bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The ventral hippocampus is involved in multi‐goal obstacle‐rich spatial navigation
Authors: Contreras Marco , Pelc Tatiana , Llofriu Martin , Weitzenfeld Alfredo , Fellous Jean‐Marc
Published: August 2018

A large body of evidence shows that the hippocampus is necessary for successful spatial navigation. Various studies have shown anatomical and functional differences between the dorsal (DHC) and ventral (VHC) portions of this structure. The DHC is primarily involved in spatial navigation and contains cells with small place fields. The VHC is primarily involved in context and emotional encoding contains cells with large place fields and receives major projections from the medial prefrontal cortex. In the past, spatial navigation experiments have used relatively simple tasks that may not have required a strong coordination along the dorsoventral hippocampal axis. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the DHC and VHC may be critical for goal‐directed navigation in obstacle‐rich environments. We used a learning task in which animals memorize the location of a set of rewarded feeders, and recall these locations in the presence of small or large obstacles. We report that bilateral DHC or VHC inactivation impaired spatial navigation in both large and small obstacle conditions. Importantly, this impairment did not result from a deficit in the spatial memory for the set of feeders (i.e., recognition of the goal locations) because DHC or VHC inactivation did not affect recall performance when there was no obstacle on the maze. We also show that the behavioral performance of the animals was correlated with several measures of maze complexity and that these correlations were significantly affected by inactivation only in the large object condition. These results suggest that as the complexity of the environment increases, both DHC and VHC are required for spatial navigation.
Binding deficits in visual short‐term memory in patients with temporal lobe lobectomy
Authors: Zokaei Nahid , Nour Matthew M. , Sillence Annie , Drew Daniel , Adcock Jane , Stacey Richard , Voets Natalie , Sen Arjune , Husain Masud
Published: August 2018

Classical views of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) have established that it plays a crucial role in long‐term memory (LTM). Here we demonstrate, in a sample of patients who have undergone anterior temporal lobectomy for the treatment of pharmacoresistant epilepsy, that the MTL additionally plays a specific, causal role in short‐term memory (STM). Patients (n=22) and age‐matched healthy control participants (n=26) performed a STM task with a sensitive continuous report measure. This paradigm allowed us to examine recall memory for object identity, location and object‐location binding, independently on a trial‐by‐trial basis. Our findings point to a specific involvement of MTL in object‐location binding, but, crucially, not retention of either object identity or location. Therefore the MTL appears to perform a specific computation: binding disparate features that belong to a memory. These results echo findings from previous studies, which have identified a role for the MTL in relational binding for LTM, and support the proposal that MTL regions perform such a function for both STM and LTM, independent of the retention duration. Furthermore, these findings and the methodology employed here may provide a simple, sensitive and clinically valuable means to test memory dysfunuction in MTL disorders.
Looking beyond the standard version of the Morris water task in the assessment of mouse models of cognitive deficits
Authors: Mehla Jogender , Deibel Scott H. , Faraji Jamshid , Saito Takashi , Saido Takaomi C , Mohajerani Majid H. , McDonald Robert J.
Published: August 2018

Most studies investigating hippocampal‐dependent learning and memory in mouse models of disease use the standard version of the Morris water task (MWT), in which a place is learned over several days. While useful in determining if there are learning and memory deficits, often it is not clear if memory acquisition, consolidation, or retrieval is affected. For rats, we developed a variant of the task in which we added a single‐massed training session to a new location after the standard distributed version of the MWT. Using this version of the task, competition between these two spatial representations can then be assessed in a probe trial. We have found in rat models of Alzheimer's disease that this paradigm can detect subtle impairments that are often missed in the standard version of the MWT. To the best of our knowledge, MWT paradigm with a single‐massed training session have never been used for mice. We sought to validate this paradigm for the use of assessing mouse models of disease. In the first two experiments, control mice did not have a preference for the new platform location, but instead with extensive training in the massed session displayed a preference for both the old and new locations. In the third experiment, a novel mouse model of Alzheimer's disease was impaired in the standard version of the MWT, but not in the massed training phase of this paradigm. Importantly, these data demonstrate that our paradigm is more informative in characterizing spatial learning and memory in mouse models of disease.
Diversity of dendritic morphology and entorhinal cortex synaptic effectiveness in mouse CA2 pyramidal neurons
Authors: Helton Thomas D. , Zhao Meilan , Farris Shannon , Dudek Serena M.
Published: August 2018

