bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Choreography as a Medium of Protest
Authors: Foellmer Susanne
Published: December 2016

This article focuses on the idea of choreography as a possible medium of protest. Dealing with the media theory of Niklas Luhmann in the framework of social communication, and adopting Randy Martin's idea of an interrelation of (danced) movement and politics, the focus lies in the moments of migration of gestures from everyday life into art and then into the realm of politics. By analyzing the example of the Istanbul Duran Adam and the performance of choreographer Ehud Darash in Tel Aviv, I address the key question in which moments and what kind of formats choreography serves as a medium of protest by blurring the boundaries between everyday life, art, and politics.
The successional pathway of the tree community and how it shapes the fruit-feeding butterfly community in an Afrotropical forest
Authors: Valtonen Anu , Malinga Geoffrey M. , Nyafwono Margaret , Nyeko Philip , Owiny Arthur , Roininen Heikki
Published: December 2016

The relative importance of different bottom-up-mediated effects in shaping insect communities in tropical secondary forests are poorly understood. Here, we explore the roles of vegetation structure, forest age, local topography (valley vs. hill top) and soil variables in predicting fruit-feeding butterfly and tree community composition, and tree community composition in predicting fruit-feeding butterfly community composition, in different-aged naturally regenerating and primary forests of Kibale National Park, Uganda. We also examine which variables are best predictors of fruit-feeding butterfly species richness or diversity. Butterflies (88 species) were sampled with a banana-baited trap and trees (98 taxa) with a 40 × 20-m sampling plot at 80 sampling sites. The environmental variables explained 31% of the variation in the tree community composition, the best predictors being local topography, forest age and cover of Acanthus pubescens (a shrub possibly arresting succession). The fruit-feeding butterfly community composition was better predicted by tree community composition (explaining 10% of the variation) rather than vegetation structure, local topography or soil factors. Environmental variables and tree species richness (or diversity) were poor predictors of butterfly species richness (or diversity). Our results emphasize the importance of tree community to recovery of herbivorous insect communities in tropical secondary forests.
LEXICAL AND SYNTACTIC CONGRUENCY IN L2 PREDICTIVE GENDER PROCESSING
Authors: Hopp Holger , Lemmerth Natalia
Published: December 2016

This article investigates how lexical and syntactic differences in L1 and L2 grammatical gender affect L2 predictive gender processing. In a visual-world eye-tracking experiment, 24 L1 Russian adult learners and 15 native speakers of German were tested. Both Russian and German have three gender classes. Yet, they differ in lexical congruency, that is, whether a noun (“house”) is assigned to the same or a different gender class. Further, gender is syntactically realized on postnominal suffixes in Russian but on prenominal articles in German. For adjectives, both Russian and German mark gender on suffixes. In predictive gender processing, we find interactions of proficiency and congruency for gender-marked articles. Advanced L2 learners show nativelike gender prediction throughout. High-intermediate learners display asymmetries according to syntactic and lexical congruency. Predictive gender processing obtains for all nouns in the (syntactically congruent) adjective condition, yet only for lexically congruent nouns in the (syntactically incongruent) article condition.
Mechanisms responsible for the hypocholesterolaemic effect of regular consumption of probiotics
Authors: Reis S. A. , Conceição L. L. , Rosa D. D. , Siqueira N. P. , Peluzio M. C. G.
Published: December 2016

CVD affect a large proportion of the world’s population, with dyslipidaemia as the major risk factor. The regular consumption of both probiotic bacteria and yeast has been associated with improvement in the serum lipid profile. Thus, the present review aims to describe and discuss the potential mechanisms responsible for the hypocholesterolaemic effect of regular consumption of probiotic bacteria and yeast. Regarding the hypocholesterolaemic effect of probiotic bacteria, the potential mechanisms responsible include: deconjugation of bile salts; modulation of lipid metabolism; and decreased absorption of intestinal cholesterol through co-precipitation of intestinal cholesterol with the deconjugated bile salts, incorporation and assimilation of cholesterol in the cell membrane of the probiotics, intestinal conversion of cholesterol in coprostanol, and inhibition of the expression of the intestinal cholesterol transporter Niemann–Pick C1 like 1 (NPC1L1) in the enterocytes. The potential mechanisms responsible for the hypocholesterolaemic effect of probiotic yeasts include: deconjugation of bile salts; co-precipitation of intestinal cholesterol with the deconjugated bile salts; incorporation and assimilation of cholesterol in the cell membrane; and inhibition of hepatic cholesterol synthesis. The regular consumption of probiotic bacteria and yeast, as a non-pharmaceutical approach to help manage cardiovascular risk, holds promise, according to the beneficial hypocholesterolaemic effects described herein. However, the hypocholesterolaemic effects vary according to the strains used, the physiological state of the host, and the type of diet to which the probiotics are added. Further studies are necessary to fill the gaps with regard to the knowledge related to this topic.
Risk and protective factors for comorbid internalizing and externalizing problems among economically disadvantaged African American youth
Authors: Liu Jingwen , Mustanski Brian , Dick Danielle , Bolland John , Kertes Darlene A.
Published: December 2016

