bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theoretical Insights on A series of Cyclic Energetic Derivatives
Authors: Jin Xinghui , Xiao Menghui , Ding Yunqiao , Zhou Jianhua , Hu Bingcheng
Published: October 2018

Cyclic energetic derivatives based on guanidine and 1,1‐diaminoethene were designed and investigated systematically using density functional theory methods. The optimized geometry, heats of formation, heats of detonation, detonation velocities, detonation pressures as well as bond dissociation energies were calculated at the B3LYP/6‐31G(d,p) level. It is found that the parent molecules possess high positive heats of formation (from 196.3 to 367.1 kJ mol−1) which in turn will lead to the high positive heats formation of the designed compounds (from 340.2 to 1312.8 kJ mol−1). Besides, all the designed compounds have acceptable detonation properties (heats of detonation, from 434.3 to 2006.6 cal g−1; densities, from 1.49 to 2.38 g cm−3; detonation velocities, from 6.14 to 11.7 km s−1; detonation pressures, from 14.9 to 67.7 GPa) and moderated thermal stabilities (bond dissociation energies were from 11.3 to 118.9 kJ mol−1). Take both of detonation properties and thermal stabilities into consideration, compounds A4, B4, C1, C2, C4 and D4 were regarded as the promising candidates for high energy density materials. Finally, frontier molecular orbitals, electronic densities and electrostatic potentials of compounds A4, B4, C1, C2, C4 and D4 were also simulated. All the presented data may provide comprehensive information on laboratory synthesis, physical and chemical properties of these promising explosives.
Enhanced Visible‐Light‐Driven Activity of Sodium‐, Calcium‐ and Aluminium‐Inserted g‐C3N4
Authors: Islam M. Merajul , Tentu Rama D. , Ali M. Asif , Basu Suddhasatwa
Published: October 2018

g‐C3N4 has emerged as a promising low‐cost metal free photocatalyst with ideal optical‐electronic properties; however, high recombination rate is one of the barriers associated with its low photocatalytic activity. Al and Ca intercalated g‐C3N4 photocatalysts with superior visible‐light utilization and charge‐carrier have been synthesized using one‐step thermal condensation method. An enhanced visible‐light harvesting capacity due to a red shift in the optical band gap of inserted g‐C3N4 photocatalysts was observed. The charge‐transfer, its kinetics across the interface and electron‐hole pairs separations were systematically investigated using photoelectrochemical measurements. The evaluation of photocatalytic activity of Al and Ca intercalated g‐C3N4 through degradation of RhB dye revealed 4.6 and 2.5 fold improvement in performance of g‐C3N4. Al intercalated g‐C3N4 shows highest photocurrent density, lowest Tafel slope and highest exchange‐current density due to least recombination rate of photo generated charge‐carriers, facile kinetics and least charge‐transfer resistance without use of any noble metal co‐catalyst towards oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with excellent stability.
The onboard software of the EUSO‐SPB pathfinder experiment
Authors: Fornaro Claudio , Cafagna Francesco Saverio , Osteria Giuseppe , Scotti Valentina , Perfetto Francesco , Conti Livio
Published: October 2018

In this paper, the flight software architecture of the EUSO‐SPB mission is described. The JEM‐EUSO program aims at developing an advanced large space‐borne UV telescope designed to detect ultra high energy cosmic rays. In this framework, the EUSO‐SPB experiment is the third pathfinder mission of the JEM‐EUSO program, the second that has been launched on a stratospheric balloon to test the technological readiness of the detectors and to carry out some preliminary scientific observations. The EUSO‐SPB software has a modular structure conceived to control all the instruments and the ancillary subsystems, to acquire data, and to manage data transfer to ground. System programming in C and C++ languages and Bash scripts have been used to implement and run the modules. The software runs on the data processor, an onboard computer that communicates with several payload blocks, the UV sensor, and the synchronization and time tagging board. The control software module controls all the subsystems, provides communication to ground through the NASA telemetry or the Internet, runs the acquisition control and download software, and manages the execution of the acquisition software. The acquisition software module directly operates the subsystems for the data acquisition activity. The acquisition control and download software module runs the acquisition software upon request of the control software and transfers scientific data to ground. The software system performed as expected during the flight on April 2017.
Topologically massive higher spin gauge theories
Authors: Kuzenko Sergei M. , Ponds Michael
Published: October 2018

Abstract

We elaborate on conformal higher-spin gauge theory in three-dimensional (3D) curved space. For any integer n > 2 we introduce a conformal spin-

$$ \frac{n}{2} $$

n
2

gauge field

$$ {h}_{(n)}={h}_{\alpha_1\dots {\alpha}_n} $$

h

n

=

h

α
1

…

α
n

(with n spinor indices) of dimension (2 − n/2) and argue that it possesses a Weyl primary descendant C
(n) of dimension (1 + n/2). The latter proves to be divergenceless and gauge invariant in any conformally flat space. Primary fields C
(3) and C
(4) coincide with the linearised Cottino and Cotton tensors, respectively. Associated with C
(n) is a Chern-Simons-type action that is both Weyl and gauge invariant in any conformally flat space. These actions, which for n = 3 and n = 4 coincide with the linearised actions for conformal gravitino and conformal gravity, respectively, are used to construct gauge-invariant models for massive higher-spin fields in Minkowski and anti-de Sitter space. In the former case, the higher-derivative equations of motion are shown to be equivalent to those first-order equations which describe the irreducible unitary massive spin-

$$ \frac{n}{2} $$

n
2

representations of the 3D Poincaré group. Finally, we develop

$$ \mathcal{N}=1 $$

N
=
1

supersymmetric extensions of the above results.
Comprehensive understanding of risk and protective factors related to adolescent pregnancy in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A systematic review
Authors: Chung Hye Won , Kim Eun Mee , Lee Ji‐Eun
Published: October 2018

