. M. , Liu H.‐L.
Published: May 2018

The Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model eXtended is used to investigate the extent to which neglecting the realistic day‐to‐day lower atmospheric variability introduces uncertainty in the ionosphere response to an idealized geomagnetic storm. A 10‐member ensemble is generated by adding small temperature perturbations in the lower atmosphere 30 days prior to the imposed geomagnetic storm. Chaotic divergence, and internal atmospheric variability, leads to the geomagnetic storm occurring under an arbitrarily different, though climatically similar, atmospheric state for each ensemble member. The intra‐ensemble variability, which we characterize by the ensemble standard deviation, of the day‐to‐day change in total electron content is generally ∼10%–20% during geomagnetically quiet time. During an idealized storm with a Kp of 7 the ensemble standard deviation of the change in total electron content increases to ∼20%–40% at low and middle latitudes, with localized regions exceeding 100%. Examination of individual ensemble members illustrates that they all capture the same large‐scale features of the storm time changes in the ionosphere but can exhibit notable (50%) differences regionally, especially during later stages of the storm. The results thus demonstrate that in order to accurately capture smaller‐scale features of the upper atmosphere response to geomagnetic storms, it is necessary to include the effects of lower atmosphere variability.
On the Identification of Ozone Recovery
Authors: Stone Kane A. , Solomon Susan , Kinnison Douglas E.
Published: May 2018

As ozone depleting substances decline, stratospheric ozone is displaying signs of healing in the Antarctic lower stratosphere. Here we focus on higher altitudes and the global stratosphere. Two key processes that can influence ozone recovery are evaluated: dynamical variability and solar proton events (SPEs). A nine‐member ensemble of free‐running simulations indicates that dynamical variability dominates the relatively small ozone recovery signal over 1998–2016 in the subpolar lower stratosphere, particularly near the tropical tropopause. The absence of observed recovery there to date is therefore not unexpected. For the upper stratosphere, high latitudes (50–80°N/S) during autumn and winter show the largest recovery. Large halogen‐induced odd oxygen loss there provides a fingerprint of seasonal sensitivity to chlorine trends. However, we show that SPEs also have a profound effect on ozone trends within this region since 2000. Thus, accounting for SPEs is important for detection of recovery in the upper stratosphere.
Effects of Horizontal Wind Structure on a Gravity Wave Event in the Middle Atmosphere Over Syowa (69°S, 40°E), the Antarctic
Authors: Kogure Masaru , Nakamura Takuji , Ejiri Mitsumu K. , Nishiyama Takanori , Tomikawa Yoshihiro , Tsutsumi Masaki
Published: May 2018

Nightly mean potential energy of gravity waves (GWs) per unit mass (Ep) over Syowa Station (69°S, 40°E) was calculated from temperature profiles observed by the Rayleigh/Raman lidar from 2011 to 2015. The Ep values in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere were significantly enhanced on 8–21 August 2014, except on 12 August. A ray‐tracing analysis showed that large‐scale GWs emitted from various latitudes could be refracted and forced to converge above Syowa due to the poleward tilting of the polar night jet with altitude. It should be noted that Ep on 12 August was smaller than the other values during the enhancement, despite similar polar night jet conditions. A synoptic‐scale disturbance, which passed on 12 August, could have blocked the GWs from propagating upward through critical level filtering. These results suggest that convergence of the wave should be considered as a part of the intermittency of the GWs.
The extent of liver injury determines hepatocyte fate toward senescence or cancer
Authors: Wang Chao , Chen Wen-Jian , Wu Ying-Fu , You Pu , Zheng Shang-Yong , Liu Chang-Cheng , Xiang Dao , Wang Min-Jun , Cai Yong-Chao , Zhao Qing-Hui , Borjigin Uyunbilig , Liu Wei , Xiong Wu-Jun , Wangensteen Kirk J. , Wang Xin , Liu Zhong-Min , He Zhi-Ying
Published: May 2018