Excitatory synaptic inputs from specific brain regions are often targeted to distinct dendritic arbors on hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Recent work has suggested that CA2 pyramidal neurons respond robustly and preferentially to excitatory input into the stratum lacunosum moleculare (SLM), with a relatively modest response to Schaffer collateral excitatory input into stratum radiatum (SR) in acute mouse hippocampal slices, but the extent to which this difference may be explained by morphology is unknown. In an effort to replicate these findings and to better understand the role of dendritic morphology in shaping responses from proximal and distal synaptic sites, we measured excitatory postsynaptic currents and action potentials in CA2 pyramidal cells in response to SR and SLM stimulation and subsequently analyzed confocal images of the filled cells. We found that, in contrast to previous reports, SR stimulation evoked substantial responses in all recorded CA2 pyramidal cells. Strikingly, however, we found that not all neurons responded to SLM stimulation, and in those neurons that did, responses evoked by SLM and SR were comparable in size and effectiveness in inducing action potentials. In a comprehensive morphometric analysis of CA2 pyramidal cell apical dendrites, we found that the neurons that were unresponsive to SLM stimulation were the same ones that lacked substantial apical dendritic arborization in the SLM. Neurons responsive to both SR and SLM stimulation had roughly equal amounts of dendritic branching in each layer. Remarkably, our study in mouse CA2 generally replicates the work characterizing the diversity of CA2 pyramidal cells in the guinea pig hippocampus. We conclude, then, that like in guinea pig, mouse CA2 pyramidal cells have a diverse apical dendrite morphology that is likely to be reflective of both the amount and source of excitatory input into CA2 from the entorhinal cortex and CA3.
The correlation of HCV RNA and HCV core antigen in different genotypes of HCV
Authors: Xiang Yu , Lai Xiao‐fei , Chen Pu , Yang Yang
Published: August 2018

Background

To analyze the correlation of HCV RNA and HCV core antigen (HCV cAg) in different genotypes of HCV.

Methods

One hundred and six patients who were diagnosed with HCV infection by HCV RNA test were included in the study. HCV genotypes were detected by PCR fluorescent probe. Detected HCV cAg's expression in serum quantitatively and qualitatively with chemiluminescent micro‐particle immuno assay (CMIA) and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively, and compared positive rates. Analyzed the correlation of HCV RNA and HCV cAg in different genotypes.

Results

Distribution of HCV genotypes in 106 HCV infected patients were as follows: 1b genotype 46 (43.4%); 2a genotype 7 (6.6%); 3a genotype 18 (17.0%); 3b genotype 3 (2.8%); 6a genotype 9 (8.5%); 1b/3b mixed type 13 (12.3%); and unidentified type 10 (9.4%). Positive rates of HCV cAg detected by CMIA and ELISA were 100% and 56%, respectively, with statistical significance (χ2 = 60.38, P = 0.000). HCV cAg in 1b genotype group was higher than that in 3b and 1b/3b genotype groups, with statistical significance (U = 3.0, P = 0.006, U = 165, P = 0.014). HCV RNA and HCV cAg in genotype 1b demonstrated a positive correlation (r = 0.894, P = 0.04).

Conclusion

Major genetic subtype of HCV genotype was 1b. Compared with ELISA, detection of HCV cAg by CMIA increased the positive rate and facilitated early diagnosis and treatment of HCV‐infected patients. With the increase in HCV RNA load and the expression of HCV cAg, HCV cAg could be an early indicator for the diagnosis of HCV infection in 1b genotype.
Protective effects of ex‐527 on cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury through necroptosis signaling pathway attenuation
Authors: Nikseresht Sara , Khodagholi Fariba , Ahmadiani Abolhassan
Published: August 2018

Necroptosis, a novel type of programmed cell death, is involved in ischemia–reperfusion‐induced brain injury. Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1), as a well‐known member of histone deacetylase class III, plays pivotal roles in inflammation, metabolism, and neuron loss in cerebral ischemia. We explored the relationship between Sirt1 and the necroptosis signaling pathway and its downstream events by administration of ex‐527, as a selective and potent inhibitor of Sirt1, and necrostatin‐1 (nec‐1), as a necroptosis inhibitor, in an animal model of focal cerebral ischemia. Our data showed different patterns of sirt1 and necroptosis critical regulators, including receptor‐interacting protein kinase 3 and mixed lineage kinase domain–like protein gene expressions in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus after ischemia–reperfusion. We found that ex‐527 microinjection reduces the infarction volume of ischemic brains and improves the survival rate, but not stroke‐associated neurological deficits. Additionally, treatment with ex‐527 effectively abolished the elevation of the critical regulators of necroptosis, whereas necroptosis inhibition through nec‐1 microinjection did not influence Sirt1 expression levels. Our data also demonstrated that the ex‐527 relieves ischemia‐induced perturbation of necroptosis‐associated metabolic enzymes activity in downstream. This study provides a new approach to the possible neuroprotective potential of ex‐527 orchestrated by necroptosis pathway inhibition to alleviate ischemia–reperfusion brain injury.
The effect of high‐fat diet and inhibition of ceramide production on insulin action in liver
Authors: Zabielski Piotr , Daniluk Jarosław , Hady Hady Razak , Markowski Adam R. , Imierska Monika , Górski Jan , Blachnio‐Zabielska Agnieszka U.
Published: August 2018

