bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Road map to clean energy using laser beam ignition of boron-hydrogen fusion
Authors: Hora H. , Eliezer S. , Kirchhoff G.J. , Nissim N. , Wang J.X. , Lalousis P. , Xu Y.X. , Miley G.H. , Martinez-Val J.M. , McKenzie W. , Kirchhoff J.
Published: December 2017

With the aim to overcome the problems of climatic changes and rising ocean levels, one option is to produce large-scale sustainable energy by nuclear fusion of hydrogen and other very light nuclei similar to the energy source of the sun. Sixty years of worldwide research for the ignition of the heavy hydrogen isotopes deuterium (D) and tritium (T) have come close to a breakthrough for ignition. The problem with the DT fusion is that generated neutrons are producing radioactive waste. One exception as the ideal clean fusion process – without neutron production – is the fusion of hydrogen (H) with the boron isotope11B11 (B11). In this paper, we have mapped out our research based on recent experiments and simulations for a new energy source. We suggest how HB11 fusion for a reactor can be used instead of the DT option. We have mapped out our HB11 fusion in the following way: (i) The acceleration of a plasma block with a laser beam with the power and time duration of the order of 10 petawatts and one picosecond accordingly. (ii) A plasma confinement by a magnetic field of the order of a few kiloteslas created by a second laser beam with a pulse duration of a few nanoseconds (ns). (iii) The highly increased fusion of HB11 relative to present DT fusion is possible due to the alphas avalanche created in this process. (iv) The conversion of the output charged alpha particles directly to electricity. (v) To prove the above ideas, our simulations show for example that 14 milligram HB11 can produce 300 kWh energy if all achieved results are combined for the design of an absolutely clean power reactor producing low-cost energy.
Attachment security moderates the link between adverse childhood experiences and cellular aging
Authors: Dagan Or , Asok Arun , Steele Howard , Steele Miriam , Bernard Kristin
Published: December 2017

Exposure to childhood adversity has been linked to accelerated telomere shortening, a marker of cellular aging and an indicator of physical health risk. In the current study, we examined whether adult attachment representation moderated the association between childhood adversity and telomere length. Participants included 78 young adults (M age = 20.46, SD = 1.57), who reported on their exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and were administered the Adult Attachment Interview, which was coded for attachment state of mind. Relative telomere length was assayed from buccal cells. Multiple regression analyses revealed a significant interaction between attachment state of mind and ACE in predicting telomere length. Whereas the association between number of ACE and telomere length was nonsignificant for secure–autonomous, r (50) = –.15, p = .31, and insecure–preoccupied young adults, r (9) = –.15, p = .71, there was a strong negative association between number of ACE and telomere length for insecure–dismissing young adults, r (19) = –.59, p = .007. This study is novel in demonstrating that attachment may affect biological resilience following childhood adversity, contributing to the growing literature about the role of the quality of early caregiving experiences and their representations in shaping biological processes and physical health.
Diana Was Not Involved in the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks!
Authors: Wagner-Egger Pascal , Gygax Pascal
Published: December 2017

Abstract. In this research, we investigated the social influence of newspaper headlines on beliefs on various social, political, and economic issues, including belief in conspiracy theories. Building on the seminal study by Gruenfeld and Wyer (1992) , we examined how denials and affirmations printed in a credible source (e.g., a newspaper considered to be serious) versus a less credible source (e.g., a free newspaper) affected readers’ beliefs. In this computer-based study, participants were asked to rate the plausibility of 24 newspaper statements (eight of which were related to conspiracy theories), first without any mention of a newspaper and then with the newspapers mentioned as sources. The results showed the general effects associated with the degree of informativeness of the statements. We discuss these effects in terms of the boomerang effect (i.e., opinion change in the direction opposite to that of the opinion given in the headline). We also found that the participants judged the official versions of various events to be more plausible than the conspiracy theory versions of the same events.
Die Patientenverfügung «Plus» – das Konzept des Advance Care Planning (ACP)
Authors: Loupatatzis Barbara , Krones Tanja
Published: December 2017

Zusammenfassung. Advance Care Planning ist ein begleiteter, strukturierter Prozess, der es Patienten und ihren Angehörigen ermöglicht, sich mit ihren Einstellungen zu Leben und Sterben sowie möglichen Behandlungen für den Fall einer Urteilsunfähigkeit mit Hilfe eines ausgebildeten Beraters auseinander zu setzen. Das Konzept kombiniert die individuelle Beratung des Patienten mit einem regionalen, systemischen Ansatz, der sicherstellt, dass alle Beteiligten die verwendeten Dokumente kennen und auch in einer Notfallsituation korrekt anwenden können. Ziel ist es, die Behandlung von urteilsunfähigen Patienten besser im Sinne ihrer Wünsche und Bedürfnisse zu koordinieren und dadurch die Patientenautonomie zu stärken.
Extracellular vesicles from human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hiPSC-MSCs) protect against renal ischemia/reperfusion injury via delivering specificity protein (SP1) and transcriptional activating of sphingosine kinase 1 and inhibiting necroptosis
Authors: Yuan Xiaodong , Li Dawei , Chen Xiaosong , Han Conghui , Xu Longmei , Huang Tao , Dong Zhen , Zhang Ming
Published: December 2017

