bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
2017/52 Greek austerity bills do not apply to Greek citizens employed in Germany (GE)
Authors: Traber Othmar K.
Published: January 2018

2017/52 Greek austerity bills do not apply to Greek citizens employed in Germany (GE)

The highest administrative court in the Netherlands has delivered a razor-sharp ruling on the intra-community service provision set out in Articles 56 and 57 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union). This concerns ‘new’ EU-nationals who are still under transitional measures with regard to access to the labour markets of ‘old’ EU Member States. The judgment was preceded by a request from the Chairman to a State Councillor Advocate General to deliver his opinion on various aspects of punitive administrative law practice in the Netherlands. Both the opinion and the judgment are a welcome clarification and addition (or even correction) on the practice.
2017/53 Transfer of bus services was a transfer of undertaking (DK)
Authors: Clasen Christian K.
Published: January 2018

2017/53 Transfer of bus services was a transfer of undertaking (DK)

A privately operated public bus service was transferred back to the municipality. This constituted the transfer of an undertaking even though the municipality did not buy the buses from the bus operator.
Introducción
Authors: Ferrús Antón Beatriz , Poch Dolors
Published: January 2018

Introducción
Un nuevo enfoque del tratamiento de la polisemia en ELE para alumnos chinos
Authors: Deng Yu-Qing
Published: January 2018

El presente artículo tiene como objetivo proponer un nuevo enfoque del tratamiento de la polisemia en ELE para los alumnos chinos, teniendo en cuenta no sólo los múltiples sentidos de un elemento léxico sino también las relaciones existentes entre ellos, según las teorías de la semántica léxica. El artículo parte de un examen de las muestras extraídas del método utilizado en China en la actualidad e ilustra el nuevo enfoque mediante análisis de las asociaciones entre distintos sentidos de cada palabra polisémica estudiada aplicando las teorías de la semántica léxica, sobre todo la teoría del lexicón generativo y la de la lingüística cognitiva.
Los problemas de pronunciación del español en hablantes cuya lengua base es el búlgaro
Authors: Terrón Vinagre Natalia
Published: January 2018

Este estudio tiene como objetivo averiguar los distintos problemas de pronunciación que presentan los hablantes cuya lengua base es el búlgaro al aprender el español como lengua extranjera. Cabe destacar que la investigación se ha centrado en analizar los errores de tipo segmental. A raíz de ello, en el trabajo se menciona la importancia de la competencia fonético-fonológica dentro del campo de la enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras y se muestra una visión del tratamiento de los errores de pronunciación desde finales del siglo XIX hasta la actualidad. Asimismo, se propone un análisis contrastivo búlgaro-español que servirá de base para el estudio de los datos obtenidos.
Integration of Literature and Language: Teaching Lower-level Spanish Courses and the Academic Recovery of U.S. Hispanic Periodicals
Authors: Feu López M. Montserrat
Published: January 2018

This essay examines the possibilities and challenges of teaching literature in the Spanish language class. Considering the need to diversify content, this essay integrates humanistic objectives when describing the past with literary texts recovered from U.S. newspapers.
Base de dades per conèixer (i fer conèixer) la investigació en ELE
Authors: Cruz Piñol Mar
Published: January 2018

Este trabajo se propone constituir una herramienta de trabajo útil para localizar fácilmente, en las bases de datos existentes, la bibliografía relacionada con cualquier aspecto del ELE que pueda constituir un objetivo de investigación. La falta de unificación en la constitución de las bases de datos se revela como el mayor problema que representa su utilización. El artículo proporcionará las claves necesarias para localizar con facilidad los trabajos académicos relacionados con cualquier aspecto del ELE campo en el que, además, la producción científica aumenta a una velocidad vertiginosa.
Percepció de l'accent prosòdic en vocables llegits: un estudi amb parlants nadius de coreà a les classes universitàries d'ELE de nivell avançat
Authors: Barajas de Santiago Daniel
Published: January 2018

El artículo analiza los problemas del aprendizaje del componente fónico del español por parte de hablantes coreanos que siguen cursos de nivel avanzado en la Universidad de Hankuk. El estudio se centra específicamente en la percepción de la sílaba tónica en vocablos bisílabos y trisílabos del español. La existencia en coreano de un acento distintivo basado en la cantidad es una cuestión controvertida por lo que es especialmente relevante estudiar las dificultades de los hablantes coreanos en el proceso de aprendizaje del español. Por otra parte, el hecho de que los estudiantes analizados hablan también inglés puede constituir un factor importante que contribuya a facilitar la percepción del acento distintivo del español.
Un recorrido particular por la educación. Reflexiones a partir de una historia de vida
Authors: Delgado-García Manuel , Coronel Llamas José Manuel , Boza Carreño Ángel
Published: January 2018

La información recogida en este artículo forma parte del estudio realizado en una tesis doctoral financiada por el Ministerio de Educación con una beca FPU. Su objetivo principal era recuperar el conocimiento experto de profesorado sénior y bien evaluado de la Universidad de Huelva, con la intención de ponerlo al servicio del resto del colectivo docente y proporcionar algunas claves de prácticas consolidadas en el ejercicio de la profesión.Utilizamos la historia de vida de una profesora de universidad, adscrita a la Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, para adentrarnos en su visión acerca de las transformaciones experimentadas por la pedagogía en nuestro país y la trascendencia de estas a lo largo de su trayectoria profesional.A partir de la información obtenida de entrevistas en profundidad y analizada a través del MAXQDA, se organizan los resultados en base a las etapas del ciclo vital de esta docente. Las conclusiones resaltan la trascendencia del contexto social, político y educativo; la formación inicial y las experiencias profesionales, y la configuración de la identidad profesional y el pensamiento pedagógico, para aportar estrategias oportunas ante los cambios acontecidos en la educación y en la reflexión sobre cómo han afectado en su ejercicio profesional.
Northern Ireland and the Crisis of Anti-Racism
Authors: Gilligan Chris
Published: January 2018

