bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent advances in dynamic docking for drug discovery
Authors: De Vivo Marco , Cavalli Andrea
Published: June 2017

Molecular docking allows the evaluation of ligand‐target complementarity. This is the crucial first step in small‐molecule drug discovery. Over the last decade, increasing computer power and more efficient molecular dynamics (MD) software have prompted the use of MD for molecular docking. The resulting dynamic docking offers major improvements by (1) taking full account of the structural flexibility of the drug‐target system and (2) allowing the computation of the free energy and kinetics associated with drug binding. Here, we examine the recent advances in dynamic docking, while also considering the challenges and limitations that this powerful approach must overcome to impact fast‐paced drug discovery. WIREs Comput Mol Sci 2017, 7:e1320. doi: 10.1002/wcms.1320

This article is categorized under:

Structure and Mechanism > Computational Biochemistry and Biophysics

Molecular and Statistical Mechanics > Molecular Mechanics

Software > Molecular Modeling
Trends in the processing and manufacture of solid oxide fuel cells
Authors: Cassidy Mark
Published: June 2017

Electrochemical devices based on solid‐state ceramic materials such as solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) are promising technologies which are gaining importance in today's rapidly developing energy frameworks. In particular, these high‐temperature variants offer further potential benefits such as increased fuel flexibility and higher system efficiencies. One of the significant challenges for SOFCs is the creation of robust, durable, and affordable cells. While the search for new materials remains an important research activity, the role of process development for fabrication and manufacture should not be underestimated. Indeed better understanding between materials, processing, and the resulting microstructure is vital for improving cell performance. The links between cell design and various processing techniques are explored. The most common approaches are based on thick film ceramic processes where recent trends include areas such as production of thinner tape cast layers and challenges in the application of aqueous systems to cell processing. Decoupling the processing and control of bulk and catalytic microstructures within the cell has recently been a very active area of development with techniques such as impregnation and exsolution showing increasingly promising results. Thin film techniques such as physical vapor deposition are also still being investigated for micro SOFCs or thin interfacial layers. In all cases, materials and process development should be closely linked, as high quality, reliable microstructures are essential to optimize the chemistry taking place on the materials and viable routes to manufacture are vital to transferring new materials into commercial devices. WIREs Energy Environ 2017, 6:e248. doi: 10.1002/wene.248

This article is categorized under:

Fuel Cells and Hydrogen > Science and Materials
Tight metabolic control plus ACE inhibitor therapy improves GSD I nephropathy
Authors: Okechuku Gyongyi O. , Shoemaker Lawrence R. , Dambska Monika , Brown Laurie M. , Mathew Justin , Weinstein David A.
Published: June 2017

The onset of microalbuminuria (MA) heralds the onset of glomerulopathy in patients with glycogen storage disease (GSD) type I. Unlike tubulopathy, which responds to improved metabolic control, glomerulopathy in GSD I is considered refractory to medical intervention, and it is thought to inexorably progress to overt proteinuria and renal failure. Recent reports of reduced microalbuminuria following strict adherence to therapy counter this view. In contrast to type Ia, little is known regarding the prevalence of kidney disease in GSD Ib, 0, III, VI, and IX. Subjects were evaluated with 24‐h urine collections between 2005 and 2014 as part of a longitudinal study of the natural history of GSD. ACE inhibitor therapy (AIT) was commenced after documentation of microalbuminuria. Elevated urine albumin excretion was detected in 23 of 195 GSD Ia patients (11.7%) and six of 45 GSD Ib (13.3%). The median age of onset of microalbuminuria in GSD Ia was 24 years (range 9–56); in GSD Ib it was 25 years (range 20–38). Of 14 with GSD Ia who complied with dietary and AIT during the study period, microalbuminuria decreased in 11, in whom metabolic control improved. All 135 patients with the ketotic forms of GSD (0, III, VI and IX) consistently had normal microalbumin excretion. Strict adherence to dietary therapy and maintenance of optimal metabolic control is necessary to halt the progression of GSD Ia glomerulopathy in patients treated with AIT. With optimal care, protein excretion can be reduced and even normalize.
Probabilistic Mechanics of Quasibrittle Structures
Authors: Bazant Zdenek P. , Le Jia-Liang
Published: June 2017

Quasibrittle (or brittle heterogeneous) materials are becoming increasingly important for modern engineering. They include concretes, rocks, fiber composites, tough ceramics, sea ice, bone, wood, stiff soils, rigid foams, glass, dental and biomaterials, as well as all brittle materials on the micro or nano scale. Their salient feature is that the fracture process zone size is non-negligible compared to the structural dimensions. This causes intricate energetic and statistical size effects and leads to size-dependent probability distribution of strength, transitional between Gaussian and Weibullian. The ensuing difficult challenges for safe design are vanquished in this book, which features a rigorous theory with detailed derivations yet no superfluous mathematical sophistication; extensive experimental verifications; and realistic approximations for design. A wide range of subjects is covered, including probabilistic fracture kinetics at nanoscale, multiscale transition, statistics of structural strength and lifetime, size effect, reliability indices, safety factors, and ramification to gate dielectrics breakdown.
Ultrasonic Spectroscopy
Authors: Leisure Robert G.
Published: June 2017