Liver, as one of the most important organs involved in lipids and glucose metabolism, is perceived as a key tissue for pharmacotherapy of insulin resistance (IRes) and type 2 diabetes. Ceramides (Cer) are biologically active lipids, which accumulation is associated with the induction of muscle IRes. We sought to determine the role of intrahepatic bioactive lipids production on insulin action in liver of insulin‐resistant rats and after myriocin administration. The experiments were conducted on male Wistar rats divided into three groups: Control, fed high‐fat diet (HFD), and fed HFD and treated with myriocin (HFD/Myr). Before sacrifice, the animals were infused with a [U‐13C]palmitate to calculate lipid synthesis rate by means of tracer incorporation technique in particular lipid groups. Liver Cer, diacylglycerols (DAG), acyl‐carnitine concentration, and isotopic enrichment were analyzed by LC/MS/MS. Proteins involved in lipid metabolism and insulin pathway were analyzed by western blot analysis. An OGTT and ITT was also performed. HFD‐induced IRes and increased both the synthesis rate and the content of DAG and Cer, which was accompanied by inhibition of an insulin pathway. Interestingly, myriocin treatment reduced synthesis rate not only of Cer but also DAG and improved insulin sensitivity. We conclude that the insulin‐sensitizing action of myriocin in the liver is a result of the lack of inhibitory effect of lipids on the insulin pathway, due to the reduction of their synthesis rate. This is the first study showing how the synthesis rate of individual lipid groups in liver changes after myriocin administration.
The emerging role of extracellular Ca2+ in osteo/odontogenic differentiation and the involvement of intracellular Ca2+ signaling: From osteoblastic cells to dental pulp cells and odontoblasts
Authors: An Shaofeng
Published: August 2018

Calcium ions (Ca2+) is the main element of dental pulp capping materials. Ca
2+ signaling plays a crucial role in a myriad of cell activities. An overwhelming array of studies have already reported the experimental and clinical benefits of Ca2+‐enriched materials in the treatment of teeth with accidental vital pulp exposure and incomplete root formation. Thus, Ca2+ signaling has always been an excellent target for the design of various novel biomaterials for use in revitalizing or regenerative endodontic procedures. However, the molecular mechanisms that enable dental pulp cells (DPCs) to detect and respond to extracellular Ca2+ have not been characterized in detail before. In this review, we mainly outline the pathways by which the cell detects and responds to extracellular Ca2+, as well as the relevant regulatory paths in DPCs and odontoblasts, and discuss the potential role of Ca2+ as a therapeutic tool. Moreover, because DPCs share many of the same functional properties that are found in osteoblasts, some comparisons with bone cells were additionally incorporated into this text.
Social enterprise push or corporate social responsibility pull? The mainstreaming of fair trade
Authors: Grant Suzanne , Palakshappa Nitha
Published: August 2018

Social enterprise organizations and activities combine market‐oriented approaches with social aspirations, whereas corporate social responsibility strategies seek to integrate social aspects into core business strategies. The rise in social enterprise activity at the business end of the spectrum raises questions about how, where, and why social enterprise and corporate social responsibility might overlap. Through a review of literature, we demonstrate how the mainstreaming or corporatization of fair trade activity provides an example of this overlap. The tensions between the push of social aspirations within fair trade and the pull of commercial imperatives are highlighted. From a marketing viewpoint, a social enterprise push strategy is shown as typically undertaken from an organization perspective, whereas pull strategies in marketing are typically customer driven. We demonstrate that influences from both social enterprise and corporate social responsibility are evident in fair trade mainstreaming processes, although the extent to which each “pushes” or “pulls” varies across circumstances and interpretations.
Loss of Control of HIV Viremia With OTC Weight‐Loss Drugs: A Call for Caution?
Authors: Cattaneo Dario , Giacomelli Andrea , Gervasoni Cristina
Published: August 2018

Improved survival achieved by HIV‐infected patients has complicated their medical care, as increasing numbers of comorbidities have led to polypharmacy and a higher risk of drug–drug interactions. Here, evidence is provided that weight‐loss drugs should be used with caution in HIV‐infected patients treated with lipophilic antiretroviral drugs because of the risk of virologic failure. This is particularly relevant considering that these agents are available on the market as over‐the‐counter medications, thus escaping the control of the physician.
Toward Fast and Efficient Visible‐Light‐Driven Molecular Motors: A Minimal Design
Authors: Wang Jun , Durbeej Bo
Published: August 2018

A key goal in the development of light‐driven rotary molecular motors is to facilitate their usage in biology and medicine by shifting the required irradiation wavelengths from the UV regime to the nondestructive visible regime. Although some progress has been made toward this goal, most available visible‐light‐driven motors either have relatively low quantum yields or require that thermal steps follow the photoisomerizations that underlie the rotary motion. Here, a minimal design for visible‐light‐driven motors without these drawbacks is presented and evaluated on the basis of state‐of‐the‐art quantum chemical calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. The design, featuring dihydropyridinium and cyclohexenylidene motifs and comprising only five conjugated double bonds, is found to produce a full 360° rotation through fast photoisomerizations (excited‐state lifetimes of ≈170–250 fs) powered by photons with energies well below 3 eV.
Burnout among early‐career oncology professionals and the risk factors
Authors: Tang LiLi , Pang Ying , He Yi , Chen Zhishui , Leng JiaHua
Published: August 2018

Background

Health care professionals caring for cancer patients have a considerable risk of developing burnout. However, as burnout has been rarely investigated among early‐career oncology professionals. This study aims to investigate the presence of and risk factors linked to burnout in early‐career oncology professionals.

Methods

A cross‐sectional, hospital‐based survey was conducted. A web link for the survey was sent to all staff of Peking University Cancer Hospital. Measures included the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Effort‐Reward Inventory (ERI), and Big Five Personality Scale along with a questionnaire used to collect demographic, occupational, and social variables.

