bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plantation, Archive, Stage: Trans(post)colonial Intimations in Katherine Dunham’sL’Ag’yaandLittle Black Sambo
Authors: Kabir Ananya Jahanara
Published: June 2015

This article assesses the African American dancer and intellectual Katherine Dunham’s vision and legacy for a performative history of the Black Atlantic by examining two of her early choreographic works,L’AgyaandLittle Black Sambo. From little-known archival materials and her published writings, I reconstruct the genesis of these works in her fieldwork in the French Caribbean as well as in the phantasm of the Plantation. Through the emotional relationships between Africa, “Africa,” and African diasporic expressive life that emerge, I excavate a hidden history for the modern subject as formed through not only the displacements generated by colonialism and slavery, but also unexpected new regimes of pleasure that were their historical consequences. The resulting imaginative and kinetic expressions that conflate colonial and postcolonial temporalities enable me to posit the limits and possibilities of “trans(post)colonial collaborations” within Dunham’s repertoire as well as for the horizon of the present.
PROCESS AND SUBSTANCE AS ASPECTS OF THE PUBLIC LAW FORM
Authors: Dyzenhaus David
Published: June 2015

I argue that process and substance are two aspects of the public law form and that the form conditions the content of the law. The reduction of a political programme to the explicit terms of a statute involves a conversion of policy into public standards, which produces a kind of legal surplus value. It brings into being a particular type of public standard – one that permits the operation of the principles identified by Lon L. Fuller as the desiderata of the inner morality of law, and which enables individual claims of right based on legal principle to be adjudicated.
FERTILITY PATTERN AND FITNESS OF THE SPANISH-MEXICAN COLONISTS OF CALIFORNIA (1742–1876)
Authors: Del Hoyo I. , Crespo L. , García-Moro C. , Hernández M. , Esparza M.
Published: June 2015

The analysis of fertility in colonizing populations is of great interest, since its individuals experience a major environmental change, and fertility rates can reflect the level of adaptation of the population to its new conditions. Using Northrop’s genealogical compilations, this paper examines the fertility pattern of California’s early Spanish-Mexican colonists between 1742 and 1876, their fitness levels and their trend across time throughout the colonizing period. A total of 197 women from 599 compiled families who had completed their reproductive period and had at least one child were analysed. The correlations among variables were also analysed in order to infer the relationship between longevity and fertility, and the influence of fertility determinants. The results show a natural fertility pattern, with a very young age at marriage and birth of first child (17.2 and 19.1 years respectively), and also a young age at last childbirth (38.8 years). The population’s fitness showed greater values than for contemporary European populations, with 8 of 9.2 children surviving to adulthood, in comparison with 55% of newborns in Finland for the same period, suggesting a good adaptation of the population to their new environmental conditions. No relationship between fertility and lifespan was observed, as has been reported by other authors and in opposition to classical theories. A temporal trend in the number of children, consisting of three different phases, was observed, in accordance with the stability of living conditions in the region.
On-line Ascent Phase Trajectory Optimal Guidance Algorithm based on Pseudo-spectral Method and Sensitivity Updates
Authors: Zhang Da , Liu Lei , Wang Yongji
Published: June 2015

The objective of this paper is to investigate an online method to generate an optimal ascent trajectory for air-breathing hypersonic vehicles. A direct method called the Pseudo-spectral method shows promise for real-time optimal guidance. A significant barrier to this optimisation-based control strategy is computational delay, especially when the solution time of the non-linear programming problem exceeds the sampling time. Therefore, an online guidance algorithm for an air-breathing hypersonic vehicles with process constraints and terminal states constraints is proposed based on the Pseudo-spectral method and sensitivity analysis in this paper, which can reduce online computational costs and improve performance significantly. The proposed ascent optimal guidance method can successively generate online open-loop suboptimal controls without the design procedure of an inner-loop feedback controller. Considering model parameters' uncertainties and external disturbance, a sampling theorem is proposed that indicates the effect of the Lipschitz constant of the dynamics on sampling frequency. The simulation results indicate that the proposed method offers improved performance and has promising ability to generate an optimal ascent trajectory for air-breathing hypersonic vehicles.
Qu’est-ce t’as été te mêler de ça ?!Une « nouvelle » structure pour les questions rhétoriques conflictuelles
Authors: DEKHISSI LAURIE
Published: June 2015

Cet article porte sur la variation syntaxique entrequ’est-ce (que)etpourquoidans les questions rhétoriques conflictuelles (QRC). Le corpus utilisé est constitué de 38 films du cinéma de banlieue afin d’observer cette variation chez les locuteurs du français multiculturel, garants d’un langage très expressif. Il s’avère que la structure /kesk/ est une structure très emphatique, directe et plus menaçante que sa variante enpourquoi, qui elle, est ambiguë entre une demande d’information traditionnelle et une QRC. Cette structure, /kesk/, utilisée sans distinction d’âge et favorisée par les locuteurs masculins du corpus, se révèle être un outil communicatif très puissant et présent dans le français parlé dès 1668 chez Molière.
Prehospital Naloxone Administration as a Public Health Surveillance Tool: A Retrospective Validation Study
Authors: Lindstrom Heather A. , Clemency Brian M. , Snyder Ryan , Consiglio Joseph D. , May Paul R. , Moscati Ronald M.
Published: June 2015

