bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Liquid Derivative of Phosphotungstic Acid as Catalyst for Benzyl Alcohol Oxidation in Water: Facile Separation and Stability of Benzaldehyde at Room Temperature†
Authors: Bhattacharjee Rama R. , S Thangamani , Mal Sib S.
Published: June 2017

Polyetheramines belong to a class of green di‐block copolymer with ethylene oxide and propylene oxide moieties along with terminal amine functionality. The polymers are biocompatible and show temperature dependant phase separation properties. Herein, we report the effect of a polyetheramine (Jeffamine®) on the catalytic properties of a well studied polyoxometalate catalysts, phosphotungstic acid (PTA). The catalytic reaction chosen for the test is the hydrogen peroxide‐mediated oxidation of benzyl alcohol (BzOH). Modification of PTA with Jeffamine® (PTA‐Jeffamine®) resulted in a solvent‐less liquid‐like material accessible to a wide range of solvents. The PTA‐Jeffamine® catalyst was observed to enhance the conversion of BzOH compared to that of pristine PTA and facilitated easy separation of benzaldehyde (BzH) and catalyst from reaction mixture. Stability of synthesized BzH was studied with gas chromatography attached with mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). Synthesis of the catalyst is cost‐effective and scalable due to easy availability of the individual components and nature of the synthetic protocol. UV‐visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM) were used to characterize the catalyst. Surface tension experiment, FE‐SEM, ICP‐MS and controlled experiments were performed to understand the effect of Jeffamine® in the catalytic process.
A New Procedure for Addition of Thiols to Imines using Zn[(L)‐Proline]2 as a Catalyst under Mild Conditions
Authors: de Oliveira Aline R. , da Silva Caren D. G. , Katla Ramesh , Rocha Mariana P. D. , Albuquerque Tabata B. , Kupfer Vicente Lira , Rinaldi Andrelson W. , Domingues Nelson Luís C.
Published: June 2017

Herein we present a new, highly efficient (60‐ 98 %), low cost and easy procedure for the addition of thiols to N‐Boc imines catalyzed by [Zn(L‐Pro)2] aiming the construction of some different N,S‐acetals by using a low catalytic loading (1 % mol) in short reactions time and under mild conditions.
Toxicity assessment of magnetosomes in different models
Authors: Revathy T. , Jayasri M. A. , Suthindhiran K.
Published: June 2017

Magnetosomes are nanosized iron oxide particles surrounded by lipid membrane synthesized by magnetotactic bacteria (MTB). Magnetosomes have been exploited for a broad range of biomedical and biotechnological applications. Due to their enormous potential in the biomedical field, its safety assessment is necessary. Detailed research on the toxicity of the magnetosomes was not studied so far. This study focuses on the toxicity assessment of magnetosomes in various models such as Human RBC’s, WBC’s, mouse macrophage cell line (J774), Onion root tip and fish (Oreochromis mossambicus). The toxicity in RBC models revealed that the RBC’s are unaltered up to a concentration of 150 µg/ml, and its morphology was not affected. The genotoxicity studies on WBC’s showed that there were no detectable chromosomal aberrations up to a concentration of 100 µg/ml. Similarly, there were no detectable morphological changes observed on the magnetosome-treated J774 cells, and the viability of the cells was above 90% at all the tested concentrations. Furthermore, the magnetosomes are not toxic to the fish (O. mossambicus), as no mortality or behavioural changes were observed in the magnetosome-treated groups. Histopathological analysis of the same reveals no damage in the muscle and gill sections. Overall, the results suggest that the magnetosomes are safe at lower concentration and does not pose any potential risk to the ecosystem.
Exact energy stability of Bénard–Marangoni convection at infinite Prandtl number
Authors: Fantuzzi Giovanni , Wynn Andrew
Published: June 2017

Using the energy method we investigate the stability of pure conduction in Pearson’s model for Bénard–Marangoni convection in a layer of fluid at infinite Prandtl number. Upon extending the space of admissible perturbations to the conductive state, we find an exact solution to the energy stability variational problem for a range of thermal boundary conditions describing perfectly conducting, imperfectly conducting, and insulating boundaries. Our analysis extends and improves previous results, and shows that with the energy method global stability can be proven up to the linear instability threshold only when the top and bottom boundaries of the fluid layer are insulating. Contrary to the well-known Rayleigh–Bénard convection set-up, therefore, energy stability theory does not exclude the possibility of subcritical instabilities against finite-amplitude perturbations.
Regional differences in dendritic spine density confer resilience to chronic social defeat stress
Authors: Qu Youge , Yang Chun , Ren Qian , Ma Min , Dong Chao , Hashimoto Kenji
Published: June 2017

Objective

Although alterations in the dendritic spine density in the brain regions may play a role in the stress-induced depression-like phenotype, the precise mechanisms are unknown. The aim was to investigate the role of spine density in the brain regions after chronic social defeat stress (CSDS).

Methods

We examined dendritic spine density in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), CA1, CA3, dentate gyrus (DG) of hippocampus, nucleus accumbens (NAc), and ventral tegmental area (VTA) of susceptible and resilient mice after CSDS.

Results

Spine density in the prelimbic area of mPFC, CA3, and DG in the susceptible group, but not resilient group, was significantly lower than control group. In contrast, spine density in the NAc and VTA in the susceptible group, but not resilient group, was significantly higher than control group.