Introduction

Adolescent pregnancy causes serious problems not only for girls, but also for their family, and society. This study aimed to understand factors related to adolescent pregnancy in low‐ and middle‐income countries using a multilevel approach adopted by Bronfenbrenner's ecological model.

Methods

A total of 11,933 studies published in between 2000 and 2015 were identified in 4 databases. Based on inclusion criteria and risk of bias assessment, a total of 67 articles were retrieved for analysis.

Results

Thematic analysis revealed that early marriage, sexual risk behaviors, substance use, family experience of adolescent birth, peer pressure, and lack of sex education and health service increased the hazards of adolescent pregnancy. Communication with parents, school activities, community meetings, laws, and government policies protected adolescents from pregnancy.

Conclusions

Results of this study suggests that the background of adolescents and complex interactions among various factors should be considered for pregnancy. In future research, mixed‐method that supplements the methodological weaknesses of previous studies is also recommended.
RIPASA versus modified Alvarado scoring system in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis, as a new scoring system of acute appendicitis in ASIA
Authors: Abdullah Ali Adil , Katoof Firas Majeed , Jasim Hasanain Abdulameer
Published: October 2018

Highlights:
The impact of single engine taxiing on aircraft fuel consumption and pollutant emissions
Authors: Stettler M. E. J. , Koudis G. S. , Hu S. J. , Majumdar A. , Ochieng W. Y.
Published: October 2018

Optimisation of aircraft ground operations to reduce airport emissions can reduce resultant local air quality impacts. Single engine taxiing (SET), where only half of the installed number of engines are used for the majority of the taxi duration, offers the opportunity to reduce fuel consumption, and emissions of NOX, CO and HC. Using 3510 flight data records, this paper develops a model for SET operations and presents a case study of London Heathrow, where we show that SET is regularly implemented during taxi-in. The model predicts fuel consumption and pollutant emissions with greater accuracy than previous studies that used simplistic assumptions. Without SET during taxi-in, fuel consumption and pollutant emissions would increase by up to 50%. Reducing the time before SET is initiated to the 25th percentile of recorded values would reduce fuel consumption and pollutant emissions by 7–14%, respectively, relative to current operations. Future research should investigate the practicalities of reducing the time before SET initialisation so that additional benefits of reduced fuel loadings, which would decrease fuel consumption across the whole flight, can be achieved.
Advanced gas turbine performance modelling using response surface methods
Authors: Seetharama-Yadiyal V. , Brighenti G.D. , Zachos P.K.
Published: October 2018

Surrogate models are widely used for dataset correlation. A popular application very frequently shown in public literature is in the field of engineering design where a large number of design parameters are correlated with performance indices of a complex system based on existing numerical or experimental information. Such an approach allows the identification of the key design parameters and their impact on the system’s performance. The generated surrogate model can become part of wider computational platforms and enable optimisation of the complex system without the need to run expensive simulations.

In this paper, a number of design point simulations for a combined gas-steam cycle are used to generate a response surface. The generated response surface correlates a range of cycle’s key design parameters with its thermal efficiency while it also enables identification of the optimum overall pressure ratio and the high pressure level of the raised steam across a range of recuperator effectiveness, pinch temperature difference across the heat recovery steam generator and the pressure at the condenser. The accuracy of a range of surrogate models to capture the design space is evaluated using root mean square statistical metrics.
Machine Learning Human Rights and Wrongs: How the Successes and Failures of Supervised Learning Algorithms Can Inform the Debate About Information Effects
Authors: Greene Kevin T. , Park Baekkwan , Colaresi Michael
Published: October 2018

There is an ongoing debate about whether human rights standards have changed over the last 30 years. The evidence for or against this shift relies upon indicators created by human coders reading the texts of human rights reports. To help resolve this debate, we suggest translating the question of changing standards into a supervised learning problem. From this perspective, the application of consistent standards over time implies a time-constant mapping from the textual features in reports to the human coded scores. Alternatively, if the meaning of abuses have evolved over time, then the same textual features will be labeled with different numerical scores at distinct times. Of course, while the mapping from natural language to numerical human rights score is a highly complicated function, we show that these two distinct data generation processes imply divergent overall patterns of accuracy when we train a wide variety of algorithms on older versus newer sets of observations to learn how to automatically label texts with scores. Our results are consistent with the expectation that standards of human rights have changed over time.
P. CORNELIUS SCIPIO AND THE CAPTURE OF NEW CARTHAGE: THE TIDE, THE WIND AND OTHER FANTASIES
Authors: Richardson J.H.
Published: October 2018

