bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of nonlinear chirped Gaussian laser pulse on plasma wake field generation
Authors: Afhami Saeedeh , Eslami Esmaeil
Published: September 2014

An ultrashort laser pulse propagating in plasma can excite a nonlinear plasma wake field which can accelerate charged particles up to GeV energies within a compact space compared to the conventional accelerator devices. In this paper, the effect of different kinds of nonlinear chirped Gaussian laser pulse on wake field generation is investigated. The numerical analysis of our results depicts that the excitation of plasma wave with large and highly amplitude can be accomplished by nonlinear chirped pulses. The maximum amplitude of excited wake in nonlinear chirped pulse is approximately three times more than that of linear chirped pulse. In order to achieve high wake field generation, chirp parameters and functions should be set to optimal values.
Suppression of decoherence in a graphene monolayer ring
Authors: Smirnov D. , Rode J. C. , Haug R. J.
Published: September 2014

The influence of high magnetic fields on coherent transport is investigated. A monolayer graphene quantum ring is fabricated and the Aharonov-Bohm effect is observed. For increased magnitude of the magnetic field, higher harmonics appear. This phenomenon is attributed to an increase of the phase coherence length due to reduction of spin flip scattering.
Simultaneously improving optical absorption of both transverse-electric polarized and transverse-magnetic polarized light for organic solar cells with Ag grating used as transparent electrode
Authors: Long Yongbing , Li Yuanxing , Su Runmei
Published: September 2014

Theoretical simulations are performed to investigate optical performance of organic solar cells with Ag grating electrode. It is demonstrated that optical absorption for both transverse-electric (TE) polarized and transverse-magnetic(TM) polarized light is simultaneously improved when compared with that for the device without the Ag grating. The improvement is respectively attributed to the resonance and the surface plasmon polaritons within the device. After an additional WO3 layer is capped on the Ag grating, absorption of TE-polarized light is further improved due to resonance of double microcavities within the device, and absorption of TM-polarized light is improved by the combined effects of the microcavity resonance and the surface plasmon polaritons. Correspondingly, the short current density for randomly polarized light is improved by 18.1% from that of the device without the Ag grating. Finally, it is demonstrated that high transmission may not be an essential prerequisite for metallic gratings when they are used as transparent electrode since absorption loss caused by low transmission can be compensated by using a capping layer to optimize optical resonance of the WMC structure within the device.
A deep earthquake goes supershear
Authors: Wilson R. Mark
Published: September 2014

Seismic analysis of an aftershock off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula offers evidence that deep earthquakes are more complicated than geoscientists realized.
A quantum switch routes photons one by one
Authors: Smart Ashley G.
Published: September 2014

Peculiar properties of a miniature optical cavity give the switch its sense of direction.
A new era of nuclear test verification
Authors: Auer Matthias , Prior Mark K.
Published: September 2014

The global network of sensors commissioned to monitor compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty has proven capable of that task and more.
Prolactin modulates luteal regression from the coeliac ganglion via the superior ovarian nerve in the late-pregnant rat
Authors: Vallcaneras Sandra S. , de la Vega Magalí , Delgado Silvia M. , Motta Alicia , Telleria Carlos , Rastrilla Ana M. , Casais Marilina
Published: September 2014

There is considerable evidence of the neuroendocrine control involved in luteal regression in the rat. In addition, circulating prolactin (PRL), which increases during the night before parturition, may gain access to the coeliac ganglion (CG), indirectly impacting the physiology of the ovary because of the known connection between the CG and the ovary via the superior ovarian nerve (SON). In this work we investigated in the CG–SON–ovary system and whether PRL added to the CG has an impact, indirectly via the SON, on luteal regression on Day 21 of pregnancy. The system was incubated without (control) or with PRL added to the CG. We measured the ovarian release of progesterone (P), oestradiol and prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2α) by radioimmunoassay, and nitrites (NO) by the Griess method. Luteal mRNA expression of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD), 20α-HSD, aromatase, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and apoptosis regulatory factors was analysed by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. P release, the expression of Bcl-2 and the Bcl-2 : Bax ratio was lower than control preparations, while the expression of 20α-HSD and the release of NO and PGF2α were higher in the experimental group. In conclusion, PRL acts at the CG and, by a neural pathway, modulates luteal function at the end of pregnancy.
Kripke’s sole route to the necessary a posteriori
Authors: Eaker Erin
Published: September 2014

In ‘Kripke on epistemic and metaphysical possibility: two routes to the necessary a posteriori’, Scott Soames identifies two arguments for the existence of necessary a posteriori truths inNaming and Necessity(NN). He argues that Kripke’s second argument relies on either of two principles, each of which leads to contradiction. He also claims that it has led to ‘two-dimensionalist’ approaches to the necessary a posteriori which are fundamentally at odds with the insights about meaning and modality expressed in NN. I argue that the alleged second argument is not in NN. I identify the mistakes that lead to Soames’ misinterpretation.
Chemokine-coupled β2 integrin–induced macrophage Rac2–Myosin IIA interaction regulates VEGF-A mRNA stability and arteriogenesis
Authors: Morrison Alan R. , Yarovinsky Timur O. , Young Bryan D. , Moraes Filipa , Ross Tyler D. , Ceneri Nicolle , Zhang Jiasheng , Zhuang Zhen W. , Sinusas Albert J. , Pardi Ruggero , Schwartz Martin A. , Simons Michael , Bender Jeffrey R.
Published: September 2014

