bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Uruk 1980–1990: a progress report
Authors: Boehmer Rainer Michael
Published: January 2016

The great tells of west Asia, scenes of so many romantic assaults in the early decades of archaeology, present technical problems as challenging as any: deposits to be measured by the tens of thousands of tonnes, complex stratigraphies of re-worked mudbrick. Among the tonnes are finds that run from immense buildings to tiny seals. The venture, as often as not, has its own history going back decades. How does one approach the archaeology of a tell today? Uruk, on the south Mesopotamian plain near Ur, and best known as the type-site for the 4th-millennium city, spans 5000 years, and offers an instructive example of the scale of the problem.
First-order radiocarbon dating of Australian shell-middens
Authors: Frankel David
Published: January 2016

Some of the advantages of first-order radiocarbon dating techniques have recently been described to readers of Antiquity (Glover et al. 1990). The value of the technique is further illustrated in this note, where a similar approach has been used to date shell samples from coastal sites in southeastern Australia.
Dating the Copper Age in Albania
Authors: Guilaine Jean , Prendi Frano
Published: January 2016

Albania, set between the Adriatic, the Balkan and the Greek worlds, is placed at a south European cross-roads A first radiocarbon date from its Copper Age is the opportunity to review how the Albanian sequence relates to those its neighbours.
Possibilities of investigating Neolithic flint economies, as exemplified by the banded flint economy
Authors: Borkowski Wojciech , Migal Witold , Sałaciński Sławomir , Zalewski Marek
Published: January 2016

There is a relatively large amount of evidence helpful in reconstructing the economies of Neolithic farming communities. Material relating to flint processing is only one kind of evidence among many, but analyses of the exploitation of this raw material may provide particularly valuable information (Balcer 1988: 49–51). The flint economy provides unique insights into the processes of the division of labour and emergence of distinct groups of producers of specific kinds of tools. In this paper we discuss methods of identification and study of the individual elements of extraction and processing of banded flint and of the distribution of artefacts in two successive Neolithic cultures, the Funnel Beaker (FBC), lasting from 3900 to 3100 BC (Kowalczyk 1970: 144–77; Kruk & Milisauskas 1990: 195-228), and the Globular Amphorae (GAC), which existed from 3200 to 2700 BC (Wiślański 1970: 178-231; Czerniak & Szmyt 1990: 78).
Archaeology in the 21st century: six modest recommendations
Authors: Mcdonald William Andrew
Published: January 2016

My age-fellows and I, whose professional careers over the past 50 years or so have been devoted to college teaching in the USA and whose fieldwork was conducted mainly in Mediterranean countries, will scarcely see the opening of the next century. Perhaps the most useful contribution veterans like us can now make to the overall discipline – not just to our own ‘wing’ — is to outline certain problems that have particularly disturbed us during our active careers. Younger colleagues – the new decisionmakers – can then judge whether our criticisms are well founded and, if so, what can (or should) be done to alter present practices and attitudes If our concerns are reasonable and our recommendations for remedial action are constructive, we can at least hope that useful discussion will result – particularly in the disciplinary subdivision with which we have been most closely associated.
Monuments, mobilization and Nuragic organization
Authors: Webster Gary S.
Published: January 2016

Over the last hundred years there have been many publications on the animal remains from the Swiss Neolithic lake sites, ranging from the first descriptions of Rütimeyer (1861) to the detailed analyses of Boessneck et al. (1963) and Becker (1981). During the 1970s I had the privilege to work on one of these faunal assemblages, retrieved by rescue excavation at the site of Yvonand IV on the shore of Lake Neuchätel in the canton de Vaud (Clutton-Brock 1990).
Thermoluminescence and the archaeologist
Authors: Aitken Martin
Published: January 2016

During the decade before last the majority of archaeologists stepped aboard the good ship Radiocarbon on a voyage of discovery, some hesitatingly, some with enthusiasm. Once under way the engine room staff were usually too busy to be questioned, for it was a new device having complex technical problems that had to be solved as the ship went along. For the most part the voyagers were content to accept the daily information bulletins; but there were some that questioned whether the peripheral islands could have been reached by the route the navigators claimed and there were some that said the islands seemed to be much further away than they could possibly be. Eventually the engine room staff got its problems sorted out and there was time to talk to the passengers; after lengthy discussions it came to be agreed (by nearly all) that the motion of the ship was more affected by ocean currents than had been assumed, and a way of correcting for this was worked out.
A nonparametric method to test for associations between rare variants and multiple traits
Authors: ZHOU YING , CHENG YANGYANG , ZHU WENSHENG , ZHOU QIAN
Published: January 2016

More and more rare genetic variants are being detected in the human genome, and it is believed that besides common variants, some rare variants also explain part of the phenotypic variance for human diseases. Due to the importance of rare variants, many statistical methods have been proposed to test for associations between rare variants and human traits. However, in existing studies, most methods only test for associations between multiple loci and one trait; therefore, the joint information of multiple traits has not been considered simultaneously and sufficiently. In this article, we present a study of testing for associations between rare variants and multiple traits, where trait value can be binary, ordinal, quantitative and/or any mixture of them. Based on the method of generalized Kendall's τ, a nonparametric method called NM-RV is proposed. A new kernel function for U-statistic, which could incorporate the information of each rare variant itself, is also presented and is expected to enhance the power of rare variant analysis. We further consider the asymptotic distribution of the proposed association test statistic. Our simulation work suggests that the proposed method is more powerful and robust than existing methods in testing for associations between rare variants and multiple traits, especially for multivariate ordinal traits.
FREEDOM, JUSTICE, AND THE POWER OFADAB
Authors: McLarney Ellen
Published: January 2016

