bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The road toward a full, high resolution Molecular Cloud catalog of the Galaxy
Authors: Colombo Dario , Rosolowsky Erik , Ginsburg Adam , Duarte-Cabral Ana , Hughes Annie
Published: September 2016

The statistical description of Giant Molecular Cloud (GMC) properties relies heavily on the performance of automatic identification algorithms, which are often seriously affected by the survey design. The algorithm we designed, SCIMES (Spectral Clustering for Molecular Emission Segmentation), is able to overcome some of these limitations by considering the cloud segmentation problem in the broad framework of the graph theory. The application of the code on the CO(3-2) High Resolution Survey (COHRS) data allowed for a robust decomposition of more than 12,000 objects in the Galactic Plane. Together with the wealth of Galactic Plane surveys of the recent years, this approach will help to open the door to a future, systematic cataloging of all discrete molecular features of our own Galaxy.
Universal Accretion Growth Using Sandpile Models
Authors: Datta Srabani , Spencer Ralph , McKie Shane
Published: September 2016

The Bak Tang Weisenfeld (BTW) sandpile process is a model of a complex dynamical system with a large collection of particles or grains in a node that sheds load to their neighbours when they reach capacity. The cascades move around the system till it reaches stability with a critical point as an attractor. The BTW growth process shows self-organized criticality (SOC) with power- law distribution in cascade sizes having slope -5/3. This self-similarity of structure is synonymous with the fractal structure found in molecular clouds of Kolmogorov dimension 1.67 and by treating cascades as waves, scaling functions are found to be analogous to those observed for velocity structure functions in fluid turbulence. In this paper, we show that this is a naturally occuring universal process giving rise to scale - free structures with size limited only by the number of infalling grains. We also compare the BTW process with other sandpile models such as the Manna and Zhang processes. We find that the BTW sandpile model can be applied to a wide range of objects including molecular clouds, accretion disks and perhaps galaxies.
Resolved star formation relations at high redshift from the IRAM PHIBSS program
Authors: Freundlich Jonathan , Combes Françoise , Tacconi Linda , Cooper Michael , Genzel Reinhard , Neri Roberto ,   the PHIBSS consortium
Published: September 2016

Observed massive galaxies in the distant Universe form stars at much higher rates than today. High levels of star formation are sustained by a continuous supply of fresh gas and high molecular gas fractions. But after a peak around redshift z=2-3, the star formation rate decreases by an order of magnitude. Is this evolution mostly driven by the available cold gas reservoir, or are the star formation processes qualitatively different near the star formation peak? The Kennicutt-Schmidt relation enables to characterize the star formation efficiency at low and high redshift, but resolved measurements at the scale of the star-forming regions themselves are still challenging at high redshift. Molecular gas observations carried out at the IRAM Plateau de Bure interferometer within the PHIBSS program (Tacconi, Combes et al.) permit us to study the star formation efficiency at sub-galactic scales around z=1.2 and 1.5 for a limited sample of galaxies, and thus help characterize the star formation processes at this epoch. Our results lay in the continuation of the resolved low-redshift measurements, but further studies would be necessary to complement our sample and validate our conclusions.
Birthing star forming clouds in the grand design
Authors: Fujimoto Yusuke , Tasker Elizabeth J. , Bryan Greg L. , Habe Asao
Published: September 2016

We performed high resolution 3D hydrodynamical simulations of the barred galaxy M83 and investigated formation and evolution of the giant molecular clouds (GMCs) and star formation activity. We compared two simulations with and without stellar feedback. We found that the feedback disperses the cloud gas and causes clouds to inflow toward the galactic centre region due to hydrodynamical drag. The effect raises the star formation rate (SFR) and star formation efficiency (SFE) in the central bar region.
Mid-IR Imaging of Orion BN/KL: Modeling of Physical Conditions and Energy Balance
Authors: Gezari Daniel , Varosi Frank , Dwek Eli , Danchi William , Tan Jonathan , Okumura Shin-ichiro
Published: September 2016

We have modeled two mid-infrared imaging photometry data sets to determine the spatial distribution of physical conditions in the BN/KL infrared complex. We observed the BN/KL region using the 10-m Keck I telescope and the LWS in the direct imaging mode, over a 13” × 19” field (Figure 1, left). We also modeled images obtained with COMICS (Kataza et al. 2000) at the 8.2-m SUBARU telescope, over a total field of view is 31” × 41” (Figure 1, right), in a total of nine bands: 7.8, 8.8, 9.7, 10.5, 11.7, 12.4, 18.5, 20.8 and 24.8 μm with ~1 μm bandwidth interference filters.
Intensity ratios for XDR/PDR identification
Authors: Green C.-E. , Cunningham M. R. , Green J. A. , Dawson J. R. , Jones P. A. , López-Sánchez Á. R. , Verdes-Montenegro L. , Henkel C. , Baan W. A. , Martín S.
Published: September 2016

The intensity ratios of HCO+/HCN and HNC/HCN (1-0) reveal the relative influence of star formation and active galactic nuclei (AGN) or black holes on the circum-nuclear gas of a galaxy, allowing the identification of X-ray dominated regions (XDRs) and Photon-dominated regions (PDRs). It is not always clear in the literature how this intensity ratio calculation has been, or should be performed. This paper discusses ratio calculation methods for interferometric data.
The First Proto-Brown Dwarf Binary Candidate Identified through Dynamics of Jets
Authors: Hsieh Tien-Hao , Lai Shih-Ping , Belloche Arnaud , Wyrowski Friedrich
Published: September 2016

