bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Droz-Farny constructions
Authors: Silvester John
Published: June 2016

Notation: If A, B are points, then AB denotes the line AB rather than just the segment from A to B, unless stated otherwise. If l, m are lines, then their meet is denoted l m. The circle through points A, B and C (the circumcircle of ΔABC) is denoted ⊙ABC.

Given ΔABC, let the points Xi, Yi, Zi, lie on BC, CA, AB, respectively, for i = 1, 2, 3; that is, three distinct points on each side of the triangle, and suppose
Learning from others Can PISA and TIMSS really inform curriculum developments in mathematics?
Authors: Andrews Paul
Published: June 2016

One of the problems that will vex any President of the Mathematical Association is the topic of the address with which he or she closes his or her year of office. This occupied me, on and off, for more than a year. In my case, in addition to my desire to acknowledge the honour of the invitation made to me, I was deeply conscious of the fact that I would be the 100th individual to serve as President. I dabbled with some pet themes, typically concerning the lack of genuine problem-solving or proof in English school mathematics, before concluding that the most sensible thing would be to talk on the topic about which I know most. My research interests are in comparative mathematics education. I have been fortunate, over the last twenty years or so, to have been able to visit and videotape mathematics classrooms in several European countries. In so doing I have had my understanding of mathematics teaching transformed in ways that led, almost inevitably, to the theme of both this talk and the conference which brought my Presidency to an end: Learning from Others.
How many winners will there be?
Authors: Hopkins David
Published: June 2016

Some years ago I was invited to take part in a fund-raising competition, [1]. The rules had an interesting feature that led me to analyse the situation mathematically. This resulted in some interesting formulae and one inequality, which I will describe here.

The competition offered a single prize and the entry form looked similar to the partially-completed example illustrated below.

The form listed 40 categories similar to the ones shown. Participants were required to write down an ‘answer’ for each category, e.g. for ‘an animal’, you might choose DOG. No other indications were given, so each answer was a completely free choice.
Louis Andriessen La Commedia, Barbican Hall, London
Authors: Putt Alastair
Published: June 2016

In what would become known as the Notenkrakersactie, a group of composers, Louis Andriessen amongst them, famously disrupted a Concertgebouw Orchestra concert in 1969, protesting its Establishment politics and unwillingness to engage with the younger generation of Dutch firebrands. Nearly half a century later, Andriessen is a recipient not only of commissions from said orchestra but also of what is arguably the most prestigious (and certainly the most lucrative) composition prize in the world, the Grawemeyer Award. There is no great irony here, of course – music history is littered with examples of iconoclasts whose originality disoriented contemporary opinion, not to mention angry young men whose radicalism mellowed with age – but the case of Andriessen is certainly striking.
Stuart MacRae The Devil Inside, The Peacock Theatre, London
Authors: Goddard Lucy
Published: June 2016

History offers us many examples of successful collaborations between librettists and composers (the Da Ponte–Mozart, Boito–Verdi, Hofmannsthal–Strauss pairings, to name just a few), and novelist Louise Welsh and composer Stuart MacRae's new opera, The Devil Inside, offers further evidence that equal partnerships between creative contributors in an opera can yield impressive results. The Devil Inside is the pair's third collaborative venture, and their second co-commission from Scottish Opera and Music Theatre Wales; further continuity comes in the form of their creative team – director Matthew Richardson, conductor Michael Rafferty, set and costume designer Samal Blak and lighting designer Ace McCarron, all familiar from their previous opera, Ghost Patrol – resulting in a noticeable synergy of music, drama and language in this production worthy of a wide audience.
THE DISCOURSE OF SOUND
Authors: Kaltenecker Martin
Published: June 2016

This article offers a short overview of the development of listening theories concerning Western art music since the end of the eighteenth century. Referring to Michel Foucault, I consider such theories asdiscourseswhich produce ‘power effects', such as the training of listening attitudes, or the construction of specific spaces, such as the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth. During the eighteenth century, predominant discourses considered musical pieces as orations and, since the nineteenth century, as complex organisms or structures. In the last third of the twentieth century a focus on sound, evinced for instance by the field of ‘sound studies', has produced a new configuration that dissolves the prevailing model of structural listening. This perspective may shed light on some technical features of contemporary compositional styles, which I examine by considering the use of melodies, gestures and loops in two compositions by Fausto Romitelli and Simon Steen-Andersen.
London Ear Festival
Authors: Redhead Lauren
Published: June 2016

The London Ear Festival is a small contemporary chamber music festival in London, now in its fourth edition. The festival is centred on the venues of the Cello Factory (its festival hub) and the Warehouse, near Waterloo. Despite its centrality and accessibility, the festival maintains a community and village feel: a sort of musical oasis. This year's festival, running 9–13 March, was timetabled against a number of other notable concerts in London – not least those celebrating Michael Finnissy's seventieth year – and so can be commended on its ability to draw audiences despite this clash, suggesting, perhaps, that it is genuinely offering something musically different and desirable.
Explaining financial and prosocial biases in favor of attractive people: Interdisciplinary perspectives from economics, social psychology, and evolutionary psychology
Authors: Maestripieri Dario , Henry Andrea , Nickels Nora
Published: June 2016