Ultrasonic spectroscopy is a technique widely used in solid-state physics, materials science, and geology that utilizes acoustic waves to determine fundamental physical properties of materials, such as their elasticity and mechanical energy dissipation. This book provides complete coverage of the main issues relevant to the design, analysis, and interpretation of ultrasonic experiments. Topics including elasticity, acoustic waves in solids, ultrasonic loss, and the relation of elastic constants to thermodynamic potentials are covered in depth. Modern techniques and experimental methods including resonant ultrasound spectroscopy, digital pulse-echo, and picosecond ultrasound are also introduced and reviewed. This self-contained book includes extensive background theory and is accessible to students new to the field of ultrasonic spectroscopy, as well as to graduate students and researchers in physics, engineering, materials science, and geophysics.
The writer’s guide to education scholarship in emergency medicine: Systematic reviews and the scholarship of integration (part 4)
Authors: Murnaghan Aleisha , Weersink Kristen , Thoma Brent , Hall Andrew K. , Chan Teresa
Published: June 2017

Objective

Reviews help scholars consolidate evidence and guide their educational practice. However, few papers describe how to effectively publish review papers. We completed a scoping review to develop a set of quality indicators that will assist junior authors to publish reviews and integrative scholarship.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase, ERIC, and Google Scholar were searched for English language articles published between 2012 and January 2016 using the termsreview,medical education,how to publish, andemergency medicine. Titles and abstracts were reviewed by two authors and included if they focused on how to publish a review or outlined reporting guidelines of reviews. The articles were reviewed in parallel for calibration, and disagreements were resolved through a consensus.

Results

A full text review of the 25 articles was conducted, and 196 recommendations were extracted from 13 articles. A hand search of the included articles’ reference lists and expert recommendation found an additional eight articles. These recommendations were thematically analysed into a list of seven themes and 32 items. Additionally, seven evaluation tools and reporting guidelines were found to guide researchers in optimizing their reviews for publication.

Conclusion

In emergency medicine education, review articles can help synthesize educational research so that educators can engage in evidence-based scholarly teaching. We hope that this work will act as an introduction to those interested in engaging in integrative scholarship by providing them with a guide to key quality markers and important checklists for improving their research.
Modelling 60 years of glacier mass balance and runoff for Chhota Shigri Glacier, Western Himalaya, Northern India
Authors: ENGELHARDT MARKUS , RAMANATHAN AL. , EIDHAMMER TRUDE , KUMAR PANKAJ , LANDGREN OSKAR , MANDAL ARINDAN , RASMUSSEN ROY
Published: June 2017

Glacier mass balance and runoff are simulated from 1955 to 2014 for the catchment (46% glacier cover) containing Chhota Shigri Glacier (Western Himalaya) using gridded data from three regional climate models: (1) the Rossby Centre regional atmospheric climate model v.4 (RCA4); (2) the REgional atmosphere MOdel (REMO); and (3) the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF). The input data are downscaled to the simulation grid (300 m) and calibrated with point measurements of temperature and precipitation. Additional input is daily potential global radiation calculated using a DEM at a resolution of 30 m. The mass-balance model calculates daily snow accumulation, melt and runoff. The model parameters are calibrated with available mass-balance measurements and results are validated with geodetic measurements, other mass-balance model results and run-off measurements. Simulated annual mass balances slightly decreased from −0.3 m w.e. a−1 (1955–99) to −0.6 m w.e. a−1 for 2000–14. For the same periods, mean runoff increased from 2.0 m3 s−1 (1955–99) to 2.4 m3 s−1 (2000–14) with glacier melt contributing about one-third to the runoff. Monthly runoff increases are greatest in July, due to both increased snow and glacier melt, whereas slightly decreased snowmelt in August and September was more than compensated by increased glacier melt.
High intake of fatty fish, but not of lean fish, improved postprandial glucose regulation and increased the n-3 PUFA content in the leucocyte membrane in healthy overweight adults: a randomised trial
Authors: Helland Anita , Bratlie Marianne , Hagen Ingrid V. , Mjøs Svein A. , Sørnes Steinar , Ingvar Halstensen Alfred , Brokstad Karl A. , Sveier Harald , Rosenlund Grethe , Mellgren Gunnar , Gudbrandsen Oddrun A.
Published: June 2017

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is low in populations with a high fish intake; however prospective studies with fish intake have shown positive, negative or no association between fish intake and the risk for T2D. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of high intake of lean or fatty fish on glucose tolerance, leucocyte membrane fatty acid composition and leucocyte function in overweight/obese adults. In this randomised clinical trial, sixty-eight healthy overweight/obese participants consumed 750 g/week of either lean or fatty fish as dinners, or were instructed to continue their normal eating habits but to avoid fish intake (control group), for 8 weeks. Energy and macronutrient intake and physical activity were not changed within the groups during the study period. High intake of fatty fish, but not of lean fish, significantly improved glucose regulation 120 min postprandially (P=0·012), but did not affect fasting glucose concentration. A smaller increase in fasting to 120 min postprandial insulin C-peptide concentration was seen after fatty fish intake (P=0·012). Lean fish increased the DHA content in leucocyte membranes (P=0·010), and fatty fish increased the total content of n-3 PUFA (P=0·00016) and reduced the content of n-6 PUFA (P=0·00057) in leucocyte membranes. Lean and fatty fish intake did not affect phagocytosis of bacteria ex vivo. The findings suggest that high intake of fatty fish, but not of lean fish, beneficially affected postprandial glucose regulation in overweight/obese adults, and may therefore prevent or delay the development of T2D in this population.
Dietary inflammatory index before diagnosis and survival in an Italian cohort of women with breast cancer
Authors: Zucchetto Antonella , Serraino Diego , Shivappa Nitin , Hébert James R. , Stocco Carmen , Puppo Antonella , Falcini Fabio , Panato Chiara , Dal Maso Luigino , Polesel Jerry
Published: June 2017