In 209b.c.P. Cornelius Scipio captured the city of New Carthage. The victory was crucial for the Roman war effort in Spain, and indeed in Italy too, but Scipio's campaign is especially memorable—and the subject of much debate—on account of the manner in which the city was taken. New Carthage had in effect been built on a peninsula, with the sea to the south and a lagoon to the north, and with a canal joining the two to the west. The city, therefore, could only be approached by land from the east; but, according to Polybius, Scipio had learnt from some fishermen that the lagoon was shallow and could be forded in most places and, moreover, that the waters in it usually receded each evening (10.8.7). It was this knowledge that Scipio exploited to take the city. But this same knowledge he also kept from his men (10.9.1, 10.9.4–5). In his address to his soldiers prior to the attack, Polybius says, Scipio told them that Poseidon had visited him in his sleep and had promised to assist the Romans in their operations in a way that would be apparent to all (10.11.7).
Anger in infancy and its implications: History of attachment in mother–child and father–child relationships as a moderator of risk
Authors: Brock Rebecca L. , Kochanska Grazyna
Published: October 2018

Growing research has documented distinct developmental sequelae in insecure and secure parent–child relationships, supporting a model of early attachment as moderating future developmental processes rather than, or in addition to, a source of direct effects. We explored maladaptive developmental implications of infants’ anger proneness in 102 community families. Anger was assessed in infancy through observations in the Car Seat episode and parents’ ratings. Children's security with parents was assessed in the Strange Situation paradigm at 15 months. At preschool age, child negativity (defiance and negative affect) was observed in interactions with the parent, and at early school age, oppositionality was rated by parents and teachers. Security was unrelated to infant anger; however, it moderated associations between infant anger and future maladaptive outcomes, such that highly angry infants embarked on a negative trajectory in insecure, but not in secure, parent–child dyads. For insecure, but not secure, mother–child dyads, infants’ mother-rated anger predicted negativity at preschool age. For insecure, but not secure, father–child dyads, infants’ anger in the Car Seat predicted father- and teacher-rated oppositional behavior at early school age. Results highlight the developmentally complex nature of the impact of attachment, depending on the relationship with mother versus father, type of measure, and timing of effects.
A view from the margin? Roman commonwares and patterns of distribution and consumption at Interamna Lirenas (Lazio)
Authors: Launaro Alessandro , Leone Ninetta
Published: October 2018

There can hardly be any doubt that goods moved in large quantities and over great distances under the Roman empire. This awareness is borne out of a long tradition of archaeological research attesting to the widespread distribution of specific categories of material culture across the full expanse of the Mediterranean and beyond. This phenomenon has been interpreted as a more or less direct result of Rome's military expansion and the fundamental political unification which came with it, bringing about unprecedented conditions which favoured trade and exchange. Scholarship has often stressed the rôle played in this by ‘institutions’: the spread and adoption of a common set of laws, currency and units of measure, fostered by a relatively long period of internal peace and political stability, would have boosted the economic performance of the empire to levels that had not been witnessed before and would not be seen again for many centuries. Indeed, the notion of ‘efflorescence’ has sometimes been employed to describe and explain the kind of economic growth to which this process might have contributed.
Landscape archaeology and urbanism at Meninx: results of geophysical prospection on Jerba (2015)
Authors: Ritter Stefan , Ben Tahar Sami , Fassbinder Jörg W. E. , Lambers Lena
Published: October 2018

This paper presents the results of the geophysical prospection conducted at the site of Meninx (Jerba) in 2015. This was the first step in a Tunisian-German project (a cooperation between the Institut National du Patrimoine, Tunis, and the Institut für Klassische Archäologie der Ludwig-Maximilans-Universität München), the aim of which is to shed light on the urban history of the most important city on the island of Jerba in antiquity.

Meninx, situated on the SE shore of the island (fig. 1), was the largest city on Jerba during the Roman Empire and eponymous for the island's name in antiquity. The outstanding importance of this seaport derived from the fact that it was one of the main production centers of purple dye in the Mediterranean. With the earliest secure evidence dating to at least the Hellenistic period, Meninx saw a magnificent expansion in the 2nd and 3rd c. A.D. It was inhabited until the 7th c. when the city was finally abandoned.
The relationship between agricultural production and amphora manufacture on Roman Crete
Authors: Gallimore Scott
Published: October 2018

While there have been a number of inquiries into agricultural production and amphora manufacture, discussion of the relationship between the two remains limited. A recent article by A. Bevan that examines the history of ‘containerization’ in the Mediterranean from the early Bronze Age to the 20th c. A.D. illustrates one side. It focuses on different manifestations of containers, emphasizing their cultural impact over the whole history of civilization in the region. While underscoring the importance of these transport vessels as packaging, particularly for liquid commodities, he provides limited consideration of the mechanisms behind the goods moving into these containers. Studies concerned with agricultural production are also on the rise, but scholars often limit the focus to amphorae. For instance, in analyzing capital investment in large-scale farms, A. Marzano commented:

rather than attempting a study of agricultural production through the containers for foodstuffs, this investigation focuses on the presses, the machinery for the processing of grapes and olive.
The Late Roman fort of Can Blai on Formentera and its role in the defence of the Balearic Sea
Authors: González Villaescusa Ricardo , Fernández Jordi H.
Published: October 2018