Results

In total, 862 (71%) clinical health professionals completed the questionnaire, including 290 (35%) early‐career professionals with work experiences as oncology professionals within 5 years. One hundred fourteen (39%) of them reported burnout in at least one domain. Lower scores on agreeableness (odds ratio [OR] = 0.77, P = 0.050) and neuroticism (OR = 0.69, P = 0.007) and high ERI ratio (OR = 103.67, P < 0.001) were associated with emotional exhaustion; lower scores on agreeableness (OR = 0.64, P < 0.001) and neuroticism (OR = 0.69, P = 0.007) and high ERI ratio (OR = 103.67, P < 0.001) were associated with depersonalization.

Conclusions

Chinese early‐career oncology professionals experience a high risk of burnout. The early‐career professionals with lower agreeableness and higher neuroticism in personality may have a higher risk of burnout. Imbalance between work efforts and work rewards is another significant risk factor of burnout.
The Shewhart F control chart for monitoring processes with finite number of inspections
Authors: Celano Giovanni , Castagliola Philippe
Published: August 2018

Processes with a finite number of scheduled inspections are very common in industry. Frequent setup changeovers in mass production aimed at switching from one product code to another and the growing need to manufacture small lots of customized products are challenging issues for quality engineers who want to perform statistical process monitoring (SPM). In this paper, we propose a Shewhart control chart plotting a statistic defined as the ratio F of the between‐sample variability over the within‐sample variability. The F control chart is able to monitor the stability of the location for a normally distributed quality parameter. Being the F statistics autocorrelated, the statistical performance has been evaluated by means of simulation. The numerical analysis shows that the F control chart outperforms the available t control chart for monitoring finite production horizon processes.
An EWMA sign control chart with varying control limits for finite horizon processes
Authors: Celano Giovanni , Castagliola Philippe
Published: August 2018

The sign SN distribution‐free control charts are efficient and simple online tools to perform quality monitoring when the normality of observations cannot be assumed a priori. The possibility of designing an SN control chart whichever is the distribution of observations allows it to be implemented with success in processes with finite production horizon (FPH). Today, FPH processes are widespread in industry. Recently, Shewhart SN control charts have been investigated in literature for this kind of quality control problem. In this paper, we investigate the implementation of an exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) SN control chart for FPH processes. The property to have varying control limits at each inspection allows the EWMA SN control chart to be very sensitive to shifts in the location. A nonhomogeneous Markov chain model is used to evaluate the statistical properties of the EWMA SN control chart with varying control limits. An illustrative example shows the implementation of the EWMA SN control chart with observations collected from a quality monitoring procedure in a company bottling soft drinks.
Cell Therapy for Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia: Current Evidence and Future Directions
Authors: Teraa Martin , Gremmels Hendrik , Wijnand Joep G. J. , Verhaar Marianne C.
Published: August 2018

Cell-based therapies have gained interest as a potential treatment method in cardiovascular disease in the past two decades, peripheral artery disease amongst others. Initial pre-clinical and small pilot clinical studies showed promising effects of cell therapy in peripheral artery disease and chronic limb-threatening ischemia in particular. However, these promising results were not corroborated in larger high quality blinded randomized trials. This has led to a shift of the field towards more sophisticated cell products, especially mesenchymal stromal cells. Mesenchymal stromal cells have some important benefits, making these cells ideal for regenerative medicine, e.g., potential for allogeneic application, loss of disease-mediated cell dysfunction, reduced production costs, off-the-shelf availability. Future high quality and large clinical studies have to prove the efficacy of mesenchymal stromal cells in the treatment of peripheral artery disease.
Electrophysiological Biomarkers Predict Clinical Improvement in an Open-Label Trial Assessing Efficacy of Autologous Umbilical Cord Blood for Treatment of Autism
Authors: Murias Michael , Major Samantha , Compton Scott , Buttinger Jessica , Sun Jessica M. , Kurtzberg Joanne , Dawson Geraldine
Published: August 2018

This study was a phase I, single-center, and open-label trial of a single intravenous infusion of autologous umbilical cord blood in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Twenty-five children between the ages of 2 and 6 with a confirmed diagnosis of ASD and a qualified banked autologous umbilical cord blood unit were enrolled. Safety results and clinical outcomes measured at 6 and 12 months post-infusion have been previously published. The purpose of the present analysis was to explore whether measures of electroencephalography (EEG) theta, alpha, and beta power showed evidence of change after treatment and whether baseline EEG characteristics were predictive of clinical improvement. The primary endpoint was the parent-reported Vineland adaptive behavior scales-II socialization subscale score, collected at baseline, 6- and 12-month visits. In addition, the expressive one word picture vocabulary test 4 and the clinical global impression-improvement scale were administered. Electrophysiological recordings were taken during viewing of dynamic social and nonsocial stimuli at 6 and 12 months post-treatment. Significant changes in EEG spectral characteristics were found by 12 months post-infusion, which were characterized by increased alpha and beta power and decreased EEG theta power. Furthermore, higher baseline posterior EEG beta power was associated with a greater degree of improvement in social communication symptoms, highlighting the potential for an EEG biomarker to predict variation in outcome. Taken together, the results suggest that EEG measures may be useful endpoints for future ASD clinical trials.
NGOs and the creation of value in supply chains
Authors: Chatain Olivier , Plaksenkova Elena
Published: August 2018