This article analyzes in depth four main writings by the pioneeringnahḍaintellectual Rifaʿa Rafiʿ al-Tahtawi, who drew on classical kinds ofadabto articulate new kinds of political subjectivities. He especially draws on the image of the body politic as a body with the king at its heart. But he reconfigures this image, instead placing the public, or the people, at the heart of politics, a “vanquishing sultan” that governs through public opinion. For al-Tahtawi,adabis a kind of virtuous comportment that governs self and soul and structures political relationships. In this, he does not diverge from classical conceptions ofadabas righteous behavior organizing proper social and political relationships. But in his thought, disciplinary training inadabis crucial to the citizen-subject's capacity for self-rule, as he submits to the authority of his individual conscience, ensuring not only freedom, but also justice. These ideas have had lasting impact on Islamic thought, as they have been recycled for the political struggles of new generations.
Who Heard What When: Learning from Radio Broadcasting Hours and Programs in Jerusalem
Authors: Stanton Andrea L.
Published: January 2016

Incorporating descriptions and analyses of sound into Middle Eastern history offers a wealth of opportunity for enriching our understanding of the historical record. But sometimes we need to get back to the basics: the “five w's and one h” of sound studies, so to speak. In what follows I would like to run this simple exercise with radio in the Mandate-era Levant, in order to lay out the basic data and begin to reflect on how it might aid scholars in better understanding other aspects of life in this period. I will do this by first addressing some of these basic what, who, when, where, why, how questions, and then by examining one day's programming of the Palestine Broadcasting Service in 1937: the day immediately following the release of the Peel Commission Report. What can we learn from examining this day's programming?
THOMAS PHILIPP (1941–2015)
Authors: Hanssen Jens
Published: January 2016

Since Thursday, 11 June 2015, the pen of Germany's most prolific modern Middle East historian rests. Thomas Philipp's scholarly work will live on and inspire new generations of historians of Syria and Arab intellectual history. Although we will miss his humanity and personality, we will carry both within us. We have known for years that Thomas was battling cancer. And yet, when the tragic news of his passing emerged out of Erlangen that Friday, it hit me like a lightening bolt: it could not be; thoughts of denial rushed through my head. Had I not spoken to him just the other day? It felt like it. I checked my inbox: our last correspondence—March . . . three months had passed! And no mention of health concerns. We must have been too busy whipping into shape his two chapters for an edited volume on Albert Hourani's Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983).
Modelling the resilience of forage crop production to future climate change in the dairy regions of Southeastern Australia using APSIM
Authors: PEMBLETON K. G. , CULLEN B. R. , RAWNSLEY R. P. , HARRISON M. T. , RAMILAN T.
Published: January 2016

A warmer and potentially drier future climate is likely to influence the production of forage crops on dairy farms in the southeast dairy regions of Australia. Biophysical modelling was undertaken to explore the resilience of forage production of individual forage crops to scalar increases in temperature, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and changes in daily rainfall. The model APSIM was adapted to reflect species specific responses to growth under elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations. It was then used to simulate 40 years of production of forage wheat, oats, annual ryegrass, maize grown for silage, forage sorghum, forage rape and alfalfa grown at three locations in southeast Australia with increased temperature scenarios (1, 2, 3 and 4 °C of warming) and atmospheric CO2 concentration (435, 535, 640 and 750 ppm) and decreasing rainfall scenarios (10, 20 or 30% less rainfall). At all locations positive increases in DM yield compared with the baseline climate scenario were predicted for lucerne (2·6–93·2% increase), wheat (8·9–37·4% increase), oats (6·1–35·9% increase) and annual ryegrass (9·7–66·7% increase) under all future climate scenarios. The response of forage rape and forage sorghum varied between location and climate change scenario. At all locations, maize was predicted to have a minimal change in yield under all future climates (between a 2·6% increase and a 6·8% decrease). The future climate scenarios altered the seasonal pattern of forage supply for wheat, oats and lucerne with an increase in forage produced during winter. The resilience of forage crops to climate change indicates that they will continue to be an important component of dairy forage production in southeastern Australia.
Steinernema pwaniensisn. sp., a new entomopathogenic nematode (Nematoda: Steinernematidae) from Tanzania
Authors: Půža V. , Nermut J. , Mráček Z. , Gengler S. , Haukeland S.
Published: January 2016

A new species of entomopathogenic nematode,Steinernema pwaniensisn. sp., belonging to theglaserigroup, is described from Tanzania. The infective juveniles ofS. pwaniensisn. sp. are characterized by a body length of 978 μm (808–1131), distance from anterior end to excretory pore of 86 μm (80–95) and a tail length of 87 μm (75–95). The ratiosa,candE% ofS. pwaniensisn. sp. are substantially lower than those of all other African ‘glaseri’group members. The first-generation males ofS. pwaniensisn. sp. can be distinguished by a large spicule length of 92 μm (80–97) and by the absence of the caudal mucron, while second-generation males possess a short spine-like mucron. First-generation females have a peg-like tail tip bearing three spine-like projections. Second-generation females can be recognized by a slightly protruding vulva and well-developed post-anal swelling. The new species is further characterized by sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and partial 28S regions of the ribosomal DNA. Phylogenetic analyses show thatS. pwaniensisn. sp. forms a strongly supported monophyletic clade with two other East African species,S. ethiopienseandS. karii.
2-D model of the streamer zone of a leader
Authors: Milikh G. M. , Likhanskii A. V. , Shneider M. N. , Raina A. , George A.
Published: January 2016

