bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimation of Authigenic U in the Palaeoproterozoic Gulcheru Formation in the Southwestern Margin of the Cuddapah Basin, South India
Authors: Basu Himadri , Umamaheswar K. , Sastry R.S.N. , Chaki Anjan
Published: May 2015

The Proterozoic Cuddapah basin is a well established U province of India. Both the sediments and the basement granitoids of this basin are characterized by higher abundances of intrinsic U. Remobilization of this intrinsic U had presumably played a role in the formation of the deposits found in this basin. While intrinsic U in the granitoids is controlled mainly by the factors of igneous crystallization, in siliciclastics it is contributed from the detrital and the authigenic (non-detrital) sources. Authigenic U in fine siliciclastics is generally determined by estimating its detrital U with reference to the Th/U ratio of a reference rock. Considering the influence of sedimentological factors like recycling, mixing, hydraulic sorting on Th and the differential chemical stability of U and Th in the near-surface depositional conditions, detrital proxies viz. Al and Ti are taken here for estimating the detrital U.

Authigenic U in the mudrocks of the Gulcheru Formation is estimated at 3.33 ppm and 4.03 ppm with reference to the Th/U and the U/Ti ratios, respectively, of the average Proterozoic cratonic shale. Considering the differences in the stability of Th and U in the sedimentary domain, the former is taken as lower and the latter as higher estimates. The redox-sensitive metal ratios (Ni/Co, V/Cr) indicated that U authigenesis in the Gulcheru Formation took place mainly in oxic-dysoxic water. This study also elucidates the bearing of authigenesis on the elevated intrinsic U abundances in the mudrocks of the Gulcheru Formation.
Strain Estimation of Folds, Orbiculites and Quartz Phenocrysts in the Ambaji Basin of the South Delhi Terrane, Aravalli-Delhi Mobile Belt, NW India and its Tectonic Implication
Authors: Mahadani Tanushree , Biswal Tapas Kumar , Mukherjee Tanmay
Published: May 2015

Ambaji basin in the south Delhi terrane of Aravalli-Delhi Mobile Belt consists of greenschist facies rocks which are intruded by 850-750 Ma Ambaji granites and several phases of quartz and pegmatite veins. The basin is tectonically juxtaposed against the Balaram-Kui-Surpagla-Kengora Granulite Complex. In this paper the deformation structures of the Ambaji basin has been studied and strain has been measured using different markers like folds, orbiculites and quartz phenocrysts and its tectonic implication has been discussed. Strain due to folding has been expressed in terms of shortening that has been estimated using wavelength / arc length ratio. Since the folds belong to Class 1C geometry, the arc length of the parent Class 1B fold has been calculated after removing the homogeneous strain component from Class 1C fold. The above technique was verified by drawing a Class 1B fold and modifying to Class 1C by homogeneous strain in Macromedia FreeHand MX software. Further, this was cross checked by measuring strain in two strain ellipses that represent respectively shortening in Class 1B and Class 1C folds. The shortening was estimated to be ca. 65% and 55% during F1 and F2 folding respectively. In order to know the finite strain in the folded rocks the deformed orbiculites in the metabasalt and quartz phenocrysts in the metarhyolite and granites have been analysed by Normalized Fry techniques. An apparent flattening strain with about 10 to 23 % volume loss has been estimated; correlation between inclinations of the longer axis of strain ellipse with strain suggests layer parallel shear to be the primary cause of folding. It has been suggested that buckling associated with moderate shortening and low volume loss are responsible for the deformation in the low grade rocks of Ambaji basin during evolution of South Delhi Terrane.
Evidence of Shock Pressure above 600 kilobar and Post-shock Annealing in Nyaung IIIAB Octahedrite
Authors: Ray D. , Ghosh S. , Murty S.V.S.
Published: May 2015

Nyaung iron is structurally a medium octahedrite (IIIAB) with several large inclusions of troilite-daubreelite aggregates and rare small inclusions of rhabdites. Primary cooling related textures include Widmanstätten structures on mesoscopic scale and large variety of plessites (net, comb and black variety); the latter formed under low temperature through martensitic transformations. Neumann lines (<130 kb) and widely spread matte kamacites (>600 kb) refer to shock- induced secondary changes. Post- shock annealing event is well documented with a large number of microtextures which include disappearance of older Neumann lines and development of decorated Neumann lines, sub-grain boundaries associated with triple point bearing polygonised kamacite, polygonised plessite and spherodised taenite particles; local recrystallisation coupled with degeneration of ε - kamacite, plastic flowage of taenite lamellae and moving grain boundary pinned with taenite beads. Mean cooling rate for Nyaung octahedrite is estimated ~385°C/ Ma with cooling rate variation by a factor of 3.2. Rapid cooling rate is explained in terms of undisturbed fractional crystallisation of small molten core insulated within a very thin silicate mantle.
Field Study of the Positive Flower Structures of the Gombe Inlier, Upper Benue Trough, Northeastern Nigeria
Authors: Jolly Byami A. , Zaborski Peter M. , Anyiam Okwudiri A. , Nzekwe Ebere I.
Published: May 2015

The Gombe inlier can be considered as a geological microcosm of the Gongola basin as it vividly displays general stratigraphic and structural styles within a relatively small, easily accessible area. The Cretaceous lithostratigraphic sequence of the Gombe inlier has been affected by sinistral strike-slip faults; the Gombe and Wuro Ladde-Wurin Dole faults with a Benue and Gongola trend respectively.