Financial and prosocial biases in favor of attractive adults have been documented in the labor market, in social transactions in everyday life, and in studies involving experimental economic games. According to the taste-based discrimination model developed by economists, attractiveness-related financial and prosocial biases are the result of preferences or prejudices similar to those displayed toward members of a particular sex, racial, ethnic, or religious group. Other explanations proposed by economists and social psychologists maintain that attractiveness is a marker of personality, intelligence, trustworthiness, professional competence, or productivity. Evolutionary psychologists have argued that attractive adults are favored because they are preferred sexual partners. Evidence that stereotypes about attractive people are causally related to financial or prosocial biases toward them is weak or nonexistent. Consistent with evolutionary explanations, biases in favor of attractive women appear to be more consistent or stronger than those in favor of attractive men, and biases are more consistently reported in interactions between opposite-sex than same-sex individuals. Evolutionary explanations also account for increased prosocial behavior in situations in which attractive individuals are simply bystanders. Finally, evolutionary explanations are consistent with the psychological, physiological, and behavioral changes that occur when individuals are exposed to potential mates, which facilitate the expression of courtship behavior and increase the probability of occurrence of mating. Therefore, multiple lines of evidence suggest that mating motives play a more important role in driving financial and prosocial biases toward attractive adults than previously recognized.
The preliminary study on the optimum moisture content of ultra-dry storage and its related chemicals in seeds from six crop species
Authors: Yan Min
Published: June 2016

Ultra-dry storage, storing orthodox seeds at ambient temperatures with moisture contents below 5%, can maintain seed viability for long periods with low input. Optimum moisture contents for ultra-dry storage exist and vary substantially among different seed lots due to their differences in desiccation tolerance, which is associated with the accumulation of protective compounds. To study the relationship between moisture contents of ultra-dry stored species, seed composition and the free-radical scavenging activity (FRSA). Eleven seed lots of maize, wheat, pepper, peanut, Chinese cabbage, and cucumber were chosen and multiple stepwise regression analysis was applied. In general, analysis of the seed lots revealed that optimum moisture contents for highest seed viability are below equilibrium moisture at 13% relative humidity and 20°C. Nevertheless, seed composition differed significantly among species. Lipids, flavonoids and the FRSA were significantly negatively correlated with the optimum moisture content of ultra-dry stored whole seeds and accounted for 97.7% of the total variation in the optimum moisture content. Lipids had the highest effect (90.0%) on the optimum moisture content of ultra-dry storage, which is consistent with the previous results. The FRSA and flavonoids accounted for 4.8 and 2.9% of total variation of optimum moisture content of ultra-dry stored whole seeds, respectively. The FRSA and flavonoids were also significantly negatively correlated with the optimum moisture content for non-lipid fraction of ultra-dry stored seeds, and accounted for 74.1 and 15.3% of the total variation in the optimum moisture content, respectively.
Effects induced by living mulch on rhizosphere interactions in organic artichoke: The cultivar's adaptive strategy
Authors: Trinchera A. , Testani E. , Ciaccia C. , Campanelli G. , Leteo F. , Canali S.
Published: June 2016

The plant root apparatus and the surrounding micro-environment is strongly influenced by specific abiotic and biotic conditions which occur in the plant rhizosphere system. The hypothesis of the reported research was that, in an organically managed horticultural system, the use of living mulch (LM) promotes the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization among neighboring roots, because of the coexistence of different plants roots in confined soil spaces. This effect determines nutrient uptake optimization, although roots belong to different plant species. In the reported 2-yr field experiment (2012–2013), two Italian artichoke cultivars [Cynara cardunculusL. var.scolymus(L.),Jesinocv. andMazzaferratacv.] were intercropped with a LM mixture of plant species and compared with a no LM control. Every year, the effect of LM on artichoke root morphology and AMF colonization was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, in order to assess abiotic and biotic rhizosphere interactions, as affected by artichoke cultivars. Also the artichoke yield, the soil available phosphorus (P) and rhizosphere P were determined. Results showed that the LM did not reduce yield of both the artichoke cultivars, when compared with the no LM ones. Furthermore, LM has: (i) induced structural changes in artichoke roots by proliferation of root hairs resulting in an increase of effective absorbing surface; (ii) promoted the rhizosphere mycorrhizal infection which improved P uptake. The modified rhizosphere interactions were found to be cultivar-dependent, being recorded only inJesinoartichoke.
Breastfeeding in Public: Disgust and Discomfort in the Bodiless Public Sphere
Authors: Cook Amanda Barnes
Published: June 2016

While breastfeeding mothers generally possess an official legal right of access to public places, the lived experience of breastfeeding mothers in public is marked by inequality and lack of autonomy. The motivating question of this article is, from the perspective of a breastfeeding mother, what characterizes an ideal—that is, equal and autonomous—public sphere in a liberal society? I explore in particular the issue of people, including breastfeeding mothers, who evoke discomfort or disgust. I argue that public and private spheres must be accessible in certain ways: first, every person must be able to occupy public space while embracing all significant aspects of their personhood; second, the comfort of others cannot weigh more than an individual's own needs in public; finally, all people must be able to opt for privacy in a way that does not entail invisibility or coerced exclusion. In making this argument, I describe three main ways in which breastfeeding mothers respond to the antipathy of the public sphere: exclusion, accommodation, and affirmation. I end with an exploration of the ideal of public and private spheres defined by equality and autonomy and offer concrete steps that can improve the position of breastfeeding mothers in public.
The Rorschach Coping Deficit Index as an Indicator of Neurocognitive	Dysfunction
Authors: Ilonen Tuula , Salokangas Raimo K. R. , Study Group Turku
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Despite a conceptual link between the Rorschach Coping Deficit Index (CDI) and a loss of cognitive and functional capacity, no published study has explored whether or how the CDI relates to these characteristics as measured by other neuropsychological test instruments. We examined the relationship between the CDI and neurocognitive abilities of language skills, perceptual organization, memory, and executive functioning separately in adolescent psychiatric inpatients (n = 267), as well as in adults with first episode schizophrenia or severe affective disorder (n = 117), and healthy adults (n = 94). We found a significant link between the CDI and limited cognitive capacity. Impaired comprehension predicted the elevated CDI in adolescents whereas perseveration tendency and impaired delayed memory in adult patients and impaired memory functions in healthy people predicted the elevated CDI. The CDI seems to include neurocognitive aspects, and may reflect persistent deterioration associated with neurocognitive dysfunction.
Can Mangroves Buffer Ocean Acidification?
Authors: Yan Wudan
Published: June 2016