The formation mechanism of brown dwarfs (BDs) is one of the long-standing problems in star formation because the typical Jeans mass in molecular clouds is too large to form these substellar objects. To answer this question, it is crucial to study a BD at the embedded phase (proto-brown dwarf). IRAS16253 is classified as a Very Low Luminosity Object (VeLLO, Lint < 0.1L⊙), which is considered as a proto-brown dwarf candidate. We use the IRAM 30m, APEX telescopes and the SMA to probe the molecular jet/outflow driven by IRAS 16253 in CO (2–1), (6–5), and (7–6) and study its dynamical features and physical properties. We detect a wiggling pattern in the position-velocity diagrams of the jets. Assuming that this pattern is due to the orbital motion of a binary system, we obtain the current mass of the binary is ~0.026 M⊙. Together with the low parent core mass, IRAS16253 will likely form one or two proto-BD in the future. This is the first time that the current mass of a proto-BD binary system is identified through the dynamics of the jets. Since IRAS16253 is located in an isolated environment, we suggest that BDs can form through fragmentation and collapse like low mass stars.
Hydrocarbons in Massive Star Forming Regions: C2H Observations
Authors: Jiang Xue-Jian , Gao Yu
Published: September 2016

In order to better understand the chemical conditions and evolutionary properties of massive star-forming regions, and to explore the physical and chemical behavior of simple hydrocarbon molecules, we have used telescopes such as CSO, JCMT, CARMA and SMA, to map the multi-transitions of C2H and HC3N. The column densities and abundances are compared with chemical models to gain some diagnostic of the environment of the regions.
Star Formation in Nuclear Rings of Barred-Spiral Galaxies
Authors: Kim Woong-Tae , Seo Woo-Young
Published: September 2016

We study star formation occurring in nuclear rings of barred-spiral galaxies by using hydrodynamic simulations with the prescriptions of star formation and feedback included. In models without spiral arms, the star formation rate (SFR) in a ring exhibits a strong primary burst at early time and declines to small values at late time. The early burst is caused by a rapid gas infall due to the bar growth, consuming most of the gas inside the bar regions. On the other hand, models with spiral arms show multiple starburst activities at late time caused by arm-induced gas inflows, provided that the arm pattern speed is slower than that of the bar. The SFR in models with spirals is larger by a factor of ~ 1.4–4.0 than that in the bar-only models, with larger values corresponding to stronger and slower arms. In all models, young star clusters in nuclear ring show an azimuthal age gradient only when the SFR is small, such that younger clusters tend to locate closer to the contact points between the ring and dust lanes.
Spectroscopic Observations of Hundreds of Star Formation Regions in M33
Authors: Kong Xu , Hu Ning , Cheng Fuzhen
Published: September 2016

Star-formation regions in nearby galaxies provide an excellent laboratory to study star formation processes, evolution of massive stars and the properties of the surrounding interstellar medium. A wealth of information can be obtained from their spectral analysis of the emission lines and the stellar continuum. Considering these, we proposed a long-term project “Spectroscopic Observations of the Star Formation Regions in Nearby Galaxies”. The primary goal of this project is to observe spectroscopy of star formation regions in 20 nearby galaxies, with the NAOC 2.16 m telescope and the Hectospec/MMT multifiber spectrograph. With the spectra of a large sample of star formation regions, combining multi-wavelength data from UV to IR, we can investigate, understand and quantify the dust extinction, star formation rate, metal abundance, and the two-dimensional distributions of stellar population properties of nearby galaxies. It will be important for a better understanding of galaxy formation. Here we report on the observations, data reduction, and analysis of the spectra of ~ 400 star formation regions in M33, via multifiber spectroscopy with Hectospec at the MMT.
The connection between prestellar cores and filaments in the Aquila molecular cloud complex
Authors: Könyves Vera , André Philippe
Published: September 2016

One of the main scientific goals of the Herschel Gould Belt survey is to elucidate the physical mechanisms responsible for the formation and evolution of prestellar cores in molecular clouds. In the ~11 deg2 field of Aquila imaged with Herschel/PACS-SPIRE at 70–500 μm, we have identified a complete sample of 651 starless cores, 446 of them are gravitationally-bound candidate prestellar cores. Our Herschel observations also provide an unprecedented census of filaments in the Aquila cloud and suggest an intimate connection between these filaments and the formation process of prestellar cores. Indeed, a strong correlation is found between their spatial distributions. These Herschel findings support a filamentary paradigm for the early stages of star formation, where the cores result from the gravitational fragmentation of the densest filaments.
FeLoBAL quasars: evolution, orientation or just oddBALs?
Authors: Lawther Daniel , Vestergaard Marianne , Fan Xiaohui
Published: September 2016

FeLoBAL quasars may be an early evolutionary stage of merger-triggered quasar activity. We test this hypothesis using HST imaging of four FeLoBAL quasars. The host galaxy colors are consistent with early-type quiescent galaxies or heavily-obscured starbursts.
Nature of highly extended CS(J=7-6) emission around low-mass protostar L483
Authors: Leung Gigi , Lim Jeremy , Takakuwa Shigehisa
Published: September 2016