Detailed study of these two faults shows that the Gombe fault is older and synsedimentary fault movement started in at least the mid-Santonian. Precambrian basement upthrust along the Gombe Fault is likely to have initiated during the first of the two compressive events that affected the upper Benue trough; the mid-Santonian N - S to N 174° E compression. The Wuro Ladde - Wurin Dole fault is relatively younger because (1) it sinistrally truncates the Liji hill anticlines that occur at the northern end of Gombe hill, resulting in a NEE - SWW trend, and (2) the orientation of transpressional structures along this fault suggest they developed during the end-Cretaceous N 140° E to N 150° E compression.

Well-preserved transpressional structures along these faults provide the structural geologist a rare field examples to study their 3-dimensional (3D) geometry and kinematic evolution; and also as an analog for interpreting seismic reflection data that images complex strike-slip structures in the sub-surface.
Size Distribution of Particles in High Sulphur Coal Ash and their Chemistry: A Computer-controlled Scanning Electron Microscopic Study
Authors: Saikia Binoy K , Das Tonkeswar , Baruah Bimala P
Published: May 2015

The computer-controlled scanning electron microscope (CCSEM) technique was applied to the industrially important coal samples from North-East India to understand the distribution of particle size and consequent ash chemistry. The analysis reveals the presence of ash constituents in different particle sizes with dominance of SiO2 and F2O3 in the coal samples. The variations of the excluded and included nature of these constituents in the coals were evaluated, where the included nature was found to be more dominant than that of excluded ones in both the coal samples. Barium exists in the coals as included in nature. Lead was observed to be associated with the organic part of the coal. The particle-size distributions of the ash constituents were used to interpret the slagging chemistry of the coals.
Evaluation of Permeability Characteristics of a Polymer Fibers-reinforced Soil through Laboratory Tests
Authors: Saghari Siamak , Bagheri Ghader , Shabanzadeh Hamid
Published: May 2015

In geotechnical structures due to the requirement of soil with desired characteristics, handling large volumes of soil is needed. In order to improve the characteristics of soil, soil improvement techniques are used; one of them is enrichment of the soil, using different materials.

Given the growing use of fiber in reinforcement and improving the soil strength profile, various tasks are done with the help of fiber-reinforcement to improve the soil strength parameters. But still, changes in other parameters such as coefficient of permeability, especially in fine-grained soils, has not been studied very well. In this paper permeability characteristics of a polymer fibers-reinforced soil has been evaluated. For this reason samples of the fine-grain soil with various length and weight percentages of polymer fiber are mixed and reinforced. Then they are checked for permeability of granular soils (falling-head method) through standard test methods. Also, fiber impacts in different conditions on coefficient of permeability of soil has been evaluated.
Persistence of non‐vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant use in Japanese patients with atrial fibrillation: A single‐center observational study
Authors: Shiga Tsuyoshi , Naganuma Miyoko , Nagao Takehiko , Maruyama Kenji , Suzuki Atsushi , Murasaki Kagari , Hagiwara Nobuhisa
Published: May 2015

Background

Non‐vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) show a favorable balance between efficacy and safety compared with warfarin for patients with non‐valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). In “real‐world” practice, however, NOAC adherence and persistence among patients are not clear. The aim of this study is to evaluate NOAC and warfarin persistence in Japanese patients with NVAF who newly started these drugs.

Methods

We retrospectively studied 401 patients with NVAF who had newly started NOACs during the first 18 months after our hospital adopted their use (197 dabigatran, 107 rivaroxaban, 102 apixaban) and 200 patients with NVAF who had newly started warfarin during the same period. The endpoint was drug discontinuation for each drug.

Results

During the follow‐up period (up to a maximum of 24 months), 113 (28%) patients who had newly started NOACs and 33 (17%) patients who had newly started warfarin discontinued the drug. The persistence rates of patients prescribed NOACs was lower than that of patients prescribed warfarin at 3, 6, and 12 months (85% versus 93%, 79% versus 88%, and 70% versus 82%, respectively). One‐tenth of patients who had newly started NOACs discontinued the drug by their own decision. Drug adverse events, worsening renal dysfunction, and patient desire were the major causes of NOAC discontinuation.

Conclusions

The rate of persistence of prescribed NOACs was significantly lower than that of warfarin in Japanese patients with NVAF.
The Effects of Constraint, Size and Aspect Ratio on Thermal Shock Resistance of ZNS Wave-Transparent Ceramic in its Actual Service
Authors: Li W.-G. , Li D.-J. , Cheng T.-B. , Fang D.-N.
Published: May 2015

The thermal shock resistance (TSR) of ZnS wave-transparent ceramic depends on not only the mechanical and thermal properties of materials, but also the aerodynamic heating, pneumatic pressure, external constraint, size, aspect ratio and other factors in its actual service process. The theoretical model was established by introducing the analytical solution of transient heat conduction problem of ZnS plate under aerodynamic heating into its thermal stress field model and the pneumatic pressure was introduced. The present work mainly focused on the influences of constraint, size and aspect ratio on the critical rupture temperature difference of ZnS plate subjected to aerodynamic heating and pneumatic pressure. The numerical simulation was also conducted to verify the theoretical model. The results show that the large heat transfer condition corresponds to the poor TSR unless the constraint is too strong; the square plate provides the better TSR in case of different pneumatic pressures; a reasonable side length according to the range of pneumatic pressure would lead to the better TSR.
A Review on Application of Dynamic Parameters of Journal Bearing for Vibration and Condition Monitoring
Authors: Narendiranath Babu T. , Manvel Raj T. , Lakshmanan T.
Published: May 2015