This book makes a contribution to the discussion on the crisis of anti-racism and the need to rethink anti-racism. The author argues that rethinking anti-racism necessitates clearing up some important confusions regarding racism and anti-racism. The author argues that capitalism creates the conditions for both racism and anti-racism. The author argues that anti-racism and racism express the contradiction between the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity on the one hand and the reality of restrictions on human freedom, inequality and ‘racial’ division on the other. The book illustrates the argument through an in depth analysis of racisms (and anti-racisms) in Northern Ireland. The book places the development of anti-racism in the region in the wider context of the development of anti-racism globally and in the UK. The author argues that the failure to include Northern Ireland in broader discussions about racisms in the UK has had a detrimental impact on emancipatory anti-racism in the UK. The author argues that rethinking anti-racism needs to involve an examination of the whole of the UK, not just the UK minus Northern Ireland.
Formal modeling of the key determinants of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) induced adaptive immune response network: An integrative approach to map the cellular and cytokine-mediated host immune regulations
Authors: Obaid Ayesha , Naz Anam , Tariq Ashraf Shifa , Awan Faryal Mehwish , Ikram Aqsa , Tariq Saeed Muhammad , Raza Abida , Ahmad Jamil , Ali Amjad
Published: January 2018

Background. Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a major causative agent of liver infection leading to critical liver damage. In response to HCV, the improper regulation of host immune system leads to chronic infection. The host immune system employs multiple cell types, diverse variety of cytokine mediators and interacting signaling networks to neutralize the HCV infection. To understand the complexity of the interactions within the immune signaling networks, systems biology provides an efficient alternative approach. Integrating such approaches with immunology and virology helps to study highly complex immune regulatory networks within the host and presents a concise view of the whole system.

Methods. Initially, a logic-based diagram is generated based on multiple reported interactions between immune cells and cytokines during host immune response to HCV. Furthermore, an abstracted sub-network is modeled qualitatively which consists of both the key cellular and cytokine components of the HCV induced immune system. Rene’ Thomas formalism is applied in the study to generate a qualitative model which requires only the qualitative thresholds and associated logical parameters generated via SMBioNet software in accordance with biological observations. Furthermore, the continuous dynamics of the model have been studied via Petri nets based analysis.

Results. In the presence of NS5A protein of HCV, the behaviors of the Natural Killer (NK) and T regulatory (Tregs) cells along with cytokines such as IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-12 are predicted. The model also attempts to consider the viral strategies to circumvent immune response mediated by viral proteins. The state graph analysis enabled the prediction of paths leading to disease state. The most probable cycle is predicted based on maximum betweenness centrality. Furthermore, to study the continuous dynamics of the modeled network, a Petri net (PN) model was generated. The predictive ability of the model implicates the critical role of IL-12 over-expression in pathogenesis. This observation speculates that IL-12 has a dual role under varying circumstances and leads to varying disease outcomes.

Conclusion. This model attempts to reduce the noisy biological data and captures a holistic view of the regulations amongst the key determinants of HCV induced adaptive immune responses. The observations warrant for further studies to elucidate the role of IL-12 under varying external and internal stimuli. Also, introducing diversion by therapeutic perturbation may divert the system from diseased paths to recovery by stabilizing the activation of IFN-γ producing NK cells. The modeling approach employed in this study can be extended to include real-time experimental data to propose new therapeutic interventions.
Morphohistological development of the somatic embryo of Typha domingensis
Authors: Hernández-Piedra Guadalupe , Ruiz-Carrera Violeta , Sánchez Alberto J , Hernández-Franyutti Arlette , Azpeitia-Morales Alfonso
Published: January 2018

Background. The sustainable methods of propagation for Typha domingensis through somatic embryogenesis can help to mitigate its current condition of ecological marginalisation and overexploitation. Then, the hypothesis established that the variation of the concentration of auxin and light conditions in sequential stages of culture generate different morphogenetic routes that can be monitoring by morphohistological markers. Methods. Murashige and Skoog medium at half ionic strength, 3% sucrose and 0.1% ascorbic acid were used in the induction, proliferation and embryogenic maturation. Induction started with aseptic germinates cultured in 0.5 mg L-1 of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic. Four concentrations of 0 to 2 mg L-1 of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic, that generated four embryogenic lines, were evaluated in darkness. Maturation of the somatic embryo took place, in each embryogenic line, without auxin and under light and dark conditions. Results. The yellow and brown callus, as well as oblong and scutellar somatic embryos were recorded in the methodological sequence. The embryogenic differentiation was described with histological analysis. The induced cultures produced both somatic embryos in a small proportion. The percentages of the yellow callus on the explant and of suspended cells in the embryogenic proliferation were greater with the three concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic. While, the brown callus predominated without auxin. The somatic embryo developed under light and dark conditions, and presented globular, oblong, scutellar and sparsely coleoptilar stages. Discussion. The combined effect of auxin concentrations and light-dark conditions generated conditions that favoured the development of embryogenic calluses and somatic embryos (globular, oblong, scutellar and coleoptilar) in an asynchronous process with respect to the stages of embryogenic induction, proliferation, and maturation. Indeed, differentiation and cellular organization of this process were compatible with descriptors of the embryogenic stages recorded by other aquatic and terrestrial monocotyledons.
Traversals
Authors: Moulthrop Stuart , Grigar Dene , Tabbi Joseph
Published: January 2018

