bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with depression over time in head and neck cancer patients: A systematic review
Authors: Korsten Laura H.A. , Jansen Femke , de Haan Ben J.F. , Sent Danielle , Cuijpers Pim , Leemans C. René , Verdonck‐de Leeuw Irma M.
Published: March 2019

Objective

To systematically review the literature on factors associated with a clinical diagnosis of depression or symptoms of depression (depression) among head and neck cancer (HNC) patients.

Methods

The search was conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. Studies were included if they investigated factors associated with depression among HNC patients, they were of prospective or longitudinal nature, and English full text was available. The search, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed by two authors. Based on the data extraction and quality assessment, the level of evidence was determined.

Results

In total, 35 studies were included: 21 on factors associated with depression at a single (later) time point, 10 on the course of depression, and four on both. In total, 77 sociodemographic, lifestyle, clinical, patient‐reported outcome measures, and inflammatory factors were extracted. Regarding depression at a single time point, there was strong evidence that depression at an earlier time point was significantly associated. For all other factors, evidence was inconclusive, although evidence suggests that age, marital status, education, ethnicity, hospital/region, sleep, smoking, alcohol, surgery, treatment, tumor location, and recurrence are not important associated factors. Regarding the course of depression, we found inconclusive evidence for all factors, although evidence suggests that gender, age, chemotherapy, pain, disease stage, treatment, and tumor location are not important associated factors.

Conclusion

Depression at an earlier time point is significantly associated with depression later on. Several sociodemographic and clinical factors seem not to be important factors associated with depression. For other factors, further research is warranted.
Clinical determinants for successful circulating tumor DNA analysis in prostate cancer
Authors: Schweizer Michael T. , Gulati Roman , Beightol Mallory , Konnick Eric Q. , Cheng Heather H. , Klemfuss Nola , De Sarkar Navonil , Yu Evan Y. , Montgomery R. Bruce , Nelson Peter S. , Pritchard Colin C.
Published: March 2019

Background

Plasma‐based cell‐free DNA is an attractive biospecimen for assessing somatic mutations due to minimally‐invasive real‐time sampling. However, next generation sequencing (NGS) of cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) may not be appropriate for all patients with advanced prostate cancer (PC).

Methods

Blood was obtained from advanced PC patients for plasma‐based sequencing. UW‐OncoPlex, a ∼2 Mb multi‐gene NGS panel performed in the CLIA/CAP environment, was optimized for detecting cfDNA mutations. Tumor tissue and germline samples were sequenced for comparative analyses. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the clinical characteristic associated with the successful detection of somatic cfDNA alterations (ie detection of at least one clearly somatic PC mutation).

Results

Plasma for cfDNA sequencing was obtained from 93 PC patients along with tumor tissue (N = 67) and germline (N = 93) controls. We included data from 76 patients (72 prostate adenocarcinoma; 4 variant histology PC) in the analysis. Somatic DNA aberrations were detected in 34 cfDNA samples from patients with prostate adenocarcinoma. High PSA level, high tumor volume, and castration‐resistance were significantly associated with successful detection of somatic cfDNA alterations. Among samples with somatic mutations detected, the cfDNA assay detected 93/102 (91%) alterations found in tumor tissue, yielding a clustering‐corrected sensitivity of 92% (95% confidence interval 88‐97%). All germline pathogenic variants present in lymphocyte DNA were also detected in cfDNA (N = 12). Somatic mutations from cfDNA were detected in 30/33 (93%) instances when PSA was >10 ng/mL.

Conclusions

Disease burden, including a PSA >10 ng/mL, is strongly associated with detecting somatic mutations from cfDNA specimens.
Controlling the isomerization dynamics of iodide acetonitrile dimer complex by optimally designed electromagnetic field: A wave packet based approach
Authors: Naskar Pulak , Talukder Srijeeta , Ghosh Subhasree , Chaudhury Pinaki
Published: March 2019

Both symmetric and asymmetric forms of the iodide acetonitrile dimer complex are known to exist with a higher stability shown by the symmetric isomer. Dynamics of this isomerization has been investigated on reduced dimensional surface in absence/presence of external electromagnetic field using Gaussian wave packet as the starting wave function. When the symmetric isomer has been taken as the initial structure, isomerization does not takes place without the external field due to high energy barrier, whereas with the asymmetric isomer as the starting one, isomerization takes place spontaneously with an equal population of both isomers. Our target in this study has been to get a dominant population of asymmetric isomer which is not possible without the application of electromagnetic field. However, it has also been seen that a simple monochromatic field cannot achieve this goal. Only by application of optimally designed polychromatic field the dominating population of asymmetric isomer can be obtained.
Shoot δ13C values as an indicator of cumulative stress: The role of re‐watering during drought and salinity stress
Authors: Sun Luan Zi , Liu Lu , Zhang Mengyu , Yang Liang , Guo Tongtian
Published: March 2019

Rationale

The carbon stable isotope composition (δ13C value) of a plant can reflect prolonged drought and salinity, as different isotopic signals resulting from drought and salinity can be retained in plant tissue. Commonly, drought and salinity are interrupted by intermittent precipitation or irrigation. It remains unclear whether the δ13C values reflect the cumulative duration of intermittent drought or salinity stress.