Formation of the streamer zone of a leader is an outstanding problem in the physics of electric discharges which is relevant to laboratory leaders, as well as to the leaders formed by lightning. Despite substantial progress in the theoretical understanding of this complicated phenomenon, significant puzzles, such as the low propagation velocity of a leader compared to the fast streamers, remain. The objective of this paper is to present 2-D plasma simulations of the formation and propagation of the streamer zone of a leader. In these simulations we will generate a group of streamers that propagate in a discharge gap while interacting with each other. It is shown that interaction between the streamers significantly reduces their propagation velocity. This explains why the leader, which consists of many streamers, is much slower than a single streamer formed in the same discharge gap. It is shown that the mean velocity suppression of the group of streamers is determined by the inter-streamer distance. The critical value of the packing factor of the streamers at which the interactions between them can be neglected, and thus the discussed process can be treated as caused by a single streamer, is obtained.
Collolechiarevisited and a re-assessment of ascus characteristics inPlacynthiaceae(Peltigerales, Ascomycota)
Authors: KOŠUTHOVÁ Alica , FERNÁNDEZ-BRIME Samantha , WESTBERG Martin , WEDIN Mats
Published: January 2016

We investigated the phylogenetic relationships in the cyanolichen familyPlacynthiaceaeto test the current generic delimitations, where the monotypicCollolechiais currently accepted as distinct, based on differences in ascospores, ascus apex characteristics and the leprose thallus. Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses of two sequence marker datasets confirmed thatCollolechia caesiais nested withinPlacynthium, and should be calledPlacynthium caesium(Fr.) Jatta. We reassessed the spore and ascus characteristics and showed thatPlacynthium caesiumfalls well within the variation inPlacynthiumand is thus yet another example of a species that differs from close relatives by its crustose-leprose thallus structure.
Insights into the naturally acquired immune response toPlasmodium vivaxmalaria
Authors: LONGLEY RHEA J. , SATTABONGKOT JETSUMON , MUELLER IVO
Published: January 2016

Plasmodium vivaxis the most geographically widespread of the malaria parasites causing human disease, yet it is comparatively understudied compared withPlasmodium falciparum.In this article we review what is known about naturally acquired immunity toP. vivax, and importantly, how this differs to that acquired againstP. falciparum.Immunity to clinicalP. vivaxinfection is acquired more quickly than toP. falciparum, and evidence suggests humans in endemic areas also have a greater capacity to mount a successful immunological memory response to this pathogen. Both of these factors give promise to the idea of a successfulP. vivaxvaccine. We review what is known about both the cellular and humoral immune response, including the role of cytokines, antibodies, immunoregulation, immune memory and immune dysfunction. Furthermore, we discuss where the future lies in terms of advancing our understanding of naturally acquired immunity toP. vivax, through the use of well-designed longitudinal epidemiological studies and modern tools available to immunologists.
Energy expenditure of a biped walking robot: instantaneous and degree-of-freedom-based instrumentation with human gait implications
Authors: Roberts Dustyn , Quacinella Joseph , Kim Joo H.
Published: January 2016

Energy expenditure (EE) is an important criterion for design and control of biped walking robots. However, the cause-effect analyses enabled by total EE, which is lumped over a time duration and all system degrees-of-freedom (DOFs), are limited. In this study, robotic gait energetics is evaluated through a DOF-based instrumentation system designed for instantaneous evaluation of bidirectional current and applied voltage at each joint actuator. The instrumentation system includes a dual-module arrangement of buffers and attenuators, and accommodates and synchronizes the voltage and current measurements from multiple actuators. For illustrative purposes, this system is implemented at each DC servomotor in a biped robot, DARwIn-OP, to analyze the electrical EE rates for walking at various speeds. In addition, a DOF-based model of instantaneous human EE rate is employed to enable quantitative characterization of robotic walking EE relative to that of humans. The robot's instantaneous lower-body EE rates are consistent with its periodic walking cycle, and their relative trends between single and double support phases are analogous to those of humans. The robotic cost of transport (COT) curve as a function of normalized speed is also consistent with the human COT in terms of its convexity. Conversely, the contrasting distributions of EE throughout the robot and human DOFs and the robotic COT curve's considerably larger magnitudes, smaller speed ranges, and higher sensitivity to speed illustrate the energetic consequences of stable but inefficient static walking in the biped robot relative to the more efficient dynamic walking of humans. These energetic characteristics enable the identification of the joints and gait cycle phases associated with inefficiency in biped robotic gait, and reflect the noticeable differences in the system parameters (rigid and flat versus segmented feet) and gait control strategies (bent versus straight knees, instants of peak ankle actuator torques, static versus dynamic balance stability). The proposed general instrumentation provides a quantitative approach to benchmarking human gait as well as general guidelines for the development of energy-efficient walking robots.
Acupuncture-like transcutaneous nerve stimulation therapy success after 5 years post-radiation-induced xerostomia: a case report
Authors: Patel-Yadav Ami , Singh Anurag
Published: January 2016

Background

Success with acupuncture-like transcutaneous nerve stimulation (ALTENS) in the treatment of radiation-induced xerostomia has not been reported after an extended time.