Many pioneering works of electronic literature are now largely inaccessible because of changes in hardware, software, and platforms. The virtual disappearance of these works--created on floppy disks, in Apple’s defunct HyperCard, and on other early systems and platforms--not only puts important electronic literary work out of reach but also signals the fragility of most works of culture in the digital age. In response, Dene Grigar and Stuart Moulthrop have been working to document and preserve electronic literature, work that has culminated in the Pathfinders project and its series of “Traversals”--video and audio recordings of demonstrations performed on historically appropriate platforms, with participation and commentary by the authors of the works. In Traversals, Moulthrop and Grigar mine this material to examine four influential early works: Judy Malloy’s Uncle Roger (1986), John McDaid’s Uncle Buddy’s Phantom Funhouse (1993), Shelley Jackson’s Patchwork Girl (1995) and Bill Bly’s We Descend (1997), offering “deep readings” that consider the works as both literary artifacts and computational constructs. For each work, Moulthrop and Grigar explore the interplay between the text’s material circumstances and the patterns of meaning it engages and creates, paying attention both to specificities of media and purposes of expression.
Digital Countercultures and the Struggle for Community
Authors: Lingel Jessa
Published: January 2018

Whether by accidental keystroke or deliberate tinkering, technology is often used in ways that are unintended and unimagined by its designers and inventors. In this book, Jessa Lingel offers an account of digital technology use that looks beyond Silicon Valley and college dropouts-turned-entrepreneurs. Instead, Lingel tells stories from the margins of countercultural communities that have made the Internet meet their needs, subverting established norms of how digital technologies should be used.
Lingel presents three case studies that contrast the imagined uses of the web to its lived and often messy practicalities. She examines a social media platform (developed long before Facebook) for body modification enthusiasts, with early web experiments in blogging, community, wikis, online dating, and podcasts; a network of communication technologies (both analog and digital) developed by a local community of punk rockers to manage information about underground shows; and the use of Facebook and Instagram for both promotional and community purposes by Brooklyn drag queens. Drawing on years of fieldwork, Lingel explores issues of alterity and community, inclusivity and exclusivity, secrecy and surveillance, and anonymity and self-promotion.
By examining online life in terms of countercultural communities, Lingel argues that looking at outsider experiences helps us to imagine new uses and possibilities for the tools and platforms we use in everyday life.
The Embodied Mind
Authors: Varela Francisco J. , Thompson Evan , Rosch Eleanor
Published: January 2018

A new edition of a classic work that originated the “embodied cognition” movement and was one of the first to link science and Buddhist practices.

This classic book, first published in 1991, was one of the first to propose the “embodied cognition” approach in cognitive science. It pioneered the connections between phenomenology and science and between Buddhist practices and science—claims that have since become highly influential. Through this cross-fertilization of disparate fields of study, The Embodied Mind introduced a new form of cognitive science called “enaction,” in which both the environment and first person experience are aspects of embodiment. However, enactive embodiment is not the grasping of an independent, outside world by a brain, a mind, or a self; rather it is the bringing forth of an interdependent world in and through embodied action. Although enacted cognition lacks an absolute foundation, the book shows how that does not lead to either experiential or philosophical nihilism. Above all, the book's arguments were powered by the conviction that the sciences of mind must encompass lived human experience and the possibilities for transformation inherent in human experience.

This revised edition includes substantive introductions by Evan Thompson and Eleanor Rosch that clarify central arguments of the work and discuss and evaluate subsequent research that has expanded on the themes of the book, including the renewed theoretical and practical interest in Buddhism and mindfulness. A preface by Jon Kabat-Zinn, the originator of the mindfulness-based stress reduction program, contextualizes the book and describes its influence on his life and work.
MAD2L2 inhibits colorectal cancer growth by promoting NCOA3 ubiquitination and degradation
Authors: Li Yixin , Li Liren , Chen Miao , Yu Xinfa , Gu Zhuoyu , Qiu Huijuan , Qin Ge , Long Qian , Fu Xiaoyan , Liu Tianze , Li Wenbin , Huang Wenlin , Shi Dingbo , Kang Tiebang , Luo Meihua , Wu Xiaojun , Deng Wuguo
Published: January 2018