Methods

Drought (5% and 10% polyethylene glycol) and salinity (35 mM and 85 mM NaCl) were imposed on annual ryegrass consistently or cyclically; throughout the treatments, the stress duration for cyclic drought/salinity was half that of the corresponding prolonged stress treatment. The shoot δ13C values were measured using isotope ratio mass spectrometry.

Results

Prolonged drought restrained growth and increased shoot δ13C values relative to the control group. However, the shoot biomass was even lower under cyclic drought than under prolonged drought. Furthermore, the shoot δ13C value under cyclic drought was close to that of the control group. The low NaCl concentration treatment actually enhanced shoot growth. The shoot δ13C value varied with both duration and intensity of salinity across all groups.

Conclusions

The shoot δ13C value in annual ryegrass did indicate cumulative stress from cyclic low salinity, but not that from cyclic drought, in a manner that was mediated by the effect of re‐watering on the mass and allocation of the photosynthates produced during stress.
Presence of benzotriazoles, benzothiazoles and benzenesulfonamides in surface water samples by liquid chromatography coupled to high‐resolution mass spectrometry
Authors: Hidalgo‐Serrano Míriam , Borrull Francesc , Marcé Rosa M. , Pocurull Eva
Published: March 2019

An analytical method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of seven benzotriazole, five benzothiazole and four benzenesulfonamide derivatives in surface water samples. The procedure is based on solid‐phase extraction with Oasis HLB, followed by high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to high‐resolution mass spectrometry. Apparent recoveries ranged from 40 to 101%, except for compounds the matrix effect of which was above ‐60%. The repeatability (n = 5) of the method was below 20% for all compounds except 4‐hydroxybenzotriazole in river water. The method limits of detection for most compounds ranged from 1 to 12 ng/L for both river water and seawater. The method was then used for the determination of the studied compounds in several river water and seawater samples from harbour and coastal areas. 1‐H‐Benzotriazole (up to 78 ng/L in river water and above the upper limit of the calibration curve in seawater) and 4‐methyl‐1‐H‐benzotriazole (up to 44 ng/L in river water and 338 ng/L in seawater) were the most abundant compounds quantified in the samples, even though 5‐methyl‐1‐H‐benzotriazole and 2‐hydroxybenzothiazole were also found in most samples. Some compounds were frequently found in certain types of samples, such as 2‐aminobenzothiazole in river water. Benzenesulfonamide derivatives could not be quantified in any sample.
Finding Degradation Trigger Sites of Structural Materials for Airplanes Using X‐Ray Microscopy
Authors: Kimura Masao , Takeichi Yasuo , Watanabe Toshiki , Niwa Yasuhiro , Kimijima Ken'ichi
Published: March 2019

Macroscopic properties of carbon fiber‐reinforced plastic (CFRP) and environmental barrier coating (EBC), widely used for airplanes, can be deteriorated by local cracks or degradation (“trigger sites”). We have tried to find these trigger sites using x‐ray microscopy (XM), which can provide the 2D or 3D images of the chemical states and microstructures. Crack initiation in CFRP was observed in a non‐destructive manner in multi‐scales (nm‐mm). 3D chemical‐state mapping of Yb in EBC was achieved with high resolution (<50 nm). In addition to XM, in‐situ observations at high temperatures were conducted for obtaining complementary information. X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and x‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were performed simultaneously up to 1773 K. Dynamic XAS with short time‐resolution (<10 ns) was conducted to investigate changes in the local structure of metal. These approaches can help us identify degradation trigger sites in the materials.
The influence of top‐down modulation on the processing of direct gaze
Authors: Burra Nicolas , Mares Ines , Senju Atsushi
Published: March 2019

Gaze or eye contact is one of the most important nonverbal social cues, which is fundamental to human social interactions. To achieve real time and dynamic face‐to‐face communication, our brain needs to process another person's gaze direction rapidly and without explicit instruction. In order to explain the fast and spontaneous processing of direct gaze, the fast‐track modulator model was proposed. Here, we review recent developments in gaze processing research in the last decade to extend the fast‐track modulator model. In particular, we propose that task demand or top‐down modulation could play a more crucial role at gaze processing than formerly assumed. We suggest that under different task demands, top‐down modulation can facilitate or interfere with the direct gaze effects for early visual processing. The proposed modification of the model extends the role of task demand and its implication on the direct gaze effect, as well as the need to better control for top‐down processing in order to better disentangle the role of top‐down and bottom‐up processing on the direct gaze effect.

This article is categorized under:

Cognitive Biology > Evolutionary Roots of Cognition

Psychology > Perception and Psychophysics

Neuroscience > Cognition
Heterotopic formaldehyde biodegradation through UV/H2O2 system with biosynthetic H2O2
Authors: Zhao Qian , An Jingkun , Wang Shu , Wang Cong , Liu Jia , Li Nan
Published: March 2019

Biodegradation was regarded an environmentally benign and cost‐effective technology for formaldehyde (CH2O) removal. However, the biotoxicity of CH2O inhibited microbial activity and decreased removal performance. We developed a novel heterotopic CH2O biodegradation process that combined bioelectrochemical system (BES) and UV/H2O2. Instead of exogenous addition, H2O2 was biosynthesized with electron transferred from electrochemically active bacteria. Heterotopic biodegradation of CH2O was more efficient and faster than in situ biodegradation, as confirmed by 69%–308% higher removal efficiency and 98% shorter degradation time. Operated under optimal conditions for 30 min, which are optical distance of 2 cm, initial H2O2 concentration of 102 mg/L, and pH 3, heterotopic biodegradation removed 78%, 73%, 49%, and 30% of CH2O with 6, 8, 10, and 20 mg/L initial concentration. Mild formation of hydroxyl radicals from UV/H2O2 is beneficial to sustainable CH2O degradation and efficient H2O2 utilization. Heterotopic biodegradation is a promising technology for efficient degradation of other organic compounds with biological toxicity.