Conclusions

The results suggest that regional differences in spine density may contribute to resilience versus susceptibility in mice subjected to CSDS.
The Vandal Conquest of North Africa: The Origins of a Historiographical Persona
Authors: FOURNIER ÉRIC
Published: June 2017

A close reading of sources documenting the Vandal conquest (429–39 ce) reveals that contemporary authors did not present the event as a persecution. To be sure, they insisted on the devastation that the Vandals caused, the typical woes of war, but not on its religious motivation. The article argues that it was Augustine who, in his ep. ccxxviii, first presented a theological interpretation of the event that allowed later sources writing within the Augustinian tradition to frame the conquest retroactively as a persecution.
Early Modern Mendicancy: Franciscan Practice in the Bohemian Lands
Authors: ELBEL MARTIN
Published: June 2017

Using the example of the Bohemian Franciscan Province, and its Olomouc convent in particular, this paper analyses mendicancy after the Reformation. In the early modern period mendicancy remained an important practice in the Franciscan Order. Apart from its economic function, begging was also an important means of interaction between the friars and the people. It was a complicated exchange of goods and services, which helped the friars to secure their position in society and export elements of their spirituality outside the walls of their convents.
Joseph Milner and his Editors: Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Evangelicals and the Christian Past
Authors: GUTACKER PAUL
Published: June 2017

Joseph Milner's ‘History of the Church of Christ’ (1794–1809) was the most popular English-language church history for half a century, yet it remains misunderstood by many historians. This paper argues that Milner's Evangelical interpretation of church history subverted Protestant historiographical norms. By prioritising conversion over doctrinal precision, and celebrating the piety of select medieval Catholics, Milner undermined the historical narratives that undergirded Protestant exceptionalism. As national religious identities became increasingly contested in the 1820s and 1830s, this subversive edge was blunted by publishers who edited the ‘History’ to be less favourable toward pre-Reformation Christianity.
Spatial patterns of primate hunting in riverine communities in Central Amazonia
Authors: Pereira Priscila Maria , Valsecchi João , Queiroz Helder
Published: June 2017

In many regions primates are an important dietary resource for isolated human populations, and they are among the most hunted species by traditional and indigenous communities in the Neotropics. Little is known about the characteristics or the spatial and temporal patterns of hunting, which limits a more detailed evaluation of its impact. We describe, quantify and analyse the spatial dynamics of primate hunting in the várzea (seasonally flooded forest) and paleovárzea (characterized by a series of low-lying ridges interspersed with flooded depressions, which result from cyclical depositional processes) environments of Central Amazonia, based on the monitoring of riverine communities at the Amanã and Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserves over an 11-year period. During this time 402 primate hunting events were recorded, involving the harvesting of 541 individuals of nine species:Alouatta juara, Aotuscf.vociferans,Ateles chamek, Cacajao ouakary, Callicebus lucifer,Cebus albifrons, Saguinus inustus, Saimiri cassiquiarensisandSapajus macrocephalus. Two hundred and forty of these hunts occurred in the paleovárzea and 162 in the várzea. The distances travelled by the hunters from their communities to the kill sites were significantly different between the environments, with longer distances being covered in the paleovárzea. Hunters in the paleovárzea also hunted across significantly larger areas than those in the várzea. The continuous monitoring of hunting areas and the gathering of data on the exploitation of species are necessary to understand the effects of hunting, as well as to support decision making in the management of the local fauna by traditional communities, and the development of effective conservation strategies for the local game species.
Comparison of outcomes in Australian indigenous and non-indigenous children and adolescents undergoing cardiac surgery
Authors: Justo Edward R. , Reeves Benjamin M. , Ware Robert S. , Johnson Janelle C. , Karl Tom R. , Alphonso Nelson D. , Justo Robert N.
Published: June 2017

Background

Population-based registries report 95% 5-year survival for children undergoing surgery for CHD. This study investigated paediatric cardiac surgical outcomes in the Australian indigenous population.

Methods

All children who underwent cardiac surgery between May, 2008 and August, 2014 were studied. Demographic information including socio-economic status, diagnoses and co-morbidities, and treatment and outcome data were collected at time of surgery and at last follow-up.

Results

A total of 1528 children with a mean age 3.4±4.6 years were studied. Among them, 123 (8.1%) children were identified as indigenous, and 52.7% (62) of indigenous patients were in the lowest third of the socio-economic index compared with 28.2% (456) of non-indigenous patients (p⩽0.001). The indigenous sample had a significantly higher Comprehensive Aristotle Complexity score (indigenous 9.4±4.2 versus non-indigenous 8.7±3.9, p=0.04). The probability of having long-term follow-up did not differ between groups (indigenous 93.8% versus non-indigenous 95.6%, p=0.17). No difference was noted in 30-day mortality (indigenous 3.2% versus non-indigenous 1.4%, p=0.13). The 6-year survival for the entire cohort was 95.9%. The Cox survival analysis demonstrated higher 6-year mortality in the indigenous group – indigenous 8.1% versus non-indigenous 5.0%; hazard ratio (HR)=2.1; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.1, 4.2; p=0.03. Freedom from surgical re-intervention was 79%, and was not significantly associated with the indigenous status (HR=1.4; 95% CI: 0.9, 1.9; p=0.11). When long-term survival was adjusted for the Comprehensive Aristotle Complexity score, no difference in outcomes between the populations was demonstrated (HR=1.6; 95% CI: 0.8, 3.2; p=0.19).