Single-dish observations in CS(J=7-6) using the Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment (ASTE) reveal emission extending out to thousands of AU from low-mass protostars, much larger than is expected based on simple models for their envelopes. Hypotheses for this emission invoke gas dispersed from the envelope surfaces facing the bipolar outflow cavities. Here, we combine interferometric data from the Submillimeter Array (SMA) with the previous single-dish data from ASTE for the low-mass protostar L483 to study the spatial-kinematic structure of its CS(J=7-6) emission on projected scales ≳600 AU. In addition to providing more detailed information for the extended component, our combined maps reveal a compact central component in CS(J=7-6) having a steeper velocity gradient. Both the compact and extended components exhibit a velocity gradient in the opposite sense to that of a bipolar molecular outflow traced in CO(J=2-1). Finding that previous models make a number of wrong predictions for the observed features, we propose that both CS(J=7-6) components are produced by rotating and infalling gas along the envelope surfaces exposed by the bipolar outflow and therefore subjected to stellar irradiation and outflow compression.
Polarized thermal dust emission as seen by Planck : A comparison with MHD simulations and lessons from a toy model
Authors: Levrier F. ,   on behalf of the Planck collaboration, Neveu J.
Published: September 2016

The Planck satellite has mapped the polarized microwave sky (from 30 GHz to 353 GHz) with unprecedented sensitivity and angular resolution. This wealth of data yields the first complete map of polarized thermal emission from dust in our own Galaxy, shedding new light on the formation of dense cold structures within which new stars and planetary systems are born, under the combined effects of gravity, turbulence and magnetic fields. We present a statistical analysis of this polarized emission from nearby molecular clouds, with an emphasis on the evolution of the maximum polarization fraction observed as a function of column density, and on the anti-correlation between the polarization fraction and the local dispersion of polarization angles. To interpret this data, numerical simulations of anisotropic MHD turbulence underline the essential role played by the topology of the interstellar magnetic field, in particular its large-scale component. As an extension to this work published in Planck Intermediate Results XX (A&A, 576, 105, 2015), the statistical properties of the random component of the interstellar magnetic field are explored using a toy model based on fractional Brownian motion (fBm) fields.
Protostellar chemistry dominated by external irradiation
Authors: Lindberg Johan E. , Charnley Steven B. , Jørgensen Jes K. , Watanabe Yoshimasa , Bisschop Suzanne E. , Sakai Nami , Yamamoto Satoshi
Published: September 2016

Submillimetre observations of externally irradiated low-mass protostellar envelopes show that the gas temperature in the envelopes is dominated by the external irradiation. Detailed studies of the protostar IRS7B in Corona Australis also show that the chemistry is strongly affected by the irradiation, depleting the abundances of complex organic molecules.
Hot gas in the center of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 3079
Authors: Miyamoto Yusuke , Nakai Naomasa , Seta Masumichi , Salak Dragan , Nagai Makoto , Ishii Shun , Yamauchi Aya
Published: September 2016

The nearby (d = 19.7 Mpc) Seyfert galaxy NGC 3079 exhibits a prominent bubble emerging from the nucleus. In order to investigate the nuclear power source, we carried out ammonia observations toward the center of NGC 3079 with the Tsukuba 32-m telescope and the JVLA. The NH3 (J,K) = (1, 1) through (6, 6) lines were detected in absorption at the center of NGC 3079 with the JVLA, although the profile of NH3 (3, 3) was in emission in contrast to the other transitions. All ammonia absorption lines have two distinct velocity components: one is at the systemic velocity (Vsys ~ 1116 km s−1) and the other is blueshifted (Vsys ~ 1020 km s−1), and both components are aligned along the nuclear jets. The blueshifted NH3 (3, 3) emission can be regarded as ammonia masers associated with shocks by strong winds probably from newly formed massive stars or supernova explosions in the nuclear megamaser disk. The derived rotational temperature, Trot = 120 ± 12 K for the systemic component and Trot = 157 ± 19 K for the blueshifted component, and fractional abundance of NH3 relative to molecular hydrogen H2 are higher than those in other galaxies reported. The high temperature environment at the center may be mainly attributed to heating by the nuclear jets.
Environmental Effects on the ISM and Star Formation Properties of Nearby Spiral Galaxies
Authors: Mok Angus , Wilson Christine
Published: September 2016

We studied molecular gas properties in a sample of 98 Hi - flux selected spiral galaxies within ~ 25 Mpc using the CO J = 3 − 2 line, observed with the JCMT, and subdivided into isolated, group, and Virgo subsamples. We find a larger mean H2 mass in the Virgo galaxies compared to group galaxies, despite their lower mean Hi mass. Combining our data with complementary Hα star formation rate measurements, Virgo galaxies have a longer molecular gas depletion times compared to group galaxies, perhaps due to heating processes in the cluster environment or differences in the turbulent pressure.
The Planck Catalogue of Galactic Cold Clumps : PGCC
Authors: Montier L.
Published: September 2016

The Planck satellite has provided an unprecedented view of the submm sky, allowing us to search for the dust emission of Galactic cold sources. Combining Planck-HFI all-sky maps in the high frequency channels with the IRAS map at 100um, we built the Planck catalogue of Galactic Cold Clumps (PGCC, Planck 2015 results. XXVIII), counting 13188 sources distributed over the whole sky, and following mainly the Galactic structures at low and intermediate latitudes. This is the first all-sky catalogue of Galactic cold sources obtained with a single instrument at this resolution and sensitivity, which opens a new window on star-formation processes in our Galaxy.
Nobeyama 45m CO Galactic Plane Survey: Filament properties and star formation in M17
Authors: Nishimura Atsushi , Umemoto Tomofumi , Minamidani Tetsuhiro , Kuno Nario , Tosaki Tomoka , Fujita Shinji , Matsuo Mitsuhiro , Tsuda Yuya , Ohashi Satoshi ,   NRO-GPS team
Published: September 2016