Background

Abuse or unintended overdose (OD) of opiates and heroin may result in prehospital and emergency department (ED) care. Prehospital naloxone use has been suggested as a surrogate marker of community opiate ODs. The study objective was to verify externally whether prehospital naloxone use is a surrogate marker of community opiate ODs by comparing Emergency Medical Services (EMS) naloxone administration records to an independent database of ED visits for opiate and heroin ODs in the same community.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of prehospital and ED data from July 2009 through June 2013 was conducted. Prehospital naloxone administration data obtained from the electronic medical records (EMRs) of a large private EMS provider serving a metropolitan area were considered a surrogate marker for suspected opiate OD. Comparison data were obtained from the regional trauma/psychiatric ED that receives the majority of the OD patients. The ED maintains a de-identified database of narcotic-related visits for surveillance of narcotic use in the metropolitan area. The ED database was queried for ODs associated with opiates or heroin. Cross-correlation analysis was used to test if prehospital naloxone administration was independent of ED visits for opiate/heroin ODs.

Results

Naloxone was administered during 1,812 prehospital patient encounters, and 1,294 ED visits for opiate/heroin ODs were identified. The distribution of patients in the prehospital and ED datasets did not differ by gender, but it did differ by race and age. The frequency of naloxone administration by prehospital providers varied directly with the frequency of ED visits for opiate/heroin ODs. A monthly increase of two ED visits for opiate-related ODs was associated with an increase in one prehospital naloxone administration (cross-correlation coefficient [CCF]=0.44; P=.0021). A monthly increase of 100 ED visits for heroin-related ODs was associated with an increase in 94 prehospital naloxone administrations (CCF=0.46; P=.0012).

Conclusions

Frequency of naloxone administration by EMS providers in the prehospital setting varied directly with frequency of opiate/heroin OD-related ED visits. The data correlated both for short-term frequency and longer term trends of use. However, there was a marked difference in demographic data suggesting neither data source alone should be relied upon to determine which populations are at risk within the community.

LindstromHA, ClemencyBM, SnyderR, ConsiglioJD, MayPR, MoscatiRM. Prehospital naloxone administration as a public health surveillance tool: a retrospective validation study. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(4):1–5.
Effect of Fenugreek Seeds on Serum Metabolic Factors and Adiponectin Levels in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Authors: Rafraf Maryam , Malekiyan Mina , Asghari-Jafarabadi Mohammad , Aliasgarzadeh Akbar
Published: June 2015

This triple-blind randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 88 type 2 diabetic (T2DM) patients (males and females). Subjects in the fenugreek seed (n = 44) and placebo (n = 44) groups consumed 10 g/d of powdered whole fenugreek seeds or 5 g/d of wheat starch for 8 weeks. Fasting blood samples, anthropometric measurements and dietary records were collected at the baseline and at the end of the trial. Fenugreek seeds significantly decreased fasting blood glucose (P = 0.007) and HbA1c (P = 0.0001), serum levels of insulin (P = 0.03), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (P = 0.004), total cholesterol (P = 0.005) and triglycerides (P = 0.0001) and increased serum levels of adiponectin (P = 0.001) compared with placebo. No significant changes were shown in serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in both groups. In conclusion, fenugreek seeds improved glucose metabolism, serum lipid profile and adiponectin levels in studied subjects, and may be useful in the control of diabetes risk factors in TD2M patients.
Higher Dietary Acidity is Associated with Lower Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Iranian Women, Independent of Dietary Calcium Intake
Authors: Shariati-Bafghi Seyedeh-Elaheh , Nosrat-Mirshekarlou Elaheh , Karamati Mohsen , Rashidkhani Bahram
Published: June 2015

Findings of studies on the link between dietary acid-base balance and bone mass are relatively mixed. We examined the association between dietary acid-base balance and bone mineral density (BMD) in a sample of Iranian women, hypothesizing that a higher dietary acidity would be inversely associated with BMD, even when dietary calcium intake is adequate. In this cross-sectional study, lumbar spine and femoral neck BMDs of 151 postmenopausal women aged 50 - 85 years were measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Dietary intakes were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Renal net acid excretion (RNAE), an estimate of acid-base balance, was then calculated indirectly from the diet using the formulae of Remer (based on dietary intakes of protein, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium; RNAERemer) and Frassetto (based on dietary intakes of protein and potassium; RNAEFrassetto), and was energy adjusted by the residual method. After adjusting for potential confounders, multivariable adjusted means of the lumbar spine BMD of women in the highest tertiles of RNAERemer and RNAEFrassetto were significantly lower than those in the lowest tertiles (for RNAERemer: mean difference -0.084 g/cm2; P=0.007 and for RNAEFrassetto: mean difference - 0.088 g/cm2; P=0.004). Similar results were observed in a subgroup analysis of subjects with dietary calcium intake of >800 mg/day. In conclusion, a higher RNAE (i. e. more dietary acidity), which is associated with greater intake of acid-generating foods and lower intake of alkali-generating foods, may be involved in deteriorating the bone health of postmenopausal Iranian women, even in the context of adequate dietary calcium intake.
Bruton’s tyrosine kinase is essential for NLRP3 inflammasome activation and contributes to ischaemic brain injury
Authors: Ito Minako , Shichita Takashi , Okada Masahiro , Komine Ritsuko , Noguchi Yoshiko , Yoshimura Akihiko , Morita Rimpei
Published: June 2015

