bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subjective well-being among young people in five Eastern European countries
Authors: Lim M. S. C. , Cappa C. , Patton G. C.
Published: July 2017

Background.

Subjective well-being incorporates elements of life satisfaction, happiness and optimism. It is increasingly relevant in the assessment of population health and economic development. There are strong continuities in well-being from youth into later life. Despite its significance, few global surveys capture subjective well-being. This paper describes patterns of well-being among young people in five Eastern European countries [Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine] and investigates association between demographic factors and well-being.

Methods.

Nationally representative household surveys, including large Roma population samples, were conducted as part of UNICEF's Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey programme. Young people aged 15–24 years (N = 11 944) indicated their satisfaction with life, happiness and expectations about the future. Multilevel logistic regressions were conducted to determine the impact of individual-level predictors while accounting for country- and cluster-level variability.

Results.

Around 40% of young people considered themselves very happy or very satisfied with their life overall. Three quarters reported optimism. Yet well-being varied greatly between countries, with youth in BiH and Ukraine reporting lowest levels of well-being. Current marriage, increasing wealth, higher education, rural residence and not having children were associated with greater well-being.

Conclusions.

Patterns of well-being in youth vary substantially between countries and are only partly accounted for by standard demographic characteristics. Despite higher rates of adolescent marriage and childbearing, and lower levels of educational attainment and employment, Roma youth had similar levels of well-being to the general population.
The Tomato Pip's Story: Creative Narratives as Bridging Cultural and Science Discourses for Indigenous Students
Authors: Shortland Lorrin Ruihi , Locke Terry
Published: July 2017

This article reports on what happened when a Rumaki pūtaiao kaiako (Science) teacher at a New Zealand high school trialled the use of creative narratives with her Year-10 students as a way of developing their understanding of the human digestive system. These students were members of the school's Māori immersion unit, and creative narratives were in part utilised as a bridge between science discourse and the cultural knowledges these students brought to their learning. In this case study, students developed ‘Tomato Pip’ narratives through four versions, which told the story of a tomato pip travelling through the human digestive system. Word-count data based on these versions and from a summative test were analysed and correlations found between test scores and three categories of word-count total (total words, total science words and total discrete science words). A discourse analysis of one student's narratives identified two distinct voices in these texts: the personal narrator and the emerging biologist. Questionnaire and focus-group data indicated that the use of creative narratives was both motivational to these students and effective as a bridge into science discourse mastery. It is argued that the findings have implications for disciplinary literacy theory, Indigenous education and science instruction.
Reliability Based Design Optimization for Multiaxial Fatigue Damage Analysis Using Robust Hybrid Method
Authors: Yaich A. , Kharmanda G. , El Hami A. , Walha L. , Haddar M.
Published: July 2017

The purpose of the Reliability-Based Design Optimization (RBDO) is to find the best compromise between safety and cost. Therefore, several methods, such as the Hybrid Method (HM) and the Optimum Safety Factor (OSF) method, are developed to achieve this purpose. However, these methods have been applied only on static cases and some special dynamic ones. But, in real mechanical applications, structures are subject to random vibrations and these vibrations can cause a fatigue damage. So, in this paper, we propose an extension of these methods in the case of structures under random vibrations and then demonstrate their efficiency. Also, a Robust Hybrid Method (RHM) is then developed to overcome the difficulties of the classical one. A numerical application is then used to present the advantages of the modified hybrid method for treating problem of structures subject to random vibration considering fatigue damage.
Thinking around Genre: The Moral Narrative and Femininity in Kenyan Popular Media
Authors: Ligaga Dina
Published: July 2017

In this article, I revisit a familiar narrative format of the moral narrative that I argue is used to narrate stories of (especially) women in the public sphere in Kenya. Reading a range of media texts, I trace a pattern of representation that I identify as contained within a recognizable genre of the moral narrative and use this genre to identify a structure of narrative of issues around gender and sexuality in Kenya. The examples are drawn from a popular radio drama program as well as from popular press reports of wayward women. The article also engages counter-narratives created by women such Vera Sidika and Huddah Monroe who, by publicly displaying their near-naked bodies in public platforms, create room for a counter-reading of discourses of gender and sexuality in the Kenyan public imaginary. This article will push the boundaries for reading popular cultural forms caught within generic constraints and reflect on the value counter-readings have in complicating readings of gender and sexuality in Kenya more generally.
Cost analysis of injection laryngoplasty performed under local anaesthesia versus general anaesthesia: an Australian perspective
Authors: Chandran D , Woods C M , Schar M , Ma N , Ooi E H , Athanasiadis T
Published: July 2017

Objective:

To conduct a cost analysis of injection laryngoplasty performed in the operating theatre under local anaesthesia and general anaesthesia.

Methods:

The retrospective study included patients who had undergone injection laryngoplasty as day cases between July 2013 and March 2016. Cost data were obtained, along with patient demographics, anaesthetic details, type of injectant, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, length of stay, total operating theatre time and surgeon procedure time.

Results:

A total of 20 cases (general anaesthesia = 6, local anaesthesia = 14) were included in the cost analysis. The mean total cost under general anaesthesia (AU$2865.96 ± 756.29) was significantly higher than that under local anaesthesia (AU$1731.61 ± 290.29) (p < 0.001). The mean operating theatre time, surgeon procedure time and length of stay were all significantly lower under local anaesthesia compared to general anaesthesia. Time variables such as operating theatre time and length of stay were the most significant predictors of the total costs.

