bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exhaled breath condensate as a source of biomarkers for lung carcinomas. A focus on genetic and epigenetic markers—A mini‐review
Authors: Youssef Omar , Sarhadi Virinder Kaur , Armengol Gemma , Piirilä Päivi , Knuuttila Aija , Knuutila Sakari
Published: August 2016

Lung carcinoma is one of the most common causes of cancer‐related mortality worldwide. It is an aggressive tumor, often diagnosed at an advanced stage when treatment options are limited. Currently, the importance of detection and assessment of various genetic alterations in cancer is recognized as they can serve as very helpful markers in early diagnosis and follow‐up of treatment regimens. Recently, several therapeutically important genetic markers have been identified. One major problem is that tumor tissue specimens used to assay these genetic biomarkers are not always available, especially in the early stages of the disease. Therefore, exhaled breath condensates (EBC) could represent a good non‐invasive source to allow the evaluation of these important genetic markers; these could help in the diagnosis, follow‐up of the disease and/or assessment of treatment efficacy. The key aims of this review are first to describe the origin and constituents of EBC, as well as the different methodological procedures used in studying EBC biomarkers, and second, to document genetic and epigenetic markers that have been analyzed in EBC from lung cancer patients and to estimate their diagnostic and prognostic value. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Nogo‐B receptor deficiency increases liver X receptor alpha nuclear translocation and hepatic lipogenesis through an adenosine monophosphate–activated protein kinase alpha–dependent pathway
Authors: Hu Wenquan , Zhang Wenwen , Chen Yuanli , Rana Ujala , Teng Ru‐jeng , Duan Yajun , Liu Zhong , Zhao Baofeng , Foeckler Jamie , Weiler Hartmut , Kallinger Rachel E. , Thomas Michael J. , Zhang Kezhong , Han Jihong , Miao Qing Robert
Published: August 2016

Nogo‐B receptor (NgBR) was identified as a specific receptor for binding Nogo‐B and is essential for the stability of Niemann‐Pick type C2 protein (NPC2) and NPC2‐dependent cholesterol trafficking. Here, we report that NgBR expression levels decrease in the fatty liver and that NgBR plays previously unrecognized roles in regulating hepatic lipogenesis through NPC2‐independent pathways. To further elucidate the pathophysiological role of NgBR in mammals, we generated NgBR liver‐specific knockout mice and investigated the roles of NgBR in hepatic lipid homeostasis. The results showed that NgBR knockout in mouse liver did not decrease NPC2 levels or increase NPC2‐dependent intracellular cholesterol levels. However, NgBR deficiency still resulted in remarkable cellular lipid accumulation that was associated with increased free fatty acids and triglycerides in hepatocytes in vitro and in mouse livers in vivo. Mechanistically, NgBR deficiency specifically promotes the nuclear translocation of the liver X receptor alpha (LXRα) and increases the expression of LXRα‐targeted lipogenic genes. LXRα knockout attenuates the accumulation of free fatty acids and triglycerides caused by NgBR deficiency. In addition, we elucidated the mechanisms by which NgBR bridges the adenosine monophosphate–activated protein kinase alpha signaling pathway with LXRα nuclear translocation and LXRα‐mediated lipogenesis. Conclusion: NgBR is a specific negative regulator for LXRα‐dependent hepatic lipogenesis. Loss of NgBR may be a potential trigger for inducing hepatic steatosis. (Hepatology 2016;64:1559‐1576)
Liver protects metastatic prostate cancer from induced death by activating E‐cadherin signaling
Authors: Ma Bo , Wheeler Sarah E. , Clark Amanda M. , Whaley Diana L. , Yang Min , Wells Alan
Published: August 2016

Liver is one of the most common sites of cancer metastasis. Once disseminated, the prognosis is poor as these tumors often display generalized chemoresistance, particularly for carcinomas that derive not from the aerodigestive tract. When these cancers seed the liver, the aggressive cells usually undergo a mesenchymal to epithelial reverting transition that both aids colonization and renders the tumor cells chemoresistant. In vitro studies demonstrate that hepatocytes drive this phenotypic shift. However, the in vivo evidence and the molecular signals that protect these cells from induced death are yet to be defined. Herein, we report that membrane surface E‐cadherin‐expressing prostate cancer cells were resistant to cell death by chemotherapeutic drugs but E‐cadherin null cells or those expressing E‐cadherin only in the cytoplasm were sensitive to death signals and chemotherapies both in vitro and in vivo. While cell‐cell E‐cadherin ligandation reduced mitogenesis, this chemoprotection was proliferation‐independent as killing of both 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine‐positive (or Ki67+) and 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine‐negative (Ki67‐) cells was inversely related to membrane‐bound E‐cadherin. Inhibiting the canonical survival kinases extracellular signal‐regulated protein kinases, protein kinase B, and Janus kinase, which are activated by chemotherapeutics in epithelial cell‐transitioned prostate cancer, abrogated the chemoresistance both in cell culture and in animal models of metastatic cancer. For disseminated tumors, protein kinase B disruption in itself had no effect on tumor survival but was synergistic with chemotherapy, leading to increased killing. Conclusion: Liver microenvironment‐driven phenotypic switching of carcinoma cells and subsequent survival signaling results in activation of canonical survival pathways that protect the disseminated prostate cancer liver micrometastases in a proliferation‐independent manner, and these pathways can be targeted as an adjuvant treatment to improve the efficacy of traditional chemotherapeutics (Hepatology 2016;64:1725‐1742)
Fluorescent Agonists of the α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Derived from 3‐Amino‐Quinuclidine
Authors: Bürgi Justus J. , Bertrand Sonia , Marger Fabrice , Bertrand Daniel , Reymond Jean‐Louis
Published: August 2016