Inflammasome activation has been implicated in various inflammatory diseases including post-ischaemic inflammation after stroke. Inflammasomes mediate activation of caspase-1, which subsequently induces secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-18, as well as a form of cell death called pyroptosis. In this study, we report that Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) is an essential component of the NLRP3 inflammasome, in which BTK physically interacts with ASC and NLRP3. Inhibition of BTK by pharmacological or genetic means severely impairs activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. The FDA-approved BTK inhibitor ibrutinib (PCI-32765) efficiently suppresses infarct volume growth and neurological damage in a brain ischaemia/reperfusion model in mice. Ibrutinib inhibits maturation of IL-1β by suppressing caspase-1 activation in infiltrating macrophages and neutrophils in the infarcted area of ischaemic brain. Our study indicates that BTK is essential for NLRP3 inflammasome activation and could be a potent therapeutic target in ischaemic stroke.
A diode for ferroelectric domain-wall motion
Authors: Whyte J.R. , Gregg J.M.
Published: June 2015

For over a decade, controlling domain-wall injection, motion and annihilation along nanowires has been the preserve of the nanomagnetics research community. Revolutionary technologies have resulted, like racetrack memory and domain-wall logic. Until recently, equivalent research in analogous ferroic materials did not seem important. However, with the discovery of sheet conduction, the control of domain walls in ferroelectrics has become vital for the future of what has been termed ‘domain-wall electronics’. Here we report the creation of a ferroelectric domain-wall diode, which allows a single direction of motion for all domain walls, irrespective of their polarity, under a series of alternating electric field pulses. The diode’s sawtooth morphology is central to its function. Domain walls can move readily in the direction in which thickness increases gradually, but are prevented from moving in the other direction by the sudden thickness increase at the sawtooth edge.
Functional group diversity increases with modularity in complex food webs
Authors: Montoya D. , Yallop M.L. , Memmott J.
Published: June 2015

Biodiversity increases the ability of ecosystems to provide multiple functions. Most studies report a positive relationship between species richness and the number of ecosystem functions. However, it is not known whether the number of functional groups is related to the structure of the underlying species interaction network. Here we present food web data from 115 salt marsh islands and show that network structure is associated with the number of functional groups present. Functional group diversity is heterogeneously distributed across spatial scales, with some islands hosting more functional groups than others. Functional groups form modules within the community so that food webs with more modular architectures have more functional group diversity. Further, in communities with different interaction types, modularity can be seen as the multifunctional equivalent of trophic complementarity. Collectively, these findings reveal spatial heterogeneity in the number of functional groups that emerges from patterns in the structure of the food web.
Somatic mutations in leukocytes infiltrating primary breast cancers
Authors: Kleppe Maria , Comen Elizabeth , Wen Hannah Y , Bastian Lennart , Blum Brian , Rapaport Franck T , Keller Matthew , Granot Zvika , Socci Nicolas , Viale Agnès , You Daoqi , Benezra Robert , Weigelt Britta , Brogi Edi , Berger Michael F , Reis-Filho Jorge S , Levine Ross L , Norton Larry
Published: June 2015

Background:

Malignant transformation requires the interaction of cancer cells with their microenvironment, including infiltrating leukocytes. However, somatic mutational studies have focused on alterations in cancer cells, assuming that the microenvironment is genetically normal. Because we hypothesized that this might not be a valid assumption, we performed exome sequencing and targeted sequencing to investigate for the presence of pathogenic mutations in tumor-associated leukocytes in breast cancers.

Methods:

We used targeted sequencing and exome sequencing to evaluate the presence of mutations in sorted tumor-infiltrating CD45-positive cells from primary untreated breast cancers. We used high-depth sequencing to determine the presence/absence of the mutations we identified in breast cancer-infiltrating leukocytes in purified tumor cells and in circulating blood cells.

Results:

Capture-based sequencing of 15 paired tumor-infiltrating leukocytes and matched germline DNA identified variants in known cancer genes in all 15 primary breast cancer patients in our cohort. We validated the presence of mutations identified by targeted sequencing in infiltrating leukocytes through orthogonal exome sequencing. Ten patients harbored alterations previously reported as somatically acquired variants, including in known leukemia genes (DNTM3A, TET2, and BCOR). One of the mutations observed in the tumor-infiltrating leukocytes was also detected in the circulating leukocytes of the same patients at a lower allele frequency than observed in the tumor-infiltrating cells.

Conclusions:

Here we show that somatic mutations, including mutations in known cancer genes, are present in the leukocytes infiltrating a subset of primary breast cancers. This observation allows for the possibility that the cancer cells interact with mutant infiltrating leukocytes, which has many potential clinical implications.
Why do patients with Parkinson’s disease fall? A cross-sectional analysis of possible causes of falls
Authors: Schrag Anette , Choudhury Mahbuba , Kaski Diego , Gallagher David A
Published: June 2015

Background:

Falls in Parkinson’s disease (PD) are associated with significant injury, disability, hospitalization, and reduced quality of life.

Aims:

To identify modifiable medical causes of falls in a cohort of PD patients.