The dietary inflammatory indexTM(DII) has been shown to correlate with concentrations of several inflammatory markers and a variety of chronic disease endpoints, including cancers of various anatomic sites. We investigated whether the DII was associated with the risk for death among women with breast cancer (BrCa). This retrospective cohort study included 1453 women with BrCa, diagnosed between 1990 and 1994, and previously enrolled in a case–control study in northern Italy. With a median follow-up of 12·6 years, we observed 503 deaths, among which 398 were due to BrCa. The usual diet was assessed at BrCa diagnosis using a validated FFQ. DII scores were calculated using thirty-one foods/nutrients. Hazard ratios (HR) of death from all causes or from BrCa, with corresponding 95 % CI, were calculated using the Cox models, adjusted for age at diagnosis, tumour stage, oestrogen/progesterone receptor status and other potential confounders. The median DII score of the study women was −1·23, with a relatively narrow range (interquartile range −2·24 to −0·11), indicating a mainly anti-inflammatory diet. There was no difference in survival according to DII tertiles, neither considering all-cause mortality (HRtertile IIIv. I1·00; 95 % CI 0·78, 1·28) nor BrCa-specific mortality (HRtertile IIIv. I0·97; 95 % CI 0·73, 1·27). Study findings did not suggest an association between the inflammatory potential of diet, measured by the DII, and the survival of BrCa women. However, further studies are needed in populations reporting higher DII scores and a broader range of variability in the scores.
Dietary supplement use in the older population of Iceland and association with mortality
Authors: Ólafsdóttir Birta , Gunnarsdóttir Ingibjörg , Nikulásdóttir Hjálmfríður , Eiríksdóttir Guðný , Harris Tamara B. , Launer Lenore J. , Guðnason Vilmundur , Halldórsson Thórhallur I. , Einarsdóttir Kristjana
Published: June 2017

Dietary supplements are often used by the elderly to improve their nutritional status. However, intake above the recommended dietary levels may be detrimental, and uncertainty exists on the potential health benefits of supplementation in this population. The aim of this study was to describe supplement use among Icelandic older adults and to assess its association with total mortality and CVD-related mortality. This study used data from the Age Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik study, which recruited 5764 participants aged 66–98 years in 2002–2006. Intake of vitamins and minerals from dietary supplements was estimated from interviews. Hazard ratios (HR) for mortality were estimated in multivariate analyses with follow-up ending in 2009. The results showed that most (77 %) of the participants used supplements. Overall, the consumption of vitamins and minerals from supplements was moderate although 22 and 14 % of users exceeded the upper recommended intake levels for vitamin B6 and Zn, respectively. Supplement users followed in general a healthier lifestyle than non-users. There were 1221 deaths including 525 CVD-related deaths during the follow-up period. When comparing multivitamin users with non-users in multivariable models, no associations with total mortality (HR 0·91; 95 % CI: 0·77, 1·08) or CVD-related mortality (HR 0·91; 95 % CI 0·70, 1·18) were observed. In conclusion, users of supplements generally lead healthier lifestyles than non-users and supplements did not confer any added advantage or harm relative to mortality risk. However, the intake of vitamin B6 and Zn from dietary supplements exceeded the recommended daily intake for almost a quarter of the supplement users.
Reading and Writing Material: Kōda Aya'sKimonoand Its Afterlife
Authors: Suzuki Michiko
Published: June 2017

The kimono is often overlooked in the study of modern Japanese literature. Yet it plays a vital role in representing character, symbolizing critical aspects of the narrative, and illuminating historical and social contexts. Here I focus onKimono(1965–68), an unfinished novel by Kōda Aya (1904–90) that depicts a girl's growing-up process through her experiences with kimono during the early twentieth century. While highlighting the protagonist's development, kimonos in this work also serve various other functions, particularly cogent during a time in which everyday knowledge of kimono was declining. I examine the novel from different perspectives, including the kimono culture of the 1950s–60s and the novel's revitalization during the 1990s–2000s, facilitated by Kōda's literary inheritor, daughter Aoki Tama (1929–). This essay presents a new view of Kōda and her novel while engaging with broader questions of material and cultural representation, and the role of objects in the interpretation of literary texts.
Making Exposure In/Visible: Epidemiology, Legitimacy, and Authority after Bhopal
Authors: Hanna Bridget
Published: June 2017