Research Summary: Firms and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) often collaborate to establish new supply chains. With a formal model, we analyze how NGOs can alleviate market failures and improve supplier economic inclusion while strategically interacting with firms. We account for the specific goals of the NGO and the need to induce collaboration between firms and their suppliers. The analysis reveals a “valley of frustration,” when NGO efforts benefit all actors but only marginally the firm. We also show that more powerful firms might prefer to internalize NGO functions, while firms with lower bargaining power and higher investment requirements are better off collaborating with NGOs. Finally, we study NGOs‐firms matching patterns and find that firms with higher bargaining power match with NGOs holding stronger capabilities.

Managerial Summary: This article analyzes interactions between firms and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) aiming to improve the economic inclusion of suppliers or to promote the adoption of specific (e.g., sustainable) practices. For firm executives, this study shows the constraints and benefits associated with working with NGOs, the conditions under which integration of NGO functions is preferable as well as the types of NGOs that offer better prospects for a successful collaboration. For NGO executives, it highlights the need to provide enough economic incentives to firms and suppliers alike to ensure their collaboration and the trade‐offs associated with this constraint, in particular, if NGO capabilities are limited. Overall, the study provides a comprehensive understanding of how NGO activities can influence value creation in a vertical value chain.
Reaching through the fog: Institutional environment and cross‐border giving of corporate foundations
Authors: Hornstein Abigail S. , Zhao Minyuan
Published: August 2018

Research Summary: Corporate philanthropy has long been recognized as an important part of multinational strategy, yet we know relatively little how charitable giving is allocated across countries. Using a sample of 208 U.S.‐based corporate foundations from 1993 to 2008, we find that the foundations give more in countries with opaque institutional environments, but they do so through international intermediaries. They also give more when the funding firms have new entries in countries with weak institutions—hence greater needs for the social license to operate—or when their operations require stronger connections with local suppliers or customers. These findings point to the use of corporate philanthropy as part of corporate diplomacy when the local institutions are ineffective and the importance of reaching out to local constituents is high.

Managerial Summary: Corporate foundations play an important role in firms' charitable giving across countries. This article analyzes how foundation giving is associated with the funding firm's need to navigate the local business environments. Using a sample of 208 U.S.‐based corporate foundations from 1993 to 2008, we find that foundations give more in countries characterized by weak rule of law and high levels of corruption, and when the funding firms have newly established subsidiaries or stronger need to connect with local stakeholders there. However, donations to countries with weak institutions are more likely to go through international intermediaries to avoid potential liabilities. The results are consistent with the view that corporate foundations support corporate diplomacy and help obtain the social license to operate in the host countries.
Magnetic multi‐walled carbon nanotubes as a valuable option for the preconcentration of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs in water
Authors: Abujaber Feras , Avendaño Laura , Jodeh Shehdeh , Ríos Ángel , Guzmán Bernardo Francisco Javier , Rodríguez Martín‐Doimeadios Rosa Carmen
Published: August 2018

Water bodies receive a high discharge of drugs, which can behave as pollutants. Sample preparation with new materials and techniques are necessary to achieve adequate selectivity and sensitivity for the determination of these compounds in waters. In this work, magnetic nanoparticles modified with pristine multi‐walled carbon nanotubes have been used as sorbents in a magnetic solid‐phase extraction method for the determination of ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac in natural waters. The synthesis and functionalization of the sorbent are achieved in one single step. Liquid chromatography with ultraviolet and fluorescence detectors was used after sample preparation. The main factors that affect the adsorption and desorption were optimized. Limits of detection were 6.0–9.8 μg L−1 and precision was 1.3–6.1% relative standard deviation. The enrichment factors (4.1–4.8) were close to the preconcentration factor (5) with an amount of sorbent as low as 2.5 mg. Extraction recoveries of 81.3–101.5% were obtained in spiked tap, river and dam water samples. The low amount of adsorbent used and its reusability (up to five times) offers a high economy of use and low waste generation.
Molecular Programming of Perivascular Stem Cell Precursors
Authors: Yianni Val , Sharpe Paul T.
Published: August 2018

