bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Restoring Confidence in Post-Conflict Security Sectors: Survey Evidence from Liberia on Female Ratio Balancing Reforms
Authors: Karim Sabrina
Published: June 2017

Civilian confidence in domestic institutions, particularly in the security sector, is important for stability and state consolidation in post-conflict countries, where third-party peacekeepers have helped maintain peace and security after a conflict. While other scholars have suggested that a strong security sector is necessary for mitigating the credible commitment problem, this article provides two alternative criteria for assessing security sector reforms’ effect on confidence in the security sector: restraint and inclusiveness. Female ratio balancing in the security sector meets these two criteria, suggesting that it has the potential to help enhance confidence in the security sector and thereby create the right conditions for the peacekeeping transition. The argument is tested using original surveys conducted in post-conflict, ex-combatant communities in Liberia. The expectations received empirical support. The findings indicate that restraining and inclusive reforms could improve trust in the state’s security sector. They also demonstrate the importance of considering gender in theories related to post-conflict peace building and international relations more broadly.
Digging Deeper into the Gender Gap: Gender Salience as a Moderating Factor in Political Attitudes
Authors: Bittner Amanda , Goodyear-Grant Elizabeth
Published: June 2017

We know how sex (rather than gender) structures political preferences, but researchers rarely take into account the salience or importance of gender identity at the individual level. The only similar variable for which salience is commonly taken seriously is partisanship, for which direction and importance or strength are both considered imperative for measurement and analysis. While some scholars have begun to look at factors that may influence intragroup differences, such as feminism (Conover, 1988), most existing research implicitly assumes gender salience is homogenous in the population. We argue that both the content of gender identity (that is, what specifically is gender identity, as opposed to sex) as well its salience should be incorporated into analyses of how gender structures political behaviour. For some, gender simply does not motivate behaviour, and the fact that salience moderates the impact of gender on behaviour requires researchers to model accordingly. Using original data from six provincial election studies, we examine a measure of gender identity salience and find that it clarifies our understanding of gender's impact on political attitudes.
The Transformative and Radical Feminism of Grassroots Migrant Women's Movement(s) in Canada
Authors: Tungohan Ethel
Published: June 2017

I argue in this article that migrant workers’ resistance to neoliberalism, as seen through their participation in the migrant organizations highlights their ability to establish ‘spaces of power’ amid debilitating living and working conditions. This, then, illustrates how feminism in the 21st century is alive and well. In fact, the strengths of their activism show the transformative and radical possibilities of feminism by highlighting that structural transformations, and not only liberal attempts at inclusion, are necessary for gender justice.
Payout Yields and Stock Return Predictability: How Important Is the Measure of Cash Flow?
Authors: Eaton Gregory W. , Paye Bradley S.
Published: June 2017

We compare the stock return forecasting performance of alternative payout yields. The net payout yield produces more accurate forecasts relative to alternatives, including the traditional dividend yield. This remains true even after excluding several years during the Great Depression when issuance was unusually high. The measure of cash flow used to form the yield matters economically. Long-term investors’ hedging demand for stock is considerably reduced when net payout, rather than dividends, serves as the cash-flow measure. An agent relying on an incorrect payout measure is willing to pay an economically significant “management fee” to switch to the optimal policy.
Analytical research on the possibility of long orbital existence of submicron particles in the Earth’s plasmasphere by the methods of the KAM theory
Authors: Yakovlev A. B. , Kolesnikov E. K. , Chernov S. V.
Published: June 2017

Particles which move in the magnetosphere’s plasma gain an electric charge which depends on the density and temperature of the plasma and the sunlight stream. If motion is slow enough, it is possible to consider that the micro-particle’s electric charge is in quasi-equilibrium. For certain conditions, the Hamilton function can be written for the problem with a variable electric charge and, hence, the methods of the analysis of systems of Hamilton equations can be applied for research of such micro-particle motion. Although these conditions are strong enough, they correspond to the statement of many real problems. The spatial distribution of plasma in the Earth’s plasmasphere is described by a model of a two-component plasma. In the present paper, the capability of propagation of results which were received earlier for a case of the motion of a quasi-equilibrium electric charge in the Earth plasmasphere has been shown. The received result shows that there is an opportunity for long orbital holding (not less than one month) of micro-particles of space dust in the Earth’s plasmasphere.
Quasi boundary triples and semi-bounded self-adjoint extensions
Authors: Behrndt Jussi , Langer Matthias , Lotoreichik Vladimir , Rohleder Jonathan
Published: June 2017

In this note semi-bounded self-adjoint extensions of symmetric operators are investigated with the help of the abstract notion of quasi boundary triples and their Weyl functions. The main purpose is to provide new sufficient conditions on the parameters in the boundary space to induce self-adjoint realizations, and to relate the decay of the Weyl function to estimates on the lower bound of the spectrum. The abstract results are illustrated with uniformly elliptic second-order partial differential equations on domains with non-compact boundaries.
Thalamocortical processing in vision
Authors: MAZADE REECE , ALONSO JOSE MANUEL
Published: June 2017