The journal bearings are used to support high-speed rotors in turbo machinery which often operate above the rotor first bending critical speed. This bearing provide both lateral support and dynamic coefficients: Stiffness, damping, and mass terms, related to machine vibrations. The various methods of identifying journal bearing dynamic characteristics, from measured data, obtained from different measurement systems, are reviewed. The various approaches to the bearing identification problem are discussed. The various data processing methods in the time and frequency domains are presented. Also, vibration and condition monitoring techniques are presented. In this review, the relative strengths and weaknesses of bearing are presented and developments and trends in improving bearing measurements are documented. Future trends of journal bearing are discussed.
Ecological Chains of Unfreedom: Contours of Black Sovereignty in the Atlantic World
Authors: SALT KAREN N.
Published: May 2015

Black sovereignty in the Atlantic world pivots, as in the case of Haiti, from a haunting apparition to a haunting recognition, never quite forming a tangible, and legal, sovereignty unto itself. Haiti's tangled and complicated geopolitical positioning within the Atlantic world gives this spectral state of being meaning. Sovereignty, or, as I will suggest, the processes of recognizing sovereignty and the material shape of its appearance, imbues Haiti's sovereign claims with a specific racialized threshold. Reading along Haiti's racio-national edge also illuminates the tenuous position on the international stage of Liberia and Abyssinia – two nations, along with Haiti, that represented the only nation-states in the Atlantic world by the end of the nineteenth century with a majority black population and independence. Although a small representative group, these sites deserve far more scrutiny within the fields of race and sovereignty studies by legal scholars and scholars of transnational American studies, especially because of the ways the nations battled for recognition and respect amongst other nation-states who may have attached derogatory notions of humanity onto the political work and rights of these self-avowed black nations. Haiti is an important example of this phenomenon.
“Can't Repeat the Past?”Gatsbyand the American Dream at Mid-Century
Authors: GOLDBLATT LAURA
Published: May 2015

“‘Can't Repeat the Past?’Gatsbyand the American Dream at Mid-Century” analyzesThe Great Gatsby's Cold War rise to explain its subsequent canonization. The essay uses Ernst Bloch's theory of disappointment and utopianism to dwell, in particular, upon the novel's representations of the American Dream as intimately related to failure and the promise of the New World. Bloch's insistence that disappointment is embedded within utopian formations suggests that the novel's tragic take on Gatsby's dreams is the key to its mid-century fame and its continued cultural appeal.
“It Has to Come from the Hearts of the People”: Evangelicals, Fundamentalists, Race, and the 1964 Civil Rights Act
Authors: STEPHENS RANDALL J.
Published: May 2015

In recent years historians and scholars of religious studies have chronicled and debated the critical role that black and white liberal Protestants, Catholics, and Jews played in the civil rights struggles of the 1950s and 1960s. At every stage of the movement, mainline and traditional black churches proved vital. Less is known about the actions and reactions of conservative or moderate white believers. The churches that these fundamentalists and evangelicals belonged to would grow tremendously in the coming decades, eventually claiming roughly 26 percent of the American population. From the 1960s forward, conservative Protestants would also become key political players, helping to decide national elections. Their responses to the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act, which intended to end discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin, and the heated debates that led up to the law reveal much about how conservative Christians related to the state and to a changing society. Responses to the bill ranged from resigned acceptance to racist denunciation. But believers were united in their antistatism and in their opposition to political and theological liberalism. This article examines how evangelicals and fundamentalists engaged in politics and understood race and racism in personal terms. It also analyzes the religious dimensions of modern American conservatism.
Muscle architecture during the course of development ofDiplostomum pseudospathaceumNiewiadomska, 1984 (Trematoda, Diplostomidae) from cercariae to metacercariae
Authors: Petrov A. , Podvyaznaya I.
Published: May 2015

Recent confocal microscopy studies have greatly expanded our knowledge of muscle systems in cercariae and adult digeneans, but the gross anatomy and development of metacercarial musculature remain relatively little known. To further our understanding of metacercarial development, this study used phalloidin staining and confocal microscopy to examine changes in muscle architecture over the course of development from cercariae to infective metacercariae inDiplostomum pseudospathaceumNiewiadomska, 1984. The paper describes muscle development in the body wall, anterior organ (oral sucker), acetabulum, pharynx and midgut and in the musculo-glandular organs that first appear in metacercariae (lappets and holdfast). The muscle architecture of the cercarial tail is also described. The results of the study support previously reported observations that diplostomid musculature undergoes substantial transformation during metacercarial development. The most profound changes, involving extensive remodelling and replacement of cercarial muscles, were seen in the body-wall musculature and in the anterior organ as it developed into the oral sucker. Muscle systems of other cercarial organs showed more gradual changes. The adaptive importance of developmental changes in musculature is discussed.
EQUALITY VERSUS PRIORITY: A USEFUL DISTINCTION
Authors: Broome John
Published: May 2015

Both egalitarianism and prioritarianism give value to equality. Prioritarianism has an additively separable value function whereas egalitarianism does not. I show that in some cases prioritarianism and egalitarianism necessarily have different implications: I describe two alternatives G and H such that egalitarianism necessarily implies G is better than H whereas prioritarianism necessarily implies G and H are equally good. I also raise a doubt about the intelligibility of prioritarianism.
Improving Intergroup Relations in the Internet Age: A Critical Review
Authors: White Fiona A. , Harvey Lauren J. , Abu-Rayya Hisham M.
Published: May 2015