We present the 12CO J=1–0, 13CO J=1–0, and C18O J=1–0 maps of the M17 giant molecular clouds (GMCs) obtained as a part of the Nobeyama 45m CO Galactic Plane Survey. The observations cover the entire area of M17 SW and M17 N clouds at an angular resolution of ~ 15″ which corresponds to ~ 0.15 pc. We found that the N cloud consists of a couple of twisted filaments, they are extended in parallel toward the Hii region. The typicall width of the filaments is ~0.5 pc in 13CO intensity map. Most of young stellar objects (YSOs) are located on the filaments which have a bright rim structure in 8μm at the filament edge facing the Hii region. Furthermore, the time scale of the YSOs formation on the bright rim is comparable with that of NGC 6618 cluster which provides UV photons for the region. This fact indicates that the cluster triggered to form YSOs in N cloud. We also investigated the geometry of the Hii region and GMCs by comparing spatial distribution of 12CO velocity channel map and infrared dark cloud, and then found that NGC 6618 is possibly formed by the cloud cloud colision.
Massive pre-main sequence stars in M17
Authors: Ramirez-Tannus Maria C. , Kaper Lex , Ochsendorf Bram B. , Ellerbroek Lucas E.
Published: September 2016

We have obtained optical to near-infrared (300-2500 nm) VLT/X-shooter spectra of six candidate mYSOs, deeply embedded in the massive star forming region M17. These mYSO candidates have been identified based on their infrared excess and spectral features (double-peaked emission lines, CO band-head emission) indicating the presence of a disk (Hanson et al. 1997). In most cases, we detect a photospheric spectrum allowing us to measure the physical properties of the mYSOs and to confirm their PMS nature.
Mid-Infrared Enhanced Lenticulars caught in the dusty midst of transformation in the Coma Cluster
Authors: Riguccini Laurie , Temi Pasquale , Amblard Alexandre , Fanelli Michael
Published: September 2016

We explore the properties of early-type galaxies (ETGs) in rich environments such as clusters of galaxies. The L24/LK distribution of ETGs in both Virgo and Coma clusters shows that some lenticulars (S0, 10 in Coma and 3 in Virgo) have a much larger L24/LK ratio (0.5 to ~2 dex) than the bulk of the ETG population. We call these sources Mid-Infrared Enhanced Galaxies (MIEGs). In Coma, they are mostly located in the South-West part of the cluster where a substructure is falling onto the main cluster. MIEGs present lower g-r color than the rest of the ETGs, because of a blue continuum. We interpret the excess L24/LK ratio as evidence for an enhanced star-formation induced as a consequence of their infall into the main cluster.
SFR and Abundances of Nearby Galaxies
Authors: Takamiya Marianne , Berke Daniel , Bremer Forrest , Jones Casey , Poquet Guillaume
Published: September 2016

We present star formation rates and nebular abundances of 59 different star-forming regions in 16 nearby galaxies. The star-forming regions were selected to be bright in Hα and were observed with the SNIFS integral field spectrograph on the UH 2.2m telescope. The spectra span the wavelength range between 3200Å and 1μm. We find that the local star formation rates depend on the local abundances in that low SFRs show a dependence but high SFR appear insensitive to it.
Atlas of low-mass young stellar object disks from mid-infrared interferometry
Authors: Varga J. , Ábrahám P. , Ratzka Th. , Menu J. , Gabányi K. , Kóspál Á. , van Boekel R. , Mosoni L. , Henning Th.
Published: September 2016

We present our approach of visibility modeling of disks around low-mass (< 2 M⊙) young stellar objects (YSOs). We compiled an atlas based on mid-infrared interferometric observations from the MIDI instrument at the VLTI. We use three different models to fit the data. These models allow us to determine overall sizes (and the extent of the inner gaps) of the modeled circumstellar disks.
Herschel Footprint Database and Service
Authors: Varga-Verebélyi E. , Dobos L. , Budavári T. , Kiss Cs.
Published: September 2016

We created the Herschel1 Footprint Database and web services for the Herschel Space Observatory imaging data. For this database we set up a unified data model for the PACS and SPIRE Herschel instruments, from the pointing and header information of each observation, generated and stored sky coverages (footprints) of the observations in their exact geometric form. With this tool we extend the capabilities of the Herschel Science Archive by providing an effective search tool that is able to find observations for selected sky locations (objects), or even in larger areas in the sky.
How surface density of galaxy disks affects metallicity? Outflow and Accretion
Authors: Wu Po-Feng , Kudritzki Rolf-Peter , Tully R. Brent , Neill J. D.
Published: September 2016

In this study, we examine the effect of surface density of disks on chemical evolution of galaxies. We find that, higher surface brightness galaxies on average possess higher gas-phase metallicity compared to lower surface brightness galaxies with the same stellar and gas mass. The surface brightness effect is more significant for low-mass galaxies. Using an analytical model of chemical evolution involving gas outflow and accretion, we find that the surface brightness dependence can be attributed to the strength of inflowing pristine gas. Galaxies with lower surface brightness experience stronger inflow than galaxies with a higher surface brightness of a similar mass.
Ethik als Schutzbereich – Wissen, Haltung, Handlung
Authors: Schnell Martin W. , Seidlein Anna-Henrikje
Published: September 2016

Zusammenfassung. Moralische Beurteilungen von Handlungsweisen sind von Mitgliedern interprofessioneller Teams bei der täglichen Sorge um hilfebedürftige Menschen nicht selten zu hören. Dabei ist nicht alles, was von den professionellen Helfern gut gemeint ist, aus der Perspektive des Betroffenen und der ethischen Perspektive angemessen. Prävention unreflektierten Handelns und ein Umlernen sind deshalb ein wesentliches Ziel ethischer Bildung.
Lebensqualität trotz Demenz?
Authors: Schmidt Karina
Published: September 2016