Methods:

Eighty seven PD patients were interviewed and examined using validated scales assessing motor and nonmotor aspects of PD, comorbidities and medication use. The frequency of falls in the last month was the primary outcome measure. Falls were hypothesized to be associated with increasing age, advanced motor severity, particularly axial features (e.g., freezing and postural instability), and dyskinesia. Nonmotor features hypothesized to be associated with falls included; cognitive impairment, psychosis, sleep disorders, cardiovascular dysfunction, and ophthalmological and medical comorbidities.

Results:

Fallers had longer disease duration, higher Levodopa-equivalent doses, greater ‘On’ time with dyskinesia (all P<0.005), and higher scores on some Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale items, particularly axial scores. However, patients with falls did not differ from non-fallers in age or overall motor UPDRS scores. Severity of psychosis, executive cognitive impairment, autonomic (particularly cardiovascular) dysfunction and sleep disturbances (particularly REM sleep behavioral disorder) were significantly associated with falls (all P<0.005). Fallers more frequently reported use of antidepressants (both tricyclics and SSRIs) and neuroleptics (P<0.001), but not hypnotics. There was no difference in medical comorbidities, ophthalmological assessments, fatigue, and apathy scores between the groups. In logistic regression analysis, cardiovascular dysfunction, antidepressant use, and REM sleep behavioral disorder were significantly associated with falls.

Conclusions:

The causes of falls in PD are multifactorial and extend beyond motor impairment and dyskinesia; addressing these in patients already treated with dopaminergic medications has the potential to improve this important complication of PD.
Modelling the Transport of Nanoparticles under Blood Flow using an Agent-based Approach
Authors: Fullstone Gavin , Wood Jonathan , Holcombe Mike , Battaglia Giuseppe
Published: June 2015

Blood-mediated nanoparticle delivery is a new and growing field in the development of therapeutics and diagnostics. Nanoparticle properties such as size, shape and surface chemistry can be controlled to improve their performance in biological systems. This enables modulation of immune system interactions, blood clearance profile and interaction with target cells, thereby aiding effective delivery of cargo within cells or tissues. Their ability to target and enter tissues from the blood is highly dependent on their behaviour under blood flow. Here we have produced an agent-based model of nanoparticle behaviour under blood flow in capillaries. We demonstrate that red blood cells are highly important for effective nanoparticle distribution within capillaries. Furthermore, we use this model to demonstrate how nanoparticle size can selectively target tumour tissue over normal tissue. We demonstrate that the polydispersity of nanoparticle populations is an important consideration in achieving optimal specificity and to avoid off-target effects. In future this model could be used for informing new nanoparticle design and to predict general and specific uptake properties under blood flow.
Encoded Library Synthesis Using Chemical Ligation and the Discovery of sEH Inhibitors from a 334-Million Member Library
Authors: Litovchick Alexander , Dumelin Christoph E. , Habeshian Sevan , Gikunju Diana , Guié Marie-Aude , Centrella Paolo , Zhang Ying , Sigel Eric A. , Cuozzo John W. , Keefe Anthony D. , Clark Matthew A.
Published: June 2015

A chemical ligation method for construction of DNA-encoded small-molecule libraries has been developed. Taking advantage of the ability of the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase to accept templates with triazole linkages in place of phosphodiesters, we have designed a strategy for chemically ligating oligonucleotide tags using cycloaddition chemistry. We have utilized this strategy in the construction and selection of a small molecule library and successfully identified inhibitors of the enzyme soluble epoxide hydrolase.
TonEBP suppresses adipogenesis and insulin sensitivity by blocking epigenetic transition of PPARγ2
Authors: Lee Jun Ho , Lee Hwan Hee , Ye Byeong Jin , Lee-Kwon Whaseon , Choi Soo Youn , Kwon Hyug Moo
Published: June 2015

TonEBP is a key transcription factor in cellular adaptation to hypertonic stress and also in macrophage activation. Since TonEBP is involved in inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis, we asked whether TonEBP played a role in adipogenesis and insulin resistance. Here we report that TonEBP suppresses adipogenesis and insulin signaling by inhibiting expression of the key transcription factor PPARγ2. TonEBP binds to the PPARγ2 promoter and blocks the epigenetic transition of the locus which is required for the activation of the promoter. When TonEBP expression is reduced, the epigenetic transition and PPARγ2 expression are markedly increased leading to enhanced adipogenesis and insulin response while inflammation is reduced. Thus, TonEBP is an independent determinant of adipose insulin sensitivity and inflammation. TonEBP is an attractive therapeutic target for insulin resistance in lieu of PPARγ agonists.
Waveguide integrated superconducting single-photon detectors with high internal quantum efficiency at telecom wavelengths
Authors: Kahl Oliver , Ferrari Simone , Kovalyuk Vadim , Goltsman Gregory N. , Korneev Alexander , Pernice Wolfram H. P.
Published: June 2015