Conclusion

The indigenous population experienced higher late mortality. This apparent relationship is explained by increased patient complexity, which may reflect negative social and environmental factors.
Long noncoding RNA UCA1 induced by SP1 promotes cell proliferation via recruiting EZH2 and activating AKT pathway in gastric cancer
Authors: Wang Zhen-Qiang , Cai Qiang , Hu Lei , He Chang-Yu , Li Jian-Fang , Quan Zhi-Wei , Liu Bing-Ya , Li Chen , Zhu Zheng-Gang
Published: June 2017

Long noncoding RNA UCA1 has emerged as a novel regulator in cancer initiation and progression of various cancers. However, function and underlying mechanism of UCA1 in the progression of gastric cancer (GC) remain unclear. In the present study, we report that UCA1 expressed highly in GC tissues and GC cells, which was partly induced by SP1. UCA1 promoted GC cell proliferation and G1/S transition in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, UCA1 exerted its function through interacting with EZH2, promoting direct interaction with cyclin D1 promoter to activate the translation of cyclin D1. Furthermore, AKT/GSK-3B/cyclin D1 axis was activated to upregulate cyclin D1 due to overexpression of UCA1. In addition, EZH2 and phosphorylated AKT induced by UCA1 could impact each other to form a positive feedback to promote cyclin D1 expression. This study demonstrated that UCA1 as a critical regulator involved in GC proliferation and cell cycle progression by promoting cyclin D1 expression, which indicates that it may be clinically a potential therapeutic target in GC.
HIV integrase inhibitor, Elvitegravir, impairs RAG functions and inhibits V(D)J recombination
Authors: Nishana Mayilaadumveettil , Nilavar Namrata M , Kumari Rupa , Pandey Monica , Raghavan Sathees C
Published: June 2017

Integrase inhibitors are a class of antiretroviral drugs used for the treatment of AIDS that target HIV integrase, an enzyme responsible for integration of viral cDNA into host genome. RAG1, a critical enzyme involved in V(D)J recombination exhibits structural similarity to HIV integrase. We find that two integrase inhibitors, Raltegravir and Elvitegravir, interfered with the physiological functions of RAGs such as binding, cleavage and hairpin formation at the recombination signal sequence (RSS), though the effect of Raltegravir was limited. Circular dichroism studies demonstrated a distinct change in the secondary structure of RAG1 central domain (RAG1 shares DDE motif amino acids with integrases), and when incubated with Elvitegravir, an equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) of 32.53±2.9 μM was determined by Biolayer interferometry, leading to inhibition of its binding to DNA. Besides, using extrachromosomal assays, we show that Elvitegravir inhibited both coding and signal joint formation in pre-B cells. Importantly, treatment with Elvitegravir resulted in significant reduction of mature B lymphocytes in 70% of mice studied. Thus, our study suggests a potential risk associated with the use of Elvitegravir as an antiretroviral drug, considering the evolutionary and structural similarities between HIV integrase and RAGs.
Mitochondrial AKAP1 supports mTOR pathway and tumor growth
Authors: Rinaldi Laura , Sepe Maria , Delle Donne Rossella , Conte Kristel , Arcella Antonietta , Borzacchiello Domenica , Amente Stefano , De Vita Fernanda , Porpora Monia , Garbi Corrado , Oliva Maria A , Procaccini Claudio , Faicchia Deriggio , Matarese Giuseppe , Zito Marino Federica , Rocco Gaetano , Pignatiello Sara , Franco Renato , Insabato Luigi , Majello Barbara , Feliciello Antonio
Published: June 2017

Mitochondria are the powerhouses of energy production and the sites where metabolic pathway and survival signals integrate and focus, promoting adaptive responses to hormone stimulation and nutrient availability. Increasing evidence suggests that mitochondrial bioenergetics, metabolism and signaling are linked to tumorigenesis. AKAP1 scaffolding protein integrates cAMP and src signaling on mitochondria, regulating organelle biogenesis, oxidative metabolism and cell survival. Here, we provide evidence that AKAP1 is a transcriptional target of Myc and supports the growth of cancer cells. We identify Sestrin2, a leucine sensor and inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), as a novel component of the complex assembled by AKAP1 on mitochondria. Downregulation of AKAP1 impaired mTOR pathway and inhibited glioblastoma growth. Both effects were reversed by concomitant depletion of AKAP1 and sestrin2. High levels of AKAP1 were found in a wide variety of high-grade cancer tissues. In lung cancer, AKAP1 expression correlates with high levels of Myc, mTOR phosphorylation and reduced patient survival. Collectively, these data disclose a previously unrecognized role of AKAP1 in mTOR pathway regulation and cancer growth. AKAP1/mTOR signal integration on mitochondria may provide a new target for cancer therapy.
Quantum test of the equivalence principle for atoms in coherent superposition of internal energy states
Authors: Rosi G. , D’Amico G. , Cacciapuoti L. , Sorrentino F. , Prevedelli M. , Zych M. , Brukner Č. , Tino G. M.
Published: June 2017

The Einstein equivalence principle (EEP) has a central role in the understanding of gravity and space–time. In its weak form, or weak equivalence principle (WEP), it directly implies equivalence between inertial and gravitational mass. Verifying this principle in a regime where the relevant properties of the test body must be described by quantum theory has profound implications. Here we report on a novel WEP test for atoms: a Bragg atom interferometer in a gravity gradiometer configuration compares the free fall of rubidium atoms prepared in two hyperfine states and in their coherent superposition. The use of the superposition state allows testing genuine quantum aspects of EEP with no classical analogue, which have remained completely unexplored so far. In addition, we measure the Eötvös ratio of atoms in two hyperfine levels with relative uncertainty in the low 10−9, improving previous results by almost two orders of magnitude.
Broad-spectrum kinetic resolution of alcohols enabled by Cu–H-catalysed dehydrogenative coupling with hydrosilanes
Authors: Dong Xichang , Weickgenannt Andreas , Oestreich Martin
Published: June 2017