Conclusion:

Procedures performed under local anaesthesia in the operating theatre are associated with shorter operating theatre time and length of stay in the hospital, and provide significant cost savings. Further savings could be achieved if local anaesthesia procedures were performed in the office setting.
The cultural evolution of shamanism
Authors: Singh Manvir
Published: July 2017

Shamans, including medicine men, mediums, and the prophets of religious movements, recur across human societies. Shamanism also existed among nearly all documented hunter-gatherers, likely characterized the religious lives of many ancestral humans, and is often proposed by anthropologists to be the “first profession,” representing the first institutionalized division of labor beyond age and sex. In this article, I propose a cultural evolutionary theory to explain why shamanism consistently develops and, in particular, (1) why shamanic traditions exhibit recurrent features around the world; (2) why shamanism professionalizes early, often in the absence of other specialization; and (3) how shifting social conditions affect the form or existence of shamanism. According to this theory, shamanism is a set of traditions developed through cultural evolution that adapts to people's intuitions to convince observers that a practitioner can influence otherwise unpredictable, significant events. The shaman does this by ostensibly transforming during initiation and trance, violating folk intuitions of humanness to assure group members that he or she can interact with the invisible forces that control uncertain outcomes. Entry requirements for becoming a shaman persist because the practitioner's credibility depends on his or her “transforming.” This contrasts with dealing with problems that have identifiable solutions (such as building a canoe), in which credibility hinges on showing results and outsiders can invade the jurisdiction by producing the outcome. Shamanism is an ancient human institution that recurs because of the capacity of cultural evolution to produce practices adapted to innate psychological tendencies.
COMPARISON OF RECENTLY USED PHACOEMULSIFICATION SYSTEMS USING A HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT METHOD
Authors: Huang Jiannan , Wang Qi , Zhao Caimin , Ying Xiaohua , Zou Haidong
Published: July 2017

Objectives: To compare the recently used phacoemulsification systems using a health technology assessment (HTA) model.

Methods: A self-administered questionnaire, which included questions to gauge on the opinions of the recently used phacoemulsification systems, was distributed to the chief cataract surgeons in the departments of ophthalmology of eighteen tertiary hospitals in Shanghai, China. A series of senile cataract patients undergoing phacoemulsification surgery were enrolled in the study. The surgical results and the average costs related to their surgeries were all recorded and compared for the recently used phacoemulsification systems.

Results: The four phacoemulsification systems currently used in Shanghai are the Infiniti Vision, Centurion Vision, WhiteStar Signature, and Stellaris Vision Enhancement systems. All of the doctors confirmed that the systems they used would help cataract patients recover vision. A total of 150 cataract patients who underwent phacoemulsification surgery were enrolled in the present study. A significant difference was found among the four groups in cumulative dissipated energy, with the lowest value found in the Centurion group. No serious complications were observed and a positive trend in visual acuity was found in all four groups after cataract surgery. The highest total cost of surgery was associated with procedures conducted using the Centurion Vision system, and significant differences between systems were mainly because of the cost of the consumables used in the different surgeries.

Conclusions: This HTA comparison of four recently used phacoemulsification systems found that each of system offers a satisfactory vision recovery outcome, but differs in surgical efficacy and costs.
Is there a future for sharing? A comparison of traditional and new institutions
Authors: FREMSTAD ANDERS
Published: July 2017

The sharing economy has raised hopes that online platforms will usher in a new era of sharing, even though economic theory suggests that income growth may reduce sharing in the long run. This paper presents evidence that that high-income people are less likely than low-income people to use traditional institutions for sharing goods, including carpools, multi-person households, and garage sales. While it first appears that high-income people are equally likely to use new institutions, such as Craigslist, Airbnb, and Zipcar, this partly reflects the fact that many low-income households in the US still lack an internet connection. Conditional on having internet access, this paper finds that online sharing platforms are also disproportionately used by the poor. The future of sharing likely depends on countervailing forces. Economic growth may continue to dampen incentives to share goods, but this effect could be offset by the proliferation of institutions, norms, and preferences that facilitate sharing.
Healthy ageing, resilience and wellbeing
Authors: Cosco T. D. , Howse K. , Brayne C.
Published: July 2017

The extension of life does not appear to be slowing, representing a great achievement for mankind as well as a challenge for ageing populations. As we move towards an increasingly older population we will need to find novel ways for individuals to make the best of the challenges they face, as the likelihood of encountering some form of adversity increases with age. Resilience theories share a common idea that individuals who manage to navigate adversity and maintain high levels of functioning demonstrate resilience. Traditional models of healthy ageing suggest that having a high level of functioning across a number of domains is a requirement. The addition of adversity to the healthy ageing model via resilience makes this concept much more accessible and more amenable to the ageing population. Through asset-based approaches, such as the invoking of individual, social and environmental resources, it is hoped that greater resilience can be fostered at a population level. Interventions aimed at fostering greater resilience may take many forms; however, there is great potential to increase social and environmental resources through public policy interventions. The wellbeing of the individual must be the focus of these efforts; quality of life is an integral component to the enjoyment of additional years and should not be overlooked. Therefore, it will become increasingly important to use resilience as a public health concept and to intervene through policy to foster greater resilience by increasing resources available to older people. Fostering wellbeing in the face of increasing adversity has significant implications for ageing individuals and society as a whole.
Aktuelle Herausforderungen in der Spitalbehandlung hochaltriger Menschen – eine Praxis-Sicht
Authors: Grob Daniel
Published: July 2017