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) provide high efficiency for detecting individual photons while keeping dark counts and timing jitter minimal. Besides superior detection performance over a broad optical bandwidth, compatibility with an integrated optical platform is a crucial requirement for applications in emerging quantum photonic technologies. Here we present SNSPDs embedded in nanophotonic integrated circuits which achieve internal quantum efficiencies close to unity at 1550 nm wavelength. This allows for the SNSPDs to be operated at bias currents far below the critical current where unwanted dark count events reach milli-Hz levels while on-chip detection efficiencies above 70% are maintained. The measured dark count rates correspond to noise-equivalent powers in the 10−19 W/Hz−1/2 range and the timing jitter is as low as 35 ps. Our detectors are fully scalable and interface directly with waveguide-based optical platforms.
Understanding the association of Escherichia coli with diverse macroalgae in the lagoon of Venice
Authors: Quero Grazia M. , Fasolato Luca , Vignaroli Carla , Luna Gian Marco
Published: June 2015

Recent studies provided evidence that the macroalga Cladopohora in lakes hosts associated Escherichia coli, with consequences on the environmental and human health. We expanded these investigations to other macroalgae (Ulva spp., Sargassum muticum and Undaria pinnatifida) widespread in the lagoon of Venice (Italy). Attached E. coli were abundant, accounting up to 3,250 CFU gram−1 of alga. Macroalgal-associated isolates belonged to all E. coli phylogroups, including pathogenic ones and to Escherichia cryptic clades. Attached E. coli showed potential to grow even at in situ temperature on macroalgal extracts as only source of carbon and nutrients and ability to produce biofilm in vitro. The genotypic diversity of the attached isolates was high, with significant differences between algae and the overlying water. Our evidences suggest that attached populations consist of both resident and transient strains, likely resulting from the heterogeneous input of fecal bacteria from the city. We report that cosmopolitan and invasive macroalgae may serve as source of E. coli, including pathogenic genotypes and that this habitat can potentially support their growth. Considering the global diffusion of the macroalgae here studied, this phenomenon is likely occurring in other coastal cities worldwide and deserves further investigations from either the sanitary and ecological perspectives.
Ubiquitin-specific protease 14 modulates degradation of cellular prion protein
Authors: Homma Takujiro , Ishibashi Daisuke , Nakagaki Takehiro , Fuse Takayuki , Mori Tsuyoshi , Satoh Katsuya , Atarashi Ryuichiro , Nishida Noriyuki
Published: June 2015

Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the accumulation of prion protein (PrPC). To date, there is no effective treatment for the disease. The accumulated PrP, termed PrPSc, forms amyloid fibrils and could be infectious. It has been suggested that PrPSc is abnormally folded and resistant to proteolytic degradation and also inhibits proteasomal functions in infected cells, thereby inducing neuronal death. Recent work indicates that the ubiquitin-proteasome system is involved in quality control of PrPC. To reveal the significance of prion protein ubiqitination, we focused on ubiquitin-specific protease 14 (USP14), a deubiqutinating enzyme that catalyzes trimming of polyubiquitin chains and plays a role in regulation of proteasomal processes. Results from the present study showed that treatment with a selective inhibitor of USP14 reduced PrPC, as well as PrPSc, levels in prion-infected neuronal cells. Overexpression of the dominant negative mutant form of USP14 reduced PrPSc, whereas wildtype USP14 increased PrPSc in prion-infected cells. These results suggest that USP14 prevents degradation of both normal and abnormal PrP. Collectively, a better understanding about the regulation of PrPSc clearance caused by USP14 might contribute greatly to the development of therapeutic strategies for prion diseases.
Pentamethylquercetin (PMQ) reduces thrombus formation by inhibiting platelet function
Authors: Liang Ming-Lu , Da Xing-Wen , He Ao-Di , Yao Guang-Qiang , Xie Wen , Liu Gang , Xiang Ji-Zhou , Ming Zhang-Yin
Published: June 2015

Flavonoids exert both anti-oxidant and anti-platelet activitiesin vitroandin vivo. Pentamethylquercetin (PMQ), a polymethoxylated flavone derivative, has been screened for anti-carcinogenic and cardioprotective effects. However, it is unclear whether PMQ has anti-thrombotic effects. In the present study, PMQ (20 mg/kg) significantly inhibited thrombus formation in the collagen- epinephrine- induced acute pulmonary thrombosis mouse model and the ferric chloride-induced carotid injury model. To explore the mechanism, we evaluated the effects of PMQ on platelet function. We found that PMQ inhibited platelet aggregation and granule secretion induced by low dose agonists, including ADP, collagen, thrombin and U46619. Biochemical analysis revealed that PMQ inhibited collagen-, thrombin- and U46619-induced activation of Syk, PLCγ2, Akt, GSK3β and Erk1/2. Therefore, we provide the first report to show that PMQ possesses anti-thrombotic activityin vivoand inhibited platelet functionin vitro, suggesting that PMQ may represent a potential therapeutic candidate for the prevention or treatment of thrombotic disorders.
Ectopic clustering of Cajal–Retzius and subplate cells is an initial pathological feature in Pomgnt2-knockout mice, a model of dystroglycanopathy
Authors: Nakagawa Naoki , Yagi Hirokazu , Kato Koichi , Takematsu Hiromu , Oka Shogo
Published: June 2015