Comorbidity of internalizing and externalizing problems and its risk and protective factors have not been well incorporated into developmental research, especially among racial minority youth from high-poverty neighborhoods. The present study identified a latent comorbid factor as well as specific factors underlying internalizing and externalizing problems among 592 African American adolescents living in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods (291 male; M age = 15.9 years, SD = 1.43 years). Stressful life events and racial discrimination were associated with higher comorbid problems, whereas stressful life events and exposure to violence were associated with higher specific externalizing problems. Collective efficacy was associated with both lower specific externalizing problems and lower comorbid problems. Moreover, high collective efficacy buffered the risk effects of stressful life events and racial discrimination on comorbid problems. Our results demonstrated the advantages of latent variable modeling to understanding comorbidity by articulating impacts of risk factors on comorbid and specific components underlying internalizing and externalizing problems. They also highlighted the protective effect of collective efficacy in mitigating risks for these problems. Broadly, these findings call for more studies on comorbidities in developmental psychopathology among youth from diverse sociocultural backgrounds.
The role of parental marital discord in the etiology of externalizing problems during childhood and adolescence
Authors: Jarnecke Amber M. , South Susan C. , Elkins Irene J. , Krueger Robert F. , Tully Erin C. , Iacono William G.
Published: December 2016

Previous research has established that parental marital discord is associated with higher levels of offspring externalizing behaviors, but it is unclear how parental relationship functioning is associated with the genetic and environmental variance on a factor of externalizing problems. Thus, the current study assessed how parental marital discord moderates genetic and environmental variance on offspring externalizing problems at two different ages: childhood and late adolescence. That is, the magnitude of genetic and environmental influences on offspring externalizing at ages 11 and 17 was examined as a function of parental marital discord. Consistent with a diathesis–stress model of psychopathology, it was hypothesized that with increasing marital discord, genetic influences on externalizing would be more pronounced. Rather, results indicated that for the 11-year-old sample, nonshared environmental influences were greater when parental marital discord was low, and comparatively, shared environmental influences contributed more to the variance in externalizing problems when parental marital discord was high. No moderation was found for the 17-year-old cohort. In contrast to studies that do not find an effect of the shared environment, these results provide evidence that the common rearing environment has an impact on externalizing problems in preadolescent children.
The Bathurst Diocese Decision in Australia and its Implications for the Civil Liability of Churches
Authors: Foster Neil
Published: December 2016

In the New South Wales Supreme Court decision of Anglican Development Fund Diocese of Bathurst v Palmer in December 2015, a single judge of the court held that a large amount of money which had been lent to institutions in the Anglican Diocese of Bathurst, and guaranteed by a letter of comfort issued by the then bishop of the diocese, had to be repaid by the bishop-in-council, including (should it be necessary) levying the necessary funds from the parishes. The lengthy judgment contains a number of interesting comments on the legal personality of church entities and may have long-term implications (and not merely in Australia) for unincorporated, mainstream denominations and their contractual and tortious liability to meet orders for payment of damages. The article discusses the decision and some of those implications.
Is There a Right to Be ‘Free from’ Religion or Belief at Strasbourg?
Authors: Roberts Caroline K
Published: December 2016

The theme of the Ecclesiastical Law Society's 2016 Day Conference, ‘Freedom of/from religion’, reflects the growing interest in the idea that, in addition to a right to freedom of religion, there is a right to ‘freedom from’ religion. In recent years, there has been a trend towards increased use of the language of freedom from religion in academic literature and in material produced by practitioners, organisations and activists in discussions of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
Governing Body of the Church in Wales
Authors: Chandler Lynette
Published: December 2016

In his address to the April meeting, the archbishop raised questions about the high business rates placed on the steel industry in the UK and the crisis faced by Welsh steelworkers, the elections for members of the Welsh Assembly and the forthcoming referendum on Europe. He reminded the Governing Body that the right to vote was won at a price and that, as Christians, we had a moral duty to exercise that right. The archbishop, considering the recent death of his wife, Hilary, also spoke of bereavement and dying in general. Palliative care and the hospice movement had come a long way in fifty years; if he had not already been persuaded by the arguments against assisted dying, watching the care and the gentleness of hospice nurses, for whom nothing was too much trouble, would have convinced him.
Habitat preferences of breeding Yellow BuntingsEmberiza sulphuratain hilly rural areas following rice field abandonment in northern Japan
Authors: DEGUCHI SHOTA , ISHIHARA YUKIHIRO , MIGUCHI HIDEO
Published: December 2016

We studied the habitat preferences of breeding Yellow BuntingsEmberiza sulphurata, taking into account the effects of paddyfield abandonment in hilly rural areas within the heavy snow region of northern Japan. Across 30 transects located in valley bottoms, we investigated the relationship between Yellow Bunting abundance and landscape characteristics. The results of generalized linear mixed models showed that forest edge density and landslide sites positively affected Yellow Bunting abundance. These habitats were associated with bush vegetation (forest edge, shrub land, and tall grassland) and were adjacent to the forest. Paddyfield abandonment showed a hump-shaped effect with a peak at the middle succession stage, which was covered primarily with tall grass and some shrubs, but the effect on Yellow Bunting abundance was not statistically significant. To conserve Yellow Bunting habitats in hilly rural areas, it is necessary to protect the forest edge and landslide sites from urbanisation and exploitation. It is also necessary to continue crop cultivation in such areas, to maintain the edges between open land and forest. If cultivation can no longer be continued, the abandoned paddyfields should be kept bushy, using reed beds and shrubs, by active management.
MODERN STRUCTURAL ECONOMIC DYNAMICS IN THE SHORT AND THE LONG RUN
Authors: Arena Richard
Published: December 2016