Here, we investigated whether fluorescence labeled small molecule agonists of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) might be identified to enhance receptor studies. Enantiomerically pure 3‐amino‐quinuclidines appended with fluorophores at the 3‐amino group were synthesized and tested by electrophysiology on human α7 nAChR in Xenopus oocytes, uncovering (R)‐4 and (R)‐9 as the first examples of fluorescent α7 nAChR agonists. These molecules elegantly incorporate the fluorescent reporter group as part of the pharmacophore itself and provide a new class of tool compounds for the study of these ligand‐gated ion channels.
LAT1 is a putative therapeutic target in endometrioid endometrial carcinoma
Authors: Marshall Amy D. , van Geldermalsen Michelle , Otte Nicholas J. , Anderson Lyndal A. , Lum Trina , Vellozzi Melissa A. , Zhang Blake K. , Thoeng Annora , Wang Qian , Rasko John E.J. , Holst Jeff
Published: August 2016

l‐type amino acid transporters (LAT1‐4) are expressed in various cancer types and are involved in the uptake of essential amino acids such as leucine. Here we investigated the expression of LAT1‐4 in endometrial adenocarcinoma and evaluated the contribution of LATs to endometrial cancer cell growth. Analysis of human gene expression data showed that all four LAT family members are expressed in endometrial adenocarcinomas. LAT1 was the most highly expressed, and showed a significant increase in both serous and endometrioid subtypes compared to normal endometrium. Endometrioid patients with the highest LAT1 levels exhibited the lowest disease‐free survival. The pan‐LAT inhibitor BCH led to a significant decrease in cell growth and spheroid area in four endometrial cancer cell lines tested in vitro. Knockdown of LAT1 by shRNA inhibited cell growth in HEC1A and Ishikawa cells, as well as inhibiting spheroid area in HEC1A cells. These data show that LAT1 plays an important role in regulating the uptake of essential amino acids such as leucine into endometrial cancer cells. Increased ability of BCH compared to LAT1 shRNA at inhibiting Ishikawa spheroid area suggests that other LAT family members may also contribute to cell growth. LAT1 inhibition may offer an effective therapeutic strategy in endometrial cancer patients whose tumours exhibit high LAT1 expression.
What I Have Learned from Jack Dunitz
Authors: Seebach Dieter
Published: August 2016

The lessons taught me by Jack Dunitz about the use of X‐ray crystal structure analysis, far beyond just for determining the structure of an isolated product, are described. The direct and indirect influence Jack had on the way various topics of my synthetic group developed at ETH is demonstrated with selected examples from our various research areas: Li‐enolates, the gem‐diaryl effect and TADDOLs, self‐regeneration of stereocenters, poly(hydroxybutanoates) (PHB), β‐peptides, and mechanistic investigations of organocatalytic reactions. Furthermore, the role Jack plays in the Laboratorium of Organic Chemistry at ETH Zürich is described and appreciated.
Exploring Electron/Proton Transfer and Conformational Changes in the Nitrogenase MoFe Protein and FeMo‐cofactor Through Cryoreduction/EPR Measurements
Authors: Davydov Roman , Khadka Nimesh , Yang Zhi‐Yong , Fielding Andrew J. , Lukoyanov Dmitriy , Dean Dennis R. , Seefeldt Lance C. , Hoffman Brian M.
Published: August 2016

We combine cryoreduction/annealing/EPR measurements of nitrogenase MoFe protein with results of earlier investigations to provide a detailed view of the electron/proton transfer events and conformational changes that occur during early stages of [e−/H+] accumulation by the MoFe protein. This includes reduction of: 1) the non‐catalytic state of the iron‐molybdenum cofactor (FeMo‐co) active site that is generated by chemical oxidation of the resting‐state cofactor (S=3/2) within resting MoFe (E0); and 2) the catalytic state that has accumulated n=1 [e−/H+] above the resting‐state level, denoted E1(1H) (S≥1) in the Lowe‐Thorneley kinetic scheme. FeMo‐co does not undergo a major change of conformation during reduction of oxidized FeMo‐co. In contrast, FeMo‐co undergoes substantial conformational changes during the reduction of E0 to E1(1H), and of E1(1H) to E2(2H) (S=3/2). The experimental results further suggest that the E1(1H)→E2(2H) step involves coupled delivery of a proton and an electron (PCET) to FeMo‐co of E1(H) to generate a nonequilibrium S=
form E2(2H)*. This subsequently undergoes conformational relaxation and attendant change in the FeMo‐co spin state, to generate the equilibrium E2(2H) (S=3/2) state. Unexpectedly, these experiments also reveal conformational coupling between FeMo‐co and the P cluster, and between the Fe protein binding and FeMo‐co, which might play a role in gated electron transfer from reduced Fe protein to FeMo‐co.
Optimal dehydrothermal processing conditions to improve biocompatibility and durability of a weakly denatured collagen scaffold
Authors: Nakada Akira , Shigeno Keiji , Sato Toshihiko , Hatayama Takahide , Wakatsuki Mariko , Nakamura Tatsuo
Published: August 2016

