bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Ammonia (NH3) Predictions in the NOAA NAQFC for Eastern North Carolina Using Ground Level and Satellite Measurements
Authors: Battye William H. , Bray Casey D. , Aneja Viney P. , Tong Daniel , Lee Pius , Tang Youhua
Published: July 2019

Ammonia (NH3) in the atmosphere contributes to the formation of airborne fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which is associated with adverse human health effects. The emission, transport, reactions, and deposition of NH3 in the atmosphere are modeled using the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model, within the U.S. National Air Quality Forecast Capability (NAQFC). The purpose of this current work is to evaluate the capability of the NAQFC CMAQ model and to identify potential improvements to NH3 emissions estimates and prediction methods. This study focuses on CMAQ predictions of atmospheric NH3 in North Carolina, including a region with intensive animal production and enhanced NH3 emissions. The CMAQ model is run for July 2011 using a version of the 2011 National Emissions Inventory in which agricultural NH3 emissions were adjusted to reflect the lower end of the range of estimates from the current process‐based emissions model. The NAQFC CMAQ model overpredicted atmospheric NH3 at a continuous monitor in Clinton, NC, within the region of intensive animal production. The average concentration measured by the monitor was 6.6 ppbv, while the average predicted by the model was 10.5 ppbv, a 60% overprediction. Outside of the region of intensive animal production, both measured and modeled NH3 concentrations were low, 1.3 ppbv or less. The model underpredicted wet deposition of NH4+ and dry deposition of NH3. It is believed that the overestimation of NH3 at Clinton is attributable at least in part to the underestimation of wet and dry deposition in North Carolina.
Resurrecting Interest in a “Dead” Planet
Authors: Benningfield Damond
Published: July 2019

New research suggests that the surface of Venus is busy, but it may take new missions to our “sibling” planet to confirm this.
Giant Planets and Brown Dwarfs Form in Different Ways
Authors: Kornei Katherine
Published: July 2019

Once thought to be part of the same population, planets larger than Jupiter and “failed stars” likely grow via different mechanisms, the Gemini Planet Imager Exoplanet Survey has shown.
East‐Central Asian Climate Evolved With the Northward Migration of the High Proto‐Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhu Chenguang , Meng Jun , Hu Yongyun , Wang Chengshan , Zhang Jian
Published: July 2019

The evolution of Cenozoic climate patterns in Asia has been linked to uplift of the Tibetan Plateau (TP), retreat of the Paratethys Sea, and global cooling. However, less attention has been placed on the latitudinal change of the TP. Here we report new climate modeling to explore how modern climate changes as a function of topographic growth and spatial migration of the TP. Our results show that the northward displacement of the uplifted proto‐TP within the subtropics can significantly affect the wind and precipitation pattern over East‐Central Asia. By compiling proxy‐based climatic records, paleolatitudinal and paleoelevational evolution models of the proto‐TP, and in comparison with previous modeling under a global paleogeography, we suggest that the northward migration of the proto‐TP in the Paleogene could have intensified the aridity in Central Asia, but its influence on East Asian precipitation and monsoonal circulation could be dependent on the paleogeography and other boundary conditions.
A Capacitor‐Discharge Mechanism to Explain the Timing of Orogeny‐Related Global Glaciations
Authors: Joshi Manoj M. , Mills Benjamin J. W. , Johnson Martin
Published: July 2019

Over geological timescales, mountain building or orogenesis is associated with increased weathering, the drawdown of atmospheric CO2, and global cooling. However, a multimillion‐year delay appears to exist between peaks in low‐latitude mountain uplift and the maximum extent of Phanerozoic glaciation, implying a more complex causal relationship between the two. Here we show that global silicate weathering can be modulated by orogeny in three distinct phases. High, young mountain belts experience preferential precipitation and the highest erosion. As mountains are denuded, precipitation decreases, but runoff temperature rises, sharply increasing chemical weathering potential and CO2 drawdown. In the final phase, erosion and weathering are throttled by flatter topography. We conclude that orogeny acts as a capacitor in the climate system, granting the potential for intense transient CO2 drawdown when mountain ranges are denuded; the mechanism suggests such a scenario potentially happening 10–50 × 106 years in the future.
Estimates of African Dust Deposition Along the Trans‐Atlantic Transit Using the Decadelong Record of Aerosol Measurements from CALIOP, MODIS, MISR, and IASI
Authors: Yu Hongbin , Tan Qian , Chin Mian , Remer Lorraine A. , Kahn Ralph A. , Bian Huisheng , Kim Dongchul , Zhang Zhibo , Yuan Tianle , Omar Ali H. , Winker David M. , Levy Robert C. , Kalashnikova Olga , Crepeau Laurent , Capelle Virginie , Chédin Alain
Published: July 2019