During several decades and until the end of the 1990s, the theory of structural economic dynamics has been absent in the field of so-called mainstream economic analysis. The literature included only either empirically oriented contributions or developments that were related to so-called critical theoretical approaches of structural change. At the end of the twentieth century, however, mainstream economic theorists changed this situation and began to investigate the field of structural dynamics, often using the Solovian theory of economic growth. During the last two decades, they contributed to change substantially the state of the theory of structural change. This contribution first provides an assessment of the advances realized by these theorists. It then confronts these advances with the so-called alternative or critical theoretical approaches of structural dynamics—namely, Luigi Pasinetti’s contribution and ‘evolutionary’ approaches—in order to provide a more complete picture of structural dynamics in the short and the long run.
Patient, staff, and clinician perspectives on implementing electronic communications in an interdisciplinary rural family health practice
Authors: Chang Feng , Paramsothy Thivaher , Roche Matthew , Gupta Nishi S.
Published: December 2016

Aim

To conduct an environmental scan of a rural primary care clinic to assess the feasibility of implementing an e-communications system between patients and clinic staff.

Background

Increasing demands on healthcare require greater efficiencies in communications and services, particularly in rural areas. E-communications may improve clinic efficiency and delivery of healthcare but raises concerns about patient privacy and data security.

Methods

We conducted an environmental scan at one family health team clinic, a high-volume interdisciplinary primary care practice in rural southwestern Ontario, Canada, to determine the feasibility of implementing an e-communications system between its patients and staff. A total of 28 qualitative interviews were conducted (with six physicians, four phone nurses, four physicians’ nurses, five receptionists, one business office attendant, five patients, and three pharmacists who provide care to the clinic’s patients) along with quantitative surveys of 131 clinic patients.

Findings

Patients reported using the internet regularly for multiple purposes. Patients indicated they would use email to communicate with their family doctor for prescription refills (65% of respondents), appointment booking (63%), obtaining lab results (60%), and education (50%). Clinic staff expressed concerns about patient confidentiality and data security, the timeliness, complexity and responsibility of responses, and increased workload.

Conclusion

Clinic staff members are willing to use an e-communications system but clear guidelines are needed for successful adoption and to maintain privacy of patient health data. E-communications might improve access to and quality of care in rural primary care practices.
Explicitly incorporating virtues into actuarial education
Authors: Asher Anthony
Published: December 2016

This paper outlines a framework for explicitly including ethics in actuarial education. The framework includes integrity, the cardinal virtues (justice, prudence, self-control and courage), and vocation. It is based on a traditional understanding of ethics, and it is argued that it has the potential to be widely acceptable. Justification, from philosophy, is found mainly in virtue ethics, and the work of Alasdair MacIntyre. The framework is concerned with matters of character as well as behaviour and ultimate outcomes (which are the respective concerns of apparently competing deontological and teleological theories). Integrity and the cardinal virtues can be found within current professional standards or, it is argued in the case of courage, should be there. We come to appreciate and display the virtues as we are inducted into a professional community by teachers and mentors. Our view of ethics is incomplete, however, without acknowledgement of our own weaknesses and failures, and an understanding of the role of regulation. Such understanding should include insight into the way in which ideologies and institutions can pervert ethics for the benefit of vested interests. Finally, suggestions are made as to how the framework of the virtues can be included in the actuarial syllabuses.
Mental Hospitals in India in the 21st century: transformation and relevance
Authors: Murthy P. , Isaac M. , Dabholkar H.
Published: December 2016

Mental hospitals in India, as elsewhere in the world, have played an important role in the care of persons with mental illness. Since their inception, they have both been decried for gross violations of human rights and dignity as well as lauded as places of refuge and care for persons turned away by the communities. In a country where community interventions for mental health care are still fragmentary, the mental hospital still continues to be a relevant and legitimate locus of care along with other limited resources available for the care of persons with mental illness outside of the family. In India, positive changes in the infrastructure and resourcing of mental hospitals, reductions in involuntary admissions and improvements in facilities have largely occurred through judicial interventions. Recent pilot interventions for rehabilitation of long-stay patients point towards the need to develop rehabilitation and community facilities for persons with severe mental illness.
Litigating Extraterritorial Nuisances under English Common Law and UK Statute
Authors: Blanco Elena Merino , Pontin Ben
Published: December 2016