Pericytes have been shown to act as precursors of resident adult stem cells in stromal tissues in vivo. When expanded in vitro these cells are capable of giving rise to multiple mesenchymal cell types, irrespective of their tissue of origin. This phenomenon of multi-lineage differentiation is only observed in culture, whereas in vivo, stromal stem cell differentiation is restricted to tissue-specific cell types. An important unanswered question is how a single, widely distributed cell type (a pericyte) gives rise to stem cells with tissue-specific functions and attributes. Using a combination of transcriptomics and epigenomics we have compared the molecular status of two populations of stromal stem cell precursors. Using a LacZ transgene insertion that is expressed in pericytes but not in stem cells, we were able to compare pericyte populations from two different tissues, mouse incisors and bone marrow. Pericytes, freshly isolated from mouse incisors and bone marrow, exhibited transcriptomes and epigenetic landscapes that were extensively different, reflecting their tissue of origin and future in vivo differentiation potential. Dspp, an odontoblast differentiation gene, as well as additional odontogenic genes, are shown to be expressed in dental pulp-derived pericytes. These genetic loci are also decorated with histone modifications indicative of a transcriptionally active chromatin state. In bone marrow pericytes, a major osteogenic differentiation gene, Runx2, is not expressed but is marked by both active and repressive histones and therefore primed to be expressed. Polycomb repressor complex 1 analysis showed that key genes involved in the induction of adipogenesis, chondrogenesis, and myogenesis are targeted by Ring1b and therefore stably repressed. This indicates that pericyte populations are molecularly obstructed from differentiating down certain lineages in vivo.
Bakery yeasts, a new model for studies in ecology and evolution
Authors: Carbonetto Belén , Ramsayer Johan , Nidelet Thibault , Legrand Judith , Sicard Delphine
Published: August 2018

Yeasts have been involved in bread making since ancient times and have thus played an important role in the history and nutrition of humans. Bakery‐associated yeasts have only recently attracted the attention of researchers outside of the bread industry. More than 30 yeast species are involved in bread making, and significant progress has been achieved in describing these species. Here, we present a review of bread‐making processes and history, and we describe the diversity of yeast species and the genetic diversity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from bakeries. We then describe the metabolic functioning and diversity of these yeasts and their relevance to improvements in bread quality. Finally, we examine yeast and bacterial interactions in sourdoughs. The purpose of this review is to show that bakery yeast species are interesting models for studying domestication and other evolutionary and ecological processes. Studying these yeasts can contribute much to our fundamental understanding of speciation, evolutionary dynamics, and community assembly, and this knowledge could ultimately be used to adjust, modify, and improve the production of bread and the conservation of microbial diversity.
Synthesis and Characterization of Ag2MnSnS4, a New Diamond‐like Semiconductor
Authors: Friedrich Daniel , Greil Sebastian , Block Theresa , Heletta Lukas , Pöttgen Rainer , Pfitzner Arno
Published: August 2018

Phase pure Ag2MnSnS4 was synthesized from the elements using standard high‐temperature solid‐state methods. Its crystal structure was solved from single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction data collected from a pseudo‐merohedrally twinned crystal as well as by Rietveld refinement of X‐ray powder diffraction data. Ag2MnSnS4 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group Pc (no. 7) with the unit cell parameters a = 6.651(1), b = 6.943(1), c = 10.536(2) Å, β = 129.15(1)°, V = 337.3(1) Å3, and Z = 2. The tetrahedraly compound crystallizes in a superstructure of the wurtzite type and the tetrahedra volumes are in good agreement with the model for diamond‐related compounds derived from the wurtzite structure type. The red semiconductor Ag2MnSnS4 has an optical bandgap of Eg = 2.0 eV and is stable up to its peritectic decomposition temperature of approximately 700 °C. Ag2MnSnS4 is a Curie–Weiss paramagnet with an experimental magnetic moment of μexp = 5.4(1) μB per manganese atom. Antiferromagnetic ordering is detected at a Néel temperature of TN = 8.8(1) K. 119Sn Mößbauer spectra at 78 K underline the single tetrahedrally coordinated SnIV site (δ = 1.34(1) mm·s–1). The 6 K spectrum (magnetically ordered state) reveals a small transferred magnetic hyperfine field of 1.02(1) T.
Synthesis of Three‐dimensionally Ordered Macroporous TiO2 and TiO2/WO3 Composites and Their Photocatalytic Performance
Authors: Huang Kai , Cai Zhenyu
Published: August 2018

This work presents the characterization and preparation of three‐dimensionally ordered macroporous TiO2 and TiO2/WO3 composite nanoparticles with enhanced visible‐light‐responsive properties for rhodamine B (Rh B) photodegradation. The 3DOM TiO2 and TiO2/WO3 composites were prepared through a dip‐infiltrating sol‐gel process using a polystyrene (PS) colloidal crystal template. The materials were characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, BET, XPS and UV/Vis. The 3DOM TiO2/WO3 composite structures ranged from well‐defined 3DOM structures, which are highly ordered and interconnected via small pore windows, to collapsed three‐dimensional structures as the WO3 content increased. The photoresponse range and specific surface area of the composite increased with less than 0.025 g of WCl6. The 3DOM TiO2/WO3 composite with less than 0.025 g of WCl6 exhibited a higher catalytic activity than 3DOM TiO2 for the photocatalytic degradation of Rh B under simulated sunlight illumination.
N‐nacnac Stabilized Tetrelenes: Formation of an N,P‐Heterocyclic Germylene via C–C Bond Insertion
Authors: Do Dinh Cao Huan , Protchenko Andrey V. , Vasko Petra , Campos Jésus , Kolychev Eugene L. , Aldridge Simon
Published: August 2018