In this Internet age where computer classrooms, smart phones, and tablet devices are becoming the norm, it is timely that social and educational psychologists integrate such technologies within the field of intergroup relations to develop innovative, effective, and validated tools to promote intergroup harmony. This critical review article introduces a new online contact strategy—Electronic- or E-contact—that allows for physically segregated ingroup and outgroup members to synchronously interact online, in a prestructured format. The synchronous nature of the intergroup interaction allows for the engagement of self in the contact situation that in turn strengthens the effectiveness of E-contact in promoting intergroup harmony. Previous research investigating online contact is reviewed, and an evaluation of a best-practice E-contact framework is provided. This framework is based on the successful 9-week Dual Identity Electronic Contact (DIEC) program that has been shown to maintain reductions in intergroup bias between Muslim and Christian students at 3 time periods: 2 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months post-DIEC intervention. Limitations of the Internet with regard to potentially creating negative contact are also highlighted to offer a balanced critique. Finally, future research designs are proposed to further support and enhance the success of E-contact research to improve intergroup relations and promote peace.
PDGFRα demarcates the cardiogenic clonogenic Sca1+ stem/progenitor cell in adult murine myocardium
Authors: Noseda Michela , Harada Mutsuo , McSweeney Sara , Leja Thomas , Belian Elisa , Stuckey Daniel J. , Abreu Paiva Marta S. , Habib Josef , Macaulay Iain , de Smith Adam J. , al-Beidh Farah , Sampson Robert , Lumbers R. Thomas , Rao Pulivarthi , Harding Sian E. , Blakemore Alexandra I. F. , Eirik Jacobsen Sten , Barahona Mauricio , Schneider Michael D.
Published: May 2015

Cardiac progenitor/stem cells in adult hearts represent an attractive therapeutic target for heart regeneration, though (inter)-relationships among reported cells remain obscure. Using single-cell qRT–PCR and clonal analyses, here we define four subpopulations of cardiac progenitor/stem cells in adult mouse myocardium all sharing stem cell antigen-1 (Sca1), based on side population (SP) phenotype, PECAM-1 (CD31) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α (PDGFRα) expression. SP status predicts clonogenicity and cardiogenic gene expression (Gata4/6, Hand2 and Tbx5/20), properties segregating more specifically to PDGFRα+ cells. Clonal progeny of single Sca1+ SP cells show cardiomyocyte, endothelial and smooth muscle lineage potential after cardiac grafting, augmenting cardiac function although durable engraftment is rare. PDGFRα− cells are characterized by Kdr/Flk1, Cdh5, CD31 and lack of clonogenicity. PDGFRα+/CD31− cells derive from cells formerly expressing Mesp1, Nkx2-5, Isl1, Gata5 and Wt1, distinct from PDGFRα−/CD31+ cells (Gata5 low; Flk1 and Tie2 high). Thus, PDGFRα demarcates the clonogenic cardiogenic Sca1+ stem/progenitor cell.
TCR ITAM multiplicity is required for the generation of follicular helper T-cells
Authors: Hwang SuJin , Palin Amy C. , Li LiQi , Song Ki-Duk , Lee Jan , Herz Jasmin , Tubo Noah , Chu Hamlet , Pepper Marion , Lesourne Renaud , Zvezdova Ekaterina , Pinkhasov Julia , Jenkins Marc K. , McGavern Dorian , Love Paul E.
Published: May 2015

The T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) complex contains 10 copies of a di-tyrosine Immunoreceptor-Tyrosine-based-Activation-Motif (ITAM) that initiates TCR signalling by recruiting protein tyrosine kinases. ITAM multiplicity amplifies TCR signals, but the importance of this capability for T-cell responses remains undefined. Most TCR ITAMs (6 of 10) are contributed by the CD3ζ subunits. We generated ‘knock-in’ mice that express non-signalling CD3ζ chains in lieu of wild-type CD3ζ. Here we demonstrate that ITAM multiplicity is important for the development of innate-like T-cells and follicular helper T-cells, events that are known to require strong/sustained TCR–ligand interactions, but is not essential for ‘general’ T-cell responses including proliferation and cytokine production or for the generation of a diverse antigen-reactive TCR repertoire.
Infrared identification of the Criegee intermediates syn- and anti-CH3CHOO, and their distinct conformation-dependent reactivity
Authors: Lin Hui-Yu , Huang Yu-Hsuan , Wang Xiaohong , Bowman Joel M. , Nishimura Yoshifumi , Witek Henryk A. , Lee Yuan-Pern
Published: May 2015

The Criegee intermediates are carbonyl oxides that play critical roles in ozonolysis of alkenes in the atmosphere. So far, the mid-infrared spectrum of only the simplest Criegee intermediate CH2OO has been reported. Methyl substitution of CH2OO produces two conformers of CH3CHOO and consequently complicates the infrared spectrum. Here we report the transient infrared spectrum of syn- and anti-CH3CHOO, produced from CH3CHI + O2 in a flow reactor, using a step-scan Fourier-transform spectrometer. Guided and supported by high-level full-dimensional quantum calculations, rotational contours of the four observed bands are simulated successfully and provide definitive identification of both conformers. Furthermore, anti-CH3CHOO shows a reactivity greater than syn-CH3CHOO towards NO/NO2; at the later period of reaction, the spectrum can be simulated with only syn-CH3CHOO. Without NO/NO2, anti-CH3CHOO also decays much faster than syn-CH3CHOO. The direct infrared detection of syn- and anti-CH3CHOO should prove useful for field measurements and laboratory investigations of the Criegee mechanism.
Protein stabilization utilizing a redefined codon
Authors: Ohtake Kazumasa , Yamaguchi Atsushi , Mukai Takahito , Kashimura Hiroki , Hirano Nobutaka , Haruki Mitsuru , Kohashi Sosuke , Yamagishi Kenji , Murayama Kazutaka , Tomabechi Yuri , Itagaki Takashi , Akasaka Ryogo , Kawazoe Masahito , Takemoto Chie , Shirouzu Mikako , Yokoyama Shigeyuki , Sakamoto Kensaku
Published: May 2015