Until recently, the late-antique castellum of Can Blai (also known as Can Pins) has not received the attention it deserves. Located in Sant Ferran de ses Roques in the centre of the small Mediterranean island of Formentera (Balearic Islands) (fig. 1), the fort was built at the highest (25 m asl) and narrowest point of the isthmus that joins the two major areas of higher ground, Puig Guillem on the north (107 m asl) and La Mola in the south (192 m asl). The fort lies c.600 m from the E shore and c.900 m from the W shore. In 1975, the Swedish resident R. Sternberg mentioned its existence to the second-named author, here, who was then director of the Archaeological Museum of Ibiza and Formentera. Fernández undertook archaeological investigations (1979, 1980) which documented the site and the form of the fort. The fieldwork did not result in full reports, but it was mentioned in a general publication on this island and in accounts of the heritage of the Pityusic Islands.
Samuel and Saul at Gilgal: a new interpretation of the Elephant mosaic panel in the Huqoq synagogue
Authors: Gordon Benjamin D. , Weiss Zeev
Published: October 2018

The mosaic carpets decorating Palestinian synagogues in late antiquity took various forms but tend to focus on three recurring visual themes: the zodiac, a motif with origins in Greco-Roman religious art; the Jerusalem Temple, long in ruins but still very much alive in the Jewish imagination; and the Biblical story, often classics and easily identifiable to those well-versed in scripture. The latter was the programmatic focus of the frescoes of the Dura Europos synagogue and would maintain hegemony in episodic art on synagogue floors through late antiquity. The paradigm was thought to have shifted in 2013-14 when excavations at Huqoq uncovered a mosaic panel featuring war elephants that was claimed to portray the first extra-Biblical scene ever found in an ancient synagogue. Huqoq was a thriving Jewish village in the Late Roman period. Its basilica-type synagogue was paved twice with mosaic, the earlier of which is better preserved and includes the “elephant panel”. Most of the rest of the floor has not been fully published, although news releases and preliminary reports mention them and assign the floor a date in the 5th c. The floor does include well-known Biblical scenes along with a zodiac panel and two undated dedicatory inscriptions with decorative framing elements that include putti.
The patriarch and the emperor: the Elephant mosaic panel in the Huqoq synagogue reconsidered
Authors: Erlich Adi
Published: October 2018

The unique iconography of the Elephant mosaic panel in the Huqoq synagogue, considered by project director J. Magness as “the first non-biblical story ever found decorating an ancient synagogue”, has attracted a great deal of attention since it first began to be exposed in 2013. The synagogue is still under excavation and little has been published so far, but some of the mosaic panels of the late 4th-early 5th c. plainly depict Biblical scenes; there are also decorative motifs with inscriptions. The panel in question is set roughly in the centre of the E aisle, some 60 cm from the E wall. It faces east, to be correctly viewed by a person facing west towards the nave. Its orientation is similar to that of the nearby panel on the south, but it faces the opposite way from the Samson panel farther south.
A dosimetric study of skin toxicity induced by 3-D conventional and intensity-modulated radiotherapy techniques using immobilization mask for treatment of head-and-neck (nasopharyngeal cancer) carcinoma: a prospective study
Authors: Radaideh Khaldoon Mahmoud
Published: October 2018

Background

The purpose of this study was to investigate variations in surface dose, with and without the use of a Klarity® Mask (Orfit Industries America, Wijnegem, Belgium), using intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and 3-D conventional radiotherapy (3D-CRT).

Materials and methods

Thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) together with a phantom were used to examine acute skin toxicity during nasopharyngeal cancer treatment. These plans were sequentially delivered to the perspex phantom. Dosimeters were placed in five fixed regions over the skin. A Klarity mask for immobilization was used for covering the head, neck, and shoulder. The phantom was irradiated with and without a Klarity Mask, using IMRT and 3D-CRT, respectively.

Results

The Klarity mask increased the skin doses for IMRT and 3D-CRT approximately 18·6% and 8·6%, respectively, from the prescribed maximum skin dose using treatment planning system (TPS). Additionally, the average percentage dose between IMRT and 3D-CRT received on the surface region was 30·9%, 24·9% with and without Klarity mask respectively. The average percentage dose received on surfaces from the total therapeutic dose 70 Gy, without using the mask was 7·7% and 5·7%, for IMRT and 3D-CRT, respectively. The TPS overestimated the skin dose for IMRT planning by 20%, and for 3D-CRT by 16·6%, compared with TLD measurements.

Conclusions

The results of this study revealed that IMRT significantly increases acute skin toxicity, compared with CRT. Although it is recommended to use Klarity mask as a sparing tool of normal tissue, it increases the risk of skin toxicity. In conclusion, skin dose is an important issue of focus during radiotherapy.
Towards a cultural political economy of mitigation deterrence by negative emissions technologies (NETs)
Authors: Markusson Nils , McLaren Duncan , Tyfield David
Published: October 2018

