bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new approach for the analysis of Vortex Methods in two and three dimensions
Authors: Cottet Georges-Henri
Published: March 2017

A new approach for the analysis of Vortex Methods is described. This analysis which is based on the notion of weak solution for the convection deformation vorticity form of the Euler equations leads to convergence results in the case of Vortex In Cell methods as well as for three dimensional Vortex Methods.

On écrit une nouvelle approche permettant une analyse simplifiée des méthodes de vortex. Cette analyse utilise la notion de solution faible des équations de convection déformation du tourbillon et aboutit à des résultats de convergence en particulier dans le cas des méthodes de Vortex In Cell ainsi que pour des méthodes de vortex tridimensionnelles.
On the singular limit in a phase field model of phase transitions
Authors: Alikakos Nicholas D. , Bates Peter W.
Published: March 2017

The limits of families of stable solutions for the equation

ε^2 Δu_ε − f(u_ε) + T(|x|) = 0

over radially symmetric domains with no-flux boundary conditions are discribed. Particular emphasis is placed on the characterization of points of discontinuity of these limits (interfaces) and on the description of the graph of

u_ε

for small

ε

. Sufficient conditions for existence of interfaces in terms of the temperature function,

T

, are given. The analysis is more complete for families of global minimizers of the associated energy functional.

On étudie les limites de familles de solutions stables de l’équation

ε^2 Δu_ε − f(u_ε) + T(|x|) − 0

sur des domaines à symétrie radiale sans flux au bord. On s’attache particulièrement à caractériser les points de discontinuité de ces limites (interfaces) et à décrire le graphe de

u_ε

pour petit

ε

. On donne des conditions suffisantes sur la température T pour qu’il existe des interfaces. On analyse de manière plus approfondie les familles minimisant l’énergie totale.
Implications of rank one convexity
Authors: Sivaloganathan J.
Published: March 2017

In this paper we study some of the implications for stability of equilibria in nonlinear elastostatics of assuming that the stored energy function is rank one convex.

Dans cet article nous étudions la stabilité des équilibres en élastostatique non linéaire sous l’hypothèse que la fonction d’énergie emmagasinée est convexe de rang un.
Evaluation of oral wetness using an improved moisture‐checking device for the diagnosis of dry mouth
Authors: Fukushima Yosuke , Yoda Tetsuya , Araki Ryuichiro , Sakai Takayoshi , Toya Shuji , Ito Kayoko , Funayama Saori , Enoki Yuichiro , Sato Tsuyoshi
Published: March 2017

Purpose: In 2013, we reported the results of a third‐generation oral moisture‐checking device in a multicentre clinical study involving patients with dry mouth and healthy volunteers. Subsequently, several improvements have been made to the third‐generation device, and a fourth‐generation device is now commercially available. This study aimed to confirm the usefulness of this improved fourth‐generation device in the diagnosis of dry mouth and to assess the physiological wetness of lingual mucosa by using this device.

Materials and Method: This multicentre study comprised subjects with dry mouth (dry mouth group) and those without dry mouth (healthy group).

Results: In this study, the degree of moisture was considerably different between the two groups. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed an area under the curve value of 0.831. Sensitivity and specificity values were close to 80% in cases where the degree of moisture ≥29.6 was defined as normal, ≤27.9 was defined as dry mouth, and 28.0–29.5 was defined as borderline dry mouth.

Conclusions: These results suggest that the improved fourth‐generation moisture‐checking device can be used for the diagnosis of oral dryness.
Bovine and human becomings in histories of dairy technologies: robotic milking systems and remaking animal and human subjectivity
Authors: HOLLOWAY LEWIS , BEAR CHRISTOPHER
Published: March 2017

This paper positions the recent emergence of robotic or automatic milking systems (AMS) in relation to discourses surrounding the longer history of milking technologies in the UK and elsewhere. The mechanization of milking has been associated with sets of hopes and anxieties which permeated the transition from hand to increasingly automated forms of milking. This transition has affected the relationships between humans and cows on dairy farms, producing different modes of cow and human agency and subjectivity. In this paper, drawing on empirical evidence from a research project exploring AMS use in contemporary farms, we examine how ongoing debates about the benefits (or otherwise) of AMS relate to longer-term discursive currents surrounding the historical emergence of milking technologies and their implications for efficient farming and the human and bovine experience of milk production. We illustrate how technological change is in part based on understandings of people and cows, at the same time as bovine and human agency and subjectivity are entrained and reconfigured in relation to emerging milking technologies, so that what it is to be a cow or human becomes different as technologies change. We illustrate how this results from – and in – competing ways of understanding cows: as active agents, as contributing to technological design, as ‘free’, as ‘responsible’ and/or requiring surveillance and discipline, and as efficient co-producers, with milking technologies, of milk.
THE ANNIHILATOR OF TENSOR SPACE IN THE -ROOK MONOID ALGEBRA
Authors: XIAO ZHANKUI
Published: March 2017

In this paper, we give an explicit construction of a quasi-idempotent in the $q$-rook monoid algebra $R_{n}(q)$ and show that it generates the whole annihilator of the tensor space $U^{\otimes n}$ in $R_{n}(q)$.
SELF-SHRINKERS WITH SECOND FUNDAMENTAL FORM OF CONSTANT LENGTH
Authors: GUANG QIANG
Published: March 2017