Methods

We report a case of successful ALTENS therapy 5 years after radiation treatment.

Results

The patient discontinued treatments in a second course due to complete resolution of symptoms.

Conclusion

This case report demonstrates a potential for offering ALTENS to those long suffering from radiation-induced xerostomia.
BRAHMO SAMAJ AS AN ACTOR IN THE DISSEMINATION OF ARYAN INVASION THEORY (AIT) IN INDIA
Authors: Banerjee Subrata Chattopadhyay
Published: January 2016

Dissemination of a scientific theory often follows a circuitous route. It is a widespread notion supported by eminent scholars that the noted linguist and religious scholar F. Max Müller is responsible for the dissemination of the Aryan Invasion Theory (AIT), and thus played into the hands of imperial interests. In this article, we argue that there were other stakeholders in the process of the widespread acceptance of AIT. In particular, Brahmo Samaj, a prominent socio-religious reform association in nineteenth-century India, also played a major role in the spreading of AIT. Prominent leaders of Brahmo Samaj, actively or passively, collaborated with Müller in that process. We closely examine the development of affairs during that time and attempt to establish that the development of a scientific theory is not a unilateral process, but rather strongly influenced by the socio-political environments of the time.
Richard C. J. Somerville Receives 2015 Climate Communication Prize
Authors:   AGU
Published: January 2016

Richard C. J. Somerville was awarded the 2015 Climate Communication Prize at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, held on 16 December 2015 in San Francisco, Calif. The Climate Communication Prize is funded by Nature's Own, a purveyor of fossils, minerals, and handcrafted jewelry in Boulder, Colo. The prize honors an "AGU member-scientist for the communication of climate science, and highlights the importance of promoting scientific literacy, clarity of message, and efforts to foster respected and understanding of science-based values as they relate to the implications of climate change."
Water Resources in a Changing Climate
Authors: Wlostowski Adam , Smull Erika , Quebbeman Jonathan
Published: January 2016

Hydrology Days 2015; Fort Collins, Colorado, 23–25 March 2015
An immediate transcriptional signature associated with response to the histone deacetylase inhibitor Givinostat in T acute lymphoblastic leukemia xenografts
Authors: Pinazza M , Borga C , Agnusdei V , Minuzzo S , Fossati G , Paganin M , Michielotto B , De Paoli A , Basso G , Amadori A , te Kronnie G , Indraccolo S
Published: January 2016

Despite some success with certain hematological malignancies and in contrast with the strong pro-apoptotic effects measuredin vitro, the overall response rate of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) to histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) is low. With the aim to improve the understanding of how HDACis workin vivo, we investigated the therapeutic efficacy of the clinically approved HDACi Givinostat in a collection of nine pediatric human T-ALL engrafted systemically in NOD/SCID mice. We observed highly heterogeneous antileukemia responses to Givinostat, associated with reduction of the percentage of infiltrating blasts in target organs, induction of apoptosis and differentiation. These effects were not associated with the T-ALL cytogenetic subgroup. Transcriptome analysis disclosed an immediate transcriptional signature enriched in genes involved in cell-cycle regulation and DNA repair, which was validated by quantitative RT-PCR and was associated within vivoresponse to this HDACi. Increased phospho-H2AX levels, a marker of DNA damage, were measured in T-ALL cells from Givinostat responders. These results indicate that the induction of the DNA damage response could be an early biomarker of the therapeutic effects of Givinostat in T-ALL models. This information should be considered in the design of future clinical trials with HDACis in acute leukemia.
FoxO3 suppresses Myc-driven lymphomagenesis
Authors: Vandenberg C J , Motoyama N , Cory S
Published: January 2016

This study demonstrates, for the first time, that loss of a single forkhead box class O (FoxO) transcription factor, can promote lymphomagenesis. Using two different mouse models, we show that FoxO3 has a significant tumour-suppressor function in the context of Myc-driven lymphomagenesis. Loss of FoxO3 significantly accelerated myeloid tumorigenesis in vavP-MYC10 transgenic mice and B lymphomagenesis in Eμ-myc transgenic mice. Tumour analysis indicated that the selective pressure for mutation of the p53 pathway during Eμ-myc lymphomagenesis was not altered. Frank tumours were preceded by elevated macrophage numbers in FoxO3−/− vavP-MYC10 mice but, surprisingly, pre-B-cell numbers were relatively normal in healthy young FoxO3−/−Eμ-myc mice. In vitro assays revealed enhanced survival capacity of Myc-driven cells lacking FoxO3, but no change in cell cycling was detected. The loss of FoxO3 may also be affecting other tumour-suppressive functions for which FoxO1/4 cannot fully compensate.
Nickel supported on nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes as hydrogen oxidation reaction catalyst in alkaline electrolyte
Authors: Zhuang Zhongbin , Giles Stephen A. , Zheng Jie , Jenness Glen R. , Caratzoulas Stavros , Vlachos Dionisios G. , Yan Yushan
Published: January 2016