English common law and United Kingdom legislation provide various – overall liberal – jurisdictional grounds for hearing foreign tort claims. The article examines these grounds with reference to recent and ongoing oil pollution nuisance litigation involving Royal Dutch Shell Plc and its Nigerian subsidiary operating in the Niger Delta. Particular attention is given to the factors taken into account by the court in exercising its discretion to allow service out of the jurisdiction in cases of pollution taking place abroad under the principle offorum non conveniens. Following the widely commented decision of the United States Supreme Court inKiobelv.Royal Dutch Petroleum Corporation, which ruled against the extraterritorial application of the Alien Tort Statute, it is easy to forget that the rules of jurisdiction vary from country to country and that different legal systems apply similar concepts in often radically different ways. Attention is also given to the future development of English jurisdictional law and practice in the context of environmental nuisance.
Perceptual restoration of masked speech in human cortex
Authors: Leonard Matthew K. , Baud Maxime O. , Sjerps Matthias J. , Chang Edward F.
Published: December 2016

Humans are adept at understanding speech despite the fact that our natural listening environment is often filled with interference. An example of this capacity is phoneme restoration, in which part of a word is completely replaced by noise, yet listeners report hearing the whole word. The neurological basis for this unconscious fill-in phenomenon is unknown, despite being a fundamental characteristic of human hearing. Here, using direct cortical recordings in humans, we demonstrate that missing speech is restored at the acoustic-phonetic level in bilateral auditory cortex, in real-time. This restoration is preceded by specific neural activity patterns in a separate language area, left frontal cortex, which predicts the word that participants later report hearing. These results demonstrate that during speech perception, missing acoustic content is synthesized online from the integration of incoming sensory cues and the internal neural dynamics that bias word-level expectation and prediction.
Magmas near the critical degassing pressure drive volcanic unrest towards a critical state
Authors: Chiodini Giovanni , Paonita Antonio , Aiuppa Alessandro , Costa Antonio , Caliro Stefano , De Martino Prospero , Acocella Valerio , Vandemeulebrouck Jean
Published: December 2016

During the reawaking of a volcano, magmas migrating through the shallow crust have to pass through hydrothermal fluids and rocks. The resulting magma–hydrothermal interactions are still poorly understood, which impairs the ability to interpret volcano monitoring signals and perform hazard assessments. Here we use the results of physical and volatile saturation models to demonstrate that magmatic volatiles released by decompressing magmas at a critical degassing pressure (CDP) can drive volcanic unrest towards a critical state. We show that, at the CDP, the abrupt and voluminous release of H2O-rich magmatic gases can heat hydrothermal fluids and rocks, triggering an accelerating deformation that can ultimately culminate in rock failure and eruption. We propose that magma could be approaching the CDP at Campi Flegrei, a volcano in the metropolitan area of Naples, one of the most densely inhabited areas in the world, and where accelerating deformation and heating are currently being observed.
Energy dissipation from a correlated system driven out of equilibrium
Authors: Rameau J. D. , Freutel S. , Kemper A. F. , Sentef M. A. , Freericks J. K. , Avigo I. , Ligges M. , Rettig L. , Yoshida Y. , Eisaki H. , Schneeloch J. , Zhong R. D. , Xu Z. J. , Gu G. D. , Johnson P. D. , Bovensiepen U.
Published: December 2016

In complex materials various interactions have important roles in determining electronic properties. Angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES) is used to study these processes by resolving the complex single-particle self-energy and quantifying how quantum interactions modify bare electronic states. However, ambiguities in the measurement of the real part of the self-energy and an intrinsic inability to disentangle various contributions to the imaginary part of the self-energy can leave the implications of such measurements open to debate. Here we employ a combined theoretical and experimental treatment of femtosecond time-resolved ARPES (tr-ARPES) show how population dynamics measured using tr-ARPES can be used to separate electron–boson interactions from electron–electron interactions. We demonstrate a quantitative analysis of a well-defined electron–boson interaction in the unoccupied spectrum of the cuprate Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x characterized by an excited population decay time that maps directly to a discrete component of the equilibrium self-energy not readily isolated by static ARPES experiments.
Conformation-driven quantum interference effects mediated by through-space conjugation in self-assembled monolayers
Authors: Carlotti Marco , Kovalchuk Andrii , Wächter Tobias , Qiu Xinkai , Zharnikov Michael , Chiechi Ryan C.
Published: December 2016

Tunnelling currents through tunnelling junctions comprising molecules with cross-conjugation are markedly lower than for their linearly conjugated analogues. This effect has been shown experimentally and theoretically to arise from destructive quantum interference, which is understood to be an intrinsic, electronic property of molecules. Here we show experimental evidence of conformation-driven interference effects by examining through-space conjugation in which π-conjugated fragments are arranged face-on or edge-on in sufficiently close proximity to interact through space. Observing these effects in the latter requires trapping molecules in a non-equilibrium conformation closely resembling the X-ray crystal structure, which we accomplish using self-assembled monolayers to construct bottom-up, large-area tunnelling junctions. In contrast, interference effects are completely absent in zero-bias simulations on the equilibrium, gas-phase conformation, establishing through-space conjugation as both of fundamental interest and as a potential tool for tuning tunnelling charge-transport in large-area, solid-state molecular-electronic devices.
Super-resolution imaging of light–matter interactions near single semiconductor nanowires
Authors: Johlin Eric , Solari Jacopo , Mann Sander A. , Wang Jia , Shimizu Thomas S. , Garnett Erik C.
Published: December 2016