Deposition of mineral dust into ocean fertilizes ecosystems and influences biogeochemical cycles and climate. In situ observations of dust deposition are scarce, and model simulations depend on the highly parameterized representations of dust processes with few constraints. By taking advantage of satellites' routine sampling on global and decadal scales, we estimate African dust deposition flux and loss frequency (a ratio of deposition flux to mass loading) along the trans‐Atlantic transit using the three‐dimensional distributions of aerosol retrieved by spaceborne lidar (Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization [CALIOP]) and radiometers (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [MODIS], Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer [MISR], and Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer [IASI]). On the basis of a 10‐year (2007‐2016) and basin‐scale average, the amount of dust deposition into the tropical Atlantic Ocean is estimated at 136‐222 Tg/year. The 65‐83% of satellite‐based estimates agree with the in situ climatology within a factor of 2. The magnitudes of dust deposition are highest in boreal summer and lowest in fall, whereas the interannual variability as measured by the normalized standard deviation with mean is largest in spring (28‐41%) and smallest (7‐15%) in summer. The dust deposition displays high spatial heterogeneity, revealing that the meridional shifts of major dust deposition belts are modulated by the seasonal migration of the intertropical convergence zone. On the basis of the annual and basin mean, the dust loss frequency derived from the satellite observations ranges from 0.078 to 0.100 day‐1, which is lower than model simulations by up to factors of 2 to 5. The most efficient loss of dust occurs in winter, consistent with the higher possibility of low‐altitude transported dust in southern trajectories being intercepted by rainfall associated with the intertropical convergence zone. The satellite‐based estimates of dust deposition can be used to fill the geographical gaps and extend time span of in situ measurements, study the dust‐ocean interactions, and evaluate model simulations of dust processes.
Signalling involving MET and FAK supports cell division independent of the activity of the cell cycle-regulating CDK4/6 kinases
Authors: Zhang Chi , Stockwell Simon R. , Elbanna May , Ketteler Robin , Freeman Jamie , Al-Lazikani Bissan , Eccles Suzanne , De Haven Brandon Alexis , Raynaud Florence , Hayes Angela , Clarke Paul A. , Workman Paul , Mittnacht Sibylle
Published: July 2019

Deregulation of cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) is highly prevalent in cancer; yet, inhibitors against these kinases are currently used only in restricted tumour contexts. The extent to which cancers depend on CDK4/6 and the mechanisms that may undermine such dependency are poorly understood. Here, we report that signalling engaging the MET proto-oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase/focal adhesion kinase (FAK) axis leads to CDK4/6-independent CDK2 activation, involving as critical mechanistic events loss of the CDKI p21CIP1 and gain of its regulator, the ubiquitin ligase subunit SKP2. Combined inhibition of MET/FAK and CDK4/6 eliminates the proliferation capacity of cancer cells in culture, and enhances tumour growth inhibition in vivo. Activation of the MET/FAK axis is known to arise through cancer extrinsic and intrinsic cues. Our work predicts that such cues support cell division independent of the activity of the cell cycle-regulating CDK4/6 kinases and identifies MET/FAK as a tractable route to broaden the utility of CDK4/6 inhibitor-based therapies in the clinic.
Trait anxiety on effort allocation to monetary incentives: a behavioral and high-density EEG study
Authors: Berchio Cristina , Rodrigues João , Strasser Alina , Michel Christoph M. , Sandi Carmen
Published: July 2019

Trait anxiety is an important phenotype in the prediction of stress-induced neuropsychiatric disorders. While the role of trait anxiety in mental effort and cognitive impairment is well documented, much less is known about its influence on motivated behaviors and physical effort. Here, we investigated trait anxiety-related differences in behavioral and neural responses in an effort-related monetary incentive delay task. Participants prompted with different incentive levels could exert handgrip responses to earn monetary rewards while a 256-channel electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded. Participants’ performance was linearly dependent on incentive level, with higher stakes prompting better accuracy and higher grip force. Importantly, we found a striking association between trait anxiety and incentive-related grip force; effort exertion was related to incentive level only in high-anxious individuals. In analyses of neural efficiency associated with effort preparation involving Contingent-negative variation (CNV), we found that the CNV amplitude was sensitive to monetary incentive levels. Source imaging analyses of CNV indicated increased activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) for the highest incentive level. Importantly, we found a significant interaction between trait anxiety and incentive level on CNV modulation at the interval ranging from −2610 to −2510 ms, with greater CNV responses to the lower monetary incentive sizes in high anxiety. Subsequent mediation analyses supported a mediation of the ACC activation on the association between trait anxiety and incentive-selective grip force. Our study reveals a role for ACC in trait anxiety-related differences on incentive processing, when rewards are dependent on effortful performance.
Silencing cortical activity during sound-localization training impairs auditory perceptual learning
Authors: Bajo Victoria M. , Nodal Fernando R. , Korn Clio , Constantinescu Alexandra O. , Mann Edward O. , Boyden Edward S. , King Andrew J.
Published: July 2019

The brain has a remarkable capacity to adapt to changes in sensory inputs and to learn from experience. However, the neural circuits responsible for this flexible processing remain poorly understood. Using optogenetic silencing of ArchT-expressing neurons in adult ferrets, we show that within-trial activity in primary auditory cortex (A1) is required for training-dependent recovery in sound-localization accuracy following monaural deprivation. Because localization accuracy under normal-hearing conditions was unaffected, this highlights a specific role for cortical activity in learning. A1-dependent plasticity appears to leave a memory trace that can be retrieved, facilitating adaptation during a second period of monaural deprivation. However, in ferrets in which learning was initially disrupted by perturbing A1 activity, subsequent optogenetic suppression during training no longer affected localization accuracy when one ear was occluded. After the initial learning phase, the reweighting of spatial cues that primarily underpins this plasticity may therefore occur in A1 target neurons.
Stabilizing polymer electrolytes in high-voltage lithium batteries
Authors: Choudhury Snehashis , Tu Zhengyuan , Nijamudheen A. , Zachman Michael J. , Stalin Sanjuna , Deng Yue , Zhao Qing , Vu Duylinh , Kourkoutis Lena F. , Mendoza-Cortes Jose L. , Archer Lynden A.
Published: July 2019