It is well known that induction of hepatocyte senescence could inhibit the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Until now, it is still unclear how the degree of liver injury dictates hepatocyte senescence and carcinogenesis. In this study, we investigated whether the severity of injury determines cell fate decisions between hepatocyte senescence and carcinogenesis. After testing of different degrees of liver injury, we found that hepatocyte senescence is strongly induced in the setting of severe acute liver injury. Longer-term, moderate liver injury, on the contrary did not result into hepatocyte senescence, but led to a significant incidence of HCC instead. In addition, carcinogenesis was significantly reduced by the induction of severe acute injury after chronic moderate liver injury. Meanwhile, immune surveillance, especially the activations of macrophages, was activated after re-induction of senescence by severe acute liver injury. We conclude that severe acute liver injury leads to hepatocyte senescence along with activating immune surveillance and a low incidence of HCC, whereas chronic moderate injury allows hepatocytes to proliferate rather than to enter into senescence, and correlates with a high incidence of HCC. This study improves our understanding in hepatocyte cell fate decisions and suggests a potential clinical strategy to induce senescence to treat HCC.
Transient metal-centered states mediate isomerization of a photochromic ruthenium-sulfoxide complex
Authors: Cordones Amy A. , Lee Jae Hyuk , Hong Kiryong , Cho Hana , Garg Komal , Boggio-Pasqua Martial , Rack Jeffrey J. , Huse Nils , Schoenlein Robert W. , Kim Tae Kyu
Published: May 2018

Ultrafast isomerization reactions underpin many processes in (bio)chemical systems and molecular materials. Understanding the coupled evolution of atomic and molecular structure during isomerization is paramount for control and rational design in molecular science. Here we report transient X-ray absorption studies of the photo-induced linkage isomerization of a Ru-based photochromic molecule. X-ray spectra reveal the spin and valence charge of the Ru atom and provide experimental evidence that metal-centered excited states mediate isomerization. Complementary X-ray spectra of the functional ligand S atoms probe the nuclear structural rearrangements, highlighting the formation of two metal-centered states with different metal-ligand bonding. These results address an essential open question regarding the relative roles of transient charge-transfer and metal-centered states in mediating photoisomerization. Global temporal and spectral data analysis combined with time-dependent density functional theory reveals a complex mechanism for photoisomerization with atomic details of the transient molecular and electronic structure not accessible by other means.
Publisher Correction: High power surface emitting terahertz laser with hybrid second- and fourth-order Bragg gratings
Authors: Jin Yuan , Gao Liang , Chen Ji , Wu Chongzhao , Reno John L. , Kumar Sushil
Published: May 2018

The original PDF version of this Article contained an error in Equation 1. The ‘Λ’ was missing from the denominator. This has been corrected in the PDF version of the Article. The HTML version was correct from the time of publication.
Cognitive training for freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Walton Courtney C. , Mowszowski Loren , Gilat Moran , Hall Julie M. , O’Callaghan Claire , Muller Alana J. , Georgiades Matthew , Szeto Jennifer Y. Y. , Ehgoetz Martens Kaylena A. , Shine James M. , Naismith Sharon L. , Lewis Simon J. G.
Published: May 2018

The pathophysiological mechanism of freezing of gait (FoG) has been linked to executive dysfunction. Cognitive training (CT) is a non-pharmacological intervention which has been shown to improve executive functioning in Parkinson’s disease (PD). This study aimed to explore whether targeted CT can reduce the severity of FoG in PD. Patients with PD who self-reported FoG and were free from dementia were randomly allocated to receive either a CT intervention or an active control. Both groups were clinician-facilitated and conducted twice-weekly for seven weeks. The primary outcome was percentage of time spent frozen during a Timed Up and Go task, assessed both on and off dopaminergic medications. Secondary outcomes included multiple neuropsychological and psychosocial measures. A full analysis was first conducted on all participants randomized, followed by a sample of interest including only those who had objective FoG at baseline, and completed the intervention. Sixty-five patients were randomized into the study. The sample of interest included 20 in the CT group and 18 in the active control group. The primary outcome of percentage time spent frozen during a gait task was significantly improved in the CT group compared to active controls in the on-state. There were no differences in the off-state. Patients who received CT also demonstrated improved processing speed and reduced daytime sleepiness compared to those in the active control. The findings suggest that CT can reduce the severity of FoG in the on-state, however replication in a larger sample is required.
HIV-1 proteins dysregulate motivational processes and dopamine circuitry
Authors: Bertrand Sarah J. , Mactutus Charles F. , Harrod Steven B. , Moran Landhing M. , Booze Rosemarie M.
Published: May 2018