The enantioselective silylation of racemic alcohols, where one enantiomer reacts faster than the other, is an alternative approach to established enzymatic and non-enzymatic acylation techniques. The existing art is either limited to structurally biased alcohols or requires elaborate catalysts. Simple substrates, such as benzylic and allylic alcohols, with no coordinating functionality in the proximity of the hydroxy group have been challenging in these kinetic resolutions. We report here the identification of a broadly applicable chiral catalyst for the enantioselective dehydrogenative coupling of alcohols and hydrosilanes with both the chiral ligand and the hydrosilane being commercially available. The efficiency of kinetic resolutions is characterized by the selectivity factor, that is, the ratio of the reaction rates of the fast-reacting over the slow-reacting enantiomer. The selectivity factors achieved with the new method are good for acyclic benzylic alcohols (≤170) and high for synthetically usefully cyclic benzylic (≤40.1) and allylic alcohols (≤159).
The sands of time run faster near the end
Authors: Koivisto Juha , Durian Douglas J.
Published: June 2017

Grains exiting an underwater silo exhibit an unexpected surge in discharge rate as they empty. This contrasts with the constant flow rate of dry granular hoppers and the decreasing flow rate of pure liquids. Here we find that this surge depends on hopper diameter and happens also in air. The surge can be turned off by fixing the rate of fluid flow through the granular packing. With no flow control, dye injected on top of the packing gets drawn into the grains. We conclude that the surge is caused by a self-generated pumping of fluid through the packing. The effect is modelled via a driving pressure set by the exit speed of the grains. This highlights a surprising and unrecognized role that interstitial fluid plays in setting the discharge rate, and perhaps in controlling clog formation, for granular hoppers whether in air or under water.
One-Year stable perovskite solar cells by 2D/3D interface engineering
Authors: Grancini G. , Roldán-Carmona C. , Zimmermann I. , Mosconi E. , Lee X. , Martineau D. , Narbey S. , Oswald F. , De Angelis F. , Graetzel M. , Nazeeruddin Mohammad Khaja
Published: June 2017

Despite the impressive photovoltaic performances with power conversion efficiency beyond 22%, perovskite solar cells are poorly stable under operation, failing by far the market requirements. Various technological approaches have been proposed to overcome the instability problem, which, while delivering appreciable incremental improvements, are still far from a market-proof solution. Here we show one-year stable perovskite devices by engineering an ultra-stable 2D/3D (HOOC(CH2)4NH3)2PbI4/CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite junction. The 2D/3D forms an exceptional gradually-organized multi-dimensional interface that yields up to 12.9% efficiency in a carbon-based architecture, and 14.6% in standard mesoporous solar cells. To demonstrate the up-scale potential of our technology, we fabricate 10 × 10 cm2 solar modules by a fully printable industrial-scale process, delivering 11.2% efficiency stable for >10,000 h with zero loss in performances measured under controlled standard conditions. This innovative stable and low-cost architecture will enable the timely commercialization of perovskite solar cells.
The lateral distance between a proton pump and ATP synthase determines the ATP-synthesis rate
Authors: Sjöholm Johannes , Bergstrand Jan , Nilsson Tobias , Šachl Radek , Ballmoos Christoph von , Widengren Jerker , Brzezinski Peter
Published: June 2017

We have investigated the effect of lipid composition on interactions between cytochrome bo3 and ATP-synthase, and the ATP-synthesis activity driven by proton pumping. The two proteins were labeled by fluorescent probes and co-reconstituted in large (d ≅ 100 nm) or giant (d ≅ 10 µm) unilamellar lipid vesicles. Interactions were investigated using fluorescence correlation/cross-correlation spectroscopy and the activity was determined by measuring ATP production, driven by electron-proton transfer, as a function of time. We found that conditions that promoted direct interactions between the two proteins in the membrane (higher fraction DOPC lipids or labeling by hydrophobic molecules) correlated with an increased activity. These data indicate that the ATP-synthesis rate increases with decreasing distance between cytochrome bo3 and the ATP-synthase, and involves proton transfer along the membrane surface. The maximum distance for lateral proton transfer along the surface was found to be ~80 nm.
The first Neanderthal remains from an open-air Middle Palaeolithic site in the Levant
Authors: Been Ella , Hovers Erella , Ekshtain Ravid , Malinski-Buller Ariel , Agha Nuha , Barash Alon , Mayer Daniella E. Bar-Yosef , Benazzi Stefano , Hublin Jean-Jacques , Levin Lihi , Greenbaum Noam , Mitki Netta , Oxilia Gregorio , Porat Naomi , Roskin Joel , Soudack Michalle , Yeshurun Reuven , Shahack-Gross Ruth , Nir Nadav , Stahlschmidt Mareike C. , Rak Yoel , Barzilai Omry
Published: June 2017