Myeloid cells are important contributors to arteriogenesis, but their key molecular triggers and cellular effectors are largely unknown. We report, in inflammatory monocytes, that the combination of chemokine receptor (CCR2) and adhesion receptor (β2 integrin) engagement leads to an interaction between activated Rac2 and Myosin 9 (Myh9), the heavy chain of Myosin IIA, resulting in augmented vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) expression and induction of arteriogenesis. In human monocytes, CCL2 stimulation coupled to ICAM-1 adhesion led to rapid nuclear-to-cytosolic translocation of the RNA-binding protein HuR. This activation of HuR and its stabilization of VEGF-A mRNA were Rac2-dependent, and proteomic analysis for Rac2 interactors identified the 226 kD protein Myh9. The level of induced Rac2–Myh9 interaction strongly correlated with the degree of HuR translocation. CCL2-coupled ICAM-1 adhesion-driven HuR translocation and consequent VEGF-A mRNA stabilization were absent in Myh9−/− macrophages. Macrophage VEGF-A production, ischemic tissue VEGF-A levels, and flow recovery to hind limb ischemia were impaired in myeloid-specific Myh9−/− mice, despite preserved macrophage recruitment to the ischemic muscle. Micro-CT arteriography determined the impairment to be defective induced arteriogenesis, whereas developmental vasculogenesis was unaffected. These results place the macrophage at the center of ischemia-induced arteriogenesis, and they establish a novel role for Myosin IIA in signal transduction events modulating VEGF-A expression in tissue.
Germinal center B cell maintenance and differentiation are controlled by distinct NF-κB transcription factor subunits
Authors: Heise Nicole , De Silva Nilushi S. , Silva Kathryn , Carette Amanda , Simonetti Giorgia , Pasparakis Manolis , Klein Ulf
Published: September 2014

Germinal centers (GCs) are the sites where memory B cells and plasma cells producing high-affinity antibodies are generated during T cell–dependent immune responses. The molecular control of GC B cell maintenance and differentiation remains incompletely understood. Activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway has been implicated; however, the distinct roles of the individual NF-κB transcription factor subunits are unknown. We report that GC B cell–specific deletion of the NF-κB subunits c-REL or RELA, which are both activated by the canonical NF-κB pathway, abolished the generation of high-affinity B cells via different mechanisms acting at distinct stages during the GC reaction. c-REL deficiency led to the collapse of established GCs immediately after the formation of dark and light zones at day 7 of the GC reaction and was associated with the failure to activate a metabolic program that promotes cell growth. Conversely, RELA was dispensable for GC maintenance but essential for the development of GC-derived plasma cells due to impaired up-regulation of BLIMP1. These results indicate that activation of the canonical NF-κB pathway in GC B cells controls GC maintenance and differentiation through distinct transcription factor subunits. Our findings have implications for the role of NF-κB in GC lymphomagenesis.
The shape, internal structure and gravity of the fast spinner β Pictoris b
Authors: Kong Dali , Liao Xinhao , Zhang Keke , Schubert Gerald
Published: September 2014

A young extrasolar gas giant planet, β Pictoris b, recently discovered in the β Pictoris system, spins substantially faster than the giant gas planets Jupiter and Saturn. Based on the newly measured parameters – the rotation period of the planet, its mass and radius – together with an assumption that the gas planet β Pictoris b is in hydrostatic equilibrium and made of a fully compressible barotropic gas with a polytropic index of unity, we are able to compute, via a hybrid inverse method, its non-spherical shape, internal density/pressure distribution and gravitational zonal coefficients up to degree 8. Since the mass Mβ for the planet β Pictoris b is highly uncertain, various models with different values of Mβ are studied in this Letter, providing the upper and lower bounds for its shape parameter as well as its gravitational zonal coefficients. If Mβ is assumed to be 6MJ with MJ being Jupiter's mass, we show that the shape of the planet β Pictoris b is approximately described by an oblate spheroid whose eccentricity at the one-bar surface is $\mathcal {E}_{\beta }=0.369\,28$ with the gravitational coefficient (J2)β = +15 375.972 × 10−6. It follows that our results open the possibility of constraining or inferring the mass Mβ of the planet β Pictoris b if its shape can be measured or constrained. By assuming that the planet β Pictoris b will shrink to the size of Jupiter in the process of cooling down and, hence, rotate much faster, we also calculate the future shape and internal structure of the planet β Pictoris b.
Graph analysis of functional brain networks: practical issues in translational neuroscience
Authors: De Vico Fallani Fabrizio , Richiardi Jonas , Chavez Mario , Achard Sophie
Published: September 2014

The brain can be regarded as a network: a connected system where nodes, or units, represent different specialized regions and links, or connections, represent communication pathways. From a functional perspective, communication is coded by temporal dependence between the activities of different brain areas. In the last decade, the abstract representation of the brain as a graph has allowed to visualize functional brain networks and describe their non-trivial topological properties in a compact and objective way. Nowadays, the use of graph analysis in translational neuroscience has become essential to quantify brain dysfunctions in terms of aberrant reconfiguration of functional brain networks. Despite its evident impact, graph analysis of functional brain networks is not a simple toolbox that can be blindly applied to brain signals. On the one hand, it requires the know-how of all the methodological steps of the pipeline that manipulate the input brain signals and extract the functional network properties. On the other hand, knowledge of the neural phenomenon under study is required to perform physiologically relevant analysis. The aim of this review is to provide practical indications to make sense of brain network analysis and contrast counterproductive attitudes.
Reconfigurable task-dependent functional coupling modes cluster around a core functional architecture
Authors: Krienen Fenna M. , Yeo B. T. Thomas , Buckner Randy L.
Published: September 2014