Collagen scaffolds are essential for tissue regeneration; however, preprocessing of these scaffolds is necessary because of their poor mechanical properties. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal condition for preparing a collagen scaffold with biocompatibility and durability. An atelocollagen fiber suspension was made and stored at −10°C in a container that could be cooled from the bottom to provide an orientation perpendicular to the collagen fiber and facilitate cell infiltration into the scaffold. After freeze‐drying the frozen suspension, various collagen scaffolds were made by dehydrothermal (DHT) treatment under different conditions (processing temperature: 120–160°C for 0–28 h). Sections of the obtained materials were embedded under the back skin of rats, and the thickness and biocompatibility of the residual scaffold were evaluated after 2 weeks. The number of foreign body giant cells was counted to evaluate biocompatibility. Although the residual scaffold was thick, excessive DHT treatment caused a strong foreign body reaction. Weak DHT treatment resulted in a collagen scaffold with good biocompatibility but with reduced thickness. Overall, these results showed the restricted optimal conditions to make a collagen scaffold with good biocompatibility and ability to maintain sufficient space for tissue regeneration. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 2301–2307, 2017.
Visceral Adipose Tissue Is Associated With Bone Microarchitecture in the Framingham Osteoporosis Study
Authors: Liu Ching-Ti , Broe Kerry E , Zhou Yanhua , Boyd Steven K , Cupples L Adrienne , Hannan Marian T , Lim Elise , McLean Robert R , Samelson Elizabeth J , Bouxsein Mary L , Kiel Douglas P
Published: August 2016

Obesity has been traditionally considered to protect the skeleton against osteoporosis and fracture. Recently, body fat, specifically visceral adipose tissue (VAT), has been associated with lower bone mineral density (BMD) and increased risk for some types of fractures. We studied VAT and bone microarchitecture in 710 participants (58% women, age 61.3 ± 7.7 years) from the Framingham Offspring cohort to determine whether cortical and trabecular BMD and microarchitecture differ according to the amount of VAT. VAT was measured from CT imaging of the abdomen. Cortical and trabecular BMD and microarchitecture were measured at the distal tibia and radius using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT). We focused on 10 bone parameters: cortical BMD (Ct.BMD), cortical tissue mineral density (Ct.TMD), cortical porosity (Ct.Po), cortical thickness (Ct.Th), cortical bone area fraction (Ct.A/Tt.A), trabecular density (Tb.BMD), trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), total area (Tt.Ar), and failure load (FL) from micro–finite element analysis. We assessed the association between sex-specific quartiles of VAT and BMD, microarchitecture, and strength in all participants and stratified by sex. All analyses were adjusted for age, sex, and in women, menopausal status, then repeated adjusting for body mass index (BMI) or weight. At the radius and tibia, Ct.Th, Ct.A/Tt.A, Tb.BMD, Tb.N, and FL were positively associated with VAT (all p-trend <0.05), but no other associations were statistically significant except for higher levels of cortical porosity with higher VAT in the radius. Most of these associations were only observed in women, and were no longer significant when adjusting for BMI or weight. Higher amounts of VAT are associated with greater BMD and better microstructure of the peripheral skeleton despite some suggestions of significant deleterious changes in cortical measures in the non–weight bearing radius. Associations were no longer significant after adjustment for BMI or weight, suggesting that the effects of VAT may not have a substantial effect on the skeleton independent of BMI or weight. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Ab initio potential energy surface and vibration‐rotation energy levels of silicon dicarbide, SiC2
Authors: Koput Jacek
Published: August 2016

The accurate ground‐state potential energy surface of silicon dicarbide, SiC2, has been determined from ab initio calculations using the coupled‐cluster approach. Results obtained with the conventional and explicitly correlated coupled‐cluster methods were compared. The core‐electron correlation, higher‐order valence‐electron correlation, and scalar relativistic effects were taken into account. The potential energy barrier to the linear SiCC configuration was predicted to be 1782 cm−1. The vibration‐rotation energy levels of the SiC2, 29SiC2, 30SiC2, and SiC13C isotopologues were calculated using a variational method. The experimental vibration‐rotation energy levels of the main isotopologue were reproduced to high accuracy. In particular, the experimental energy levels of the highly anharmonic vibrational ν3 mode of SiC2 were reproduced to within 6.7 cm−1, up to as high as the v3 = 16 state.
Economic benefits of membrane chromatography versus packed bed column purification of therapeutic proteins expressed in microbial and mammalian hosts
Authors: Muthukumar Sampath , Muralikrishnan Thukkaram , Mendhe Rakesh , Rathore Anurag S
Published: August 2016

BACKGROUND

Membrane chromatography has been accepted as the polishing step in several commercial processes for production of monoclonal antibody therapeutics over the past decade. This study aims to compare the performance of the traditional column chromatography with membrane chromatography for the two major classes of biotherapeutics, a therapeutic protein expressed in a microbial host and a monoclonal antibody product expressed in mammalian cells.