The late Middle Palaeolithic (MP) settlement patterns in the Levant included the repeated use of caves and open landscape sites. The fossil record shows that two types of hominins occupied the region during this period—Neandertals and Homo sapiens. Until recently, diagnostic fossil remains were found only at cave sites. Because the two populations in this region left similar material cultural remains, it was impossible to attribute any open-air site to either species. In this study, we present newly discovered fossil remains from intact archaeological layers of the open-air site ‘Ein Qashish, in northern Israel. The hominin remains represent three individuals: EQH1, a nondiagnostic skull fragment; EQH2, an upper right third molar (RM3); and EQH3, lower limb bones of a young Neandertal male. EQH2 and EQH3 constitute the first diagnostic anatomical remains of Neandertals at an open-air site in the Levant. The optically stimulated luminescence ages suggest that Neandertals repeatedly visited ‘Ein Qashish between 70 and 60 ka. The discovery of Neandertals at open-air sites during the late MP reinforces the view that Neandertals were a resilient population in the Levant shortly before Upper Palaeolithic Homo sapiens populated the region.
Noncanonical cell death program independent of caspase activation cascade and necroptotic modules is elicited by loss of TGFβ-activated kinase 1
Authors: Mihaly September R. , Sakamachi Yosuke , Ninomiya-Tsuji Jun , Morioka Sho
Published: June 2017

Programmed cell death (PCD) occurs in several forms including apoptosis and necroptosis. Apoptosis is executed by the activation of caspases, while necroptosis is dependent on the receptor interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3). Precise control of cell death is crucial for tissue homeostasis. Indeed, necroptosis is triggered by caspase inhibition to ensure cell death. Here we identified a previously uncharacterized cell death pathway regulated by TAK1, which is unexpectedly provoked by inhibition of caspase activity and necroptosis cascades. Ablation of TAK1 triggers spontaneous death in macrophages. Simultaneous inhibition of caspases and RIPK3 did not completely restore cell viability. Previous studies demonstrated that loss of TAK1 in fibroblasts causes TNF-induced apoptosis and that additional inhibition of caspase leads to necroptotic cell death. However, we surprisingly found that caspase and RIPK3 inhibitions do not completely suppress cell death in Tak1-deficient cells. Mechanistically, the execution of the third cell death pathway in Tak1-deficient macrophages and fibroblasts were mediated by RIPK1-dependent rapid accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Conversely, activation of RIPK1 was sufficient to induce cell death. Therefore, loss of TAK1 elicits noncanonical cell death which is mediated by RIPK1-induced oxidative stress upon caspase and necroptosis inhibition to further ensure induction of cell death.
Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on temperature and pain perception
Authors: Mordillo-Mateos Laura , Dileone Michele , Soto-León Vanesa , Brocalero-Camacho Angela , Pérez-Borrego Yolanda A , Onate-Figuerez Ana , Aguilar Juan , Oliviero Antonio
Published: June 2017

Transcranial direct current stimulation modifies cortical excitability and in consequence some cerebral functions. In the present study we aimed to elucidate whether tDCS could affect temperature and pain perceptions in healthy subjects testing different stimulation parameters. A total of 20 healthy subjects were studied by means of quantitative sensory testing. Two different experiments were performed. First, we studied the effects of 15 minutes 2 mA anodal transcranial direct current stimulation applied over left M1 and parietal cortex in two separated sessions. Then, we tested the effects of 5 minutes tDCS over M1 by means of a sham controlled design to optimize the possibility to study minimal effects of tDCS using different polarities (cathodal and anodal) and intensities (1 and 2 mA). 2 mA anodal tDCS, when applied for both 15 and 5 minutes over the motor cortex, increased cold perception threshold. Conversely, motor cortex cathodal tDCS modulated cold perception threshold only when 1 mA intensity was used. M1-tDCS can modify the temperature perception; these effects are polarity and intensity dependent. As stimulation intensity seems critical to determine the effects, we suggest that for clinical application strong anodal tDCS (>1 mA) or weak cathodal tDCS (<2 mA) should be used for pain control.
Enhancement of Th1/Th17 inflammation by TRIM21 in Behçet’s disease
Authors: Ahn Yuri , Hwang Ji-Hye , Zheng Zhenlong , Bang Dongsik , Kim Do-Young
Published: June 2017

The etiology of Behçet’s disease (BD), a chronic, multisystemic autoinflammatory and autoimmune disease, remains unknown; however, researchers have postulated that infectious agents, such as herpes simplex virus, are significant triggering factors of BD. Tripartite motif-containing (TRIM) proteins exhibit antiviral properties, mediating antiviral defense mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to investigate TRIM21 protein expression in the monocytes of BD patients and to identify the role of TRIM21 in immune dysregulation in BD. In this study, the expression of TRIM21 and related molecules, including interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8), was analyzed in monocytes from BD patients. Functional analyses using small interfering RNA and co-culture with responder T cells were performed to examine the pathological role of TRIM21 in BD. Peripheral blood monocytes from BD patients showed increased TRIM21 expression and decreased IRF8 expression compared with that in monocytes from healthy controls. TRIM21 was found to decrease IRF8 expression. BD monocytes facilitated Th1 and Th17 differentiation of co-cultured T cells, and knock-down of TRIM21 expression by small interfering RNA inhibited this differentiation. In conclusion, TRIM21 played a pivotal role in regulating the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in monocytes of BD patients.
Incorporation of Fluorescence Ceramide-Based HPLC Assay for Rapidly and Efficiently Assessing Glucosylceramide Synthase In Vivo
Authors: Khiste Sachin K. , Hosain Salman B. , Dong Yixuan , Uddin Mohammad B. , Roy Kartik R. , Hill Ronald A. , Liu Zhijun , Liu Yong-Yu
Published: June 2017

Glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) is a rate-limiting enzyme catalyzing ceramide glycosylation, thereby regulating cellular ceramide levels and the synthesis of glycosphingolipids (GSLs) in cellular membranes. Alterations of GCS not only affect membrane integrity, but also closely correlate with stem cell pluripotency, cancer drug resistance, GSL storage disorders and other diseases. Enzyme activities measured conventionally with currently available ex-vivo methods do not enable reliable assessment of the roles played by GCS in vivo. We report herein a substrate-incorporation method enabling rapid and efficient assessment of GCS in-vivo activity. Upon nanoparticle-based delivery, fluorescent NBD C6-ceramide was efficiently converted to NBD C6-glucosylceramide in live cells or in mouse tissues, whereupon an HPLC assay enabled detection and quantification of NBD C6-glucosylceramide in the low-femtomolar range. The enzyme kinetics of GCS in live cells and mouse liver were well-described by the Michaelis-Menten model. GCS activities were significantly higher in drug-resistant cancer cells and in tumors overexpressing GCS, but reduced after silencing GCS expression or inhibiting this enzyme. Our studies indicate that this rapid and efficient method provides a valuable means for accurately assessing the roles played by GCS in normal vs. pathological states, including ones involving cancer drug resistance.
The dynamic functional core network of the human brain at rest
Authors: Kabbara A. , EL Falou W. , Khalil M. , Wendling F. , Hassan M.
Published: June 2017

The human brain is an inherently complex and dynamic system. Even at rest, functional brain networks dynamically reconfigure in a well-organized way to warrant an efficient communication between brain regions. However, a precise characterization of this reconfiguration at very fast time-scale (hundreds of millisecond) during rest remains elusive. In this study, we used dense electroencephalography data recorded during task-free paradigm to track the fast temporal dynamics of spontaneous brain networks. Results obtained from network-based analysis methods revealed the existence of a functional dynamic core network formed of a set of key brain regions that ensure segregation and integration functions. Brain regions within this functional core share high betweenness centrality, strength and vulnerability (high impact on the network global efficiency) and low clustering coefficient. These regions are mainly located in the cingulate and the medial frontal cortex. In particular, most of the identified hubs were found to belong to the Default Mode Network. Results also revealed that the same central regions may dynamically alternate and play the role of either provincial (local) or connector (global) hubs.
Preparation and characterization of Fe3O4/gallic acid/graphene oxide magnetic nanocomposites as highly efficient Fenton catalysts
Authors: Hua Yani , Wang Sha , Xiao Juan , Cui Chang , Wang Chuan
Published: June 2017

In this study, Fe3O4/gallic acid/graphene oxide magnetic nanocomposites (Fe3O4/GA/GO MNPs) were synthesized as heterogeneous Fenton catalysts to activate H2O2 to degrade methylene blue (MB).
Probing the electronic structure of a copper(ii) complex by CW- and pulse-EPR spectroscopy
Authors: Lada Zoi G. , Sanakis Yiannis , Raptopoulou Catherine P. , Psycharis Vassilis , Perlepes Spyros P. , Mitrikas George
Published: June 2017

The electronic structure of a mononuclear octahedral copper(ii) complex has been studied using CW EPR spectroscopy and other advanced methods including Davies ENDOR and HYSCORE (1H and13C) spectroscopy.
Computational investigation of the human SOD1 mutant, Cys146Arg, that directs familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Srinivasan E. , Rajasekaran R.
Published: June 2017

Molecular dynamics simulations along with the computational predictions used to assess the protein structural characterization as well as the conformational preferences of the monomeric native and mutant SOD1.
Interaction and inhibitory influence of the azo dye carmoisine on lysozyme amyloid fibrillogenesis
Authors: Basu Anirban , Suresh Kumar Gopinatha
Published: June 2017

The azo dye carmoisine has a significant inhibitory effect on fibrillogenesis in lysozyme.
Comparative suppression of NLRP3 inflammasome activation with LPS-induced inflammation by blueberry extracts (Vaccinium spp.)
Authors: Wang Huailing , Guo Xinbo , Liu Jie , Li Tong , Fu Xiong , Liu Rui Hai
Published: June 2017

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammation effects of blueberry extracts through NLRP3 inflammasome.
Sex-related chemical differences in keratin from fingernail plates: a solid-state carbon-13 NMR study
Authors: Brzózka Paulina , Kolodziejski Waclaw
Published: June 2017

The carbon-13 solid-state NMR reveals chemical differences in fingernail keratin between young, healthy males and females.
High yield production of C2–C3 olefins and para-xylene from methanol using a SiO2-coated FeOx/ZSM-5 catalyst
Authors: Hu Qiongfang , Huang Xiaofan , Cui Yu , Luo Tengfa , Tang Xiaoping , Wang Tong , Qian Weizhong , Wei Fei
Published: June 2017

SiO2-coated FeOx/ZSM-5 catalyst exhibited long life time to produce C2–C3 olefins and para-xylene in high yield.
Improving the efficiency and stability of inverted perovskite solar cells with dopamine-copolymerized PEDOT:PSS as a hole extraction layer
Authors: Huang Ju , Wang Kai-Xuan , Chang Jing-Jing , Jiang Yan-Yun , Xiao Qi-Shi , Li Yuan
Published: June 2017

Dopamine-copolymerized PEDOT:PSS showed great advantage over PEDOT:PSS for the enhancement of device performance and durability.
Enhanced thermoelectric performance of BiCuSeO by increasing Seebeck coefficient through magnetic ion incorporation
Authors: Wen Qiang , Chang Cheng , Pan Lin , Li Xiaotong , Yang Teng , Guo Huaihong , Wang Zhihe , Zhang Jian , Xu Feng , Zhang Zhidong , Tang Guodong
Published: June 2017

Thermoelectric performance of BiCuSeO can be remarkably enhanced by increasing spin entropy and Seebeck coefficient through magnetic ion incorporation.
Determining open cluster membership
Authors: Stott Jonathan J.
Published: June 2017

Aims.My goal is to develop a quantitative algorithm for assessing open cluster membership probabilities. The algorithm is designed to work with single-epoch observations. In its simplest form, only one set of program images and one set of reference images are required.