Zusammenfassung. Der Umgang mit geriatrischen, das heisst meist hochaltrigen Spital-Patientinnen und Patienten, setzt im Hinblick auf ihre spezifischen Charakteristika und Bedürfnisse sehr hohe Anforderungen an die ärztliche Entscheidungsfindung, die Behandlungsplanung und die Kommunikation. In Letztere sind häufig Angehörige, Bezugspersonen resp. Beistände einzubeziehen. Definierte Behandlungs- bzw. Therapieziele bilden die Basis jeder Behandlungsplanung. Sie basieren auf dem Verstehen und der Kenntnis des Patienten und seinen Wünschen. Die Behandlungsplanung geschieht idealerweise in sieben Schritten. Am Anfang steht das umfassende multidimensionale geriatrische Assessment. Dann sind übergeordnete Patienten-Präferenzen und Wünsche festzuhalten und die übergeordneten Behandlungsziele festzulegen. Der schwierigen Abschätzung der Lebenserwartung des Patienten folgt die Definition möglicher Interventionen in Bezug auf das Hauptproblem des Patienten. Dann kann der Behandlungsplan zusammen mit dem Patienten und allenfalls seinen Bezugspersonen erarbeitet werden. Dieser Plan hat nicht nur medizinische sondern auch rechtliche, ökonomische und medizinisch-ethische Rahmenbedingungen zu beachten.
„Ethisches Handeln beginnt mit Empathie“
Authors: Battaglia Denise
Published: July 2017

Zusammenfassung. Fachwissen, empathische Gespräche mit den Patienten und kritische Diskussionen über die medizinischen Möglichkeiten mit den Kollegen seien die Basis ethischen Handelns in der Medizin, sagt Viszeralchirurg Bernhard Egger. Wegen des ökonomischen Drucks werde aber zum Teil eine Zeitoptimierung auf Kosten von persönlichen Gesprächen gemacht und zuweilen Behandlungen vorgenommen, die nicht unbedingt nötig sind. Die Ärztinnen und Ärzte müssten sich wieder auf den Kern des ärztlichen Handelns besinnen. „Es braucht ein Bekenntnis zu Werten“, findet Egger.
Zukunft der klinischen Ethik: Aktuelle und zukünftige Herausforderungen
Authors: Baumann-Hölzle Ruth
Published: July 2017

Zusammenfassung. Klinische Ethik ist eingebettet in Veränderungsprozesse der Kliniken als Organisationen des Gesundheitswesens. Diese werden durch gesamtgesellschaftliche Entwicklungen massgeblich beeinflusst. Massgeblich im wörtlichen Sinne, denn die Politik legt sowohl den Ressourcenrahmen als auch den moralischen Status von Gesundheitsorganisationen fest, ob diese als Unternehmen oder staatliche Institutionen tätig sind. Diese Faktoren ermöglichen und begrenzen das Entscheiden und Handeln in den Kliniken. Die klinische Ethik befasst sich daher sowohl mit der „Ethik der Klinik“ als auch mit der „Ethik in der Klinik“. Der folgende Artikel gibt einen Überblick über die aktuellen Herausforderungen klinischer Ethik und stellt das Modell „Ethik-Forum“ von Dialog Ethik und die daraus resultierenden Qualitätskriterien vor.
Sea level fall during glaciation stabilized atmospheric CO2 by enhanced volcanic degassing
Authors: Hasenclever Jörg , Knorr Gregor , Rüpke Lars H. , Köhler Peter , Morgan Jason , Garofalo Kristin , Barker Stephen , Lohmann Gerrit , Hall Ian R.
Published: July 2017

Paleo-climate records and geodynamic modelling indicate the existence of complex interactions between glacial sea level changes, volcanic degassing and atmospheric CO2, which may have modulated the climate system’s descent into the last ice age. Between ∼85 and 70 kyr ago, during an interval of decreasing axial tilt, the orbital component in global temperature records gradually declined, while atmospheric CO2, instead of continuing its long-term correlation with Antarctic temperature, remained relatively stable. Here, based on novel global geodynamic models and the joint interpretation of paleo-proxy data as well as biogeochemical simulations, we show that a sea level fall in this interval caused enhanced pressure-release melting in the uppermost mantle, which may have induced a surge in magma and CO2 fluxes from mid-ocean ridges and oceanic hotspot volcanoes. Our results reveal a hitherto unrecognized negative feedback between glaciation and atmospheric CO2 predominantly controlled by marine volcanism on multi-millennial timescales of ∼5,000–15,000 years.
Transparent flexible thermoelectric material based on non-toxic earth-abundant p-type copper iodide thin film
Authors: Yang C. , Souchay D. , Kneiß M. , Bogner M. , Wei H. M. , Lorenz M. , Oeckler O. , Benstetter G. , Fu Y. Q. , Grundmann M.
Published: July 2017