The development of a low-cost, high-performance platinum-group-metal-free hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cell is hindered by the lack of a hydrogen oxidation reaction catalyst at the anode. Here we report that a composite catalyst, nickel nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes, has hydrogen oxidation activity similar to platinum-group metals in alkaline electrolyte. Although nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes are a very poor hydrogen oxidation catalyst, as a support, it increases the catalytic performance of nickel nanoparticles by a factor of 33 (mass activity) or 21 (exchange current density) relative to unsupported nickel nanoparticles. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the nitrogen-doped support stabilizes the nanoparticle against reconstruction, while nitrogen located at the edge of the nanoparticle tunes local adsorption sites by affecting the d-orbitals of nickel. Owing to its high activity and low cost, our catalyst shows significant potential for use in low-cost, high-performance fuel cells.
Decrease in coccolithophore calcification and CO2 since the middle Miocene
Authors: Bolton Clara T. , Hernández-Sánchez María T. , Fuertes Miguel-Ángel , González-Lemos Saúl , Abrevaya Lorena , Mendez-Vicente Ana , Flores José-Abel , Probert Ian , Giosan Liviu , Johnson Joel , Stoll Heather M.
Published: January 2016

Marine algae are instrumental in carbon cycling and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) regulation. One group, coccolithophores, uses carbon to photosynthesize and to calcify, covering their cells with chalk platelets (coccoliths). How ocean acidification influences coccolithophore calcification is strongly debated, and the effects of carbonate chemistry changes in the geological past are poorly understood. This paper relates degree of coccolith calcification to cellular calcification, and presents the first records of size-normalized coccolith thickness spanning the last 14 Myr from tropical oceans. Degree of calcification was highest in the low-pH, high-CO2Miocene ocean, but decreased significantly between 6 and 4 Myr ago. Based on this and concurrent trends in a new alkenoneɛprecord, we propose that decreasing CO2partly drove the observed trend via reduced cellular bicarbonate allocation to calcification. This trend reversed in the late Pleistocene despite low CO2, suggesting an additional regulator of calcification such as alkalinity.
An early Oligocene fossil demonstrates treeshrews are slowly evolving “living fossils”
Authors: Li Qiang , Ni Xijun
Published: January 2016

Treeshrews are widely considered a “living model” of an ancestral primate and have long been called “living fossils”. Actual fossils of treeshrews, however, are extremely rare. We report a new fossil species of Ptilocercus treeshrew recovered from the early Oligocene (~34 Ma) of China that represents the oldest definitive fossil record of the crown group of treeshrews and nearly doubles the temporal length of their fossil record. The fossil species is strikingly similar to the living Ptilocercus lowii, a species generally recognized as the most plesiomorphic extant treeshrew. It demonstrates that Ptilocercus treeshrews have undergone little evolutionary change in their morphology since the early Oligocene. Morphological comparisons and phylogenetic analysis support the long-standing idea that Ptilocercus treeshrews are morphologically conservative and have probably retained many characters present in the common stock that gave rise to archontans, which include primates, flying lemurs, plesiadapiforms and treeshrews. This discovery provides an exceptional example of slow morphological evolution in a mammalian group over a period of 34 million years. The persistent and stable tropical environment in Southeast Asia through the Cenozoic likely played a critical role in the survival of such a morphologically conservative lineage.
Phytoliths reveal the earliest fine reedy textile in China at the Tianluoshan site
Authors: Zhang Jianping , Lu Houyuan , Sun Guoping , Flad Rowan , Wu Naiqin , Huan Xiujia , He Keyang , Wang Yonglei
Published: January 2016

Textiles are among the longest and most widespread technologies in human history, although poor preservation of perishable artifacts in Paleolithic and Neolithic contexts makes them difficult to unearth and has hampered study of their production and use. Here we report evidence of a plain-woven mat from the Tianluoshan site, Zhejiang, Eastern China. Phytolith and AMS dating from the mat and modern reference collections shown that the mat was made of reeds (Phragmites australis (Cav.)) and dated to 6775–6645 cal. yr. BP. This is the earliest directly dated fiber artifact so far known in China, over at least one thousand years earlier than any established dates for woven remains elsewhere. The evidence of the mat and other related remains suggest that textile products might occur earlier than 7000–8000 years ago and are significant for understanding the history of textiles, as well as production and human adaptation in Neolithic China.
Geometry Dependent Evolution of the Resonant Mode in ZnO Elongated Hexagonal Microcavity
Authors: Dong Hongxing , Liu Yang , Sun Shulin , Li Jingzhou , Zhan Jinxin , Chen Zhanghai , Zhang Long
Published: January 2016

We have developed a novel but simple approach to obtain ZnO microcombs with parallelogram stems and elongated hexagonal branches. We found that the present elongated hexagonal microcavity exhibited quite different features for its optical resonant modes due to the broken hexagonal symmetry. The resonant mode evolution of such microcavity was investigated systemically by using a spatially resolved spectroscopic technique. Theoretical analyses based on the plane wave mode and FEM simulations agreed well with the experimental results. We believe that our research allows us to have a deeper understanding of the controllable growth of novel optical cavities and the shape-dependent optical resonant modes.
The effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on contrast sensitivity and visual evoked potential amplitude in adults with amblyopia
Authors: Ding Zhaofeng , Li Jinrong , Spiegel Daniel P. , Chen Zidong , Chan Lily , Luo Guangwei , Yuan Junpeng , Deng Daming , Yu Minbin , Thompson Benjamin
Published: January 2016