Renal ischemia-reperfusion is a main cause of acute kidney injury (AKI), which is associated with high mortality. Here we show that extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted from hiPSC-MSCs play a critical role in protection against renal I/R injury. hiPSC-MSCs-EVs can fuse with renal cells and deliver SP1 into target cells, subsequently active SK1 expression and increase S1P formation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analyses and luciferase assay were used to confirm SP1 binds directly to the SK1 promoter region and promote promoter activity. Moreover, SP1 inhibition (MIT) or SK1 inhibition (SKI-II) completely abolished the renal protective effect of hiPSC-MSCs-EVs in rat I/R injury mode. However, pre-treatment of necroptosis inhibitor Nec-1 showed no difference with the administration of hiPSC-MSCs-EVs only. We then generated an SP1 knockout hiPSC-MSC cell line by CRISPR/Cas9 system and found that SP1 knockout failed to show the protective effect of hiPSC-MSCs-EVs unless restoring the level of SP1 by Ad-SP1 in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, this study describes an anti-necroptosis effect of hiPSC-MSCs-EVs against renal I/R injury via delivering SP1 into target renal cells and intracellular activating the expression of SK1 and the generation of S1P. These findings suggest a novel mechanism for renal protection against I/R injury, and indicate a potential therapeutic approach for a variety of renal diseases and renal transplantation.
Progress and challenges for understanding the function of cortical microcircuits in auditory processing
Authors: Blackwell Jennifer M. , Geffen Maria N.
Published: December 2017

An important outstanding question in auditory neuroscience is to identify the mechanisms by which specific motifs within inter-connected neural circuits affect auditory processing and, ultimately, behavior. In the auditory cortex, a combination of large-scale electrophysiological recordings and concurrent optogenetic manipulations are improving our understanding of the role of inhibitory–excitatory interactions. At the same time, computational approaches have grown to incorporate diverse neuronal types and connectivity patterns. However, we are still far from understanding how cortical microcircuits encode and transmit information about complex acoustic scenes. In this review, we focus on recent results identifying the special function of different cortical neurons in the auditory cortex and discuss a computational framework for future work that incorporates ideas from network science and network dynamics toward the coding of complex auditory scenes.
Evidence for causal top-down frontal contributions to predictive processes in speech perception
Authors: Cope Thomas E. , Sohoglu E. , Sedley W. , Patterson K. , Jones P. S. , Wiggins J. , Dawson C. , Grube M. , Carlyon R. P. , Griffiths T. D. , Davis Matthew H. , Rowe James B.
Published: December 2017

Perception relies on the integration of sensory information and prior expectations. Here we show that selective neurodegeneration of human frontal speech regions results in delayed reconciliation of predictions in temporal cortex. These temporal regions were not atrophic, displayed normal evoked magnetic and electrical power, and preserved neural sensitivity to manipulations of sensory detail. Frontal neurodegeneration does not prevent the perceptual effects of contextual information; instead, prior expectations are applied inflexibly. The precision of predictions correlates with beta power, in line with theoretical models of the neural instantiation of predictive coding. Fronto-temporal interactions are enhanced while participants reconcile prior predictions with degraded sensory signals. Excessively precise predictions can explain several challenging phenomena in frontal aphasias, including agrammatism and subjective difficulties with speech perception. This work demonstrates that higher-level frontal mechanisms for cognitive and behavioural flexibility make a causal functional contribution to the hierarchical generative models underlying speech perception.
High-resolution adaptive optical imaging within thick scattering media using closed-loop accumulation of single scattering
Authors: Kang Sungsam , Kang Pilsung , Jeong Seungwon , Kwon Yongwoo , Yang Taeseok D. , Hong Jin Hee , Kim Moonseok , Song Kyung–Deok , Park Jin Hyoung , Lee Jun Ho , Kim Myoung Joon , Kim Ki Hean , Choi Wonshik
Published: December 2017

Thick biological tissues give rise to not only the multiple scattering of incoming light waves, but also the aberrations of remaining signal waves. The challenge for existing optical microscopy methods to overcome both problems simultaneously has limited sub-micron spatial resolution imaging to shallow depths. Here we present an optical coherence imaging method that can identify aberrations of waves incident to and reflected from the samples separately, and eliminate such aberrations even in the presence of multiple light scattering. The proposed method records the time-gated complex-field maps of backscattered waves over various illumination channels, and performs a closed-loop optimization of signal waves for both forward and phase-conjugation processes. We demonstrated the enhancement of the Strehl ratio by more than 500 times, an order of magnitude or more improvement over conventional adaptive optics, and achieved a spatial resolution of 600 nm up to an imaging depth of seven scattering mean free paths.
A 1-phytase type III effector interferes with plant hormone signaling
Authors: Blüher Doreen , Laha Debabrata , Thieme Sabine , Hofer Alexandre , Eschen-Lippold Lennart , Masch Antonia , Balcke Gerd , Pavlovic Igor , Nagel Oliver , Schonsky Antje , Hinkelmann Rahel , Wörner Jakob , Parvin Nargis , Greiner Ralf , Weber Stefan , Tissier Alain , Schutkowski Mike , Lee Justin , Jessen Henning , Schaaf Gabriel , Bonas Ulla
Published: December 2017

Most Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacteria inject type III effector (T3E) proteins into plant cells to manipulate signaling pathways to the pathogen’s benefit. In resistant plants, specialized immune receptors recognize single T3Es or their biochemical activities, thus halting pathogen ingress. However, molecular function and mode of recognition for most T3Es remains elusive. Here, we show that the Xanthomonas T3E XopH possesses phytase activity, i.e., dephosphorylates phytate (myo-inositol-hexakisphosphate, InsP6), the major phosphate storage compound in plants, which is also involved in pathogen defense. A combination of biochemical approaches, including a new NMR-based method to discriminate inositol polyphosphate enantiomers, identifies XopH as a naturally occurring 1-phytase that dephosphorylates InsP6 at C1. Infection of Nicotiana benthamiana and pepper by Xanthomonas results in a XopH-dependent conversion of InsP6 to InsP5. 1-phytase activity is required for XopH-mediated immunity of plants carrying the Bs7 resistance gene, and for induction of jasmonate- and ethylene-responsive genes in N. benthamiana.
Designing flows to resolve human and environmental water needs in a dam-regulated river
Authors: Chen William , Olden Julian D.
Published: December 2017