Methods.The algorithm is based on a two-stage joint astrometric and photometric assessment of cluster membership probabilities. The probabilities were computed within a Bayesian framework using any available prior information. Where possible, the algorithm emphasizes simplicity over mathematical sophistication.

Results.The algorithm was implemented and tested against three observational fields using published survey data.M 67andNGC 654were selected as cluster examples while a third, cluster-free, field was used for the final test data set. The algorithm shows good quantitative agreement with the existing surveys and has a false-positive rate significantly lower than the astrometric or photometric methods used individually.
Trendwende in der Gemeinschaftsverpflegung: So wird die Speisenversorgung zu einem Gewinnbringer für Kliniken
Authors: Wagner Uwe
Published: June 2017

Die schlechte Organisation der Speisenversorgung versalzt vielen Krankenhäusern und Senioreneinrichtungen in Deutschland die Bilanz. Ohne Plan und ohne moderne Verfahren der Speisenversorgung werden jährlich in den Häusern Millionenbudgets verbrannt. Im Wettbewerb um den Patienten geht dabei auch ein wichtiges Marketinginstrument verloren: die gute Küche.
Kritische Infrastruktur: Rüsten für den Ernstfall
Authors: Doelfs Guntram
Published: June 2017

In diesen Wochen soll laut BMI der zweite Teil der „Kritis“-Verordnung zur Umsetzung des IT-Sicherheitsgesetzes folgen. Diese regelt, wie kritische Infrastruktur auch im Gesundheitswesen identifiziert, gemeldet und ausreichend abgesichert werden muss. Doch die Kritik von IT-Experten und Kliniken an der Verordnung ebbt nicht ab.
WGKT international: Iranischer Gesundheitsmarkt – Chance und Herausforderung?
Authors: Banedj-Schafii Mandana
Published: June 2017

Kann Iran ein interessanter und wichtiger Partner für Deutschland sein? Seit der Lockerung der Sanktionen im Januar 2016 und einem „Iran-Hype“ im letzten Jahr, ist nun eine Ernüchterungsphase eingetreten.
Bundesverband privater Anbieter sozialer Dienste e. V.: Qualität und nachhaltige Finanzierung
Authors: Meurer Bernd
Published: June 2017

Der Hauptstadtkongress Medizin und Gesundheit steht unter dem Leitmotiv „Qualität und nachhaltige Finanzierung“. Von ebenso großer Bedeutung ist aber die Bundestagswahl, die ihre Schatten vorauswirft.
Fetal Heart Function by Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion and Ventricular Shortening Fraction Using STIC M-Mode: Reference Ranges and Validation
Authors: Tedesco Giselle , de Souza Bezerra Marilim , Barros Fernanda , Martins Wellington , Nardozza Luciano , Mattar Rosiane , Moron Antonio , Rolo Liliam , Araujo Júnior Edward
Published: June 2017

Objective To determine the reference values for fetal tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (f-TAPSE) and fetal ventricular shortening fraction (f-VSF) using spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) with M-mode, and validate these curves in fetuses of pregnant women with preexisting diabetes mellitus (DM) and with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).

Study Design Crosssectional study assessed 300 fetal cardiac volumes of normal pregnancies between 20 and 33 + 6 weeks of gestation. For the construction of the reference curves, we used a polynomial regression model adjusted with the coefficient of determination (R2). For the calculation of reproducibility, the concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) was used.

Results f-TAPSE value correlated with gestational age (GA, R2 = 0.46), whereas fetal right ventricular shortening fraction (f-RVSF, R2 = 0.02) and fetal left ventricular shortening fraction (f-LVSF, R2 = 0.005) did not vary with GA. Fetuses of pregnant women with preexisting DM (30) had lower values of f-RVSF (p = 0.028), f-LVSF (p = 0.001), and f-TAPSE (p = 0.009) than normal fetuses. The f-TAPSE values were lower (p = 0.005) in IUGR group (17). The f-TASPSE values showed adequate reliability as well as good intra and interobserver concordance (CCC = 0.95 and 0.79, respectively).

Conclusion The reference ranges for f-TAPSE, f-RVSF, and f-LVSF using the STIC M-mode were established and had good reproducibility for f-TAPSE measurements.
Reasoning through madness: the detective in Gothic crime fiction
Authors: Miranda Michelle
Published: June 2017