Zusammenfassung. Eine Studie untersucht die Anwendung der Selbsterhaltungstherapie (SET) im Altenpflegeheim am Beispiel eines Standards zum Umgang mit belastendem bzw. gefährdendem Verhalten und Erleben. Dabei zeigt sich das Konzept als praktikabel und effektiv: Belastungen bzw. Gefährdungen der Demenzkranken bzw. des sozialen Umfelds lassen sich reduzieren, wodurch die Lebensqualität aller Betroffenen verbessert werden kann.
Proteolytic inactivation of nuclear alarmin high-mobility group box 1 by complement protease C1s during apoptosis
Authors: Yeo J G , Leong J , Arkachaisri T , Cai Y , Teo B H D , Tan J H T , Das L , Lu J
Published: September 2016

Effective clearance of apoptotic cells by phagocytes prevents the release of intracellular alarmins and manifestation of autoimmunity. This prompt efferocytosis is complemented by intracellular proteolytic degradation that occurs within the apoptotic cells and in the efferosome of the phagocytes. Although the role of extracellular proteases in apoptotic cells clearance is unknown, the strong association of congenital C1s deficiency with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus highlights the protective nature that this extracellular protease has against autoimmunity. The archetypical role of serine protease C1s as the catalytic arm of C1 complex (C1qC1r2C1s2) involve in the propagation of the classical complement pathway could not provide the biological basis for this association. However, a recent observation of the ability of C1 complex to cleave a spectrum of intracellular cryptic targets exposed during apoptosis provides a valuable insight to the underlying protective mechanism. High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), an intracellular alarmin that is capable of inducing the formation of antinuclear autoantibodies and causes lupus-like conditions in mice, is identified as a novel potential target by bioinformatics analysis. This is verified experimentally with C1s, both in its purified and physiological form as C1 complex, cleaving HMGB1 into defined fragments of 19 and 12 kDa. This cleavage diminishes HMGB1 ability to enhance lipopolysaccharide mediated pro-inflammatory cytokines production from monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells. Further mass spectrometric analysis of the C1 complex treated apoptotic cellular proteins demonstrated additional C1s substrates and revealed the complementary role of C1s in apoptotic cells clearance through the proteolytic cleavage of intracellular alarmins and autoantigens. C1 complex may have evolved as, besides the bacteriolytic arm of antibodies in which it activates the complement cascade, a tissue renewal mechanism that reduces the immunogenicity of apoptotic tissue debris and decreases the likelihood of autoimmunity.
Impaired activation of ALS monocytes by exosomes
Authors: Zondler Lisa , Feiler Marisa S , Freischmidt Axel , Ruf Wolfgang P , Ludolph Albert C , Danzer Karin M , Weishaupt Jochen H
Published: September 2016

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal and progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting predominantly motor neurons in the spinal cord and motor cortex. Neurodegeneration in ALS is accompanied by a well‐characterized neuroinflammatory reaction within the central nervous system and, as described more recently, cells of the peripheral immune system. Particularly monocytes have been implicated in ALS pathogenesis. Exosomes are membrane‐enclosed vesicles secreted by various cell types with a diameter of 50–150 nm. Circulating blood exosomes have been shown to be important mediators and regulators of immunity. Therefore, we hypothesize that circulating blood exosomes are putative mediators of monocytic deregulation in ALS. Here we characterize exosomal uptake and the respective immunological reaction of peripheral monocytes from ALS patients and healthy donors using both serum‐derived exosomes and TDP‐43‐loaded exosomes produced in cell culture. We found the pro‐inflammatory cytokine secretion by ALS monocytes upon exosomal stimulation to be impaired compared with control monocytes. Moreover, we demonstrate that exosomal TDP‐43 induces increased monocytic activation compared with non‐aggregation‐prone cargo. Therefore, this study underlines the functional deregulation of ALS monocytes and the impact of circulating blood exosomes on monocyte activation.
Correction: Corrigendum: Highly selective plasma-activated copper catalysts for carbon dioxide reduction to ethylene
Authors: Mistry Hemma , Varela Ana Sofia , Bonifacio Cecile S. , Zegkinoglou Ioannis , Sinev Ilya , Choi Yong-Wook , Kisslinger Kim , Stach Eric A. , Yang Judith C. , Strasser Peter , Cuenya Beatriz Roldan
Published: September 2016

Nature Communications 7 Article number: 12123 (2016); Published 30 June 2016; Updated 12 September 2016 An incorrect version of the Supplementary Information was inadvertently published with this Article in which the image for Supplementary Fig. 7 was missing. The Article has now been updated to include the correct version of the Supplementary Information.
ZEB1 induces EPB41L5 in the cancer mesenchymal program that drives ARF6-based invasion, metastasis and drug resistance
Authors: Hashimoto A , Hashimoto S , Sugino H , Yoshikawa A , Onodera Y , Handa H , Oikawa T , Sabe H
Published: September 2016