Navigating trade-offs between meeting societal water needs and supporting functioning ecosystems is integral to river management policy. Emerging frameworks provide the opportunity to consider multiple river uses explicitly, but balancing multiple priorities remains challenging. Here we quantify relationships between hydrologic regimes and the abundance of multiple native and nonnative fish species over 18 years in a large, dryland river basin in southwestern United States. These models were incorporated into a multi-objective optimization framework to design dam operation releases that balance human water needs with the dual conservation targets of benefiting native fishes while disadvantaging nonnative fishes. Predicted designer flow prescriptions indicate significant opportunities to favor native over nonnative fishes while rarely, if ever, encroaching on human water needs. The predicted benefits surpass those generated by natural flow mimicry, and were retained across periods of heightened drought. We provide a quantitative illustration of theoretical predictions that designer flows can offer multiple ecological and societal benefits in human-altered rivers.
Telluriding monolayer MoS2 and WS2 via alkali metal scooter
Authors: Yun Seok Joon , Han Gang Hee , Kim Hyun , Duong Dinh Loc , Shin Bong Gyu , Zhao Jiong , Vu Quoc An , Lee Jubok , Lee Seung Mi , Lee Young Hee
Published: December 2017

The conversion of chalcogen atoms to other types in transition metal dichalcogenides has significant advantages for tuning bandgaps and constructing in-plane heterojunctions; however, difficulty arises from the conversion of sulfur or selenium to tellurium atoms owing to the low decomposition temperature of tellurides. Here, we propose the use of sodium for converting monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) to molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2) under Te-rich vapors. Sodium easily anchors tellurium and reduces the exchange barrier energy by scooting the tellurium to replace sulfur. The conversion was initiated at the edges and grain boundaries of MoS2, followed by complete conversion in the entire region. By controlling sodium concentration and reaction temperature of monolayer MoS2, we tailored various phases such as semiconducting 2H-MoTe2, metallic 1T′-MoTe2, and 2H-MoS2−x
Te
x
alloys. This concept was further extended to WS2. A high valley polarization of ~37% in circularly polarized photoluminescence was obtained in the monolayer WS2−x
Te
x
alloy at room temperature.
Tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 negatively regulates NLRP3 inflammasome activation via ANT1-dependent mitochondrial homeostasis
Authors: Guo Wenjie , Liu Wen , Chen Zhen , Gu Yanhong , Peng Shuang , Shen Lihong , Shen Yan , Wang Xingqi , Feng Gen-Sheng , Sun Yang , Xu Qiang
Published: December 2017

Aberrant activation of NLRP3 inflammasome has an important function in the pathogenesis of various inflammatory diseases. Although many components and mediators of inflammasome activation have been identified, how NLRP3 inflammasome is regulated to prevent excessive inflammation is unclear. Here we show NLRP3 inflammasome stimulators trigger Src homology-2 domain containing protein tyrosine phosphatase-2 (SHP2) translocation to the mitochondria, to interact with and dephosphorylate adenine nucleotide translocase 1 (ANT1), a central molecule controlling mitochondrial permeability transition. This mechanism prevents collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential and the subsequent release of mitochondrial DNA and reactive oxygen species, thus preventing hyperactivation of NLRP3 inflammasome. Ablation or inhibition of SHP2 in macrophages causes intensified NLRP3 activation, overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18, and increased sensitivity to peritonitis. Collectively, our data highlight that, by inhibiting ANT1 and mitochondrial dysfunction, SHP2 orchestrates an intrinsic regulatory loop to limit excessive NLRP3 inflammasome activation.
Electric-field control of ferromagnetism through oxygen ion gating
Authors: Li Hao-Bo , Lu Nianpeng , Zhang Qinghua , Wang Yujia , Feng Deqiang , Chen Tianzhe , Yang Shuzhen , Duan Zheng , Li Zhuolu , Shi Yujun , Wang Weichao , Wang Wei-Hua , Jin Kui , Liu Hui , Ma Jing , Gu Lin , Nan Cewen , Yu Pu
Published: December 2017

Electric-field-driven oxygen ion evolution in the metal/oxide heterostructures emerges as an effective approach to achieve the electric-field control of ferromagnetism. However, the involved redox reaction of the metal layer typically requires extended operation time and elevated temperature condition, which greatly hinders its practical applications. Here, we achieve reversible sub-millisecond and room-temperature electric-field control of ferromagnetism in the Co layer of a Co/SrCoO2.5 system accompanied by bipolar resistance switching. In contrast to the previously reported redox reaction scenario, the oxygen ion evolution occurs only within the SrCoO2.5 layer, which serves as an oxygen ion gating layer, leading to modulation of the interfacial oxygen stoichiometry and magnetic state. This work identifies a simple and effective pathway to realize the electric-field control of ferromagnetism at room temperature, and may lead to applications that take advantage of both the resistance switching and magnetoelectric coupling.
Nanoparticle conjugates of a highly potent toxin enhance safety and circumvent platinum resistance in ovarian cancer
Authors: Qi Ruogu , Wang Yongheng , Bruno Peter M. , Xiao Haihua , Yu Yingjie , Li Ting , Lauffer Sam , Wei Wei , Chen Qixian , Kang Xiang , Song Haiqin , Yang Xi , Huang Xing , Detappe Alexandre , Matulonis Ursula , Pepin David , Hemann Michael T. , Birrer Michael J. , Ghoroghchian P. Peter
Published: December 2017

Advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancers are amongst the most difficult to treat tumors and have proven to be refractory to most cytotoxic, molecularly targeted, or immunotherapeutic approaches. Here, we report that nanoparticle-drug conjugates (NDCs) of monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) significantly increase loading on a per-vehicle basis as compared to antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Their intraperitoneal administration enabled triggered release of the active MMAE toxin to inhibit tumor growth and to extend animal survival to >90 days in a cell-line xenograft model of disseminated ovarian cancer. In a patient-derived xenograft model of advanced-stage and platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, an MMAE-based NDC doubled the duration of tumor growth inhibition as compared to cisplatin. NDCs of highly potent toxins thus introduce a translatable platform that may be exploited to maximize the safety and efficacy of cytotoxic chemotherapies, combining the best features of ADCs with those of nanoparticle-based therapeutics.
Protective efficacy of influenza group 2 hemagglutinin stem-fragment immunogen vaccines
Authors: Sutton Troy C. , Chakraborty Saborni , Mallajosyula Vamsee V. A. , Lamirande Elaine W. , Ganti Ketaki , Bock Kevin W. , Moore Ian N. , Varadarajan Raghavan , Subbarao Kanta
Published: December 2017

The stem of the influenza A virus hemagglutinin (HA) is highly conserved and represents an attractive target for a universal influenza vaccine. The 18 HA subtypes of influenza A are phylogenetically divided into two groups, and while protection with group 1 HA stem vaccines has been demonstrated in animal models, studies on group 2 stem vaccines are limited. Thus, we engineered group 2 HA stem-immunogen (SI) vaccines targeting the epitope for the broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibody CR9114 and evaluated vaccine efficacy in mice and ferrets. Immunization induced antibodies that bound to recombinant HA protein and viral particles, and competed with CR9114 for binding to the HA stem. Mice vaccinated with H3 and H7-SI were protected from lethal homologous challenge with X-79 (H3N2) or A/Anhui/1/2013 (H7N9), and displayed moderate heterologous protection. In ferrets, H7-SI vaccination did not significantly reduce weight loss or nasal wash titers after robust 107 TCID50 H7N9 virus challenge. Epitope mapping revealed ferrets developed lower titers of antibodies that bound a narrow range of HA stem epitopes compared to mice, and this likely explains the lower efficacy in ferrets. Collectively, these findings indicate that while group 2 SI vaccines show promise, their immunogenicity and efficacy are reduced in larger outbred species, and will have to be enhanced for successful translation to a universal vaccine.
BCAT1 is a New MR Imaging-related Biomarker for Prognosis Prediction in IDH1-wildtype Glioblastoma Patients
Authors: Cho Hye Rim , Jeon Hyejin , Park Chul-Kee , Park Sung-Hye , Kang Koung Mi , Choi Seung Hong
Published: December 2017

Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1)-wildtype glioblastoma (GBM) has found to be accompanied with increased expression of branched-chain amino acid trasaminase1 (BCAT1), which is associated with tumor growth and disease progression. In this retrospective study, quantitative RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and western blot were performed with GBM patient tissues to evaluate the BCAT1 level. Quantitative MR imaging parameters were evaluated from DSC perfusion imaging, DWI, contrast-enhanced T1WI and FLAIR imaging using a 3T MR scanner. The level of BCAT1 was significantly higher in IDH1-wildtype patients than in IDH1-mutant patients obtained in immunohistochemistry and western blot. The BCAT1 level was significantly correlated with the mean and 95th percentile-normalized CBV as well as the mean ADC based on FLAIR images. In addition, the 95th percentile-normalized CBV from CE T1WI also had a significant correlation with the BCAT1 level. Moreover, the median PFS in patients with BCAT1 expression <100 was longer than in those with BCAT1 expression ≥100. Taken together, we found that a high BCAT1 level is correlated with high CBV and a low ADC value as well as the poor prognosis of BCAT1 expression is related to the aggressive nature of GBM.
Computational and biological profile of boronic acids for the detection of bacterial serine- and metallo-β-lactamases
Authors: Santucci Matteo , Spyrakis Francesca , Cross Simon , Quotadamo Antonio , Farina Davide , Tondi Donatella , De Luca Filomena , Docquier Jean-Denis , Prieto Ana Isabel , Ibacache Claudia , Blázquez Jesús , Venturelli Alberto , Cruciani Gabriele , Costi Maria Paola
Published: December 2017