Motivational alterations, such as apathy, in HIV-1+ individuals are associated with decreased performance on tasks involving frontal-subcortical circuitry. We used the HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) rat to assess effect of long-term HIV-1 protein exposure on motivated behavior using sucrose (1–30%, w/v) and cocaine (0.01–1.0 mg/kg/infusion) maintained responding with fixed-ratio (FR) and progressive-ratio (PR) schedules of reinforcement. For sucrose-reinforced responding, HIV-1 Tg rats displayed no change in EC50 relative to controls, suggesting no change in sucrose reinforcement but had a downward shifted concentration-response curves, suggesting a decrease in response vigor. Cocaine-maintained responding was attenuated in HIV-1 Tg rats (FR1 0.33 mg/kg/infusion and PR 1.0 mg/kg/infusion). Dose-response tests (PR) revealed that HIV-1 Tg animals responded significantly less than F344 control rats and failed to earn significantly more infusions of cocaine as the unit dose increased. When choosing between cocaine and sucrose, control rats initially chose sucrose but with time shifted to a cocaine preference. In contrast, HIV-1 disrupted choice behaviors. DAT function was altered in the striatum of HIV-1 Tg rats; however, prior cocaine self-administration produced a unique effect on dopamine homeostasis in the HIV-1 Tg striatum. These findings of altered goal directed behaviors may determine neurobiological mechanisms of apathy in HIV-1+ patients.
Passive Millimeter Wave Imaging System Based on Helical Scanning
Authors: Meng Yang , Qing Anyong , Lin Chuan , Zang Jiefeng , Zhao Yizhe , Zhang Cheng
Published: May 2018

A simple and fast single channel passive millimeter wave (PMMW) imaging system for public security check is presented in this paper. It distinguishes itself with traditional ones by an innovative scanning mechanism. Indoor experiments against human body with or without concealed items in clothes show that imaging could be completed in 3 s with angular resolution of about 0.7°. In addition, its field of view (FOV) is adjustable according to the size of actual target.
MicroRNA expression profile of human advanced coronary atherosclerotic plaques
Authors: Parahuleva Mariana S. , Lipps Christoph , Parviz Behnoush , Hölschermann Hans , Schieffer Bernhard , Schulz Rainer , Euler Gerhild
Published: May 2018

MicroRNA (miR) is reported to be involved in vascular inflammation and may represent a novel class of diagnostic biomarkers in cardiovascular disease. We aimed to identify the miR expression profile in human advanced coronary atherosclerotic plaques (CAP) and to connect this expression to the processes in atherosclerosis. Microarray techniques and TaqMan polymerase chain reaction were used to analyse the global expression of 352 miRs in CAP obtained during ACS MULTI-LINK study. 11 miRs were selected on the basis of their implication in atherosclerosis, endothelial activation, and inflammation. 6 miRs were found to be differently expressed in CAP when compared to non-atherosclerotic internal mammary arteries (IMA, p < 0.05). The expression of miR-21, -92a, and -99a was verified and found to be significantly up-regulated in CAP versus IMA (p < 0.001). We also performed bioinformatic analysis and found several potential target genes of miR-92a and -99a as well as several pathways with impact on atherosclerosis which could be differently expressed due to this miRNA profile. The most up-regulated miRs are involved in processes known to be connected to atherosclerosis. Interfering with the miR expression in the artery wall is a potential way to affect atherosclerotic plaque and cardiovascular disease development.
Author Correction: Fetal cardiac cine magnetic resonance imaging in utero
Authors: Chaptinel Jerome , Yerly Jerome , Mivelaz Yvan , Prsa Milan , Alamo Leonor , Vial Yvan , Berchier Gregoire , Rohner Chantal , Gudinchet François , Stuber Matthias
Published: May 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.
Author Correction: The Mobility Enhancement of Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide Transistors via Low-temperature Crystallization using a Tantalum Catalytic Layer
Authors: Shin Yeonwoo , Kim Sang Tae , Kim Kuntae , Kim Mi Young , Oh Saeroonter , Jeong Jae Kyeong
Published: May 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.
Temporary microglia-depletion after cosmic radiation modifies phagocytic activity and prevents cognitive deficits
Authors: Krukowski Karen , Feng Xi , Paladini Maria Serena , Chou Austin , Sacramento Kristen , Grue Katherine , Riparip Lara-Kirstie , Jones Tamako , Campbell-Beachler Mary , Nelson Gregory , Rosi Susanna
Published: May 2018