Nuclear receptor coactivator 3 (NCOA3) is a transcriptional coactivator that has elevated expression in multiple tumor types, including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate the tumorigenic functions of NCOA3 in CRC remain largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to discover and identify the novel regulatory proteins of NCOA3 and explore their mechanisms of action. Immunoprecipitation (IP) coupled with mass spectrometry (IP‐MS) analysis was used to detect, identify, and verify the proteins that interacted with NCOA3 in CRC cells. The biological functions of the candidate proteins and the underlying molecular mechanism were investigated in CRC cells and mouse model in vitro and in vivo. The clinical significance of NCOA3 and its interaction partner protein in CRC patients was also studied. We identified mitotic arrest deficient 2‐like protein 2 (MAD2L2, also known as MAD2B or REV7), with two signal peptide sequences of LIPLK and EVYPVGIFQK, to be an interaction partner of NCOA3. Overexpression of MAD2L2 suppressed the proliferation, migration, and clonogenicity of CRC cells by inducing the degradation of NCOA3. The mechanism study showed that increased MAD2L2 expression in CRC cells activated p38, which was required for the phosphorylation of NCOA3 that led to its ubiquitination and degradation by the proteasome. Moreover, we found that MAD2L2 predicted favorable prognosis in CRC patients. We have discovered a novel role of MAD2L2 in the regulation of NCOA3 degradation and proposed that MAD2L2 serves as a tumor suppressor in CRC.
Intense Current Structures Observed at Electron Kinetic Scales in the Near‐Earth Magnetotail During Dipolarization and Substorm Current Wedge Formation
Authors: Grigorenko E. E. , Dubyagin S. , Malykhin A. Yu. , Khotyaintsev Yu V. , Kronberg E. A. , Lavraud B. , Ganushkina N. Yu
Published: January 2018

We use data from the 2013–2014 Cluster Inner Magnetosphere Campaign, with its uniquely small spacecraft separations (less than or equal to electron inertia length, λe), to study multiscale magnetic structures in 14 substorm‐related prolonged dipolarizations in the near‐Earth magnetotail. Three time scales of dipolarization are identified: (i) a prolonged growth of the BZ component with duration ≤20 min; (ii) BZ pulses with durations ≤1 min during the BZ growth; and (iii) strong magnetic field gradients with durations ≤2 s during the dipolarization growth. The values of these gradients observed at electron scales are several dozen times larger than the corresponding values of magnetic gradients simultaneously detected at ion scales. These nonlinear features in magnetic field gradients denote the formation of intense and localized (approximately a few λe) current structures during the dipolarization and substorm current wedge formation. These observations highlight the importance of electron scale processes in the formation of a 3‐D substorm current system.
Flow Shears at the Poleward Boundary of Omega Bands Observed During Conjunctions of Swarm and THEMIS ASI
Authors: Liu Jiang , Lyons L. R. , Archer W. E. , Gallardo‐Lacourt B. , Nishimura Y. , Zou Ying , Gabrielse C. , Weygand J. M.
Published: January 2018

Omega bands are curved aurora forms that evolve from a quiet arc located along the poleward edge of a diffuse auroral band within the midnight to morningside auroral oval. They usually propagate eastward. Because omega bands are a significant contributor to an active magnetotail, knowledge about their generation is important for understanding tail dynamics. Previous studies have shown that auroral streamers, footprints of fast flows in the tail, can propagate into omega bands. Such events, however, are limited, and it is still unclear whether and how the flows trigger the bands. The ionospheric flows associated with omega bands may provide valuable information on the driving mechanisms of the bands. We examine these flows taking advantage of the conjunctions between the Swarm spacecraft and Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms all‐sky imagers, which allow us to demonstrate the relative location of the flows to the omega bands' bright arcs for the first time. We find that a strong eastward ionospheric flow is consistently present immediately poleward of the omega band's bright arc, resulting in a sharp flow shear near the poleward boundary of the band. This ionospheric flow shear should correspond to a flow shear near the inner edge of the plasma sheet. This plasma sheet shear may drive a Kelvin‐Helmholz instability which then distorts the quiet arc to form omega bands. It seems plausible that the strong eastward flows are driven by streamer‐related fast flows or enhanced convection in the magnetotail.
Performance of Solar Proxy Options of IRI‐Plas Model for Equinox Seasons
Authors: Sezen Umut , Gulyaeva Tamara L. , Arikan Feza
Published: January 2018

International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) is the most acclaimed climatic model of the ionosphere. Since 2009, the range of the IRI model has been extended to the Global Positioning System (GPS) orbital height of 20,000 km in the plasmasphere. The new model, which is called IRI extended to Plasmasphere (IRI‐Plas), can input not only the ionosonde foF2 and hmF2 but also the GPS‐total electron content (TEC). IRI‐Plas has been provided at www.ionolab.org, where online computation of ionospheric parameters is accomplished through a user‐friendly interface. The solar proxies that are available in IRI‐Plas can be listed as sunspot number (SSN1), SSN2, F10.7, global electron content (GEC), TEC, IG, Mg II, Lyman‐α, and GEC_RZ. In this study, ionosonde foF2 data are compared with IRI‐Plas foF2 values with the Consultative Committee International Radio (CCIR) and International Union of Radio Science (URSI) model choices for each solar proxy, with or without the GPS‐TEC input for the equinox months of October 2011 and March 2015. It has been observed that the best fitting model choices in Root Mean Square (RMS) and Normalized RMS (NRMS) sense are the Jet Propulsion Laboratory global ionospheric maps‐TEC input with Lyman‐α solar proxy option for both months. The input of TEC definitely lowers the difference between the model and ionosonde foF2 values. The IG and Mg II solar proxies produce similar model foF2 values, and they usually are the second and third best fits to the ionosonde foF2 for the midlatitude ionosphere. In high‐latitude regions, Jet Propulsion Laboratory global ionospheric map‐TEC inputs to IRI‐Plas with Lyman‐α, GEC_RZ, and TEC solar proxies are the best choices. In equatorial region, the best fitting solar proxies are IG, Lyman‐α, and Mg II.
Integrated Paleoseismic Chronology of the Last Glacial Lake Lisan: From Lake Margin Seismites to Deep‐Lake Mass Transport Deposits
Authors: Kagan Elisa , Stein Mordechai , Marco Shmuel
Published: January 2018