Visual information reaches the cerebral cortex through a major thalamocortical pathway that connects the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of the thalamus with the primary visual area of the cortex (area V1). In humans, ∼3.4 million afferents from the LGN are distributed within a V1 surface of ∼2400 mm2, an afferent number that is reduced by half in the macaque and by more than two orders of magnitude in the mouse. Thalamocortical afferents are sorted in visual cortex based on the spatial position of their receptive fields to form a map of visual space. The visual resolution within this map is strongly correlated with total number of thalamic afferents that V1 receives and the area available to sort them. The ∼20,000 afferents of the mouse are only sorted by spatial position because they have to cover a large visual field (∼300 deg) within just 4 mm2of V1 area. By contrast, the ∼500,000 afferents of the cat are also sorted by eye input and light/dark polarity because they cover a smaller visual field (∼200 deg) within a much larger V1 area (∼400 mm2), a sorting principle that is likely to apply also to macaques and humans. The increased precision of thalamic sorting allows building multiple copies of the V1 visual map for left/right eyes and light/dark polarities, which become interlaced to keep neurons representing the same visual point close together. In turn, this interlaced arrangement makes cortical neurons with different preferences for stimulus orientation to rotate around single cortical points forming a pinwheel pattern that allows more efficient processing of objects and visual textures.
Coalescence and Defensive Communities: Insights from an Andean Hillfort Town
Authors: Arkush Elizabeth
Published: June 2017

Defensive and fortified settlements are often places of relatively dense nucleation by people with few viable alternatives, resulting in the imperative need to establish consensual rules for living together. What behaviours and attitudes were adopted in defensively nucleated places? Recent investigations at Ayawiri (Machu Llaqta), a densely settled hillfort town of the western Titicaca Basin of Peru inhabited c. ad 1300–1450, shed light on the nature of social life within the defensive community and the workings of social distinction, priority in settlement, conformity and publicity. I draw on the evidence from Ayawiri to discuss how defensive settlements create and reinforce certain ways of living by reformulating the basic logics of sociality and the material and spatial realms through which they work.
An unusual small-bodied crocodyliform from the Middle Jurassic of Scotland, UK, and potential evidence for an early diversification of advanced neosuchians
Authors: Yi Hongyu , Tennant Jonathan P. , Young Mark T. , Challands Thomas J. , Foffa Davide , Hudson John D. , Ross Dugald A. , Brusatte Stephen L.
Published: June 2017

The Middle Jurassic is a poorly sampled time interval for non-pelagic neosuchian crocodyliforms, which obscures our understanding of the origin and early evolution of major clades. Here we report a lower jaw from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) Duntulm Formation of the Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK, which consists of an isolated and incomplete left dentary and part of the splenial. Morphologically, the Skye specimen closely resembles the Cretaceous neosuchiansPachycheilosuchusandPietraroiasuchus, in having a proportionally short mandibular symphysis, shallow dentary alveoli and inferred weakly heterodont dentition. It differs from other crocodyliforms in that the Meckelian canal is dorsoventrally expanded posterior to the mandibular symphysis and drastically constricted at the 7th alveolus. The new specimen, together with the presence ofTheriosuchussp. from the Valtos Formation and indeterminate neosuchians from the Kilmaluag Formation, indicates the presence of a previously unrecognised, diverse crocodyliform fauna in the Middle Jurassic of Skye, and Europe more generally. Small-bodied neosuchians were present, and ecologically and taxonomically diverse, in nearshore environments in the Middle Jurassic of the UK.
The Appearance Intrusions Questionnaire
Authors: Giraldo-O’Meara Martha , Belloch Amparo
Published: June 2017

Abstract. This study aims to examine whether Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) related preoccupations might consist of unwanted intrusive cognitions, and if so, their degree of universality, its dimensionality from normality to BDD psychopathology, and their associations with symptom measures. The Appearance Intrusions Questionnaire (AIQ) was designed to assess intrusive thoughts related to appearance defects (AITs). A sample of 410 undergraduate university students completed a former 54-item version of the AIQ. Principal Components Analyses (PCA) and Parallel Analysis yielded a five-factor structure and a reduction to 27 items. The 27-items AIQ was examined in a new sample of 583 non-clinical community participants. Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFAs) grouped the AITs in five factors: Defect-related, Others-related, Concealment, Bodily functions, and Urge to do something. Up to 90% of the participants experienced AITs. The AIQ scores were more associated with BDD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and body image measures than with worry, suggesting that AITs are closer to obsessional intrusions than to worries. The new AIQ might be a valid and reliable measure of AITs and would help to reliably detect individuals at risk for BDD in nonclinical populations using a brief self-report.
E3 Ubiquitin ligase ZNRF4 negatively regulates NOD2 signalling and induces tolerance to MDP
Authors: Bist Pradeep , Cheong Wan Shoo , Ng Aylwin , Dikshit Neha , Kim Bae-Hoon , Pulloor Niyas Kudukkil , Khameneh Hanif Javanmard , Hedl Matija , Shenoy Avinash R. , Balamuralidhar Vanniarajan , Malik Najib Bin Abdul , Hong Michelle , Neutzner Albert , Chin Keh-Chuang , Kobayashi Koichi S. , Bertoletti Antonio , Mortellaro Alessandra , Abraham Clara , MacMicking John D. , Xavier Ramnik J. , Sukumaran Bindu
Published: June 2017