Microglia are the main immune component in the brain that can regulate neuronal health and synapse function. Exposure to cosmic radiation can cause long-term cognitive impairments in rodent models thereby presenting potential obstacles for astronauts engaged in deep space travel. The mechanism/s for how cosmic radiation induces cognitive deficits are currently unknown. We find that temporary microglia depletion, one week after cosmic radiation, prevents the development of long-term memory deficits. Gene array profiling reveals that acute microglia depletion alters the late neuroinflammatory response to cosmic radiation. The repopulated microglia present a modified functional phenotype with reduced expression of scavenger receptors, lysosome membrane protein and complement receptor, all shown to be involved in microglia-synapses interaction. The lower phagocytic activity observed in the repopulated microglia is paralleled by improved synaptic protein expression. Our data provide mechanistic evidence for the role of microglia in the development of cognitive deficits after cosmic radiation exposure.
Softness Induced Enhancement in Net Throughput of Non-Linear Bio-Fluids in Nanofluidic Channel under EDL Phenomenon
Authors: Gaikwad Harshad Sanjay , Mondal Pranab Kumar , Wongwises Somchai
Published: May 2018

In this article, we describe the electro-hydrodynamics of non-Newtonian fluid in narrow fluidic channel with solvent permeable and ion-penetrable polyelectrolyte layer (PEL) grafted on channel surface with an interaction of non-overlapping electric double layer (EDL) phenomenon. In this analysis, we integrate power-law model in the momentum equation for describing the non-Newtonian rheology. The complex interplay between the non-Newtonian rheology and interfacial electrochemistry in presence of PEL on the walls leads to non-intuitive variations in the underlying flow dynamics in the channels. As such, we bring out the variations in flow dynamics and their implications on the net throughput in the channel in terms of different parameters like power-law index (n), drag parameter (α), PEL thickness (d) and Debye length ratio (κ/κ
PEL
) are discussed. We show, in this analysis, a relative enhancement in the net throughput through a soft nanofluidic channel for both the shear-thinning and shear-thickening fluids, attributed to the stronger electrical body forces stemming from ionic interactions between polyelectrolyte layer and electrolyte layer. Also, we illustrate that higher apparent viscosity inherent with the class of shear-thickening fluid weakens the softness induced enhancement in the volumetric flow rate for the shear-thickening fluids, since the viscous drag offered to the f low f ield becomes higher for the transport of shear-thickening fluid.
Zebrafish VCAP1X2 regulates cardiac contractility and proliferation of cardiomyocytes and epicardial cells
Authors: Hsieh Fang-Chi , Lu Yu-Fen , Liau Ian , Chen Chien-Chang , Cheng Chao-Min , Hsiao Chung-Der , Hwang Sheng-Ping L.
Published: May 2018

Sarcomeric signaling complexes are important to sustain proper sarcomere structure and function, however, the mechanisms underlying these processes are not fully elucidated. In a gene trap experiment, we found that vascular cell adhesion protein 1 isoform X2 (VCAP1X2) mutant embryos displayed a dilated cardiomyopathy phenotype, including reduced cardiac contractility, enlarged ventricular chamber and thinned ventricular compact layer. Cardiomyocyte and epicardial cell proliferation was decreased in the mutant heart ventricle, as was the expression of pAKT and pERK. Contractile dysfunction in the mutant was caused by sarcomeric disorganization, including sparse myofilament, blurred Z-disc, and decreased gene expression for sarcomere modulators (smyd1b, mypn and fhl2a), sarcomeric proteins (myh6, myh7, vmhcl and tnnt2a) and calcium regulators (ryr2b and slc8a1a). Treatment of PI3K activator restored Z-disc alignment while injection of smyd1b mRNA restored Z-disc alignment, contractile function and cardiomyocyte proliferation in ventricles of VCAP1X2 mutant embryos. Furthermore, injection of VCAP1X2 variant mRNA rescued all phenotypes, so long as two cytosolic tyrosines were left intact. Our results reveal two tyrosine residues located in the VCAP1X2 cytoplasmic domain are essential to regulate cardiac contractility and the proliferation of ventricular cardiomyocytes and epicardial cells through modulating pAKT and pERK expression levels.
Comparison of the serum metabolic signatures based on 1H NMR between patients and a rat model of deep vein thrombosis
Authors: Cao Jie , Jin Qian-qian , Wang Gui-ming , Dong Hong-lin , Feng Yong-ming , Tian Jun-sheng , Yun Ke-ming , Wang Ying-yuan , Sun Jun-hong
Published: May 2018