We give a new and simple proof of a result of Ding and Xin, which states that any smooth complete self-shrinker in $\mathbb{R}^{3}$ with the second fundamental form of constant length must be a generalised cylinder $\mathbb{S}^{k}\times \mathbb{R}^{2-k}$ for some $k\leq 2$. Moreover, we prove a gap theorem for smooth self-shrinkers in all dimensions.
Maternal use of dietary supplements during pregnancy is not associated with coeliac disease in the offspring: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study
Authors: Yang Jimin , Tamura Roy N. , Aronsson Carin A. , Uusitalo Ulla M. , Lernmark Åke , Rewers Marian , Hagopian William A. , She Jin-Xiong , Toppari Jorma , Ziegler Anette G. , Akolkar Beena , Krischer Jeffrey P. , Norris Jill M. , Virtanen Suvi M. , Agardh Daniel ,   The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in The Young study group
Published: March 2017

Perinatal exposure to nutrients and dietary components may affect the risk for coeliac disease (CD). We investigated the association between maternal use of vitamin D, n-3 fatty acids (FA) and Fe supplements during pregnancy and risk for CD autoimmunity (CDA) and CD in the offspring. Children at increased genetic risk were prospectively followed from birth in The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study. CDA was defined as having persistently positive tissue transglutaminase autoantibodies (tTGA). Diagnosis of CD was either biopsy-confirmed or considered likely if having persistently elevated levels of tTGA>100 AU. Of 6627 enrolled children, 1136 developed CDA at a median 3·1 years of age (range 0·9–10) and 409 developed CD at a median 3·9 years of age (range 1·2–11). Use of supplements containing vitamin D, n-3 FA and Fe was recalled by 66, 17 and 94 % of mothers, respectively, at 3–4 months postpartum. The mean cumulative intake over the entire pregnancy was 2014 μg vitamin D (sd 2045 μg), 111 g n-3 FA (sd 303 g) and 8806 mg Fe (sd 7017 mg). After adjusting for country, child’s human leucocyte antigen genotype, sex, family history of CD, any breast-feeding duration and household crowding, Cox’s proportional hazard ratios did not suggest a statistically significant association between the intake of vitamin D, n-3 FA or Fe, and risk for CDA or CD. Dietary supplementation during pregnancy may help boost nutrient intake, but it is not likely to modify the risk for the disease in the offspring.
Microbiological quality of raw milk attributable to prolonged refrigeration conditions
Authors: Vithanage Nuwan R , Dissanayake Muditha , Bolge Greg , Palombo Enzo A , Yeager Thomas R , Datta Nivedita
Published: March 2017

Refrigerated storage of raw milk is a prerequisite in dairy industry. However, temperature abused conditions in the farming and processing environments can significantly affect the microbiological quality of raw milk. Thus, the present study investigated the effect of different refrigeration conditions such as 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 °C on microbiological quality of raw milk from three different dairy farms with significantly different initial microbial counts. The bacterial counts (BC), protease activity (PA), proteolysis (PL) and microbial diversity in raw milk were determined during storage. The effect of combined heating (75 ± 0·5 °C for 15 s) and refrigeration on controlling those contaminating microorganisms was also investigated. Results of the present study indicated that all of the samples showed increasing BC, PA and PL as a function of temperature, time and initial BC with a significant increase in those criteria ≥6 °C. Similar trends in BC, PA and PL were observed during the extended storage of raw milk at 4 °C. Both PA and PL showed strong correlation with the psychrotrophic proteolytic count (PPrBC: at ≥4 °C) and thermoduric psychrotrophic count (TDPC: at ≥8 °C) compared to total plate count (TPC) and psychrotrophic bacterial count (PBC), that are often used as the industry standard. Significant increases in PA and PL were observed when PPrBC and TDPC reached 5 × 104cfu/ml and 1 × 104cfu/ml, and were defined as storage life for quality (SLQ), and storage life for safety (SLS) aspects, respectively. The storage conditions also significantly affected the microbial diversity, wherePseudomonas fluorescensandBacillus cereuswere found to be the most predominant isolates. However, deep cooling (2 °C) and combination of heating and refrigeration (≤4 °C) significantly extended theSLQandSLsof raw milk.
Milk cortisol response to group relocation in lactating cows
Authors: Pošćić Nataliya , Gabai Gianfranco , Stefanon Bruno , Da Dalt Laura , Sgorlon Sandy
Published: March 2017

The aim of the study reported in this Research Communication was to analyse the variations of milk cortisol concentrations in response to the relocation of dairy cows between production groups. Milk cortisol measured during 3 consecutive days did not vary significantly in cows without environmental perturbation. However, relocation of cows caused a significant increase of cortisol in milk starting from the first milking after the group change. This suggests that cortisol in milk can be a suitable biomarker to assess the HPA response of dairy cows to a short/medium-term environmental challenge.
Optimization of pH, temperature and CaCl2 concentrations for Ricotta cheese production from Buffalo cheese whey using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Rashid Abdul Ahid , Huma Nuzhat , Zahoor Tahir , Asgher Muhammad
Published: March 2017