Amblyopia is a neurodevelopmental disorder of vision that occurs when the visual cortex receives decorrelated inputs from the two eyes during an early critical period of development. Amblyopic eyes are subject to suppression from the fellow eye, generate weaker visual evoked potentials (VEPs) than fellow eyes and have multiple visual deficits including impairments in visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. Primate models and human psychophysics indicate that stronger suppression is associated with greater deficits in amblyopic eye contrast sensitivity and visual acuity. We tested whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the visual cortex would modulate VEP amplitude and contrast sensitivity in adults with amblyopia. tDCS can transiently alter cortical excitability and may influence suppressive neural interactions. Twenty-one patients with amblyopia and twenty-seven controls completed separate sessions of anodal (a-), cathodal (c-) and sham (s-) visual cortex tDCS. A-tDCS transiently and significantly increased VEP amplitudes for amblyopic, fellow and control eyes and contrast sensitivity for amblyopic and control eyes. C-tDCS decreased VEP amplitude and contrast sensitivity and s-tDCS had no effect. These results suggest that tDCS can modulate visual cortex responses to information from adult amblyopic eyes and provide a foundation for future clinical studies of tDCS in adults with amblyopia.
An in vitro reproduction of stress-induced memory defects: Effects of corticoids on dendritic spine dynamics
Authors: Saito Shinichi , Kimura Satoshi , Adachi Naoki , Numakawa Tadahiro , Ogura Akihiko , Tominaga-Yoshino Keiko
Published: January 2016

Previously, in organotypic slice culture of rodent hippocampus we found that three repeated inductions of LTP, but not a single induction, led to a slow-developing long-lasting enhancement of synaptic strength coupled with synapse formation. Naming this structural plasticity RISE (repetitive LTP-induced synaptic enhancement) and assuming it to be a potentialin vitroreproduction of repetition-dependent memory consolidation, we are analyzing its cellular mechanisms. Here, we applied a glucocorticoid to the culture to mimic acute excess stress and demonstrated its blockade of RISE. Since excess stress interferes with behavioral memory consolidation, the parallelism between RISEin vitroand memory consolidationin vivois supported. We recently reported that RISE developed after stochastic processes. Here we found that the glucocorticoid interfered with RISE by suppressing the increment of dendritic spine fluctuation that precedes a net increase in spine density. The present study provides clues for understanding the mechanism of stress-induced memory defects.
The relationship of spectral sensitivity with growth and reproductive response in avian breeders (Gallus gallus)
Authors: Yang Ye-Feng , Jiang Jing-Song , Pan Jin-Ming , Ying Yi-Bin , Wang Xiao-Shuang , Zhang Ming-Li , Lu Min-Si , Chen Xian-Hui
Published: January 2016

A previous study demonstrated that birds that are exposed to light at night develop advanced reproductive systems. However, spectrum might also affect the photoperiodic response of birds. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of spectral composition on the growth and reproductive physiology of female breeders, using pure light-emitting diode spectra. A total of 1,000 newly hatched female avian breeders (Gallus gallus) were equally allocated to white-, red-, yellow-, green- and blue-light treated groups. We found that blue-light treated birds had a greater and faster weight gain than did red- and yellow-light treated birds (P = 0.02 and 0.05). The red light expedited the sexual maturation of the chicks, whose age at sexual maturity was 7 and 14 days earlier than that of the green- and blue-light treated birds, respectively. The accumulative egg production of the red-light treated birds was 9 and 8 eggs more than that of the blue- and green-light treated birds. The peak lay rate of the red-light treated groups was significantly greater than the blue-light treated birds (P = 0.028). In conclusion, exposure to short-wavelength light appears to promote growth of female breeder birds, whereas exposure to long-wavelength light appears to accelerate reproductive performance.
Graphene quantum dots as the electrolyte for solid state supercapacitors
Authors: Zhang Su , Li Yutong , Song Huaihe , Chen Xiaohong , Zhou Jisheng , Hong Song , Huang Minglu
Published: January 2016

We propose that graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with a sufficient number of acidic oxygen-bearing functional groups such as -COOH and -OH can serve as solution- and solid- type electrolytes for supercapacitors. Moreover, we found that the ionic conductivity and ion-donating ability of the GQDs could be markedly improved by simply neutralizing their acidic functional groups by using KOH. These neutralized GQDs as the solution- or solid-type electrolytes greatly enhanced the capacitive performance and rate capability of the supercapacitors. The reason for the enhancement can be ascribed to the fully ionization of the weak acidic oxygen-bearing functional groups after neutralization.
Facile Synthesis of Non-Graphitizable Polypyrrole-Derived Carbon/Carbon Nanotubes for Lithium-ion Batteries
Authors: Jin Bo , Gao Fan , Zhu Yong-Fu , Lang Xing-You , Han Gao-Feng , Gao Wang , Wen Zi , Zhao Ming , Li Jian-Chen , Jiang Qing
Published: January 2016