Optimal regulation of the innate immune receptor nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2) is essential for controlling bacterial infections and inflammatory disorders. Chronic NOD2 stimulation induces non-responsiveness to restimulation, termed NOD2-induced tolerance. Although the levels of the NOD2 adaptor, RIP2, are reported to regulate both acute and chronic NOD2 signalling, how RIP2 levels are modulated is unclear. Here we show that ZNRF4 induces K48-linked ubiquitination of RIP2 and promotes RIP2 degradation. A fraction of RIP2 localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where it interacts with ZNRF4 under either unstimulated and muramyl dipeptide-stimulated conditions. Znrf4 knockdown monocytes have sustained nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) activation, and Znrf4 knockdown mice have reduced NOD2-induced tolerance and more effective control of Listeria monocytogenes infection. Our results thus demonstrate E3-ubiquitin ligase ZNRF4-mediated RIP2 degradation as a negative regulatory mechanism of NOD2-induced NF-κB, cytokine and anti-bacterial responses in vitro and in vivo, and identify a ZNRF4-RIP2 axis of fine-tuning NOD2 signalling to promote protective host immunity.
Gaining comprehensive biological insight into the transcriptome by performing a broad-spectrum RNA-seq analysis
Authors: Sahraeian Sayed Mohammad Ebrahim , Mohiyuddin Marghoob , Sebra Robert , Tilgner Hagen , Afshar Pegah T. , Au Kin Fai , Bani Asadi Narges , Gerstein Mark B. , Wong Wing Hung , Snyder Michael P. , Schadt Eric , Lam Hugo Y. K.
Published: June 2017

RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) is an essential technique for transcriptome studies, hundreds of analysis tools have been developed since it was debuted. Although recent efforts have attempted to assess the latest available tools, they have not evaluated the analysis workflows comprehensively to unleash the power within RNA-seq. Here we conduct an extensive study analysing a broad spectrum of RNA-seq workflows. Surpassing the expression analysis scope, our work also includes assessment of RNA variant-calling, RNA editing and RNA fusion detection techniques. Specifically, we examine both short- and long-read RNA-seq technologies, 39 analysis tools resulting in ~120 combinations, and ~490 analyses involving 15 samples with a variety of germline, cancer and stem cell data sets. We report the performance and propose a comprehensive RNA-seq analysis protocol, named RNACocktail, along with a computational pipeline achieving high accuracy. Validation on different samples reveals that our proposed protocol could help researchers extract more biologically relevant predictions by broad analysis of the transcriptome.
Understanding the role of damping and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction on dynamic domain wall behaviour in platinum-ferromagnet nanowires
Authors: Brandão J. , Azzawi S. , Hindmarch A. T. , Atkinson D.
Published: June 2017

Heavy metal layers, exemplified by Pt, are known to play a significant role in the magnetization behaviour of thin-film ferromagnets by three distinct mechanisms that can each contribute to the reversal process. These include modifying the local magnetization state via an interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (IDMI), enhancement of the damping, via d-d hybridisation and spin-pumping across the interface, and the mediation of the magnetization switching, with the flow of current through a system, via the spin-Hall effect. Here we show for a system with weak interfacial DMI (NiFe/Pt) that the measurement of magnetic field-driven magnetization reversal, mediated by domain wall (DW) motion, is dominated by the enhanced intrinsic damping contribution as a function of the Pt capping layer thickness. But, we also show micromagnetically that the IDMI and damping also combine to modify the domain wall velocity behaviour when the damping is larger. It is also noted that Walker breakdown occurs at lower fields and peak DW velocity decreases in the presence of IDMI. These results highlight the significance of the relative contributions of the damping and the IDMI from the heavy metal layer on the magnetization reversal and provide a route to controlling the DW behaviour in nanoscale device structures.
Resonant Dipolar Coupling of Microwaves with Confined Acoustic Vibrations in a Rod-shaped Virus
Authors: Sun Chi-Kuang , Tsai Yi-Chun , Chen Yi-Jan E. , Liu Tzu-Ming , Chen Hui-Yuan , Wang Han-Ching , Lo Chu-Fang
Published: June 2017

In this letter, we treat a rod-shaped virus as a free homogenous nanorod and identify its confined acoustic vibration modes that can cause strong resonant microwave absorption through electric dipolar excitation with a core-shell charge distribution. They are found to be the n = 4N-2 modes of the longitudinal modes of the nanorods, where N is an integer starting from 1 and n is the mode order quantum number. This study was confirmed by measuring the microwave absorption spectra of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV), which is a rod-shaped virus. This is also the first study to identify the “dipolar-like” mode in a rod-shaped nano-object. Our study is not only an important step to achieve rapid and sensitive detection of rod-shaped viruses based on their microwave spectroscopic features and a non-contact method to measure the Young’s modulus of rod-shaped viruses, but also is critical to formulate an efficient epidemic prevention strategy to deactivate viruses with the structure-resonant microwaves.
Transcriptomic profiling of Melilotus albus near-isogenic lines contrasting for coumarin content
Authors: Luo Kai , Wu Fan , Zhang Daiyu , Dong Rui , Fan Zhichao , Zhang Rui , Yan Zhuanzhuan , Wang Yanrong , Zhang Jiyu
Published: June 2017

Coumarin and its derivatives are widely used as fragrances in industrial products and have medical value. The goal of the present study was to discover genes and pathways related to coumarin biosynthesis in Melilotus albus using transcriptome analysis. The genes of five M. albus near-isogenic lines (NILs) that had different coumarin content and β-glucosidase activity according to the investigation of pedigree were quantified and then analysed by RNA-Seq. Using transcriptome analysis, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in two pairwise comparisons that differed in coumarin content as well as in two pairwise comparisons that differed in β-glucosidase activity. Gene expression pattern analysis suggested similar transcriptional trends in the genotypes with the same coumarin levels. Furthermore, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database of DEGs was used to identify functional pathways associated with coumarin biosynthesis. We identified 111 unigenes, with several DEGs among them possibly being related to coumarin synthesis pathways. Unigenes encoding a hexokinase, an abscisic acid receptor, a phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and two peroxidases particularly showed correspondence with the coumarin content of different genotypes. These results will contribute to a better understanding of the coumarin biosynthesis in M. albus.
Hepatitis B and C virus infection and diabetes mellitus: A cohort study
Authors: Hong Yun Soo , Chang Yoosoo , Ryu Seungho , Cainzos-Achirica Miguel , Kwon Min-Jung , Zhang Yiyi , Choi Yuni , Ahn Jiin , Rampal Sanjay , Zhao Di , Pastor-Barriuso Roberto , Lazo Mariana , Shin Hocheol , Cho Juhee , Guallar Eliseo
Published: June 2017