New research evaluates the ability of costal foliage to influence the ocean's pH.
The 2015 Indonesian Fires: Less Carbon Release Than Was Thought
Authors: Heisman Rebecca
Published: June 2016

New field measurements of still smoldering peat fires suggest that Indonesia ranks lower than at least 20 other top carbon-emitting nations, not third, as currently rated.
The microbiota and chronic kidney diseases: a double‐edged sword
Authors: Felizardo Raphael Jose Ferreira , Castoldi Angela , Andrade‐Oliveira Vinicius , Câmara Niels Olsen Saraiva
Published: June 2016

Recent findings regarding the influence of the microbiota in many inflammatory processes have provided a new way to treat diseases. Now, one may hypothesize that the origin of a plethora of diseases is related to the health of the gut microbiota and its delicate, although complex, interface with the epithelial and immune systems. The ‘westernization’ of diets, for example, is associated with alterations in the gut microbiota. Such alterations have been found to correlate directly with the increased incidence of diabetes and hypertension, the main causes of chronic kidney diseases (CKDs), which, in turn, have a high estimated prevalence. Indeed, data have arisen showing that the progression of kidney diseases is strictly related to the composition of the microbiota. Alterations in the gut microbiota diversity during CKDs do not only have the potential to exacerbate renal injury but may also contribute to the development of associated comorbidities, such as cardiovascular diseases and insulin resistance. In this review, we discuss how dysbiosis through alterations in the gut barrier and the consequent activation of immune system could intensify the progression of CKD and vice versa, how CKDs can modify the gut microbiota diversity and abundance.
In vivo imaging of clock gene expression in multiple tissues of freely moving mice
Authors: Hamada Toshiyuki , Sutherland Kenneth , Ishikawa Masayori , Miyamoto Naoki , Honma Sato , Shirato Hiroki , Honma Ken-ichi
Published: June 2016

Clock genes are expressed throughout the body, although how they oscillate in unrestrained animals is not known. Here, we show an in vivo imaging technique that enables long-term simultaneous imaging of multiple tissues. We use dual-focal 3D tracking and signal-intensity calibration to follow gene expression in a target area. We measure circadian rhythms of clock genes in the olfactory bulb, right and left ears and cortices, and the skin. In addition, the kinetic relationship between gene expression and physiological responses to experimental cues is monitored. Under stable conditions gene expression is in phase in all tissues. In response to a long-duration light pulse, the olfactory bulb shifts faster than other tissues. In Cry1−/−Cry2−/− arrhythmic mice circadian oscillation is absent in all tissues. Thus, our system successfully tracks circadian rhythms in clock genes in multiple tissues in unrestrained mice.
Palladium/N-heterocyclic carbene catalysed regio and diastereoselective reaction of ketones with allyl reagents via inner-sphere mechanism
Authors: Bai Da-Chang , Yu Fei-Le , Wang Wan-Ying , Chen Di , Li Hao , Liu Qing-Rong , Ding Chang-Hua , Chen Bo , Hou Xue-Long
Published: June 2016

The palladium-catalysed allylic substitution reaction is one of the most important reactions in transition-metal catalysis and has been well-studied in the past decades. Most of the reactions proceed through an outer-sphere mechanism, affording linear products when monosubstituted allyl reagents are used. Here, we report an efficient Palladium-catalysed protocol for reactions of β-substituted ketones with monosubstituted allyl substrates, simply by using N-heterocyclic carbene as ligand, leading to branched products with up to three contiguous stereocentres in a (syn, anti)-mode with excellent regio and diastereoselectivities. The scope of the protocol in organic synthesis has been examined preliminarily. Mechanistic studies by both experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the reaction proceeds via an inner-sphere mechanism—nucleophilic attack of enolate oxygen on Palladium followed by C–C bond-forming [3,3’]-reductive elimination.
Circulating tumour DNA profiling reveals heterogeneity of EGFR inhibitor resistance mechanisms in lung cancer patients
Authors: Chabon Jacob J. , Simmons Andrew D. , Lovejoy Alexander F. , Esfahani Mohammad S. , Newman Aaron M. , Haringsma Henry J. , Kurtz David M. , Stehr Henning , Scherer Florian , Karlovich Chris A. , Harding Thomas C. , Durkin Kathleen A. , Otterson Gregory A. , Purcell W. Thomas , Camidge D. Ross , Goldman Jonathan W. , Sequist Lecia V. , Piotrowska Zofia , Wakelee Heather A. , Neal Joel W. , Alizadeh Ash A. , Diehn Maximilian
Published: June 2016

Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) analysis facilitates studies of tumour heterogeneity. Here we employ CAPP-Seq ctDNA analysis to study resistance mechanisms in 43 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with the third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor rociletinib. We observe multiple resistance mechanisms in 46% of patients after treatment with first-line inhibitors, indicating frequent intra-patient heterogeneity. Rociletinib resistance recurrently involves MET, EGFR, PIK3CA, ERRB2, KRAS and RB1. We describe a novel EGFR L798I mutation and find that EGFR C797S, which arises in ∼33% of patients after osimertinib treatment, occurs in <3% after rociletinib. Increased MET copy number is the most frequent rociletinib resistance mechanism in this cohort and patients with multiple pre-existing mechanisms (T790M and MET) experience inferior responses. Similarly, rociletinib-resistant xenografts develop MET amplification that can be overcome with the MET inhibitor crizotinib. These results underscore the importance of tumour heterogeneity in NSCLC and the utility of ctDNA-based resistance mechanism assessment.
DELLA-mediated PIF degradation contributes to coordination of light and gibberellin signalling in Arabidopsis
Authors: Li Kunlun , Yu Renbo , Fan Liu-Min , Wei Ning , Chen Haodong , Deng Xing Wang
Published: June 2016

Light and gibberellins (GAs) antagonistically regulate hypocotyl elongation in plants. It has been demonstrated that DELLAs, which are negative regulators of GA signalling, inhibit phytochrome-interacting factors 3 and 4 (PIF3 and PIF4) by sequestering their DNA-recognition domains. However, it is unclear whether there are other mechanisms of regulatory crosstalk between DELLAs and PIFs. Here, we demonstrate that DELLAs negatively regulate the abundance of four PIF proteins through the ubiquitin–proteasome system. Reduction of PIF3 protein abundance by DELLAs correlates closely with reduced hypocotyl elongation. Both sequestration and degradation of PIF3 by DELLAs contribute to a reduction in PIF3 binding to its target genes. Thus, we show that promotion of PIF degradation by DELLAs is required to coordinate light and GA signals, and the dual regulation of transcription factors by DELLAs by both sequestration and degradation may be a general mechanism.
Plasma optical modulators for intense lasers
Authors: Yu Lu-Le , Zhao Yao , Qian Lie-Jia , Chen Min , Weng Su-Ming , Sheng Zheng-Ming , Jaroszynski D. A. , Mori W. B. , Zhang Jie
Published: June 2016

Optical modulators can have high modulation speed and broad bandwidth, while being compact. However, these optical modulators usually work for low-intensity light beams. Here we present an ultrafast, plasma-based optical modulator, which can directly modulate high-power lasers with intensity up to 1016 W cm−2 to produce an extremely broad spectrum with a fractional bandwidth over 100%, extending to the mid-infrared regime in the low-frequency side. This concept relies on two co-propagating laser pulses in a sub-millimetre-scale underdense plasma, where a drive laser pulse first excites an electron plasma wave in its wake while a following carrier laser pulse is modulated by the plasma wave. The laser and plasma parameters suitable for the modulator to work are based on numerical simulations.
In-depth comparative transcriptome analysis of intestines of red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, infected with WSSV
Authors: Du Zhiqiang , Jin Yanhui , Ren Daming
Published: June 2016

Crayfish has become one of the most important farmed aquatic species in China due to its excellent disease resistance against bacteria and viruses. However, the antiviral mechanism of crayfish is still not very clear. In the present study, many high-quality sequence reads from crayfish intestine were obtained using Illumina-based transcriptome sequencing. For the normal group (GN), 44,600,142 high-quality clean reads were randomly assembled to produce 125,394 contigs. For the WSSV-challenged group (GW), 47,790,746 high-quality clean reads were randomly assembled to produce 148,983 contigs. After GO annotation, 39,482 unigenes were annotated into three ontologies: biological processes, cellular components and molecular functions. In addition, 15,959 unigenes were mapped to 25 different COG categories. Moreover, 7,000 DEGs were screened out after a comparative analysis between the GN and GW samples, which were mapped into 250 KEGG pathways. Among these pathways, 36 were obviously changed (P-values < 0.05) and 28 pathways were extremely significantly changed (P-values < 0.01). Finally, five key DEGs involved in the JAK-STAT signaling pathway were chosen for qRT-PCR. The results showed that these five DEGs were obviously up-regulated at 36 h post WSSV infection in crayfish intestine. These results provide new insight into crayfish antiviral immunity mechanisms.
Correction: Corrigendum: Femtosecond X-ray absorption study of electron localization in photoexcited anatase TiO2
Authors: Santomauro F. G. , Lübcke A. , Rittmann J. , Baldini E. , Ferrer A. , Silatani M. , Zimmermann P. , Grübel S. , Johnson J. A. , Mariager S. O. , Beaud P. , Grolimund D. , Borca C. , Ingold G. , Johnson S. L. , Chergui M.
Published: June 2016

Scientific Reports 5: Article number: 14834; published online: 06 October 2015; updated: 10 June 2016. This Article contains errors in Figure 1: the coloured axes have been inverted. The correct Figure 1 appears below. As a result, the Figure legend, “recorded at time delays of 100 ps (green squares, left vertical axis)16 and 1 ps (this work, blue dots, right vertical axis).
Curcumin inhibits HIV-1 by promoting Tat protein degradation
Authors: Ali Amjad , Banerjea Akhil C.
Published: June 2016