RESULTS

It is observed that membrane chromatography underperforms in applications that require high resolution separation. However, membrane chromatography offers several key advantages for applications that do not require high resolution separation, such as flow through process steps. These advantages include not only the ease of use but also a significantly lower cost (consumables and operating time). Cost advantage is also seen for cases when short manufacturing campaigns (less than 10 lots) are required and the resin will be discarded at the end of the campaign.

CONCLUSIONS

This is a first‐of‐a‐kind study with respect to examining applicability of membrane chromatography for purification of a microbial and a mammalian product and also consideration of the process economics. The study demonstrates that membrane chromatography offers significant advantages in certain applications. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Strategic Innovation in Microfirms to Overcome Resistance to Change
Authors: Bourdon Isabelle , Jaouen Annabelle
Published: August 2016

For a variety of reasons, strategic innovation in a microfirm's business model can be particularly challenging. One French company that specializes in the distribution of legal announcements and local economic news managed to use IT to not only reinvent its business model but also transform the rules of competition in its sector. Its experiences highlight the particular difficulties that small firms encounter when introducing new technology and the importance of training and creative alliances to ease both internal and external resistance to change. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Polyphenol, antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of six different white and red wine grape processing leftovers
Authors: Trošt Kajetan , Klančnik Anja , Mozetič Vodopivec Branka , Sternad Lemut Melita , Jug Novšak Katja , Raspor Peter , Smole Možina Sonja
Published: August 2016

BACKGROUND

During winemaking, grape polyphenols are only partly extracted, and consequently unexploited. The main aim was to characterize the phenolic content of freeze‐dried grape skin and seed (FDSS) extracts obtained from Slovenian and international grape varieties and to evaluate their antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti‐adhesive activities.

RESULTS

FDSS of six Vitis vinifera L. grapevine cultivars from Vipava Valley region (Slovenia) underwent extraction and sonification under different conditions. Flavonols were the predominant content of extracts from white ‘Zelen’ and ‘Sauvignon Blanc’ grape varieties, with strong antimicrobial activities against Gram‐negative bacteria. ‘Pinot Noir’ FDSS extracted with 50% aqueous ethanol extraction produced a high phenolic content in the final extract, which was further associated with strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities against all tested bacteria. Bacterial adhesion to stainless steel surfaces with minimal and maximal surface roughness was significantly inhibited (up to 60%) across a wide FDSS concentration range, with lower concentrations also effective with two types of stainless steel surfaces.

CONCLUSION

FDSS extracts from winery by‐products show interesting phenolic profiles that include flavonols, catechins, anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic acids, with yields influenced by grapevine cultivar and extraction conditions. The antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti‐adhesive activities of 50% aqueous ethanol ‘Pinot Noir’ FDSS extract reveals potential applications in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries for these bioactive residues. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Advanced titration to treat a floppy epiglottis in selective upper airway stimulation
Authors: Heiser Clemens
Published: August 2016

The following report presents a case of a patient with high residual apnea‐hypopnea index at 6 months following implantation of an upper airway stimulation device who improved significantly after advanced titration via drug‐induced sedated endoscopy by changing the electrode configuration for stimulation from bipolar to monopolar. This case demonstrates the utility of postsurgical advanced titration to optimize programming settings for improved clinical outcomes. Laryngoscope, 126:S22–S24, 2016
Nanostructured Aniline Formaldehyde Resin/Polysilazane Hybrid Materials by Twin Polymerization
Authors: Kaßner Lysann , Knoblauch Anja , Seifert Andreas , Grützner Rolf‐Egbert , Cox Gerhard , Lange Arno , Csihony Szilard , Simon Frank , Anders Susann , Kroll Lothar , Rahaman Mahfujur , Zahn Dietrich , Mertens Lutz , Weber Marcus , Mehring Michael , Spange Stefan
Published: August 2016

Nanostructured aniline formaldehyde resin/polysilazane hybrid materials are produced by twin polymerization of 2,2′‐spirobi[3,4‐dihydro‐1H‐1,3,2‐benzodiazasiline] (1). An alternative synthetic concept for similar hybrid materials, the apparent twin polymerization, is employed by using the combination of the deficient twin monomer tetrakis(phenylamino)silane (2) with hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA). Both processes for the synthesis of polysilazane hybrid materials occur under volatilization of byproducts such as ammonia or aromatic nitrogen compounds. The thermal properties of the twin monomer 1 and the combination of 2/HMTA, respectively, are investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. Aniline‐formaldehyde resin/polysilazane hybrid materials are characterized by solid state 13C‐ and 29Si‐NMR spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The inorganic network remains hydrolyzable and can be functionalized after polymerization at temperatures below 500 °C due to residuary reactive Si−N bonds. Thermal treatment at 1100 °C leads to the formation of amorphous Si/C/N hybrid materials.

image
Application of randomized response techniques for investigating cannabis use by Spanish university students
Authors: Cobo Beatriz , Rueda Mª Mar , López ‐Torrecillas Francisca
Published: August 2016

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in developed countries, and has a significant impact on mental and physical health in the general population. Although the evaluation of levels of substance use is difficult, a method such as the randomized response technique (RRT), which includes both a personal component and an assurance of confidentiality, provides a combination which can achieve a considerable degree of accuracy. Various RRT surveys have been conducted to measure the prevalence of drug use, but to date no studies have been made of the effectiveness of this approach in surveys with respect to quantitative variables related to drug use.