β-Lactamases (BLs) able to hydrolyze β-lactam antibiotics and more importantly the last resort carbapenems, represent a major mechanism of resistance in Gram-negative bacteria showing multi-drug or extensively drug resistant phenotypes. The early detection of BLs responsible of resistant infections is challenging: approaches aiming at the identification of new BLs inhibitors (BLI) can thus serve as the basis for the development of highly needed diagnostic tools. Starting from benzo-[b]-thiophene-2-boronic acid (BZB), a nanomolar inhibitor of AmpC β-lactamase (K
i
 = 27 nM), we have identified and characterized a set of BZB analogues able to inhibit clinically-relevant β-lactamases, including AmpC, Extended-Spectrum BLs (ESBL), KPC- and OXA-type carbapenemases and metallo-β-lactamases (MBL). A multiligand set of boronic acid (BA) β-lactamase inhibitors was obtained using covalent molecular modeling, synthetic chemistry, enzyme kinetics and antibacterial susceptibility testing. Data confirmed the possibility to discriminate between clinically-relevant β-lactamases on the basis of their inhibition profile. Interestingly, this work also allowed the identification of potent KPC-2 and NDM-1 inhibitors able to potentiate the activity of cefotaxime (CTX) and ceftazidime (CAZ) against resistant clinical isolates (MIC reduction, 32-fold). Our results open the way to the potential use of our set of compounds as a diagnostic tool for the sensitive detection of clinically-relevant β-lactamases.
Fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance of chimeric antigen receptor T cell biodistribution in murine cancer model
Authors: Chapelin Fanny , Gao Shang , Okada Hideho , Weber Thomas G. , Messer Karen , Ahrens Eric T.
Published: December 2017

Discovery of effective cell therapies against cancer can be accelerated by the adaptation of tools to rapidly quantitate cell biodistribution and survival after delivery. Here, we describe the use of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) ‘cytometry’ to quantify the biodistribution of immunotherapeutic T cells in intact tissue samples. In this study, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells expressing EGFRvIII targeting transgene were labeled with a perfluorocarbon (PFC) emulsion ex vivo and infused into immunocompromised mice bearing subcutaneous human U87 glioblastomas expressing EGFRvIII and luciferase. Intact organs were harvested at day 2, 7 and 14 for whole-sample fluorine-19 (19F) NMR to quantitatively measure the presence of PFC-labeled CAR T cells, followed by histological validation. NMR measurements showed greater CAR T cell homing and persistence in the tumors and spleen compared to untransduced T cells. Tumor growth was monitored with bioluminescence imaging, showing that CAR T cell treatment resulted in significant tumor regression compared to untransduced T cells. Overall, 19F NMR cytometry is a rapid and quantitative method to evaluate cell biodistribution, tumor homing, and fate in preclinical studies.
Scattering of Ultra-relativistic Electrons in the Van Allen Radiation Belts Accounting for Hot Plasma Effects
Authors: Cao Xing , Shprits Yuri Y. , Ni Binbin , Zhelavskaya Irina S.
Published: December 2017

Electron flux in the Earth’s outer radiation belt is highly variable due to a delicate balance between competing acceleration and loss processes. It has been long recognized that Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron (EMIC) waves may play a crucial role in the loss of radiation belt electrons. Previous theoretical studies proposed that EMIC waves may account for the loss of the relativistic electron population. However, recent observations showed that while EMIC waves are responsible for the significant loss of ultra-relativistic electrons, the relativistic electron population is almost unaffected. In this study, we provide a theoretical explanation for this discrepancy between previous theoretical studies and recent observations. We demonstrate that EMIC waves mainly contribute to the loss of ultra-relativistic electrons. This study significantly improves the current understanding of the electron dynamics in the Earth’s radiation belt and also can help us understand the radiation environments of the exoplanets and outer planets.
Deformation and dynamic response of abdominal aortic aneurysm sealing
Authors: Argani L. P. , Torella F. , Fisher R. K. , McWilliams R. G. , Wall M. L. , Movchan A. B.
Published: December 2017

Endovascular sealing is a new technique for the repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Commercially available in Europe since 2013, it takes a revolutionary approach to aneurysm repair through minimally invasive techniques. Although aneurysm sealing may be thought as more stable than conventional endovascular stent graft repairs, post-implantation movement of the endoprosthesis has been described, potentially leading to late complications. The paper presents for the first time a model, which explains the nature of forces, in static and dynamic regimes, acting on sealed abdominal aortic aneurysms, with references to real case studies. It is shown that elastic deformation of the aorta and of the endoprosthesis induced by static forces and vibrations during daily activities can potentially promote undesired movements of the endovascular sealing structure.
sEMG-assisted inverse modelling of 3D lip movement: a feasibility study towards person-specific modelling
Authors: Eskes Merijn , Balm Alfons J. M. , van Alphen Maarten J. A. , Smeele Ludi E. , Stavness Ian , van der Heijden Ferdinand
Published: December 2017

We propose a surface-electromyographic (sEMG) assisted inverse-modelling (IM) approach for a biomechanical model of the face to obtain realistic person-specific muscle activations (MA) by tracking movements as well as innervation trajectories. We obtained sEMG data of facial muscles and 3D positions of lip markers in six volunteers and, using a generic finite element (FE) face model in ArtiSynth, performed inverse static optimisation with and without sEMG tracking on both simulation data and experimental data. IM with simulated data and experimental data without sEMG data showed good correlations of tracked positions (0.93 and 0.67) and poor correlations of MA (0.27 and 0.20). When utilising the sEMG-assisted IM approach, MA correlations increased drastically (0.83 and 0.59) without sacrificing performance in position correlations (0.92 and 0.70). RMS errors show similar trends with an error of 0.15 in MA and of 1.10 mm in position. Therefore, we conclude that we were able to demonstrate the feasibility of an sEMG-assisted inverse modelling algorithm for the perioral region. This approach may help to solve the ambiguity problem in inverse modelling and may be useful, for instance, in future applications for preoperatively predicting treatment-related function loss.
Molecular characterization of a Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 γ-butyrolactone(-like) signalling molecule and its main biosynthesis gene gblA
Authors: Ceniceros Ana , Dijkhuizen Lubbert , Petrusma Mirjan
Published: December 2017