Nanophotonics is becoming invaluable for an expanding range of applications, from controlling the spontaneous emission rate and the directionality of quantum emitters, to reducing material requirements of solar cells by an order of magnitude. These effects are highly dependent on the near field of the nanostructure, which constitutes the evanescent fields from propagating and resonant localized modes. Although the interactions between quantum emitters and nanophotonic structures are increasingly well understood theoretically, directly imaging these interactions experimentally remains challenging. Here we demonstrate a photoactivated localization microscopy-based technique to image emitter-nanostructure interactions. For a 75 nm diameter silicon nanowire, we directly observe a confluence of emission rate enhancement, directivity modification and guided mode excitation, with strong interaction at scales up to 13 times the nanowire diameter. Furthermore, through analytical modelling we distinguish the relative contribution of these effects, as well as their dependence on emitter orientation.
Horses discriminate between facial expressions of conspecifics
Authors: Wathan J. , Proops L. , Grounds K. , McComb K.
Published: December 2016

In humans, facial expressions are rich sources of social information and have an important role in regulating social interactions. However, the extent to which this is true in non-human animals, and particularly in non-primates, remains largely unknown. Therefore we tested whether domestic horses (Equus caballus) could discriminate between facial expressions of their conspecifics captured in different contexts, and whether viewing these expressions elicited functionally relevant reactions. Horses were more likely to approach photographic stimuli displaying facial expressions associated with positive attention and relaxation, and to avoid stimuli displaying an expression associated with aggression. Moreover, differing patterns of heart rate changes were observed in response to viewing the positive anticipation and agonistic facial expressions. These results indicate that horses spontaneously discriminate between photographs of unknown conspecifics portraying different facial expressions, showing appropriate behavioural and physiological responses. Thus horses, an animal far-removed from the primate lineage, also have the ability to use facial expressions as a means of gaining social information and potentially regulating social interactions.
Engineering the surface properties of a human monoclonal antibody prevents self-association and rapid clearance in vivo
Authors: Dobson Claire L. , Devine Paul W. A. , Phillips Jonathan J. , Higazi Daniel R. , Lloyd Christopher , Popovic Bojana , Arnold Joanne , Buchanan Andrew , Lewis Arthur , Goodman Joanne , van der Walle Christopher F. , Thornton Peter , Vinall Lisa , Lowne David , Aagaard Anna , Olsson Lise-Lotte , Ridderstad Wollberg Anna , Welsh Fraser , Karamanos Theodoros K. , Pashley Clare L. , Iadanza Matthew G. , Ranson Neil A. , Ashcroft Alison E. , Kippen Alistair D. , Vaughan Tristan J. , Radford Sheena E. , Lowe David C.
Published: December 2016

Uncontrolled self-association is a major challenge in the exploitation of proteins as therapeutics. Here we describe the development of a structural proteomics approach to identify the amino acids responsible for aberrant self-association of monoclonal antibodies and the design of a variant with reduced aggregation and increased serum persistence in vivo. We show that the human monoclonal antibody, MEDI1912, selected against nerve growth factor binds with picomolar affinity, but undergoes reversible self-association and has a poor pharmacokinetic profile in both rat and cynomolgus monkeys. Using hydrogen/deuterium exchange and cross-linking-mass spectrometry we map the residues responsible for self-association of MEDI1912 and show that disruption of the self-interaction interface by three mutations enhances its biophysical properties and serum persistence, whilst maintaining high affinity and potency. Immunohistochemistry suggests that this is achieved via reduction of non-specific tissue binding. The strategy developed represents a powerful and generic approach to improve the properties of therapeutic proteins.
Photon pair generation in hydrogenated amorphous silicon microring resonators
Authors: Hemsley Elizabeth , Bonneau Damien , Pelc Jason , Beausoleil Ray , O’Brien Jeremy L. , Thompson Mark G.
Published: December 2016

We generate photon pairs in a-Si:H microrings using a CW pump, and find the Kerr coefficient of a-Si:H to be 3.73 ± 0.25 × 10−17m2/W. By measuring the Q factor with coupled power we find that the loss in the a-Si:H micro-rings scales linearly with power, and therefore cannot originate from two photon absorption. Theoretically comparing a-Si:H and c-Si micro-ring pair sources, we show that the high Kerr coefficient of this sample of a-Si:H is best utilized for microrings with Q factors below 103, but that for higher Q factor devices the photon pair rate is greatly suppressed due to the first order loss.
RNA activation of haploinsufficient Foxg1 gene in murine neocortex
Authors: Fimiani Cristina , Goina Elisa , Su Qin , Gao Guangping , Mallamaci Antonello
Published: December 2016