This paper describes a probabilistic, stratified sample of 1146 university students asking sensitive quantitative questions about cannabis use in Spanish universities, conducted using the RRT.

On comparing the results of the direct question (DQ) survey and those of the randomized response (RR) survey, we find that the number of cannabis cigarettes consumed during the past year (DQ = 3, RR = 17 approximately), and the number of days when consumption took place (DQ = 1, RR = 7) are much higher with RRT.

The advantages of RRT, reported previously and corroborated in our study, make it a useful method for investigating cannabis use. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Biomedical applications of electrospun polycaprolactone fiber mats
Authors: Suwantong Orawan
Published: August 2016

Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a biodegradable polyester emerging into biomedical applications because of its biodegradability, biocompatibility, chemical stability, thermal stability and good mechanical properties. Electrospinning is a versatile method using electrostatic forces for fabricating continuous ultrafine fibers that offer various advantages such as high surface area and high porosity. Thus, this method has gained interest for use in many fields, especially biomedical fields. This review focuses on researches and studies in electrospinning, PCL, electrospinning of PCL and also biomedical applications of the electrospun PCL fiber mats. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Imaging of congenital Zika virus infection: the route to identification of prognostic factors
Authors: Vouga Manon , Baud David
Published: August 2016

Zika virus (ZIKV) has recently emerged as a novel teratogenic agent associated with severe neurological complications. The risk associated with maternal infection remains to be exactly defined but appears to be significant. Like other TORCH agents (toxoplasmosis, other agents, rubella, cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex), it is unlikely that all affected fetuses will be symptomatic at birth. It is therefore urgent to better define the spectrum of anomalies observed in infected fetuses to provide adequate parental counseling. In this review, we provide a comprehensive analysis of major cases described to date and highlight specific prenatal and postnatal radiological findings of congenital ZIKV infection. A total of 19 reports were included in our analysis. ZIKV seemed to harbor a specific tropism for the central nervous system, and anomalies were mostly limited to the brain. Major radiological findings were ventriculomegaly, diffuse calcifications and signs of abnormal gyration as well as cortical development. In addition, a significant number of fetuses suffered from intra uterine growth restriction. Based on these findings, we provide recommendations for adequate radiological monitoring of at‐risk pregnancies. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modeling Variability in the Progression of Huntington's Disease A Novel Modeling Approach Applied to Structural Imaging Markers from TRACK‐HD
Authors: Warner JH , Sampaio C
Published: August 2016

We present a novel, general class of disease progression models for Huntington's disease (HD), a neurodegenerative disease caused by a cytosine‐adenine‐guanine (CAG) triplet repeat expansion on the huntingtin gene. Models are fit to a selection of structural imaging markers from the TRACK 36‐month database. The models are of mixed effects type and should be useful in predicting any continuous marker of HD state as a function of age and CAG length (the genetic factor that drives HD pathology). The effects of age and CAG length are modeled using flexible regression splines. Variability not accounted for by age, CAG length, or covariates is modeled using terms that represent measurement error, population variability (random slopes/intercepts), and variability due to the dynamics of the disease process (random walk terms). A Kalman filter is used to estimate variances of the random walk terms.
Optimal phase cloning machine in a three‐dimensional transmon qubit system
Authors: Lan Dong , Tan Xinsheng , Yu Haifeng , Yu Yang
Published: August 2016

In quantum mechanics, although the no‐cloning theorem forbids us to clone an arbitrary quantum state ideally, it is still possible to partially reproduce an unknown quantum state by using a phase cloning machine. Since the no‐cloning theorem guarantees the safety of quantum key distribution (QKD), resulting in the famous Bennett–Brassard 1984 (BB84) protocol, phase cloning of BB84 states increases the probability to eavesdrop the transmitted information between correspondents, forcing us to recheck the security of the QKD protocol. In this work, we realize an optimal phase cloning machine for BB84 states in a superconducting quantum bit (qubit). The lowest three energy levels in this system are exploited as logical qubits to demonstrate this cloning procedure. Two microwaves are used to prepare and clone the states. In order to achieve the maximum fidelity, we use the state tomography to readout the experimental results. It is found that the state information is well preserved during this cloning process. The average fidelity between input and output states is 83.92%, making this a valid quantum cloning machine.
Improving Hydrodynamic Modelling: an Analytical Framework for Assessment of Two‐Dimensional Hydrodynamic Models
Authors: Wright K. A. , Goodman D. H. , Som N. A. , Alvarez J. , Martin A. , Hardy T. B.
Published: August 2016

Two‐dimensional hydrodynamic models are increasingly common in riverine research and management. However, input data are not standardized among studies, and assessments of model performance are uncommon, which hinder interpretation of model results and comparisons among studies. Herein, we describe a framework for two‐dimensional hydrodynamic model input data collection, model calibration and validation to evaluate model predictions. We present a logical process for the validation of depth and velocity that recognizes the inherent spatial uncertainty in the field measurements and modelling results. The hydrodynamic model we present as an example shows agreement between predicted and observed water surface elevation, area of inundation and spatial distributions of depth and velocity at calibration and independent validation discharges. If this model development and assessment framework was adopted by others, it would allow comparison between studies and provide a foundation for establishing model performance standards. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High Efficiency Organic Solar Cells Achieved by the Simultaneous Plasmon‐Optical and Plasmon‐Electrical Effects from Plasmonic Asymmetric Modes of Gold Nanostars
Authors: Ren Xingang , Cheng Jiaqi , Zhang Shaoqing , Li Xinchen , Rao Tingke , Huo Lijun , Hou Jianhui , Choy Wallace C. H.
Published: August 2016