Functional coupling across distributed brain regions varies across task contexts, yet there are stable features. To better understand the range and central tendencies of network configurations, coupling patterns were explored using functional MRI (fMRI) across 14 distinct continuously performed task states ranging from passive fixation to increasingly demanding classification tasks. Mean global correlation profiles across the cortex ranged from 0.69 to 0.82 between task states. Network configurations from both passive fixation and classification tasks similarly predicted task coactivation patterns estimated from meta-analysis of the literature. Thus, even across markedly different task states, central tendencies dominate the coupling configurations. Beyond these shared components, distinct task states displayed significant differences in coupling patterns in response to their varied demands. One possibility is that anatomical connectivity provides constraints that act as attractors pulling network configurations towards a limited number of robust states. Reconfigurable coupling modes emerge as significant modifications to a core functional architecture.
From
Caenorhabditis elegans
to the human connectome: a specific modular organization increases metabolic, functional and developmental efficiency
Authors: Kim Jinseop S. , Kaiser Marcus
Published: September 2014

The connectome, or the entire connectivity of a neural system represented by a network, ranges across various scales from synaptic connections between individual neurons to fibre tract connections between brain regions. Although the modularity they commonly show has been extensively studied, it is unclear whether the connection specificity of such networks can already be fully explained by the modularity alone. To answer this question, we study two networks, the neuronal network of
Caenorhabditis elegans
and the fibre tract network of human brains obtained through diffusion spectrum imaging. We compare them to their respective benchmark networks with varying modularities, which are generated by link swapping to have desired modularity values. We find several network properties that are specific to the neural networks and cannot be fully explained by the modularity alone. First, the clustering coefficient and the characteristic path length of both
C. elegans
and human connectomes are higher than those of the benchmark networks with similar modularity. High clustering coefficient indicates efficient local information distribution, and high characteristic path length suggests reduced global integration. Second, the total wiring length is smaller than for the alternative configurations with similar modularity. This is due to lower dispersion of connections, which means each neuron in the
C. elegans
connectome or each region of interest in the human connectome reaches fewer ganglia or cortical areas, respectively. Third, both neural networks show lower algorithmic entropy compared with the alternative arrangements. This implies that fewer genes are needed to encode for the organization of neural systems. While the first two findings show that the neural topologies are efficient in information processing, this suggests that they are also efficient from a developmental point of view. Together, these results show that neural systems are organized in such a way as to yield efficient features beyond those given by their modularity alone.
Using Pareto optimality to explore the topology and dynamics of the human connectome
Authors: Avena-Koenigsberger Andrea , Goñi Joaquín , Betzel Richard F. , van den Heuvel Martijn P. , Griffa Alessandra , Hagmann Patric , Thiran Jean-Philippe , Sporns Olaf
Published: September 2014

Graph theory has provided a key mathematical framework to analyse the architecture of human brain networks. This architecture embodies an inherently complex relationship between connection topology, the spatial arrangement of network elements, and the resulting network cost and functional performance. An exploration of these interacting factors and driving forces may reveal salient network features that are critically important for shaping and constraining the brain's topological organization and its evolvability. Several studies have pointed to an economic balance between network cost and network efficiency with networks organized in an ‘economical’ small-world favouring high communication efficiency at a low wiring cost. In this study, we define and explore a network morphospace in order to characterize different aspects of communication efficiency in human brain networks. Using a multi-objective evolutionary approach that approximates a Pareto-optimal set within the morphospace, we investigate the capacity of anatomical brain networks to evolve towards topologies that exhibit optimal information processing features while preserving network cost. This approach allows us to investigate network topologies that emerge under specific selection pressures, thus providing some insight into the selectional forces that may have shaped the network architecture of existing human brains.
The frustrated brain: from dynamics on motifs to communities and networks
Authors: Gollo Leonardo L. , Breakspear Michael
Published: September 2014

Cognitive function depends on an adaptive balance between flexible dynamics and integrative processes in distributed cortical networks. Patterns of zero-lag synchrony likely underpin numerous perceptual and cognitive functions. Synchronization fulfils integration by reducing entropy, while adaptive function mandates that a broad variety of stable states be readily accessible. Here, we elucidate two complementary influences on patterns of zero-lag synchrony that derive from basic properties of brain networks. First, mutually coupled pairs of neuronal subsystems—resonance pairs—promote stable zero-lag synchrony among the small motifs in which they are embedded, and whose effects can propagate along connected chains. Second, frustrated closed-loop motifs disrupt synchronous dynamics, enabling metastable configurations of zero-lag synchrony to coexist. We document these two complementary influences in small motifs and illustrate how these effects underpin stable versus metastable phase-synchronization patterns in prototypical modular networks and in large-scale cortical networks of the macaque (CoCoMac). We find that the variability of synchronization patterns depends on the inter-node time delay, increases with the network size and is maximized for intermediate coupling strengths. We hypothesize that the dialectic influences of resonance versus frustration may form a dynamic substrate for flexible neuronal integration, an essential platform across diverse cognitive processes.
Faecalicoccus acidiformans gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from the chicken caecum, and reclassification of Streptococcus pleomorphus (Barnes et al. 1977), Eubacterium biforme (Eggerth 1935) and Eubacterium cylindroides (Cato et al. 1974) as Faecalicoccus pleomorphus comb. nov., Holdemanella biformis gen. nov., comb. nov. and Faecalitalea cylindroides gen. nov., comb. nov., respectively, within the family Erysipelotrichaceae
Authors: De Maesschalck Celine , Van Immerseel Filip , Eeckhaut Venessa , De Baere Siegrid , Cnockaert Margo , Croubels Siska , Haesebrouck Freddy , Ducatelle Richard , Vandamme Peter
Published: September 2014