Electrochemical cells that utilize lithium and sodium anodes are under active study for their potential to enable high-energy batteries. Liquid and solid polymer electrolytes based on ether chemistry are among the most promising choices for rechargeable lithium and sodium batteries. However, uncontrolled anionic polymerization of these electrolytes at low anode potentials and oxidative degradation at working potentials of the most interesting cathode chemistries have led to a quite concession in the field that solid-state or flexible batteries based on polymer electrolytes can only be achieved in cells based on low- or moderate-voltage cathodes. Here, we show that cationic chain transfer agents can prevent degradation of ether electrolytes by arresting uncontrolled polymer growth at the anode. We also report that cathode electrolyte interphases composed of preformed anionic polymers and supramolecules provide a fundamental strategy for extending the high voltage stability of ether-based electrolytes to potentials well above conventionally accepted limits.
The mechanism of RNA duplex recognition and unwinding by DEAD-box helicase DDX3X
Authors: Song He , Ji Xinhua
Published: July 2019

DEAD-box helicases (DDXs) regulate RNA processing and metabolism by unwinding short double-stranded (ds) RNAs. Sharing a helicase core composed of two RecA-like domains (D1D2), DDXs function in an ATP-dependent, non-processive manner. As an attractive target for cancer and AIDS treatment, DDX3X and its orthologs are extensively studied, yielding a wealth of biochemical and biophysical data, including structures of apo-D1D2 and post-unwound D1D2:single-stranded RNA complex, and the structure of a D2:dsRNA complex that is thought to represent a pre-unwound state. However, the structure of a pre-unwound D1D2:dsRNA complex remains elusive, and thus, the mechanism of DDX action is not fully understood. Here, we describe the structure of a D1D2 core in complex with a 23-base pair dsRNA at pre-unwound state, revealing that two DDXs recognize a 2-turn dsRNA, each DDX mainly recognizes a single RNA strand, and conformational changes induced by ATP binding unwinds the RNA duplex in a cooperative manner.
Publisher Correction: Dynamic structural states of ClpB involved in its disaggregation function
Authors: Uchihashi Takayuki , Watanabe Yo-hei , Nakazaki Yosuke , Yamasaki Takashi , Watanabe Hiroki , Maruno Takahiro , Ishii Kentaro , Uchiyama Susumu , Song Chihong , Murata Kazuyoshi , Iino Ryota , Ando Toshio
Published: July 2019

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
The first clawed lobster virus Homarus gammarus nudivirus (HgNV n. sp.) expands the diversity of the Nudiviridae
Authors: Holt Corey C. , Stone Michelle , Bass David , Bateman Kelly S. , van Aerle Ronny , Daniels Carly L. , van der Giezen Mark , Ross Stuart H. , Hooper Chantelle , Stentiford Grant D.
Published: July 2019

Viral diseases of crustaceans are increasingly recognised as challenges to shellfish farms and fisheries. Here we describe the first naturally-occurring virus reported in any clawed lobster species. Hypertrophied nuclei with emarginated chromatin, characteristic histopathological lesions of DNA virus infection, were observed within the hepatopancreatic epithelial cells of juvenile European lobsters (Homarus gammarus). Transmission electron microscopy revealed infection with a bacilliform virus containing a rod shaped nucleocapsid enveloped in an elliptical membrane. Assembly of PCR-free shotgun metagenomic sequencing produced a circular genome of 107,063 bp containing 97 open reading frames, the majority of which share sequence similarity with a virus infecting the black tiger shrimp:Penaeus monodonnudivirus (PmNV). Multiple phylogenetic analyses confirm the new virus to be a novel member of the Nudiviridae:Homarus gammarusnudivirus (HgNV). Evidence of occlusion body formation, characteristic of PmNV and its closest relatives, was not observed, questioning the horizontal transmission strategy of HgNV outside of the host. We discuss the potential impacts of HgNV on juvenile lobster growth and mortality and present HgNV-specific primers to serve as a diagnostic tool for monitoring the virus in wild and farmed lobster stocks.
Periderm invasion contributes to epithelial formation in the teleost pharynx
Authors: Teixeira Rosa Joana , Oralová Veronika , Larionova Daria , Eisenhoffer G. T. , Eckhard Witten P. , Huysseune Ann
Published: July 2019

The gnathostome pharyngeal cavity functions in food transport and respiration. In amniotes the mouth and nares are the only channels allowing direct contact between internal and external epithelia. In teleost fish, gill slits arise through opening of endodermal pouches and connect the pharynx to the exterior. Using transgenic zebrafish lines, cell tracing, live imaging and different markers, we investigated if pharyngeal openings enable epithelial invasion and how this modifies the pharyngeal epithelium. We conclude that in zebrafish the pharyngeal endoderm becomes overlain by cells with a peridermal phenotype. In a wave starting from pouch 2, peridermal cells from the outer skin layer invade the successive pouches until halfway their depth. Here the peridermal cells connect to a population of cells inside the pharyngeal cavity that express periderm markers, yet do not invade from outside. The latter population expands along the midline from anterior to posterior until the esophagus-gut boundary. Together, our results show a novel role for the periderm as an internal epithelium becomes adapted to function as an external surface.
Active sound production of scarab beetle larvae opens up new possibilities for species-specific pest monitoring in soils
Authors: Görres Carolyn-Monika , Chesmore David
Published: July 2019