The role of hepatitis virus infection in glucose homeostasis is uncertain. We examined the associations between hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the development of diabetes in a cohort (N = 439,708) of asymptomatic participants in health screening examinations. In cross-sectional analyses, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio for prevalent diabetes comparing hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) (+) to HBsAg (−) participants was 1.17 (95% CI 1.06–1.31; P = 0.003). The corresponding odds ratio comparing hepatitis C antibodies (HCV Ab) (+) to HCV Ab (−) participants was 1.43 (95% CI 1.01–2.02, P = 0.043). In prospective analyses, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio for incident diabetes comparing HBsAg (+) to HbsAg (−) participants was 1.23 (95% CI 1.08–1.41; P = 0.007). The number of incident cases of diabetes among HCV Ab (+) participants (10 cases) was too small to reliably estimate the prospective association between HCV infection and diabetes. In this large population at low risk of diabetes, HBV and HCV infections were associated with diabetes prevalence and HBV infection with the risk of incident diabetes. Our studies add evidence suggesting that diabetes is an additional metabolic complication of HBV and HCV infection.
Engaging narratives evoke similar neural activity and lead to similar time perception
Authors: Cohen Samantha S. , Henin Simon , Parra Lucas C.
Published: June 2017

It is said that we lose track of time - that “time flies” - when we are engrossed in a story. How does engagement with the story cause this distorted perception of time, and what are its neural correlates? People commit both time and attentional resources to an engaging stimulus. For narrative videos, attentional engagement can be represented as the level of similarity between the electroencephalographic responses of different viewers. Here we show that this measure of neural engagement predicted the duration of time that viewers were willing to commit to narrative videos. Contrary to popular wisdom, engagement did not distort the average perception of time duration. Rather, more similar brain responses resulted in a more uniform perception of time across viewers. These findings suggest that by capturing the attention of an audience, narrative videos bring both neural processing and the subjective perception of time into synchrony.
Dynamin-2 mutations linked to Centronuclear Myopathy impair actin-dependent trafficking in muscle cells
Authors: González-Jamett Arlek M. , Baez-Matus Ximena , Olivares María José , Hinostroza Fernando , Guerra-Fernández Maria José , Vasquez-Navarrete Jacqueline , Bui Mai Thao , Guicheney Pascale , Romero Norma Beatriz , Bevilacqua Jorge A. , Bitoun Marc , Caviedes Pablo , Cárdenas Ana M.
Published: June 2017

Dynamin-2 is a ubiquitously expressed GTP-ase that mediates membrane remodeling. Recent findings indicate that dynamin-2 also regulates actin dynamics. Mutations in dynamin-2 cause dominant centronuclear myopathy (CNM), a congenital myopathy characterized by progressive weakness and atrophy of skeletal muscles. However, the muscle-specific roles of dynamin-2 affected by these mutations remain elusive. Here we show that, in muscle cells, the GTP-ase activity of dynamin-2 is involved in de novo actin polymerization as well as in actin-mediated trafficking of the glucose transporter GLUT4. Expression of dynamin-2 constructs carrying CNM-linked mutations disrupted the formation of new actin filaments as well as the stimulus-induced translocation of GLUT4 to the plasma membrane. Similarly, mature muscle fibers isolated from heterozygous knock-in mice that harbor the dynamin-2 mutation p.R465W, an animal model of CNM, exhibited altered actin organization, reduced actin polymerization and impaired insulin-induced translocation of GLUT4 to the sarcolemma. Moreover, GLUT4 displayed aberrant perinuclear accumulation in biopsies from CNM patients carrying dynamin-2 mutations, further suggesting trafficking defects. These results suggest that dynamin-2 is a key regulator of actin dynamics and GLUT4 trafficking in muscle cells. Our findings also support a model in which impairment of actin-dependent trafficking contributes to the pathological mechanism in dynamin-2-associated CNM.
HMGCS2 is a key ketogenic enzyme potentially involved in type 1 diabetes with high cardiovascular risk
Authors: Shukla Sanket Kumar , Liu Weijing , Sikder Kunal , Addya Sankar , Sarkar Amrita , Wei Yidong , Rafiq Khadija
Published: June 2017

Diabetes increases the risk of Cardio-vascular disease (CVD). CVD is more prevalent in type 2 diabetes (T2D) than type 1 diabetes (T1D), but the mortality risk is higher in T1D than in T2D. The pathophysiology of CVD in T1D is poorly defined. To learn more about biological pathways that are potentially involved in T1D with cardiac dysfunction, we sought to identify differentially expressed genes in the T1D heart. Our study used T1D mice with severe hyperglycemia along with significant deficits in echocardiographic measurements. Microarray analysis of heart tissue RNA revealed that the T1D mice differentially expressed 10 genes compared to control. Using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA), we showed that these genes were significantly involved in ketogenesis, cardiovascular disease, apoptosis and other toxicology functions. Of these 10 genes, the 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl-CoA Synthase 2 (HMGCS2) was the highest upregulated gene in T1D heart. IPA analysis showed that HMGCS2 was center to many biological networks and pathways. Our data also suggested that apart from heart, the expression of HMGCS2 was also different in kidney and spleen between control and STZ treated mice. In conclusion, The HMGCS2 molecule may potentially be involved in T1D induced cardiac dysfunction.
Clinicopathological features and prognosis of gastric adenosquamous carcinoma
Authors: Feng Fan , Zheng Gaozan , Qi Jingpeng , Xu Guanghui , Wang Fei , Wang Qiao , Guo Man , Lian Xiao , Zhang Hongwei
Published: June 2017