The recovery of milk constituents from cheese whey is affected by various processing conditions followed during production of Ricotta cheese. The objective of the present investigation was to optimize the temperature (60–90 °C), pH (3–7) and CaCl2 concentration (2·0–6·0 mm) for maximum yield/recovery of milk constituents. The research work was carried out in two phases. In 1st phase, the influence of these processing conditions was evaluated through 20 experiments formulated by central composite design (CCD) keeping the yield as response factor. The results obtained from these experiments were used to optimize processing conditions for maximum yield using response surface methodology (RSM). The three best combinations of processing conditions (90 °C, pH 7, CaCl2 6 mm), (100 °C, pH 5, CaCl2 4 mm) and (75 °C, pH 8·4, CaCl2 4 mm) were exploited in the next phase for Ricotta cheese production from a mixture of Buffalo cheese whey and skim milk (9 : 1) to determine the influence of optimized conditions on the cheese composition. Ricotta cheeses were analyzed for various physicochemical (moisture, fat, protein, lactose, total solids, pH and acidity indicated) parameters during storage of 60 d at 4 ± 2 °C after every 15 d interval. Ricotta cheese prepared at 90 °C, pH 7 and CaCl2 6 mm exhibited the highest cheese yield, proteins and total solids, while high fat content was recorded for cheese processed at 100 °C, pH 5 and 4 mm CaCl2 concentration. A significant storage-related increase in acidity and NPN was recorded for all cheese samples.
Association of MAP4K4 gene single nucleotide polymorphism with mastitis and milk traits in Chinese Holstein cattle
Authors: Bhattarai Dinesh , Chen Xing , ur Rehman Zia , Hao Xingjie , Ullah Farman , Dad Rahim , Talpur Hira Sajjad , Kadariya Ishwari , Cui Lu , Fan Mingxia , Zhang Shujun
Published: March 2017

The objective of the studies presented in this Research Communication was to investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms present in the MAP4K4 gene with different milk traits in dairy cows. Based on previous QTL fine mapping results on bovine chromosome 11, the MAP4K4 gene was selected as a candidate gene to evaluate its effect on somatic cell count and milk traits in ChineseHolstein cows. Milk production traits including milk yield, fat percentage, and protein percentage of each cow were collected using 305 d lactation records. Association between MAP4K4 genotype and different traits and Somatic Cell Score (SCS) was performed using General Linear Regression Model of R. Two SNPs at exon 18 (c.2061T > G and c.2196T > C) with genotype TT in both SNPs were found significantly higher for somatic SCS. We found the significant effect of exon 18 (c.2061T > G) on protein percentage, milk yield and SCS. We identified SNPs at different location of MAP4K4 gene of the cattle and several of them were significantly associated with the somatic cell score and other different milk traits. Thus, MAP4K4 gene could be a useful candidate gene for selection of dairy cattle against mastitis and the identified polymorphisms might potentially be strong genetic markers.
Morphological and molecular characterization of selected species of Hysterothylacium (Nematoda: Raphidascarididae) from marine fish in Iraqi waters
Authors: Ghadam M. , Banaii M. , Mohammed E.T. , Suthar J. , Shamsi S.
Published: March 2017

Hysterothylacium species are perhaps the most abundant and diverse group of marine ascaridoids; however, their life cycle and specific identification in larval stages in many parts of the world, particularly in Iraqi marine waters, have not been completely understood. In this study three members of the genus Hysterothylacium collected from Khor Abdulla in Iraq are morphologically described, genetically characterized and their relationship with other closely related taxa are compared and discussed. A new Hysterothylacium larval type in the fourth stage of development is described, and morphological and molecular evidence (based on the sequences of internal transcribed spacers) are provided for its distinction from previously known fourth-stage Hysterothylacium larval types. Based on the sequence data it is suggested that the new larval type, which herein was assigned as Hysterothylacium larval type XVI, is H. persicum which was previously reported from the close proximity in Bandar Abbas, Iran. In addition, two other taxa, including Hysterothylacium larval type XV and H. reliquens, have been found in the present study, for which new hosts are reported. This study provides some insights into the taxonomy and systematics of these parasites, not only in this region but also for similar studies elsewhere.
Effects of thiocolchicoside, a commonly used myorelaxant, on the acoustic reflex
Authors: Arslan H H , Cebeci S , Yildizoglu U , Pusat S , Yavuz F
Published: March 2017

Objective:

To determine whether thiocolchicoside, a commonly used myorelaxant, may impair the acoustic reflex.

Methods:

Forty-two patients scheduled to receive thiocolchicoside treatment for different reasons were enrolled in the study. Acoustic reflex thresholds at 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz were determined and analysed statistically pre-treatment and on the 5th day of treatment.

Results:

Increases were observed in the mean acoustic reflex thresholds on the 5th day of treatment compared to pre-treatment, at all frequencies, except right contralateral thresholds at 500 and 2000 Hz. These increases were statistically significant for right ipsilateral thresholds at 2000 and 4000 Hz, left ipsilateral thresholds at 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz, and left contralateral thresholds at 2000 and 4000 Hz (p ≤ 0.05), but not at other frequencies (p > 0.05).