The use of an amino‐functionalized β‐diketiminate (“N‐nacnac”) ligand in low‐valent germanium chemistry is reported, with a view to comparison with “conventional” nacnac systems. Transmetallation of the N‐nacnac ligand from lithium allows access to a versatile chlorogermylene system, and subsequent substituent exchange processes are used to generate related hydrido‐, and phosphaketenyl‐germylenes. The latter undergoes photolytically‐induced cleavage of the P–CO bond to yield an unusual imine‐coordinated N,P‐heterocyclic germylene. On the basis of DFT calculations this transformation is proposed to occur via concerted attack by the electron‐rich carbon–carbon bond of the N‐nacnac backbone accompanying CO loss, rather than via the generation of a free phosphinidene.
Boundedness of classical solutions for a chemotaxis model with rotational flux terms
Authors: Khelghati Ali , Baghaei Khadijeh
Published: August 2018

In this paper, we study the following chemotaxis system with rotational flux terms:
urn:x-wiley:00442267:media:zamm201700091:zamm201700091-math-0001under no‐flux boundary conditions in a bounded domain , with smooth boundary. Here, is a matrix‐valued function and , where S0 is some non‐decreasing function. Also, is a non‐negative function with
urn:x-wiley:00442267:media:zamm201700091:zamm201700091-math-0006where f0 is some non‐decreasing function.

We prove that the classical solutions to the above system are uniformly in‐time‐bounded if there exists a smooth function with such that for some the matrix‐valued function:
urn:x-wiley:00442267:media:zamm201700091:zamm201700091-math-0010be a negative semi‐definite matrix. Here, denotes the transpose of S and is an identity matrix. We show that the preceding matrix‐valued function is a negative semi‐definite matrix provided that
urn:x-wiley:00442267:media:zamm201700091:zamm201700091-math-0014These results extend the recent results obtained by Li et al. (Math. Models Methods Appl. Sci.) (2015) and Zhang (Math. Nachr.) (2016).

We also study the special case with . The above matrix in this case is written as:
urn:x-wiley:00442267:media:zamm201700091:zamm201700091-math-0017For this case, we present a smooth function with such that the matrix‐valued function is a negative semi‐definite matrix provided that . This result extends the result obtained for this problem which asserts the boundedness of classical solutions under the condition . More precisely, by comparing the two conditions, we can write .
Connecting Fisher information to bulk entanglement in holography
Authors: Banerjee Souvik , Erdmenger Johanna , Sarkar Debajyoti
Published: August 2018

Abstract

In the context of relating AdS/CFT to quantum information theory, we propose a holographic dual of Fisher information metric for mixed states in the boundary field theory. This amounts to a holographic measure for the distance between two mixed quantum states. For a spherical subregion in the boundary we show that this is related to a particularly regularized volume enclosed by the Ryu-Takayanagi surface. We further argue that the quantum correction to the proposed Fisher information metric is related to the quantum correction to the boundary entanglement entropy. We discuss consequences of this connection.
MHV amplitudes at strong coupling and linearized TBA equations
Authors: Ito Katsushi , Satoh Yuji , Suzuki Junji
Published: August 2018

Abstract

The maximally helicity violating (MHV) amplitudes of$$ \mathcal{N}=4 $$N=4super Yang-Mills theory at strong coupling are obtained by solving auxiliary thermodynamic Bethe ansatz (TBA) integral equations. We consider a limit where the TBA equations are linearized for large chemical potentials and masses therein. By solving the linearized equations, we derive analytic expansions of the 6-point MHV amplitudes in terms of the ratio of the chemical potentialAand the massM. The expansions are valid up to corrections exponentially small inAor inversely proportional to powers ofA. The analytic expansions describe the amplitudes for small conformal cross-ratios of the particle momenta in a standard basis, and interpolate the amplitudes with equal cross-ratios and those in soft/collinear limits. The leading power corrections are also obtained analytically. We compare the 6-point rescaled remainder functions at strong coupling and at 2 loops for the above kinematics. They are rather different, in contrast to other kinematic regions discussed in the literature where they are found to be similar to each other.
A novel TOPSIS–CBR goal programming approach to sustainable healthcare treatment
Authors: Malekpoor Hanif , Mishra Nishikant , Kumar Sameer
Published: August 2018

Cancer is one of the most common diseases worldwide and its treatment is a complex and time-consuming process. Specifically, prostate cancer as the most common cancer among male population has received the attentions of many researchers. Oncologists and medical physicists usually rely on their past experience and expertise to prescribe the dose plan for cancer treatment. The main objective of dose planning process is to deliver high dose to the cancerous cells and simultaneously minimize the side effects of the treatment. In this article, a novel TOPSIS case based reasoning goal-programming approach has been proposed to optimize the dose plan for prostate cancer treatment. Firstly, a hybrid retrieval process TOPSIS–CBR [technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) and case based reasoning (CBR)] is used to capture the expertise and experience of oncologists. Thereafter, the dose plans of retrieved cases are adjusted using goal-programming mathematical model. This approach will not only help oncologists to make a better trade-off between different conflicting decision making criteria but will also deliver a high dose to the cancerous cells with minimal and necessary effect on surrounding organs at risk. The efficacy of proposed method is tested on a real data set collected from Nottingham City Hospital using leave-one-out strategy. In most of the cases treatment plans generated by the proposed method is coherent with the dose plan prescribed by an experienced oncologist or even better. Developed decision support system can assist both new and experienced oncologists in the treatment planning process.
Phraseology in specialized resources
Authors: Cabezas‑García Melania , Faber Pamela
Published: August 2018