Root-feeding Scarabaeidae larvae can pose a serious threat to agricultural and forest ecosystems, but many details of larval ecology are still unknown. We developed an acoustic data analysis method based on active sound production by larvae (i.e. stridulations) for gaining new insights into larval ecology. In a laboratory study, third instar larvae of the Common Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha) (n = 38) and the Forest Cockchafer (M. hippocastani) (n = 15) kept in soil-filled containers were acoustically monitored for 5 min each, resulting in the first known stridulation recordings for each species. Subsequent continuous monitoring of three M. hippocastani larvae over several hours showed that a single larva could stridulate more than 70 times per hour, and stridulation rates increased drastically with increasing larval abundance. The new fractal dimension-based data analysis method automatically detected audio sections with stridulations and provided a semi-quantitative estimate of stridulation activity. It is the first data analysis method specifically targeting Scarabaeidae larvae stridulations in soils, enabling for the first time non-invasive species-specific pest monitoring.
A unified multi-kingdom Golden Gate cloning platform
Authors: Chiasson David , Giménez-Oya Victor , Bircheneder Martin , Bachmaier Sabine , Studtrucker Tanja , Ryan Joel , Sollweck Katharina , Leonhardt Heinrich , Boshart Michael , Dietrich Petra , Parniske Martin
Published: July 2019

Assembling composite DNA modules from custom DNA parts has become routine due to recent technological breakthroughs such as Golden Gate modular cloning. Using Golden Gate, one can efficiently assemble custom transcription units and piece units together to generate higher-order assemblies. Although Golden Gate cloning systems have been developed to assemble DNA plasmids required for experimental work in model species, they are not typically applicable to organisms from other kingdoms. Consequently, a typical molecular biology laboratory working across kingdoms must use multiple cloning strategies to assemble DNA constructs for experimental assays. To simplify the DNA assembly process, we developed a multi-kingdom (MK) Golden Gate assembly platform for experimental work in species from the kingdoms Fungi, Eubacteria, Protista, Plantae, and Animalia. Plasmid backbone and part overhangs are consistent across the platform, saving both time and resources in the laboratory. We demonstrate the functionality of the system by performing a variety of experiments across kingdoms including genome editing, fluorescence microscopy, and protein interaction assays. The versatile MK system therefore streamlines the assembly of modular DNA constructs for biological assays across a range of model organisms.
Scheme for generation of three-photon entangled W state assisted by cross-Kerr nonlinearity and quantum dot
Authors: Heo Jino , Hong Changho , Choi Seong-Gon , Hong Jong-Phil
Published: July 2019

We represent an optical scheme using cross-Kerr nonlinearities (XKNLs) and quantum dot (QD) within a single-sided optical cavity (QD-cavity system) to generate three-photon entangled W state containing entanglement against loss of one photon of them. To generate W state (three-photon) with robust entanglement against loss of one photon, we utilize effects of optical nonlinearities in XKNLs (as quantum controlled operations) and QD-cavity system (as a parity operation) with linearly optical devices. In our scheme, the nonlinear (XKNL) gate consists of weak XKNLs, quantum bus beams, and photon-number-resolving measurement to realize controlled-unitary gate between two photons while another nonlinear (QD) gate employs interactions of photons and an electron of QD confined within a single-sided optical cavity for implementation of parity gate. Subsequently, for the efficiency and experimental feasibility of our scheme generating W state, we analyze the immunity of the controlled-unitary gate using XKNLs against decoherence effect and reliable performance of parity gate using QD-cavity system.
Effects of trans-2-hexenal and cis-3-hexenal on post-harvest strawberry
Authors: Wakai Junko , Kusama Shoko , Nakajima Kosuke , Kawai Shikiho , Okumura Yasuaki , Shiojiri Kaori
Published: July 2019

Green leaf volatiles are emitted by green plants and induce defence responses. Those with antifungal activities in plants may replace chemicals as natural post-harvest treatments. We investigated the postharvest treatment of strawberry withtrans-2-hexenal andcis-3-hexenal and observed a decrease in the mould infection rate. To determine the volatiles’ functions, we conducted a component analysis of the volatiles released fromtrans-2-hexenal-treated strawberry and analysed gene expression. Several acetates, which were expected to be metabolites oftrans-2-hexenal in fruit, were released from treated strawberry; however, these acetates did not inhibit fungal growth. The gene expression analysis suggested that postharvest strawberries were not protected by jasmonic acid-mediated signalling but by another stress-related protein. Harvested strawberries experience stress induced by harvest-related injuries and are unable to perform photosynthesis, which might result in different responses than in normal plants.
Zooplankton and micronekton respond to climate fluctuations in the Amundsen Sea polynya, Antarctica
Authors: La Hyoung Sul , Park Keyhong , Wåhlin Anna , Arrigo Kevin R. , Kim Dong Seon , Yang Eun Jin , Atkinson Angus , Fielding Sophie , Im Jungho , Kim Tae-Wan , Shin Hyoung Chul , Lee SangHoon , Ha Ho Kyung
Published: July 2019