Aberrant glycosylation of dystroglycan causes congenital muscular dystrophies associated with cobblestone lissencephaly, classified as dystroglycanopathy. However, pathological features in the onset of brain malformations, including the precise timing and primary cause of the pial basement membrane disruption and abnormalities in the migration of pyramidal neurons, remain unexplored. Using the Pomgnt2-knockout (KO) mouse as a dystroglycanopathy model, we show that breaches of the pial basement membrane appeared at embryonic day 11.5, coinciding with the ectopic clustering of Cajal–Retzius cells and subplate neurons and prior to the migration onset of pyramidal neurons. Furthermore, in the Pomgnt2-KO cerebral cortex, preplate splitting failure likely occurred due to the aggregation of Cajal–Retzius and subplate cells and migrating pyramidal neurons lost polarity and radial orientation. Our findings demonstrate the initial pathological events in dystroglycanopathy mice and contribute to our understanding of how dystroglycan dysfunction affects brain development and progresses to cobblestone lissencephaly.
Extracting entangled qubits from Majorana fermions in quantum dot chains through the measurement of parity
Authors: Dai Li , Kuo Watson , Chung Ming-Chiang
Published: June 2015

We propose a scheme for extracting entangled charge qubits from quantum-dot chains that support zero-energy edge modes. The edge mode is composed of Majorana fermions localized at the ends of each chain. The qubit, logically encoded in double quantum dots, can be manipulated through tunneling and pairing interactions between them. The detailed form of the entangled state depends on both the parity measurement (an even or odd number) of the boundary-site electrons in each chain and the teleportation between the chains. The parity measurement is realized through the dispersive coupling of coherent-state microwave photons to the boundary sites, while the teleportation is performed via Bell measurements. Our scheme illustrates localizable entanglement in a fermionic system, which serves feasibly as a quantum repeater under realistic experimental conditions, as it allows for finite temperature effect and is robust against disorders, decoherence and quasi-particle poisoning.
Metabolite-enabled mutualistic interaction between Shewanella oneidensis and Escherichia coli in a co-culture using an electrode as electron acceptor
Authors: Wang Victor Bochuan , Sivakumar Krishnakumar , Yang Liang , Zhang Qichun , Kjelleberg Staffan , Loo Say Chye Joachim , Cao Bin
Published: June 2015

Mutualistic interactions in planktonic microbial communities have been extensively studied. However, our understanding on mutualistic communities consisting of co-existing planktonic cells and biofilms is limited. Here, we report a planktonic cells-biofilm mutualistic system established by the fermentative bacteriumEscherichia coliand the dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteriumShewanella oneidensisin a bioelectrochemical device, where planktonic cells in the anode media interact with the biofilms on the electrode. Our results show that the transfer of formate is the key mechanism in this mutualistic system. More importantly, we demonstrate that the relative distribution ofE. coliandS. oneidensisin the liquid media and biofilm is likely driven by their metabolic functions towards an optimum communal metabolism in the bioelectrochemical device. RNA sequencing-based transcriptomic analyses of the interacting organisms in the mutualistic system potentially reveal differential expression of genes involved in extracellular electron transfer pathways in both species in the planktonic cultures and biofilms.
Tin-Doped Inorganic Amorphous Films for Use as Transparent Monolithic Phosphors
Authors: Masai Hirokazu , Miyata Hiroki , Yamada Yasuhiro , Okumura Shun , Yanagida Takayuki , Kanemitsu Yoshihiko
Published: June 2015

Although inorganic crystalline phosphors can exhibit high quantum efficiency, their use in phosphor films has been limited by a reliance on organic binders that have poor durability when exposed to high-power and/or high excitation energy light sources. To address this problem, Sn2+ -doped transparent phosphate films measuring several micrometers in thickness have been successfully prepared through heat treatment and a subsequent single dip-coating process. The resulting monolithic inorganic amorphous film exhibited an internal quantum efficiency of over 60% and can potentially utilize transmitted light. Analysis of the film’s emissivity revealed that its color can be tuned by changing the amount of Mn and Sn added to influence the energy transfer from Sn2+ to Mn2+. It is therefore concluded that amorphous films containing such emission centers can provide a novel and viable alternative to conventional amorphous films containing crystalline phosphors in light-emitting devices.
A live attenuated vaccine prevents replication and transmission of H7N9 virus in mammals
Authors: Kong Huihui , Zhang Qianyi , Gu Chunyang , Shi Jianzhong , Deng Guohua , Ma Shujie , Liu Jinxiong , Chen Pucheng , Guan Yuntao , Jiang Yongping , Chen Hualan
Published: June 2015

The continued spread of the newly emerged H7N9 viruses among poultry in China, together with the emergence of drug-resistant variants and the possibility of human-to-human transmission, has spurred attempts to develop an effective vaccine. An MF59-adjuvant H7N9 inactivated vaccine is reported to be well-tolerated and immunogenic in humans; however a study in ferrets indicated that while a single dose of the inactivated H7N9 vaccine reduced disease severity, it did not prevent virus replication and transmission. In this study, we used reverse genetics to produce a cold-adapted, live attenuated H7N9 vaccine (H7N9/AAca) that contains wild-type HA and NA genes from AH/1 and the backbone of the cold-adapted influenza H2N2 A/Ann Arbor/6/60 virus (AAca). H7N9/AAca was attenuated in mice and ferrets and induced robust neutralizing antibody responses in rhesus mice, ferrets and guinea pigs immunized once or twice intranasally. The animals immunized twice were completely protected from H7N9 virus challenge. Importantly, the animals vaccinated once were fully protected from transmission when exposed to or in contact with the H7N9 virus-inoculated animals. These results demonstrate that a cold-adapted H7N9 vaccine can prevent H7N9 virus transmission; they provide a compelling argument for further testing of this vaccine in human trials.
The role of calcineurin signaling in microcystin-LR triggered neuronal toxicity
Authors: Li Guangyu , Yan Wei , Dang Yao , Li Jing , Liu Chunsheng , Wang Jianghua
Published: June 2015