Seismically disturbed sedimentary sequences (seismites) in the last glacial (70–14 ka) Lisan Formation are exposed in the marginal terraces of the Dead Sea and recovered from sedimentary core drilled by the International Continental Scientific Drilling Programs at the depocenter of the lake at water depth of 300 m. The core reveals various types of centimeter‐ to meter‐scale disturbed lake sediments: turbidites, homogenites, slumps, and other deformations, interspersed with undisturbed lamination. The transported sediments comprise a main source of the thickness tripling of the Lisan Formation at the depocenter of the lake compared to the margins. Excluding (mass transport deposits MTDs) from chronology yields a normal, event‐free age‐depth model for core. Moreover, time intervals of units missing at the exposed sections of the lake margin are synchronous with intervals of mass transport deposits (MTDs) at the deepest lake floors. In the deep core, the recurrence interval range of MTD with thickness > 1 cm is ~ 100–300 years, while that of the thick MTD (>50 cm) is ~ 2,500 years, twice the recurrence interval of the seismites at the lake's margins. The ~1,000 year recurrence at the lake's margins lies within the ranges that have been calculated for ~M6.5–7 earthquakes. The significantly higher figure shown by depocenter core suggests activity on various faults and the response of the lake sediments in the entire Dead Sea basin. Overall, an unprecedented chronology of seismic activity was achieved for the late Pleistocene Lisan Formation providing a framework of earthquake activity in the vicinity of the Dead Sea basin during the period of the last high lake stand.
Directional Absorption of Parameterized Mountain Waves and Its Influence on the Wave Momentum Transport in the Northern Hemisphere
Authors: Xu Xin , Tang Ying , Wang Yuan , Xue Ming
Published: January 2018

The directional absorption of mountain waves in the Northern Hemisphere is assessed by examination of horizontal wind rotation using the 2.5° × 2.5° European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts ERA‐Interim reanalysis between 2011 and 2016. In the deep layer of troposphere and stratosphere, the horizontal wind rotates by more than 120° all over the Northern Hemisphere primary mountainous areas, with the rotation mainly occurring in the troposphere (stratosphere) of lower (middle to high) latitudes. The rotation of tropospheric wind increases markedly in summer over the Tibetan Plateau and Iranian Plateau, due to the influence of Asian summer monsoonal circulation. The influence of directional absorption of mountain waves on the mountain wave momentum transport is also studied using a new parameterization scheme of orographic gravity wave drag (OGWD) which accounts for the effect of directional wind shear. Owing to the directional absorption, the wave momentum flux is attenuated by more than 50% in the troposphere of lower latitudes, producing considerable orographic gravity wave lift which is normal to the mean wind. Compared with the OGWD produced in traditional schemes assuming a unidirectional wind profile, the OGWD in the new scheme is suppressed in the lower stratosphere but enhanced in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere. This is because the directional absorption of mountain waves in the troposphere reduces the wave amplitude in the stratosphere. Consequently, mountain waves are prone to break at higher altitudes, which favors the production of stronger OGWD given the decrease of air density with height.
Ionospheric Scintillation Activity Over Ilorin, Nigeria
Authors: Oladipo O. A. , Adeniyi J. O. , Doherty P. H. , Radicella S. M. , Adimula I. A. , Olawepo A. O.
Published: January 2018

Scintillation of radio waves in the L‐band frequency is a regular occurrence at the equatorial and auroral regions at night most especially during high solar activity periods. Scintillation is caused by plasma density irregularities, and this could cause loss of lock of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals leading to impairment of the applications that rely on this system. A study on the occurrence of scintillation activity over Ilorin (latitude = 8.48°N, longitude = 4.67°W, and geomagnetic latitude = 1.89°S), Nigeria was done using S4 index data from NovAtel GPStation‐2 receiver (2009–2012) and NovAtel GPStation‐6 receiver (August 2013 to December 2016) which are both located at this station. The solar maximum period of the solar cycle 24 is located well within the period of this investigation; hence, this study provides opportunity to see the occurrence pattern of scintillation during different seasons as well as the pattern from low solar activity to solar maximum. The results obtained showed that scintillation occurs between 21:00 LT and 04:00 LT at the peak of the occurrence in 2014. The time window of occurrence decreases with decrease in solar activity. Similarly, scintillation activity was observed to be more regular during high solar activity and it has two peaks of occurrence in March and October. A solar activity trend was observed in scintillation occurrence; scintillation activity increases with increase in the level of solar activity.
Soy Protein/Cellulose Nanofiber Scaffolds Mimicking Skin Extracellular Matrix for Enhanced Wound Healing
Authors: Ahn Seungkuk , Chantre Christophe O. , Gannon Alanna R. , Lind Johan U. , Campbell Patrick H. , Grevesse Thomas , O'Connor Blakely B. , Parker Kevin Kit
Published: January 2018