HIV-1 Tat is an intrinsically unfolded protein playing a pivotal role in viral replication by associating with TAR region of viral LTR. Unfolded proteins are degraded by 20S proteasome in an ubiquitin independent manner. Curcumin is known to activate 20S proteasome and promotes the degradation of intrinsically unfolded p53 tumor suppressor protein. Since HIV-1 Tat protein is largerly unfolded, we hypothesized that Tat may also be targeted through this pathway. Curcumin treated Tat transfected HEK-293T cells showed a dose and time dependent degradation of Tat protein. Contrary to this HIV-1 Gag which is a properly folded protein, remained unaffected with curcumin. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that curcumin treatment did not affect Tat gene transcription. Curcumin increased the rate of Tat protein degradation as shown by cycloheximide (CHX) chase assay. Degradation of the Tat protein is accomplished through proteasomal pathway as proteasomal inhibitor MG132 blocked Tat degradation. Curcumin also decreased Tat mediated LTR promoter transactivation and inhibited virus production from HIV-1 infected cells. Taken together our study reveals a novel observation that curcumin causes potent degradation of Tat which may be one of the major mechanisms behind its anti HIV activity.
Distinct properties of proteases and nucleases in the gut, salivary gland and saliva of southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula
Authors: Lomate Purushottam R. , Bonning Bryony C.
Published: June 2016

Stink bugs negatively impact numerous plant species of agricultural and horticultural importance. While efforts to develop effective control measures are underway, the unique digestive physiology of these pests presents a significant hurdle for either protein- or nucleotide-based management options. Here we report the comparative biochemical and proteomic characterization of proteases and nucleases from the gut, salivary gland and saliva of the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula. The pH optimum for protease activity was acidic (5 to 6) in the gut with the primary proteases being cysteine proteases and alkaline (8 to 9) in the saliva and salivary gland with the primary proteases being serine proteases. The serine proteases in saliva differ biochemically from trypsin and chymotrypsin and the cathepsins in the gut and saliva showed distinct properties in inhibitor assays. Nuclease activity (DNase, RNase, dsRNase) was concentrated in the salivary gland and saliva with negligible activity in the gut. The most abundant proteins of the gut (530) and salivary gland (631) identified by proteomic analysis included four gut proteases along with eight proteases and one nuclease from the salivary gland. Understanding of N. viridula digestive physiology will facilitate the design of new strategies for management of this significant pest.
Magma transport in sheet intrusions of the Alnö carbonatite complex, central Sweden
Authors: Andersson Magnus , Almqvist Bjarne S. G. , Burchardt Steffi , Troll Valentin R. , Malehmir Alireza , Snowball Ian , Kübler Lutz
Published: June 2016

Magma transport through the Earth’s crust occurs dominantly via sheet intrusions, such as dykes and cone-sheets and is fundamental to crustal evolution, volcanic eruptions and geochemical element cycling. However, reliable methods to reconstruct flow direction in solidified sheet intrusions have proved elusive. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) in magmatic sheets is often interpreted as primary magma flow, but magnetic fabrics can be modified by post-emplacement processes, making interpretation of AMS data ambiguous. Here we present AMS data from cone-sheets in the Alnö carbonatite complex, central Sweden. We discuss six scenarios of syn- and post-emplacement processes that can modify AMS fabrics and offer a conceptual framework for systematic interpretation of magma movements in sheet intrusions. The AMS fabrics in the Alnö cone-sheets are dominantly oblate with magnetic foliations parallel to sheet orientations. These fabrics may result from primary lateral flow or from sheet closure at the terminal stage of magma transport. As the cone-sheets are discontinuous along their strike direction, sheet closure is the most probable process to explain the observed AMS fabrics. We argue that these fabrics may be common to cone-sheets and an integrated geology, petrology and AMS approach can be used to distinguish them from primary flow fabrics.
High-energy proton imaging for biomedical applications
Authors: Prall M. , Durante M. , Berger T. , Przybyla B. , Graeff C. , Lang P. M. , LaTessa C. , Shestov L. , Simoniello P. , Danly C. , Mariam F. , Merrill F. , Nedrow P. , Wilde C. , Varentsov D.
Published: June 2016

The charged particle community is looking for techniques exploiting proton interactions instead of X-ray absorption for creating images of human tissue. Due to multiple Coulomb scattering inside the measured object it has shown to be highly non-trivial to achieve sufficient spatial resolution. We present imaging of biological tissue with a proton microscope. This device relies on magnetic optics, distinguishing it from most published proton imaging methods. For these methods reducing the data acquisition time to a clinically acceptable level has turned out to be challenging. In a proton microscope, data acquisition and processing are much simpler. This device even allows imaging in real time. The primary medical application will be image guidance in proton radiosurgery. Proton images demonstrating the potential for this application are presented. Tomographic reconstructions are included to raise awareness of the possibility of high-resolution proton tomography using magneto-optics.
Testosterone Administration Moderates Effect of Social Environment on Trust in Women Depending on Second-to-Fourth Digit Ratio
Authors: Buskens Vincent , Raub Werner , van Miltenburg Nynke , Montoya Estrella R. , van Honk Jack
Published: June 2016