Strains LMG 27428T and LMG 27427 were isolated from the caecal content of a chicken and produced butyric, lactic and formic acids as major metabolic end products. The genomic DNA G+C contents of strains LMG 27428T and LMG 27427 were 40.4 and 38.8 mol%. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, both strains were most closely related to the generically misclassified

Streptococcus pleomorphus

ATCC 29734T. Strain LMG 27428T could be distinguished from

S. pleomorphus

ATCC 29734T based on production of more lactic acid and less formic acid in M2GSC medium, a higher DNA G+C content and the absence of activities of acid phosphatase and leucine, arginine, leucyl glycine, pyroglutamic acid, glycine and histidine arylamidases, while strain LMG 27428 was biochemically indistinguishable from

S. pleomorphus

ATCC 29734T. The novel genus Faecalicoccus gen. nov. within the family

Erysipelotrichaceae

is proposed to accommodate strains LMG 27428T and LMG 27427. Strain LMG 27428T ( = DSM 26963T) is the type strain of Faecalicoccus acidiformans sp. nov., and strain LMG 27427 ( = DSM 26962) is a strain of Faecalicoccus pleomorphus comb. nov. (type strain LMG 17756T = ATCC 29734T = DSM 20574T). Furthermore, the nearest phylogenetic neighbours of the genus Faecalicoccus are the generically misclassified

Eubacterium cylindroides

DSM 3983T (94.4 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to strain LMG 27428T) and

Eubacterium biforme

DSM 3989T (92.7 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to strain LMG 27428T). We present genotypic and phenotypic data that allow the differentiation of each of these taxa and propose to reclassify these generically misnamed species of the genus

Eubacterium

formally as Faecalitalea cylindroides gen. nov., comb. nov. and Holdemanella biformis gen. nov., comb. nov., respectively. The type strain of Faecalitalea cylindroides is DSM 3983T = ATCC 27803T = JCM 10261T and that of Holdemanella biformis is DSM 3989T = ATCC 27806T = CCUG 28091T.
Systematic screening reveals a role for BRCA1 in the response to transcription-associated DNA damage
Authors: Hill Sarah J. , Rolland Thomas , Adelmant Guillaume , Xia Xianfang , Owen Matthew S. , Dricot Amélie , Zack Travis I. , Sahni Nidhi , Jacob Yves , Hao Tong , McKinney Kristine M. , Clark Allison P. , Reyon Deepak , Tsai Shengdar Q. , Joung J. Keith , Beroukhim Rameen , Marto Jarrod A. , Vidal Marc , Gaudet Suzanne , Hill David E. , Livingston David M.
Published: September 2014

BRCA1 is a breast and ovarian tumor suppressor. Given its numerous incompletely understood functions and the possibility that more exist, we performed complementary systematic screens in search of new BRCA1 protein-interacting partners. New BRCA1 functions and/or a better understanding of existing ones were sought. Among the new interacting proteins identified, genetic interactions were detected between BRCA1 and four of the interactors: TONSL, SETX, TCEANC, and TCEA2. Genetic interactions were also detected between BRCA1 and certain interactors of TONSL, including both members of the FACT complex. From these results, a new BRCA1 function in the response to transcription-associated DNA damage was detected. Specifically, new roles for BRCA1 in the restart of transcription after UV damage and in preventing or repairing damage caused by stabilized R loops were identified. These roles are likely carried out together with some of the newly identified interactors. This new function may be important in BRCA1 tumor suppression, since the expression of several interactors, including some of the above-noted transcription proteins, is repeatedly aberrant in both breast and ovarian cancers.
A post-translational regulatory switch on UPF1 controls targeted mRNA degradation
Authors: Kurosaki Tatsuaki , Li Wencheng , Hoque Mainul , Popp Maximilian W.-L. , Ermolenko Dmitri N. , Tian Bin , Maquat Lynne E.
Published: September 2014