Conclusion:

Muscle relaxant drugs, especially those affecting the central nervous system, may weaken the stapedial muscle so that the ability of noise to cause acoustic trauma may become evident. For this reason, physicians should advise their patients to avoid loud noises when muscle relaxant therapy is prescribed.
Enter the Troika: The Politics of Social Security during Ireland's Bailout
Authors: HICK ROD
Published: March 2017

This paper examines the influence of the Troika on the retrenchment and reform of social security in Ireland during its bailout between 2010 and 2013. To do this, it draws on data from in-depth interviews with senior civil servants and civil society organisation staff who met with the Troika as part of their quarterly missions to Ireland during this period. The key themes which emerged from these interviews include the largely domestic origins of social security retrenchment and reform; the surprising, and distinctive, positions adopted by the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund (IMF); the extent of the Irish government's room for manoeuvre in this area, and the ways in which the Irish government defended social security against proposals for additional cuts put forward by the Troika. The paper concludes by arguing that the scope for domestic decision-making was heavily constrained, yet non-trivial, and that the Troika's influence comprised not only ‘powering’ but also ‘persuasion’.
Partial and synchronized captioning: A new tool to assist learners in developing second language listening skill
Authors: Mirzaei Maryam Sadat , Meshgi Kourosh , Akita Yuya , Kawahara Tatsuya
Published: March 2017

This paper introduces a novel captioning method, partial and synchronized captioning (PSC), as a tool for developing second language (L2) listening skills. Unlike conventional full captioning, which provides the full text and allows comprehension of the material merely by reading, PSC promotes listening to the speech by presenting a selected subset of words, where each word is synched to its corresponding speech signal. In this method, word-level synchronization is realized by an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system, dedicated to the desired corpora. This feature allows the learners to become familiar with the correspondences between words and their utterances. Partialization is done by automatically selecting words or phrases likely to hinder listening comprehension. In this work we presume that the incidence of infrequent or specific words and fast delivery of speech are major barriers to listening comprehension. The word selection criteria are thus based on three factors: speech rate, word frequency and specificity. The thresholds for these features are adjusted to the proficiency level of the learners. The selected words are presented to aid listening comprehension while the remaining words are masked in order to keep learners listening to the audio. PSC was evaluated against no-captioning and full-captioning conditions using TED videos. The results indicate that PSC leads to the same level of comprehension as the full-captioning method while presenting less than 30% of the transcript. Furthermore, compared with the other methods, PSC can serve as an effective medium for decreasing dependence on captions and preparing learners to listen without any assistance.
Studying Martian Rocks Without Leaving Planet Earth
Authors: Branscombe Alexandra
Published: March 2017

Matching Martian rock formations to those found on Earth can help researchers learn more about the Red Planet.
2-O-Methylmagnolol upregulates the long non-coding RNA, GAS5, and enhances apoptosis in skin cancer cells
Authors: Wang Tong-Hong , Chan Chieh-Wen , Fang Jia-You , Shih Ya-Min , Liu Yi-Wen , Wang Tzu-Chien V , Chen Chi-Yuan
Published: March 2017

Magnolol, a hydroxylated biphenol compound isolated from the bark of Magnolia officinalis, has been shown to exhibit anti-proliferative effect in various cancer cells, including skin cancer cells. Methoxylation of magnolol appears to improve its anti-inflammatory activity, yet the effect of this modification on the agent’s antitumor activity remains unknown. In this work, we report that 2-O-methylmagnolol (MM1) displays improved antitumor activity against skin cancer cells compared to magnolol both in vitro and in vivo. The increased antitumor activity of MM1 appears to correlate with its increased ability to induce apoptosis. DNA microarray and network pathway analyses suggest that MM1 affects certain key factors involved in regulating apoptosis and programmed cell death. Interestingly, the level of the long non-coding (lnc) RNA of growth arrest-specific 5 (GAS5) was increased in MM1-treated cells, and inhibition of lncRNA GAS5 inhibited MM1-induced apoptosis. Conversely, overexpression of lncRNA GAS5 inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis in skin cancer cells. The expression of lncRNA GAS5 in the skin cancer tissues was found to be lower than that in the adjacent normal tissues in a majority of patients. Taken together, our findings suggest that MM1 has improved antitumor activity in skin cancer cells, and that this is due, at least in part, to the upregulation of lncRNA GAS5 and the enhancement of apoptosis.
Multiply fully recyclable carbon fibre reinforced heat-resistant covalent thermosetting advanced composites
Authors: Yuan Yanchao , Sun Yanxiao , Yan Shijing , Zhao Jianqing , Liu Shumei , Zhang Mingqiu , Zheng Xiaoxing , Jia Lei
Published: March 2017

Nondestructive retrieval of expensive carbon fibres (CFs) from CF-reinforced thermosetting advanced composites widely applied in high-tech fields has remained inaccessible as the harsh conditions required to recycle high-performance resin matrices unavoidably damage the structure and properties of CFs. Degradable thermosetting resins with stable covalent structures offer a potential solution to this conflict. Here we design a new synthesis scheme and prepare a recyclable CF-reinforced poly(hexahydrotriazine) resin matrix advanced composite. The multiple recycling experiments and characterization data establish that this composite demonstrates performance comparable to those of its commercial counterparts, and more importantly, it realizes multiple intact recoveries of CFs and near-total recycling of the principal raw materials through gentle depolymerization in certain dilute acid solution. To our best knowledge, this study demonstrates for the first time a feasible and environment-friendly preparation-recycle-regeneration strategy for multiple CF-recycling from CF-reinforced advanced composites.
Cross-neutralisation of viruses of the tick-borne encephalitis complex following tick-borne encephalitis vaccination and/or infection
Authors: McAuley Alexander J. , Sawatsky Bevan , Ksiazek Thomas , Torres Maricela , Korva Miša , Lotrič-Furlan Stanka , Avšič-Županc Tatjana , von Messling Veronika , Holbrook Michael R. , Freiberg Alexander N. , Beasley David W. C. , Bente Dennis A.
Published: March 2017