The vertical migration of zooplankton and micronekton (hereafter ‘zooplankton’) has ramifications throughout the food web. Here, we present the first evidence that climate fluctuations affect the vertical migration of zooplankton in the Southern Ocean, based on multi-year acoustic backscatter data from one of the deep troughs in the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica. High net primary productivity (NPP) and the annual variation in seasonal ice cover make the Amundsen Sea coastal polynya an ideal site in which to examine how zooplankton behavior responds to climate fluctuations. Our observations show that the timing of the seasonal vertical migration and abundance of zooplankton in the seasonally varying sea ice is correlated with the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Zooplankton in this region migrate seasonally and overwinter at depth, returning to the surface in spring. During +SAM/La Niña periods, the at-depth overwintering period is shorter compared to −SAM/El Niño periods, and return to the surface layers starts earlier in the year. These differences may result from the higher sea ice cover and decreased NPP during +SAM/La Niña periods. This observation points to a new link between global climate fluctuations and the polar marine food web.
Self-organized intestinal epithelial monolayers in crypt and villus-like domains show effective barrier function
Authors: Altay Gizem , Larrañaga Enara , Tosi Sébastien , Barriga Francisco M. , Batlle Eduard , Fernández-Majada Vanesa , Martínez Elena
Published: July 2019

Intestinal organoids have emerged as a powerful in vitro tool for studying intestinal biology due to their resemblance to in vivo tissue at the structural and functional levels. However, their sphere-like geometry prevents access to the apical side of the epithelium, making them unsuitable for standard functional assays designed for flat cell monolayers. Here, we describe a simple method for the formation of epithelial monolayers that recapitulates the in vivo-like cell type composition and organization and that is suitable for functional tissue barrier assays. In our approach, epithelial monolayer spreading is driven by the substrate stiffness, while tissue barrier function is achieved by the basolateral delivery of medium enriched with stem cell niche and myofibroblast-derived factors. These monolayers contain major intestinal epithelial cell types organized into proliferating crypt-like domains and differentiated villus-like regions, closely resembling the in vivo cell distribution. As a unique characteristic, these epithelial monolayers form functional epithelial barriers with an accessible apical surface and physiologically relevant transepithelial electrical resistance values. Our technology offers an up-to-date and novel culture method for intestinal epithelium, providing an in vivo-like cell composition and distribution in a tissue culture format compatible with high-throughput drug absorption or microbe-epithelium interaction studies.
A nanodroplet cell processing platform facilitating drug synergy evaluations for anti-cancer treatments
Authors: Kuo Ching-Te , Wang Jong-Yueh , Lu Siang-Rong , Lai Yu-Sheng , Chang Hsiu-Hao , Hsieh Jer-Tsong , Wo Andrew M. , Chen Benjamin P. C. , Lu Jen-Her , Lee Hsinyu
Published: July 2019

Therapeutic drug synergism intervened in cancer treatments has been demonstrated to be more effective than using a single effector. However, it remains inherently challenging, with a limited cell count from tumor samples, to achieve potent personalized drug cocktails. To address the issue above, we herein present a nanodroplet cell processing platform. The platform incorporates an automatic nanodroplet dispenser with cell array ParaStamp chips, which were fabricated by a new wax stamping approach derived from laser direct writing. Such approach enables not only the on-demand de-wetting with hydrophobic wax films on substrates but also the mask-less fabrication of non-planar microstructures (i.e. no photolithography process). The ParaStamp chip was pre-occupied with anti-cancer drugs and their associate mixtures, enabling for the spatially addressable screening of optimal drug combinations simultaneously. Each droplet with a critical volume of 200 nl containing with 100 cells was utilized. Results revealed that the optimal combination reduces approximate 28-folds of conducted doses compared with single drugs. Tumor inhibition with the optimally selected drug combination was further confirmed by using PC-3 tumor-bearing mouse models. Together, the nanodroplet cell processing platform could therefore offer new opportunities to power the personalized cancer medicine at early-stage drug screening and discovery.
Exposure to maternal obesity during suckling outweighs in utero exposure in programming for post-weaning adiposity and insulin resistance in rats
Authors: George Grace , Draycott Sally A. V. , Muir Ronan , Clifford Bethan , Elmes Matthew J. , Langley-Evans Simon C.
Published: July 2019

Exposure to maternal obesity during early development programmes adverse metabolic health in rodent offspring. We assessed the relative contributions of obesity during pregnancy and suckling on metabolic health post-weaning. Wistar rat offspring exposed to control (C) or cafeteria diet (O) during pregnancy were cross-fostered to dams on the same (CC, OO) or alternate diet during suckling (CO, OC) and weaned onto standard chow. Measures of offspring metabolic health included growth, adipose tissue mass, and 12-week glucose and insulin concentrations during an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (ipGTT). Exposure to maternal obesity during lactation was a driver for reduced offspring weight post-weaning, higher fasting blood glucose concentrations and greater gonadal adiposity (in females). Males displayed insulin resistance, through slower glucose clearance despite normal circulating insulin and lower mRNA expression of PIK3R1 and PIK3CB in gonadal fat and liver respectively. In contrast, maternal obesity during pregnancy up-regulated the insulin signalling genes IRS2, PIK3CB and SREBP1-c in skeletal muscle and perirenal fat, favouring insulin sensitivity. In conclusion exposure to maternal obesity during lactation programmes offspring adiposity and insulin resistance, overriding exposure to an optimal nutritional environment in utero, which cannot be alleviated by a nutritionally balanced post-weaning diet.
Embodiment into a robot increases its acceptability
Authors: Ventre-Dominey J. , Gibert G. , Bosse-Platiere M. , Farnè A. , Dominey P. F. , Pavani F.
Published: July 2019