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) controls the quality of eukaryotic gene expression and also degrades physiologic mRNAs. How NMD targets are identified is incompletely understood. A central NMD factor is the ATP-dependent RNA helicase upframeshift 1 (UPF1). Neither the distance in space between the termination codon and the poly(A) tail nor the binding of steady-state, largely hypophosphorylated UPF1 is a discriminating marker of cellular NMD targets, unlike for premature termination codon (PTC)-containing reporter mRNAs when compared with their PTC-free counterparts. Here, we map phosphorylated UPF1 (p-UPF1)-binding sites using transcriptome-wide footprinting or DNA oligonucleotide-directed mRNA cleavage to report that p-UPF1 provides the first reliable cellular NMD target marker. p-UPF1 is enriched on NMD target 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs) along with suppressor with morphogenic effect on genitalia 5 (SMG5) and SMG7 but not SMG1 or SMG6. Immunoprecipitations of UPF1 variants deficient in various aspects of the NMD process in parallel with Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) experiments reveal that ATPase/helicase-deficient UPF1 manifests high levels of RNA binding and disregulated hyperphosphorylation, whereas wild-type UPF1 releases from nonspecific RNA interactions in an ATP hydrolysis-dependent mechanism until an NMD target is identified. 3′ UTR-associated UPF1 undergoes regulated phosphorylation on NMD targets, providing a binding platform for mRNA degradative activities. p-UPF1 binding to NMD target 3′ UTRs is stabilized by SMG5 and SMG7. Our results help to explain why steady-state UPF1 binding is not a marker for cellular NMD substrates and how this binding is transformed to induce mRNA decay.
ZBTB7A acts as a tumor suppressor through the transcriptional repression of glycolysis
Authors: Liu Xue-Song , Haines Jenna E. , Mehanna Elie K. , Genet Matthew D. , Ben-Sahra Issam , Asara John M. , Manning Brendan D. , Yuan Zhi-Min
Published: September 2014

Elevated glycolysis is a common metabolic trait of cancer, but what drives such metabolic reprogramming remains incompletely clear. We report here a novel transcriptional repressor-mediated negative regulation of glycolysis. ZBTB7A, a member of the POK (POZ/BTB and Krüppel) transcription repressor family, directly binds to the promoter and represses the transcription of critical glycolytic genes, including GLUT3, PFKP, and PKM. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data sets reveals that the ZBTB7A locus is frequently deleted in many human tumors. Significantly, reduced ZBTB7A expression correlates with up-regulation of the glycolytic genes and poor survival in colon cancer patients. Remarkably, while ZBTB7A-deficient tumors progress exceedingly fast, they exhibit an unusually heightened sensitivity to glycolysis inhibition. Our study uncovers a novel tumor suppressor role of ZBTB7A in directly suppressing glycolysis.
Modern genome editing meets telomeres: the many functions of TPP1
Authors: Karlseder Jan
Published: September 2014

The telomeric complex has been analyzed in detail for its role in regulating telomere protection and telomere length. Now, modern genome-editing techniques in human embryonic stem cells reveal TPP1 as the essential recruitment factor for telomerase, with additional functions in telomerase activation and definition of telomere length homeostasis.
Single Cell/Cellular Subregion-Targeted Phototransfection
Authors: Lee Jaehee , Sul Jai-Yoon , Eberwine James H.
Published: September 2014

Introduction of exogenous genetic material, such as DNA, mRNA, siRNA, or miRNA, into cells is routinely performed using one of the many different standardized methods, including lipid-mediated transfection, electroporation, and microinjection to identify their biological function. The ability to control the location and amount of nucleic acids introduced into a cell is particularly important for studying polarized cells such as neurons. Lipid-mediated transfection is simple and fast but lacks regional specificity of delivery, whereas microinjection is regionally specific but labor intensive. To overcome these obstacles, we developed and use the method of phototransfection. In this method, a conventional microscope with a high-power pulse laser of any wavelength is able with minimal destructiveness to induce transient pores into the plasma membrane of the target cell, which remain open long enough to allow exogenous genetic material to diffuse into the cytosol before the pore closes due to membrane dynamics. The technique is not limited by choice of cell type or by genetic material to be introduced, and for RNA allows transfection of multiple mRNAs simultaneously in any desired amount or ratio. Further, phototransfection allows the target area to be a specific cell in a population of cells or a specific subregion within a cell. This protocol summarizes the key steps for performing phototransfection, provides a guide to optimization, and uses as an example green fluorescent protein (GFP) mRNA transfection within a single neuronal process.
Synthesis of [32P]NAADP for the Radioreceptor Binding Assay
Authors: Galione Antony , Chuang Kai-Ting , Funnell Tim M. , Davis Lianne C. , Morgan Anthony J. , Ruas Margarida , Parrington John , Churchill Grant C.
Published: September 2014

Nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP) is a major messenger for Ca2+ mobilization in cells. NAADP-binding proteins are highly selective and have a strong affinity for NAADP. This is the basis of the radioreceptor binding assay, which is used to measure NAADP levels in cells and tissues and to identify cellular stimuli that use NAADP as an intracellular messenger. In the radioreceptor binding assay, radiolabeled NAADP ([32P]NAADP) competes with endogenous NAADP present in samples for binding to their receptors. Here, we describe the synthesis of [32P]NAADP for use in the radioreceptor binding assay.
Monitoring Autophagy in Drosophila Using Fluorescent Reporters in the UAS-GAL4 System
Authors: DeVorkin Lindsay , Gorski Sharon M.
Published: September 2014

Following autophagy induction, the autophagy-related protein Atg8 undergoes ubiquitin-like conjugation to phosphatidylethanolamine and inserts into the autophagosome membrane. Transgenic Drosophila lines expressing Drosophila Atg8 (DrAtg8a) fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP), mCherry, or dual-tagged GFP-mCherry have been constructed and are extremely useful for monitoring autophagy. The use of GFP-mCherry-Atg8a is particularly advantageous because it allows for the assessment of autophagy induction as well as autophagy flux. GFP-mCherry-Atg8a fluoresces yellow in nonacidic structures including the autophagosome. When autophagosomes fuse with lysosomes to form autolysosomes, GFP fluorescence is quenched by the acidic hydrolases and the resulting autolysosome will fluoresce red. The upstream activating sequence (UAS)-GAL4 system allows for the ectopic expression of the gene of interest (in this case, DrAtg8a) in a tissue-specific manner. Here we provide a protocol for monitoring autophagic flux by fluorescence microscopy by expressing UASp-GFP-mCherry-DrAtg8a in the Drosophila germline.
Crystal structure of 5-chloro-3-(4-fluorophenylsulfinyl)-2,4,6-trimethyl-1-benzofuran
Authors: Choi Hong Dae , Lee Uk
Published: September 2014

