bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Remote Sensing of Chlorophyll‐A in Case II Waters: A Novel Approach With Improved Accuracy Over Widely Implemented Turbid Water Indices
Authors: Menon Harilal B. , Adhikari Arjun
Published: November 2018

A new semianalytical algorithm was formulated to retrieve chlorophyll‐a (CHL) in optically complex waters using in situ data set of coastal waters of eastern Arabian Sea. The algorithm was derived using CHL index of the form, x = (Rrs(λ1)−1−Rrs(λ2)−1) × Rrs(λ3). The first wavelength (λ1) represents the secondary peak of CHL, while the second wavelength (λ2) and third wavelength (λ3) were delineated using a radiative transfer model and partial derivative analysis of hyperspectral remote sensing reflectance, respectively. Further iteration of three wavelengths between 600 and 700 nm resulted in a two‐wavelength index, x = (Rrs(λ1)−1−Rrs(λ2)−1) × Rrs(λ2). This was further regressed with CHL data initially used for three wavelength index. The final form of algorithm, Goa University Case II (GUC2), cMCHL=113.112x3−58.408x2+8.669x − 0.0384, was validated with in situ CHL ranging between 0.11 and 25.56 μg/L, resulted in a strong correlation r2 = 0.99, RMSE = 0.30, and bias = 0.03. A comparison with NIR‐Red two‐band, three‐band, four‐band, synthetic chlorophyll index, and normalized difference chlorophyll index pointed to the nonsuitability of turbid water indices in different water types of the study area. For the first time, a CHL algorithm has been tested successfully in water types outside the region of its formulation. A pixel‐to‐pixel validation of GUC2‐derived MERIS CHL with NASA bio‐Optical Marine Algorithm Dataset and Satellite Coastal and Oceanography Research data set resulted in correlation, bias, and RMSE of 0.90, −0.0013, and 1.2499, respectively. Furthermore, GUC2 was successfully tested in Chesapeake Bay for accurate retrieval of CHL from stations with varying turbidity levels.
Seasonal Variability of the Cold Pool Over the Mid‐Atlantic Bight Continental Shelf
Authors: Chen Zhuomin , Curchitser Enrique , Chant Robert , Kang Dujuan
Published: November 2018

The Mid‐Atlantic Bight (MAB) Cold Pool is a distinctive cold (lower than 10 °C) and relatively fresh (lower than 34 practical salinity unit) water mass. It is located over the middle and outer shelf of the MAB, below the seasonal thermocline, and is attached to the bottom. Following this definition, we put forward a method that includes three criteria to capture and quantify Cold Pool characteristics, based on a 50‐year (1958–2007) high‐resolution regional ocean model hindcast. The seasonal climatology of the Cold Pool and its properties are investigated during its onset‐peak‐decline cycle. Three stages of the Cold Pool event are defined according to its evolution and characteristics. The Cold Pool cores travel along the 60‐m isobath starting south of the New England shelf to the Hudson Shelf Valley at a speed of 2–3 cm/s. Furthermore, the northern extent of the Cold Pool retreats about 2.6 times faster than the southern extent during the summer progression. The heat balance of near‐bottom waters over the MAB and Georges Bank is computed and it is found that the heat advection, rather than vertical diffusion, dominates the resulting spatial patterns of warming. Possible origins of the Cold Pool are investigated by performing a lead‐lag correlation analysis. Results suggest that the Cold Pool originates not only from local remnants of winter water near the Nantucket Shoals, but has an upstream source traveling in the spring time from the southwestern flank of the Georges Bank along the 80‐m isobath.
Chlorophyll‐a in Antarctic Landfast Sea Ice: A First Synthesis of Historical Ice Core Data
Authors: Meiners K. M. , Vancoppenolle M. , Carnat G. , Castellani G. , Delille B. , Delille D. , Dieckmann G. S. , Flores H. , Fripiat F. , Grotti M. , Lange B. A. , Lannuzel D. , Martin A. , McMinn A. , Nomura D. , Peeken I. , Rivaro P. , Ryan K. G. , Stefels J. , Swadling K. M. , Thomas D. N. , Tison J.‐L. , van der Merwe P. , van Leeuwe M. A. , Weldrick C. , Yang E. J.
Published: November 2018

Historical sea ice core chlorophyll‐a (Chla) data are used to describe the seasonal, regional, and vertical distribution of ice algal biomass in Antarctic landfast sea ice. The analyses are based on the Antarctic Fast Ice Algae Chlorophyll‐a data set, a compilation of currently available sea ice Chla data from landfast sea ice cores collected at circum‐Antarctic nearshore locations between 1970 and 2015. Ice cores were typically sampled from thermodynamically grown first‐year ice and have thin snow depths (mean = 0.052 ± 0.097 m). The data set comprises 888 ice cores, including 404 full vertical profile cores. Integrated ice algal Chla biomass (range: <0.1–219.9 mg/m2, median = 4.4 mg/m2, interquartile range = 9.9 mg/m2) peaks in late spring and shows elevated levels in autumn. The seasonal Chla development is consistent with the current understanding of physical drivers of ice algal biomass, including the seasonal cycle of irradiance and surface temperatures driving landfast sea ice growth and melt. Landfast ice regions with reported platelet ice formation show maximum ice algal biomass. Ice algal communities in the lowermost third of the ice cores dominate integrated Chla concentrations during most of the year, but internal and surface communities are important, particularly in winter. Through comparison of biomass estimates based on different sea ice sampling strategies, that is, analysis of full cores versus bottom‐ice section sampling, we identify biases in common sampling approaches and provide recommendations for future survey programs: for example, the need to sample fast ice over its entire thickness and to measure auxiliary physicochemical parameters.
Heat‐Engine and Entropy‐Production Analyses of the World Ocean
Authors: Bannon Peter R. , Najjar Raymond G.
Published: November 2018

A heat‐engine analysis is performed in order to determine the ocean's Carnot efficiency, the maximum thermal energy (i.e., the Carnot work) available to drive the ocean circulation, and the ocean's irreversible entropy production. The analysis is based on a 36‐year monthly climatology of the surface heat flux; estimates of geothermal input, mechanical energy input, and heat storage; and a detailed treatment of freshwater fluxes. The ocean's Carnot efficiency is estimated to be 0.86%. The Carnot work is equal to 110 TW, which exceeds the mechanical energy input by the winds and tides. The net entropy flux from the ocean to its surroundings is found to be 0.617 TW/K, in good agreement with an independent estimate of the irreversible entropy production from viscous dissipation, thermal mixing, and haline mixing, demonstrating a balanced entropy budget of the ocean. Thermal mixing accounts for 56% of this entropy production, with most of the remaining production due to viscous dissipation and only small contributions from haline mixing and sea ice melting. Two thirds of the thermal entropy production is due to isopycnal mixing. The effect of thermal diffusion is to reduce the Carnot work significantly. The actual reduction is proportional to the amplitude of the (poorly known) eddy thermal diffusivity.
Air‐Sea Gas Exchange and CO2 Fluxes in a Tropical Coral Reef Lagoon
Authors: Ho David T. , De Carlo Eric H. , Schlosser Peter
Published: November 2018

Coral reefs are found predominately in tropical and subtropical areas and are sites of active carbon cycling. Knowledge of gas transfer velocities is necessary for carbon cycle studies in coral reef environments, and past studies in these environments have used wind speed/gas exchange parameterizations intended for the open ocean. In order to determine the relationship between wind speed and gas exchange, and to assess the suitability of open ocean wind speed/gas exchange parameterizations for this environment, two 3He/SF6 tracer release experiments were conducted during two separate years in a tropical coral reef lagoon in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. The results show that because water depth is relatively deep in much of Kaneohe Bay, some parameterizations intended for the open ocean can be used to predict gas transfer velocities in that environment. The bay was a source of CO2 to the atmosphere during both studies, and the residence times of water in the bay during the two studies differed by a factor of two.
Beliefs About the Treatment of Mental Illness Among the Namibian Aawambo: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Bartholomew Theodore T.
Published: November 2018