Animal research has established that effects of hormones on social behaviour depend on characteristics of both individual and environment. Insight from research on humans into this interdependence is limited, though. Specifically, hardly any prior testosterone experiments in humans scrutinized the interdependency of testosterone with the social environment. Nonetheless, recent testosterone administration studies in humans repeatedly show that a proxy for individuals’ prenatal testosterone-to-estradiol ratio, second-to-fourth digit-ratio (2D:4D ratio), influences effects of testosterone administration on human social behaviour. Here, we systematically vary the characteristics of the social environment and show that, depending on prenatal sex hormone priming, testosterone administration in women moderates the effect of the social environment on trust. We use the economic trust game and compare one-shot games modelling trust problems in relations between strangers with repeated games modelling trust problems in ongoing relations between partners. As expected, subjects are more trustful in repeated than in one-shot games. In subjects prenatally relatively highly primed by testosterone, however, this effect disappears after testosterone administration. We argue that impairments in cognitive empathy may reduce the repeated game effect on trust after testosterone administration in subjects with relatively high prenatal testosterone exposure and propose a neurobiological explanation for this effect.
Japanese Encephalitis Virus exploits the microRNA-432 to regulate the expression of Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling (SOCS) 5
Authors: Sharma Nikhil , Kumawat Kanhaiya L. , Rastogi Meghana , Basu Anirban , Singh Sunit K.
Published: June 2016

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a plus strand RNA virus, which infects brain. MicroRNAs are regulatory non-coding RNAs which regulate the expression of various genes in cells. Viruses modulate the expression of various microRNAs to suppress anti-viral signaling and evade the immune response. SOCS (Suppressor of cytokine signalling) family of proteins are negative regulators of anti-viral Jak-STAT pathway. In this study, we demonstrated the regulatory role of SOCS5 in Jak-STAT signaling and its exploitation by JEV through a microRNA mediated mechanism. JEV infection in human brain microglial cells (CHME3) downregulated the expression of miR-432 and upregulated SOCS5 levels. SOCS5 was validated as a target of miR-432 by using 3′UTR clone of SOCS5 in luciferase vector along with miR-432 mimic. The overexpression of miR-432 prior to JEV infection enhanced the phosphorylation of STAT1 resulting into increased ISRE activity and cellular inflammatory response resulting into diminished viral replication. The knockdown of SOCS5 resulted into increased STAT1 phosphorylation and suppressed viral replication. JEV infection mediated downregulation of miR-432 leads to SOCS5 upregulation, which helps the virus to evade cellular anti-viral response. This study demonstrated that JEV utilizes this microRNA mediated strategy to manipulate cellular immune response promoting JEV pathogenesis.
The BUME method: a new rapid and simple chloroform-free method for total lipid extraction of animal tissue
Authors: Löfgren Lars , Forsberg Gun-Britt , Ståhlman Marcus
Published: June 2016

In this study we present a simple and rapid method for tissue lipid extraction. Snap-frozen tissue (15–150 mg) is collected in 2 ml homogenization tubes. 500 μl BUME mixture (butanol:methanol [3:1]) is added and automated homogenization of up to 24 frozen samples at a time in less than 60 seconds is performed, followed by a 5-minute single-phase extraction. After the addition of 500 μl heptane:ethyl acetate (3:1) and 500 μl 1% acetic acid a 5-minute two-phase extraction is performed. Lipids are recovered from the upper phase by automated liquid handling using a standard 96-tip robot. A second two-phase extraction is performed using 500 μl heptane:ethyl acetate (3:1). Validation of the method showed that the extraction recoveries for the investigated lipids, which included sterols, glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids were similar or better than for the Folch method. We also applied the method for lipid extraction of liver and heart and compared the lipid species profiles with profiles generated after Folch and MTBE extraction. We conclude that the BUME method is superior to the Folch method in terms of simplicity, through-put, automation, solvent consumption, economy, health and environment yet delivering lipid recoveries fully comparable to or better than the Folch method.
Validity of leptin receptor-deficiency (db/db) type 2 diabetes mellitus mice as a model of secondary osteoporosis
Authors: Huang Le , You Yong-ke , Zhu Tracy Y , Zheng Li-zhen , Huang Xiao-ru , Chen Hai-yong , Yao Dong , Lan Hui-yao , Qin Ling
Published: June 2016

This study aimed to evaluate the validation of the leptin receptor-deficient mice model for secondary osteoporosis associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) at bone micro-architectural level. Thirty three 36-week old male mice were divided into four groups: normal control (db/m) (n = 7), leptin receptor-deficient T2DM (db/db) (n = 8), human C-reactive protein (CRP) transgenic normal control (crp/db/m) (n = 7) and human CRP transgenic T2DM (crp/db/db) (n = 11). Lumber vertebrae (L5) and bilateral lower limbs were scanned by micro-CT to analyze trabecular and cortical bone quality. Right femora were used for three-point bending to analyze the mechanical properties. Trabecular bone quality at L5 was better in db/db or crp/db/db group in terms of bone mineral density (BMD), bone volume fraction, connectivity density, trabecular number and separation (all p < 0.05). However the indices measured at proximal tibia showed comparable trabecular BMD and microarchitecture among the four groups. Femur length in crp/db/db group was significantly shorter than db/m group (p < 0.05) and cortices were thinner in db/db and crp/db/db groups (p > 0.05). Maximum loading and energy yield in mechanical test were similar among groups while the elastic modulus in db/db and crp/db/db significantly lower than db/m. The leptin-receptor mice is not a proper model for secondary osteoporosis associated with T2DM.
Comparison of deep neural networks to spatio-temporal cortical dynamics of human visual object recognition reveals hierarchical correspondence
Authors: Cichy Radoslaw Martin , Khosla Aditya , Pantazis Dimitrios , Torralba Antonio , Oliva Aude
Published: June 2016