Historically, soy protein and extracts have been used extensively in foods due to their high protein and mineral content. More recently, soy protein has received attention for a variety of its potential health benefits, including enhanced skin regeneration. It has been reported that soy protein possesses bioactive molecules similar to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and estrogen. In wound healing, oral and topical soy has been heralded as a safe and cost‐effective alternative to animal protein and endogenous estrogen. However, engineering soy protein‐based fibrous dressings, while recapitulating ECM microenvironment and maintaining a moist environment, remains a challenge. Here, the development of an entirely plant‐based nanofibrous dressing comprised of cellulose acetate (CA) and soy protein hydrolysate (SPH) using rotary jet spinning is described. The spun nanofibers successfully mimic physicochemical properties of the native skin ECM and exhibit a high water retaining capability. In vitro, CA/SPH nanofibers promote fibroblast proliferation, migration, infiltration, and integrin β1 expression. In vivo, CA/SPH scaffolds accelerate re‐epithelialization and epidermal thinning as well as reduce scar formation and collagen anisotropy in a similar fashion to other fibrous scaffolds, but without the use of animal proteins or synthetic polymers. These results affirm the potential of CA/SPH nanofibers as a novel wound dressing.
Silicon Carbide Nanoparticles as an Effective Bioadhesive to Bond Collagen Containing Composite Gel Layers for Tissue Engineering Applications
Authors: Attalla Rana , Ling Celine S. N. , Selvaganapathy Ponnambalam Ravi
Published: January 2018

Additive manufacturing via layer‐by‐layer adhesive bonding holds much promise for scalable manufacturing of tissue‐like constructs, specifically scaffolds with integrated vascular networks for tissue engineering applications. However, there remains a lack of effective adhesives capable of composite layer fusion without affecting the integrity of patterned features. Here, the use of silicon carbide is introduced as an effective adhesive to achieve strong bonding (0.39 ± 0.03 kPa) between hybrid hydrogel films composed of alginate and collagen. The techniques have allowed us to fabricate multilayered, heterogeneous constructs with embedded high‐resolution microchannels (150 µm–1 mm) that are precisely interspaced (500–600 µm). Hydrogel layers are effectively bonded with silicon carbide nanoparticles without blocking the hollow microchannels and high cell viability (90.61 ± 3.28%) is maintained within the scaffold. Nanosilica is also tested and found to cause clogging of smaller microchannels when used for interlayer bonding, but is successfully used to attach synthetic polymers (e.g., Tygon) to the hydrogels (32.5 ± 2.12 mN bond strength). This allows us to form inlet and outlet interconnections to the gel constructs. This ability to integrate hollow channel networks into bulk soft material structures for perfusion can be useful in 3D tissue engineering applications.
In Situ Monitoring of Lateral Hydrogen Diffusion in Amorphous and Polycrystalline WO3 Thin Films
Authors: Burkhardt Simon , Elm Matthias T. , Lani‐Wayda Bernhard , Klar Peter J.
Published: January 2018

Thin films of electrochromic materials such as tungsten trioxide (WO3) are essential components of electrochromic devices such as “Smart Windows.” The transport of charge carriers in WO3 thin films has been investigated intensively over the past decades, yielding a wide spread of diffusion coefficients of hydrogen in WO3. Most of those analyses are based on measurements by electrochemical methods. However, such analyses are only applicable and the results reliable in cases where diffusive transport is the rate‐determining process. Here, WO3 thin films of different morphology are prepared by electron‐beam evaporation of WO3 powder. The combined lateral diffusion of protons and electrons is investigated inside amorphous and polycrystalline WO3 thin films by in situ transmission spectroscopy during electrochemical hydrogen insertion into the film. The insertion of the protons is carried out locally and lateral diffusion of H takes place in the film plane. The induced change of the film absorbance at a wavelength of (637 ± 15) nm is monitored and spatially and temporally resolved. The results reveal a concentration‐dependent diffusion process of hydrogen in both, amorphous and polycrystalline WO3, which are critically discussed in the context of existing sata from literature.
Adjusting the Anisotropy of 1D Sb2Se3 Nanostructures for Highly Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting
Authors: Yang Wooseok , Ahn Jihoon , Oh Yunjung , Tan Jeiwan , Lee Hyungsoo , Park Jaemin , Kwon Hyeok‐Chan , Kim Juran , Jo William , Kim Joosun , Moon Jooho
Published: January 2018

Sb2Se3 has recently spurred great interest as a promising light‐absorbing material for solar energy conversion. Sb2Se3 consists of 1D covalently linked nanoribbons stacked via van der Waals forces and its properties strongly depend on the crystallographic orientation. However, strategies for adjusting the anisotropy of 1D Sb2Se3 nanostructures are rarely investigated. Here, a novel approach is presented to fabricate 1D Sb2Se3 nanostructure arrays with different aspect ratios on conductive substrates by simply spin‐coating Sb‐Se solutions with different molar ratios of thioglycolic acid and ethanolamine. A relatively small proportion of thioglycolic acid induces the growth of short Sb2Se3 nanorod arrays with preferred orientation, leading to fast carrier transport and enhanced photocurrent. After the deposition of TiO2 and Pt, an appropriately oriented Sb2Se3 nanostructure array exhibits a significantly enhanced photoelectrochemical performance; the photocurrent reaches 12.5 mA cm−2 at 0 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode under air mass 1.5 global illumination.
Clinical features, BTD gene mutations, and their functional studies of eight symptomatic patients with biotinidase deficiency from Southern China
Authors: Liu Zongcai , Zhao Xiaoyuan , Sheng Huiying , Cai Yanna , Yin Xi , Chen Xiaodan , Su Ling , Lu Zhikun , Zeng Chunhua , Li Xiuzhen , Liu Li
Published: January 2018