Recent studies have shown how embodiment induced by multisensory bodily interactions between individuals can positively change social attitudes (closeness, empathy, racial biases). Here we use a simple neuroscience-inspired procedure to beam our human subjects into one of two distinct robots and demonstrate how this can readily increase acceptability and social closeness to that robot. Participants wore a Head Mounted Display tracking their head movements and displaying the 3D visual scene taken from the eyes of a robot which was positioned in front of a mirror and piloted by the subjects’ head movements. As a result, participants saw themselves as a robot. When participant’ and robot’s head movements were correlated, participants felt that they were incorporated into the robot with a sense of agency. Critically, the robot they embodied was judged more likeable and socially closer. Remarkably, we found that the beaming experience with correlated head movements and corresponding sensation of embodiment and social proximity, was independent of robots’ humanoid’s appearance. These findings not only reveal the ease of body-swapping, via visual-motor synchrony, into robots that do not share any clear human resemblance, but they may also pave a new way to make our future robotic helpers socially acceptable.
Laser-driven shock compression of “synthetic planetary mixtures” of water, ethanol, and ammonia
Authors: Guarguaglini M. , Hernandez J.-A. , Okuchi T. , Barroso P. , Benuzzi-Mounaix A. , Bethkenhagen M. , Bolis R. , Brambrink E. , French M. , Fujimoto Y. , Kodama R. , Koenig M. , Lefevre F. , Miyanishi K. , Ozaki N. , Redmer R. , Sano T. , Umeda Y. , Vinci T. , Ravasio A.
Published: July 2019

Water, methane, and ammonia are commonly considered to be the key components of the interiors of Uranus and Neptune. Modelling the planets’ internal structure, evolution, and dynamo heavily relies on the properties of the complex mixtures with uncertain exact composition in their deep interiors. Therefore, characterising icy mixtures with varying composition at planetary conditions of several hundred gigapascal and a few thousand Kelvin is crucial to improve our understanding of the ice giants. In this work, pure water, a water-ethanol mixture, and a water-ethanol-ammonia “synthetic planetary mixture” (SPM) have been compressed through laser-driven decaying shocks along their principal Hugoniot curves up to 270, 280, and 260 GPa, respectively. Measured temperatures spanned from 4000 to 25000 K, just above the coldest predicted adiabatic Uranus and Neptune profiles (3000–4000 K) but more similar to those predicted by more recent models including a thermal boundary layer (7000–14000 K). The experiments were performed at the GEKKO XII and LULI2000 laser facilities using standard optical diagnostics (Doppler velocimetry and optical pyrometry) to measure the thermodynamic state and the shock-front reflectivity at two different wavelengths. The results show that water and the mixtures undergo a similar compression path under single shock loading in agreement with Density Functional Theory Molecular Dynamics (DFT-MD) calculations using the Linear Mixing Approximation (LMA). On the contrary, their shock-front reflectivities behave differently by what concerns both the onset pressures and the saturation values, with possible impact on planetary dynamos.
Detection of replicative Kashmir Bee Virus and Black Queen Cell Virus in Asian hornet Vespa velutina (Lepelieter 1836) in Italy
Authors: Mazzei Maurizio , Cilia Giovanni , Forzan Mario , Lavazza Antonio , Mutinelli Franco , Felicioli Antonio
Published: July 2019

Information concerning the pathogenic role of honey bee viruses in invasive species are still scarce. The aim of this investigation was to assess the presence of several honey bee viruses, such as Black Queen Cell Virus (BQCV), Kashmir Bee Virus (KBV), Slow Paralysis Virus (SPV), Sac Brood Virus (SBV), Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV), Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV), Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus (CBPV), in Vespa velutina specimens collected in Italy during 2017. Results of this investigation indicate that among pathogens, replicative form of KBV and BQCV were detected, assessing the spillover effect of both these viruses from managed honey bees to hornets.
Sub-Poissonian photon statistics in quantum dot-metal nanoparticles hybrid system with gain media
Authors: Wang Yujing , Ye Han , Yu Zhongyuan , Liu Yumin , Xu Wenbin
Published: July 2019

In this paper, we theoretically demonstrate the sub-Poissonian photon statistics in gain-assisted quantum dot-metal nanoparticles (QD-MNPs) hybrid system with nanoscale footprint. The gain media is introduced to reduce the dissipation of localized surface plasmons and consequently the quality factor of MNPs is improved by adjusting the gain coefficient. Simulated by finite element method (FEM), the Fano resonance is observed in the absorption cross section spectrum of the hybrid system. Considering MNPs and gain media together as a single mode cavity, the system is investigated within the framework of cavity quantum electrodynamics by fitting necessary parameters with FEM. The numerical results show that the coupling between QD and MNPs falls in strong coupling regime and zero delay second-order autocorrelation function g2(0) = 0.356 can be achieved with proper choice of gain coefficient. Moreover, the sub-Poissonian photon statistics can be maintained in a large variation range of gain coefficient and a certain degree of detuning between QD and cavity is allowed.
Construction, Expression and Evaluation of Recombinant VP2 Protein for serotype-independent Detection of FMDV Seropositive Animals in Egypt
Authors: Salem Reda , El-Kholy Alaa A. , Omar Omar A. , Abu el-naga Mohamed N. , Ibrahim Mohamed , Osman Gamal
Published: July 2019