Microcystin-LR (MCLR) is a commonly acting potent hepatotoxin and has been pointed out of potentially causing neurotoxicity, but the exact mechanisms of action still remain unclear. Using proteomic analysis, forty-five proteins were identified to be significantly altered in hippocampal neurons of rats treated with MCLR. Among them, Ca2+-activated phosphatase calcineurin (CaN) and the nuclear factor of activated T-cells isoform c3 (NFATc3) were up-regulated remarkably. Validation of the changes in CaN and NFATc3 expression by Western blotting demonstrated CaN cleavage and subsequent NFATc3 nuclear translocation were generated, suggesting that exposure to MCLR leads to activation of CaN, which in turn activates NFATc3. Activation of CaN signaling has been reported to result in apoptosis via dephosphorylation of the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family member Bad. In agreement with this, our results revealed that treatment of neurons with the CaN inhibitor FK506 blocked the reduction in Bad dephosphorylation and cytochrome c (cyt c) release triggered by MCLR. Consistent with these biochemical results, we observed a marked decrease in apoptotic and necrotic cell death after MCLR exposure in the presence of FK506, supporting the hypothesis that MCLR appeared to cause neuronal toxicity by activation of CaN and the CaN-mediated mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.
Versatile control of metal-assisted chemical etching for vertical silicon microwire arrays and their photovoltaic applications
Authors: Um Han-Don , Kim Namwoo , Lee Kangmin , Hwang Inchan , Hoon Seo Ji , Yu Young J. , Duane Peter , Wober Munib , Seo Kwanyong
Published: June 2015

A systematic study was conducted into the use of metal-assisted chemical etching (MacEtch) to fabricate vertical Si microwire arrays, with several models being studied for the efficient redox reaction of reactants with silicon through a metal catalyst by varying such parameters as the thickness and morphology of the metal film. By optimizing the MacEtch conditions, high-quality vertical Si microwires were successfully fabricated with lengths of up to 23.2 μm, which, when applied in a solar cell, achieved a conversion efficiency of up to 13.0%. These solar cells also exhibited an open-circuit voltage of 547.7 mV, a short-circuit current density of 33.2 mA/cm2 and a fill factor of 71.3% by virtue of the enhanced light absorption and effective carrier collection provided by the Si microwires. The use of MacEtch to fabricate high-quality Si microwires therefore presents a unique opportunity to develop cost-effective and highly efficient solar cells.
Background fish feminization effects in European remote sites
Authors: Jarque Sergio , Quirós Laia , Grimalt Joan O. , Gallego Eva , Catalan Jordi , Lackner Reinhard , Piña Benjamin
Published: June 2015

Human activity has spread trace amounts of chemically stable endocrine-disrupting pollutants throughout the biosphere. These compounds have generated a background level of estrogenic activity that needs to be assessed. Fish are adequate sentinels for feminization effects as male specimens are more sensitive than humans to exogenous estrogenic compounds. High mountain lakes, the most distant environments of continental areas, only receive semi-volatile compounds from atmospheric deposition. We analyzed the expression levels of estrogen-regulated genes in male fish from these mountain lakes in Europe. Incipient feminization involving expression of estrogen receptor and zona radiata genes revealed a widespread diffuse estrogenic impact. This effect was correlated with the concentrations of some organochlorine compounds in fish and was consistent with the persistent occurrence of these tropospheric pollutants in the most remote planet regions. These results should be of general concern given the increasing endocrine disruption effects in human populations.
Continuous Flow Microfluidic Bioparticle Concentrator
Authors: Martel Joseph M. , Smith Kyle C. , Dlamini Mcolisi , Pletcher Kendall , Yang Jennifer , Karabacak Murat , Haber Daniel A. , Kapur Ravi , Toner Mehmet
Published: June 2015

Innovative microfluidic technology has enabled massively parallelized and extremely efficient biological and clinical assays. Many biological applications developed and executed with traditional bulk processing techniques have been translated and streamlined through microfluidic processing with the notable exception of sample volume reduction or centrifugation, one of the most widely utilized processes in the biological sciences. We utilize the high-speed phenomenon known as inertial focusing combined with hydraulic resistance controlled multiplexed micro-siphoning allowing for the continuous concentration of suspended cells into pre-determined volumes up to more than 400 times smaller than the input with a yield routinely above 95% at a throughput of 240 ml/hour. Highlighted applications are presented for how the technology can be successfully used for live animal imaging studies, in a system to increase the efficient use of small clinical samples and finally, as a means of macro-to-micro interfacing allowing large samples to be directly coupled to a variety of powerful microfluidic technologies.
Production of monoclonal antibodies against GPCR using cell-free synthesized GPCR antigen and biotinylated liposome-based interaction assay
Authors: Takeda Hiroyuki , Ogasawara Tomio , Ozawa Tatsuhiko , Muraguchi Atsushi , Jih Pei-Ju , Morishita Ryo , Uchigashima Motokazu , Watanabe Masahiko , Fujimoto Toyoshi , Iwasaki Takahiro , Endo Yaeta , Sawasaki Tatsuya
Published: June 2015