Thermoelectric devices that are flexible and optically transparent hold unique promise for future electronics. However, development of invisible thermoelectric elements is hindered by the lack of p-type transparent thermoelectric materials. Here we present the superior room-temperature thermoelectric performance of p-type transparent copper iodide (CuI) thin films. Large Seebeck coefficients and power factors of the obtained CuI thin films are analysed based on a single-band model. The low-thermal conductivity of the CuI films is attributed to a combined effect of the heavy element iodine and strong phonon scattering. Accordingly, we achieve a large thermoelectric figure of merit of ZT=0.21 at 300 K for the CuI films, which is three orders of magnitude higher compared with state-of-the-art p-type transparent materials. A transparent and flexible CuI-based thermoelectric element is demonstrated. Our findings open a path for multifunctional technologies combing transparent electronics, flexible electronics and thermoelectricity.
Quantitative interactome of a membrane Bcl-2 network identifies a hierarchy of complexes for apoptosis regulation
Authors: Bleicken Stephanie , Hantusch Annika , Das Kushal Kumar , Frickey Tancred , Garcia-Saez Ana J.
Published: July 2017

The Bcl-2 proteins form a complex interaction network that controls mitochondrial permeabilization and apoptosis. The relative importance of different Bcl-2 complexes and their spatio-temporal regulation is debated. Using fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy to quantify the interactions within a minimal Bcl-2 network, comprised by cBid, Bax, and Bcl-xL, we show that membrane insertion drastically alters the pattern of Bcl-2 complexes, and that the C-terminal helix of Bcl-xL determines its binding preferences. At physiological temperature, Bax can spontaneously activate in a self-amplifying process. Strikingly, Bax also recruits Bcl-xL to membranes, which is sufficient to retrotranslocate Bax back into solution to secure membrane integrity. Our study disentangles the hierarchy of Bcl-2 complex formation in relation to their environment: Bcl-xL association with cBid occurs in solution and in membranes, where the complex is stabilized, whereas Bcl-xL binding to Bax occurs only in membranes and with lower affinity than to cBid, leading instead to Bax retrotranslocation.
DELAY OF GERMINATION1 requires PP2C phosphatases of the ABA signalling pathway to control seed dormancy
Authors: Née Guillaume , Kramer Katharina , Nakabayashi Kazumi , Yuan Bingjian , Xiang Yong , Miatton Emma , Finkemeier Iris , Soppe Wim J. J.
Published: July 2017

The time of seed germination is a major decision point in the life of plants determining future growth and development. This timing is controlled by seed dormancy, which prevents germination under favourable conditions. The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) and the protein DELAY OF GERMINATION 1 (DOG1) are essential regulators of dormancy. The function of ABA in dormancy is rather well understood, but the role of DOG1 is still unknown. Here, we describe four phosphatases that interact with DOG1 in seeds. Two of them belong to clade A of type 2C protein phosphatases: ABA-HYPERSENSITIVE GERMINATION 1 (AHG1) and AHG3. These phosphatases have redundant but essential roles in the release of seed dormancy epistatic to DOG1. We propose that the ABA and DOG1 dormancy pathways converge at clade A of type 2C protein phosphatases.
Genetic targeting and anatomical registration of neuronal populations in the zebrafish brain with a new set of BAC transgenic tools
Authors: Förster Dominique , Arnold-Ammer Irene , Laurell Eva , Barker Alison J. , Fernandes António M. , Finger-Baier Karin , Filosa Alessandro , Helmbrecht Thomas O. , Kölsch Yvonne , Kühn Enrico , Robles Estuardo , Slanchev Krasimir , Thiele Tod R. , Baier Herwig , Kubo Fumi
Published: July 2017

Genetic access to small, reproducible sets of neurons is key to an understanding of the functional wiring of the brain. Here we report the generation of a new Gal4- and Cre-driver resource for zebrafish neurobiology. Candidate genes, including cell type-specific transcription factors, neurotransmitter-synthesizing enzymes and neuropeptides, were selected according to their expression patterns in small and unique subsets of neurons from diverse brain regions. BAC recombineering, followed by Tol2 transgenesis, was used to generate driver lines that label neuronal populations in patterns that, to a large but variable extent, recapitulate the endogenous gene expression. We used image registration to characterize, compare, and digitally superimpose the labeling patterns from our newly generated transgenic lines. This analysis revealed highly restricted and mutually exclusive tissue distributions, with striking resolution of layered brain regions such as the tectum or the rhombencephalon. We further show that a combination of Gal4 and Cre transgenes allows intersectional expression of a fluorescent reporter in regions where the expression of the two drivers overlaps. Taken together, our study offers new tools for functional studies of specific neural circuits in zebrafish.
Microstructural evolution during sintering of copper particles studied by laboratory diffraction contrast tomography (LabDCT)
Authors: McDonald S. A. , Holzner C. , Lauridsen E. M. , Reischig P. , Merkle A. P. , Withers P. J.
Published: July 2017