More than one hundred distinct gene hemizygosities are specifically linked to epilepsy, mental retardation, autism, schizophrenia and neuro-degeneration. Radical repair of these gene deficits via genome engineering is hardly feasible. The same applies to therapeutic stimulation of the spared allele by artificial transactivators. Small activating RNAs (saRNAs) offer an alternative, appealing approach. As a proof-of-principle, here we tested this approach on the Rett syndrome-linked, haploinsufficient,Foxg1brain patterning gene. We selected a set of artificial small activating RNAs (saRNAs) upregulating it in neocortical precursors and their derivatives. Expression of these effectors achieved a robust biological outcome. saRNA-driven activation (RNAa) was limited to neural cells which normally expressFoxg1and did not hide endogenous gene tuning. saRNAs recognized target chromatin through a ncRNA stemming from it. Gene upregulation required Ago1 and was associated to RNApolII enrichment throughout theFoxg1locus. Finally, saRNA delivery to murine neonatal brain replicatedFoxg1-RNAain vivo.
Three-dimensional ultrastructural analysis of cells in the periodontal ligament using focused ion beam/scanning electron microscope tomography
Authors: Hirashima Shingo , Ohta Keisuke , Kanazawa Tomonoshin , Okayama Satoko , Togo Akinobu , Uchimura Naohisa , Kusukawa Jingo , Nakamura Kei-ichiro
Published: December 2016

The accurate comprehension of normal tissue provides essential data to analyse abnormalities such as disease and regenerative processes. In addition, understanding the proper structure of the target tissue and its microenvironment may facilitate successful novel treatment strategies. Many studies have examined the nature and structure of periodontal ligaments (PDLs); however, the three-dimensional (3D) structure of cells in normal PDLs remains poorly understood. In this study, we used focused ion beam/scanning electron microscope tomography to investigate the whole 3D ultrastructure of PDL cells along with quantitatively analysing their structural properties and ascertaining their orientation to the direction of the collagen fibre. PDL cells were shown to be in contact with each other, forming a widespread mesh-like network between the cementum and the alveolar bone. The volume of the cells in the horizontal fibre area was significantly larger than in other areas, whereas the anisotropy of these cells was lower than in other areas. Furthermore, the orientation of cells to the PDL fibres was not parallel to the PDL fibres in each area. As similar evaluations are recognized as being challenging using conventional two-dimensional methods, these novel 3D findings may contribute necessary knowledge for the comprehensive understanding and analysis of PDLs.
Fractal aggregation kinetics contributions to thermal conductivity of nano-suspensions in unsteady thermal convection
Authors: Sui Jize , Zhao Peng , Bin-Mohsin Bandar , Zheng Liancun , Zhang Xinxin , Cheng Zhengdong , Chen Ying , Chen Goong
Published: December 2016

Nano-suspensions (NS) exhibit unusual thermophysical behaviors once interparticle aggregations and the shear flows are imposed, which occur ubiquitously in applications but remain poorly understood, because existing theories have not paid these attentions but focused mainly on stationary NS. Here we report the critical role of time-dependent fractal aggregation in the unsteady thermal convection of NS systematically. Interestingly, a time ratio λ = tp/tm (tp is the aggregate characteristic time, tm the mean convection time) is introduced to characterize the slow and fast aggregations, which affect distinctly the thermal convection process over time. The increase of fractal dimension reduces both momentum and thermal boundary layers, meanwhile extends the time duration for the full development of thermal convection. We find a nonlinear growth relation of the momentum layer, but a linear one of the thermal layer, with the increase of primary volume fraction of nanoparticles for different fractal dimensions. We present two global fractal scaling formulas to describe these two distinct relations properly, respectively. Our theories and methods in this study provide new evidence for understanding shear-flow and anomalous heat transfer of NS associated non-equilibrium aggregation processes by fractal laws, moreover, applications in modern micro-flow technology in nanodevices.
In vivo MEMRI characterization of brain metastases using a 3D Look-Locker T1-mapping sequence
Authors: Castets Charles R. , Koonjoo Néha , Hertanu Andreea , Voisin Pierre , Franconi Jean-Michel , Miraux Sylvain , Ribot Emeline J.
Published: December 2016

Although MEMRI (Manganese Enhanced MRI) informations were obtained on primary tumors in small animals, MEMRI data on metastases are lacking. Thus, our goal was to determine if 3D Look-Locker T1 mapping was an efficient method to evaluate Mn ions transport in brain metastases in vivo. The high spatial resolution in 3D (156 × 156 × 218 μm) of the sequence enabled to detect metastases of 0.3 mm3. In parallel, the T1 quantitation enabled to distinguish three populations of MDA-MB-231 derived brain metastases after MnCl2 intravenous injection: one with a healthy blood-tumor barrier that did not internalize Mn2+ ions, and two others, which T1 shortened drastically by 54.2% or 24%. Subsequent scans of the mice, enabled by the fast acquisition (23 min), demonstrated that these T1 reached back their pre-injection values in 24 h. Contrarily to metastases, the T1 of U87-MG glioma remained 26.2% shorter for one week. In vitro results supported the involvement of the Transient Receptor Potential channels and the Calcium-Sensing Receptor in the uptake and efflux of Mn2+ ions, respectively. This study highlights the ability of the 3D Look-Locker T1 mapping sequence to study heterogeneities (i) amongst brain metastases and (ii) between metastases and glioma regarding Mn transport.
Difference in evolutionary patterns of strongly or weakly selected characters among ant populations
Authors: Imai Shuichiro , Kobayashi Kazuya , Ohkubo Yusaku , Yagi Norihiro , Hasegawa Eisuke
Published: December 2016