Non-technical summary

In the face of limited carbon budgets, negative emissions technologies (NETs) offer hopes of removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. It is difficult to determine whether the prospect of NETs is significantly deterring or delaying timely action to cut emissions. This paper sets out a novel theoretical perspective to this challenge, enabling analysis that accounts for interactions between technologies, society and political and economic power. The paper argues that, seen in this light, the scope of NETs to substitute for mitigation may be easily exaggerated, and thus that the risk of harm from mitigation deterrence should be taken seriously.
Vapor detection and discrimination with a panel of odorant receptors
Authors: Kida Hitoshi , Fukutani Yosuke , Mainland Joel D. , de March Claire A. , Vihani Aashutosh , Li Yun Rose , Chi Qiuyi , Toyama Akemi , Liu Linda , Kameda Masaharu , Yohda Masafumi , Matsunami Hiroaki
Published: October 2018

Olfactory systems have evolved the extraordinary capability to detect and discriminate volatile odorous molecules (odorants) in the environment. Fundamentally, this process relies on the interaction of odorants and their cognate olfactory receptors (ORs) encoded in the genome. Here, we conducted a cell-based screen using over 800 mouse ORs against seven odorants, resulting in the identification of a set of high-affinity and/or broadly-tuned ORs. We then test whether heterologously expressed ORs respond to odors presented in vapor phase by individually expressing 31 ORs to measure cAMP responses against vapor phase odor stimulation. Comparison of response profiles demonstrates this platform is capable of discriminating between structural analogs. Lastly, co-expression of carboxyl esterase Ces1d expressed in olfactory mucosa resulted in marked changes in activation of specific odorant-OR combinations. Altogether, these results establish a cell-based volatile odor detection and discrimination platform and form the basis for an OR-based volatile odor sensor.
Microsphere-based interferometric optical probe
Authors: Jo Yongjae , Kwon Junhwan , Kim Moonseok , Choi Wonshik , Choi Myunghwan
Published: October 2018

Fluorescent optical probes have rapidly transformed our understanding of complex biological systems by providing specific information on biological targets in the natural living state. However, their utility is often limited by insufficient brightness, photostability, and multiplexing capacity. Here, we report a conceptually new optical probe, termed ‘reflectophore’, which is based on the spectral interference from a dielectric microsphere. Reflectophores are orders-of-magnitudes brighter than conventional fluorophores and are free from photobleaching, enabling practically unlimited readout at high fidelity. They also offer high-degree multiplexing, encoded in their optical size, which can be readily decoded through interferometric detection with nanoscale accuracy, even in turbid biological media. Furthermore, we showcase their biological applications in cellular barcoding and microenvironmental sensing of a target protein and local electric field.
Three-dimensional topological acoustic crystals with pseudospin-valley coupled saddle surface states
Authors: He Cheng , Yu Si-Yuan , Ge Hao , Wang Huaiqiang , Tian Yuan , Zhang Haijun , Sun Xiao-Chen , Chen Y. B. , Zhou Jian , Lu Ming-Hui , Chen Yan-Feng
Published: October 2018

Topological valley states at the domain wall between two artificial crystals with opposite valley Chern numbers offer a feasible way to realize robust wave transport since only broken spatial symmetry is required. In addition to the valley, spin and crystal dimension are two other important degrees of freedom, particularly in realizing spin-related topological phenomena. Here we experimentally demonstrate that it is possible to construct two-dimensional acoustic topological pseudospin-valley coupled saddle surface states, designed from glide symmetry in a three-dimensional system. By taking advantage of such two-dimensional surface states, a full set of acoustic pseudospins can be realized, exhibiting pseudospin-valley dependent transport. Furthermore, due to the hyperbolic character of the dispersion of saddle surface states, multi-directional anisotropic controllable robust sound transport with little backscattering is observed. Our findings may open research frontiers for acoustic pseudospins and provide a satisfactory platform for exploring unique acoustic topological properties in three-dimensional structures.
A Thin Layer of Decellularized Porcine Myocardium for Cell Delivery
Authors: Shah Mickey , KC Pawan , Copeland Katherine M. , Liao Jun , Zhang Ge
Published: October 2018

Decellularized porcine myocardium has shown many benefits as a cell delivery scaffold for cardiac therapy. However, using full thickness decellularized myocardium as cardiac patch may lead to poor viability and inhomogeneous distribution of delivered cells, due to perfusion limitations. In this study, we explored the feasibility of decellularized porcine myocardial slice (dPMS) to construct a vascularized cardiac patch for cell delivery. Decellularized porcine myocardium was sliced into thin layers (thickness~300 µm). Adipose-derived Stem cells (ASCs) obtained from rat and pig were seeded on dPMS. The viability, infiltration, and differentiation of seeded ASCs were examined. The mechanical properties of dPMSs of various thickness and native myocardium were tested. We noticed dPMS supported attachment and growth of rat and pig ASCs. Both rat and pig ASCs showed high viability, similar patterns of proliferation and infiltration within dPMS. Rat ASCs showed expression of early-endothelial markers followed by mature-endothelial marker without any additional inducers on dPMS. Using rat myocardial infarction model, we delivered ASCs using dPMS patched to the infarcted myocardium. After 1 week, a higher number of transplanted cells were present in the infarcted area when cells were delivered using dPMS versus direct injection. Compared with MI group, increased vascular formation was also observed.
ERK1/2-dependent gene expression in the bovine ovulating follicle
Authors: Schuermann Yasmin , Rovani Monique T. , Gasperin Bernardo , Ferreira Rogério , Ferst Juliana , Madogwe Ejimedo , Gonçalves Paulo B. , Bordignon Vilceu , Duggavathi Raj
Published: October 2018