Onset of the cancer mesenchymal program is closely associated with cancer malignancy and drug resistance. Among the different epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated transcriptional factors, ZEB1 has a key role in inducing the mesenchymal phenotypes and stem cell-like properties of different breast cancer cells. ARF6 and its effector AMAP1 are frequently overexpressed in breast cancer cells, and promote invasion, metastasis and drug resistance. EPB41L5 is induced during EMT, and mediates the disruption of E-cadherin-based cell–cell adhesion and the promotion of focal adhesion dynamics. Here we show that EPB41L5 is an integral component of the ARF6-based pathway, which is induced by ZEB1. We found that EPB41L5 is expressed at high levels in malignant breast cancer cells and binds to AMAP1. ZEB1 induced EPB41L5 both in cancer cells and normal cells. This relationship was recaptured with The Cancer Genome Atlas RNASeq data set, and correlated with the poor outcome of the patients. In contrast, diversified events, such as tumor growth factor β1 stimulation, expression of SNAI1 and TP53 mutation, can each cause the induction of ZEB1 and EPB41L5, depending on the cellular context. Our results demonstrated that the ZEB1-EPB41L5 axis is at the core of the cancer mesenchymal program that drives ARF6-based invasion, metastasis and drug resistance of significant populations of primary breast cancers, and is tightly correlated with the poor outcomes of patients.
Sequence variation between 462 human individuals fine-tunes functional sites of RNA processing
Authors: Ferreira Pedro G. , Oti Martin , Barann Matthias , Wieland Thomas , Ezquina Suzana , Friedländer Marc R. , Rivas Manuel A. , Esteve-Codina Anna ,   The GEUVADIS Consortium, Estivill Xavier , Guigó Roderic , Dermitzakis Emmanouil , Antonarakis Stylianos , Meitinger Thomas , Strom Tim M , Palotie Aarno , François Deleuze Jean , Sudbrak Ralf , Lerach Hans , Gut Ivo , Syvänen Ann-Christine , Gyllensten Ulf , Schreiber Stefan , Rosenstiel Philip , Brunner Han , Veltman Joris , Hoen Peter A.C.T , Jan van Ommen Gert , Carracedo Angel , Brazma Alvis , Flicek Paul , Cambon-Thomsen Anne , Mangion Jonathan , Bentley David , Hamosh Ada , Rosenstiel Philip , Strom Tim M , Lappalainen Tuuli , Guigó Roderic , Sammeth Michael
Published: September 2016

Recent advances in the cost-efficiency of sequencing technologies enabled the combined DNA- and RNA-sequencing of human individuals at the population-scale, making genome-wide investigations of the inter-individual genetic impact on gene expression viable. Employing mRNA-sequencing data from the Geuvadis Project and genome sequencing data from the 1000 Genomes Project we show that the computational analysis of DNA sequences around splice sites and poly-A signals is able to explain several observations in the phenotype data. In contrast to widespread assessments of statistically significant associations between DNA polymorphisms and quantitative traits, we developed a computational tool to pinpoint the molecular mechanisms by which genetic markers drive variation in RNA-processing, cataloguing and classifying alleles that change the affinity of core RNA elements to their recognizing factors. The in silico models we employ further suggest RNA editing can moonlight as a splicing-modulator, albeit less frequently than genomic sequence diversity. Beyond existing annotations, we demonstrate that the ultra-high resolution of RNA-Seq combined from 462 individuals also provides evidence for thousands of bona fide novel elements of RNA processing—alternative splice sites, introns and cleavage sites—which are often rare and lowly expressed but in other characteristics similar to their annotated counterparts.
Local and Circulating Endothelial Cells Undergo Endothelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EndMT) in Response to Musculoskeletal Injury
Authors: Agarwal Shailesh , Loder Shawn , Cholok David , Peterson Joshua , Li John , Fireman David , Breuler Christopher , Hsieh Hsiao Sung , Ranganathan Kavitha , Hwang Charles , Drake James , Li Shuli , Chan Charles K. , Longaker Michael T. , Levi Benjamin
Published: September 2016

Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) has been implicated in a variety of aberrant wound healing conditions. However, unambiguous evidence of EndMT has been elusive due to limitations of in vitro experimental designs and animal models. In vitro experiments cannot account for the myriad ligands and cells which regulate differentiation and in vivo tissue injury models may induce lineage-independent endothelial marker expression in mesenchymal cells. By using an inducible Cre model to mark mesenchymal cells (Scx-creERT/tdTomato + ) prior to injury, we demonstrate that musculoskeletal injury induces expression of CD31, VeCadherin, or Tie2 in mesenchymal cells. VeCadherin and Tie2 were expressed in non-endothelial cells (CD31−) present in marrow from uninjured adult mice, thereby limiting the specificity of these markers in inducible models (e.g. VeCadherin- or Tie2-creERT). However, cell transplantation assays confirmed that endothelial cells (ΔVeCadherin/CD31+/CD45−) isolated from uninjured hindlimb muscle tissue undergo in vivo EndMT when transplanted directly into the wound without intervening cell culture using PDGFRα, Osterix (OSX), SOX9 and Aggrecan (ACAN) as mesenchymal markers. These in vivo findings support EndMT in the presence of myriad ligands and cell types, using cell transplantation assays which can be applied for other pathologies implicated in EndMT including tissue fibrosis and atherosclerosis. Additionally, endothelial cell recruitment and trafficking are potential therapeutic targets to prevent EndMT.
Common variants of HTR3 genes are associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder and its phenotypic expression
Authors: Kim Hae Won , Kang Jee In , Lee Sang-Hyuk , An Suk Kyoon , Sohn Sung Yun , Hwang Eun Hee , Lee Su Young , Kim Se Joo
Published: September 2016