Practitioner points

H2O2 biosynthesis through electrochemically active bacteria (EAB) served as source of ·OH for CH2O removal in UV/H2O2.

Heterotopic CH2O biodegradation avoided the biotoxicity of CH2O.

Heterotopic biodegradation of CH2O saved 98% time than in‐situ biodegradation.

Heterotopic CH2O biodegradation improved 69%–308% efficiency than in‐situ.
Domestic Expansion in the Iberian Kingdoms
Authors: Yun-Casalilla Bartolomé
Published: March 2019

This chapter explains sixteenth-century growth in Iberia. It argues against the idea of technological and economic backwardness and shows the notable dynamism of both the agrarian sector and the cities of the interior. Also against those common places, this chapter argues that interregional connectivity, old property rights only apparently inefficient (by the standards of the new institutional economics), led to increasing productivity and even economic development. Moderate fiscal and seigniorial pressure—in part thanks to the advantages offered by the empires—also facilitated expansion. Though there was not an integrated interregional market or an evolution towards capitalism, this economy does not fit the backward and primitive image often depicted by historians.
The Luso-Spanish Composite Global Empire, 1598–1640
Authors: Yun-Casalilla Bartolomé
Published: March 2019

Breaking with a tradition of studying the Spanish and the Portuguese empires separately, this chapter adopts a global perspective to analyse imperial networks and the way family and personal relations and informal institutions articulated them. The asymmetries in information and agency at a local level also elucidate the terms of negotiations between the metropolis and the colonies, the difficulties in controlling the different imperial nodes and the problems of regulation and arbitration from Madrid and Lisbon.

Though these empires had been agents of globalization, this chapter argues that globalization became their main enemy. It enhanced the negotiational power of local elites and created new routes of trade escaping the metropolis’ control and weakening the states. The study of the European wars (1621–1648/59) from a global perspective shows that tensions in the periphery of the empires were at the base of the Hapsburgs’ difficulties and in the increasing conflict between Lisbon and Madrid, thus viewed from a new perspective. Contrary to the traditional image, the chapter demonstrates the relevant contribution to warfare by non-Castilian territories and that the mobilization of military and financial resources kept working as a decentralized apparatus, thus enhancing the power of local elites, particularly in the case of America, which kept an increasing proportion of its fiscal output.
How common are vascular injuries in open tibial fractures? A prospective longitudinal cohort study
Authors: O’Malley O. , Trompeter A. J. , Krishnanandan S. , Vesely M. , Holt P. , Goh G. , Papadakos N. , Bhatia V. , Hing C. B.
Published: March 2019

Background

Tibial fractures have an incidence of 15% of all adult fractures. They have been shown to have the highest incidence of non-union in long bone fractures and the highest incidence of vascular injury. Evidence from the literature suggests that a good vascular supply is important to ensure bone union. The aim of our study was to prospectively assess the incidence of vascular injuries in open tibial fractures and determine whether they were associated with an increased risk of non-union.

Methods

We performed a prospective study to investigate the incidence of arterial injuries with computed tomography angiography (CTA) in patients with Gustilo–Anderson grade I–III open tibial fractures between 2013 and 2015. CTA was performed with the trauma series at acute admission and reported by two independent musculoskeletal radiologists. Patients were followed up with clinical and radiographic assessment for 1 year.

Results

We recruited 77 patients into the study, and 56 patients (47 males, 9 females) were available for the final analysis, between 16 and 90 years of age. At the initial assessment, 29% had signs of arterial injury with active extravasation in 5%. The most common site of injury was in the diaphysis (87.5%), and the commonest mechanism was a road traffic accident. We found no significant relation between occult vascular injury and non-union (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

The incidence of vascular injury in open tibial fractures is 29%, and CTA is therefore a useful test in identifying vascular injuries that may require vascular intervention.
The C-word, the P-word, and realism in epidemiology
Authors: Broadbent Alex
Published: March 2019

This paper considers an important recent (May 2018) contribution by Miguel Hernán to the ongoing debate about causal inference in epidemiology. Hernán rejects the idea that there is an in-principle epistemic distinction between the results of randomized controlled trials and observational studies: both produce associations which we may be more or less confident interpreting as causal. However, Hernán maintains that trials have a semantic advantage. Observational studies that seek to estimate causal effect risk issuing meaningless statements instead. The POA proposes a solution to this problem: improved restrictions on the meaningful use of causal language, in particular “causal effect”. This paper argues that new restrictions in fact fail their own standards of meaningfulness. The paper portrays the desire for a restrictive definition of causal language as positivistic, and argues that contemporary epidemiology should be more realistic in its approach to causation. In a realist context, restrictions on meaningfulness based on precision of definition are neither helpful nor necessary. Hernán’s favoured approach to causal language is saved from meaninglessness, along with the approaches he rejects.
To exclude or not to exclude, that is the question. Developments regarding bases for exclusion from refugee status in the EU
Authors: Simentić Janja
Published: March 2019