The Gothic era dealt in fear and the unknown, with early nineteenth century Gothic fiction being characterized by the macabre and influenced by the Enlightenment. The scientific and industrial revolutions of the eighteenth century brought forth advanced scientific theories and modes of reasoning, which found their way into the narratives of Gothic works. The public’s fascination with horror and the morbid extended from the Gothic era into the Victorian Gothic era, and tales of mystery and crime became intertwined with death and the monstrous. Literature of the Victorian Gothic era continued to explore the fears and anxieties of society, and was supplemented by knowledge obtained through developments in science, criminology and the criminal justice system. Elements of Gothic horror, scientific reasoning and crime are presented throughout various works of Edgar Allan Poe and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Such works include Poe’s stories of ratiocination in both his tales of horror and mystery; Poe’s stories featuring the detective C. Auguste Dupin; Doyle’s tales of mystery and the supernatural; and a selection of Doyle’s adventures of Sherlock Holmes. In these works by Poe and Doyle, the investigative prowess of the narrator, along with the methods of observation and interpretation, are utilized to explain the macabre and unknown. This essay introduces the reader to specific techniques of reasoning and the utilization of scientific methodology, specifically observation, to look beyond madness and mystery to arrive at logical conclusions for observed phenomena. The purpose of this essay is three-fold: first, to correlate the works of Poe and Doyle to the prevailing discourse of the nineteenth century, considering advances in epistemology, criminology and criminal investigations; second, to draw attention to the role of ratiocination and various forms of reasoning in solving crimes and the resolution of the fear of death and monster through the works of Poe and Doyle; third, to evaluate Poe and Doyle’s ideas regarding the police, crime solving and the intersection of science and crime as expressed through their stories.
Zinc-binding structure of a catalytic amyloid from solid-state NMR
Authors: Lee Myungwoon , Wang Tuo , Makhlynets Olga V. , Wu Yibing , Polizzi Nicholas F. , Wu Haifan , Gosavi Pallavi M. , Stöhr Jan , Korendovych Ivan V. , DeGrado William F. , Hong Mei
Published: June 2017

Significance

Functional and pathological amyloid fibrils bind metal ions, but no metal-bound amyloid structures have been determined. Using solid-state NMR and structural bioinformatics, we have determined the oligomeric structure and coordination geometry of a Zn
2+
-mediated amyloid fibril that catalyzes ester hydrolysis. The peptide assembles into parallel β-sheets in which histidines bridge zinc ions to promote β-strand association in a geometry that mediates water activation for catalysis. The study demonstrates an approach for determining the structures of metalloamyloids. The resulting structure defines how metal ions can stabilize amyloids, lends support to the hypothesis that amyloids can serve as well-structured intermediates between amino acids and proteins during the evolution of life, and provides a framework for potential applications in material science.
Null objects with and without bilingualism in the Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking world
Authors: Sainzmaza-Lecanda Lorena , Schwenter Scott A.
Published: June 2017

Null anaphoric direct objects (ADOs) have received increasing scholarly attention over the last 10–15 years in Spanish and Portuguese (e.g. Choi 2000; Gómez Seibane 2011, 2013; Reig 2008, 2009; Schwenter & Silva 2003; Schwenter 2014). We synthesize this research and indicate some points of connection and divergence across the two languages as well as the language of bilinguals and monolinguals. Our findings indicate that Animacy, Definiteness and Specificity features condition variable ADO systems regardless of the language spoken or the extralinguistic mechanisms involved in their emergence. These results, we propose, are not coincidental or subject to language- or construction-specific parameters. Instead, they are widespread (perhaps universal) tendencies that are sustainable across languages and diverse linguistic phenomena (e.g. non-anaphoric DOM systems).
Obliteration after Vocabulary Insertion
Authors: Vergara Daniel , López Luis
Published: June 2017

Seminal work in Distributed Morphology has posited an operation type called Obliteration (Arregi & Nevins, 2006), which deletes a terminal node from a structure. Obliteration is assumed to take place before Vocabulary Insertion (VI). Based on bilinguals’ acceptability judgments of negative sentences in Basque-Spanish code-switching, we argue that Obliteration can apply to a vocabulary item that has already undergone VI.
Of breathing holes and contact zones
Authors: Henitiuk Valerie
Published: June 2017

Harpoon of the Hunter,originally written in Inuktitut syllabics and published serially in 1969/70, is frequently characterized as the “first Inuit novel” (McGrath 1984, 81;Chartier 2011). It was deemed the “breakthrough” (McNeill 1975, 117) eagerly awaited by those whose stated goal was to save Canada’s traditional northern culture and its stories, songs, poems and legends from being swept aside by the onslaught of southern modernity. Markoosie’s text helpfully allows discussion of (post)colonial contact zones constructed in and through translational acts such as self-translation, retranslation, and relay/indirect translation as these intersect with Indigenous literature. This article explores the complex trajectory, involving various stakeholders, of the translation, circulation and reception of this important contribution to not only Inuit literature, but Canadian literature as a whole. It examines some relevant features of the author’s own translation of his text into English (1970) and traces them through the two existing French translations by Claire Martin (Markoosie, tr. Martin 1971) and Catherine Ego (Markoosie, tr. Ego 2011).
Critical Notice: Thomas Sattig’s The Double Lives of Objects: An Essay in the Metaphysics of the ordinary world, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015
Authors: Evnine Simon J.
Published: June 2017

This critical notice describes some of Thomas Sattig’s book The Double Lives of Objects: An Essay in the Metaphysics of the Ordinary World and raises several critical issues about it.
Primordial GWs from universality classes of pseudo-scalar inflation
Authors: Pieroni M.
Published: June 2017

In this contribution we discuss the possibility of generating an observable gravitational wave (GW) background by coupling a pseudo-scalar inflaton to some Abelian gauge fields. This analysis is performed by dividing inflationary models into universality classes. We find that of the most promising scenario is a Starobinsky-like model, which may lead to the generation of observational signatures both in upcoming CMB detectors as well as for direct GW detectors. The signal which can be produced in these models would both be observable in ground-based detectors, such as advanced LIGO, and in space-based detectors, such as LISA. The complementarity between the CMB and direct GW detection may be used to extract informations on the microphysics of inflation. Interestingly the mechanism discussed in this contribution may also be relevant for the generation of Primordial Black Holes (PBHs).