The tick-borne encephalitis complex contains a number of flaviviruses that share close genetic homology, and are responsible for significant human morbidity and mortality with widespread geographical range. Although many members of this complex have been recognised for decades, licenced human vaccines with broad availability are only available for tick-borne encephalitis virus. While tick-borne encephalitis virus vaccines have been demonstrated to induce significant protective immunity, as determined by virus-neutralisation titres, vaccine breakthrough (clinical infection following complete vaccination), has been described. The aim of this study was to confirm the cross-neutralisation of tick-borne flaviviruses using mouse immune ascitic fluids, and to determine the magnitude of cross-neutralising antibody titres in sera from donors following tick-borne encephalitis vaccination, infection, and vaccine breakthrough. The results demonstrate that there is significant cross-neutralisation of representative members of the tick-borne encephalitis complex following vaccination and/or infection, and that the magnitude of immune responses varies based upon the exposure type. Donor sera successfully neutralised most of the viruses tested, with 85% of vaccinees neutralising Kyasanur forest disease virus and 73% of vaccinees neutralising Alkhumra virus. By contrast, only 63% of vaccinees neutralised Powassan virus, with none of these neutralisation titres exceeding 1:60. Taken together, the data suggest that tick-borne encephalitis virus vaccination may protect against most of the members of the tick-borne encephalitis complex including Kyasanur forest disease virus and Alkhumra virus, but that the neutralisation of Powassan virus following tick-borne encephalitis vaccination is minimal.
hERG S4-S5 linker acts as a voltage-dependent ligand that binds to the activation gate and locks it in a closed state
Authors: Malak Olfat A. , Es-Salah-Lamoureux Zeineb , Loussouarn Gildas
Published: March 2017

Delayed-rectifier potassium channels (hERG and KCNQ1) play a major role in cardiac repolarization. These channels are formed by a tetrameric pore (S5–S6) surrounded by four voltage sensor domains (S1-S4). Coupling between voltage sensor domains and the pore activation gate is critical for channel voltage-dependence. However, molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Herein, we demonstrate that covalently binding, through a disulfide bridge, a peptide mimicking the S4-S5 linker (S4-S5L) to the channel S6 C-terminus (S6T) completely inhibits hERG. This shows that channel S4-S5L is sufficient to stabilize the pore activation gate in its closed state. Conversely, covalently binding a peptide mimicking S6T to the channel S4-S5L prevents its inhibiting effect and renders the channel almost completely voltage-independent. This shows that the channel S4-S5L is necessary to stabilize the activation gate in its closed state. Altogether, our results provide chemical evidence that S4-S5L acts as a voltage-controlled ligand that binds S6T to lock the channel in a closed state, elucidating the coupling between voltage sensors and the gate in delayed rectifier potassium channels and potentially other voltage-gated channels.
Salvianolic acid B inhibits mitochondrial dysfunction by up-regulating mortalin
Authors: Liu Yunxia , Hu Yingying , E Qiukai , Zuo Ji , Yang Ling , Liu Wen
Published: March 2017

Salvianolic acid B is an antioxidative ingredient derived from Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae that has been widely used to treat liver diseases. However, the therapeutic mechanism underlying Salvianolic acid B has remained largely unknown. Our studies verified that Salvianolic acid B efficiently blocked mitochondrial deformation and dysfunction induced by H2O2 in the human hepatocyte cell line HL7702. Mortalin, a mitochondrial molecular chaperone, maintains mitochondrial morphology stabilization and function integrity. Previous results showed that mortalin overexpression has been observed in hematoma carcinoma cells and that mortalin maintains mitochondrial homeostasis and antagonizes oxidative stress damage. We found that Salvianolic acid B significantly up-regulated mortalin protein expression levels. In addition, Salvianolic acid B lost the function of preventing mitochondrial deformation and dysfunction induced by oxidative stress under mortalin knockdown conditions. We further found that mortalin overexpression increases the mRNA expression of mitofusin-related factor Mfn1 and mitofission-related factor hFis1. In conclusion, Salvianolic acid B maintains the mitochondrial structure stabilization and functional integrity by up-regulating mortalin, which may be associated with increased mitofusin factor Mfn1 and reduced mitofission factor hFis1.
Interaction and oxidative damage of DVDMS to BSA: a study on the mechanism of photodynamic therapy-induced cell death
Authors: Li Li , Wang Huiyu , Wang Haiping , Li Lijun , Wang Pan , Wang Xiaobing , Liu Quanhong
Published: March 2017

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising method for neoplastic and nonneoplastic diseases. In this study, we utilized sinoporphyrin sodium (DVDMS) as a sensitizer combined with light to investigate its cytotoxic effect on different cell lines. For this purpose, we chose bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model to explore the mechanism of PDT-induced cell death at a molecular level. Our findings indicated that the combined treatment significantly suppressed cell survival. Fluorescence spectroscopy revealed a strong interaction between DVDMS and BSA molecules in aqueous solution, affecting DVDMS’ targeting distribution and metabolism. Spectroscopic analysis and carbonyl content detection indicated that DVDMS-PDT significantly enhanced the damage of BSA at a higher extent than Photofrin II-PDT under similar experimental conditions. Our observations were consistent with the cytotoxicity results. Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) were induced by the synergy effect of the sensitizer and light, which played an important role in damaging BSA and tumor cells. These results suggested that the interaction and oxidative damage of protein molecules by DVDMS were the main reasons to cell death and constitute a valuable reference for future DVDMS-PDT investigations.
Acoustophoretic separation of airborne millimeter-size particles by a Fresnel lens
Authors: Cicek Ahmet , Korozlu Nurettin , Adem Kaya Olgun , Ulug Bulent
Published: March 2017