Pressureless sintering of loose or compacted granular bodies at elevated temperature occurs by a combination of particle rearrangement, rotation, local deformation and diffusion, and grain growth. Understanding of how each of these processes contributes to the densification of a powder body is still immature. Here we report a fundamental study coupling the crystallographic imaging capability of laboratory diffraction contrast tomography (LabDCT) with conventional computed tomography (CT) in a time-lapse study. We are able to follow and differentiate these processes non-destructively and in three-dimensions during the sintering of a simple copper powder sample at 1050 °C. LabDCT quantifies particle rotation (to <0.05° accuracy) and grain growth while absorption CT simultaneously records the diffusion and deformation-related morphological changes of the sintering particles. We find that the rate of particle rotation is lowest for the more highly coordinated particles and decreases during sintering. Consequently, rotations are greater for surface breaking particles than for more highly coordinated interior ones. Both rolling (cooperative) and sliding particle rotations are observed. By tracking individual grains the grain growth/shrinkage kinetics during sintering are quantified grain by grain for the first time. Rapid, abnormal grain growth is observed for one grain while others either grow or are consumed more gradually.
TSG-6 Secreted by Human Adipose Tissue-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Ameliorates DSS-induced colitis by Inducing M2 Macrophage Polarization in Mice
Authors: Song Woo-Jin , Li Qiang , Ryu Min-Ok , Ahn Jin-Ok , Ha Bhang Dong , Chan Jung Yun , Youn Hwa-Young
Published: July 2017

Previous studies have revealed that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) alleviate inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by modulating inflammatory cytokines in the inflamed intestine. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects are not completely understood. We sought to investigate the therapeutic effects of human adipose tissue-derived (hAT)-MSCs in an IBD mouse model and to explore the mechanisms of the regulation of inflammation. Dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis mice were infused with hAT-MSCs intraperitoneally and colon tissues were collected on day 10. hAT-MSCs were shown to induce the expression of M2 macrophage markers and to regulate the expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the colon. Quantitative real time-PCR analyses demonstrated that less than 20 hAT-MSCs, 0.001% of all intraperitoneally injected hAT-MSCs, were detected in the inflamed colon. To investigate the effects of hAT-MSC-secreted factors in vitro, transwell co-culture system was used, demonstrating that tumour necrosis factor-α-induced gene/protein 6 (TSG-6) released by hAT-MSCs induces M2 macrophages. In vivo, hAT-MSCs transfected with TSG-6 small interfering RNA, administered intraperitoneally, were not able to induce M2 macrophage phenotype switch in the inflamed colon and had no significant effects on IBD severity. In conclusion, hAT-MSC-produced TSG-6 can ameliorate IBD by inducing M2 macrophage switch in mice.
Circulating miR-323-3p is a biomarker for cardiomyopathy and an indicator of phenotypic variability in Friedreich’s ataxia patients
Authors: Seco-Cervera M. , González-Rodríguez D. , Ibáñez-Cabellos J. S. , Peiró-Chova L. , González-Cabo P. , García-López E. , Vílchez J. J. , Sanz-Gallego I. , Pallardó F. V. , García-Giménez J. L.
Published: July 2017

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are noncoding RNAs that contribute to gene expression modulation by regulating important cellular pathways. In this study, we used small RNA sequencing to identify a series of circulating miRNAs in blood samples taken from Friedreich’s ataxia patients. We were thus able to develop a miRNA biomarker signature to differentiate Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA) patients from healthy people. Most research on FDRA has focused on understanding the role of frataxin in the mitochondria, and a whole molecular view of pathological pathways underlying FRDA therefore remains to be elucidated. We found seven differentially expressed miRNAs, and we propose that these miRNAs represent key mechanisms in the modulation of several signalling pathways that regulate the physiopathology of FRDA. If this is the case, miRNAs can be used to characterize phenotypic variation in FRDA and stratify patients’ risk of cardiomyopathy. In this study, we identify miR-323-3p as a candidate marker for phenotypic differentiation in FRDA patients suffering from cardiomyopathy. We propose the use of dynamic miRNAs as biomarkers for phenotypic characterization and prognosis of FRDA.
Systematic discovery of genetic modulation by Jumonji histone demethylases in Drosophila
Authors: Shalaby Nevine A. , Sayed Raheel , Zhang Qiao , Scoggin Shane , Eliazer Susan , Rothenfluh Adrian , Buszczak Michael
Published: July 2017

Jumonji (JmjC) domain proteins influence gene expression and chromatin organization by way of histone demethylation, which provides a means to regulate the activity of genes across the genome. JmjC proteins have been associated with many human diseases including various cancers, developmental and neurological disorders, however, the shared biology and possible common contribution to organismal development and tissue homeostasis of all JmjC proteins remains unclear. Here, we systematically tested the function of all 13 Drosophila JmjC genes. Generation of molecularly defined null mutants revealed that loss of 8 out of 13 JmjC genes modify position effect variegation (PEV) phenotypes, consistent with their ascribed role in regulating chromatin organization. However, most JmjC genes do not critically regulate development, as 10 members are viable and fertile with no obvious developmental defects. Rather, we find that different JmjC mutants specifically alter the phenotypic outcomes in various sensitized genetic backgrounds. Our data demonstrate that, rather than controlling essential gene expression programs, Drosophila JmjC proteins generally act to “fine-tune” different biological processes.
Bias in recent miRBase annotations potentially associated with RNA quality issues
Authors: Ludwig Nicole , Becker Meike , Schumann Timo , Speer Timo , Fehlmann Tobias , Keller Andreas , Meese Eckart
Published: July 2017