Graphite is usually used as an anode material in the commercial lithium ion batteries (LIBs). The relatively low lithium storage capacity of 372 mAh g–1 and the confined rate capability however limit its large-scale applications in electrical vehicles and hybrid electrical vehicles. As results, exploring novel carbon-based anode materials with improved reversible capacity for high-energy-density LIBs is urgent task. Herein we present TNGC/MWCNTs by synthesizing tubular polypyrrole (T-PPy) via a self-assembly process, then carbonizing T-PPy at 900 °C under an argon atmosphere (TNGC for short) and finally mixing TNGC with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). As for TNGC/MWCNTs, the discharge capacity of 561 mAh g−1 is maintained after 100 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g−1. Electrochemical results demonstrate that TNGC/MWCNTs can be considered as promising anode materials for high-energy-density LIBs.
Bioactivity of periodontal ligament stem cells on sodium titanate coated with graphene oxide
Authors: Zhou Qi , Yang Pishan , Li Xianlei , Liu Hong , Ge Shaohua
Published: January 2016

As a biocompatible and low cytotoxic nanomaterial, graphene oxide (GO) has captured tremendous interests in tissue engineering. However, little is known about the behavior of dental stem cells on GO. This study was to evaluate the bioactivity of human periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) on GO coated titanium (GO-Ti) substrate in vitro as compared to sodium titanate (Na-Ti) substrate. By scanning electron microscope (SEM), confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM), methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot analysis, we investigated the attachment, morphology, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs on these two substrates. When seeded on GO-Ti substrate, PDLSCs exhibited significantly higher proliferation rate, ALP activity and up-regulated gene expression level of osteogenesis-related markers of collagen type I (COL-I), ALP, bone sialoprotein (BSP), runt related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and osteocalcin (OCN) compared with those on Na-Ti substrate. Moreover, GO promoted the protein expression of BSP, Runx2 and OCN. These findings suggest that the combination of GO and PDLSCs provides a promising construct for regenerative dentistry.
Combinatorial Treatment with Apelin-13 Enhances the Therapeutic Efficacy of a Preconditioned Cell-Based Therapy for Peripheral Ischemia
Authors: Samura Makoto , Morikage Noriyasu , Suehiro Kotaro , Tanaka Yuya , Nakamura Tamami , Nishimoto Arata , Ueno Koji , Hosoyama Tohru , Hamano Kimikazu
Published: January 2016

Hypoxic pretreatment of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) enhances therapeutic angiogenesis in ischemic tissues after cell transplantation. However, newly formed vessels generated using this approach are immature and insufficient for promoting functional recovery from severe ischemia. In this study, we examined whether apelin-13, a regulator of vessel maturation, could be an effective promoter of therapeutic angiogenesis, following severe limb ischemia. Combinatorial treatment of hypoxic preconditioned PBMNCs with apelin-13 resulted in increased blood perfusion and vascular reactivity in ischemic mouse hindlimbs compared with a monotherapy comprising each factor. Apelin-13 upregulated expression of PDGF-BB and TGF-β1 in hypoxic PBMNCs, as well as that of PDGFR-β in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Proliferation and migration of VSMCs treated with apelin-13 was accelerated in the presence of PDGF-BB. Interestingly, expression of an apelin receptor, APJ, in PBMNC was increased under hypoxia but not under normoxia. In addition, an in vitro angiogenesis assay using a co-culture model comprising mouse thoracic aorta, hypoxic PBMNCs and apelin-13 demonstrated that combinatorial treatment recruited mural cells to sprouted vessel outgrowths from the aortic ring, thereby promoting neovessel maturation. Thus, combinatorial injection of hypoxic PBMNCs and apelin-13 could be an effective therapeutic strategy for patients with severe ischemic diseases.
Lack of effects on key cellular parameters of MRC-5 human lung fibroblasts exposed to 370 mT static magnetic field
Authors: Romeo Stefania , Sannino Anna , Scarfì Maria Rosaria , Massa Rita , d’Angelo Raffaele , Zeni Olga
Published: January 2016

The last decades have seen increased interest toward possible adverse effects arising from exposure to intense static magnetic fields. This concern is mainly due to the wider and wider applications of such fields in industry and clinical practice; among them, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) facilities are the main sources of exposure to static magnetic fields for both general public (patients) and workers. In recent investigations, exposures to static magnetic fields have been demonstrated to elicit, in different cell models, both permanent and transient modifications in cellular endpoints critical for the carcinogenesis process. The World Health Organization has therefore recommendedin vitroinvestigations as important research need, to be carried out under strictly controlled exposure conditions. Here we report on the absence of effects on cell viability, reactive oxygen species levels and DNA integrity in MRC-5 human foetal lung fibroblasts exposed to 370 mT magnetic induction level, under different exposure regimens. Exposures have been performed by using an experimental apparatus designed and realized for operating with the static magnetic field generated by permanent magnets and confined in a magnetic circuit, to allow cell cultures exposure in absence of confounding factors like heating or electric field components.
Endocytic function is critical for influenza A virus infection via DC-SIGN and L-SIGN
Authors: Gillespie Leah , Roosendahl Paula , Ng Wy Ching , Brooks Andrew G. , Reading Patrick C. , Londrigan Sarah L.
Published: January 2016