In the title compound, C17H14ClFO2S, the dihedral angle between the mean planes of the benzofuran ring system [maximum deviation = 0.037 (2) Å] and the 4-fluorobenzene ring is 71.92 (5)°. An intramolecular C—H...O hydrogen bond occurs. In the crystal, molecules are linked by π–π stacking between the benzene rings of neighbouring molecules [centroid–centroid distance = 3.7103 (10) Å]. These molecules are further linked by C—S...π [S...centroid = 3.570 (1) Å] and C—H...O interactions, resulting in a three-dimensional supramolecular network.
Crystal structure of 4-amino-1-benzyl-1,2,4-triazolin-5-one
Authors: Laus Gerhard , Kahlenberg Volker , Schottenberger Herwig
Published: September 2014

The title compound, C9H10N4O, was obtained unintentionally by hydrolysis of 4-amino-1-benzyl-5-methylsulfanyl-1,2,4-triazolium tetrafluoroborate in the presence of sodium azide. In the crystal, alternating layers of polar aminotriazolinone and apolar benzene moieties are observed. N—H...O hydrogen bonds between the amino and carbonyl groups form infinite chains along [010]. These infinite chains are linked by additional C—H...O contacts.
Crystal structure of the magnesium salt of the herbicide 2,4-D: pentaaqua[(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetato-κO]magnesium (2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetate hemihydrate
Authors: Smith Graham
Published: September 2014

In the crystal structure of the title magnesium salt of the phenoxy herbicide (2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid (2,4-D), [Mg(C8H5Cl2O3)(H2O)5](C8H5Cl2O3)·0.5H2O, the discrete cationic MgO6complex unit comprises a carboxylate O-donor from a monodentate 2,4-D anionic ligand and five water molecules, resulting in a slightly distorted octahedral coordination sphere. The free 2,4-D anions are linked to the complex units through duplex water–carboxylate O—H...O hydrogen bonds through the coordinating water molecules. In the crystal, inter-unit O—H...O hydrogen-bonding interactions involving coordinating water molecules as well as the solvent water molecule (occupancy 0.5) with carboxylate O-atom acceptors, give a layered structure lying parallel to (001), in which π–π ligand–cation interactions [minimum ring centroid separation = 3.6405 (17) Å] and a short O—H...Cl interaction are also found.
Crystal structure of (3R)-3-benzyl-4-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]butanoic acid
Authors: Jędrzejczak Karol , Szczesio Małgorzata , Oracz Monika , Jankowski Stefan , Główka Marek L.
Published: September 2014

The characteristic feature of the title molecule, C16H23NO4, is thesynconfiguration of the partially double amide C—N bond [C—N—C—O torsion angle = −14.8 (2)°]. The crystal packing is determined by intermolecular O—H...O and N—H...O hydrogen bonds, which link the molecules into a double-chain structure extending along [010].
Crystal structure of bis{μ-2-[(dimethylamino)methyl]ferroceneselenolato}bis[chloridopalladium(II)]
Authors: Takaluoma Esther M. , Oilunkaniemi Raija , Laitinen Risto S.
Published: September 2014

The dinuclear title compound, [PdCl{Se[(C5H5)Fe(C5H3)2CH2N(CH3)2]}]2was obtained by the reaction of [PdCl2(NCPh)2] with 2-[(N,N′-dimethylamino)methyl]ferroceneselenolate and the crystals for the structure determination were grown from a mixture of THF andn-hexane. Both PdIIatoms are coordinated by the bridging Se atoms and by the amino N atoms of the bidentate 2-[(N,N′-dimethylamino)methyl]ferroceneselenolate ligand, as well as by Cl atoms, and show a distorted square-planar coordination. The angle between the Pd—Se—Se planes of the two Pd atoms is 149.31 (3)°. Weak Cl...H hydrogen bonds link the binuclear complexes into a three-dimensional network.
Diurnal activity patterns and feeding ecology of the endemic geladas (Theropithecus gelada) in the Simien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia
Authors: Ejigu Dessalegn , Bekele Afework
Published: September 2014

Diurnal activity patterns and feeding ecology of geladas (Theropithecus gelada) in Chenek, Simien Mountains National Park, were studied from January 2010 to April 2010. Data were gathered for 7 days per month starting from early in the morning to dusk. The study site (1805 ha) was divided into five blocks and a total of 397 individuals were counted using simultaneous census method. One band with 21 individuals was selected as a study group and scan sampling was used to study their diurnal activity patterns and feeding ecology. Geladas dedicated significantly more time to foraging than to other diurnal activities. They spent the majority of feeding time foraging on grass, and allocated little time to feeding on leaves, shoots, and flowers. Geladas of all age classes devoted the least time to resting, and spent similar amount of time moving. The study band was observed to interact with people, and to steal food from tourists and local people. Raising local people's awareness of geladas ecology and behavior might be a necessary component in the species' successful management and conservation.
Megalopapilla in children: a spectral domain optical coherence tomography analysis
Authors: Lee Hyo Seok , Park Sang Woo , Heo Hwan
Published: September 2014

Purpose

To compare various optic nerve head (ONH) parameters and peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL) thickness between megalopapilla cases and normal control using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD‐OCT) in children.