Data about primary gastric adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) was limited due to rare incidence. Thus, the present study aims to investigate clinicopathological features and prognosis of gastric ASC. Cases of gastric ASC were obtained from our center and from case reports and series extracted from Medline. Clinicopathological features and prognosis of gastric ASC were analyzed and compared with gastric adenocarcinoma (AC) in our center. The commonest location was lower third (45.0%), followed by upper (26.2%) and middle third (24.2%). The median tumor size was 6 cm (0.8–17). The commonest differentiation status was well for both AC (44.4%) and SCC components (40.9%). Half of tumors (52.7%) were stage T4 and most patients (86.2%) suffered from lymph node metastasis (LNM). Tumor depth and TNM stage were risk factors for overall survival (OS) (both P < 0.05). The distribution of age, tumor size, tumor location, tumor depth, LNM and TNM stage were significantly different between gastric ASC and AC (all P < 0.05). The OS of gastric ASC was significantly worse than AC (P < 0.001), especially in stage III disease (P < 0.001). Gastric ASC differ significantly from AC with respect to clinicopathological features. The prognosis of gastric ASC was worse than AC.
Formulation and candidacidal activity of magnetic nanoparticles coated with cathelicidin LL-37 and ceragenin CSA-13
Authors: Niemirowicz Katarzyna , Durnaś Bonita , Tokajuk Grażyna , Piktel Ewelina , Michalak Grzegorz , Gu Xiaobo , Kułakowska Alina , Savage Paul B. , Bucki Robert
Published: June 2017

Fungal infections caused by Candida spp. represent an emerging problem during treatment of immunocompromised patients and those hospitalized with serious principal diseases. The ever-growing number of fungal strains exhibiting drug resistance necessitates the development of novel antimicrobial therapies including those based on membrane-permeabilizing agents and nanomaterials as drug carriers. In this study, the fungicidal activities of LL-37 peptide, ceragenin CSA-13 and its magnetic derivatives (MNP@LL-37, MNP@CSA-13) against laboratory and clinical strains of C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis were evaluated. These experiments confirm the high anti-fungal activity of these well-characterized agents mediated by their interaction with the fungal membrane and demonstrate elevated activity following immobilization of LL-37 and CSA-13 on the surface of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). Furthermore, MNP-based nanosystems are resistant to inhibitory factors present in body fluids and effectively inhibit formation of fungal biofilm. Simultaneously, synthesized nanostructures maintain immunomodulatory properties, described previously for free LL-37 peptide and CSA-13 substrate and they do not interfere with the proliferation and viability of osteoblasts, confirming their high biocompatibility.
CRISPR-Cas9 targeted disruption of the yellow ortholog in the housefly identifies the brown body locus
Authors: Heinze Svenia D. , Kohlbrenner Tea , Ippolito Domenica , Meccariello Angela , Burger Alexa , Mosimann Christian , Saccone Giuseppe , Bopp Daniel
Published: June 2017

The classic brown body (bwb) mutation in the housefly Musca domestica impairs normal melanization of the adult cuticle. In Drosophila melanogaster, a reminiscent pigmentation defect results from mutations in the yellow gene encoding dopachrome conversion enzyme (DCE). Here, we demonstrate that the bwb locus structurally and functionally represents the yellow ortholog of Musca domestica, MdY. In bwb Musca strains, we identified two mutant MdY alleles that contain lesions predicted to result in premature truncation of the MdY open reading frame. We targeted wildtype MdY by CRISPR-Cas9 RNPs and generated new mutant alleles that fail to complement existing MdY alleles, genetically confirming that MdY is the bwb locus. We further found evidence for Cas9-mediated interchromosomal recombination between wildtype and mutant bwb alleles. Our work resolves the molecular identity of the classic bwb mutation in Musca domestica and establishes the feasibility of Cas9-mediated genome editing in the Musca model.
Directing the Self-assembly of Tumour Spheroids by Bioprinting Cellular Heterogeneous Models within Alginate/Gelatin Hydrogels
Authors: Jiang Tao , Munguia-Lopez Jose G. , Flores-Torres Salvador , Grant Joel , Vijayakumar Sanahan , Leon-Rodriguez Antonio De , Kinsella Joseph M.
Published: June 2017

Human tumour progression is a dynamic process involving diverse biological and biochemical events such as genetic mutation and selection in addition to physical, chemical, and mechanical events occurring between cells and the tumour microenvironment. Using 3D bioprinting we have developed a method to embed MDA-MB-231 triple negative breast cancer cells, and IMR-90 fibroblast cells, within a cross-linked alginate/gelatin matrix at specific initial locations relative to each other. After 7 days of co-culture the MDA-MB-231 cells begin to form multicellular tumour spheroids (MCTS) that increase in size and frequency over time. After ~15 days the IMR-90 stromal fibroblast cells migrate through a non-cellularized region of the hydrogel matrix and infiltrate the MDA-MB-231 spheroids creating mixed MDA-MB-231/IMR-90 MCTS. This study provides a proof-of-concept that biomimetic in vitro tissue co-culture models bioprinted with both breast cancer cells and fibroblasts will result in MCTS that can be maintained for durations of several weeks.
Diffraction phase microscopy imaging and multi-physics modeling of the nanoscale thermal expansion of a suspended resistor
Authors: Wang Xiaozhen , Lu Tianjian , Yu Xin , Jin Jian-Ming , Goddard Lynford L.
Published: June 2017