Recent advances have fundamentally changed the ways in which synthetic amino acids are incorporated into proteins, enabling their efficient and multiple-site incorporation, in addition to the 20 canonical amino acids. This development provides opportunities for fresh approaches toward addressing fundamental problems in bioengineering. In the present study, we showed that the structural stability of proteins can be enhanced by integrating bulky halogenated amino acids at multiple selected sites. Glutathione S-transferase was thus stabilized significantly (by 5.2 and 5.6 kcal/mol) with 3-chloro- and 3-bromo-l-tyrosines, respectively, incorporated at seven selected sites. X-ray crystallographic analyses revealed that the bulky halogen moieties filled internal spaces within the molecules and formed non-canonical stabilizing interactions with the neighboring residues. This new mechanism for protein stabilization is quite simple and applicable to a wide range of proteins, as demonstrated by the rapid stabilization of the industrially relevant azoreductase.
3D hierarchical assembly of ultrathin MnO2 nanoflakes on silicon nanowires for high performance micro-supercapacitors in Li- doped ionic liquid
Authors: Dubal Deepak P. , Aradilla David , Bidan Gérard , Gentile Pascal , Schubert Thomas J.S. , Wimberg Jan , Sadki Saïd , Gomez-Romero Pedro
Published: May 2015

Building of hierarchical core-shell hetero-structures is currently the subject of intensive research in the electrochemical field owing to its potential for making improved electrodes for high-performance micro-supercapacitors. Here we report a novel architecture design of hierarchical MnO2@silicon nanowires (MnO2@SiNWs) hetero-structures directly supported onto silicon wafer coupled with Li-ion doped 1-Methyl-1-propylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluromethylsulfonyl)imide (PMPyrrBTA) ionic liquids as electrolyte for micro-supercapacitors. A unique 3D mesoporous MnO2@SiNWs in Li-ion doped IL electrolyte can be cycled reversibly across a voltage of 2.2 V and exhibits a high areal capacitance of 13 mFcm−2. The high conductivity of the SiNWs arrays combined with the large surface area of ultrathin MnO2 nanoflakes are responsible for the remarkable performance of these MnO2@SiNWs hetero-structures which exhibit high energy density and excellent cycling stability. This combination of hybrid electrode and hybrid electrolyte opens up a novel avenue to design electrode materials for high-performance micro-supercapacitors.
Large-scale parallel alignment of platelet-shaped particles through gravitational sedimentation
Authors: Behr Sebastian , Vainio Ulla , Müller Martin , Schreyer Andreas , Schneider Gerold A.
Published: May 2015

Parallel and concentric alignment of microscopic building blocks into several orders of magnitude larger structures is commonly observed in nature. However, if similarly aligned structures are artificially produced their thickness is generally limited to just about one or two orders of magnitude more than the dimensions of the smallest element. We show that sedimentation provides a promising approach to manufacture solid materials consisting of well-aligned platelet-shaped particles while being more than 30 000 times thicker than the individual particle. Such sediments contain up to 28 vol% of particles without any further treatment and can be densified to 67 vol% particle fraction by subsequent unidirectional pressing. The degree of orientation of the platelet-shaped particles within the sediments was tracked by high-energy X-ray diffraction measurements. The Hermans orientation parameter, a statistical measure of the quality of alignment, was determined to be 0.63 ± 0.03 already for as-sedimented samples while the standard deviation of the orientation distribution of particles, another measure of average misalignment, was found to be (21.5 ± 1.4)°. After pressing, these values further improved to (0.81 ± 0.01) and (14.6 ± 0.4)°, respectively. Such quality of alignment competes with, if not even exceeds, values reported in the literature.
Piperlongumine and immune cytokine TRAIL synergize to promote tumor death
Authors: Li Jiahe , Sharkey Charles C. , King Michael R.
Published: May 2015

Malignant transformation results in increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Adaption to this toxic stress allows cancer cells to proliferate. Recently, piperlongumine (PL), a natural alkaloid, was identified to exhibit novel anticancer effects by targeting ROS signaling. PL induces apoptosis specifically in cancer cells by downregulating several anti-apoptotic proteins. Notably, the same anti-apoptotic proteins were previously found to reduce tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-induced apoptosis in cancer cells. Therefore, we reasoned that PL would synergize with TRAIL to stimulate potent apoptosis in cancer cells. We demonstrate for the first time that PL and TRAIL exhibit a synergistic anti-cancer effect in cancer cell lines of various origins. PL resulted in the upregulation of TRAIL receptor DR5, which potentiated TRAIL-induced apoptosis in cancer cells. Furthermore, such upregulation was found to be dependent on ROS and the activation of JNK and p38 kinases. Treatment with combined PL and TRAIL demonstrated significant anti-proliferative effects in a triple-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 xenograft model. This work provides a novel therapeutic approach for inducing cancer cell death. Combination of PL and TRAIL may suggest a novel paradigm for treatment of primary and metastatic tumors.
Basal protein phosphatase 2A activity restrains cytokine expression: role for MAPKs and tristetraprolin
Authors: Rahman Md. Mostafizur , Rumzhum Nowshin N. , Morris Jonathan C. , Clark Andrew R. , Verrills Nicole M. , Ammit Alaina J.
Published: May 2015