Although microRNAs are supposed to be stable in-vivo, degradation processes potentially blur our knowledge on the small oligonucleotides. We set to quantify the effect of degradation on microRNAs in mouse to identify causes for distorted microRNAs patterns. In liver, we found 298, 99 and 8 microRNAs whose expression significantly correlated to RNA integrity, storage time at room temperature and storage time at 4 °C, respectively. Expression levels of 226 microRNAs significantly differed between liver samples with high RNA integrity compared to liver samples with low RNA integrity by more than two-fold. Especially the 157 microRNAs with increased expression in tissue samples with low RNA integrity were most recently added to miRBase. Testing potentially confounding sources, e.g. in-vitro degraded RNA depleted of small RNAs, we detected signals for 350 microRNAs, suggesting cross-hybridization of fragmented RNAs. Therefore, we conclude that especially microRNAs added in the latest miRBase versions might be artefacts due to RNA degradation. The results facilitate differentiation between degradation-resilient microRNAs, degradation-sensitive microRNAs, and likely erroneously annotated microRNAs. The latter were largely identified by NGS but not experimentally validated and can severely bias microRNA biomarker research and impact the value of microRNAs as diagnostic, prognostic or therapeutic tools.
Next Generation Driver for Attosecond and Laser-plasma Physics
Authors: Rivas D. E. , Borot A. , Cardenas D. E. , Marcus G. , Gu X. , Herrmann D. , Xu J. , Tan J. , Kormin D. , Ma G. , Dallari W. , Tsakiris G. D. , Földes I. B. , Chou S.-w. , Weidman M. , Bergues B. , Wittmann T. , Schröder H. , Tzallas P. , Charalambidis D. , Razskazovskaya O. , Pervak V. , Krausz F. , Veisz L.
Published: July 2017

The observation and manipulation of electron dynamics in matter call for attosecond light pulses, routinely available from high-order harmonic generation driven by few-femtosecond lasers. However, the energy limitation of these lasers supports only weak sources and correspondingly linear attosecond studies. Here we report on an optical parametric synthesizer designed for nonlinear attosecond optics and relativistic laser-plasma physics. This synthesizer uniquely combines ultra-relativistic focused intensities of about 1020 W/cm2 with a pulse duration of sub-two carrier-wave cycles. The coherent combination of two sequentially amplified and complementary spectral ranges yields sub-5-fs pulses with multi-TW peak power. The application of this source allows the generation of a broad spectral continuum at 100-eV photon energy in gases as well as high-order harmonics in relativistic plasmas. Unprecedented spatio-temporal confinement of light now permits the investigation of electric-field-driven electron phenomena in the relativistic regime and ultimately the rise of next-generation intense isolated attosecond sources.
Precise detection of circular dichroism in a cluster of nano-helices by photoacoustic measurements
Authors: Benedetti Alessio , Alam Badrul , Esposito Marco , Tasco Vittorianna , Leahu Grigore , Belardini Alessandro , Li Voti Roberto , Passaseo Adriana , Sibilia Concita
Published: July 2017

Compact samples of nano-helices built by means of a focused ion beam technology with large bandwidth and high dichroism for circular polarization are promising for the construction of built-in-chip sensors, where the ideal transducer must be sufficiently confined without compromising its filtering ability. Direct all-optical measurements revealed the sample’s dichroic character with insufficient details because of scattering and diffraction interference. On the other hand, photoacoustic measurements resulted to be a possible alternative investigation, since they directly deal with absorbed power and allow to get clear evidences of the differential selection for the two opposite polarization states. Multi-level numerical simulations confirmed the experimental results, proving once again the reliability of photoacoustic technique and the versatility of this class of dichroic artificial materials.
Use of Single-Frequency Impedance Spectroscopy to Characterize the Growth Dynamics of Biofilm Formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: van Duuren Jozef B. J. H. , Müsken Mathias , Karge Bianka , Tomasch Jürgen , Wittmann Christoph , Häussler Susanne , Brönstrup Mark
Published: July 2017

Impedance spectroscopy has been applied in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cytometry as a label-free method for the investigation of adherent cells. In this paper, its use for characterizing the growth dynamics of P. aeruginosa biofilms is described and compared to crystal violet staining and confocal microscopy. The method allows monitoring the growth of biofilm-forming P. aeruginosa in a continuous and label-free manner over a period of 72 h in a 96 well plate format. Impedance curves obtained for P. aeruginosa PA14 wild type and mutant strains with a transposon insertion in pqsA and pelA genes exhibited distinct phases. We propose that the slope of the declining curve following a maximum at ca. 35–40 h is a measure of biofilm formation. Transplant experiments with P. aeruginosa biofilms and paraffin suggest that the impedance also reflects pellicle formation at the liquid-air interface, a barely considered contributor to impedance. Finally, the impairment of biofilm formation upon treatment of cultures with L-arginine and with ciprofloxacin, tobramycin and meropenem was studied by single frequency impedance spectroscopy. We suggest that these findings qualify impedance spectroscopy as an additional technique to characterize biofilm formation and its modulation by small molecule drugs.
Development of sodium acetate trihydrate-ethylene glycol composite phase change materials with enhanced thermophysical properties for thermal comfort and therapeutic applications
Authors: Kumar Rohitash , Vyas Sumita , Kumar Ravindra , Dixit Ambesh
Published: July 2017