We numerically demonstrate acoustophoretic separation of spherical solid particles in air by means of an acoustic Fresnel lens. Beside gravitational and drag forces, freely-falling millimeter-size particles experience large acoustic radiation forces around the focus of the lens, where interplay of forces lead to differentiation of particle trajectories with respect to either size or material properties. Due to the strong acoustic field at the focus, radiation force can divert particles with source intensities significantly smaller than those required for acoustic levitation in a standing field. When the lens is designed to have a focal length of 100 mm at 25 kHz, finite-element method simulations reveal a sharp focus with a full-width at half-maximum of 0.5 wavelenghts and a field enhancement of 18 dB. Through numerical calculation of forces and simulation of particle trajectories, we demonstrate size-based separation of acrylic particles at a source sound pressure level of 153 dB such that particles with diameters larger than 0.5 mm are admitted into the central hole, whereas smaller particles are rejected. Besides, efficient separation of particles with similar acoustic properties such as polyethylene, polystyrene and acrylic particles of the same size is also demonstrated.
Universality of periodicity as revealed from interlayer-mediated cracks
Authors: Cho Myung Rae , Jung Jong Hyun , Seo Min key , Cho Sung Un , Kim Young Duck , Lee Jae Hyun , Kim Yong Seung , Kim Pilkwang , Hone James , Ihm Jisoon , Park Yun Daniel
Published: March 2017

A crack and its propagation is a challenging multiscale materials phenomenon of broad interest, from nanoscience to exogeology. Particularly in fracture mechanics, periodicities are of high scientific interest. However, a full understanding of this phenomenon across various physical scales is lacking. Here, we demonstrate periodic interlayer-mediated thin film crack propagation and discuss the governing conditions resulting in their periodicity as being universal. We show strong confinement of thin film cracks and arbitrary steering of their propagation by inserting a predefined thin interlayer, composed of either a polymer, metal, or even atomically thin graphene, between the substrate and the brittle thin film. The thin interlayer-mediated controllability arises from local modification of the effective mechanical properties of the crack medium. Numerical calculations incorporating basic fracture mechanics principles well model our experimental results. We believe that previous studies of periodic cracks in SiN films, self-de-bonding sol-gel films, and even drying colloidal films, along with this study, share the same physical origins but with differing physical boundary conditions. This finding provides a simple analogy for various periodic crack systems that exist in nature, not only for thin film cracks but also for cracks ranging in scale.
Serial heart rhythm complexity changes in patients with anterior wall ST segment elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Chiu Hung-Chih , Ma Hsi-Pin , Lin Chen , Lo Men-Tzung , Lin Lian-Yu , Wu Cho-Kai , Chiang Jiun-Yang , Lee Jen-Kuang , Hung Chi-Sheng , Wang Tzung-Dau , Daisy Liu Li-Yu , Ho Yi-Lwun , Lin Yen-Hung , Peng Chung-Kang
Published: March 2017

Heart rhythm complexity analysis has been shown to have good prognostic power in patients with cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to analyze serial changes in heart rhythm complexity from the acute to chronic phase of acute myocardial infarction (MI). We prospectively enrolled 27 patients with anterior wall ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and 42 control subjects. In detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA), the patients had significantly lower DFAα2 in the acute stage (within 72 hours) and lower DFAα1 at 3 months and 12 months after MI. In multiscale entropy (MSE) analysis, the patients had a lower slope 5 in the acute stage, which then gradually increased during the follow-up period. The areas under the MSE curves for scale 1 to 5 (area 1–5) and 6 to 20 (area 6–20) were lower throughout the chronic stage. Area 6–20 had the greatest discriminatory power to differentiate the post-MI patients (at 1 year) from the controls. In both the net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement models, MSE parameters significantly improved the discriminatory power of the linear parameters to differentiate the post-MI patients from the controls. In conclusion, the patients with STEMI had serial changes in cardiac complexity.
A Systematic Approach to Time-series Metabolite Profiling and RNA-seq Analysis of Chinese Hamster Ovary Cell Culture
Authors: Hsu Han-Hsiu , Araki Michihiro , Mochizuki Masao , Hori Yoshimi , Murata Masahiro , Kahar Prihardi , Yoshida Takanobu , Hasunuma Tomohisa , Kondo Akihiko
Published: March 2017