Despite being a central issue in evolutionary biology, few studies have examined the stasis of characters in populations with no gene flow. A possible mechanism of such stasis is stabilizing selection with similar peaks in each population. This study examined the evolutionary patterns of morphological characters with and without strong selection in ant populations. We show that compared to a character that seems to be less important, characters that are more important were less variable within and among populations. Microsatellite analyses showed significant genetic differences between populations, implying limited gene flow between them. The observed levels of genetic differentiation cannot be attributed to recent population separations. Thus, the observed differences in morphological variance seem to reflect the degree of selection on each character. The less important character changed proportionately with time, but such a pattern was not observed in more important characters. These results suggest that stabilizing selection maintains morphological stasis between populations of the same species with minimal gene flow independent of divergence times.
Size-dependent and tunable crystallization of GeSbTe phase-change nanoparticles
Authors: Chen Bin , ten Brink Gert H. , Palasantzas George , Kooi Bart J.
Published: December 2016

Chalcogenide-based nanostructured phase-change materials (PCMs) are considered promising building blocks for non-volatile memory due to their high write and read speeds, high data-storage density, and low power consumption. Top-down fabrication of PCM nanoparticles (NPs), however, often results in damage and deterioration of their useful properties. Gas-phase condensation based on magnetron sputtering offers an attractive and straightforward solution to continuously down-scale the PCMs into sub-lithographic sizes. Here we unprecedentedly present the size dependence of crystallization for Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) NPs, whose production is currently highly challenging for chemical synthesis or top-down fabrication. Both amorphous and crystalline NPs have been produced with excellent size and composition control with average diameters varying between 8 and 17 nm. The size-dependent crystallization of these NPs was carefully analyzed through in-situ heating in a transmission electron microscope, where the crystallization temperatures (Tc) decrease when the NPs become smaller. Moreover, methane incorporation has been observed as an effective method to enhance the amorphous phase stability of the NPs. This work therefore elucidates that GST NPs synthesized by gas-phase condensation with tailored properties are promising alternatives in designing phase-change memories constrained by optical lithography limitations.
PI16 is a shear stress and inflammation-regulated inhibitor of MMP2
Authors: Hazell Georgina G. J. , Peachey Alasdair M. G. , Teasdale Jack E. , Sala-Newby Graciela B. , Angelini Gianni D. , Newby Andrew C. , White Stephen J.
Published: December 2016

Raised endothelial shear stress is protective against atherosclerosis but such protection may be lost at sites of inflammation. We found that four splice variants of the peptidase inhibitor 16 (PI16) mRNA are among the most highly shear stress regulated transcripts in human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs), in vitro but that expression is reduced by inflammatory mediators TNFα and IL-1β. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that PI16 is expressed in human coronary endothelium and in a subset of neointimal cells and medial smooth muscle cells. Adenovirus-mediated PI16 overexpression inhibits HCAEC migration and secreted matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity. Moreover, PI16 inhibits MMP2 in part by binding an exposed peptide loop above the active site. Our results imply that, at high endothelial shear stress, PI16 contributes to inhibition of protease activity; protection that can be reversed during inflammation.
Distinct roles of short and long thymic stromal lymphopoietin isoforms in house dust mite-induced asthmatic airway epithelial barrier disruption
Authors: Dong Hangming , Hu Yahui , Liu Laiyu , Zou Mengchen , Huang Chaowen , Luo Lishan , Yu Changhui , Wan Xuan , Zhao Haijin , Chen JiaLong , Xie Zhefan , Le Yanqing , Zou Fei , Cai Shaoxi
Published: December 2016

Loss of airway epithelial integrity contributes significantly to asthma pathogenesis. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) may have dual immunoregulatory roles. In inflammatory disorders of the bowel, the long isoform of TSLP (lfTSLP) promotes inflammation while the short isoform (sfTSLP) inhibits inflammation. We hypothesize that lfTSLP contributes to house dust mite (HDM)-induced airway epithelial barrier dysfunction and that synthetic sfTSLP can prevent these effects.In vitro, airway epithelial barrier function was assessed by monitoring transepithelial electrical resistance, fluorescent-dextran permeability, and distribution of E-cadherin and β-catenin.In vivo, BALB/c mice were exposed to HDM by nasal inhalation for 5 consecutive days per week to establish an asthma model. sfTSLP and 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D3) were administered 1 h before HDM exposure. After 8 weeks, animal lung function tests and pathological staining were performed to evaluate asthma progression. We found that HDM and lfTSLP impaired barrier function. Treatment with sfTSLP and 1,25D3 prevented HDM-induced airway epithelial barrier disruption. Moreover, sfTSLP and 1,25D3 treatment ameliorated HDM-induced asthma in mice. Our data emphasize the importance of the different expression patterns and biological properties of sfTSLP and lfTSLP. Moreover, our results indicate that sfTSLP and 1,25D3 may serve as novel therapeutic agents for individualized treatment of asthma.
Cognitive control activity is modulated by the magnitude of interference and pre-activation of monitoring mechanisms
Authors: Cespón Jesús , Galdo-Álvarez Santiago , Díaz Fernando
Published: December 2016