Asia as a region bears the brunt of both natural and industrial disasters, and when these catastrophes occur, the consequences are disproportionately deadly. Between 1970 and 2011, 74.6 percent of the world's disaster-related fatalities occurred in the Asia-Pacific region (ESCAP and UNISDR 2012, 5). And the toll may be even worse than these numbers indicate; it is easier to assess gross mortality in the acute period of a disaster than to assess the scope of the long-term health effects. This is especially true in developing areas, where there may be preexisting risks and hazards, such as extreme poverty or endemic infectious disease.
Distribution and formation of particles produced by laser ablation of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine
Authors: Zhang W. , Shen R. , Ye Y. , Wu L. , Zhu P. , Hu Y.
Published: June 2017

An experimental investigation into laser ablation of secondary explosives, cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine (HMX), has been carried out by using a solid-state laser at the wavelength of 1064 nm. The ion particles of decomposition were detected by using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Possible attributions of both negative ions and positive ions were obtained. Some obvious peaks were found atm/z= 18, 28, 46, 60, and 106, corresponding to H2O, CO/N2/H2CN, NO2, CH2NO2/N2O2, and N(NO2)2/CH2(NO2)2, respectively. According to the distribution of the particles, three possible pathways were proposed to explain the process of particles. The results may shed some light on the possible decomposition mechanism of HMX under laser initiation.
Significance of the localization of phosphorus among tissues on a cross-section of leaf lamina of Bornean tree species for phosphorus-use efficiency
Authors: Tsujii Yuki , Oikawa Masakazu , Kitayama Kanehiro
Published: June 2017

A greater relative allocation of phosphorus (P) to photosynthetically active cells functions to maintain a rapid photosynthesis under P limitation, and may be a key mechanism of plants to use P efficiently. This mechanism has not been studied in tropical trees despite the productivity of tropical forests often being limited by P. In this study, the spatial distribution of P among tissues on a cross-section of leaf lamina was analysed for 13 tree species from P-limited sites on Mount Kinabalu, Borneo. Most species showed greater P concentration in palisade mesophyll than in spongy mesophyll and epidermal tissues, suggesting that tropical trees under P limitation localize foliar P in photosynthetic palisade mesophyll.
Referential interactions of Turkish-learning children with their caregivers about non-absent objects: integration of non-verbal devices and prior discourse
Authors: ATEŞ BEYZA Ş. , KÜNTAY AYLİN C.
Published: June 2017

This paper examines the way children younger than two use non-verbal devices (i.e., deictic gestures and communicative functional acts) and pay attention to discourse status (i.e., prior mention vs. newness) of referents in interactions with caregivers. Data based on semi-naturalistic interactions with caregivers of four children, at ages 1;00, 1;05, and 1;09, are analyzed. We report that children employ different types of non-verbal devices to supplement their inadequate referential forms before gaining mastery in language. By age 1;09, children show sensitivity to discourse status by using deictic gestures to accompany their non-lexical forms for new referents. A comparison of children's patterns with those in the input they receive reveals that caregivers choose their referential forms in accordance with discourse status information and tend to use different types of non-verbal devices to accompany their lexical and non-lexical referential forms. These results show that non-verbal devices play an important role in early referential discourse.
Four-year-old Cantonese-speaking children's online processing of relative clauses: a permutation analysis
Authors: CHAN ANGEL , YANG WENCHUN , CHANG FRANKLIN , KIDD EVAN
Published: June 2017

We report on an eye-tracking study that investigated four-year-old Cantonese-speaking children's online processing of subject and object relative clauses (RCs). Children's eye-movements were recorded as they listened to RC structures identifying a unique referent (e.g. “Can you pick upthe horse that pushed the pig?”). Two RC types, classifier (CL) andge3RCs, were tested in a between-participants design. The two RC types differ in their syntactic analyses and frequency of occurrence, providing an important point of comparison for theories of RC acquisition and processing. A permutation analysis showed that the two structures were processed differently: CL RCs showed a significant object-over-subject advantage, whereasge3RCs showed the opposite effect. This study shows that children can have different preferences even for two very similar RC structures within the same language, suggesting that syntactic processing preferences are shaped by the unique features of particular constructions both within and across different linguistic typologies.
Impulsivity as a mechanism linking child abuse and neglect with substance use in adolescence and adulthood
Authors: Oshri Assaf , Kogan Steve M. , Kwon Josephine A. , Wickrama K. A. S. , Vanderbroek Lauren , Palmer Abraham A. , MacKillop James
Published: June 2017