The complex multi-stage architecture of cortical visual pathways provides the neural basis for efficient visual object recognition in humans. However, the stage-wise computations therein remain poorly understood. Here, we compared temporal (magnetoencephalography) and spatial (functional MRI) visual brain representations with representations in an artificial deep neural network (DNN) tuned to the statistics of real-world visual recognition. We showed that the DNN captured the stages of human visual processing in both time and space from early visual areas towards the dorsal and ventral streams. Further investigation of crucial DNN parameters revealed that while model architecture was important, training on real-world categorization was necessary to enforce spatio-temporal hierarchical relationships with the brain. Together our results provide an algorithmically informed view on the spatio-temporal dynamics of visual object recognition in the human visual brain.
Transient ECM protease activity promotes synaptic plasticity
Authors: Magnowska Marta , Gorkiewicz Tomasz , Suska Anna , Wawrzyniak Marcin , Rutkowska-Wlodarczyk Izabela , Kaczmarek Leszek , Wlodarczyk Jakub
Published: June 2016

Activity-dependent proteolysis at a synapse has been recognized as a pivotal factor in controlling dynamic changes in dendritic spine shape and function; however, excessive proteolytic activity is detrimental to the cells. The exact mechanism of control of these seemingly contradictory outcomes of protease activity remains unknown. Here, we reveal that dendritic spine maturation is strictly controlled by the proteolytic activity and its inhibition by the endogenous inhibitor (Tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1 – TIMP-1). Excessive proteolytic activity impairs long-term potentiation of the synaptic efficacy (LTP) and this impairment could be rescued by inhibition of protease activity. Moreover LTP is altered persistently when the ability of TIMP-1 to inhibit protease activity is abrogated, further demonstrating the role of such inhibition in the promotion of synaptic plasticity under well-defined conditions. We also show that dendritic spine maturation involves an intermediate formation of elongated spines, followed by their conversion into mushroom shape. The formation of mushroom-shaped spines is accompanied by increase in AMPA/NMDA ratio of glutamate receptors. Altogether, our results identify inhibition of protease activity as a critical regulatory mechanism for dendritic spines maturation.
Cell-death-inducing DFFA-like Effector B Contributes to the Assembly of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Particles and Interacts with HCV NS5A
Authors: Cai Hua , Yao Wenxia , Li Leike , Li Xinlei , Hu Longbo , Mai Runming , Peng Tao
Published: June 2016

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) uses components of the very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) pathway for assembly/release. We previously reported that hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) participates in HCV assembly/release through downstream factors those participate in VLDL assembly/secretion. Cell-death-inducing DFFA-like effector B (CIDEB) is an important regulator of the VLDL pathway. CIDEB is required for entry of HCV particles from cell culture (HCVcc), but the effects of CIDEB on the post-entry steps of the HCV lifecycle are unclear. In the present study, we determined that CIDEB is required for HCV assembly in addition to HCVcc entry. Furthermore, CIDEB interacts with the HCV NS5A protein and the N terminus of CIDEB and the domain I of NS5A are involved in this interaction. Moreover, CIDEB silencing impairs the association of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) with HCV particles. Interestingly, CIDEB is also required for the post-entry stages of the dengue virus (DENV) life cycle. Collectively, these results indicate that CIDEB is a new host factor that is involved in HCV assembly, presumably by interacting with viral protein, providing new insight into the exploitation of the VLDL regulator CIDEB by HCV.
Predictive modeling targets thymidylate synthase ThyX in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Djaout Kamel , Singh Vinayak , Boum Yap , Katawera Victoria , Becker Hubert F. , Bush Natassja G. , Hearnshaw Stephen J. , Pritchard Jennifer E. , Bourbon Pauline , Madrid Peter B. , Maxwell Anthony , Mizrahi Valerie , Myllykallio Hannu , Ekins Sean
Published: June 2016

There is an urgent need to identify new treatments for tuberculosis (TB), a major infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), which results in 1.5 million deaths each year. We have targeted two essential enzymes in this organism that are promising for antibacterial therapy and reported to be inhibited by naphthoquinones. ThyX is an essential thymidylate synthase that is mechanistically and structurally unrelated to the human enzyme. DNA gyrase is a DNA topoisomerase present in bacteria and plants but not animals. The current study set out to understand the structure-activity relationships of these targets in Mtb using a combination of cheminformatics and in vitro screening. Here, we report the identification of new Mtb ThyX inhibitors, 2-chloro-3-(4-methanesulfonylpiperazin-1-yl)-1,4-dihydronaphthalene-1,4-dione) and idebenone, which show modest whole-cell activity and appear to act, at least in part, by targeting ThyX in Mtb.
Effects of Leisure-Time Physical Activity on Vertebral Dimensions in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966
Authors: Oura Petteri , Paananen Markus , Niinimäki Jaakko , Tammelin Tuija , Herrala Sauli , Auvinen Juha , Korpelainen Raija , Junno Juho-Antti , Karppinen Jaro
Published: June 2016