The plasmon‐optical effects have been utilized to optically enhance active layer absorption in organic solar cells (OSCs). The exploited plasmonic resonances of metal nanomaterials are typically from the fundamental dipole/high‐order modes with narrow spectral widths for regional OSC absorption improvement. The conventional broadband absorption enhancement (using plasmonic effects) needs linear‐superposition of plasmonic resonances. In this work, through strategic incorporation of gold nanostars (Au NSs) in between hole transport layer (HTL) and active layer, the excited plasmonic asymmetric modes offer a new approach toward broadband enhancement. Remarkably, the improvement is explained by energy transfer of plasmonic asymmetric modes of Au NS. In more detail, after incorporation of Au NSs, the optical power in electron transport layer transfers to active layer for improving OSC absorption, which otherwise will become dissipation or leakage as the role of carrier transport layer is not for photon‐absorption induced carrier generation. Moreover, Au NSs simultaneously deliver plasmon‐electrical effects which shorten transport path length of the typically low‐mobility holes and lengthen that of high‐mobility electrons for better balanced carrier collection. Meanwhile, the resistance of HTL is reduced by Au NSs. Consequently, power conversion efficiency of 10.5% has been achieved through cooperatively plasmon‐optical and plasmon‐electrical effects of Au NSs.
Comparison of antegrade and retrograde laparoscopic radical prostatectomy techniques
Authors: Tugcu Volkan , Sahin Selcuk , Resorlu Berkan , Yigitbasi Ismail , Yavuzsan Abdullah H. , Tasci Ali I.
Published: August 2016

We evaluated the effect of antegrade and retrograde approaches on functional recovery and surgical outcomes of extraperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP). We analyzed 135 patients who underwent extraperitoneal LRP, with the retrograde technique performed on 42 (31%; Group 1) and the antegrade technique on 93 (69%; Group 2). Both groups were statistically similar with respect to age, clinical stage, preoperative prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scores, prostate volume, and previous surgical history. Mean operative time was significantly longer in Group 1 (244 ± 18.3 vs. 203.3 ± 18.4 min, p < 0.001), whereas mean anastomosis times for both groups were similar (35.8 ± 7.2 vs. 34.7 ± 5.8 min, p = 0.155). Estimated blood loss and transfusion rates were significantly lower in Group 2. A significant difference was observed for both hospitalization (6.79 ± 3.3 vs. 5.46 ± 3.08 days, respectively; p = 0.026) and catheterization times (12.24 ± 2.1 vs. 11 ± 1.08 days, respectively; p = 0.001) for Group 2. The total complication rate was 47.6% in Group 1, and 11.8% in Group 2 (p < 0.01). Rates of positive surgical margins were 14.2% and 15% for Groups 1 and 2, respectively. At the 12‐month interval from operation, similar recoveries in urinary continence were obtained for both groups (81% in Group 1; 91% in Group 2). Upon comparison of the two LRP techniques, we found that both were effective; however, the latter resulted in lower minor complication rate, lower blood loss, shorter operation time, and shorter length of hospital stay.
Dynamics of ferrofluid drop deformations under spatially uniform magnetic fields
Authors: Rowghanian P. , Meinhart C. D. , Campàs O.
Published: August 2016

We systematically study the shape and dynamics of a Newtonian ferrofluid drop immersed in an immiscible, Newtonian and non-magnetic viscous fluid under the action of a uniform external magnetic field. We obtain the exact equilibrium drop shapes for arbitrary ferrofluids, characterize the extent of deviations of the exact shape from the commonly assumed ellipsoidal shape, and analyse the smoothness of highly curved tips in elongated drops. We also present a comprehensive study of drop deformation for a Langevin ferrofluid. Using a computational scheme that allows fast and accurate simulations of ferrofluid drop dynamics, we show that the dynamics of drop deformation by an applied magnetic field is described up to a numerical factor by the same time scale as drop relaxation in the absence of any magnetic field. The numerical factor depends on the ratio of viscosities and the ratio of magnetic to capillary stresses, but is independent of the nature of the ferrofluid in most practical cases.
The Richtmyer–Meshkov instability of a ‘V’ shaped air/ interface
Authors: Luo Xisheng , Dong Ping , Si Ting , Zhai Zhigang
Published: August 2016