Ovulation is triggered by gonadotropin surge-induced signaling cascades. To study the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) in bovine ovulation, we administered the pharmacological inhibitor, PD0325901, into the preovulatory dominant follicle by intrafollicular injection. Four of five cows treated with 50 µM PD0325901 failed to ovulate. To uncover the molecular basis of anovulation in ERK1/2-inhibited cows, we collected granulosa and theca cells from Vehicle and PD0325901 treated follicles. Next-generation sequencing of granulosa cell RNA revealed 285 differentially expressed genes between Vehicle and PD0325901-treated granulosa cells at 6 h post-GnRH. Multiple inflammation-related pathways were enriched among the differentially expressed genes. The ERK1/2 dependent LH-induced genes in granulosa cells included EGR1, ADAMTS1, STAT3 and TNFAIP6. Surprisingly, PD0325901 treatment did not affect STAR expression in granulosa cells at 6 h post-GnRH. Granulosa cells had higher STAR protein and theca cells had higher levels of STAR mRNA in ERK1/2-inhibited follicles. Further, both granulosa and theca cells of ERK1/2-inhibited follicles had higher expression of SLC16A1, a monocarboxylate transporter, transporting substances including β-hydroxybutyrate across the plasma membrane. Taken together, ERK1/2 plays a significant role in mediating LH surge-induced gene expression in granulosa and theca cells of the ovulating follicle in cattle.
Exploring the PXR ligand binding mechanism with advanced Molecular Dynamics methods
Authors: Motta Stefano , Callea Lara , Giani Tagliabue Sara , Bonati Laura
Published: October 2018

The Pregnane X Receptor (PXR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor belonging to the nuclear receptor family. PXR can bind diverse drugs and environmental toxicants with different binding modes, making it an intriguing target for drug discovery. Here we investigated the binding mechanism of the SR12813 ligand to elucidate the significant steps, from the ligand entrance pathway into the binding cavity, to the ligand-induced conformational changes, and to the exploration of its alternative binding geometries. We used the advanced Molecular Dynamics-based methods implemented in the BiKi suite and developed specific methodological approaches to overcome the complexity induced by the buried and flexible binding cavity. The adopted methods provided a full dynamic description of the binding event and allowed rationalization of the observed multiple binding modes. These results suggest that the same approach could be exploited for the study of other binding processes with similar characteristics.
Hornerin contains a Linked Series of Ribosome-Targeting Peptide Antibiotics
Authors: Gerstel Ulrich , Latendorf Ties , Bartels Joachim , Becker Alexander , Tholey Andreas , Schröder Jens-Michael
Published: October 2018

Cationic intrinsically disordered antimicrobial peptides (CIDAMPs) belong to a novel class of epithelial peptide antibiotics with microbicidal activity against various pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Here we show that treatment of distinct bacteria with different hornerin (HRNR)-derived CIDAMPs cause formation of unique cytoplasmic protein aggregates, suggesting a common intracellular mode of action. We further found that, unlike most amphipathic antimicrobial peptides, HRNR traverses bacterial membranes energy-dependently and accumulates within the cytoplasm. Strikingly, certain structurally different, HRNR-based CIDAMPs were found to bind to an identical panel of distinct bacterial ribosomal proteins, thereby manifesting features of several known classes of antibiotics. This may cause the formation of aberrant proteins and toxic protein aggregates in HRNR-treated pathogens which eventually may induce its death. Our study reveals evidence that structurally distinct CIDAMPs of an abundant body surface protein simultaneously target multiple sites of the bacterial protein synthesis machinery.
Phosphorylation of the neurogenic transcription factor SOX11 on serine 133 modulates neuronal morphogenesis
Authors: Balta Elli-Anna , Schäffner Iris , Wittmann Marie-Theres , Sock Elisabeth , von Zweydorf Felix , von Wittgenstein Julia , Steib Kathrin , Heim Birgit , Kremmer Elisabeth , Häberle Benjamin Martin , Ueffing Marius , Lie Dieter Chichung , Gloeckner Christian Johannes
Published: October 2018

The intellectual disability gene, Sox11, encodes for a critical neurodevelopmental transcription factor with functions in precursor survival, neuronal fate determination, migration and morphogenesis. The mechanisms regulating SOX11’s activity remain largely unknown. Mass spectrometric analysis uncovered that SOX11 can be post-translationally modified by phosphorylation. Here, we report that phosphorylatable serines surrounding the high-mobility group box modulate SOX11’s transcriptional activity. Through Mass Spectrometry (MS), co-immunoprecipitation assays and in vitro phosphorylation assays followed by MS we verified that protein kinase A (PKA) interacts with SOX11 and phosphorylates it on S133. In vivo replacement of SoxC factors in developing adult-generated hippocampal neurons with SOX11 S133 phospho-mutants indicated that phosphorylation on S133 modulates dendrite development of adult-born dentate granule neurons, while reporter assays suggested that S133 phosphorylation fine-tunes the activation of select target genes. These data provide novel insight into the control of the critical neurodevelopmental regulator SOX11 and imply SOX11 as a mediator of PKA-regulated neuronal development.
Integrating in vitro experiments with in silico approaches for Glioblastoma invasion: the role of cell-to-cell adhesion heterogeneity
Authors: Oraiopoulou M.-E. , Tzamali E. , Tzedakis G. , Liapis E. , Zacharakis G. , Vakis A. , Papamatheakis J. , Sakkalis V.
Published: October 2018