In this Article, the author presents and explains the current normative framework in EU law about the exclusion from refugee status based on the premise that a person is not deserving of refugee status. This article is directed at clarifying the present content of the legislation in force and the caselaw of the Court of Justice of the European Union that further elaborates on this issue. The Commission’s recent proposal for new legislation is also scrutinized, in order to present a possible evolution of the exclusion provision.
High-brightness all-fiber Raman lasers directly pumped by multimode laser diodes
Authors: Babin S. A.
Published: March 2019

High-brightness fiber laser sources usually utilize active rare-earth-doped fibers cladding-pumped by multimode laser diodes (LDs), but they operate in limited wavelength ranges. Singlemode-passive-fiber based Raman lasers are able to operate at almost any wavelength being pumped by high-power fiber lasers. One of the interesting possibilities is to directly pump graded-index (GRIN) multimode passive fibers by available high-power multimode LDs at 915–940 nm, thus achieving high-power Raman lasing in the wavelength range of 950–1000 nm, which is problematic for rare-earth-doped fiber lasers. Here we review the latest results on the development of all-fiber high-brightness LD-pumped sources based on GRIN fiber with in-fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). The mode-selection properties of FBGs inscribed by fs pulses supported by the Raman clean-up effect result in efficient conversion of multimode pump into a high-quality output beam at 9xx nm. GRIN fibers with core diameters 62.5, 85 and $100~\unicode[STIX]{x03BC}\text{m}$ are compared. Further scaling capabilities and potential applications of such sources are discussed.
Transient growth in the near wake region of the flow past a finite span wing
Authors: Navrose  , Brion V. , Jacquin L.
Published: March 2019

We investigate optimal perturbation in the flow past a finite aspect ratio ($AR$) wing. The optimization is carried out in the regime where the fully developed flow is steady. Parametric study over time horizon ($T$), Reynolds number ($Re$), $AR$, angle of attack and geometry of the wing cross-section (flat plate and NACA0012 airfoil) shows that the general shape of linear optimal perturbation remains the same over the explored parameter space. Optimal perturbation is located near the surface of the wing in the form of chord-wise periodic structures whose strength decreases from the root towards the tip. Direct time integration of the disturbance equations, with and without nonlinear terms, is carried out with linear optimal perturbation as initial condition. In both cases, the optimal perturbation evolves as a downstream travelling wavepacket whose speed is nearly the same as that of the free stream. The energy of the wavepacket increases in the near wake region, and is found to remain nearly constant beyond the vortex roll-up distance in nonlinear simulations. The nonlinear wavepacket results in displacement of the tip vortex. In this situation, the motion of the tip vortex resembles that observed during vortex meandering/wandering in wind tunnel experiments. Results from computation carried out at higher $Re$ suggest that, even beyond the steady flow regime, a perturbation wavepacket originating near the wing might cause meandering of tip vortices.
Large-eddy simulation of turbulent flow over a parametric set of bumps
Authors: Matai Racheet , Durbin Paul
Published: March 2019

Turbulent flow over a series of increasingly high, two-dimensional bumps is studied by well-resolved large-eddy simulation. The mean flow and Reynolds stresses for the lowest bump are in good agreement with experimental data. The flow encounters a favourable pressure gradient over the windward side of the bump, but does not relaminarize, as is evident from near-wall fluctuations. A patch of high turbulent kinetic energy forms in the lee of the bump and extends into the wake. It originates near the surface, before flow separation, and has a significant influence on flow development. The highest bumps create a small separation bubble, whereas flow over the lowest bump does not separate. The log law is absent over the entire bump, evidencing strong disequilibrium. This dataset was created for data-driven modelling. An optimization method is used to extract fields of variables that are used in turbulence closure models. From this, it is shown how these models fail to correctly predict the behaviour of these variables near to the surface. The discrepancies extend further away from the wall in the adverse pressure gradient and recovery regions than in the favourable pressure gradient region.
Why did the dinosaurs become extinct? Could cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) deficiency be the answer?
Authors: Fraser D. R.
Published: March 2019

Palaeontological deductions from the fossil remnants of extinct dinosaurs tell us much about their classification into species as well as about their physiological and behavioural characteristics. Geological evidence indicates that dinosaurs became extinct at the boundary between the Cretaceous and Paleogene eras, about 66 million years ago, at a time when there was worldwide environmental change resulting from the impact of a large celestial object with the Earth and/or from vast volcanic eruptions. However, apart from the presumption that climate change and interference with food supply contributed to their extinction, no biological mechanism has been suggested to explain why such a diverse range of terrestrial vertebrates ceased to exist. One of perhaps several contributing mechanisms comes by extrapolating from the physiology of the avian descendants of dinosaurs. This raises the possibility that cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) deficiency of developing embryos in dinosaur eggs could have caused their death before hatching, thus extinguishing the entire family of dinosaurs through failure to reproduce.
Syllogistic logic with “Most”
Authors: Endrullis Jörg , Moss Lawrence S.
Published: March 2019