Rhodococcus genome sequence analysis has revealed a surprisingly large (and unexplored) potential for the production of secondary metabolites. Also, putative γ-butyrolactone gene clusters have been identified in some Rhodococci. These signalling molecules are known to regulate secondary metabolism in Streptomyces. This work provides evidence for synthesis of a γ-butyrolactone(-like) molecule by Rhodococci (RJB), the first report in the Rhodococcus genus. The Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 RJB molecule was detected by a reporter system based on the γ-butyrolactone receptor protein (ScbR) of Streptomyces coelicolor. This RJB is structurally identical to 6-dehydro SCB2, the predicted precursor of the S. coelicolor γ-butyrolactone SCB2. The R. jostii RHA1 key RJB biosynthesis gene was identified (gblA): Deletion of gblA resulted in complete loss of RJB synthesis whereas higher RJB levels were detected when gblA was overexpressed. Interaction of the RJB molecule with ScbR indicates that communication may occur between these two Actinomycete genera in their natural habitat. Furthermore, RJB may provide a highly relevant tool for awakening cryptic secondary metabolic gene clusters in Rhodococci. This study provides preliminary evidence that R. jostii RHA1 indeed synthesizes diffusible molecules with antimicrobial activity, but a possible role for RJB in this remains to be established.
Trypsin-Ligand binding affinities calculated using an effective interaction entropy method under polarized force field
Authors: Cong Yalong , Li Mengxin , Feng Guoqiang , Li Yuchen , Wang Xianwei , Duan Lili.
Published: December 2017

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation in the explicit water is performed to study the interaction mechanism of trypsin-ligand binding under the AMBER force field and polarized protein-specific charge (PPC) force field combined the new developed highly efficient interaction entropy (IE) method for calculation of entropy change. And the detailed analysis and comparison of the results of MD simulation for two trypsin-ligand systems show that the root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of backbone atoms, B-factor, intra-protein and protein-ligand hydrogen bonds are more stable under PPC force field than AMBER force field. Our results demonstrate that the IE method is superior than the traditional normal mode (Nmode) method in the calculation of entropy change and the calculated binding free energy under the PPC force field combined with the IE method is more close to the experimental value than other three combinations (AMBER-Nmode, AMBER-IE and PPC-Nmode). And three critical hydrogen bonds between trypsin and ligand are broken under AMBER force field. However, they are well preserved under PPC force field. Detailed binding interactions of ligands with trypsin are further analyzed. The present work demonstrates that the polarized force field combined the highly efficient IE method is critical in MD simulation and free energy calculation.
Bee pollination increases yield quantity and quality of cash crops in Burkina Faso, West Africa
Authors: Stein Katharina , Coulibaly Drissa , Stenchly Kathrin , Goetze Dethardt , Porembski Stefan , Lindner André , Konaté Souleymane , Linsenmair Eduard K.
Published: December 2017

Mutualistic biotic interactions as among flowering plants and their animal pollinators are a key component of biodiversity. Pollination, especially by insects, is a key element in ecosystem functioning, and hence constitutes an ecosystem service of global importance. Not only sexual reproduction of plants is ensured, but also yields are stabilized and genetic variability of crops is maintained, counteracting inbreeding depression and facilitating system resilience. While experiencing rapid environmental change, there is an increased demand for food and income security, especially in sub-Saharan communities, which are highly dependent on small scale agriculture. By combining exclusion experiments, pollinator surveys and field manipulations, this study for the first time quantifies the contribution of bee pollinators to smallholders’ production of the major cash crops, cotton and sesame, in Burkina Faso. Pollination by honeybees and wild bees significantly increased yield quantity and quality on average up to 62%, while exclusion of pollinators caused an average yield gap of 37% in cotton and 59% in sesame. Self-pollination revealed inbreeding depression effects on fruit set and low germination rates in the F1-generation. Our results highlight potential negative consequences of any pollinator decline, provoking risks to agriculture and compromising crop yields in sub-Saharan West Africa.
Diversity of antigenic mutants of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus escaped from human monoclonal antibodies
Authors: Yasuhara Atsuhiro , Yamayoshi Seiya , Soni Priyanka , Takenaga Toru , Kawakami Chiharu , Takashita Emi , Sakai-Tagawa Yuko , Uraki Ryuta , Ito Mutsumi , Iwatsuki-Horimoto Kiyoko , Sasaki Tadahiro , Ikuta Kazuyoshi , Yamada Shinya , Kawaoka Yoshihiro
Published: December 2017

Since the 2017 Southern Hemisphere influenza season, the A(H1N1)pdm09-like virus recommended for use in the vaccine was changed because human, but not ferret, sera distinguish A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses isolated after 2013 from the previously circulating strains. An amino acid substitution, lysine to glutamine, at position 166 (H3 numbering) in the major antigenic site of HA was reported to be responsible for the antigenic drift. Here, we obtained two anti-A(H1N1)pdm09 HA monoclonal antibodies that failed to neutralize viruses isolated after 2013 from a vaccinated volunteer. Escape mutations were identified at position 129, 165, or 166 in the major antigenic site of HA. Competitive growth of the escape mutant viruses with the wild-type virus revealed that some escape mutants possessing an amino acid substitution other than K166Q showed superior growth to that of the wild-type virus. These results suggest that in addition to the K166Q mutation that occurred in epidemic strains, other HA mutations can confer resistance to antibodies that recognize the K166 area, leading to emergence of epidemic strains with such mutations.
Entropy and Polarity Control the Partition and Transportation of Drug-like Molecules in Biological Membrane
Authors: Zhu Qiang , Lu Yilin , He Xibing , Liu Tao , Chen Hongwei , Wang Fang , Zheng Dong , Dong Hao , Ma Jing
Published: December 2017