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are one of the most important drug targets and anti-GPCR monoclonal antibody (mAb) is an essential tool for functional analysis of GPCRs. However, it is very difficult to develop GPCR-specific mAbs due to difficulties in production of recombinant GPCR antigens and lack of efficient mAb screening method. Here we describe a novel approach for the production of mAbs against GPCR using two original methods, bilayer-dialysis method and biotinylated liposome-based interaction assay (BiLIA), both of which are developed using wheat cell-free protein synthesis system and liposome technology. Using bilayer-dialysis method, various GPCRs were successfully synthesized with quality and quantity sufficient for immunization. For selection of specific mAb, we designed BiLIA that detects interaction between antibody and membrane protein on liposome. BiLIA prevented denaturation of GPCR and then preferably selected conformation-sensitive antibodies. Using this approach, we successfully obtained mAbs against DRD1, GHSR, PTGER1 and T1R1. With respect to DRD1 mAb, 36 mouse mAbs and 6 rabbit mAbs were obtained which specifically recognized native DRD1 with high affinity. Among them, half of the mAbs were conformation-sensitive mAb and two mAbs recognized extracellular loop 2 of DRD1. These results indicated that this approach is useful for GPCR mAb production.
Deep intronic GPR143 mutation in a Japanese family with ocular albinism
Authors: Naruto Takuya , Okamoto Nobuhiko , Masuda Kiyoshi , Endo Takao , Hatsukawa Yoshikazu , Kohmoto Tomohiro , Imoto Issei
Published: June 2015

Deep intronic mutations are often ignored as possible causes of human disease. Using whole-exome sequencing, we analysed genomic DNAs of a Japanese family with two male siblings affected by ocular albinism and congenital nystagmus. Although mutations or copy number alterations of coding regions were not identified in candidate genes, the novel intronic mutation c.659-131 T > G within GPR143 intron 5 was identified as hemizygous in affected siblings and as heterozygous in the unaffected mother. This mutation was predicted to create a cryptic splice donor site within intron 5 and activate a cryptic acceptor site at 41nt upstream, causing the insertion into the coding sequence of an out-of-frame 41-bp pseudoexon with a premature stop codon in the aberrant transcript, which was confirmed by minigene experiments. This result expands the mutational spectrum of GPR143 and suggests the utility of next-generation sequencing integrated with in silico and experimental analyses for improving the molecular diagnosis of this disease.
Quantum mechanical calculations of the interactions between diazacrowns and the sodium cation: an insight into Na+ complexation in diazacrown-based synthetic ion channels
Authors: Skelton A. A. , Agrawal N. , Fried J. R.
Published: June 2015

Quantum mechanical calculations were performed to study the conformational behavior and complexation between a sodium cation and a diazacrown (diaza-18-crown-6) using density functional theory (DFT), Møller–Plesset (MP2) and molecular mechanics methods.
Reliable microspotting methodology for peptide-nucleic acid layers with high hybridization efficiency on gold SPR imaging chips
Authors: Simon L. , Lautner G. , Gyurcsányi R. E.
Published: June 2015

Microspotting of HS-PNA strands prehybridized with a complementary DNA strand onto gold surfaces results in PNA layers with excellent hybridization efficiency.
Heparin molecularly imprinted surfaces for the attenuation of complement activation in blood
Authors: Rosengren-Holmberg Jenny P. , Andersson Jonas , Smith James R. , Alexander Cameron , Alexander Morgan R. , Tovar Günter , Ekdahl Kristina N. , Nicholls Ian A.
Published: June 2015

Heparin molecularly imprinted polymer films limit complement activation in whole blood.
Copper(i) complexes as alternatives to iridium(iii) complexes for highly efficient oxygen sensing
Authors: Medina-Rodríguez Santiago , Orriach-Fernández Francisco J. , Poole Christopher , Kumar Prashant , de la Torre-Vega Ángel , Fernández-Sánchez Jorge F. , Baranoff Etienne , Fernández-Gutiérrez Alberto
Published: June 2015

Cu(i) complexes outperforming Ir(iii) complexes for optical oxygen sensing are demonstrated, which creates new opportunities for low cost sensors.
Morphological and charge transport properties of amorphous and crystalline P3HT and PBTTT: insights from theory
Authors: Alberga Domenico , Perrier Aurélie , Ciofini Ilaria , Mangiatordi Giuseppe Felice , Lattanzi Gianluca , Adamo Carlo
Published: June 2015

Molecular dynamics simulations and DFT calculations are combined via Marcus theory to yield an estimate of charge carrier mobilities in the crystalline and amorphous phases of P3HT and PBTTT organic polymers.
Facile synthesis of a Ag/MoS2nanocomposite photocatalyst for enhanced visible-light driven hydrogen gas evolution
Authors: Cheah A. J. , Chiu W. S. , Khiew P. S. , Nakajima H. , Saisopa T. , Songsiriritthigul P. , Radiman S. , Hamid M. A. A.
Published: June 2015

Ag-decorated MoS2nanocomposite photocatalyst with enhanced visible-light driven hydrogen gas evolution performance.