The ubiquitous presence of cell-surface sialic acid (SIA) has complicated efforts to identify specific transmembrane glycoproteins that function as bone fide entry receptors for influenza A virus (IAV) infection. The C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) DC-SIGN (CD209) and L-SIGN (CD209L) enhance IAV infection however it is not known if they act as attachment factors, passing virions to other unknown receptors for virus entry, or as authentic entry receptors for CLR-mediated virus uptake and infection. Sialic acid-deficient Lec2 Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines were resistant to IAV infection whereas expression of DC-SIGN/L-SIGN restored susceptibility of Lec2 cells to pH- and dynamin-dependent infection. Moreover, Lec2 cells expressing endocytosis-defective DC-SIGN/L-SIGN retained capacity to bind IAV but showed reduced susceptibility to infection. These studies confirm that DC-SIGN and L-SIGN are authentic endocytic receptors for IAV entry and infection.
Transcriptome responses in alfalfa associated with tolerance to intensive animal grazing
Authors: Wang Junjie , Zhao Yan , Ray Ian , Song Mingzhou
Published: January 2016

Tolerance of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) to animal grazing varies widely within the species. However, the molecular mechanisms influencing the grazing tolerant phenotype remain uncharacterized. The objective of this study was to identify genes and pathways that control grazing response in alfalfa. We analyzed whole-plant de novo transcriptomes from grazing tolerant and intolerant populations of M. sativa ssp. falcata subjected to grazing by sheep. Among the Gene Ontology terms which were identified as grazing responsive in the tolerant plants and differentially enriched between the tolerant and intolerant populations (both grazed), most were associated with the ribosome and translation-related activities, cell wall processes and response to oxygen levels. Twenty-one grazing responsive pathways were identified that also exhibited differential expression between the tolerant and intolerant populations. These pathways were associated with secondary metabolite production, primary carbohydrate metabolic pathways, shikimate derivative dependent pathways, ribosomal subunit composition, hormone signaling, wound response, cell wall formation and anti-oxidant defense. Sequence polymorphisms were detected among several differentially expressed homologous transcripts between the tolerant and intolerant populations. These differentially responsive genes and pathways constitute potential response mechanisms for grazing tolerance in alfalfa. They also provide potential targets for molecular breeding efforts to develop grazing-tolerant cultivars of alfalfa.
Endogenous sulfur dioxide alleviates collagen remodeling via inhibiting TGF-β/Smad pathway in vascular smooth muscle cells
Authors: Huang Yaqian , Shen Zhizhou , Chen Qinghua , Huang Pan , Zhang Heng , Du Shuxu , Geng Bin , Zhang Chunyu , Li Kun , Tang Chaoshu , Du Junbao , Jin Hongfang
Published: January 2016

The study was designed to investigate the role of endogenous sulfur dioxide (SO2) in collagen remodeling and its mechanisms in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Overexpression of endogenous SO2 synthase aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) 1 or 2 increased SO2 levels and inhibited collagen I and III expressions induced by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 in VSMCs. In contrast, AAT1 or AAT2 knockdown induced a severe collagen deposition in TGF-β1-treated VSMCs. Furthermore, AAT1 or AAT2 overexpression suppressed procollagen I and III mRNA, upregulated matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 expression, downregulated tissue inhibitors of MMP-1 level and vice versa. Mechanistically, AAT1 or AAT2 overexpression inhibited phosphorylation of type I TGF-β receptor (TβRI) and Smad2/3 in TGF-β1-stimulated VSMCs. Whereas SB431542, an inhibitor of TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway, attenuated excessive collagen deposition induced by AAT knockdown. Most importantly, ectopically expressing AAT or exogenous addition of 100 μM SO2 blocked AAT deficiency-aggravated collagen accumulation in TGF-β1-stimulatd VSMCs, while no inhibition was observed at 100 μM ethyl pyruvate. These findings indicated that endogenous SO2 alleviated collagen remodeling by controlling TGF-β1/TβRI/Smad2/3-mediated modulation of collagen synthesis and degradation.
Different detection and stacking techniques in capillary electrophoresis for metabolomics
Authors: Grochocki Wojciech , Markuszewski Michał J. , Quirino Joselito P.
Published: January 2016

In the last decade, capillary electrophoresis (CE) has joined other analytical separation techniques that are widely used in metabolomics.
An ultrasensitive energy-transfer based photoelectrochemical protein biosensor
Authors: Xu Fei , Zhu Yuan-Cheng , Ma Zheng-Yuan , Zhao Wei-Wei , Xu Jing-Juan , Chen Hong-Yuan
Published: January 2016

Au nanoparticle functionalized single stranded DNA was used as novel energy-transfer nanoprobes for ultrasensitive photoelectrochemical bioanalysis.
Direct difunctionalization of activated alkynes via domino oxidative benzylation/1,4-aryl migration/decarboxylation reactions under metal-free conditions
Authors: Miao Tao , Xia Dong , Li Yang , Li Pinhua , Wang Lei
Published: January 2016

The oxidative difunctionalization of aryl alkynoatesviaa tandem oxidative benzylation/1,4-aryl migration/decarboxylation to trisubstituted alkenes was developed under metal-free conditions.
Defects-assisted ferromagnetism due to bound magnetic polarons in Ce into Fe, Co:ZnO nanoparticles and first-principle calculations
Authors: Verma Kuldeep Chand , Kotnala R. K.
Published: January 2016

In the DMS systems of Zn0.94Fe0.03Ce0.03O and Zn0.94Co0.03Ce0.03O, the Ce ions attribute lattice defects as well as enhance antiferromagnetic interactions, which have potential in novel spintronic applications.