Emerging developmental perspectives suggest that adverse rearing environments promote neurocognitive adaptations that heighten impulsivity and increase vulnerability to risky behavior. Although studies document links between harsh rearing environments and impulsive behavior on substance use, the developmental hypothesis that impulsivity acts as mechanism linking adverse rearing environments to downstream substance use remains to be investigated. The present study investigated the role of impulsivity in linking child abuse and neglect with adult substance use using data from (a) a longitudinal sample of youth (Study 1,N= 9,421) and (b) a cross-sectional sample of adults (Study 2,N= 1,011). In Study 1, the links between child abuse and neglect and young adult smoking and marijuana use were mediated by increases in adolescent impulsivity. In Study 2, indirect links between child abuse and neglect and substance use were evidenced via delayed reward discounting and impulsivity traits. Among impulsivity subcomponents, robust indirect effects connecting childhood experiences to cigarette use emerged for negative urgency. Negative urgency, positive urgency, and sensation seeking mediated the effect of child abuse and neglect on cannabis and alcohol use. Results suggest that child abuse and neglect increases risk for substance use in part, due to effects on impulsivity. Individuals with adverse childhood experiences may benefit from substance use preventive intervention programs that target impulsive behaviors.
Clinical Information Transfer between EMS Staff and Emergency Medicine Assistants during Handover of Trauma Patients
Authors: Fahim Yegane Seyedeh Almas , Shahrami Ali , Hatamabadi Hamid Reza , Hosseini-Zijoud Seyed-Mostafa
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Clinical handover by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) staff, as the first people who have contact with trauma patients, in the emergency department (ED), is very important. Therefore, effective communication to transfer clinical information about patients in a concise, rational, clear, and time-bound manner is essential. In Iran, the transfer of necessary information in clinical handover in EDs was carried out orally and without following standard instructions. This study aimed to audit the current clinical handover according to the Identify, Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation (ISBAR) tool and survey the effect of training the ISBAR tool to Emergency Medicine Assistants (EMAs) and EMS staff on improvement of the clinical handover of patients to the ED.

Methods

This is a clinical audit study in three phases in Imam Hossein Hospital (Tehran, Iran) during 2016. In the first phase, the clinical handover between EMS staff and EMAs for 178 trauma patients admitted to the ED using ISBAR was audited and information was recorded. In the second phase, the correct approach of clinical handover according to the ISBAR tool was taught to EMS staff and EMAs using pamphlets and lectures. In the third phase, again, the clinical handover between EMS staff and EMAs for 168 trauma patients admitted to the ED was audited using the ISBAR tool and information was recorded. At the end, clinical audit assessment indicators of handover were evaluated before and after training.

Results

Clinical audit of the current situation in the ED showed that the clinical handover process does not follow standard ISBAR (0.0%). However, after training, 65.3% of clinical handover processes were performed in accordance with ISBAR. In the current study, there was an increase in all parameters of the ISBAR tool after training, most of which increased significantly compared to the first phase of the study (before the intervention).

Conclusions

Findings demonstrate that patient handover in the ED did not initially follow the ISBAR standard guideline. After providing education as pamphlets and lectures to EMS staff and EMAs, a high percentage of patient handovers were conducted in accordance with the ISBAR instructions.

Fahim YeganeSA,ShahramiA,HatamabadiHR,Hosseini-ZijoudSM.Clinical information transfer between EMS staff and Emergency Medicine Assistants during handover of trauma patients.Prehosp Disaster Med.2017;32(5):541–547.
Is Emotional Intelligence Impaired in Unaffected Siblings of Patients with Schizophrenia?
Authors: Frajo-Apor Beatrice , Kemmler Georg , Pardeller Silvia , Huber Markus , Macina Christian , Welte Anna-Sophia , Hofer Alex
Published: June 2017

Objectives:Social cognitive deficits have been discussed to be endophenotypes for schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses. The current study aimed to assess emotional intelligence (EI) in unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients to investigate its potential role as endophenotype for schizophrenia.Methods:EI was measured in 56 schizophrenia patients, 57 unaffected siblings, and 127 healthy control subjects by using the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). In addition, non-social cognition was assessed with the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS). Linear mixed models with compound symmetric correlation structure were used for of the three groups with respect to EI and non-social cognition.Results:Schizophrenia patients showed significantly lower overall EI and performed significantly worse in three out of four MSCEIT branches compared to unaffected siblings and control subjects, whereas the two latter groups had comparable EI levels. Similar performance patterns (patients<unaffected siblings=control subjects) were found with respect to non-social cognition. Solely in the “Tower of London” test, siblings achieved significantly lower task scores compared to control subjects.Conclusions:Based on our results, EI as measured with the MSCEIT does not seem to represent a marker of risk for schizophrenia. Further investigations should concentrate on other EI measures to reassess this finding. (JINS, 2017,23, 577–583)
CONTRACTIONARY TECHNOLOGY SHOCKS
Authors: Giuli Francesco , Tancioni Massimiliano
Published: June 2017

This paper adds to the large body of literature on the effects of technology shocks empirically and theoretically. Using a structural vector error correction model, we first provide evidence that not only hours but also investment decline temporarily following a technology improvement. This result is robust to important data and identification issues addressed in the literature. We then show that the negative response of inputs is consistent with an estimated monetary model in which the presence of strategic complementarity in price setting, in addition to nominal rigidities, lowers the sensitivity of prices to marginal costs, and monetary policy does not fully accommodate the shock.
HUMAN CAPITAL PRODUCTION WITH PARENTAL TIME INVESTMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
Authors: Youderian Xiaoyan
Published: June 2017