We add MostXareYto the syllogistic logic of AllXareYand SomeXareY. We prove soundness, completeness, and decidability in polynomial time. Our logic has infinitely many rules, and we prove that this is unavoidable.
Decomposing Graphs into Edges and Triangles
Authors: KRÁL' DANIEL , LIDICKÝ BERNARD , MARTINS TAÍSA L. , PEHOVA YANITSA
Published: March 2019

We prove the following 30 year-old conjecture of Győri and Tuza: the edges of every n-vertex graph G can be decomposed into complete graphs C1,. . .,Cℓ of orders two and three such that |C1|+···+|Cℓ| ≤ (1/2+o(1))n2. This result implies the asymptotic version of the old result of Erdős, Goodman and Pósa that asserts the existence of such a decomposition with ℓ ≤ n2/4.
Vitamin D: Insufficiency, Uncertainty and	Achievability
Authors: McGee Meghan
Published: March 2019

Abstract. Vitamin D is a prohormone that is essential to good health. As very few foods (fish, egg yolks, milk) are rich in vitamin D, the main source of the vitamin is synthesized in the skin in the presence of ultraviolet B rays from sunlight. However, due to Canada’s northern latitude, sufficient amounts of vitamin D cannot be synthesized using sunlight during the fall and winter months and, consequently, there is a concern that many Canadians are not achieving adequate levels of vitamin D. A wide array of inconsistent evidence derived from serum and dietary assessments has been published and the results are inconclusive. This paper serves to outline the issues and challenges regarding nationwide intervention strategies such as fortification to increase vitamin D intake in the Canadian population. Given the potential for excessive intakes and the lack of informed Canadian data, implementing an intervention to increase vitamin D intake in the entire population may be irresponsible; however, further investigation of vitamin D intakes in certain subgroups of the Canadian population is warranted.
Flow Prediction in Ungauged Catchments Using Probabilistic Random Forests Regionalization and New Statistical Adequacy Tests
Authors: Prieto Cristina , Le Vine Nataliya , Kavetski Dmitri , García Eduardo , Medina Raúl
Published: March 2019

Flow prediction in ungauged catchments is a major unresolved challenge in scientific and engineering hydrology. This study attacks the prediction in ungauged catchment problem by exploiting advances in flow index selection and regionalization in Bayesian inference and by developing new statistical tests of model performance in ungauged catchments. First, an extensive set of available flow indices is reduced using principal component (PC) analysis to a compact orthogonal set of “flow index PCs.” These flow index PCs are regionalized under minimal assumptions using random forests regression augmented with a residual error model and used to condition hydrological model parameters using a Bayesian scheme. Second, “adequacy” tests are proposed to evaluate a priori the hydrological and regionalization model performance in the space of flow index PCs. The proposed regionalization approach is applied to 92 northern Spain catchments, with 16 catchments treated as ungauged. It is shown that (1) a small number of PCs capture approximately 87% of variability in the flow indices and (2) adequacy tests with respect to regionalized information are indicative of (but do not guarantee) the ability of a hydrological model to predict flow time series and are hence proposed as a prerequisite for flow prediction in ungauged catchments. The adequacy tests identify the regionalization of flow index PCs as adequate in 12 of 16 catchments but the hydrological model as adequate in only 1 of 16 catchments. Hence, a focus on improving hydrological model structure and input data (the effects of which are not disaggregated in this work) is recommended.
Explaining the Genesis of Superdeep Diamonds
Authors: Cook Terri
Published: March 2019

Real-time tracking during diamond anvil cell experiments indicates reaction rates may control the unusual depth distribution of the extremely rare diamonds that form deep within Earth’s mantle.
Direct current remote cloak for arbitrary objects
Authors: Chen Tianhang , Zheng Bin , Yang Yihao , Shen Lian , Wang Zuojia , Gao Fei , Li Erping , Luo Yu , Cui Tie Jun , Chen Hongsheng
Published: March 2019

Hiding an arbitrary object with a cloak at a distance from an object is of great significance in scientific research, but remains unrealized as a practical device. In this paper, we propose the first experimental realization of a remote cloaking device that makes any object located at a certain distance invisible at direct current (DC) frequency. A negative resistor network with active elements is used to achieve the remote function of the DC cloak. Based on this network, the cloak can remotely generate a hidden region without distorting the currents far from the cloaked region. The experimental results show that any object in the hidden region is invisible to a DC detector. Our cloak does not require any knowledge of the hidden object. The experimental demonstration shows the superiority of this remote cloaking device, which may find potential applications in medical or geologic research.
Optical force-induced nonlinearity and self-guiding of light in human red blood cell suspensions
Authors: Gautam Rekha , Xiang Yinxiao , Lamstein Josh , Liang Yi , Bezryadina Anna , Liang Guo , Hansson Tobias , Wetzel Benjamin , Preece Daryl , White Adam , Silverman Matthew , Kazarian Susan , Xu Jingjun , Morandotti Roberto , Chen Zhigang
Published: March 2019