Evidence from literature supports the existence of associations between serotonin-related genetic variants and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but few studies have explored the involvement of serotonin receptor type 3 genes (HTR3) in OCD. To identify whetherHTR3variability affects an individual’s susceptibility to OCD, we examined 10HTR3variants in 596 individuals with OCD and 599 controls. A significant difference existed in the genotypic distribution of theHTR3Bvariant rs1176744 between individuals with OCD and controls (odds ratio [OR] = 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.60–0.91,P = 0.0043). A protective haplotype inHTR3Bwas also associated with OCD (OR = 0.77, CI = 0.63–0.95, permutatedP = 0.0179). Analyses of OCD sub-phenotypes demonstrated significant associations between rs3758987 and early onset OCD in male subjects (OR = 0.49, CI = 0.31–0.79,P = 0.0031) and among rs6766410, rs6443930, and the cleaning dimension in female subjects (OR = 0.36, CI = 0.18–0.69,P = 0.0016 and OR = 0.47, CI = 0.29–0.79,P = 0.0030, respectively). Additionally, rs6766410 was related to contamination-based disgust in OCD (P = 0.0044). These results support that commonHTR3variants are involved in OCD and some of its clinical phenotypes.
Optimal search patterns in honeybee orientation flights are robust against emerging infectious diseases
Authors: Wolf Stephan , Nicholls Elizabeth , Reynolds Andrew M. , Wells Patricia , Lim Ka S. , Paxton Robert J. , Osborne Juliet L.
Published: September 2016

Lévy flights are scale-free (fractal) search patterns found in a wide range of animals. They can be an advantageous strategy promoting high encounter rates with rare cues that may indicate prey items, mating partners or navigational landmarks. The robustness of this behavioural strategy to ubiquitous threats to animal performance, such as pathogens, remains poorly understood. Using honeybees radar-tracked during their orientation flights in a novel landscape, we assess for the first time how two emerging infectious diseases (Nosema sp. and the Varroa-associated Deformed wing virus (DWV)) affect bees’ behavioural performance and search strategy. Nosema infection, unlike DWV, affected the spatial scale of orientation flights, causing significantly shorter and more compact flights. However, in stark contrast to disease-dependent temporal fractals, we find the same prevalence of optimal Lévy flight characteristics (μ ≈ 2) in both healthy and infected bees. We discuss the ecological and evolutionary implications of these surprising insights, arguing that Lévy search patterns are an emergent property of fundamental characteristics of neuronal and sensory components of the decision-making process, making them robust against diverse physiological effects of pathogen infection and possibly other stressors.
Sustained elevation of NF-κB activity sensitizes offspring of maternal inflammation to hypertension via impairing PGC-1α recovery
Authors: Deng Yafei , Zhang Qi , Luo Hongqin , Chen Xianhua , Han Qi , Wang Fangjie , Huang Pei , Lai Wenjing , Guan Xiao , Pan Xiaodong , Ji Yan , Guo Wei , Che Ling , Tang Yuan , Gu Liangqi , Yu Jianhua , Namaka Michael , Deng Youcai , Li Xiaohui
Published: September 2016

Growing evidence has demonstrated that maternal detrimental factors, including inflammation, contribute to the development of hypertension in the offspring. The current study found that offspring subjected to prenatal exposure of inflammation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge during the second semester showed significantly increased systolic blood pressure. In addition, these offspring also displayed augmented vascular damage and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in thoracic aortas when challenged with deoxycorticosterone acetate and high-salt diet (DOCA-salt). Interestingly, the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine markedly reversed these changes. Mechanistically, prenatal LPS exposure led to pre-existing elevated peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor-γ co-activator (PGC)-1α, a critical master of ROS metabolism, which up-regulated the ROS defense capacity and maintained the balance of ROS generation and elimination under resting state. However, continued elevation of NF-κB activity significantly suppressed the rapid recovery of PGC-1α expression response to DOCA-salt challenge in offspring that underwent prenatal inflammatory stimulation. This was further confirmed by using a NF-κB inhibitor (N-p-Tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone) that restored PGC-1α recovery and prevented blood pressure elevation induced by DOCA-salt. Our results suggest that maternal inflammation programmed proneness to NF-κB over-activation which impaired PGC-1α-mediated anti-oxidant capacity resulting in the increased sensitivity of offspring to hypertensive damage.
Interaction between isoprene and ozone fluxes in a poplar plantation and its impact on air quality at the European level
Authors: Zenone Terenzio , Hendriks Carlijn , Brilli Federico , Fransen Erik , Gioli Beniamio , Portillo-Estrada Miguel , Schaap Martijn , Ceulemans Reinhart
Published: September 2016

The emission of isoprene and other biogenic volatile organic compounds from vegetation plays an important role in tropospheric ozone (O3) formation. The potentially large expansion of isoprene emitting species (e.g., poplars) for bioenergy production might, therefore, impact tropospheric O3 formation. Using the eddy covariance technique we have simultaneously measured fluxes isoprene, O3 and of CO2 from a poplar (Populus) plantation grown for bioenergy production. We used the chemistry transport model LOTOS-EUROS to scale-up the isoprene emissions associated with the existing poplar plantations in Europe, and we assessed the impact of isoprene fluxes on ground level O3 concentrations. Our findings suggest that isoprene emissions from existing poplar-for-bioenergy plantations do not significantly affect the ground level of O3 concentration. Indeed the overall land in Europe covered with poplar plantations has not significantly changed over the last two decades despite policy incentives to produce bioenergy crops. The current surface area of isoprene emitting poplars-for-bioenergy remains too limited to significantly enhance O3 concentrations and thus to be considered a potential threat for air quality and human health.
Delayed Propionibacterium acnes surgical site infections occur only in the presence of an implant
Authors: Shiono Yuta , Ishii Ken , Nagai Shigenori , Kakinuma Hiroaki , Sasaki Aya , Funao Haruki , Kuramoto Tetsuya , Yoshioka Kenji , Ishihama Hiroko , Isogai Norihiro , Takeshima Kenichiro , Tsuji Takashi , Okada Yasunori , Koyasu Shigeo , Nakamura Masaya , Toyama Yoshiaki , Aizawa Mamoru , Matsumoto Morio
Published: September 2016