This paper considers parental time investment in early childhood as an education input and investigates its relationships with other inputs in their contribution to human capital. I develop a 12-period overlapping generations model where human capital formation is a multistage process. The model is calibrated to the US economy so that the generated data matches patterns in parental education spending and child care time. The estimation results show that time input is complementary to education expenditure. I apply the model by implementing three early education policies. The first two involve more government spending and the third is paid parental leave. The policy experiments show that adopting paid parental leave is the most costly means of increasing human capital. An education subsidy is more effective than a direct increase in government spending at promoting human capital; however, its impact on earnings inequality and persistence is smaller.
Are the Dyson rings around pulsars detectable?
Authors: Osmanov Z.
Published: June 2017

In the previous paper ring (Osmanov 2016) (henceforth Paper-I) we have extended the idea of Freeman Dyson and have shown that a supercivilization has to use ring-like megastructures around pulsars instead of a spherical shell. In this work we reexamine the same problem in the observational context and we show that facilities of modern infrared (IR) telescopes (Very Large Telescope Interferometer and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)) might efficiently monitor the nearby zone of the solar system and search for the IR Dyson-rings up to distances of the order of 0.2 kpc, corresponding to the current highest achievable angular resolution, 0.001 mas. In this case the total number of pulsars in the observationally reachable area is about 64 ± 21. We show that pulsars from the distance of the order of ~ 1 kpc are still visible for WISE as point-like sources but in order to confirm that the object is the neutron star, one has to use the ultraviolet telescopes, which at this moment cannot provide enough sensitivity.
Herbicide Management Strategies in Field Corn for a Three-Way Herbicide-Resistant Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) Population
Authors: Kohrt Jonathon R. , Sprague Christy L.
Published: June 2017

Three field experiments were conducted from 2013 to 2015 in Barry County, MI to evaluate the effectiveness of PRE, POST, and one- (EPOS) and two-pass (PRE followed by POST) herbicide programs for management of multiple-resistant Palmer amaranth in field corn. The Palmer amaranth population at this location has demonstrated resistance to glyphosate (Group 9), ALS-inhibiting herbicides (Group 2), and atrazine (Group 5). In the PRE only experiment, the only herbicide treatments that consistently provided ~80% or greater control were pyroxasulfone and the combination of mesotrione +S-metolachlor. However, none of these treatments provided season-long Palmer amaranth control. Only topramezone provided >85% Palmer amaranth control 14 DAT, in the POST only experiment. Of the 19 herbicide programs studied all but three programs provided ≥88% Palmer amaranth control at corn harvest. Herbicide programs that did not control Palmer amaranth relied on only one effective herbicide site of action and in one case did not include a residual herbicide POST for late-season Palmer amaranth control. Some of the EPOS treatments were effective for season-long Palmer amaranth control; however, application timing and the inclusion of a residual herbicide component will be critical for controlling Palmer amaranth. The programs that consistently provided the highest levels of season-long Palmer amaranth control were PRE followed by POST herbicide programs that relied on a minimum of two effective herbicide sites of action and usually included a residual herbicide for late-season control.
Unterwegs mit Ultraschall in Kenia
Authors: Stieger Roland
Published: June 2017

Zusammenfassung. Ein Schweizer Internist und angehender Angiologe ist in Kenia mit einer mobilen Ultraschallklinik unterwegs. Weiter engagiert er sich in der Ausbildung von medizinischem Personal im Bereich Ultraschall. Dies sowie die Zugänglichkeit zu Ultraschall im Kontext limitierter Ressourcen sind das Ziel dieser Initiative.
UHRF1 is required for basal stem cell proliferation in response to airway injury
Authors: Xiang Handan , Yuan Lifeng , Gao Xia , Alexander Peter B , Lopez Omar , Lau Calvin , Ding Yi , Chong Mengyang , Sun Tao , Chen Rui , Liu Si-Qi , Wu Haiyang , Wan Ying , Randell Scott H , Li Qi-Jing , Wang Xiao-Fan
Published: June 2017

Cellular senescence is a cell fate characterized by an irreversible cell cycle arrest, but the molecular mechanism underlying this senescence hallmark remains poorly understood. Through an unbiased search for novel senescence regulators in airway basal cells, we discovered that the epigenetic regulator ubiquitin-like with PHD and ring finger domain-containing protein 1 (UHRF1) is critical for regulating cell cycle progression. Upon injury, basal cells in the mouse airway rapidly induce the expression of UHRF1 in order to stimulate stem cell proliferation and tissue repair. Targeted depletion of Uhrf1 specifically in airway basal cells causes a profound defect in cell cycle progression. Consistently, cultured primary human basal cells lacking UHRF1 do not exhibit cell death or differentiation phenotypes but undergo a spontaneous program of senescence. Mechanistically, UHRF1 loss induces G1 cell cycle arrest by abrogating DNA replication factory formation as evidenced by loss of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) puncta and an inability to enter the first cell cycle. This proliferation defect is partially mediated by the p15 pathway. Overall, our study provides the first evidence of an indispensable role of UHRF1 in somatic stem cells proliferation during the process of airway regeneration.
Experimental study of thermal rectification in suspended monolayer graphene
Authors: Wang Haidong , Hu Shiqian , Takahashi Koji , Zhang Xing , Takamatsu Hiroshi , Chen Jie
Published: June 2017