Partition and transportation of drug in the plasma membrane of a mammalian cell are the prerequisite for its function on target protein. Therefore, comprehensive understanding of the physicochemical properties and mechanism behind these complex phenomena is crucial in pharmaceutical research. By using the state-of-art molecular simulations with polarization effect implicitly or explicitly included, we studied the permeation behavior of 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB), a broad-spectrum modulator for a number of membrane proteins. We showed that the protonation state and therefore the polarity of the drug is critical for its partition, and that the drug is likely to switch between different protonation states along its permeation pathway. By changing the degrees of freedom, protonation further affects the thermodynamic of the permeation pathway of 2-APB, leading to different entropic contributions. A survey on 54 analog structures with similar backbone to 2-APB showed that delicate balance between entropy and polarity plays an important role in drugs’ potency.
VEGFR2 alteration in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Cho Sun-Jung , Park Moon Ho , Han Changsu , Yoon Keejung , Koh Young Ho
Published: December 2017

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common disorder of progressive cognitive decline among elderly subjects. Angiogenesis-related factors including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) might be involved in the pathogenesis of AD. Soluble form of the VEGF receptor is likely to be an intrinsic negative counterpart of VEGF. We measured the plasma levels of VEGF and its two soluble receptors (sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2) in 120 control subjects, 75 patients with mild cognitive impairment, and 76 patients with AD using ELISA. Plasma levels of VEGF in patients with AD were higher than those in healthy control subjects. However, plasma levels of sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2 were lower in patients with AD than in healthy control subjects. Levels of VEGFR2 mRNA were significantly decreased in human umbilical vein endothelial cells after amyloid-beta treatment. Further, protein levels of VEGFR2 were also decreased in the brains of AD model mice. In addition, we show that the expression of sVEGFR2 and VEGFR2 was also decreased by the transfection with the Notch intracellular domain. These results indicate that the alterations of VEGF and its two receptors levels might be associated with those at risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
Impact of systematic urinary catheterization protocol in delivery room on covert postpartum urinary retention: a before-after study
Authors: Neron Mathias , Allègre Lucie , Huberlant Stéphanie , Mousty Eve , de Tayrac Renaud , Fatton Brigitte , Letouzey Vincent
Published: December 2017

We investigated whether implementation of a routine catheterization procedure in labor improves covert postpartum urinary retention (cPUR) rates. We conducted a prospective before-after study. 121 women admitted to delivery room in the observational group, and 82 in the intervention group, in a tertiary university hospital in Southern France were included. All patients in the intervention group were systematically catheterized 2 hours after delivery. cPUR was screened for in both groups. The primary end-point was cPUR (post-void residual bladder volume >150 ml when voided volume is >150 mL). The rate of cPUR decreased from 50% (60 out of 121 patients) in the observational group to 17% (14/82) in the intervention group (OR = 0.21; 95% Confidence Interval [0.13;0.58]; p < 0.001). Similarly, in the subgroup of patients who underwent instrumental delivery, the rate of cPUR was lower in the intervention group (18%, 2/11) than in the observational group (65%, 15/23) (p = 0.02). Systematic intermittent bladder catheterization immediately postpartum could decrease cPUR. Further studies are necessary to assess the long-term outcomes and improve understanding of postpartum voiding dysfunction.
Aerobic exercise improves endothelial function and serum adropin levels in obese adolescents independent of body weight loss
Authors: Zhang Hao , Jiang Long , Yang Yu-Jing , Ge Ren-Kai , Zhou Ming , Hu Huan , Liu Hui , Cui Jie , Li Le-Liang , Dong Yi-Fei , Cheng Xiao-Shu , Chen Rong , Li Ping
Published: December 2017

Adropin is a secreted protein that regulates endothelial function. However, adropin levels in obese adolescent patients are currently uncertain. Therefore, we evaluated the association between plasma adropin levels and vascular endothelial function and investigated the effect of aerobic exercise in obese adolescents. A total of 45 obese adolescents and 20 controls (age 16–19 years) were included in our study. The obese adolescents received 12 weeks of aerobic exercise training. Serum adropin was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Vascular reactive hyperemia indexes (RHIs) were obtained using Endo-PAT2000. Adropin levels and RHI were significantly lower in obese adolescents than in normal-weight adolescents. Adropin levels and RHI increased significantly independently of changes in body weight after an exercise intervention (P < 0.01). Pearson correlation analysis revealed that adropin levels positively correlated with HDL-C levels (r = 0.389, P < 0.01) and RHI (r = 0.32, P < 0.01). Multiple linear stepwise regression analysis showed that the insulin resistance index (t = −3.301, P < 0.01) and HDL-C level (t = 2.620, P = 0.011) were independent risk factors of adropin levels. In addition, Δadropin (t = 3.261, P < 0.01) was an independent influencing factor of ΔRHI. Our findings suggest that adropin plays an important role in vascular endothelial function in obese adolescents.
Effects of maternal and fetal LEP common variants on maternal glycemic traits in pregnancy
Authors: Lin Rong , Ju Hongfang , Yuan Ziyu , Zhang Caicai , Zeng Liangliang , Sun Yuantian , Su Zhenyu , Jin Li
Published: December 2017