The Richtmyer–Meshkov instability on a ‘V’ shaped air/SF$_{6}$ gaseous interface is experimentally studied in a shock tube. By the soap film technique, a discontinuous interface without supporting mesh is formed so that the initial conditions of the interface can be accurately controlled. Five ‘V’ shaped air/$\text{SF}_{6}$ interfaces with different vertex angles ($60^{\circ }$, $90^{\circ }$, $120^{\circ }$, $140^{\circ }$ and $160^{\circ }$) are created where the ratio of the initial interface amplitude to the wavelength varies to highlight the effects of initial condition on the flow characteristics. The wave patterns and interface morphologies are clearly identified in the high-speed schlieren sequences, which show that the interface deforms in a less pronounced manner with less vortices generated as the vertex angle increases. A regime change is observed in the interface width growth rate near a vertex angle of $160^{\circ }$, which provides an experimental evidence for the numerical results obtained by McFarland et al. (Phys. Scr. vol. T155, 2013, 014014). The growth rate of interface width in the linear phase is compared with the theoretical predictions from the classical impulsive model and a modified linear model, and the latter is proven to be effective for a moderate to large initial amplitude. It is found that the initial growth rate of the interface width is a non-monotone function of the initial vertex angle (amplitude–wavelength ratio), i.e. the interface width growth rate in the linear stage experiences an increase and then a decrease as the vertex angle increases. A similar conclusion was also reached by Dell et al. (Phys. Plasmas, vol. 22, 2015, 092711) numerically for a sinusoidal interface. Finally, the general behaviour of the interface width growth in the nonlinear stage can be well captured by the nonlinear model proposed by Dimonte & Ramaprabhu (Phys. Fluids, vol. 22, 2010, 014104).
Forced migration, citizenship, and space: the case of Syrian Kurdish refugees in İstanbul
Authors: Kılıçaslan Gülay
Published: August 2016

The influx of hundreds of thousands of people from Syria to Turkey, especially into major cities such as İstanbul, together with the Turkish government’s policies towards Syrian refugees, has led to various changes in urban spaces. This article has a twofold objective: it examines and discusses the everyday lives of these refugees with regards to the processes and mechanisms of their exclusion and inclusion in İstanbul, while employing a multiscalar analysis of migration in terms of combining nation-state policies of migration, citizenship, space, and the concept of the “right to the city.” Relying upon interviews and participant observation in the Kanarya and Bayramtepe neighborhoods of İstanbul between 2011 and 2015, I outline the ways in which Syrian Kurdish refugees have been actively transforming İstanbul’s peripheries through their interactions with the Kurds who were forcibly displaced from their rural homes in southeastern Turkey in the 1990s.
FRAMES IN HILBERT C*-MODULES AND MORITA EQUIVALENT C*-ALGEBRAS
Authors: AMINI MASSOUD , ASADI MOHAMMAD B. , ELLIOTT GEORGE A. , KHOSRAVI FATEMEH
Published: August 2016

We show that the property of a C*-algebra that all its Hilbert modules have a frame, in the case of σ-unital C*-algebras, is preserved under Rieffel–Morita equivalence. In particular, we show that a σ-unital continuous-trace C*-algebra with trivial Dixmier–Douady class, all of whose Hilbert modules admit a frame, has discrete spectrum. We also show this for the tensor product of any commutative C*-algebra with the C*-algebra of compact operators on any Hilbert space.
Hadda of Ḫalab and his temple in the Ebla period
Authors: Archi Alfonso
Published: August 2016

During the twenty-fourth century BC, Aleppo, centre of cult of the weather god Hadda, was administered by an overseer under the control of Ebla, whose major god was Kura. Although Hadda had a temple in Mari, the region of the Middle Euphrates was dominated by the cult of Dagan, while ʾAdabal was the god of the Orontes valley. The king and his family played a regular role in the rites of Hadda at Aleppo. Twice a year, a renewal rite required the replacement of his mace and pair of bull's horns. Besides the mace, a chariot and two bulls with human faces were attributed to this god, an iconography which lasted into subsequent centuries.
The Dogs of Ninkilim, part two: Babylonian rituals to counter field pests
Authors: George A. R. , Taniguchi Junko , Geller M. J.
Published: August 2016

This article presents editions of all the extant Babylonian incantations against field pests. The sources date to the first millennium BC and many have not been published before. They are mostly tablets of the Neo-Assyrian period, from Ashurbanipal's library at Nineveh, but the corpus also contains some Neo-Babylonian fragments from Nineveh, as well as a tablet from Sultantepe (ancient Huzirina) and two Late Babylonian tablets from southern Mesopotamia. Some of the pieces certainly belong to a series called in antiquityZu-buru-dabbeda“To Seize the Locust-Tooth”, a compendium of incantations and rituals designed to combat by magic means the destruction of crops by locusts, insect larvae and other pests; other pieces are parts of related and similar texts. Some of the rituals require the observation of the Goat-star rising above the eastern horizon, which suggests they were performed at night as a precautionary measure during the winter months of the barley-growing season.
Le rôle des symboles figurés attribués aux membres de la Cour de Sargon II: Des emblèmes créés par les lettrés du palais au service de l'idéologie royale
Authors: Niederreiter Zoltán
Published: August 2016

Les recherches récentes ont permis d'identifier certains symboles personnels des rois néo-assyriens. Parmi les figures emblématiques on trouve le lion et le taureau dont le rôle est primordial dans l'art et la poésie de la Cour pour symboliser le pouvoir du monarque. Il est évident que le scorpion, symbole des reines, donc du harem royal, est à mettre en parallèle avec le lion et le taureau, symboles des rois. Il reste à savoir si d'autres symboles ont été attribués aux membres de la Cour.