PP2A is a master controller of multiple inflammatory signaling pathways. It is a target in asthma; however the molecular mechanisms by which PP2A controls inflammation warrant further investigation. In A549 lung epithelial cells in vitro we show that inhibition of basal PP2A activity by okadaic acid (OA) releases restraint on MAPKs and thereby increases MAPK-mediated pro-asthmatic cytokines, including IL-6 and IL-8. Notably, PP2A inhibition also impacts on the anti-inflammatory protein – tristetraprolin (TTP), a destabilizing RNA binding protein regulated at multiple levels by p38 MAPK. Although PP2A inhibition increases TTP mRNA expression, resultant TTP protein builds up in the hyperphosphorylated inactive form. Thus, when PP2A activity is repressed, pro-inflammatory cytokines increase and anti-inflammatory proteins are rendered inactive. Importantly, these effects can be reversed by the PP2A activators FTY720 and AAL(s), or more specifically by overexpression of the PP2A catalytic subunit (PP2A-C). Moreover, PP2A plays an important role in cytokine expression in cells stimulated with TNFα; as inhibition of PP2A with OA or PP2A-C siRNA results in significant increases in cytokine production. Collectively, these data reveal the molecular mechanisms of PP2A regulation and highlight the potential of boosting the power of endogenous phosphatases as novel anti-inflammatory strategies to combat asthmatic inflammation.
Fortnightly atmospheric tides forced by spring and neap tides in coastal waters
Authors: Iwasaki Shinsuke , Isobe Atsuhiko , Miyao Yasuyuki
Published: May 2015

The influence of sea surface temperature (SST) on atmospheric processes over the open ocean has been well documented. However, atmospheric responses to SST in coastal waters are poorly understood. Oceanic stratification (and consequently, SST) in coastal waters largely depends on the fortnightly spring–neap tidal cycle, because of variations in vertical tidal mixing. Here we investigate how changes in SST during the fortnightly tidal cycle affect the lower-level atmosphere over the Seto Inland Sea, Japan. We use a combination of in situ measurements, satellite observations and a regional atmospheric model. We find that the SST in summer shows cool (warm) anomalies over most of the inland sea during spring (neap) tides. Additionally, surface air temperature is positively correlated with the SST as it varies during the fortnightly tidal cycle. Moreover, the fortnightly spring–neap cycle also influences the surface wind speed because the atmospheric boundary layer becomes stabilized or destabilized in response to the difference between air temperature and SST.
Proteomic analysis of three gonad types of swamp eel reveals genes differentially expressed during sex reversal
Authors: Sheng Yue , Zhao Wei , Song Ying , Li Zhigang , Luo Majing , Lei Quan , Cheng Hanhua , Zhou Rongjia
Published: May 2015

A variety of mechanisms are engaged in sex determination in vertebrates. The teleost fish swamp eel undergoes sex reversal naturally and is an ideal model for vertebrate sexual development. However, the importance of proteome-wide scanning for gonad reversal was not previously determined. We report a 2-D electrophoresis analysis of three gonad types of proteomes during sex reversal. MS/MS analysis revealed a group of differentially expressed proteins during ovary to ovotestis to testis transformation. Cbx3 is up-regulated during gonad reversal and is likely to have a role in spermatogenesis. Rab37 is down-regulated during the reversal and is mainly associated with oogenesis. Both Cbx3 and Rab37 are linked up in a protein network. These datasets in gonadal proteomes provide a new resource for further studies in gonadal development.
Ultra High-Resolution In vivo Computed Tomography Imaging of Mouse Cerebrovasculature Using a Long Circulating Blood Pool Contrast Agent
Authors: Starosolski Zbigniew , Villamizar Carlos A. , Rendon David , Paldino Michael J. , Milewicz Dianna M. , Ghaghada Ketan B. , Annapragada Ananth V.
Published: May 2015

Abnormalities in the cerebrovascular system play a central role in many neurologic diseases. The on-going expansion of rodent models of human cerebrovascular diseases and the need to use these models to understand disease progression and treatment has amplified the need for reproducible non-invasive imaging methods for high-resolution visualization of the complete cerebral vasculature. In this study, we present methods for in vivo high-resolution (19 μm isotropic) computed tomography imaging of complete mouse brain vasculature. This technique enabled 3D visualization of large cerebrovascular networks, including the Circle of Willis. Blood vessels as small as 40 μm were clearly delineated. ACTA2 mutations in humans cause cerebrovascular defects, including abnormally straightened arteries and a moyamoya-like arteriopathy characterized by bilateral narrowing of the internal carotid artery and stenosis of many large arteries. In vivo imaging studies performed in a mouse model of Acta2 mutations demonstrated the utility of this method for studying vascular morphometric changes that are practically impossible to identify using current histological methods. Specifically, the technique demonstrated changes in the width of the Circle of Willis, straightening of cerebral arteries and arterial stenoses. We believe the use of imaging methods described here will contribute substantially to the study of rodent cerebrovasculature.
High-Throughput Microfluidic Platform for 3D Cultures of Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Towards Engineering Developmental Processes
Authors: Occhetta Paola , Centola Matteo , Tonnarelli Beatrice , Redaelli Alberto , Martin Ivan , Rasponi Marco
Published: May 2015