Methods

Fifty eyes with megalopapilla and 80 normal control eyes of totally 130 children between the ages of 6 and 15 were examined using SD‐OCT. Optic nerve head parameters including disc diameter, cup‐to‐disc ratio, disc area, cup area, rim area, cup volume and rim volume, and pRNFL thickness were analysed and compared between two groups.

Results

Megalopapilla group presented larger optic disc diameter, disc and cup area, cup‐to‐disc and cup‐to‐disc area ratio, when compared with normal control group. However, there is no difference in rim area (p = 0.25) and rim volume (p = 0.48) between the two groups. Average pRNFL thickness was higher in the megalopapilla group (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Rim area, rim volume and pRNFL, which reflect the number of retinal nerve fibres, were preserved in children with megalopapilla. Various ONH parameters obtained with SD‐OCT may be useful in the differential diagnosis of megalopapilla in children.
Beyond (But Including) the CEO: Diffusing Corporate Social Responsibility throughout the Organization through Social Networks
Authors: Jacobson Kathryn J. L. , Hood Jacqueline N. , Van Buren Harry J.
Published: September 2014

Chief Executive Officers and other organizational leaders can affect how corporate social responsibility initiatives are perceived in their organizations. However, in order to be successful with regard to promoting CSR, leaders need to have strong network competencies and to move beyond charismatic leadership. In this paper we offer a critique of charismatic leadership as it relates to CSR, posit that the intellectual stimulation brought about by transformational leadership is more important in this regard, propose that internal and networking is a leadership competence highly relevant to CSR, and emphasize the importance of working through highly credible opinion leaders in promoting CSR.
Robot‐assisted versus other types of radical prostatectomy: Population‐based safety and cost comparison in Japan, 2012–2013
Authors: Sugihara Toru , Yasunaga Hideo , Horiguchi Hiromasa , Matsui Hiroki , Fujimura Tetsuya , Nishimatsu Hiroaki , Fukuhara Hiroshi , Kume Haruki , Changhong Yu , Kattan Michael W. , Fushimi Kiyohide , Homma Yukio
Published: September 2014

In 2012, Japanese national insurance started covering robot‐assisted surgery. We carried out a population‐based comparison between robot‐assisted and three other types of radical prostatectomy to evaluate the safety of robot‐assisted prostatectomy during its initial year. We abstracted data for 7202 open, 2483 laparoscopic, 1181 minimal incision endoscopic, and 2126 robot‐assisted radical prostatectomies for oncological stage T3 or less from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database (April 2012–March 2013). Complication rate, transfusion rate, anesthesia time, postoperative length of stay, and cost were evaluated by pairwise one‐to‐one propensity‐score matching and multivariable analyses with covariants of age, comorbidity, oncological stage, hospital volume, and hospital academic status. The proportion of robot‐assisted radical prostatectomies dramatically increased from 8.6% to 24.1% during the first year. Compared with open, laparoscopic, and minimal incision endoscopic surgery, robot‐assisted surgery was generally associated with a significantly lower complication rate (odds ratios, 0.25, 0.20, 0.33, respectively), autologous transfusion rate (0.04, 0.31, 0.10), homologous transfusion rate (0.16, 0.48, 0.14), lower cost excluding operation (differences, −5.1%, −1.8% [not significant], −10.8%) and shorter postoperative length of stay (–9.1%, +0.9% [not significant], –18.5%, respectively). However, robot‐assisted surgery also resulted in a + 42.6% increase in anesthesia time and +52.4% increase in total cost compared with open surgery (all P < 0.05). Introduction of robotic surgery led to a dynamic change in prostate cancer surgery. Even in its initial year, robot‐assisted radical prostatectomy was carried out with several favorable safety aspects compared to the conventional surgeries despite its having the longest anesthesia time and the highest cost.
Dentomaxillofacial characteristics of ectodermal dysplasia
Authors: Nakayama Yumiko , Baba Yoshiyuki , Tsuji Michiko , Fukuoka Hiroki , Ogawa Takuya , Ohkuma Mizue , Moriyama Keiji
Published: September 2014

The aim of this retrospective hospital‐based study was to elucidate the dentomaxillofacial characteristics of ectodermal dysplasia. Six Japanese individuals (one male and five female; age range, 12.7–27.2 years) underwent comprehensive examinations, including history recording, cephalometric analysis, panoramic radiography, and analysis of dental models. All the subjects had two or more major manifestations for clinical diagnosis of ectodermal dysplasia (e.g., defects of hair, teeth, nails, and sweat glands). They presented hypodontia (mean number of missing teeth, 9.5; range, 5–14), especially in the premolar region, and enamel dysplasia. Five subjects had bilateral molar occlusion, whereas one subject had unilateral molar occlusion. The common skeletal features were small facial height, maxillary hypoplasia, counterclockwise rotation of the mandible, and mandibular protrusion. Interestingly, the maxillary first molars were located in higher positions and the upper anterior facial height was smaller than the Japanese norm. The results suggest that vertical and anteroposterior maxillary growth retardation, rather than lack of occlusal support due to hypodontia, leads to reduced anterior facial height in individuals with ectodermal dysplasia.
Relationship between the CT Value and Cortical Bone Thickness at Implant Recipient Sites and Primary Implant Stability with Comparison of Different Implant Types
Authors: Howashi Miori , Tsukiyama Yoshihiro , Ayukawa Yasunori , Isoda‐Akizuki Kei , Kihara Masafumi , Imai Yu , Sogo Motofumi , Koyano Kiyoshi
Published: September 2014

Background

Studies have shown that bone quality at the implant recipient site can influence primary stability.