Glioblastoma cells adopt migration strategies to invade into the brain parenchyma ranging from individual to collective mechanisms, whose role and dynamics are not yet fully understood. In this work, we explore Glioblastoma heterogeneity and recapitulate its invasive patterns both in vitro, by utilizing primary cells along with the U87MG cell line, and in silico, by adopting discrete, individual cell-based mathematics. Glioblastoma cells are cultured three-dimensionally in an ECM-like substrate. The primary Glioblastoma spheroids adopt a novel cohesive pattern, mimicking perivascular invasion in the brain, while the U87MG adopt a typical, starburst invasive pattern under the same experimental setup. Mathematically, we focus on the role of the intrinsic heterogeneity with respect to cell-to-cell adhesion. Our proposed mathematical approach mimics the invasive morphologies observed in vitro and predicts the dynamics of tumour expansion. The role of the proliferation and migration is also explored showing that their effect on tumour morphology is different per cell type. The proposed model suggests that allowing cell-to-cell adhesive heterogeneity within the tumour population is sufficient for variable invasive morphologies to emerge which remain originally undetectable by conventional imaging, indicating that exploration in pathological samples is needed to improve our understanding and reveal potential patient-specific therapeutic targets.
Information spectra and optimal background states for dynamical networks
Authors: Menolascino Delsin , Ching ShiNung
Published: October 2018

We consider the notion of stimulus representation over dynamic networks, wherein the network states encode information about the identify of an afferent input (i.e. stimulus). Our goal is to understand how the structure and temporal dynamics of networks support information processing. In particular, we conduct a theoretical study to reveal how the background or ‘default’ state of a network with linear dynamics allows it to best promote discrimination over a continuum of stimuli. Our principal contribution is the derivation of a matrix whose spectrum (eigenvalues) quantify the extent to which the state of a network encodes its inputs. This measure, based on the notion of a Fisher linear discriminant, is relativistic in the sense that it provides an information value quantifying the ‘knowablility’ of an input based on its projection onto the background state. We subsequently optimize the background state and highlight its relationship to underlying state noise covariance. This result demonstrates how the best idle state of a network may be informed by its structure and dynamics. Further, we relate the proposed information spectrum to the controllabilty gramian matrix, establishing a link between fundamental control-theoretic network analysis and information processing.
Fluidic Patterning of Transparent Polymer Heaters
Authors: Romasanta Laura J. , Schäfer Philip , Leng Jacques
Published: October 2018

Semi-conducting polymers are promising materials for current and next generations of electronic devices, sensors and actuators, especially regarding their ability to conform to flexibles architectures. In particular, aqueous-based dispersions of semi-conducting complexes such as PEDOT:PSS can be printed using a variety of coating techniques and the conductivity of the final deposit may reach high values upon a proper treatment. The micro-structuration of these polymeric deposits remains challenging and of prime importance for further integration. We show here that a microfluidic post-treatment of PEDOT:PSS films of permits us to boost locally only their conductivity by several orders of magnitude, with a micron scale resolution. This is a fast process (~second), straightforward to upscale, that yields conductive patterns within the pristine film. Taking advantage of the localized Joule’s effect, we evidence using quantitative thermography a very efficient heating behaviour of the conductive tracks, which makes these polymeric structures promising candidates for low cost, clean-room free electrodes for lab-on-chip applications.
Dual-band Tm3+-doped tellurite fiber amplifier and laser at 1.9 μm and 2.3 μm
Authors: Muravyev S. V. , Anashkina E. A. , Andrianov A. V. , Dorofeev V. V. , Motorin S. E. , Koptev M. Y. , Kim A. V.
Published: October 2018

Ultrabroadband amplification and two-color CW lasing simultaneously near 1.9 μm and 2.3 μm in a Tm3+-doped tellurite fiber were demonstrated experimentally, for the first time to the best of our knowledge. A low-loss Tm3+-doped core fiber from TeO2–ZnO–La2O3–Na2O glasses stable against crystallization was produced by a special technique, providing a low concentration of hydroxyl groups. Supercontinuum from a highly GeO2 doped silica fiber pumped by an Er fiber laser system was used as a seed for an amplifier. A maximum gain of 30 dB and 7 dB was measured at 1.9 μm and 2.3 μm, respectively. We report detailed experimental and theoretical studies, which are in a very good agreement, of laser amplification and generation in the manufactured fiber with carefully measured and calculated parameters. A quantitatively verified numerical model was used to predict power scalability at 2.3 μm in schemes with optimized parameters at increased pump power. The presented results show that a high-quality tellurite fiber is a promising candidate for developing lasers in the 2.3 μm atmospheric window which are particularly relevant for applications in gas sensing, eye-safe laser radars, breath analysis, remote sensing and stand-off trace gas detection.
Allosteric Site Inhibitor Disrupting Auto-Processing of Malarial Cysteine Proteases
Authors: Pant A. , Kumar R. , Wani N. A. , Verma S. , Sharma R. , Pande V. , Saxena A. K. , Dixit R. , Rai R. , Pandey K. C.
Published: October 2018