We studied the nanoscale thermal expansion of a suspended resistor both theoretically and experimentally and obtained consistent results. In the theoretical analysis, we used a three-dimensional coupled electrical-thermal-mechanical simulation and obtained the temperature and displacement field of the suspended resistor under a direct current (DC) input voltage. In the experiment, we recorded a sequence of images of the axial thermal expansion of the central bridge region of the suspended resistor at a rate of 1.8 frames/s by using epi-illumination diffraction phase microscopy (epi-DPM). This method accurately measured nanometer level relative height changes of the resistor in a temporally and spatially resolved manner. Upon application of a 2 V step in voltage, the resistor exhibited a steady-state increase in resistance of 1.14 Ω and in relative height of 3.5 nm, which agreed reasonably well with the predicted values of 1.08 Ω and 4.4 nm, respectively.
Identifying Human SIRT1 Substrates by Integrating Heterogeneous Information from Various Sources
Authors: Zhai Zichao , Tang Ming , Yang Yue , Lu Ming , Zhu Wei-Guo , Li Tingting
Published: June 2017

Most proteins undergo different kinds of modification after translation. Protein acetylation is one of the most crucial post-translational modifications, which causes direct or indirect impact on various biological activities in vivo. As a member of Class III HDACs, SIRT1 was the closest one to the yeast sir2 and drew most attention, while a small number of known SIRT1 substrates caused difficulties to clarify its function. In this work, we designed a novel computational method to screen SIRT1 substrates based on manually collected data and Support Vector Machines (SVMs). Unlike other approaches, we took both primary sequence and protein functional features into consideration. Through integrating functional features, the Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) for the prediction increased from 0.10 to 0.65. The prediction results were verified by independent dataset and biological experiments. The validation results demostrated that our classifier could effectively identify SIRT1 substrates and filter appropriate candidates for further research. Furthermore, we provide online tool to support SIRT1 substrates prediction, which is freely available at http://bioinfo.bjmu.edu.cn/huac/.
Maternal HtrA3 optimizes placental development to influence offspring birth weight and subsequent white fat gain in adulthood
Authors: Li Ying , Salamonsen Lois A. , Hyett Jonathan , Costa Fabricio da Silva , Nie Guiying
Published: June 2017

High temperature requirement factor A3 (HtrA3), a member of the HtrA protease family, is highly expressed in the developing placenta, including the maternal decidual cells in both mice and humans. In this study we deleted the HtrA3 gene in the mouse and crossed females carrying zero, one, or two HtrA3-expressing alleles with HtrA3+/− males to investigate the role of maternal vs fetal HtrA3 in placentation. Although HtrA3−/− mice were phenotypically normal and fertile, HtrA3 deletion in the mother resulted in intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR). Disorganization of labyrinthine fetal capillaries was the major placental defect when HtrA3 was absent. The IUGR caused by maternal HtrA3 deletion, albeit being mild, significantly altered offspring growth trajectory long after birth. By 8 months of age, mice born to HtrA3-deficient mothers, independent of their own genotype, were significantly heavier and contained a larger mass of white fat. We further demonstrated that in women serum levels of HtrA3 during early pregnancy were significantly lower in IUGR pregnancies, establishing an association between lower HtrA3 levels and placental insufficiency in the human. This study thus revealed the importance of maternal HtrA3 in optimizing placental development and its long-term impact on the offspring well beyond in utero growth.
Human neutrophils phagocytose and kill Acinetobacter baumannii and A. pittii
Authors: Lázaro-Díez María , Chapartegui-González Itziar , Redondo-Salvo Santiago , Leigh Chike , Merino David , Segundo David San , Fernández Adrián , Navas Jesús , Icardo José Manuel , Acosta Félix , Ocampo-Sosa Alain , Martínez-Martínez Luis , Ramos-Vivas José
Published: June 2017

Acinetobacter baumannii is a common cause of health care associated infections worldwide. A. pittii is an opportunistic pathogen also frequently isolated from Acinetobacter infections other than those from A. baumannii. Knowledge of Acinetobacter virulence factors and their role in pathogenesis is scarce. Also, there are no detailed published reports on the interactions between A. pittii and human phagocytic cells. Using confocal laser and scanning electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, and live-cell imaging, our study shows that immediately after bacteria-cell contact, neutrophils rapidly and continuously engulf and kill bacteria during at least 4 hours of infection in vitro. After 3 h of infection, neutrophils start to release neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) against Acinetobacter. DNA in NETs colocalizes well with human histone H3 and with the specific neutrophil elastase. We have observed that human neutrophils use large filopodia as cellular tentacles to sense local environment but also to detect and retain bacteria during phagocytosis. Furthermore, co-cultivation of neutrophils with human differentiated macrophages before infections shows that human neutrophils, but not macrophages, are key immune cells to control Acinetobacter. Although macrophages were largely activated by both bacterial species, they lack the phagocytic activity demonstrated by neutrophils.
Near-field fault slip of the 2016 Vettore Mw 6.6 earthquake (Central Italy) measured using low-cost GNSS
Authors: Wilkinson Maxwell W. , McCaffrey Ken J. W. , Jones Richard R. , Roberts Gerald P. , Holdsworth Robert E. , Gregory Laura C. , Walters Richard J. , Wedmore Luke , Goodall Huw , Iezzi Francesco
Published: June 2017