In English, the international language of communication (Tono in Lexicography 1(1):1–5, 2014), complex nominals (CNs) are frequently used to convey specialized concepts (Sager et al. in English special languages. Principles and practice in science and technology. Brandstetter Verlag, Wiesbaden, 1980; Nakov in Natural Language Engineering 19(03):291–330, 2013). These phraseological units have a nominal head that is modifed by another element (e.g., hydropower production). Problems can arise in relation to their identifcation, their bracketing or internal structure disambiguation, their meaning access, and their translation or production in another language. Although they are not marginal phenomena in specialized language, they are rarely included in specialized resources. Even when they are included, their treatment is not systematic (Cabezas-García and Faber in Computational and corpus-based phraseology. Springer, Cham, pp 145–159, 2017a). This article describes the representation of CNs in EcoLexicon (http://www.ecolexicon.ugr.es), a terminological knowledge base, whose new phraseological module will include verb collocations (e.g., a volcano spews lava) as well as CNs. For that purpose, we used a wind power corpus in English and Spanish for term extraction, semantic analysis, establishment of interlinguistic correspondences, and defnition crafting. We propose diferent access points to information (Kwary in International Journal of Lexicography 25(1):30–49, 2012), such as the CNs formed from a given term, a bilingual view in English and Spanish, or the syntactic–semantic combinations in CNs. The structure of the CN module is based on the semantics of these phraseological units, which facilitates the specifcation of mapping rules as well as knowledge acquisition (Faber in A cognitive linguistics view of terminology and specialized language. De Gruyter Mouton, Berlin, 2012).
A Beginner's Guide to Mesoscale Survey with Quadrotor-UAV Systems
Authors: Olson Kyle G. , Rouse Lynne M.
Published: August 2018

Quadrotor-UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) systems are becoming increasingly ubiquitous in archaeological field research for the production of digital elevation models and orthophoto mosaics of sites, monuments, and landscapes. In order to make up for the lack of suitable imagery to use in a larger project on the landscapes surrounding Bronze Age tell sites in the Murghab delta of eastern Turkmenistan, we developed a protocol for the deployment of out-of-the-box UAV systems to document sites and their immediate environs. This article discusses the fundamentals of aerial survey based on our experience deploying a quadrotor UAV, using examples from our case study of the site of Togolok 1. We argue that the approach we developed is particularly useful for mesoscale survey, between 1 and 5 km2, and is particularly useful for producing technical quality outputs, even by relative newcomers to UAV-based aerial survey.
Can the Reasonable Doubt Standard be Justified? A Reconstructed Dialogue
Authors: Picinali Federico
Published: August 2018

The justification of the reasonable doubt standard has been hotly debated in recent years. Deontologists—including retributivists—have generally defended the standard, whilst consequentialists have generally argued for a lower standard of proof. Captivating arguments have been produced from both sides. The paper narrates this debate through a dialogue between ideal representatives of these different camps. In doing so, it recasts—and, hopefully, improves—some of the arguments presented thus far. Then, the paper introduces a new participant in the debate, the Intermediary. The Intermediary is under the impression that the debate has reached an impasse, due to fundamental moral disagreements between the parties involved. Therefore, she presents them with a challenge: to find a common ground that allows the parties to justify to each other the choice of a standard of proof, notwithstanding their different basic moral commitments. The Intermediary takes up this challenge, and provides a justification for the reasonable doubt standard based on the value of respecting defendants and on rules of instrumental rationality.
The Metaphysics of Statehood
Authors: Tan David
Published: August 2018

This paper considers the connections between the Statehood/recognition debate in international law and social ontology. I aim to show that certain theories of social ontology, which I call Groupjective Internalism, can be used to defend Constitutive Theories of Statehood. Among philosophers whom I consider committed to Groupjective Internalism are major figures in the field: Searle, Gilbert and Tuomela. This is an interesting result as Constitutive Theories are generally looked upon with suspicion in international law.
Justifying Resistance to Immigration Law: The Case of Mere Noncompliance
Authors: Yong Caleb
Published: August 2018

Constitutional democracies unilaterally enact the laws that regulate immigration to their territories. When are would-be migrants to a constitutional democracy morally justified in breaching such laws? Receiving states also typically enact laws that require their existing citizens to participate in the implementation of immigration restrictions. When are the individual citizens of a constitutional democracy morally justified in breaching such laws? In this article, I take up these questions concerning the justifiability of noncompliance with immigration law, focusing on the case of nonviolent—or mere—noncompliance. Dissenting from Javier Hidalgo’s view, I argue that the injustice of an immigration law is insufficient to make mere noncompliance justified. Instead, I contend that only if an immigration law lacks legitimate authority are individuals justified in breaching it, since the subjects of an institution with legitimate authority are under a content-independent moral duty to comply with its rules. I further argue that a constitutional democracy’s regimes of law regulating immigration and requiring its citizens’ participation in implementing these regulations have legitimate authority. Nevertheless, when a particular immigration law is egregiously unjust, its legitimacy is defeated.