Thermal rectification is a fundamental phenomenon for active heat flow control. Significant thermal rectification is expected to exist in the asymmetric nanostructures, such as nanowires and thin films. As a one-atom-thick membrane, graphene has attracted much attention for realizing thermal rectification as shown by many molecular dynamics simulations. Here, we experimentally demonstrate thermal rectification in various asymmetric monolayer graphene nanostructures. A large thermal rectification factor of 26% is achieved in a defect-engineered monolayer graphene with nanopores on one side. A thermal rectification factor of 10% is achieved in a pristine monolayer graphene with nanoparticles deposited on one side or with a tapered width. The results indicate that the monolayer graphene has great potential to be used for designing high-performance thermal rectifiers for heat flow control and energy harvesting.
Correction: Corrigendum: Coordinated nuclease activities counteract Ku at single-ended DNA double-strand breaks
Authors: Chanut Pauline , Britton Sébastien , Coates Julia , Jackson Stephen P. , Calsou Patrick
Published: June 2017

Nature Communications 7: Article number: 12889 (2016); Published: 19 Sep 2016; Updated: 13 Jun 2017 In this Article, the MRE11 exonuclease mutant H63D is consistently referred to incorrectly as H63N. These errors appear in the Results, Methods, Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Supplementary Fig. 3, Supplementary Table 2 and Supplementary Methods.
Correction: Corrigendum: PARP3 is a promoter of chromosomal rearrangements and limits G4 DNA
Authors: Day Tovah A. , Layer Jacob V. , Cleary J. Patrick , Guha Srijoy , Stevenson Kristen E. , Tivey Trevor , Kim Sunhee , Schinzel Anna C , Izzo Francesca , Doench John , Root David E. , Hahn William C. , Price Brendan D. , Weinstock David M.
Published: June 2017

Nature Communications 8: Article number: 15110 (2017); Published: 27 Apr 2017; Updated: 13 Jun 2017 In this Article, the antibody ‘BG4’ is consistently referred to incorrectly as ‘hf2’. These errors appear in the Results and Methods. Additionally, the Article incorrectly cites reference 52 in the sentences ‘A recent study described hf2, an engineered single-chain antibody specific for G4 DNA52’ and ‘pSANG10-3F-BG4 (Addgene 55756)52 was transformed into….
Characterisation and comparison of bacterial communities on reverse osmosis membranes of a full-scale desalination plant by bacterial 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding
Authors: Nagaraj Veena , Skillman Lucy , Ho Goen , Li Dan , Gofton Alexander
Published: June 2017

Microbiomes of full-scale seawater reverse osmosis membranes are complex and subject to variation within and between membrane units. The pre-existing bacterial communities of unused membranes before operation have been largely ignored in biofouling studies. This study is novel as unused membranes were used as a critical benchmark for comparison. Fouled seawater reverse osmosis membrane biofilm communities from an array of autopsied membrane samples, following a 7-year operational life-span in a full-scale desalination plant in Western Australia, were characterised by 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding using the bacterial primers 515F and 806R. Communities were then compared based on fouling severity and sampling location. Microbiomes of proteobacterial predominance were detected on control unused membranes. However, fouled membrane communities differed significantly from those on unused membranes, reflecting that operational conditions select specific bacteria on the membrane surface. On fouled membranes, Proteobacteria were also predominant but families differed from those on unused membranes, followed by Bacteriodetes and Firmicutes. Betaproteobacteria correlated with stable, mature and thick biofilms such as those in severely fouled membranes or samples from the feed end of the membrane unit, while Alpha and Gammaproteobacteria were predominantly found in biofilms on fouled but visually clean, and moderately fouled samples or those from reject ends of membrane units. Gammaproteobacteria predominated the thin, compact biofilms at the mid-feed end of membrane units. The study also supported the importance of Caulobacterales and glycosphingolipid-producing bacteria, namely Sphingomonadales, Rhizobiales and Sphingobacteriia, in primary attachment and biofilm recalcitrance. Nitrate-and-nitrite-reducing bacteria such as Rhizobiales, Burkholderiales and some Pseudomonadales were also prevalent across all fouled membranes and appeared to be critical for ecological balance and biofilm maturation.
Replacing a Century Old Technique – Modern Spectroscopy Can Supplant Gram Staining
Authors: Berezin Shirly , Aviv Yaron , Aviv Hagit , Goldberg Elad , Tischler Yaakov R.
Published: June 2017

Rapid and accurate Gram differentiation is paramount as the first step of pathogen identification and antibiotics administration. However, the current method requires additional reagents, is time-consuming, and is operator dependent. Here we show the principle of tip enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) can differentiate between Gram negative and positive species, by detecting the changes in tip-enhancement in the Raman scattering from the bacteria’s lipid-bilayer membrane, which specifically enhances Gram negative bacteria.
Overcoming evolved resistance to population-suppressing homing-based gene drives
Authors: Marshall John M. , Buchman Anna , Sánchez C. Héctor M. , Akbari Omar S.
Published: June 2017