The temporal evolution of slip on surface ruptures during an earthquake is important for assessing fault displacement, defining seismic hazard and for predicting ground motion. However, measurements of near-field surface displacement at high temporal resolution are elusive. We present a novel record of near-field co-seismic displacement, measured with 1-second temporal resolution during the 30th October 2016 Mw 6.6 Vettore earthquake (Central Italy), using low-cost Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers located in the footwall and hangingwall of the Mt. Vettore - Mt. Bove fault system, close to new surface ruptures. We observe a clear temporal and spatial link between our near-field record and InSAR, far-field GPS data, regional measurements from the Italian Strong Motion and National Seismic networks, and field measurements of surface ruptures. Comparison of these datasets illustrates that the observed surface ruptures are the propagation of slip from depth on a surface rupturing (i.e. capable) fault array, as a direct and immediate response to the 30th October earthquake. Large near-field displacement ceased within 6–8 seconds of the origin time, implying that shaking induced gravitational processes were not the primary driving mechanism. We demonstrate that low-cost GNSS is an accurate monitoring tool when installed as custom-made, short-baseline networks.
Visible-light driven Photoelectrochemical Immunosensor Based on SnS2@mpg-C3N4 for Detection of Prostate Specific Antigen
Authors: Zhang Yifeng , Liu Yixin , Li Rongxia , Saddam Khan Malik , Gao Picheng , Zhang Yong , Wei Qin
Published: June 2017

Herein, a novel label-free photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunosensor based on SnS2@mpg-C3N4 nanocomposite is fabricated for the detection of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in human serum. Firstly, mesoporous graphite-like carbon nitride (mpg-C3N4) with carboxyl groups is synthesized successfully which possesses high specific surface area and large pore volume. Then, SnS2 as a typical n-type semiconductor with weak photoelectric conversion capability is successfully loaded on carboxylated mpg-C3N4 to form a well-matched overlapping band-structure. The as-synthesized SnS2@mpg-C3N4 nanocomposite performs outstanding photocurrent response under visible-light irradiation due to low recombination rate of photoexcited electron-hole pairs, which is transcend than pure SnS2 or pure mpg-C3N4. It is worth noting that SnS2@mpg-C3N4 nanocomposite is firstly employed as the photoactive material in PEC immunosensor area. The concentration of PSA can be analyzed by the decrease in photocurrent resulted from increased steric hindrance of the immunocomplex. Under the optimal conditions, the developed PEC immunosensor displays a liner photocurrent response in the range of 50 fg·mL−1 ~ 10 ng·mL−1 with a low detection limit of 21 fg·mL−1. Furthermore, the fabricated immunosensor with satisfactory stability, reproducibility and selectivity provides a novel method for PSA determination in real sample analysis.
Hemin/Au nanorods/self-doped TiO2nanowires as a novel photoelectrochemical bioanalysis platform
Authors: Wang Zhen , Cao Min , Yang Lei , Liu Donghua , Wei Dacheng
Published: June 2017

A sensitive photoelectrochemical platform for GSH was developed by modifying self-doped TiO2nanowires with mixed Au nanorods at two different aspect ratios as the core sensing unit and hemin for recognition.
Enhanced sensitivity and metabolite coverage with remote laser ablation electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry aided by coaxial plume and gas dynamics
Authors: Fincher Jarod A. , Korte Andrew R. , Reschke Brent , Morris Nicholas J. , Powell Matthew J. , Vertes Akos
Published: June 2017

Conical ablation chamber for remote LAESI-MS exhibits enhanced molecular coverage compared to conventional arrangement.
Fluorination promotes chalcogen bonding in crystalline solids
Authors: Nayak Susanta K. , Kumar Vijith , Murray Jane S. , Politzer Peter , Terraneo Giancarlo , Pilati Tullio , Metrangolo Pierangelo , Resnati Giuseppe
Published: June 2017

Flurorine promotes the electrophilicity of sulfur to the point that chalcogen bond formation affects the crystal packing in the solid.
Enhanced electro-active phase in a luminescent P(VDF–HFP)/Zn2+ flexible composite film for piezoelectric based energy harvesting applications and self-powered UV light detection
Authors: Adhikary Prakriti , Mandal Dipankar
Published: June 2017

An electro-active P(VDF–HFP)/Zn2+ composite film scavenges the mechanical energy that enabled self-powered UV light detection.
The covalently bound diazo group as an infrared probe for hydrogen bonding environments
Authors: You Min , Liu Liyuan , Zhang Wenkai
Published: June 2017

The bandwidth or position of diazo groups can probe the polarizability and HBA, or density of HBD groups.
Explicit consideration of spatial hydrogen bonding direction for activity coefficient prediction based on implicit solvation calculations
Authors: Chen Wei-Lin , Lin Shiang-Tai
Published: June 2017

Directional hydrogen bonding is introduced to implicit solvation calculations for improved prediction of solvation properties and phase equilibria of associating fluids.
Unveiling the irreversible performance degradation of organo-inorganic halide perovskite films and solar cells during heating and cooling processes
Authors: Mamun Abdullah Al , Ava Tanzila Tasnim , Byun Hye Ryung , Jeong Hyeon Jun , Jeong Mun Seok , Nguyen Loi , Gausin Christine , Namkoong Gon
Published: June 2017

During a heating process, degradation of perovskite films occurred at 70 °C, resulting in a deeper trap depth leading to irreversible performance degradation of perovskite solar cells.
Multi-functionalized herringbone carbon nanofiber for anodes of lithium ion batteries
Authors: Kim Mok-Hwa , Cho Min-Young , Kim Kwang-Bum , Jeong Han Gi , Han Joong Tark , Roh Kwang Chul
Published: June 2017