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is one of the most devastating viral pathogens of cloven-hoofed animals. The detection of antibodies (Ab) against FMDV structural proteins (SP) using virus neutralization test (VNT) and liquid-phase blocking ELISA (LPBE) is the standard procedure in use for monitoring seroconversion in animals post vaccination, the prevalence of infection-surveillance, proving clinical cases and seronegative status of FMDV-free/naïve-animals prior transportation. However, due to variations within SP of FMDV serotypes, each serotype-specific Ab should be detected separately which is laborious and time-consuming. Accordingly, it is crucial to develop a sensitive, rapid, and accurate test capable of detecting FMDV-specific Ab, regardless its serotype. This study describes the heterologous expression of VP2 protein in E. coli, and its evaluation as a capture antigen in a simple indirect ELISA for serotype-independent detection of anti-FMDV Ab. Sequence analysis revealed that the VP2-coding sequence is considerably conserved among FMDV serotypes. The recombinant VP2 (rVP2), a 22 kDa polypeptide, was purified to near homogeneity by affinity chromatography under native conditions. Immunoreactivity of the rVP2 was confirmed by using a panel of positive sera including sera from animals vaccinated with the local trivalent vaccine and guinea pig FMDV antiserum, which is routinely used as tracing/detecting Ab in LPBE testing. The results obtained from the VP2-based ELISA were comparable to those determined by VNT and LPBE standard diagnostic assays. Specificity and sensitivity of rVP2 in capturing anti-FMDV Ab were 98.3% and 100%, respectively. The developed VP2-ELISA is proved reliable and time-efficient assay for detection of FMDV seropositive animals, regardless the FMDV serotype that can be implemented in a combination with VNT and/or LPBE for rapid diagnosis of an ongoing FMDV infection.
Noninvasive Sweat-Lactate Biosensor Emplsoying a Hydrogel-Based Touch Pad
Authors: Nagamine Kuniaki , Mano Taisei , Nomura Ayako , Ichimura Yusuke , Izawa Ryota , Furusawa Hiroyuki , Matsui Hiroyuki , Kumaki Daisuke , Tokito Shizuo
Published: July 2019

This study is the first report demonstrating proof-of-concept for a hydrogel-based touch sensor pad used for the non-invasive extraction and detection of sweat components. The sensor device was composed of an electrochemical L-lactate biosensor covered with an agarose gel in a phosphate buffer saline. When human skin contacts the agarose gel, L-lactate in sweat was continuously extracted into the gel, followed by in-situ potentiometric detection without controlled conditions. This novel type of sweat sensor is expected to enable the simple, non-invasive daily periodic monitoring of sweat biomarkers for advanced personal healthcare methods in the future.
A hybrid Forecast Cost Benefit Classification of diabetes mellitus prevalence based on epidemiological study on Real-life patient’s data
Authors: Sohail Muhammad Noman , Jiadong Ren , Uba Musa Muhammad , Irshad Muhammad , Iqbal Wasim , Arshad Jehangir , John Antony Verghese
Published: July 2019

The increasing ratio of diabetes is found risky across the planet. Therefore, the diagnosis is important in population with extreme risk of diabetes. In this study, a decision-making classifier (J48) is applied over a data-mining platform (Weka) to measure accuracy and linear regression on classification results to forecast cost/benefit ratio in diabetes mellitus patients along with prevalence. In total 108 invasive and non-invasive medical features are considered from 251 patients for assessment, and the real-time data are gathered from Pakistan over a time span of June 2017 to April 2018. The results indicate that J48 classifiers achieved the best accuracy of (99.28%), whereas, error rate (0.08%), Kappa stats, PRC, and MCC are (0.98%), precision, recall, and F-matrix are (0.99%). In addition, true positive rate is (0.99%) and false positive is (0.08%). The regression forecast decision indicates blood pressure and glucose level are key features for diabetes. The cost/benefit matrix indicates two predictions for positive test with accuracy (66.68%) and (30.60%), and key attributes with total Gain (118.13%). The study confirmed the proposed prediction is practical for screening of diabetes mellitus patients at the initial stage without invasive medical tests and found effectual in the early diagnosis of diabetes.
A behavior-based drug screening system using a Caenorhabditis elegans model of motor neuron disease
Authors: Ikenaka Kensuke , Tsukada Yuki , Giles Andrew C. , Arai Tadamasa , Nakadera Yasuhito , Nakano Shunji , Kawai Kaori , Mochizuki Hideki , Katsuno Masahisa , Sobue Gen , Mori Ikue
Published: July 2019

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons, for which there is no effective treatment. Previously, we generated a Caenorhabditis elegans model of ALS, in which the expression of dnc-1, the homologous gene of human dynactin-1, is knocked down (KD) specifically in motor neurons. This dnc-1 KD model showed progressive motor defects together with axonal and neuronal degeneration, as observed in ALS patients. In the present study, we established a behavior-based, automated, and quantitative drug screening system using this dnc-1 KD model together with Multi-Worm Tracker (MWT), and tested whether 38 candidate neuroprotective compounds could improve the mobility of the dnc-1 KD animals. We found that 12 compounds, including riluzole, which is an approved medication for ALS patients, ameliorated the phenotype of the dnc-1 KD animals. Nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker, most robustly ameliorated the motor deficits as well as axonal degeneration of dnc-1 KD animals. Nifedipine also ameliorated the motor defects of other motor neuronal degeneration models of C. elegans, including dnc-1 mutants and human TAR DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa overexpressing worms. Our results indicate that dnc-1 KD in C. elegans is a useful model for the screening of drugs against motor neuron degeneration, and that MWT is a powerful tool for the behavior-based screening of drugs.
LC3-positive structures are prominent in autophagy-deficient cells
Authors: Runwal Gautam , Stamatakou Eleanna , Siddiqi Farah H. , Puri Claudia , Zhu Ye , Rubinsztein David C.
Published: July 2019