Cet article porte, en premier lieu, sur les figures symboliques de la maison royale et en identifie deux nouvelles, le symbole en forme d'oméga et le dromadaire, qui sont associés à Sîn-ah-uṣur, le frère favori et grand vizir de Sargon II. Notre interprétation essaye de prouver que les symboles figurés reconnus sur les briques à empreinte et les sceaux provenant de Dûr-Šarrukîn et de Kalhu ont permis d'identifier les symboles de dignitaires. Ces figures constituaient l'emblème ou la marque de propriété des membres de la maison royale (le roi, son épouse et son frère) et des dignitaires de la Cour. Tout cela permet d'interpréter de nouveau les figures symboliques dont l'importance apparaît de premier ordre dans l'idéologie royale à la Cour de Sargon II.
Assyrian high-relief bricks from Nineveh and the fragments of a royal name
Authors: Nadali Davide
Published: August 2016

During the excavations in Nineveh carried out by R. Campbell Thompson on behalf of the British Museum in the years 1929 to 1932, many glazed Assyrian bricks were recovered and partly published in the excavation reports. Bricks were found in the years 1927–8 and 1929–30, respectively, when the Temple of Nabu and the so-called Palace of Assurnasirpal II were being excavated. Bricks were said to have come from the South-East area of the Temple of Nabu, where the excavators thought they had found the palace of King Assurnasirpal II. Actually, as recognised then by Thompson himself, the area between the temples of Nabu and Ishtar, where the palace of Assurnasirpal was thought to be, is characterised by later installations that reused Assyrian materials and structures (Fig. 1a–b). Confusion is due to the frequent presence of the wordé.gal(“palace”) at the beginning of the inscription that was stamped onto the bricks. However, the wordé.galprobably does not refer to a palace proper, but was used as a production mark: the brick was produced by and/or within the administrative structure (“palace”) of the Assyrian king, whose name usually follows the wordé.gal(“palace” of + Assyrian king's name), independently from its final location or use either for a palace or a temple.

Thus, as reconstructed by Julian Reade, the Temple of Ishtar should be considered the likely source for the Assyrian materials found when excavating the South-East quadrant in the years 1927–8 and 1929–30, although the Temple of Nabu itself cannota prioribe totally excluded.
Pre-trial negotiations: The Case of the run-away slave inDar. 53
Authors: Magdalene F. Rachel , Wells Bruce , Wunsch Cornelia
Published: August 2016

The study of ancient Near Eastern trial procedure has a long history, and the judicial systems of several periods have been investigated in detail. What remains lacking is a thorough and systematic treatment of the trial law and procedure from the Neo-Babylonian and Persian periods, though numerous legal texts have been studied. Recently two dissertations by F. R. Magdalene and S. E. Holtz have described the adjudicative process from the bringing of charges by an accuser through various stages and actions, including the taking of witness statements, interrogation, the examination of physical evidence, courts' demands for further evidence, summonses, and the issuing of conditional and final verdicts. Both also provide a basis for further investigation of this southern Mesopotamian legal system, which seems to have followed longstanding traditions but also contains indications of new developments.

While both studies examine several hundred trial-related documents, one particular text that has been the subject of interpretation since the late nineteenth century receives scant attention. The document in question isDar.53. A close analysis of its text raises significant questions with regard to a particular aspect of trial procedure during the Neo-Babylonian and Persian periods. The text has never been satisfactorily treated, and recent references to it in scholarly literature in fact have led to erroneous conclusions about what it reveals in general, and regarding law and procedure in particular. Despite a consistent belief that the text records a trial,Dar.53 actually arises from pre-trial demands and the resulting negotiations.
Sargonic dinner at Kaneš: The Old Assyrian Sargon legend
Authors: Alster Bendt , Oshima Takayoshi
Published: August 2016

A very unusual literary tablet, Kt. j/k 97 from Kültepe, was published by C. Günbattı in 1997. It is inscribed with what already the first editor described as an Old Assyrian version of legends about Sargon. Since then the tablet has caused a good deal of discussion. Translations or editions have been made by M. Van De Mieroop (2000), K. Hecker (2001), B. Foster (2002, 2005), A. Cavigneaux (2005), and J. G. Dercksen (2005). These studies represent extremely different approaches: Hecker takes the text at face value and reads it as a laudatory royal inscription, whereas others see it as a kind of parody of inscriptions or legends about Sargon (Van De Mieroop 2000; Foster 2002, 2005), inspired by Mario Liverani. Dercksen (2005: 108) goes to the opposite extreme, stating that the “supposedly literary character of the text can be ignored, as this modern concept was alien to OA society”. He sees the text as “not a parody”, but instead as having “functioned to extol Sargon of Akkad duringkispumcelebrations that were part of the official cult of Assur”. Cavigneaux's study suggests a middle way between these extremes.

The tablet was found — and probably written — in Anatolia within the community of Assyrian merchants living abroad in Kaneš, on a tablet that looks very much like a normal business letter. It was excavated in 1958 in the house of Aḫ-šalim, an ordinary merchant, from whose house a number of other texts have been published. It alludes to the legendSargon King of Battle, in which, following M. Liverani (1993: 52–6), Cavigneaux understands an expedition of Sargon to Anatolia, aided by the merchants of Purušḫaddum, as in fact referring to the Old Assyrian colonization in Anatolia. Cavigneaux further suggests what kind of situation lies behind our text (2005: 596): “Le nouveau texte … suggère de manière très concrète que les marchands assyriens berçaient leurs soirées au coin de la cheminée, au long des hivers anatoliens, d'histoires dont les rois d'Akkad étaient les héros”. He sees the text as anunicum, with hardly any chances of ever finding a duplicate (p. 597).