Herringbone carbon nanofibers (HCNFs) are prepared for use as anode materials in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).
A new set of Cd(ii)-coordination polymers with mixed ligands of dicarboxylate and pyridyl substituted diaminotriazine: selective sorption towards CO2and cationic dyes
Authors: Chand Santanu , Elahi Syed Meheboob , Pal Arun , Das Madhab C.
Published: June 2017

Pyridyl substituted diaminotriazine based three new Cd(ii)-CPs have been synthesized. CP3showed its potential for CO2/N2and CO2/CH4separation selectivity and its ability for selective adsorption to a cationic dye.
Large-scale simultaneous synthesis of highly photoluminescent green amorphous carbon nanodots and yellow crystalline graphene quantum dots at room temperature
Authors: Liu Meng Li , Yang Lin , Li Rong Sheng , Chen Bin Bin , Liu Hui , Huang Cheng Zhi
Published: June 2017

The room temperature synthesis of highly PL CNDs and GQDs by simply mixing TETA and p-benzoquinone and the origin of their photoluminescence.
The thermochemistry of long chain olefin isomers during hydroformylation
Authors: Kohls Emilija , Stein Matthias
Published: June 2017

The isomerization of 1-decene at the Rh(BiPhePhos) catalyst is initially controlled by steric demand of the ligand before the distribution of olefin isomers reaches thermodynamic equilibrium.
Chitosan microspheres-supported palladium species as an efficient and recyclable catalyst for Mizoroki–Heck reaction
Authors: Shao Linjun , Qi Chenze
Published: June 2017

Chitosan microsphere supported palladium catalysts prepared by electrospraying were very active and stable to catalyze the Mizoroki–Heck reaction.
Electrogenerated chemiluminescence logic gate operations based on molecule-responsive organic microwires
Authors: Gu Jianmin , Wu Jingxiao , Gao Yahui , Wu Tianhui , Li Qing , Li Aixue , Zheng Jian-Yao , Wen Bin , Gao Faming
Published: June 2017

Electrogenerated chemiluminescence logic gate operations using organic microwires as signal transducers have been developed based on specific ECL reaction mechanisms.
A layer-by-layer assembled MoS2 thin film as an efficient platform for laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry analysis of small molecules
Authors: Kim Young-Kwan , Wang Li-Sheng , Landis Ryan , Kim Chang Soo , Vachet Richard W. , Rotello Vincent M.
Published: June 2017

LBL assembly of liquid phase exfoliated MoS2 nanoflakes for the fabrication of a chip-based LDI-MS platform.
Regioselective Diels–Alder reaction to open-cage ketolactam derivatives of C60
Authors: Tanaka Teruhiko , Nojiri Ryuichi , Sugiyama Yoshiki , Sawai Ryouhei , Takahashi Toshikazu , Fukaya Norihisa , Choi Jun-Chul , Kabe Yoshio
Published: June 2017

Open-cage ketolactam fullerenes reacted with dienes on the rim of the orifice both regio- and endo-selectively, which were confirmed by 2D INADEQUATE 13C NMR of 13C enriched material/HMBC spectra as well as the theoretical calculations.
Design, synthesis, and biological activity of second-generation synthetic oleanane triterpenoids
Authors: Fu Liangfeng , Lin Qi-xian , Onyango Evans O. , Liby Karen T. , Sporn Michael B. , Gribble Gordon W.
Published: June 2017

Synthetic manipulation of oleanolic acid affords a novel and biologically active C-24 demethylated CDDO-Me.
Use of regenerated cellulose to direct hetero-assembly of nanoparticles with carbon nanotubes for producing flexible battery anodes
Authors: Cheng Yanhua , Chen Gen , Wu Haobin , Zhu Meifang , Lu Yunfeng
Published: June 2017

A strategy involving the use of cellulose to direct hetero-assembly was developed to fabricate a flexible battery anode of carbon nanotubes and nanoparticles bound to each other with strong interfacial contacts.
Elegant Z-scheme-dictated g-C3N4 enwrapped WO3 superstructures: a multifarious platform for versatile photoredox catalysis
Authors: Liang Zhi-Yu , Wei Jin-Xin , Wang Xiu , Yu Yan , Xiao Fang-Xing
Published: June 2017

Robust photoredox systems have been rationally designed and crafted based on in situ self-assembled g-C3N4/WO3 superstructures which demonstrated versatile photoredox catalytic performances under visible light irradiation.
Effect of alkyl chain length of the ammonium groups in SEPC-CIL on the performance of polymer solar cells
Authors: Chen Youchun , Zhang Simin , Peng Qiming , Wu Lixin , Li Fenghong , Wang Yue
Published: June 2017

The alkyl chain length of {[CH3(CH2)n−1]4N}4[SiW12O40] as a cathode interlayer can significantly affect the performance of polymer solar cells due to the different surface morphology of the films.
MOF-derived CoSe2 microspheres with hollow interiors as high-performance electrocatalysts for the enhanced oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Liu Xiaobin , Liu Yongchang , Fan Li-Zhen
Published: June 2017

MOF-derived CoSe2 hollow microspheres have been fabricated for the high-performance oxygen evolution reaction.
Glutathione-capped, renal-clearable CuS nanodots for photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy
Authors: Liang Guohai , Jin Xudong , Qin Huan , Xing Da
Published: June 2017

Glutathione-capped copper sulfide nanodots with efficient renal clearance show promise for in vivo photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy.