bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Salts of the Weakly Coordinating Anion [Al(OTeF5)4]– containing Reactive Counterions
Authors: Hoffmann Kurt F. , Wiesner Anja , Subat Noah , Steinhauer Simon , Riedel Sebastian
Published: May 2018

Six different salts of the weakly coordinating anion [Al(OTeF5)4]– were synthesized and characterized spectroscopically. The alkali and silver salts M[Al(OTeF5)4] (M = Ag, Li, Na, K, Rb) were obtained by a protonation reaction involving the Brønsted acid H[Al(OTeF5)4](solv). In the case of the lithium and silver salt, crystals of the solvent‐coordinated [Li(thf)4][Al(OTeF5)4(thf)2] and [Ag(thf)6][Al(OTeF5)4(thf)2] were characterized by low‐temperature X‐ray diffraction, revealing a sixfold coordinated central aluminum atom. By a metathesis reaction, the oxidizing nitrosonium salt [NO][Al(OTeF5)4] was obtained and its reactivity was demonstrated by a reaction with white phosphorus. By low‐temperature NMR spectroscopy the selective formation of [NOP4]+ species was confirmed. All of the prepared salts represent useful starting materials for the further introduction of the weakly coordinating anion [Al(OTeF5)4]– into a given system.
Subleading-power corrections to the radiative leptonic B → γℓν decay in QCD
Authors: Wang Yu-Ming , Shen Yue-Long
Published: May 2018

Abstract

Applying the method of light-cone sum rules with photon distribution amplitudes, we compute the subleading-power correction to the radiative leptonic B → γℓν decay from the twist-two hadronic photon contribution at next-to-leading order in QCD; and further evaluate the higher-twist “resolved photon” corrections at leading order in α

s
, up to twist-four accuracy. QCD factorization for the vacuum-to-photon correlation function with an interpolating current for the B-meson is established explicitly at leading power in Λ/m

b
employing the evanescent operator approach. Resummation of the parametrically large logarithms of m

b

2
/Λ2 entering the hard function of the leading-twist factorization formula is achieved by solving the QCD evolution equation for the light-ray tensor operator at two loops. The leading-twist hadronic photon effect turns out to preserve the symmetry relation between the two B → γ form factors due to the helicity conservation, however, the higher-twist hadronic photon corrections can yield symmetry-breaking effect already at tree level in QCD. Using the conformal expansion of photon distribution amplitudes with the non-perturbative parameters estimated from QCD sum rules, the twist-two hadronic photon contribution can give rise to approximately 30% correction to the leading-power “direct photon” effect computed from the perturbative QCD factorization approach. In contrast, the subleading-power corrections from the higher-twist two-particle and three-particle photon distribution amplitudes are estimated to be of

$$ \mathcal{O}\left(3\sim 5\%\right) $$

O

3
∼
5
%

with the light-cone sum rule approach. We further predict the partial branching fractions of B → γℓν with a photon-energy cut E

γ
≥ E
cut, which are of interest for determining the inverse moment of the leading-twist B-meson distribution amplitude thanks to the forthcoming high-luminosity Belle II experiment at KEK.
Corrections to: Enhanced lincomycin production by co‑overexpression of metK1 and metK2 in Streptomyces lincolnensis
Authors: Xu Yurong , Tan Guoqing , Ke Meilan , Li Jie , Tang Yaqian , Meng Sitong , Niu Jingjing , Wang Yansheng , Liu Ruihua , Wu Hang , Bai Linquan , Zhang Lixin , Zhang Buchang
Published: May 2018

In the online published article, row value “pIB139-metK1-metK2” in table 1 has been processed incorrectly. The correct table is given below
Recent review of transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect
Authors: Yang Ming‐Chun , Wu Jiunn‐Ren
Published: May 2018

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is one of the two most common congenital heart diseases in children and adult. After the application of catheter intervention for ASD, this became an alternative treatment other than surgery from late 1990. In 2001, the procedure was further approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and become the first choice for most cases of secundum type of ASD worldwide. The success rate is more than 98% in literature reviews, with low complication rates in percutaneous ASD closure. Major complications are around 1%, including device embolization, cardiac erosions, new‐onset atrial arrhythmia, and other comorbidities. We reviewed indications for percutaneous secundum type ASD closure, technique, successful rate and major complications in this article. To complete the catheter intervention with difficult ASD conditions, various procedural techniques have been developed recently. We also report a challenging case by a current balloon‐assisted technique for huge ASD closure.
Ecophenotypy, temporal and spatial fidelity, functional morphology, and physiological trade-offs among intertidal bivalves
Authors: Huntley John Warren , Schiffbauer James D. , Avila Teresa D. , Broce Jesse S.
Published: May 2018

Ecophenotypic variation in populations is driven by differences in environmental variables. In marine environments, ecophenotypic variation may be caused by differences in hydrodynamic conditions, substrate type, water depth, temperature, salinity, oxygen concentration, and habitat heterogeneity, among others. Instances of ecophenotypic variation in modern and fossil settings are common, but little is known about the influences of time averaging and spatial averaging on their preservation. Here we examine the shell morphology of two adjacent populations, both live collected and death assemblages, of the infaunal, suspension-feeding, intertidal bivalve Leukoma staminea from the well-studied Argyle Creek and Argyle Lagoon locations on San Juan Island, Washington. Individuals in the low-energy lagoon are free to burrow in the fine-grained substrate, while clams in the high-energy creek are precluded from burrowing in the rocky channel. Our results demonstrate variation in size and shape between the adjacent habitats. Lagoon clams are larger, more disk-shaped, and have relatively larger siphons than their creek counterparts, which are smaller, more spherical in shape, and have a relatively shallower pallial sinus. This ecophenotypy is preserved among death assemblages, although with generally greater variation due to time averaging and shell transport. Our interpretation is that ecophenotypic variation, in this case, is induced by differing hydrodynamic regimes and substrate types, cumulatively resulting in physiological trade-offs diverting resources from feeding and respiration to stability and shell strength, all of which have the potential to be preserved in the fossil record.
The asymptotic Dirichlet problems on manifolds with unbounded negative curvature
Authors: JI RAN
Published: May 2018

Elton P. Hsu used probabilistic method to show that the asymptotic Dirichlet problem is uniquely solvable under the curvature condition −Ce(2−η)r(x) ≤ KM(x) ≤ −1 with η > 0. We give an analytical proof of the same statement. In addition, using this new approach we are able to establish two boundary Harnack inequalities under the curvature condition −Ce(2/3−η)r(x) ≤ KM(x) ≤ −1 with η > 0. This implies that there is a natural homeomorphism between the Martin boundary and the geometric boundary of M. As far as we know, this is the first result of this kind under unbounded curvature conditions. Our proof is a modification of an argument due to M. T. Anderson and R. Schoen.
Reinfection hazard of hand-foot-mouth disease in Wuhan, China, using Cox-proportional hazard model
Authors: Peng Y. , Yu B. , Kong D. G. , Zhao Y. Y. , Wang P. , Pang B. B. , Gong J.
Published: May 2018

Hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) is an acute infectious disease caused by serotypes of the enterovirus (EV) family. HFMD reinfection occurs commonly in lack of cross-protection between different EV serotypes. In this study, we investigated the hazards of HFMD reinfection using Cox-proportional hazard model. Retrospective data of 95 209 HFMD cases in Wuhan during 2008–2015 was used. Kaplan–Meier survival methods and Cox-proportional hazard model were used to estimate the hazard probabilities. Of the all HFMD cases, about 2% experienced reinfection (1842/95 209). Kaplan–Meier curves revealed the reinfection risk sharply increased before 40 months from first infection. Higher hazards of reinfection were detected among those who were males, aged 3 years and below, scattered children, belonging to urban areas and first infected with coxsackievirus (CV)-A16 compared with their respective counterparts. Cox-proportional hazard model suggested that gender, age, group, living area and serotypes of first infection had significant effect on reinfection even after adjusting for potential confounding effects of other selected factors considered in the study. These results indicate that boys aged 3 years and below, especially those living in urban areas and first infected with CV-A16 are more prone to reinfection. Interventions should be imposed on these high-risk populations.
Damaging the Future: The Health Rights of Children and the Issue of Short-Termism; Issues Facing Australian Bioethicists
Authors: DALTON-BROWN SALLY
Published: May 2018

This article considers recent ethical topics in Australia relating to the health rights of children in the contexts of (1) detention centers, (2) vaccination, and (3) procreative liberty, within a wider framework of discussion of the competing rights of society, parents, the child, and future generations.
Ethical Reflections on the Equity of the Current Basic Health Insurance System Reform in China: A Case Study in Hunan Province
Authors: LIU JUNXIANG , XU JINGZI , ZHANG TIANYU , MA YONGHUI
Published: May 2018

China’s current basic health insurance reform aims at promoting equity in the economic accessibility of health services for all citizens, to better ensure healthcare justice. Therefore, it is important to assess equity not only from a socioeconomic perspective but also from an ethical angle. This article investigates the basic health insurance system of Hunan Province in China by focusing on insurance types as well as their classification standards, mechanisms, and utilization according to local policy documents and data. This study demonstrates the reforming achievements and the inequity of institutional design according to two interrelated dimensions: equal opportunity of access to healthcare insurance and reducing inequality in insurance benefits. The article concludes that to achieve opportunity equity and outcome fairness, the reform should focus on designing the system to promote equity with respect to procedures and rules and to be more attentive to the interests of vulnerable groups and especially to rural residents.
Ethics Education in New Zealand Medical Schools
Authors: MCMILLAN JOHN , MALPAS PHILLIPA , WALKER SIMON , JONAS MONIQUE
Published: May 2018

This article describes the well-developed and long-standing medical ethics teaching programs in both of New Zealand’s medical schools at the University of Otago and the University of Auckland. The programs reflect the awareness that has been increasing as to the important role that ethics education plays in contributing to the “professionalism” and “professional development” in medical curricula.
A Closer Look at the Junior Doctor Crisis in the United Kingdom’s National Health Services: Is Emigration Justifiable?
Authors: TEO WENDY ZI WEI
Published: May 2018

This article attempts to tackle the ethically and morally troubling issue of emigration of physicians from the United Kingdom, and whether it can be justified. Unlike most research that has already been undertaken in this field, which looks at migration from developing countries to developed countries, this article takes an in-depth look at the migration of physicians between developed countries, in particular from the United Kingdom (UK) to other developed countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States (US). This examination was written in response to a current and critical crisis in the National Health Service (NHS), where impending contract changes may bring about a potential exodus of junior doctors.
Robots as Imagined in the Television Series Humans
Authors: WICCLAIR MARK R.
Published: May 2018

Humans is a science fiction television series set in what appears to be present-day London. What makes it science fiction is that in London and worldwide, there are robots that look like humans and can mimic human behavior. The series raises several important ethical and philosophical questions about artificial intelligence and robotics, which should be of interest to bioethicists.
“I Left the Museum Somewhat Changed”: Visual Arts and Health Ethics Education
Authors: DELANY CLARE , GAUNT HEATHER
Published: May 2018

A common goal of ethics education is to equip students who later become health practitioners to not only know about the ethical principles guiding their practice, but to also autonomously recognize when and how these principles might apply and assist these future practitioners in providing care for patients and families. This article aims to contribute to discussions about ethics education pedagogy and teaching, by presenting and evaluating the use of the visual arts as an educational approach designed to facilitate students’ moral imagination and independent critical thinking about ethics in clinical practice. We describe a sequence of ethics education strategies over a 3 year Doctor of Physiotherapy program, focusing on the final year professional ethics assessment task, which involved the use of visual arts to stimulate the exploration of ethics in healthcare. The data (in the form of student essays about their chosen artwork) were analyzed using both thematic and content analysis. Two key themes centered on emotional responses and lateral thinking. The use of artwork appeared to facilitate imaginative, emotional, and conceptual thinking about ethics and clinical experience (both past and future). This study provides some evidence to support the effectiveness of the use of the visual arts in promoting students’ recognition of ethical dimensions within their clinical experience and reflection on their emerging professional identity. As one student noted, she left the museum “somewhat changed.”
INDUSTRIAL TRANSFORMATION WITH HETEROGENEOUS LABOR AND FOREIGN EXPERTS
Authors: Lim King Yoong
Published: May 2018

This paper develops an endogenous growth model with industrial transformation and a stylized foreign expert-based internalization advantage framework to determine the composition of heterogeneous foreign multinationals in a developing host economy. A key feature of the model is the introduction of a dichotomous relationship between domestic and foreign firms, where the latter perceives heterogeneity among the productivity of domestic workers. This results in the skills acquisition decision and foreign subsidiaries' operational mode choice to be determined along the same ability distribution of the host economy. This subsequently determines the shares of the different types of multinationals in a host economy. Parameterized for Malaysia, policy experiments are conducted. A balanced investment liberalization measure for all foreign firms is found to outperform measure targeting only selected types, though there is a threshold doing-business cost value below which such a standalone Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)-promoting policy does not generate positive growth effect. This then calls for composite program that maximizes the policy complementarities between human capital and FDI-promoting policies.
Partisan Affiliation and the Evaluation of Non-Prototypical Candidates
Authors: Severson Alexander W.
Published: May 2018

Ideologically impure candidates—RINOs and DINOs—risk losing the endorsement of their fellow copartisans. However, which copartisans? In this article, I assess how party affiliation and the strength of partisan affiliation condition the evaluation of ideologically impure, non-prototypical candidates. Using a nationally representative survey experiment, I present evidence that while partisans negatively evaluate non-prototypical copartisans, there is not a consistent relationship between strength of identification and the degree of punitiveness. Moreover, candidate non-prototypicality causes convergence in candidate support between Republicans and Democrats. My results provide evidence that nominal partisan affiliation is by itself insufficient to save an ideologically non-prototypical candidate from the rebuke of fellow copartisans and thus that the “in-name-only” charge holds some weight.
Bridging the Partisan Divide on Immigration Policy Attitudes through a Bipartisan Issue Area: The Case of Human Trafficking
Authors: Bonilla Tabitha , Mo Cecilia Hyunjung
Published: May 2018

To date, while there is a rich literature describing the determinants of anti-immigrant sentiment, researchers have not identified a mechanism to reduce antipathy toward immigrants. In fact, extant research has shown that efforts to induce positive attitudes toward immigrants often backfire. What if a bridging frame strategy were employed? Can a bipartisan issue area in which there is general support act as a bridging frame to elicit more positive sentiment toward immigration among those who oppose more open immigration policies? We explore this question by conducting two survey experiments in which we manipulate whether immigration is linked with the bipartisan issue area of human trafficking. We find that in forcing individuals to reconcile the fact that a widely accepted issue position of combating trafficking also requires a reassessment of immigration policies, we can positively shift attitudes on immigration.
Vorhersage von kognitiven Fähigkeiten in der WPSSI-IV durch den ET 6-6-R
Authors: Walter Franziska , Petermann Franz , Daseking Monika
Published: May 2018

Zusammenfassung. Das Ziel der Studie ist es die prognostische Validität des ET 6-6-R zu bestimmen. Es sollen die Leistungen in den primären Indizes der WPPSI-IV vorhergesagt werden. Getestet wurden 99 Kinder im Alter von 30 bis 70 Monaten. Der Abstand zwischen den Testungen betrug 8 bis 57 Tage. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass der Gesamt-IQ am besten durch die Entwicklungsbereiche Kognition und Sprache vorhergesagt werden kann. Die Regressionsmodelle mit den Kriterien Sprachverständnis und Visuell-Räumlicher Verarbeitung sind ebenfalls zufriedenstellend. Die Vorhersagewerte für das Arbeitsgedächtnis und das Fluide Schlussfolgern fallen sehr gering aus. Es besteht zudem keine Korrelation zwischen der Verarbeitungsgeschwindigkeit der WPPSI-IV und den Entwicklungsbereichen des ET 6-6-R. Die Analysen zeigen, dass der ET 6-6-R eine zufriedenstellende prognostische Validität für einige Indizes der WPPSI-IV aufweist. Für ein umfangreiches kognitives Profil ist es notwendig, eine Intelligenzdiagnostik durchzuführen.
Wie gut stimmen Eltern- und Kinderurteile bei der Einschätzung von Kinderängsten überein?
Authors: Walter Franziska , Nitkowski Dennis , Petermann Franz
Published: May 2018

Zusammenfassung. Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Studie soll die Interrater-Reliabilität des Eltern- und Kinderurteils für alle Skalen des Bereichsspezifischen Angstfragebogens für Kinder und Jugendliche (BAK) und der Einfluss von möglichen Variablen (Alter und Geschlecht des Kindes) auf die Übereinstimmung von Eltern- und Kindurteil ermittelt werden. Es wurden 572 Kinder und Jugendliche (295 Mädchen; 277 Jungen) im Alter von 9 bis 16 Jahren aus der Allgemeinbevölkerung und ihre Eltern anhand des BAK zu den Ängsten befragt. Berechnet wird die Interrater-Reliabilität sowohl für die intervallskalierten Daten (T-Werte) als auch für die daraus resultierenden kategorialen Daten. Es zeigt sich ausschließlich ein Alterseffekt auf die Übereinstimmung in den Punktwerten für die Skala Naturgewalten des BAK. Für alle Skalen des BAK mit Ausnahme der Skalen Medizinischer Bereich und Trennung/Unbekanntes konnte ein Geschlechtseffekt belegt werden. Die Interrater-Reliabilitäten sind als gering bis mittelmäßig einzustufen (ICC = .33 bis .62; Krippendorffs αü = .25 bis .57; Gewichtetes Cohens ϰ = .29 bis .58). Die Beurteiler-Übereinstimmungen fallen über alle Skalen hinweg bei den Mädchen höher aus als bei den Jungen. Die Ergebnisse verdeutlichen, dass es sinnvoll ist, bei der Beurteilung der Angstsymptomatik eines Kindes sowohl das Selbsturteil als auch das Elternurteil einzuholen.
Playa‐Wetlands Effects on Dryland Biogeochemistry: Space and Time Interactions
Authors: McKenna Owen P. , Sala Osvaldo E.
Published: May 2018

Playas are ephemerally flooded wetlands found in hydrologically closed dryland catchments. Recent research showed how upland‐catchment biophysical characteristics control the amount of organic carbon and nutrients that accumulates in playas from upland grasslands and shrublands. Here we further explored the role of allochthonous and autochthonous processes in fixing carbon and accruing soil nutrients in playas across a desert basin. We assessed whether playas contribute soil nutrient, organic‐carbon stocks, and primary productivity rates in amounts disproportionately higher or lower than upland grasslands and shrublands. We found that playas had higher soil carbon and nutrient storage but no difference in mean annual primary production. Playas, on average, had similar primary productivity than upland systems, because they exhibited lower productivity during extremely wet years that offset the larger productivity during average or below average precipitation years. These results suggest that playas contain higher carbon and soil nutrient stocks because of runoff‐mediated allochthonous inputs, rather than autochthonous sources, since long‐term average productivity was similar to upland ecosystems. We also used the precipitation‐aboveground net primary production (ANPP) relationships to accurately measure run‐on in playas using differences between playa and upland grassland ANPP. The dependence of playa ANPP on surface‐water inputs from upland catchments makes them susceptible to future changes in extreme precipitation events.
New Paths for Plankton in Warming Arctic?
Authors: den Hond Bas
Published: May 2018

Water flowing from the Pacific to the Atlantic could find new shortcuts, enabling plankton to survive the trip through the cold polar region.
Direct Observations of Hydrologic Exchange Occurring With Less‐Mobile Porosity and the Development of Anoxic Microzones in Sandy Lakebed Sediments
Authors: Briggs Martin A. , Day‐Lewis Frederick D. , Dehkordy Farzaneh Mahmood Poor , Hampton Tyler , Zarnetske Jay P. , Scruggs Courtney R. , Singha Kamini , Harvey Judson W. , Lane John W.
Published: May 2018

Quantifying coupled mobile/less‐mobile porosity dynamics is critical to the prediction of biogeochemical storage, release, and transformation processes in the zone where groundwater and surface water exchange. The recent development of fine‐scale geoelectrical monitoring paired with pore‐water sampling in groundwater systems enables direct characterization of hydrologic exchange between more‐ and less‐mobile porosity during tracer tests. We adapt this technique to sandy interface sediments at a groundwater flow‐through kettle lake. Tracer experiments were conducted within controlled‐head permeameters over a range of specified downward flow conditions over several days. Although the bed was predominantly composed of highly permeable sands and gravels, cobble inclusions created less‐mobile flow zones at the centimeter scale. Less‐mobile porosity fractions, residence times, and rates of exchange were inferred from paired bulk and fluid electrical conductivity data, without the need for inverse model calibration. The conservative solute experiments were paired with 15NO3− and other reactive amendments, revealing anaerobic processes occurring at shallow sediment depths where pore‐water sampling indicated bulk‐oxic conditions. The average less‐mobile porosity residence times as evaluated with the geoelectrical method were on 1‐hr timescales, which appear to be biogeochemically important in the context of creating anoxic microzones within less‐mobile porosity of sandy interface sediments.
Relative contributions of preprandial and postprandial glucose exposures, glycemic variability, and non-glycemic factors to HbA
1c
in individuals with and without diabetes
Authors: Færch Kristine , Alssema Marjan , Mela David J. , Borg Rikke , Vistisen Dorte
Published: May 2018

Background/objective

There is substantial interest in dietary approaches to reducing postprandial glucose (PPG) responses, but the quantitative contribution of PPG to longer-term glycemic control (reflected in glycated hemoglobin, HbA1c) in the general population is not known. This study quantified the associations of preprandial glucose exposure, PPG exposure, and glycemic variability with HbA1c and estimated the explained variance in HbA1c in individuals with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Subjects/methods

Participants in the A1c-Derived Average Glucose (ADAG) study without T2D (n = 77) or with non-insulin-treated T2D and HbA1c<6.5% (T2DHbA1c < 6.5%, n = 63) or HbA1c ≥ 6.5% (T2DHbA1c ≥ 6.5%, n = 34) were included in this analysis. Indices of preprandial glucose, PPG, and glycemic variability were calculated from continuous glucose monitoring during four periods over 12 weeks prior to HbA1c measurement. In linear regression models, we estimated the associations of the glycemic exposures with HbA1c and calculated the proportion of variance in HbA1c explained by glycemic and non-glycemic factors (age, sex, body mass index, and ethnicity).

Results

The factors in the analysis explained 35% of the variance in HbA1c in non-diabetic individuals, 49% in T2DHbA1c < 6.5%, and 78% in T2DHbA1c ≥ 6.5%. In non-diabetic individuals PPG exposure was associated with HbA1c in confounder-adjusted analyses (P < 0.05). In the T2DHbA1c < 6.5% group, all glycemic measures were associated with HbA1c (P < 0.05); preprandial glucose and PPG accounted for 14 and 18%, respectively, of the explained variation. In T2DHbA1c ≥ 6.5%, these glycemic exposures accounted for more than 50% of the variation in HbA1c and with equal relative contributions.

Conclusions

Among the glycemic exposures, PPG exposure was most strongly predictive of HbA1c in non-diabetic individuals, suggesting that interventions targeting lowering of the PPG response may be beneficial for long-term glycemic maintenance. In T2D, preprandial glucose and PPG exposure contributed equally to HbA1c.
In situ relationships between microbiota and potential pathobiota in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Bartoli Claudia , Frachon Léa , Barret Matthieu , Rigal Mylène , Huard-Chauveau Carine , Mayjonade Baptiste , Zanchetta Catherine , Bouchez Olivier , Roby Dominique , Carrère Sébastien , Roux Fabrice
Published: May 2018

A current challenge in microbial pathogenesis is to identify biological control agents that may prevent and/or limit host invasion by microbial pathogens. In natura, hosts are often infected by multiple pathogens. However, most of the current studies have been performed under laboratory controlled conditions and by taking into account the interaction between a single commensal species and a single pathogenic species. The next step is therefore to explore the relationships between host–microbial communities (microbiota) and microbial members with potential pathogenic behavior (pathobiota) in a realistic ecological context. In the present study, we investigated such relationships within root-associated and leaf-associated bacterial communities of 163 ecologically contrasted Arabidopsis thaliana populations sampled across two seasons in southwest of France. In agreement with the theory of the invasion paradox, we observed a significant humped-back relationship between microbiota and pathobiota α-diversity that was robust between both seasons and plant organs. In most populations, we also observed a strong dynamics of microbiota composition between seasons. Accordingly, the potential pathobiota composition was explained by combinations of season-specific microbiota operational taxonomic units. This result suggests that the potential biomarkers controlling pathogen’s invasion are highly dynamic.
Spatial self-organization resolves conflicts between individuality and collective migration
Authors: Fu X. , Kato S. , Long J. , Mattingly H. H. , He C. , Vural D. C. , Zucker S. W. , Emonet T.
Published: May 2018

Collective behavior can spontaneously emerge when individuals follow common rules of interaction. However, the behavior of each individual differs due to existing genetic and non-genetic variation within the population. It remains unclear how this individuality is managed to achieve collective behavior. We quantify individuality in bands of clonal Escherichia coli cells that migrate collectively along a channel by following a self-generated gradient of attractant. We discover that despite substantial differences in individual chemotactic abilities, the cells are able to migrate as a coherent group by spontaneously sorting themselves within the moving band. This sorting mechanism ensures that differences between individual chemotactic abilities are compensated by differences in the local steepness of the traveling gradient each individual must navigate, and determines the minimum performance required to travel with the band. By resolving conflicts between individuality and collective migration, this mechanism enables populations to maintain advantageous diversity while on the move.
Making head or tail of cnidarian hox gene function
Authors: Rentzsch Fabian , Holstein Thomas W.
Published: May 2018

Distantly related animals have spectacularly different shapes and body plans, which can render it difficult to understand which of their body parts may have a shared evolutionary origin. Studying the molecular regulation of the development of these body parts during embryogenesis can help identifying commonalities that are not visible by eye.
Observation of an anti-PT-symmetric exceptional point and energy-difference conserving dynamics in electrical circuit resonators
Authors: Choi Youngsun , Hahn Choloong , Yoon Jae Woong , Song Seok Ho
Published: May 2018

Parity-time (PT) symmetry and associated non-Hermitian properties in open physical systems have been intensively studied in search of new interaction schemes and their applications. Here, we experimentally demonstrate an electrical circuit producing key non-Hermitian properties and unusual wave dynamics grounded on anti-PT (APT) symmetry. Using a resistively coupled amplifying-LRC-resonator circuit, we realize a generic APT-symmetric system that enables comprehensive spectral and time-domain analyses on essential consequences of the APT symmetry. We observe an APT-symmetric exceptional point (EP), inverse PT-symmetry breaking transition, and counterintuitive energy-difference conserving dynamics in stark contrast to the standard Hermitian dynamics keeping the system’s total energy constant. Therefore, we experimentally confirm unique properties of APT-symmetric systems, and further development in other areas of physics may provide new wave-manipulation techniques and innovative device-operation principles.
Multimorbidity Analysis According to Sex and Age towards Cardiovascular Diseases of Adults in Northeast China
Authors: Jin Lina , Guo Xin , Dou Jing , Liu Binghui , Wang Jiangzhou , Li Jiagen , Sun Mengzi , Sun Chong , Yu Yaqin , Yao Yan
Published: May 2018

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are great challenges in public health, where cardiovascular diseases (CVD) accounted for the large part of mortality that caused by NCDs. Multimorbidity is very common in NCDs especially in CVD, thus multimorbidity could make NCDs worse and bring heavy economic burden. This study aimed to explore the multimorbidity among adults, especially the important role of CVD that played in the entire multimorbidity networks. A total of 21435 participants aged 18–79 years old were recruited in Jilin province in 2012. Weighted networks were adopted to present the complex relationships of multimorbidity, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was used to evaluate the burden of multimorbidity. The prevalence of CVD was 14.97%, where the prevalence in females was higher than that in males (P < 0.001), and the prevalences of CVD increased with age (from 2.22% to 38.38%). The prevalence of multimorbidity with CVD was 96.17%, and CVD could worsen the burden of multimorbidity. Multimorbidity and multimorbidity with CVD were more marked in females than those in males. And the prevalence of multimorbidity was the highest in the middle-age, while the prevalence of multimorbidity with CVD was the highest in the old population.
A rapid culture system uninfluenced by an inoculum effect increases reliability and convenience for drug susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Jung Yong-Gyun , Kim Hyejin , Lee Sangyeop , Kim Suyeoun , Jo EunJi , Kim Eun-Geun , Choi Jungil , Kim Hyun Jung , Yoo Jungheon , Lee Hye-Jeong , Kim Haeun , Jung Hyunju , Ryoo Sungweon , Kwon Sunghoon
Published: May 2018

The Disc Agarose Channel (DAC) system utilizes microfluidics and imaging technologies and is fully automated and capable of tracking single cell growth to produce Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) drug susceptibility testing (DST) results within 3~7 days. In particular, this system can be easily used to perform DSTs without the fastidious preparation of the inoculum of MTB cells. Inoculum effect is one of the major problems that causes DST errors. The DAC system was not influenced by the inoculum effect and produced reliable DST results. In this system, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the first-line drugs were consistent regardless of inoculum sizes ranging from ~103 to ~108 CFU/mL. The consistent MIC results enabled us to determine the critical concentrations for 12 anti-tuberculosis drugs. Based on the determined critical concentrations, further DSTs were performed with 254 MTB clinical isolates without measuring an inoculum size. There were high agreement rates (96.3%) between the DAC system and the absolute concentration method using Löwenstein-Jensen medium. According to these results, the DAC system is the first DST system that is not affected by the inoculum effect. It can thus increase reliability and convenience for DST of MTB. We expect that this system will be a potential substitute for conventional DST systems.
The prion protein is embedded in a molecular environment that modulates transforming growth factor β and integrin signaling
Authors: Ghodrati Farinaz , Mehrabian Mohadeseh , Williams Declan , Halgas Ondrej , Bourkas Matthew E. C. , Watts Joel C. , Pai Emil F. , Schmitt-Ulms Gerold
Published: May 2018

At times, it can be difficult to discern if a lack of overlap in reported interactions for a protein-of-interest reflects differences in methodology or biology. In such instances, systematic analyses of protein-protein networks across diverse paradigms can provide valuable insights. Here, we interrogated the interactome of the prion protein (PrP), best known for its central role in prion diseases, in four mouse cell lines. Analyses made use of identical affinity capture and sample processing workflows. Negative controls were generated from PrP knockout lines of the respective cell models, and the relative levels of peptides were quantified using isobaric labels. The study uncovered 26 proteins that reside in proximity to PrP. All of these proteins are predicted to have access to the outer face of the plasma membrane, and approximately half of them were not reported to interact with PrP before. Strikingly, although several proteins exhibited profound co-enrichment with PrP in a given model, except for the neural cell adhesion molecule 1, no protein was highly enriched in all PrP-specific interactomes. However, Gene Ontology analyses revealed a shared association of the majority of PrP candidate interactors with cellular events at the intersection of transforming growth factor β and integrin signaling.
Author Correction: Active-site plasticity revealed in the asymmetric dimer of AnPrx6 the 1-Cys peroxiredoxin and molecular chaperone from Anabaena sp. PCC 7120
Authors: Mishra Yogesh , Hall Michael , Locmelis Roland , Nam Kwangho , Söderberg Christopher A. G. , Storm Patrik , Chaurasia Neha , Rai Lal Chand , Jansson Stefan , Schröder Wolfgang P. , Sauer Uwe H.
Published: May 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.
The influence of salinity on the effects of Multi-walled carbon nanotubes on polychaetes
Authors: De Marchi Lucia , Neto Victor , Pretti Carlo , Figueira Etelvina , Chiellini Federica , Morelli Andrea , Soares Amadeu M. V. M. , Freitas Rosa
Published: May 2018

Salinity shifts in estuarine and coastal areas are becoming a topic of concern and are one of the main factors influencing nanoparticles behaviour in the environment. For this reason, the impacts of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) under different seawater salinity conditions were evaluated on the common ragworm Hediste diversicolor, a polychaete species widely used as bioindicator of estuarine environmental quality. An innovative method to assess the presence of MWCNT aggregates in the sediments was used for the first time. Biomarkers approach was used to evaluate the metabolic capacity, oxidative status and neurotoxicity of polychaetes after long-term exposure. The results revealed an alteration of energy-related responses in contaminated polychaetes under both salinity conditions, resulting in an increase of metabolism and expenditure of their energy reserves (lower glycogen and protein contents). Moreover, a concentration-dependent toxicity (higher lipid peroxidation, lower ratio between reduced and oxidized glutathione and activation of antioxidant defences and biotransformation mechanisms) was observed in H. diversicolor, especially when exposed to low salinity. Additionally, neurotoxicity was observed by inhibition of Cholinesterases activity in organisms exposed to MWCNTs at both salinities.
Mice Lacking Alternatively Activated (M2) Macrophages Show Impairments in Restorative Sleep after Sleep Loss and in Cold Environment
Authors: Massie Ashley , Boland Erin , Kapás Levente , Szentirmai Éva
Published: May 2018

The relationship between sleep, metabolism and immune functions has been described, but the cellular components of the interaction are incompletely identified. We previously reported that systemic macrophage depletion results in sleep impairment after sleep loss and in cold environment. These findings point to the role of macrophage-derived signals in maintaining normal sleep. Macrophages exist either in resting form, classically activated, pro-inflammatory (M1) or alternatively activated, anti-inflammatory (M2) phenotypes. In the present study we determined the contribution of M2 macrophages to sleep signaling by using IL-4 receptor α-chain-deficient [IL-4Rα knockout (KO)] mice, which are unable to produce M2 macrophages. Sleep deprivation induced robust increases in non-rapid-eye-movement sleep (NREMS) and slow-wave activity in wild-type (WT) animals. NREMS rebound after sleep deprivation was ~50% less in IL-4Rα KO mice. Cold exposure induced reductions in rapid-eye-movement sleep (REMS) and NREMS in both WT and KO mice. These differences were augmented in IL-4Rα KO mice, which lost ~100% more NREMS and ~25% more REMS compared to WTs. Our finding that M2 macrophage-deficient mice have the same sleep phenotype as mice with global macrophage depletion reconfirms the significance of macrophages in sleep regulation and suggests that the main contributors are the alternatively activated M2 cells.
Alcohol consumption promotes colorectal carcinoma metastasis via a CCL5-induced and AMPK-pathway-mediated activation of autophagy
Authors: Zhao Haodong , Chen Danlei , Cao Rui , Wang Shiqing , Yu Dandan , Liu Yakun , Jiang Yu , Xu Mei , Luo Jia , Wang Siying
Published: May 2018

There is a definite relationship between alcohol consumption and colorectal cancer (CRC) development. We investigated effect of alcohol consumption on CRC patients’ progression and prognosis by utilizing epidemiological data and found patients with alcohol consumption increased risks of tumor-node-metastasis (TNM), organ metastasis and poorer prognosis. Because their tumor tissues displayed increased expression of C-C chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5), we hypothesized CCL5 might participate in cancer progression in such patients. Ethanol increased the secretion of CCL5 in two CRC cell lines, HT29 and DLD-1. Treatment with CCL5 directly increased migratory ability of these cells, whereas neutralization or knockdown of CCL5 can partially block alcohol-stimulated migration. We further investigated underlying mechanism of CCL5-induced migration. Our results indicated that effects of CCL5 on migration are mediated by the ability of CCL5 to induce autophagy, a cellular process known to be critical for migration. Using high-throughput sequencing and western blotting, we found induction of autophagy by CCL5 takes place via AMPK pathway. Aforementioned ethanol increases CCL5 secretion, CCL5 activates autophagy through AMPK pathway, and autophagy increases migration was confirmed by experiments with autophagy or AMPK inhibitors. To sum up, our study demonstrates that chronic alcohol consumption may promote metastasis of CRC through CCL5-induced autophagy.
Environmental factors controlling the distributions of Botryococcus braunii (A, B and L) biomarkers in a subtropical freshwater wetland
Authors: He Ding , Simoneit Bernd R. T. , Jaffé Rudolf
Published: May 2018

Here we report the molecular biomarker co-occurrence of three different races of Botryococcus braunii (B. braunii) in the freshwater wetland ecosystem of the Florida Everglades, USA. Thespecific biomarkers include C32–C34 botryococcenes for race B, C27–C32n-alkadienes and n-alkatrienes for race A, and lycopadiene for race L. The n-alkadienes and n-alkatrienes were present up to 3.1 and 69.5 µg/g dry weight (dw), while lycopadiene was detected in lower amounts up to 3.0 and 1.5 µg/g dw in periphyton and floc samples, respectively. Nutrient concentrations (P and N) did not significantly correlate with the abundances of these compounds. In contrast, n-alkadienes and n-alkatrienes were present in wider diversity and higher abundance in the floc from slough (deeper water and longer hydroperiod) than ridge (shallower water and shorter hydroperiod) locations. n-Alkadienes, n-alkatrienes, and lycopadiene, showed lower δ13C values from −40.0 to −35.5‰, suggesting that the source organisms B. braunii at least partially utilize recycled CO2 (13C depleted) produced from OM respiration rather than atmospheric CO2 (13C enriched) as the major carbon sources.
Relay synchronization in multiplex networks
Authors: Leyva I. , Sendiña-Nadal I. , Sevilla-Escoboza R. , Vera-Avila V. P. , Chholak P. , Boccaletti S.
Published: May 2018

Relay (or remote) synchronization between two not directly connected oscillators in a network is an important feature allowing distant coordination. In this work, we report a systematic study of this phenomenon in multiplex networks, where inter-layer synchronization occurs between distant layers mediated by a relay layer that acts as a transmitter. We show that this transmission can be extended to higher order relay configurations, provided symmetry conditions are preserved. By first order perturbative analysis, we identify the dynamical and topological dependencies of relay synchronization in a multiplex. We find that the relay synchronization threshold is considerably reduced in a multiplex configuration, and that such synchronous state is mostly supported by the lower degree nodes of the outer layers, while hubs can be de-multiplexed without affecting overall coherence. Finally, we experimentally validated the analytical and numerical findings by means of a multiplex of three layers of electronic circuits.
Serum N1-methylnicotinamide is Associated with Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Chinese
Authors: Liu Ming , He Anxia , Chu Jihong , Chen Chao , Zhang Siqi , He Yun , Tao Weiwei , Lu Meijuan , Hua Mulian , Ju Wenzheng , Fang Zhuyuan
Published: May 2018

We previously reported that serum N1-methylnicotinamide (me-NAM), an indicator of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) activity, was associated with obesity, diabetes, and coronary artery disease in Chinese patients. However, whether NNMT might play a role in the development of heart failure remains to be elucidated. In this study, the associations between levels of serum me-NAM and left ventricular structure and function were investigated in Chinese patients. Serum me-NAM was measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in 265 subjects. M-mode, 2-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography were performed with the GE Vivid E9 system to assess left ventricular structure and function. Of note, the participants in the top tertile of me-NAM had the lowest left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), preload recruitable stroke work (PRSW), and highest prevalence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD). Serum me-NAM was negatively correlated with LVEF and PRSW before and after adjusted for potential confounding variables (P ≤ 0.02). In multiple logistic regression analyses, the subjects in the top tertile of me-NAM had highest risks for LVSD (OR 6.80; 95% CI 1.26–36.72; P = 0.026), which was also observed in continuous analyses (OR 9.48; 95% CI 1.41–63.48; P = 0.02). In conclusion, serum me-NAM is negatively associated with LVEF and PRSW and accordingly positively associated with the prevalence of LVSD in Chinese patients.
Response of soil organic carbon and nitrogen to nitrogen deposition in a Larix principis-rupprechtii plantation
Authors: Ma Junyong , Kang Fengfeng , Cheng Xiaoqin , Han Hairong
Published: May 2018

Plant growth and ecosystem production are limited by nitrogen (N), however, the mechanisms of N limitation in terrestrial carbon (C) sequestration in soil remains unclear. To examine these mechanisms N was deposited at rates of 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg N ha−1 yr−1 for two years in a subalpine Larix principis-rupprechtii plantation. Soil C and N components were measured three times encompassing the entire growing season (spring, summer, and autumn) in the second year of the experiment. Results showed that N-deposition affected soil organic carbon (SOC) in the upper soil layer (0–10 cm) especially in the summer season. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) played the key role in C loss under the high-N treatment (p < 0.01) with higher N-deposition significantly increasing both DOC and DOC/SOC in summer (p < 0.01). In the summer season when there was sufficient precipitation and higher temperatures, the average DOC across all treatments was higher than spring and autumn. The active C components contributed to SOC sequestration in low and medium N- treatment and DOC, DON dynamics in summer were responsible for the C and N pool loss under the high N-treatment.