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are the primary host used for biopharmaceutical protein production. The engineering of CHO cells to produce higher amounts of biopharmaceuticals has been highly dependent on empirical approaches, but recent high-throughput “omics” methods are changing the situation in a rational manner. Omics data analyses using gene expression or metabolite profiling make it possible to identify key genes and metabolites in antibody production. Systematic omics approaches using different types of time-series data are expected to further enhance understanding of cellular behaviours and molecular networks for rational design of CHO cells. This study developed a systematic method for obtaining and analysing time-dependent intracellular and extracellular metabolite profiles, RNA-seq data (enzymatic mRNA levels) and cell counts from CHO cell cultures to capture an overall view of the CHO central metabolic pathway (CMP). We then calculated correlation coefficients among all the profiles and visualised the whole CMP by heatmap analysis and metabolic pathway mapping, to classify genes and metabolites together. This approach provides an efficient platform to identify key genes and metabolites in CHO cell culture.
The Serum Pepsinogen Test as a Predictor of Kazakh Gastric Cancer
Authors: Juan Cai Wei , Yin Liang , Kang Qiang , Chen Zeng Zu , Liang Wang Shao , Cheng Jiang
Published: March 2017

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors and the Kazakh population in Xinjiang has been reported to be one of the highest incidence of GC in the world. Serum pepsinogen (PG) test provides a valuable method for detecting GC, but little study about the role of PG in Kazakh GC. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the role of PG in Kazakh GC and to elucidate the usefulness of the serum PG test method. The serum PG concentration were measured using the flow fluorescence assay and ELISA methods in patients with superficial gastritis, atrophic gastritis and GC. The most suitable cut off point was a PG I concentration ≤64 ng/ml and PG I/II ratio (PGR) ≤4.5. Using this cut off point, the sensitivity and specificity of pepsinogen screening for Kazakh GC were 80.5% and 89.8%, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) of the PGR for GC diagnosis was 0.949, which was significantly higher than that of combined tumor markers. Moreover, PGR in Kazakh early GC was statistically significantly lower than in SG and AG. These findings suggest that serum PG test can serve as a noninvasive biomarker for the diagnosis of Kazakh GC.
Crystal structure of the BoNT/A2 receptor-binding domain in complex with the luminal domain of its neuronal receptor SV2C
Authors: Benoit Roger M. , Schärer Martin A. , Wieser Mara M. , Li Xiaodan , Frey Daniel , Kammerer Richard A.
Published: March 2017

A detailed molecular understanding of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT)/host-cell-receptor interactions is fundamental both for developing strategies against botulism and for generating improved BoNT variants for medical applications. The X-ray crystal structure of the receptor-binding domain (HC) of BoNT/A1 in complex with the luminal domain (LD) of its neuronal receptor SV2C revealed only few specific side-chain – side-chain interactions that are important for binding. Notably, two BoNT/A1 residues, Arg 1156 and Arg 1294, that are crucial for the interaction with SV2, are not conserved among subtypes. Because it has been suggested that differential receptor binding of subtypes might explain their differences in biological activity, we determined the crystal structure of BoNT/A2-HC in complex with SV2C-LD. Although only few side-chain interactions are conserved between the two BoNT/A subtypes, the overall binding mode of subtypes A1 and A2 is virtually identical. In the BoNT/A2-HC – SV2C complex structure, a missing cation-π stacking is compensated for by an additional salt bridge and an anion-π stacking interaction, which explains why the binding of BoNT/A subtypes to SV2C tolerates variable side chains. These findings suggest that motif extensions and a shallow binding cleft in BoNT/A-HC contribute to binding specificity.
Multifunctional biocompatible chitosan-polypyrrole nanocomposites as novel agents for photoacoustic imaging-guided photothermal ablation of cancer
Authors: Manivasagan Panchanathan , Quang Bui Nhat , Bharathiraja Subramaniyan , Santha Moorthy Madhappan , Oh Yun-Ok , Song Kyeongeun , Seo Hansu , Yoon Min , Oh Junghwan
Published: March 2017

Cancer nanotechnology is emerging as one of the promising strategies combining photothermal therapy (PTT) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI) for the treatment of breast cancer and it has received considerable attention in the recent years because it is minimally invasive, prevents damage to non-targeted regions, permits fast recovery, and involves breast cancer imaging. The present study demonstrates multifunctional biocompatible chitosan-polypyrrole nanocomposites (CS-PPy NCs) as novel agents for photoacoustic imaging-guided photothermal ablation of cancer because of their biocompatibility, conductivity, stability, and strong near-infrared (NIR) absorbance. The CS-PPy NCs are spherical in shape and range 26–94 nm in size with a mean value of 50.54 ± 2.56 nm. The in vitro results demonstrated good biocompatibility of CS-PPy NCs, which can be used in PTT for cancer cells under 808-nm NIR laser irradiation. Tumor-bearing mice fully recovered after treatment with CS-PPy NCs and NIR 808-nm laser irradiation compared to the corresponding control groups. Our research highlights the promising potential of using CS-PPy NCs for photoacoustic imaging-guided photothermal ablation of cancer in preclinical animals, which should be verified in future clinical trials.
Dueling biological and social contagions
Authors: Fu Feng , Christakis Nicholas A. , Fowler James H.
Published: March 2017