The heat packs using phase change materials (PCMs) are designed for possible applications such as body comfort and medical applications under adverse situations. The development and performance of such heat packs rely on thermophysical properties of PCMs such as latent heat, suitable heat releasing temperature, degree of supercooling, effective heat releasing time, crystallite size, stability against spontaneous nucleation in metastable supercooled liquid state and thermal stability during heating and cooling cycles. Such PCMs are rare and the available PCMs do not exhibit such properties simultaneously to meet the desired requirements. The present work reports a facile approach for the design and development of ethylene glycol (EG) and aqueous sodium acetate trihydrate (SAT) based composite phase change materials, showing these properties simultaneously. The addition of 2–3 wt% EG in aqueous SAT enhances the softness of SAT crystallites, its degree of supercooling and most importantly the effective heat releasing time by ~10% with respect to aqueous SAT material. In addition, the maximum heat releasing temperature of aqueous SAT has been tailored from 56.5 °C to 55 °C, 54.9 °C, 53.5 °C, 51.8 °C and 43.2 °C using 2%, 3%, 5%, 7% and 10 wt% EG respectively, making the aqueous SAT-EG composite PCMs suitable for desired thermal applications.
Temperature dependent giant resistance anomaly in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 nanostructures
Authors: Minhas M. Z. , Müller A. , Heyroth F. , Blaschek H. H. , Schmidt G.
Published: July 2017

The resistance of the electron gas (2DEG) at the interface between the two band insulators LaAlO3 (LAO) and SrTiO3 (STO) typically drops monotonically with temperature and R/T curves during cooling and warm-up look identical for large area structures. Here we show that if the LAO/STO is laterally restricted by nanopatterning the resistance exhibits a temperature anomaly. Warming up nanostructures from low temperatures leads to one or two pronounced resistance peaks between 50 and 100 K not observed for larger dimensions. During cool-down current filaments emerge at the domain walls that form during a structural phase transition of the STO substrate. During warm-up the reverse phase transition can interrupt filaments before the sheet conductivity which dominates at higher temperature is reestablished. Due to the limited number of filaments in a nanostructure this process can result in a complete loss of conductance. As a consequence of these findings the transport physics extracted from experiments in small and large area LAO/STO structures may need to be reconsidered.
Clustering on Magnesium Surfaces – Formation and Diffusion Energies
Authors: Chu Haijian , Huang Hanchen , Wang Jian
Published: July 2017

The formation and diffusion energies of atomic clusters on Mg surfaces determine the surface roughness and formation of faulted structure, which in turn affect the mechanical deformation of Mg. This paper reports first principles density function theory (DFT) based quantum mechanics calculation results of atomic clustering on the low energy surfaces {0001} and $$\{\bar{1}011\}$$
{

1
¯

011
}
. In parallel, molecular statics calculations serve to test the validity of two interatomic potentials and to extend the scope of the DFT studies. On a {0001} surface, a compact cluster consisting of few than three atoms energetically prefers a face-centered-cubic stacking, to serve as a nucleus of stacking fault. On a $$\{\bar{1}011\}$$
{

1
¯

011
}
, clusters of any size always prefer hexagonal-close-packed stacking. Adatom diffusion on surface $$\{\bar{1}011\}$$
{

1
¯

011
}
is high anisotropic while isotropic on surface (0001). Three-dimensional Ehrlich–Schwoebel barriers converge as the step height is three atomic layers or thicker. Adatom diffusion along steps is via hopping mechanism, and that down steps is via exchange mechanism.
Genotype by random environmental interactions gives an advantage to non-favored minor alleles
Authors: Mahdipour-Shirayeh A. , Darooneh A. H. , Long A. D. , Komarova N. L. , Kohandel M.
Published: July 2017

Fixation probability, the probability that the frequency of a newly arising mutation in a population will eventually reach unity, is a fundamental quantity in evolutionary genetics. Here we use a number of models (several versions of the Moran model and the haploid Wright-Fisher model) to examine fixation probabilities for a constant size population where the fitness is a random function of both allelic state and spatial position, despite neither allele being favored on average. The concept of fitness varying with respect to both genotype and environment is important in models of cancer initiation and progression, bacterial dynamics, and drug resistance. Under our model spatial heterogeneity redefines the notion of neutrality for a newly arising mutation, as such mutations fix at a higher rate than that predicted under neutrality. The increased fixation probability appears to be due to rare alleles having an advantage. The magnitude of this effect can be large, and is an increasing function of the spatial variance and skew in fitness. The effect is largest when the fitness values of the mutants and wild types are anti-correlated across environments. We discuss results for both a spatial ring geometry of cells (such as that of a colonic crypt), a 2D lattice and a mass-action (complete graph) arrangement.
High-throughput Identification and Characterization of Two-dimensional Materials using Density functional theory
Authors: Choudhary Kamal , Kalish Irina , Beams Ryan , Tavazza Francesca
Published: July 2017