Osmotic conditions play an important role in the cell properties of human red blood cells (RBCs), which are crucial for the pathological analysis of some blood diseases such as malaria. Over the past decades, numerous efforts have mainly focused on the study of the RBC biomechanical properties that arise from the unique deformability of erythrocytes. Here, we demonstrate nonlinear optical effects from human RBCs suspended in different osmotic solutions. Specifically, we observe self-trapping and scattering-resistant nonlinear propagation of a laser beam through RBC suspensions under all three osmotic conditions, where the strength of the optical nonlinearity increases with osmotic pressure on the cells. This tunable nonlinearity is attributed to optical forces, particularly the forward-scattering and gradient forces. Interestingly, in aged blood samples (with lysed cells), a notably different nonlinear behavior is observed due to the presence of free hemoglobin. We use a theoretical model with an optical force-mediated nonlocal nonlinearity to explain the experimental observations. Our work on light self-guiding through scattering bio-soft-matter may introduce new photonic tools for noninvasive biomedical imaging and medical diagnosis.
Dietary fatty acids fine-tune Piezo1 mechanical response
Authors: Romero Luis O. , Massey Andrew E. , Mata-Daboin Alejandro D. , Sierra-Valdez Francisco J. , Chauhan Subhash C. , Cordero-Morales Julio F. , Vásquez Valeria
Published: March 2019

Mechanosensitive ion channels rely on membrane composition to transduce physical stimuli into electrical signals. The Piezo1 channel mediates mechanoelectrical transduction and regulates crucial physiological processes, including vascular architecture and remodeling, cell migration, and erythrocyte volume. The identity of the membrane components that modulate Piezo1 function remain largely unknown. Using lipid profiling analyses, we here identify dietary fatty acids that tune Piezo1 mechanical response. We find that margaric acid, a saturated fatty acid present in dairy products and fish, inhibits Piezo1 activation and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), present in fish oils, modulate channel inactivation. Force measurements reveal that margaric acid increases membrane bending stiffness, whereas PUFAs decrease it. We use fatty acid supplementation to abrogate the phenotype of gain-of-function Piezo1 mutations causing human dehydrated hereditary stomatocytosis. Beyond Piezo1, our findings demonstrate that cell-intrinsic lipid profile and changes in the fatty acid metabolism can dictate the cell’s response to mechanical cues.
Author Correction: Evolution of the electrochemical interface in sodium ion batteries with ether electrolytes
Authors: Li Kaikai , Zhang Jun , Lin Dongmei , Wang Da-Wei , Li Baohua , Lv Wei , Sun Sheng , He Yan-Bing , Kang Feiyu , Yang Quan-Hong , Zhou Limin , Zhang Tong-Yi
Published: March 2019

The original version of this Article incorrectly omitted an affiliation of Kaikai Li: ‘Shenzhen Environmental Science and New Energy Technology Engineering Laboratory, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute (TBSI), Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China’. This has been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.
Facile syntheses of conjugated polymers for photothermal tumour therapy
Authors: Chen Peiyao , Ma Yinchu , Zheng Zhen , Wu Chengfan , Wang Yucai , Liang Gaolin
Published: March 2019

Development of photothermal materials which are able to harness sunlight and convert it to thermal energy seems attractive. Besides carbon-based nanomaterials, conjugated polymers are emerging promising photothermal materials but their facile syntheses remain challenging. In this work, by modification of a CBT-Cys click condensation reaction and rational design of the starting materials, we facilely synthesize conjugated polymers poly-2-phenyl-benzobisthiazole (PPBBT) and its dihexyl derivative with good photothermal properties. Under the irradiation of either sunlight-mimicking Xe light or near-infrared laser, we verify that PPBBT has comparable photothermal heating-up speed to that of star material single-wall carbon nanotube. Moreover, PPBBT is used to fabricate water-soluble NPPPBBT nanoparticles which maintain excellent photothermal properties in vitro and photothermal therapy effect on the tumours exposed to laser irradiation. We envision that our synthetic method provides a facile approach to fabricate conjugated polymers for more promising applications in biomedicine or photovoltaics in the near future.
Author Correction: The prognostic significance of heart-type fatty acid binding protein in patients with stable coronary heart disease
Authors: Ho Sing-Kong , Wu Yen-Wen , Tseng Wei-Kung , Leu Hsin-Bang , Yin Wei-Hsian , Lin Tsung-Hsien , Chang Kuan-Cheng , Wang Ji-Hung , Yeh Hung-I , Wu Chau-Chung , Chen Jaw-Wen
Published: March 2019

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.
Widespread PERK-dependent repression of ER targets in response to ER stress
Authors: Gonen Nir , Sabath Niv , Burge Christopher B. , Shalgi Reut
Published: March 2019

The UPR (Unfolded Protein Response) is a well-orchestrated response to ER protein folding and processing overload, integrating both transcriptional and translational outputs. Its three arms in mammalian cells, the PERK translational response arm, together with the ATF6 and IRE1-XBP1-mediated transcriptional arms, have been thoroughly investigated. Using ribosome footprint profiling, we performed a deep characterization of gene expression programs involved in the early and late ER stress responses, within WT or PERK −/− Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts (MEFs). We found that both repression and activation gene expression programs, affecting hundreds of genes, are significantly hampered in the absence of PERK. Specifically, PERK −/− cells do not show global translational inhibition, nor do they specifically activate early gene expression programs upon short exposure to ER stress. Furthermore, while PERK −/− cells do activate/repress late ER-stress response genes, the response is substantially weaker. Importantly, we highlight a widespread PERK-dependent repression program, consisting of ER targeted proteins, including transmembrane proteins, glycoproteins, and proteins with disulfide bonds. This phenomenon occurs in various different cell types, and has a major translational regulatory component. Moreover, we revealed a novel interplay between PERK and the XBP1-ATF6 arms of the UPR, whereby PERK attenuates the expression of a specific subset of XBP1-ATF6 targets, further illuminating the complexity of the integrated ER stress response.
Small-molecule inhibitor of HlyU attenuates virulence of Vibrio species
Authors: Lee Zee-Won , Kim Byoung Sik , Jang Kyung Ku , Bang Ye-Ji , Kim Suhyeon , Ha Nam-Chul , Jung Young Hyun , Lee Hyun Jik , Han Ho Jae , Kim Jong-Seo , Kim Jeesoo , Sahu Pramod K. , Jeong Lak Shin , Kim Myung Hee , Choi Sang Ho
Published: March 2019