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process across eukaryotes that degrades cargoes like aggregate-prone proteins, pathogens, damaged organelles and macromolecules via delivery to lysosomes. The process involves the formation of double-membraned autophagosomes that engulf the cargoes destined for degradation, sometimes with the help of autophagy receptors like p62, which are themselves autophagy substrates. LC3-II, a standard marker for autophagosomes, is generated by the conjugation of cytosolic LC3-I to phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) on the surface of nascent autophagosomes. As LC3-II is relatively specifically associated with autophagosomes and autolysosomes (in the absence of conditions stimulating LC3-associated phagocytosis), quantification of LC3-positive puncta is considered as a gold-standard assay for assessing the numbers of autophagosomes in cells. Here we find that the endogenous LC3-positive puncta become larger in cells where autophagosome formation is abrogated, and are prominent even when LC3-II is not formed. This occurs even with transient and incomplete inhibition of autophagosome biogenesis. This phenomenon is due to LC3-I sequestration to p62 aggregates, which accumulate when autophagy is impaired. This observation questions the reliability of LC3-immunofluorescence assays in cells with compromised autophagy.
Passively Q-switched Ytterbium-doped fiber laser based on broadband multilayer Platinum Ditelluride (PtTe2) saturable absorber
Authors: Cheng Ping Kwong , Tang Chun Yin , Wang Xin Yu , Ma Sainan , Long Hui , Tsang Yuen Hong
Published: July 2019

Two-dimensional (2D) layered Platinum Ditelluride (PtTe2), a novel candidate of group 10 transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), which provides enormous potential for pulsed laser applications due to its highly stable and strong nonlinear optical absorption (NOA) properties. PtTe2 saturable absorber (SA) is successfully fabricated with firstly demonstrated the passively Q-switched laser operation within a Yb-doped fiber laser cavity at 1066 nm. Few layered PtTe2 is produced by uncomplicated and cost-efficient ultrasonic liquid exfoliation and follow by incorporating into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer to form a PtTe2-PVA composite thin film saturable absorber. The highest achieved single pulse energy is 74.0 nJ corresponding to pulse duration, repetition rate and average output power of 5.2 μs, 33.5 kHz and 2.48 mW, respectively. This work has further exploited the immeasurable utilization potential of the air stable and broadband group 10 TMDs for ultrafast photonic applications.
Room temperature continuous-wave excited biexciton emission in perovskite nanoplatelets via plasmonic nonlinear fano resonance
Authors: Chen Jie , Zhang Qing , Shi Jia , Zhang Shuai , Du Wenna , Mi Yang , Shang Qiuyu , Liu Pengchong , Sui Xinyu , Wu Xianxin , Wang Rui , Peng Bo , Zhong Haizheng , Xing Guichuan , Qiu Xiaohui , Sum Tze Chien , Liu Xinfeng
Published: July 2019

Biexcitons are a manifestation of many-body excitonic interactions, which are crucial for quantum information and computation in the construction of coherent combinations of quantum states. However, due to their small binding energy and low transition efficiency, most biexcitons in conventional semiconductors exist either at cryogenic temperatures or under femto-second pulse laser excitation. Herein, we demonstrated strong biexciton emissions from CsPbBr3 nanoplatelets with continuous-wave excitation at room temperature by coupling them with a plasmonic nanogap. The exciton occupancy required to generate biexciton was reduced ~106 times in the Ag nanowire–Ag film nanogaps. The extremely large enhancement of biexciton emissions was driven by nonlinear Fano resonance between biexcitons and surface plasmon cavity modes. These results provide new pathways to develop high efficiency non-blinking single photon sources of biexciton (with spectral filter for biexciton), entangled light sources, and lasers based on biexciton states.
Separation and detection of cyproconazole enantiomers and its stereospecific recognition with chiral stationary phase by high-performance liquid chromatography
Authors: He Zongzhe , Wu Fengxu , Xia Weitong , Li Lianshan , Hu Kunming , Kaziem Amir E. , Wang Minghua
Published: July 2019

An optimal chiral analytical method of cyproconazole enantiomers was established based on BBD, and the stereospecific recognition mechanism was elucidated by docking.
Re-evaluation assessment of a large volume sampling (LVS) system for the determination of petroleum hydrocarbons and their stable carbon isotopes in deep-sea waters
Authors: Tolosa Imma , Guitart Carlos , Mesa-Albernas Marianela , Funkey Carolina , Cassi Roberto
Published: July 2019

A large volume sampling technique is used to develop and validate a home-made SPE system connected to a particle collector in situ pump for high sample pre-concentration and determination of petroleum hydrocarbons and their 13C/12C isotope ratio.
Application of vortex-assisted solid-phase extraction for the simultaneous preconcentration of Cd(ii) and Pb(ii) by nano clinoptilolite modified with 5(p-dimethylaminobenzylidene) rhodanine
Authors: Jouki Ali , Rastegarzadeh Saadat , Zendehdel Mojgan , Zargar Behrooz
Published: July 2019

Herein, a simple, fast and reliable method based on vortex-assisted solid-phase extraction (VA-SPE) followed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry was developed for the simultaneous preconcentration and trace detection of cadmium and lead.
Synthesis of a 2D nitrogen-rich π-conjugated microporous polymer for high performance lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Meng Lingkun , Ren Siyuan , Ma Chenhui , Yu Ying , Lou Yue , Zhang Dong , Shi Zhan
Published: July 2019

Here we synthesized a 2D π-conjugated microporous polymer NGA-CMP. Heated sample NGA-CMP400 is used for the first time as an anode for LIBs and shows high capacity lithium-ion storage with excellent cycle performance at high current density.