Vertebral fractures are a common burden amongst elderly and late middle aged people. Vertebral cross-sectional area (CSA) is a major determinant of vertebral strength and thus associated with vertebral fracture risk. Previous studies suggest that physical activity affects vertebral CSA. We aimed to investigate the relationship between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) from adolescence to middle age and vertebral dimensions in adulthood. We utilized the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, of which 1188 subjects had records of LTPA at 14, 31 and 46 years, and had undergone lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the mean age of 47 years. Using MRI data, we measured eight dimensions of the L4 vertebra. Socioeconomic status, smoking habits, height and weight were also recorded at 14, 31 and 46 years. We obtained lifetime LTPA (14–46 years of age) trajectories using latent class analysis, which resulted in three categories (active, moderately active, inactive) in both genders. Linear regression analysis was used to analyze the association between LTPA and vertebral CSA with adjustments for vertebral height, BMI, socioeconomic status and smoking. High lifetime LTPA was associated with larger vertebral CSA in women but not men. Further research is needed to investigate the factors behind the observed gender-related differences.
CO2-responsive polymeric materials: synthesis, self-assembly, and functional applications
Authors: Darabi Ali , Jessop Philip G. , Cunningham Michael F.
Published: June 2016

CO2is an ideal trigger for switchable or stimuli-responsive materials because it is benign, inexpensive, green, abundant, and does not accumulate in the system.
Novel class of Bi(iii) hydroxamato complexes: synthesis, urease inhibitory activity and activity against H. pylori
Authors: Keogan D. M. , Twamley B. , Fitzgerald-Hughes D. , Griffith D. M.
Published: June 2016

A novel class of bismuth hydroxamato complexes of type Bi(L-1H)2·NO3 (where L is hydroxamic acid) were specifically designed to and demonstrated to inhibit urease, H. pylori's Achilles heel.
Novel benzothiazole based sulfonylureas/sulfonylthioureas: design, synthesis and evaluation of their antidiabetic potential
Authors: Kharbanda Chetna , Alam Mohammad Sarwar , Hamid Hinna , Javed Kalim , Bano Sameena , Ali Yakub , Dhulap Abhijeet , Alam Parwez , Pasha M. A. Q.
Published: June 2016

Twenty-eight benzothiazole based sulfonylureas/sulfonylthioureas were synthesized and were found to be effective against diabetes as PPAR-γ agonists.
In vivo biodistribution of stable spherical and filamentous micelles probed by high-sensitivity SPECT
Authors: Jennings L. , Ivashchenko O. , Marsman I. J. C. , Laan A. C. , Denkova A. G. , Waton G. , Beekman F. J. , Schosseler F. , Mendes E.
Published: June 2016

Longitudinal in vivo study of the biodistribution and circulation time of 111In labelled spherical and elongated micelles by SPECT.
Gold-based drug encapsulation within a ferritin nanocage: X-ray structure and biological evaluation as a potential anticancer agent of the Auoxo3-loaded protein
Authors: Ferraro Giarita , Monti Daria Maria , Amoresano Angela , Pontillo Nicola , Petruk Ganna , Pane Francesca , Cinellu Maria Agostina , Merlino Antonello
Published: June 2016

Auoxo3, a cytotoxic gold(iii) compound, was encapsulated within a ferritin nanocage.
Predictive recognition of native proteins by cucurbit[7]uril in a complex mixture
Authors: Li Wei , Bockus Andrew T. , Vinciguerra Brittany , Isaacs Lyle , Urbach Adam R.
Published: June 2016

The recognition of human growth hormone (hGH) by the synthetic host molecule cucurbit[7]uril (Q7) was predicted on the basis of its N-terminal phenylalanine. A resin presenting Q7 groups was prepared and shown to recognize hGH and insulin in the context of human serum.
Electrochemical synthesis of α-enaminones from aryl ketones
Authors: Li Yanan , Gao Huihui , Zhang Zhenlei , Qian Peng , Bi Meixiang , Zha Zhenggen , Wang Zhiyong
Published: June 2016

A novel approach to realize the synthesis of α-enaminonesviaelectrochemical oxidation was developed under mild conditions.
Ab initio calculation of pentacene–PbSe hybrid interface for photovoltaic applications
Authors: Roy P. , Nguyen Thao P.
Published: June 2016

A density functional theory study on the pentacene–PbSe hybrid interface is conducted to construct the energy band alignment for photovoltaic applications.
Spectroscopy and microscopy of single molecules in nanoscopic channels: spectral behavior vs. confinement depth
Authors: Gmeiner Benjamin , Maser Andreas , Utikal Tobias , Götzinger Stephan , Sandoghdar Vahid
Published: June 2016

We present high-resolution spectroscopy and microscopy measurements on single molecules under one-dimensional confinement.
Efficient removal of gaseous formaldehyde in air using hierarchical titanate nanospheres with in situ amine functionalization
Authors: Chen Feng , Liu Shengwei , Yu Jiaguo
Published: June 2016

Amine-grafted titanate nanospheres are fabricated as efficient and recyclable adsorbents for formaldehyde removal.
Long-lived nuclear spin states in monodeuterated methyl groups
Authors: Elliott Stuart J. , Brown Lynda J. , Dumez Jean-Nicolas , Levitt Malcolm H.
Published: June 2016

It is possible to access long-lived nuclear singlet order in monodeuterated methyl groups, in the case that a significant chemical shift difference exists between the CH2D protons.