The recent development of a CRISPR-Cas9-based homing system for the suppression of Anopheles gambiae is encouraging; however, with current designs, the slow emergence of homing-resistant alleles is expected to result in suppressed populations rapidly rebounding, as homing-resistant alleles have a significant fitness advantage over functional, population-suppressing homing alleles. To explore this concern, we develop a mathematical model to estimate tolerable rates of homing-resistant allele generation to suppress a wild population of a given size. Our results suggest that, to achieve meaningful population suppression, tolerable rates of resistance allele generation are orders of magnitude smaller than those observed for current designs for CRISPR-Cas9-based homing systems. To remedy this, we theoretically explore a homing system architecture in which guide RNAs (gRNAs) are multiplexed, increasing the effective homing rate and decreasing the effective resistant allele generation rate. Modeling results suggest that the size of the population that can be suppressed increases exponentially with the number of multiplexed gRNAs and that, with four multiplexed gRNAs, a mosquito species could potentially be suppressed on a continental scale. We also demonstrate successful proof-of-principle use of multiplexed ribozyme flanked gRNAs to induce mutations in vivo in Drosophila melanogaster – a strategy that could readily be adapted to engineer stable, homing-based drives in relevant organisms.
Alternative splicing regulates distinct subcellular localization of Epithelial splicing regulatory protein 1 (Esrp1) isoforms
Authors: Yang Yueqin , Carstens Russ P.
Published: June 2017

Epithelial-Splicing-Regulatory-Protein 1 (Esrp1) is a cell-type specific RNA-binding protein (RBP) that is essential for mammalian development through maintenance of epithelial cell properties including barrier function. Esrp1 also regulates splicing during the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). It contains three highly conserved RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) in the absence of other clearly defined protein domains. Esrp1 itself is also alternatively spliced to produce multiple protein isoforms. Here we determined that two competing alternative 5′ splice sites in exon 12 yield Esrp1 isoforms with differential nucleocytoplasmic localization. We carried out a detailed characterization of the Esrp1 peptide that is sufficient to confer nuclear localization. Furthermore, we identified splice variants encoding distinct nuclear and cytoplasmic isoforms of fusilli, the D. Melanogaster Esrp1 ortholog. Our observations demonstrate that the production of both nuclear and cytoplasmic Esrp1 isoforms through alternative splicing is phylogenetically conserved; strongly suggesting it is biologically significant. Thus, while previous studies have described extensive regulation by nuclear Esrp1 to promote epithelial specific splicing, it will be of great interest to study the contribution of cytoplasmic Esrp1 in maintenance of epithelial cell functions.
Emerging fungal pathogen Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola in wild European snakes
Authors: Franklinos Lydia H. V. , Lorch Jeffrey M. , Bohuski Elizabeth , Rodriguez-Ramos Fernandez Julia , Wright Owen N. , Fitzpatrick Liam , Petrovan Silviu , Durrant Chris , Linton Chris , Baláž Vojtech , Cunningham Andrew A. , Lawson Becki
Published: June 2017

Snake fungal disease (SFD) is an emerging disease of conservation concern in eastern North America. Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola, the causative agent of SFD, has been isolated from over 30 species of wild snakes from six families in North America. Whilst O. ophiodiicola has been isolated from captive snakes outside North America, the pathogen has not been reported from wild snakes elsewhere. We screened 33 carcasses and 303 moulted skins from wild snakes collected from 2010–2016 in Great Britain and the Czech Republic for the presence of macroscopic skin lesions and O. ophiodiicola. The fungus was detected using real-time PCR in 26 (8.6%) specimens across the period of collection. Follow up culture and histopathologic analyses confirmed that both O. ophiodiicola and SFD occur in wild European snakes. Although skin lesions were mild in most cases, in some snakes they were severe and were considered likely to have contributed to mortality. Culture characterisations demonstrated that European isolates grew more slowly than those from the United States, and phylogenetic analyses indicated that isolates from European wild snakes reside in a clade distinct from the North American isolates examined. These genetic and phenotypic differences indicate that the European isolates represent novel strains of O. ophiodiicola. Further work is required to understand the individual and population level impact of this pathogen in Europe.
Chronic treatment with a smart antioxidative nanoparticle for inhibition of amyloid plaque propagation in Tg2576 mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Boonruamkaew Phetcharat , Chonpathompikunlert Pennapa , Vong Long Binh , Sakaue Sho , Tomidokoro Yasushi , Ishii Kazuhiro , Tamaoka Akira , Nagasaki Yukio
Published: June 2017

The present study aimed to assess whether our newly developed redox nanoparticle (RNPN) that has antioxidant potential decreases Aβ levels or prevents Aβ aggregation associated with oxidative stress. The transgenic Tg2576 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) mice were used to investigate the effect of chronic ad libitum drinking of RNPN solution for 6 months, including memory and learning functions, antioxidant activity, and amyloid plaque aggregation. The results showed that RNPN-treated mice had significantly attenuated cognitive deficits of both spatial and non-spatial memories, reduced oxidative stress of lipid peroxide, and DNA oxidation. RNPN treatment increased the percent inhibition of superoxide anion and glutathione peroxidase activity, neuronal densities in the cortex and hippocampus, decreased Aβ(1-40), Aβ(1-42) and gamma (γ)-secretase levels, and reduced Aβ plaque observed using immunohistochemistry analysis and thioflavin S staining. Our results suggest that RNPN may be a promising candidate for AD therapy because of its antioxidant properties and reduction in Aβ aggregation, thereby suppressing its adverse side effect.