Purpose

The aims of this study were to explore the quantitative estimation of the primary stability of implants preoperatively using CT values and to examine the effect of different implant designs with recommended socket preparation on primary stability.

Materials and Methods

Forty‐four fresh porcine femoral heads were prepared. The bone surrounding implant sockets was preoperatively evaluated by helical CT. Forty‐four implants (φ 4.3 × 10 mm), 22 straight and 22 tapered, were placed according to the manufacturer's instructions. The insertion torque value (ITV), implant stability quotient (ISQ), and removal torque value (RTV) were recorded as indicators of primary implant stability.

Results

Significant correlations and linear relationships were found between the CT value and ITV, ISQ, and RTV for both straight and tapered implants (Spearman's correlation coefficient, p < .001; linear regression analysis, p < .01). Tapered implants had a significantly higher ITV than straight implants (analysis of covariance, p < .01).

Conclusions

Obtained results suggest that the primary stability of implants could be quantitatively estimated using the CT value preoperatively, indicating the CT value of bone surrounding an implant can contribute considerably to implant planning and design choice in clinical situations.
Facial bone alterations on maxillary anterior single implants for immediate placement and provisionalization following tooth extraction: a superimposed cone beam computed tomography study
Authors: Morimoto Taichiro , Tsukiyama Yoshihiro , Morimoto Keizo , Koyano Kiyoshi
Published: September 2014

Objectives

The purpose of this cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) study was to describe the facial bone changes around single implants for immediate placement and provisionalization following tooth extraction in the maxillary anterior.

Material and methods

The data between 2008 and 2013 were collected retrospectively. Superimposed facio‐palatal cross‐sectional CBCT images for the implants were derived from preoperative and postoperative radiographs via standardized CBCT processes. Horizontal and vertical facial measurements on the implants were identified at preoperative and approximately 1‐year postoperative follow‐ups. Correlation coefficient for those parameters was evaluated.

Results

A total of 12 single implants in 12 patients were included in this study. The mean loading period was 13.3 months (range 12–15 months). The median data of preoperative bone thickness 0.54 mm (A), preoperative vertical bone level 1.46 mm (B), postoperative bone thickness 1.77 mm (C), postoperative vertical bone level 1.08 mm (D), horizontal distance from outer surface of preoperative facial bone to implant surface 2.08 mm (E), horizontal gap distance 1.41 mm (E–A), horizontal bone resorption −0.26 mm (E–C), and vertical bone resorption −0.25 mm (B–D) were obtained. The data at the implant platform level (IPL) were selected for the horizontal measurements. Spearman's analysis demonstrated statistically significant correlations between B and D, C and E, E and E–A, and B and E–C (P < 0.01). Significant correlations between C and B, D, and E–A were also found, respectively (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Immediate placement and provisionalization of single implants procedure in the maxillary anterior showed excellent outcomes with the small facial bone alterations around the implants. Neither preoperative facial bone thickness nor horizontal gap distance influenced the amount of facial bone resorptions.
Application of regenerative medical technology using tissue‐engineered cell sheets for endoscopic submucosal dissection of esophageal neoplasms
Authors: Ohki Takeshi , Yamato Masayuki , Ota Masaho , Takagi Ryo , Kondo Makoto , Kanai Nobuo , Okano Teruo , Yamamoto Masakazu
Published: September 2014

We have developed a technique for endoscopic transplantation of cultured autologous oral mucosal epithelial cell sheets to an esophageal ulcer following endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). The epithelial cell sheets successfully prevented esophageal stricture after ESD. Key technology is that epithelial cell sheets cultured from oral mucosal tissue and attached proteins can be harvested using cell sheet technology and can be transplanted to a wound site without the use of adhesive material. This regenerative procedure can promote the epithelialization of ulceration safely and effectively. In the near future, the development of advanced endoscopic treatment of regenerative medicine shows promise.
Addition of structural complexity – contrasting effect on juvenile brown trout in a natural stream
Authors: Höjesjö Johan , Gunve Elin , Bohlin Torgny , Johnsson Jörgen I.
Published: September 2014

In a field experiment, we examined the effects of structural complexity in the form of added artificial plastic plants and shredded plastic bags on growth and abundance of juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta). Just after emergence, the added complexity had a positive effect on the density, biomass and condition factor of young‐of‐the‐year (0+) brown trout. This difference in density was not present six weeks later. In contrast, both young‐of‐the‐year and older brown trout generally tended to be larger in the simple habitat. Hence, our data suggest that increased complexity initially is beneficial for young‐of‐the‐year individuals probably due to lower risk of predation and increased densities of prey. However, as density increases in the complex environment, it may induce negative density‐dependent effects, here reflected in smaller sized fish in the complex environment. This might force fish to redistribute to habitats with lower densities of conspecifics as they grow larger. We propose that habitat complexity can increase survival of yearlings in early phases and thereby also affect the overall population structure of brown trout in natural streams.