Biotinidase (BTD) deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive metabolic disease, which develops neurological and cutaneous symptoms because of the impaired biotin recycling. Pathogenic mutations on BTD gene cause BTD deficiency. Clinical features and mutation analysis of Chinese children with BTD deficiency were rarely described. Herein, for the first time, we reported the clinical features, BTD gene mutations and their functional studies of eight symptomatic children with BTD deficiency from southern China. Fatigue, hypotonia, proximal muscular weakness, hearing deficits, rash and respiratory problems are common clinical phenotype of our patients. Seizures are observed only in patients with profound BTD deficiency. Five novel mutations were detected, among which c.637delC (H213TfsTer51) was found in 50% of our patients and might be considered as a common mutation. In vitro studies confirmed three mild mutations c.1368A>C (Q456H), c.1613G>A (R538H), and c.644T>A (L215H) which retained 10–30% of wild type enzyme activity, and six severe mutations c.235C>T (R79C), c.1271G>C (C424S), c.1412G>A (C471Y), c.637delC (H213TfsTer51), c.395T>G (M132W), c.464T>C (L155P), and c.1493dupT (L498FfsTer13) which retained <10% of wild type enzyme activity. c.1330G>C (D444H) decreased the protein expression but not activity of BTD enzyme, and H213TfsTer51 was structurally damaging while L498FfsTer13 was functionally damaging. These results will be helpful in establishing the definitive diagnosis of BTD deficiency at the gene level, offering appropriate genetic counseling, and providing clues to structure/function relationships of the enzyme.
Glass and Alchemy in Early Modern Europe: An Analytical Study of Glassware from the Oberstockstall Laboratory in Austria
Authors: Veronesi Umberto , Martinón‐Torres Marcos
Published: January 2018

Glass distillation equipment from an early modern alchemical laboratory was analyzed for its technology of manufacture and potential origin. Chemical data show that the assemblage can be divided into sodium‐rich, colorless distillation vessels made with glass from Venice or its European imitation, and potassium‐rich dark‐brown non‐specialized forms produced within the technological tradition of forest glass typical for central and north‐western Europe. These results complete our understanding of the supply of technical apparatus at one of the best‐preserved alchemical laboratories and highlight an early awareness of the need for high‐quality instruments to guarantee the successful outcome of specialized chemical operations. This study demonstrates the potential of archaeological science to inform historical research around the practice of early chemistry and the development of modern science.
A General Strategy to Access Structural Information at Atomic Resolution in Polyglutamine Homorepeats
Authors: Urbanek Annika , Morató Anna , Allemand Frédéric , Delaforge Elise , Fournet Aurélie , Popovic Matija , Delbecq Stephane , Sibille Nathalie , Bernadó Pau
Published: January 2018

Homorepeat (HR) proteins are involved in key biological processes and multiple pathologies, however their high‐resolution characterization has been impaired due to their homotypic nature. To overcome this problem, we have developed a strategy to isotopically label individual glutamines within HRs by combining nonsense suppression and cell‐free expression. Our method has enabled the NMR investigation of huntingtin exon1 with a 16‐residue polyglutamine (poly‐Q) tract, and the results indicate the presence of an N‐terminal α‐helix at near neutral pH that vanishes towards the end of the HR. The generality of the strategy was demonstrated by introducing a labeled glutamine into a pathological version of huntingtin with 46 glutamines. This methodology paves the way to decipher the structural and dynamic perturbations induced by HR extensions in poly‐Q‐related diseases. Our approach can be extended to other amino acids to investigate biological processes involving proteins containing low‐complexity regions (LCRs).
(NHC)NiH‐Catalyzed Regiodivergent Cross‐Hydroalkenylation of Vinyl Ethers with α‐Olefins: Syntheses of 1,2‐ and 1,3‐Disubstituted Allyl Ethers
Authors: Chen Weihao , Li Yang , Chen Yang , Ho Chun‐Yu
Published: January 2018

Cross‐hydroalkenylation of a vinyl ether (1) with an α‐olefin (2) was first achieved by a set of [NHC‐Ni(allyl)]BArF (NHC=N‐heterocyclic carbene) catalysts. Both 1,2‐ and 1,3‐disubstituted allyl ethers were obtained, highly selectively, by using NHCs of different sizes. In contrast, the chemoselectivity (i.e., 1 as acceptor and 2 as donor) was controlled mostly by electronic effects through the catalyst–substrate interaction. Sterically bulkier alkenes (2) were used as preferred donors compared to smaller alkenes. This electronic effect also served as a basis for the first tail‐to‐head cross‐hydroalkenylations of 1 with either a vinyl silane or boronic ester.
The Enantioselective Total Synthesis of Bisquinolizidine Alkaloids: A Modular “Inside‐Out” Approach
Authors: Scharnagel Dagmar , Goller Jessica , Deibl Nicklas , Milius Wolfgang , Breuning Matthias
Published: January 2018

Bisquinolizidine alkaloids are characterized by a chiral bispidine core (3,7‐diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane) to which combinations of an α,N‐fused 2‐pyridone, an endo‐ or exo‐α,N‐annulated piperidin(on)e, and an exo‐allyl substituent are attached. We developed a modular “inside‐out” approach that permits access to most members of this class. Its applicability was proven in the asymmetric synthesis of 21 natural bisquinolizidine alkaloids, among them more than ten first enantioselective total syntheses. Key steps are the first successful preparation of both enantiomers of C2‐symmetric 2,6‐dioxobispidine by desymmetrization of a 2,4,6,8‐tetraoxo precursor, the construction of the α,N‐fused 2‐pyridone by using an enamine‐bromoacrylic acid strategy, and the installation of endo‐ or, optionally, exo‐annulated piperidin(on)es.
Four‐fold Channel‐Nicked Human Ferritin Nanocages for Active Drug Loading and pH‐Responsive Drug Release
Authors: Ahn Byungjun , Lee Seong‐Gyu , Yoon Hye Ryeon , Lee Jeong Min , Oh Hyeok Jin , Kim Ho Min , Jung Yongwon
Published: January 2018