The development of in vitro models to screen the effect of different concentrations, combinations and temporal sequences of morpho-regulatory factors on stem/progenitor cells is crucial to investigate and possibly recapitulate developmental processes with adult cells. Here, we designed and validated a microfluidic platform to (i) allow cellular condensation, (ii) culture 3D micromasses of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hBM-MSCs) under continuous flow perfusion and (ii) deliver defined concentrations of morphogens to specific culture units. Condensation of hBM-MSCs was obtained within 3 hours, generating micromasses in uniform sizes (56.2 ± 3.9 μm). As compared to traditional macromass pellet cultures, exposure to morphogens involved in the first phases of embryonic limb development (i.e. Wnt and FGF pathways) yielded more uniform cell response throughout the 3D structures of perfused micromasses (PMMs) and a 34-fold higher percentage of proliferating cells at day 7. The use of a logarithmic serial dilution generator allowed to identify an unexpected concentration of TGFβ3 (0.1 ng/ml) permissive to hBM-MSCs proliferation and inductive to chondrogenesis. This proof-of-principle study supports the described microfluidic system as a tool to investigate processes involved in mesenchymal progenitor cells differentiation, towards a ‘developmental engineering’ approach for skeletal tissue regeneration.
A systems-biological study on the identification of safe and effective molecular targets for the reduction of ultraviolet B-induced skin pigmentation
Authors: Lee Ho-Sung , Goh Myeong-Jin , Kim Junil , Choi Tae-Jun , Kwang Lee Hae , Joo Na Yong , Cho Kwang-Hyun
Published: May 2015

Melanogenesis is the process of melanin synthesis through keratinocytes-melanocytes interaction, which is triggered by the damaging effect of ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays. It is known that melanogenesis influences diverse cellular responses, including cell survival and apoptosis, via complex mechanisms of feedback and crosstalk. Therefore, an attempt to suppress melanin production by modulating the melanogenesis pathway may induce perturbations in the apoptotic balance of the cells in response to UVB irradiation, which results in various skin diseases such as melasma, vitiligo and skin cancer. To identify such appropriate target strategies for the reduction of UVB-induced melanin synthesis, we reconstructed the melanogenesis signaling network and developed a Boolean network model. Mathematical simulations of the melanogenesis network model revealed that the inhibition of beta-catenin in the melanocytes effectively reduce melanin production while having minimal influence on the apoptotic balance of the cells. Exposing cells to a beta-catenin inhibitor decreased pigmentation but did not significantly change the B-cell Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/lymphoma 2 expression, a potent regulator of apoptotic balance. Thus, our systems analysis suggests that the inhibition of beta-catenin may be the most appropriate target strategy for the reduction of UVB-induced skin pigmentation.
Integrated Genomics Identifies Convergence of Ankylosing Spondylitis with Global Immune Mediated Disease Pathways
Authors: Uddin Mohammed , Codner Dianne , Mahmud Hasan S M , Scherer Stephen W , O’Rielly Darren D , Rahman Proton
Published: May 2015

Ankylosing spondylitis(AS), a highly heritable complex inflammatory arthritis. Although, a handful of non-HLA risk loci have been identified, capturing the unexplained genetic contribution to AS pathogenesis remains a challenge attributed to additive, pleiotropic and epistatic-interactions at the molecular level. Here, we developed multiple integrated genomic approaches to quantify molecular convergence of non-HLA loci with global immune mediated diseases. We show that non-HLA genes are significantly sensitive to deleterious mutation accumulation in the general population compared with tolerant genes. Human developmental proteomics (prenatal to adult) analysis revealed that proteins encoded by non-HLA AS risk loci are 2-fold more expressed in adult hematopoietic cells.Enrichment analysis revealed AS risk genes overlap with a significant number of immune related pathways (p < 0.0001 to 9.8 × 10-12). Protein-protein interaction analysis revealed non-shared AS risk genes are highly clustered seeds that significantly converge (empirical; p < 0.01 to 1.6 × 10-4) into networks of global immune mediated disease risk loci. We have also provided initial evidence for the involvement of STAT2/3 in AS pathogenesis. Collectively, these findings highlight molecular insight on non-HLA AS risk loci that are not exclusively connected with overlapping immune mediated diseases; rather a component of common pathophysiological pathways with other immune mediated diseases. This information will be pivotal to fully explain AS pathogenesis and identify new therapeutic targets.
MicroRNA expression profiles predict clinical phenotypes and prognosis in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Ge Yu-Zheng , Xin Hui , Lu Tian-Ze , Xu Zheng , Yu Peng , Zhao You-Cai , Li Ming-Hao , Zhao Yan , Zhong Bing , Xu Xiao , Zhou Liu-Hua , Wu Ran , Xu Lu-Wei , Wu Jian-Ping , Li Wen-Cheng , Zhu Jia-Geng , Jia Rui-Peng
Published: May 2015

Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (chRCC) is the third most common subtype of kidney cancers. In the present study, we identified 58 treatment-naïve primary chRCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset and analyzed the genome-wide microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles, with the aim to assess the relationship of miRNA expression with the progression and prognosis of chRCC. Overall, a total of 105 miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed between tumor and the adjacent normal tissues from 22 chRCC patients. In the unpaired condition (58 chRCC vs. 22 normal tissues), 77 (96.3%) samples were distinguished correctly by the signatures. In the progression-related profiles, 27 miRNAs were selected for pathologic T and 9 for lymph node involvement. In the survival analyses, the expression levels of mir-191, mir-19a, mir-210 and mir-425 were significantly associated with both recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival, while mir-210 was proven as an independent prognostic factor in terms of RFS. In summary, miRNAs are expressed differentially in chRCC and unique expression of miRNAs is associated with the progression and prognosis of chRCC.
Licochalcone A-induced human gastric cancer BGC-823 cells apoptosis by regulating ROS-mediated MAPKs and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways
Authors: Hao Wenjin , Yuan Xuan , Yu Lina , Gao Caixia , Sun Xiling , Wang Dong , Zheng Qiusheng
Published: May 2015

Both phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades play an important role in cell proliferation, survival, angiogenesis and metastasis of tumor cells. In the present report, we investigated the effects of licochalcone A (LA), a flavonoid extracted from licorice root, on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MAPK activation pathways in human gastric cancer BGC-823 cells. LA increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, which is associated with the induction of apoptosis as characterized by positive Annexin V binding and activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP). Inhibition of ROS generation by N-acetylcysteine (NAC) significantly prevented LA-induced apoptosis. Interestingly, we also observed that LA caused the activation of ERK, JNK and p38 MAPK in BGC-823 cells. The antitumour activity of LA-treated BGC-823 cells was significantly distinct in KM mice in vivo. All the findings from our study suggest that LA can interfere with MAPK signaling cascades, initiate ROS generation, induce oxidative stress and consequently cause BGC cell apoptosis.
Enhanced optical transmission and Fano resonance through a nanostructured metal thin film
Authors: Xiao Bo , Pradhan Sangram K. , Santiago Kevin C. , Rutherford Gugu N. , Pradhan Aswini K.
Published: May 2015

Artificial and engineered nanostructures expand the degrees of freedom with which one can manipulate the intricate interplay of light and matter. Certain nanostructural arrangements in the excited state enable the efficient electromagnetic coupling of propagating light with localized fields. Here, we demonstrate that light transmitted through a nanostructured metal thin film without any apertures can be significantly enhanced. Distinct asymmetric Fano resonances are observed in the zero-order transmission spectra using an incoherent light source. The transmission efficiency surpasses that of a metal thin film with the same area and thickness at the resonance maxima. The transmission minima and the sharp resonance maxima bear a strong resemblance to the extraordinary optical transmission observed in sub-wavelength nanohole array structures The resonance wavelength closely matches the nanostructural periodicity. The sensitivity of the resonances to the surrounding medium and the transmission efficiency demonstrate the potential for use in energy harvesting, imaging, optical processing and sensing applications.
Burkholderiales participating in pentachlorophenol biodegradation in iron-reducing paddy soil as identified by stable isotope probing
Authors: Tong Hui , Hu Min , Li Fangbai , Chen Manjia , Lv Yahui
Published: May 2015

As the most prevalent preservative worldwide for many years, pentachlorophenol (PCP) has attracted much interest in the study of biodegradation in soil and aquatic ecosystems.
One-pot in situ photochemical synthesis of graphene oxide/gold nanorod nanocomposites for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Caires A. J. , Alves D. C. B. , Fantini C. , Ferlauto A. S. , Ladeira L. O.
Published: May 2015

One-pot process is demonstrated that produces gold nanorods/graphene oxide nanocomposites that can be used as highly sensitive surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrates.
Separation of micro-phytoplankton from inorganic particulate in Antarctic seawater (Ross Sea) for the determination of Cd, Pb and Cu: optimization of the analytical methodology
Authors: Truzzi C. , Annibaldi A. , Finale C. , Libani G. , Romagnoli T. , Scarponi G. , Illuminati S.
Published: May 2015

Phytoplankton vs. inorganic particulate in Antarctic seawater: which gives major contribution to the heavy metal content? A new method to discover it.
N-doped carbon dots with high sensitivity and selectivity for hypochlorous acid detection and its application in water
Authors: Wang Dongmei , Xu Hui , Zheng Baozhan , Li Yang , Liu Maoping , Du Juan , Xiao Dan
Published: May 2015

The as-prepared N-doped CDs were applied as a HOCl sensor with high sensitivity and selectivity.
Improved analysis of inorganic coal properties based on near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy
Authors: Hu Ruifen , Wang Yasheng , Yang Meng , Li Xinmeng , Luo Zhiyuan , Li Guang
Published: May 2015

A novel method is proposed to improve the analysis accuracy of inorganic properties by adding organic information.
Assembly of bioactive multilayered nanocoatings on pancreatic islet cells: incorporation of α1-antitrypsin into the coatings
Authors: Zhi Zheng-Liang , Singh Jashandeep , Austin Amazon L. F. , Hope David C. D. , King Aileen J. , Persaud Shanta J. , Jones Peter M.
Published: May 2015

A novel multilayer deposition approach to the delivery of therapeutic proteins onto the surface of pancreatic islets, using a heparin polyaldehyde and glycol chitosan alternating layering scheme, has been developed for addressing the blood-mediated inflammatory reaction against islet cells.
Oxygen electroreduction promoted by quasi oxygen vacancies in metal oxide nanoparticles prepared by photoinduced chlorine doping
Authors: Wang Nan , Niu Wenhan , Li Ligui , Liu Ji , Tang Zhenghua , Zhou Weijia , Chen Shaowei
Published: May 2015

Quasi oxygen vacancies on ITO nanoparticles were prepared by photoinduced chlorine doping to promote oxygen electroreduction in alkaline media.