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) have high morbidity, reduce quality of life, and can cause death. Biomarkers or genetic risk factors have not been identified in patients with DVT. In present study, serum of 61 patients suffering from DVT and a rat DVT model (n = 10) were assayed by a proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) metabolomics technique combing with multivariate statistical analysis to identify the metabolites. The MetPA platform was used to identify differences in the metabolic pathways between the rat model and patients. The metabolomics results discovered that 11 different metabolites in rats and 20 different metabolites in DVT patients. Seven metabolites both altered in the rats and patients. Moreover, we observed changes in the metabolic pathways, including carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism that were induced immediately by the thrombosis. Pathway of aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis perturbed only in the patients which was associated with the genetic risk factor of DVT. The study demonstrated that serum 1H NMR metabolomics can be used to diagnose DVT in the clinic. The altered pathways related to thrombosis and genetics will provide a foundation and new strategies for understanding the pathological mechanism and pharmacological targets of DVT.
Synthesis, fungicidal activity, structure-activity relationships (SARs) and density functional theory (DFT) studies of novel strobilurin analogues containing arylpyrazole rings
Authors: Liu Yuanyuan , Lv Kunzhi , Li Yi , Nan Qiuli , Xu Jinyuan
Published: May 2018

A series of novel strobilurin analogues (1a-1f, 2a-2e, 3a-3e) containing arylpyrazole rings were synthesized and characterized by NMR spectroscopy. The structures of 1f, 2b and 3b were also determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. These analogues were collected together with other twenty-eight similar compounds 4a-4f, 5a-5h, 6a-6h and 7a-7f from our previous studies, for in vitro bioassays and thorough structure-activity relationships (SARs) studies. Most compounds exhibited excellent-to-good fungicidal activity against Rhizoctonia solani, especially 5c, 7a, 6c, and 3b with 98.94%, 83.40%, 71.40% and 65.87% inhibition rates at 0.1 μg mL−1, respectively, better than commercial pyraclostrobin. Comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) was employed to study three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationships (3D-QSARs). Density functional theory (DFT) calculation was also carried out to provide more information regarding SARs. The present work provided some hints for developing novel strobilurin fungicides.
The programmed DNA elimination and formation of micronuclei in germ line cells of the natural hybridogenetic water frog Pelophylax esculentus
Authors: Chmielewska Magdalena , Dedukh Dmitry , Haczkiewicz Katarzyna , Rozenblut-Kościsty Beata , Kaźmierczak Mikołaj , Kolenda Krzysztof , Serwa Ewa , Pietras-Lebioda Agnieszka , Krasikova Alla , Ogielska Maria
Published: May 2018

DNA elimination is a radical form of gene silencing and occurs both in somatic and germ cells. The programmed DNA elimination occurs during gametogenesis in interspecies hybrids that reproduce by hybridogenesis (stick insects, fishes, and amphibians) and concerns removal of whole genomes of one of the parental species and production of clonal gametes propagating the genome of the other species. The cellular mechanisms differ considerably in hybridogenetic insects and fishes but remains unknown in edible frogsPelophylax esculentus, natural hybrids betweenPelophylax lessonaeandPelophylax ridibundus. Here we report DNA elimination mechanism in early developing gonads of diploid and triploid hybrid frogs, studied by TEM, immunofluorescence, and cytochemistry. In gonocytes of both sexes (primary oogonia and prespermatogonia), micronuclei emerge as detached nuclear buds formed during interphase. We found depletion of nuclear pore complexes in micronuclear membrane and chromatin inactivation via heterochromatinization followed by degradation of micronuclei by autophagy. Micronuclei formation does not lead to apoptotic cell death showing that genome elimination is a physiological process. Chromatin elimination via micronuclei inP. esculentusis unique among hybridogenetic animals and contributes to broadening the knowledge about reproductive modes in animals.