Human ferritins are emerging platforms for non‐toxic protein‐based drug delivery, owing to their intrinsic or acquirable targeting abilities to cancer cells and hollow cage structures for drug loading. However, reliable strategies for high‐level drug encapsulation within ferritin cavities and prompt cellular drug release are still lacking. Ferritin nanocages were developed with partially opened hydrophobic channels, which provide stable routes for spontaneous and highly accumulated loading of FeII‐conjugated drugs as well as pH‐responsive rapid drug release at endoplasmic pH. Multiple cancer‐related compounds, such as doxorubicin, curcumin, and quercetin, were actively and heavily loaded onto the prepared nicked ferritin. Drugs on these minimally modified ferritins were effectively delivered inside cancer cells with high toxicity.
Thermodynamic and economic analyses of a novel coal pyrolysis–gasification–combustion staged conversion utilization polygeneration system
Authors: Zhang Rui , Chen Yifan , Lei Kai , Ye Buqing , Cao Jin , Liu Dong
Published: January 2018

Coal staged conversion utilization polygeneration systems can utilize the different constituents of coal. In this paper, a novel coal pyrolysis–gasification–combustion (CPGC) staged conversion utilization polygeneration system is proposed. Coal is first pyrolyzed to extract tar and pyrolysis gas. The tar is used to produce fuel oils via hydrogenation. The char is partially gasified to produce syngas at first, and then the residue is combusted. The pyrolysis gas and syngas are used for methanol synthesis. Process simulation of the system was implemented by Aspen Plus, and a coal pyrolysis–gasification staged conversion utilization polygeneration system and a conventional coal polygeneration system based on the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis were also simulated for comparison. Simulation results indicate that the thermal performance of the CPGC system can reach 47.73% (lower heating value), which is better than that of the other two systems. The economic performance of CPGC system is the best among the three systems if contingency is not considered but becomes worse than the coal pyrolysis–gasification system if contingency is considered.
Acrylated epoxidized soybean oil as a styrene replacement in a dicyclopentadiene‐modified unsaturated polyester resin
Authors: Wu Yili , Li Kaichang
Published: January 2018

Nonvolatile and nonhazardous acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO) was investigated as a replacement for hazardous styrene in a commercial unsaturated polyester (UPE) resin [a mixture of styrene and a dicyclopentadiene (DCPD)‐modified UPE (DCPD–UPE)]. DCPD–UPE was prepared from ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, maleic anhydride, and DCPD. Mixtures of AESO and DCPD–UPE [AESO–(DCPD–UPE) resins] were found to be homogeneous, easily pourable solutions at room temperature. The glass‐fiber‐reinforced composites from the AESO–(DCPD–UPE) resins were comparable or even superior to those from the mixture of styrene and DCPD–UPE in terms of the flexural and tensile strengths. The viscoelastic properties of the cured AESO–(DCPD–UPE) resins and the corresponding glass‐fiber‐reinforced composites were characterized by dynamic mechanical analysis. The viscosities and pot lives of the AESO–(DCPD–UPE) resins as a function of the temperature were studied. The curing mechanism of the AESO–(DCPD–UPE) resins is discussed. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46212.
Cytoplasmic glutamine synthetase gene expression regulates larval development in Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel)
Authors: Zhang Meng‐Yi , Wei Dong , Li Ran , Jia Hong‐Ting , Liu Yu‐Wei , Taning Clauvis Nji Tizi , Wang Jin‐Jun , Smagghe Guy
Published: January 2018

In insects, glutamine synthetase (GS), a key enzyme in the synthesis of glutamine, has been reported to be associated with embryonic development, heat shock response, and fecundity regulation. However, little is known about the influence of GS on postembryonic development. In this study, we demonstrate that blocking the activity of GS in the oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) with use of a GS‐specific inhibitor (L‐methionine S‐sulfoximine), led to a significant delay in larval development, pupal weight loss, and inhibition of pupation. We further identify cloned and characterized two GS genes (BdGS‐c and BdGS‐m) from B. dorsalis. The two GS genes identified in B. dorsalis were predicted to be located in the cytosol (BdGS‐c) and mitochondria (BdGS‐m), and homology analysis indicated that both genes were similar to homologs from other Dipterans, such as Drosophila melanogaster and Aedes aegypti. BdGS‐c was highly expressed in the larval stages, suggesting that cytosolic GS plays a predominant role in larval development. Furthermore, RNA interference experiments against BdGS‐c, to specifically decrease the expression of cytosolic GS, resulted in delay in larval development as well as pupal weight loss. This study presents the prominent role played by BdGS‐c in regulating larval development and suggests that the observed effect could have been modulated through ecdysteroid synthesis, agreeing with the reduced expression of the halloween gene spook. Also, the direct effects of BdGS‐c silencing on B. dorsalis, such as larval lethality, delayed pupation, and late emergence, can be further exploited as novel insecticide target in the context of pest management.