Increasing antibiotic resistance has led to the development of new strategies to combat bacterial infection. Anti-virulence strategies that impair virulence of bacterial pathogens are one of the novel approaches with less selective pressure for developing resistance than traditional strategies that impede viability. In this study, a small molecule CM14 [N-(4-oxo-4H-thieno[3,4-c]chromen-3-yl)-3-phenylprop-2-ynamide] that inhibits the activity of HlyU, a transcriptional regulator essential for the virulence of the fulminating human pathogen Vibrio vulnificus, has been identified. Without affecting bacterial growth or triggering the host cell death, CM14 reduces HlyU-dependent expression of virulence genes in V. vulnificus. In addition to the decreased hemolysis of human erythrocytes, CM14 impedes host cell rounding and lysis caused by V. vulnificus. Notably, CM14 significantly enhances survival of mice infected with V. vulnificus by alleviating hepatic and renal dysfunction and systemic inflammation. Biochemical, mass spectrometric, and mutational analyses revealed that CM14 inhibits HlyU from binding to target DNA by covalently modifying Cys30. Remarkably, CM14 decreases the expression of various virulence genes of other Vibrio species and thus attenuates their virulence phenotypes. Together, this molecule could be an anti-virulence agent against HlyU-harboring Vibrio species with a low selective pressure for the emergence of resistance.
Piscine orthoreovirus demonstrates high infectivity but low virulence in Atlantic salmon of Pacific Canada
Authors: Polinski Mark P. , Marty Gary D. , Snyman Heindrich N. , Garver Kyle A.
Published: March 2019

Piscine orthoreovirus (PRV) is ubiquitous in farmed Atlantic salmon and sometimes associated with disease – most notably, Heart and Skeletal Muscle Inflammation (HSMI). However, PRV is also widespread in non-diseased fish, particularly in Pacific Canada, where few cases of severe heart inflammation have been documented. To better understand the mechanisms behind PRV-associated disease, this study investigated the infection dynamics of PRV from Pacific Canada and the potential for experimental passage of putatively associated heart inflammation in Pacific-adapted Mowi-McConnell Atlantic salmon. Regardless of the PRV source (fish with or without HSMI-like heart inflammation), infections led to high-load viremia that induced only minor focal heart inflammation without significant transcriptional induction of inflammatory cytokines. Repeated screening of PRV dsRNA/ssRNA along with histopathology and gene expression analysis of host blood and heart tissues identified three distinct phases of infection: (1) early systemic dissemination and replication without host recognition; (2) peak replication, erythrocyte inclusion body formation and load-dependent host recognition; (3) long-term, high-load viral persistence with limited replication or host recognition sometimes accompanied by minor heart inflammation. These findings contrast previous challenge trials with PRV from Norway that induced severe heart inflammation and indicate that strain and/or host specific factors are necessary to initiate PRV-associated disease.
Crystal structures of multidrug efflux pump MexB bound with high-molecular-mass compounds
Authors: Sakurai Keisuke , Yamasaki Seiji , Nakao Kaori , Nishino Kunihiko , Yamaguchi Akihito , Nakashima Ryosuke
Published: March 2019

RND-type multidrug efflux pumps have two voluminous multisite drug-binding pockets named the proximal and distal binding pocket. High- and low-molecular-mass drugs bind to these proximal and distal pocket, respectively. Here, we report the crystal structures of MexB of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bound with high-molecular-mass compounds. Contrary to the expectations, lauryl maltose neopentyl glycol (LMNG, MW 1,005), which is a surfactant larger than the proximal pocket-binding drugs, was found to bind to the distal pocket: one of the two hydrophobic alkyl chains was inserted into the hydrophobic pit, which is the binding site of the efflux pump inhibitor ABI-PP. LMNG is a substrate of the MexAB-OprM system and competitively inhibits the export of other substrates by this system. However, LMNG does not inhibit the export of other substrates by the inhibitor-binding-pit mutant F178W, which retains the export activity of LMNG. The crystal structure of this mutant suggested that the alkyl chain of LMNG could no longer be inserted into the pit because of steric hindrance. We also determined the crystal structure of MexB containing the high-molecular-mass compound neopentyl glycol derivative C7NG (MW 1,028), the binding site of which overlapped with LMNG in the distal pocket, indicating that whether a substrate binds to the distal or proximal pockets is controlled not only by its molecular weight but also by its individual molecular characteristic.
Unexpected Non-acid Drainage from Sulfidic Rock Waste
Authors: Gerson Andrea R. , Rolley Peter J. , Davis Catherine , Feig Sandrin T. , Doyle Stephen , Smart Roger St. C.
Published: March 2019