Numerous models explore how a wide variety of biological and social phenomena spread in social networks. However, these models implicitly assume that the spread of one phenomenon is not affected by the spread of another. Here, we develop a model of “dueling contagions”, with a particular illustration of a situation where one is biological (influenza) and the other is social (flu vaccination). We apply the model to unique time series data collected during the 2009 H1N1 epidemic that includes information about vaccination, flu, and face-to-face social networks. The results show that well-connected individuals are more likely to get vaccinated, as are people who are exposed to friends who get vaccinated or are exposed to friends who get the flu. Our dueling contagion model suggests that other epidemiological models may be dramatically underestimating theR0of contagions. It also suggests that the rate of vaccination contagion may be even more important than the biological contagion in determining the course of the disease. These results suggest that real world and online platforms that make it easier to see when friends have been vaccinated (personalized vaccination campaigns) and when they get the flu (personalized flu warnings) could have a large impact on reducing the severity of epidemics. They also suggest possible benefits from understanding the coevolution of many kinds of dueling contagions.
Alkylresorcinols activate SIRT1 and delay ageing in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Kayashima Yasunari , Katayanagi Yuki , Tanaka Keiko , Fukutomi Ryuta , Hiramoto Shigeru , Imai Shinjiro
Published: March 2017

Sirtuins are enzymes that catalyze NAD+ dependent protein deacetylation. The natural polyphenolic compound resveratrol received renewed interest when recent findings implicated resveratrol as a potent SIRT1 activator capable of mimicking the effects of calorie restriction. However, resveratrol directly interacts with fluorophore-containing peptide substrates. It was demonstrated that the SIRT1 activation of resveratrol is affected by the amino acid composition of the substrate. Resveratrol did increase the enzyme activity in cases in which hydrophobic amino acids are at the +1 position to the acetylated lysine in the substrate. Alkylresorcinols (ARs) are compounds that belong to the family of phenolic lipids, and they are found in numerous biological species. Here we show that the natural activators ARs increased the Vmax of recombinant SIRT1 for NAD+ and peptide substrate, and that ARs decreased acetylated histone in human monocyte cells by stimulating SIRT1-dependent deacetylation of substrates. ARs also extended the lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster, which was shown to be dependent on functional Sir2. Our results demonstrated that ARs are natural catalytic activators for sirtuin.
Homodyne detection of short-range Doppler radar using a forced oscillator model
Authors: Kittipute Kunanon , Saratayon Peerayudh , Srisook Suthasin , Wardkein Paramote
Published: March 2017

This article presents the homodyne detection in a self-oscillation system, which represented by a short-range radar (SRR) circuit, that is analysed using a multi-time forced oscillator (MTFO) model. The MTFO model is based on a forced oscillation perspective with the signal and system theory, a second-order differential equation, and the multiple time variable technique. This model can also apply to analyse the homodyne phenomenon in a difference kind of the oscillation system under same method such as the self-oscillation system, and the natural oscillation system with external forced. In a free oscillation system, which forced by the external source is represented by a pendulum with an oscillating support experiment, and a modified Colpitts oscillator circuit in the UHF band with input as a Doppler signal is a representative of self-oscillation system. The MTFO model is verified with the experimental result, which well in line with the theoretical analysis.
RNF7 knockdown inhibits prostate cancer tumorigenesis by inactivation of ERK1/2 pathway
Authors: Xiao Yangjiong , Jiang Yan , Song Hongmei , Liang Tao , Li Yonghui , Yan Dongliang , Fu Qiang , Li Zuowei
Published: March 2017

Development of castration resistance is a key contributor to mortality in patients with prostate cancer. High expression of RING finger protein 7 (RNF7) in cancer cells is known to play a key role in tumor progression. However, the role of RNF7 in prostate cancer progression is not well elucidated. In this study, we silenced RNF7 by shRNA interference in two castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) cell lines, DU145 and PC3. RNF7 knockdown attenuated proliferation and enhanced sensitivity of prostate cancer cells to cisplatin treatment. Invasive property of DU145 and PC3 cells was also attenuated by RNF7 silencing. The underlying mechanisms appear to be associated with accumulation of tumor suppressive proteins p21, p27 and NOXA, while inactivation of ERK1/2 by RNF7 knockdown. We demonstrated that RNF7 knockdown induced growth suppression of prostate cancer cells and inactivated ERK1/2 pathway, which suggested RNF7 might be a potential novel therapeutic target for CRPC.
Insights into the activity of maturation inhibitor PF-46396 on HIV-1 clade C
Authors: Ghimire Dibya , Timilsina Uddhav , Srivastava Tryambak Pratap , Gaur Ritu
Published: March 2017

HIV maturation inhibitors are an emerging class of anti-retroviral compounds that inhibit the viral protease-mediated cleavage of the Gag, CA-SP1 (capsid-spacer peptide 1) peptide to mature CA. The first-in-class maturation inhibitor bevirimat (BVM) displayed potent activity against HIV-1 clade B but was ineffective against other HIV-1 clades including clade C. Another pyridone-based maturation inhibitor, PF-46396 displayed potent activity against HIV-1 clade B. In this study, we aimed at determining the activity of PF-46396 against HIV-1 clade C. We employed various biochemical and virological assays to demonstrate that PF-46396 is effective against HIV-1 clade C. We observed a dose dependent accumulation of CA-SP1 intermediate in presence of the compound. We carried out mutagenesis in the CA- SP1 region of HIV-1 clade C Gag and observed that the mutations conferred resistance against the compound. Many mutations inhibited Gag processing thereby reducing virus release in the absence of the compound. However, presence of PF-46396 rescued these defects and enhanced virus release, replication capacity and infectivity of HIV-1 clade C. These results put together identify PF-46396 as a broadly active maturation inhibitor against HIV-1 clade B and C and help in rational designing of novel analogs with reduced toxicity and increased efficacy for its potential use in clinics.