The Simon task is used to study interference from irrelevant spatial information. Interference is manifested by longer reaction times when the required response –based on non-spatial features- is spatially incompatible with stimulus position. Interference is greater when incompatible trials are preceded by compatible trials (compatible-incompatible sequence) than when they are preceded by incompatible trials (incompatible-incompatible sequence). However, the relationships between spatial attention, interference and cognitive control have not been investigated. In the present study, we distinguished three experimental conditions according to sequential effects: same mappings (SM, compatible-compatible/incompatible-incompatible sequences: low interference), opposite mappings (OM, compatible-incompatible/incompatible-compatible sequences: high interference) and unrelated mappings (UM, central-compatible/central-incompatible sequences: intermediate interference). The negativity central contralateral (N2cc, a correlate of prevention of spatial response tendencies) was larger in OM than in SM, indicating greater cognitive control for greater interference. Furthermore, N2cc was larger in UM than in SM/OM, indicating lower neural efficiency for suppressing spatial tendencies of the response after central trials. Attentional processes (negativity posterior contralateral) were also delayed in UM relative to SM/OM, suggesting attentional facilitation by similar sets of attentional shifts in successive trials. Overall, the present findings showed that cognitive control is modulated by the magnitude of interference and pre-activation of monitoring mechanisms.
A silver nanorod based SERS assay for the homogeneous detection of uracil-DNA glycosylase activity
Authors: Huang Yufeng , Liao Suqi , Xiong Mei , Ma Yefei , Zhao Jingjin , Zhao Shulin
Published: December 2016

A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) system for the simple, sensitive and homogeneous detection of UDG activity based on silver nanorods (AgNRs) was developed.
Tumor-cell targeting polydiacetylene micelles encapsulated with an antitumor drug for the treatment of ovarian cancer
Authors: Yao Defan , Li Shang , Zhu Xiaomin , Wu Junchen , Tian He
Published: December 2016

Peptide-functionalized sub-30 nm PDA micelles penetrate efficiently into a tumor for enhanced therapeutic efficacy.
Influence of bidentate ligand donor types on the formation and stability in 2 + 1 fac-[MI(CO)3]+ (M = Re, 99mTc) complexes
Authors: Hayes Thomas R. , Bottorff Shalina C. , Slocumb Winston S. , Barnes Charles L. , Clark Aurora E. , Benny Paul D.
Published: December 2016

Using a 2 + 1 ligand system for the fac-[MI(CO)3]+ (M = Re, 99mTc) core, the influence of charge and nitrogen donor type were explored to determine labeling efficiency and stability by experimental and computational methods.
Markedly enhanced up-conversion luminescence by combining IR-808 dye sensitization and core–shell–shell structures
Authors: Xu Jiating , Sun Mingdi , Kuang Ye , Bi Huiting , Liu Bin , Yang Dan , Lv Ruichan , Gai Shili , He Fei , Yang Piaoping
Published: December 2016

The up-conversion emission of core–shell–shell structured nanoparticles has been greatly enhanced by IR-808 dye sensitization of 808 nm photons.
Imidazolium and benzimidazolium-containing compounds: from simple toxic salts to highly bioactive drugs
Authors: Gravel J. , Schmitzer A. R.
Published: December 2016

The toxicity of simple imidazolium and benzimidazolium salts started to be more and more investigated in the last few years and was taken in consideration in the context of microorganisms, plants and more evolved organisms’ exposure.
Push–pull pyropheophorbides for nonlinear optical imaging
Authors: Khadria Anjul , de Coene Yovan , Gawel Przemyslaw , Roche Cécile , Clays Koen , Anderson Harry L.
Published: December 2016

We have synthesized derivatives of pyropheophorbide-a with electron donor and acceptor groups which localize in lipid membranes and can be used for multi-photon imaging via second harmonic generation and two-photon excited fluorescence.
UV light- and thermo-responsive hierarchical assemblies based on the inclusion complexation of β-cyclodextrin and azobenzene
Authors: Zou Hui , Lu Yeqiang , Yuan Weizhong , Wang Shanfeng
Published: December 2016

UV- and thermo-responsive hierarchical assemblies consisting of an umbrella-shaped supramolecular polymer have been achieved based on the inclusion complexation between β-cyclodextrin and azobenzene.
Understanding surface interactions in aqueous miscible organic solvent treated layered double hydroxides
Authors: Erastova Valentina , Degiacomi Matteo T. , O'Hare Dermot , Greenwell H. Chris
Published: December 2016

Molecular modelling elucidates the mechanism of layered double hydroxide dispersion, increasing surface area, during aqueous miscible organic solvent treatment.
Cobalt catalyzed carbonylation of unactivated C(sp3)–H bonds
Authors: Barsu Nagaraju , Bolli Shyam Kumar , Sundararaju Basker
Published: December 2016

A general efficient regioselective cobalt catalyzed carbonylation of unactivated C(sp3)–H bonds of aliphatic amides was demonstrated using atmospheric (1–2 atm) carbon monoxide as a C1 source.
Organocatalytic activation of isocyanides: N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed enaminone synthesis from ketones
Authors: Kim Jungwon , Hong Soon Hyeok
Published: December 2016

The first NHC-catalyzed C–C bond formation reaction between ketones and isocyanides was achieved via activation of the isocyanide into an imidoyl intermediate.