Previous studies suggest that leptin (LEP) has an important role in glucose metabolism in the nonpregnant state. During pregnancy, circulating maternal concentrations of leptin rise significantly, mainly due to increased secretion of leptin from maternal adipose tissue and placenta. This study aimed to analyze the impact of maternal and fetal common LEP variants on glucose homeostasis in the pregnant state. Several glycemic traits, including fasting plasma glucose, fasting plasma insulin (FPI), and plasma glucose 1 hour after a 50-g oral glucose load, were measured in 1,112 unrelated Chinese Han pregnant women at 24–28 weeks gestation. Homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) was used to assess beta cell function (HOMA1-β and HOMA2-β) and insulin resistance (HOMA1-IR and HOMA2-IR).The relationships between glycemic traits and 12 LEP variants were determined. After applying the Bonferroni correction, we detected that (1) maternal rs10954173 and fetal rs10244329 were associated with maternal FPI although the effect of fetal rs10244329 may be not independent of maternal rs10244329, and (2) maternal rs12537573 was associated with maternal FPI and HOMA2-IR. This study provides genetic evidence that both maternal and fetal LEP polymorphisms may affect maternal glucose metabolism in pregnancy.
H-Bonded anion–anion complex trapped in a squaramido-based receptor
Authors: Prohens Rafel , Portell Anna , Font-Bardia Mercè , Bauzá Antonio , Frontera Antonio
Published: December 2017

We report the experimental observation (X-ray characterization) of an anion–anion complex (anion = hydrogen fumarate) stabilized by H-bonds that is trapped in a secondary squaramide receptor.
Structure analysis of collagen fibril at atomic-level resolution and its implications for intra-fibrillar transport in bone biomineralization
Authors: Xu Zhijun , Zhao Weilong , Wang Ziqiu , Yang Yang , Sahai Nita
Published: December 2017

A comprehensive all-atom structural analysis of Tye I collagen fibril reveals that a uniform sub-channel with preferred orientation of charged amino acid sidechains into hole zones exists only at the a1–a3 bands, which coincide with the earliest mineralization locations.
Unravelling the nature of glyphosate binding to goethite surfaces byab initiomolecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Ahmed Ashour A. , Leinweber Peter , Kühn Oliver
Published: December 2017

Possible binding motifs and reaction mechanisms between the most widely used herbicide “glyphosate” and three goethite surface planes have been investigatedviaperiodic DFT-based molecular dynamics simulations.
Quantum fluctuations of a fullerene cage modulate its internal magnetic environment
Authors: Kawatsu Tsutomu , Tachikawa Masanori
Published: December 2017

Quantum delocalization of the C60 HOMO–LUMO gap results in an upfield of nuclear magnetic shielding on an encapsulated hydrogen molecule.
On the methodology of the determination of charge concentration dependent mobility from organic field-effect transistor characteristics
Authors: Menšík Miroslav , Toman Petr , Bielecka Urszula , Bartkowiak Wojciech , Pfleger Jiří , Paruzel Bartosz
Published: December 2017

We developed a new methodology for determining charge concentration dependent mobility from organic field-effect transistor characteristics, applicable for semiconducting polymers with structural and energy disorder.
Slow rheological mode in glycerol and glycerol–water mixtures
Authors: Jensen M. H. , Gainaru C. , Alba-Simionesco C. , Hecksher T. , Niss K.
Published: December 2017

Glycerol–water mixtures were studied at molar concentrations ranging from xgly = 1 (neat glycerol) to xgly = 0.3 using shear mechanical spectroscopy.
Seebeck coefficients of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) correlated with doping levels
Authors: Imae Ichiro , Akazawa Ryosuke , Harima Yutaka
Published: December 2017

Thermoelectric properties of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) were investigated in correlation with doping level measured by a potential-step chronocoulometry (PSC) method.
Divergent reactivity of nucleophilic 1-bora-7a-azaindenide anions
Authors: Morgan Matthew M. , Rautiainen J. Mikko , Piers Warren E. , Tuononen Heikki M. , Gendy Chris
Published: December 2017

The reactions of 1-bora-7a-azaindenide anions, prepared in moderate to excellent yields by reduction of the appropriate 1-bora-7a-azaindenyl chlorides with KC8 in THF, with alkyl halides and carbon dioxide were studied.
Designing high performance all-small-molecule solar cells with non-fullerene acceptors: comprehensive studies on photoexcitation dynamics and charge separation kinetics
Authors: Shi Junqing , Isakova Anna , Abudulimu Abasi , van den Berg Marius , Kwon Oh Kyu , Meixner Alfred J. , Park Soo Young , Zhang Dai , Gierschner Johannes , Lüer Larry
Published: December 2017

High definition of all-small molecule materials for organic solar cells allows slow separation of localized charges.
Estimating rainfall-induced inflow and infiltration in a sanitary sewer system based on water quality modelling: which parameter to use?
Authors: Zhang Mingkai , Liu Yanchen , Dong Qian , Hong Yi , Huang Xia , Shi Hanchang , Yuan Zhiguo
Published: December 2017

Rainfall-derived inflow and infiltration (RDII) of urban sanitary sewer systems poses serious challenges for public health and management issues.
A new year at Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology
Authors: Cwiertny David M.
Published: December 2017

David Cwiertny, Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, welcomes you to the first issue of 2018.
Scalable synthesis of two-dimensional nano-sheet materials with chlorophyll extracts: enhancing the hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Chen I-Wen Peter , Shie Ming-You , Liu Ming-Ho , Huang Wei-Ming , Chen Wen-Tai , Chao Yu-Ting
Published: December 2017

Developing strategies for preparing high-quality atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials is still an unaccomplished goal.