Whether Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) causes surgical-site infections (SSI) after orthopedic surgery is controversial. We previously reported that we frequently find P. acnes in intraoperative specimens, yet none of the patients have clinically apparent infections. Here, we tracked P. acnes for 6 months in a mouse osteomyelitis model. We inoculated P. acnes with an implant into the mouse femur in the implant group; the control group was treated with the bacteria but no implant. We then observed over a 6-month period using optical imaging system. During the first 2 weeks, bacterial signals were detected in the femur in the both groups. The bacterial signal completely disappeared in the control group within 28 days. Interestingly, in the implant group, bacterial signals were still present 6 months after inoculation. Histological and scanning electron-microscope analyses confirmed that P. acnes was absent from the control group 6 months after inoculation, but in the implant group, the bacteria had survived in a biofilm around the implant. PCR analysis also identified P. acnes in the purulent effusion from the infected femurs in the implant group. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing that P. acnes causes SSI only in the presence of an implant.
Intra-articular Hyaluronic Acid in Treating Knee Osteoarthritis: a PRISMA-Compliant Systematic Review of Overlapping Meta-analysis
Authors: Xing Dan , Wang Bin , Liu Qiang , Ke Yan , Xu Yuankun , Li Zhichang , Lin Jianhao
Published: September 2016

Numerous meta-analyses have been conducted aiming to compare hyaluronic acid (HA) and placebo in treating knee osteoarthritis (OA). Nevertheless, the conclusions of these meta-analyses are not in consistency. The purpose of the present study was to perform a systematic review of overlapping meta-analyses investigating the efficacy and safety of HA for Knee OA and to provide treatment recommendations through the best evidence. A systematic review was conducted based on the PRISMA guidelines. The meta-analyses and/or systematic reviews that compared HA and placebo for knee OA were identified. AMSTAR instrument was used to evaluate the methodological quality of individual study. The information of heterogeneity within each variable was fetched for the individual studies. Which meta-analyses can provide best evidence was determined according to Jadad algorithm. Twelve meta-analyses met the eligibility requirements. The Jadad decision making tool suggests that the highest quality review should be selected. As a result, a high-quality Cochrane review was included. The present systematic review of overlapping meta-analyses demonstrates that HA is an effective intervention in treating knee OA without increased risk of adverse events. Therefore, the present conclusions may help decision makers interpret and choose among discordant meta-analyses.
H-theorem in quantum physics
Authors: Lesovik G. B. , Lebedev A. V. , Sadovskyy I. A. , Suslov M. V. , Vinokur V. M.
Published: September 2016

Remarkable progress of quantum information theory (QIT) allowed to formulate mathematical theorems for conditions that data-transmitting or data-processing occurs with a non-negative entropy gain. However, relation of these results formulated in terms of entropy gain in quantum channels to temporal evolution of real physical systems is not thoroughly understood. Here we build on the mathematical formalism provided by QIT to formulate the quantum H-theorem in terms of physical observables. We discuss the manifestation of the second law of thermodynamics in quantum physics and uncover special situations where the second law can be violated. We further demonstrate that the typical evolution of energy-isolated quantum systems occurs with non-diminishing entropy.
Correction: Corrigendum: A metabolic profile in Ruditapes philippinarum associated with growth-promoting effects of alginate hydrolysates
Authors: Yamasaki Yasuhiro , Taga Shigeru , Kishioka Masanobu , Kawano Shuichi
Published: September 2016

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 29923; published online: 20 July 2016; updated: 12 September 2016
The significance of the increased expression of phosphorylated MeCP2 in the membranes from patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Li Xiaohua , Liu Xiaohui , Guo Haoyi , Zhao Zhaoxia , Li Yun Sui , Chen Guoming
Published: September 2016

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation of expression of phosphorylated methyl-CpG binding protein 2-Ser421 (MeCP2-S421) and VEGF in the membranes of patients with PDR. We examined the expression of phospho-MeCP2-S80, S421, VEGF and PEDF in surgically excised PDR membranes from 33 patients with diabetes, and idiopathic epiretinal membranes from 11 patients without diabetes, using immunohistochemistry and western blot. The colocalization of MeCP2-S421 with VEGF, PEDF, CD31, GFAP and αSMA was revealed by fluorescent double labeling. The effect of CoCl2 and knock down MeCP2 using specific siRNA on the expression of MeCP2 and VEGF were analyzed in HUCAC cells by Western blot. We found that phospho-MeCP2-S421 was significantly increased in the membranes from the patients with PDR compared with the specimens from patients without diabetes (P < 0.01). The expression of phospho-MeCP2-S421 was much stronger than that of phospho-MeCP2-S80 in the PDR membranes. Double labeling showed that the high phospho-MeCP2-S421 expression was associated with strong expression of VEGF, but not PEDF. Further, phospho-MeCP2-S421 and VEGF were increased by the stimulation of CoCl2 and knock down MeCP2 inhibited the expression of VEGF. Our result suggests that phospho-MeCP2-S421 might involve in the pathogenesis of PDR.