Most rock extraction sites, including mine sites and building construction sites, require a plan to assess, and mitigate if present, the risk of acid mine drainage (AMD). AMD is typically the major environmental concern where sulfide minerals are present in the excavated material and AMD prediction and remediation is based on internationally-accepted acid-base accounting (ABA) tests of representative field samples. This paper demonstrates that standardized ABA tests may not always be provide the correct AMD classification for commonly occurring waste rocks containing low-pyrite and -carbonate due to mineralogic assumptions inherent in their design. The application of these standard ABA tests at a copper mine site in South Australia resulted in the classification of a portion of its waste material as potentially acid forming in apparent contradiction to long term field measurements. Full definition of the sulfide and silicate minerals enabled re-evaluation of the weathering reactions occurring. The overall rate of neutralisation due to silicate dissolution was found to always exceed the rate of acid generation, in agreement with field observations. Consequently, the waste rock was redefined as non-acid forming. The methods developed represent a significant advance in AMD prediction and more strategic, cost-effective environmental planning, with potential for reclassification of wastes with similar characteristics.
A global assessment of freshwater mollusk shell oxygen isotope signatures and their relation to precipitation and stream water
Authors: Pfister L. , Grave C. , Beisel J.-N. , McDonnell J. J.
Published: March 2019

Records of δ18O in stream flow are critical for understanding and modeling hydrological, ecological, biogeochemical and atmospheric processes. However, the number of such records are extremely limited globally and the length of such time series are usually less than a decade. This situation severely handicaps their use in model testing and evaluation. Here we present a global assessment of freshwater mollusk (bivalves & gastropods) isotope data from 25 river basins that have stream water isotope values, water temperature data and shell material isotope signatures. Our data span a latitude range of 37.50°S to 52.06°N. We show that δ18O signatures in freshwater mollusks are able to explain 95% of the variance of stream water δ18O. We use shell δ18O values and water temperature data to reconstruct stream water δ18O signatures. With freshwater mussel life expectancy ranging from a few years up to 200 years, this translation of mollusk metabolic properties into long term stream water isotope records is a promising approach for substantially extending global stream water isotope records in time and space.
Learning Unicycling Evokes Manifold Changes in Gray and White Matter Networks Related to Motor and Cognitive Functions
Authors: Weber Bernhard , Koschutnig Karl , Schwerdtfeger Andreas , Rominger Christian , Papousek Ilona , Weiss Elisabeth M. , Tilp Markus , Fink Andreas
Published: March 2019

A three-week unicycling training was associated with (1) reductions of gray matter volume in regions closely linked to visuospatial processes such as spatial awareness, (2) increases in fractional anisotropy primarily in the right corticospinal tract and in the right forceps major of the corpus callosum, and (3) a slowly evolving increase in cortical thickness in the left motor cortex. Intriguingly, five weeks later, during which participants were no longer regularly engaged in unicycling, a re-increase in gray matter was found in the very same region of the rSTG. These changes in gray and white matter morphology were paralleled by increases in unicycling performance, and by improvements in postural control, which diminished until the follow-up assessments. Learning to ride a unicycle results in reorganization of different types of brain tissue facilitating more automated postural control, clearly demonstrating that learning a complex balance task modulates brain structure in manifold and highly dynamic ways.
Cationic gold nanoparticles elicit mitochondrial dysfunction: a multi-omics study
Authors: Gallud Audrey , Klöditz Katharina , Ytterberg Jimmy , Östberg Nataliya , Katayama Shintaro , Skoog Tiina , Gogvadze Vladimir , Chen Yu-Zen , Xue Ding , Moya Sergio , Ruiz Jaime , Astruc Didier , Zubarev Roman , Kere Juha , Fadeel Bengt
Published: March 2019

Systems biology is increasingly being applied in nanosafety research for observing and predicting the biological perturbations inflicted by exposure to nanoparticles (NPs). In the present study, we used a combined transcriptomics and proteomics approach to assess the responses of human monocytic cells to Au-NPs of two different sizes with three different surface functional groups,i.e., alkyl ammonium bromide, alkyl sodium carboxylate, or poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-terminated Au-NPs. Cytotoxicity screening using THP-1 cells revealed a pronounced cytotoxicity for the ammonium-terminated Au-NPs, while no cell death was seen after exposure to the carboxylated or PEG-modified Au-NPs. Moreover, Au-NR3+ NPs, but not the Au-COOH NPs, were found to trigger dose-dependent lethalityin vivoin the model organism,Caenorhabditis elegans. RNA sequencing combined with mass spectrometry-based proteomics predicted that the ammonium-modified Au-NPs elicited mitochondrial dysfunction. The latter results were validated by using an array of assays to monitor mitochondrial function. Au-NR3+ NPs were localized in mitochondria of THP-1 cells. Moreover, the cationic Au-NPs triggered autophagy in macrophage-like RFP-GFP-LC3 reporter cells, and cell death was aggravated upon inhibition of autophagy. Taken together, these studies have disclosed mitochondria-dependent effects of cationic Au-NPs resulting in the rapid demise of the cells.