We introduce a simple criterion to identify two-dimensional (2D) materials based on the comparison between experimental lattice constants and lattice constants mainly obtained from Materials-Project (MP) density functional theory (DFT) calculation repository. Specifically, if the relative difference between the two lattice constants for a specific material is greater than or equal to 5%, we predict them to be good candidates for 2D materials. We have predicted at least 1356 such 2D materials. For all the systems satisfying our criterion, we manually create single layer systems and calculate their energetics, structural, electronic, and elastic properties for both the bulk and the single layer cases. Currently the database consists of 1012 bulk and 430 single layer materials, of which 371 systems are common to bulk and single layer. The rest of calculations are underway. To validate our criterion, we calculated the exfoliation energy of the suggested layered materials, and we found that in 88.9% of the cases the currently accepted criterion for exfoliation was satisfied. Also, using molybdenum telluride as a test case, we performed X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering experiments to benchmark our calculations and understand their applicability and limitations. The data is publicly available at the website http://www.ctcms.nist.gov/~knc6/JVASP.html.
Free-of-Acrylamide SDS-based Tissue Clearing (FASTClear) for three dimensional visualization of myocardial tissue
Authors: Perbellini Filippo , Liu Alan K. L. , Watson Samuel A. , Bardi Ifigeneia , Rothery Stephen M. , Terracciano Cesare M.
Published: July 2017

Several pathologic conditions of the heart lead to cardiac structural remodelling. Given the high density and the opaque nature of the myocardium, deep three dimensional (3D) imaging is difficult to achieve and structural analysis of pathological myocardial structure is often limited to two dimensional images and of thin myocardial sections. Efficient methods to obtain optical clearing of the tissue for 3D visualisation are therefore needed. Here we describe a rapid, simple and versatile Free-of-Acrylamide SDS-based Tissue Clearing (FASTClear) protocol specifically designed for cardiac tissue. With this method 3D information regarding collagen content, collagen localization and distribution could be easily obtained across a whole 300 µm-thick myocardial slice. FASTClear does not induce structural or microstructural distortion and it can be combined with immunostaining to identify the micro- and macrovascular networks. In summary, we have obtained decolorized myocardial tissue suitable for high resolution 3D imaging, with implications for the study of complex cardiac tissue structure and its changes during pathology.
Deficient Vitamin E Uptake During Development Impairs Neural Tube Closure in Mice Lacking Lipoprotein Receptor SR-BI
Authors: Santander Nicolás , Lizama Carlos , Parga María José , Quiroz Alonso , Pérez Druso , Echeverría Guadalupe , Ulloa Lorena , Palma Verónica , Rigotti Attilio , Busso Dolores
Published: July 2017

SR-BI is the main receptor for high density lipoproteins (HDL) and mediates the bidirectional transport of lipids, such as cholesterol and vitamin E, between these particles and cells. During early development, SR-BI is expressed in extraembryonic tissue, specifically in trophoblast giant cells in the parietal yolk sac. We previously showed that approximately 50% of SR-BI−/− embryos fail to close the anterior neural tube and develop exencephaly, a perinatal lethal condition. Here, we evaluated the role of SR-BI in embryonic vitamin E uptake during murine neural tube closure. Our results showed that SR-BI−/− embryos had a very low vitamin E content in comparison to SR-BI+/+ embryos. Whereas SR-BI−/− embryos with closed neural tubes (nSR-BI−/−) had high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), intermediate ROS levels between SR-BI+/+ and nSR-BI−/− embryos were detected in SR-BI−/− with NTD (NTD SR-BI−/−). Reduced expression of Pax3, Alx1 and Alx3 genes was found in NTD SR-BI−/− embryos. Maternal α-tocopherol dietary supplementation prevented NTD almost completely (from 54% to 2%, p < 0.001) in SR-BI−/− embryos and normalized ROS and gene expression levels. In sum, our results suggest the involvement of SR-BI in the maternal provision of embryonic vitamin E to the mouse embryo during neural tube closure.
Spatiotemporal expression profiling of long intervening noncoding RNAs in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Liu Weihong , Yu Enchao , Chen Siyu , Ma Xiaopeng , Lu Yiwen , Liu Xiao
Published: July 2017

To better understand the biological function of long noncoding RNAs, it is critical to determine their spatiotemporal expression patterns. We generated transgenic reporter strains for 149 out of the 170 annotated C. elegans long intervening noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) and profiled their temporal activity. For the 68 lincRNAs with integrated reporter lines, we profiled their expression at the resolution of single cells in L1 larvae, and revealed that the expression of lincRNAs is more specific, heterogeneous and at lower level than transcription factors (TFs). These expression patterns can be largely attributed to transcriptional regulation because they were observed in assays using reporters of promoter activity. The spatial expression patterns of the 68 lincRNAs were further examined in 18 tissue categories throughout eight developmental stages. We compared the expression dynamics of lincRNAs, miRNAs and TFs during development. lincRNA and miRNA promoters are less active at embryo stage than those of TFs, but become comparable to TFs after embryogenesis. Finally, the lincRNA gene set shows a similar tissue distribution to that of miRNAs and TFs. We also generated a database, CELE, for the storage and retrieval of lincRNA reporter expression patterns and other relevant information. The data and strains described here will provide a valuable guide and resource for future functional exploration of C. elegans lincRNAs.