Falcipains are major haemoglobinases ofPlasmodium falciparumrequired for parasite growth and development. They consist of pro- and mature domains that interact via ‘hot-spot’ interactions and maintain the structural integrity of enzyme in zymogen state. Upon sensing the acidic environment, these interactions dissociate and active enzyme is released. For inhibiting falcipains, several active site inhibitors exist, however, compounds that target via allosteric mechanism remains uncharacterized. Therefore, we designed and synthesized six azapeptide compounds, among which, NA-01 & NA-03 arrested parasite growth by specifically blocking the auto-processing of falcipains. Inhibitors showed high affinity for enzymes in presence of the prodomain without affecting the secondary structure. Binding of NA-03 at the interface induced rigidity in the prodomain preventing structural reorganization. We further reported a histidine-dependent activation of falcipain. Collectively, for the first time we provide a framework for blocking the allosteric site of crucial haemoglobinases of the human malaria parasite. Targeting the allosteric site could provide high selectivity and less vulnerable to drug resistance.
Acoustic Imaging with Metamaterial Luneburg Lenses
Authors: Xie Yangbo , Fu Yangyang , Jia Zhetao , Li Junfei , Shen Chen , Xu Yadong , Chen Huanyang , Cummer Steven A.
Published: October 2018

The Luneburg lens is a spherically symmetrical gradient refractive index (GRIN) device with unique imaging properties. Its wide field-of-view (FoV) and minimal aberration have lead it to be successfully applied in microwave antennas. However, only limited realizations have been demonstrated in acoustics. Previously proposed acoustic Luneburg lenses are mostly limited to inherently two-dimensional designs at frequencies from 1 kHz to 7 kHz. In this paper, we apply a new design method for scalable and self-supporting metamaterials to demonstrate Luneburg lenses for airborne sound and ultrasonic waves. Two Luneburg lenses are fabricated: a 2.5D ultrasonic version for 40 kHz and a 3D version for 8 kHz sound. Imaging performance of the ultrasonic version is experimentally demonstrated.
Radioguided surgery with β radiation: a novel application with Ga68
Authors: Collamati Francesco , Bocci Valerio , Castellucci Paolo , De Simoni Micol , Fanti Stefano , Faccini Riccardo , Giordano Alessandro , Maccora Daria , Mancini-Terracciano Carlo , Marafini Michela , Mirabelli Riccardo , Morganti Silvio , Schiavina Riccardo , Scotognella Teresa , Traini Giacomo , Solfaroli Camillocci Elena
Published: October 2018

Radio Guided Surgery is a technique helping the surgeon in the resection of tumors: a radiolabeled tracer is administered to the patient before surgery and then the surgeon evaluates the completeness of the resection with a handheld detector sensitive to emitted radiation. Established methods rely on γ emitting tracers coupled with γ detecting probes. The efficacy of this technique is however hindered by the high penetration of γ radiation, limiting its applicability to low background conditions. To overtake such limitations, a novel approach to RGS has been proposed, relying on β− emitting isotopes together with a dedicated β probe. This technique has been proved to be effective in first ex-vivo trials. We discuss in this paper the possibility to extend its application cases to 68Ga, a β+ emitting isotope widely used today in nuclear medicine. To this aim, a retrospective study on 45 prostatic cancer patients was performed, analysing their 68Ga-PSMA PET images to asses if the molecule uptake is enough to apply this technique. Despite the expected variability both in terms of SUV (median 4.1, IQR 3.0–6.1) and TNR (median 9.4, IQR 5.2–14.6), the majority of cases have been found to be compatible with β-RGS with reasonable injected activity and probing time (5 s).
Evaluation of Hepatic Toxicity after Repeated Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma using Deformable Image Registration
Authors: Lee Sumin , Kim Hojin , Ji Yunseo , Cho Byungchul , Kim Su Ssan , Jung Jinhong , Kwak Jungwon , Park Jin-hong , Lee Sang-wook , Kim Jong Hoon , Yoon Sang Min
Published: October 2018

This study aimed to evaluate hepatic toxicity after repeated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using deformable image registration (DIR). Between January 2007 and December 2015, 85 patients who underwent two sessions of SBRT for HCC treatment were retrospectively analyzed. A DIR technique was used to calculate the cumulative dose of the first and second SBRT to the normal liver by matching two computed tomography simulation images. The Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) index was calculated to evaluate DIR accuracy. Before the first and second SBRT, 6 (7.1%) and 12 (14.1%) patients were Child-Pugh class B, respectively. Median tumor size was 1.7 cm before both SBRT treatments. Mean DSC index value was 0.93, being >0.9 in 79 (92.9%) registrations. Median cumulative mean liver dose (MLD) was 9.3 Gy (interquartile range, 7.6–11.7). Radiation-induced liver disease developed in three patients, and two of them, with Child-Pugh class B, experienced irreversible liver function deterioration following the second SBRT. The DIR method provided reliable information regarding cumulative doses to the liver. In patients with Child-Pugh class A liver function, repeated SBRT for small recurrent HCC could be safely performed with acceptable hepatic toxicity.