The ways mental illnesses are treated has the propensity to vary across cultures. Although psychotherapy and the alliance between clients and therapists is efficacious for treating mental illness in some contexts, cultures have developed equally as valid mechanisms for treating such conditions elsewhere. The purpose of this study was to explore beliefs about treatment for mental illness among a small Namibian Aawambo sample. Participants ( N = 14) were interviewed using a semistructured interview protocol. Grounded theory ethnographic analyses led to the identification of four categories: (a) witch doctors, frauds, and odudu (traditional healer); (b) counseling, medicine, and religion as means of healing; (c) seeking care—decisions based on beliefs and needs; and (d) the role of families for omunanamwengu (“mad one”). The idea of faith—or more aptly with the data, belief in a given treatment—emerged in the findings as key to understanding the type of intervention one may seek in the event of mental illness. Results highlight participants’ perceived importance of belief in treatment, traditional practices, families, and concurrent use of traditional and Western services to heal mental illness. These are discussed with respect to potential for integration of treatment modalities while recognizing that further research can expand understandings of treatment beliefs across Namibian cultures.
In-situ observation of plasmon-controlled photocatalytic dehydrogenation of individual palladium nanoparticles
Authors: Vadai Michal , Angell Daniel K. , Hayee Fariah , Sytwu Katherine , Dionne Jennifer A.
Published: November 2018

Plasmonic nanoparticle catalysts offer improved light absorption and carrier transport compared to traditional photocatalysts. However, it remains unclear how plasmonic excitation affects multi-step reaction kinetics and promotes site-selectivity. Here, we visualize a plasmon-induced reaction at the sub-nanoparticle level in-situ and in real-time. Using an environmental transmission electron microscope combined with light excitation, we study the photocatalytic dehydrogenation of individual palladium nanocubes coupled to gold nanoparticles with sub-2 nanometer spatial resolution. We find that plasmons increase the rate of distinct reaction steps with unique time constants; enable reaction nucleation at specific sites closest to the electromagnetic hot spots; and appear to open a new reaction pathway that is not observed without illumination. These effects are explained by plasmon-mediated population of excited-state hybridized palladium-hydrogen orbitals. Our results help elucidate the role of plasmons in light-driven photochemical transformations, en-route to design of site-selective and product-specific photocatalysts.
Parallels between vertebrate cardiac and cutaneous wound healing and regeneration
Authors: Richardson Rebecca J.
Published: November 2018

The cellular events that contribute to tissue healing of non-sterile wounds to the skin and ischaemic injury to internal organs such as the heart share remarkable similarities despite the differences between these injury types and organs. In adult vertebrates, both injuries are characterised by a complex series of overlapping events involving multiple different cell types and cellular interactions. In adult mammals both tissue-healing processes ultimately lead to the permanent formation of a fibrotic, collagenous scar, which can have varying effects on tissue function depending on the site and magnitude of damage. Extensive scarring in the heart as a result of a severe myocardial infarction contributes to ventricular dysfunction and the progression of heart failure. Some vertebrates such as adult zebrafish, however, retain a more embryonic capacity for scar-free tissue regeneration in many tissues including the skin and heart. In this review, the similarities and differences between these different types of wound healing are discussed, with special attention on recent advances in regenerative, non-scarring vertebrate models such as the zebrafish.
Differential Effects of a Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonist in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and in Response to Hepatectomy
Authors: Valdecantos M. Pilar , Ruiz Laura , Pardo Virginia , Castro-Sanchez Luis , García-Monzón Carmelo , Lanzón Borja , Rupérez Javier , Barbas Coral , Naylor Jaqueline , Trevaskis James L. , Grimsby Joseph , Rondinone Cristina M. , Valverde Ángela M.
Published: November 2018

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with post-operative liver failure (PLF) and impaired liver regeneration. We investigated the effects of a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist on NAFLD, PLF and liver regeneration in mice fed chow diet or methionine/choline-deficient diet (MCD) or high fat diet (HFD). Fc-GLP-1 decreased transaminases, reduced intrahepatic triglycerides (TG) and improved MCD-induced liver dysfuction. Macrophage/Kupffer cell-related markers were also reduced although Fc-GLP-1 increased expression of genes related to natural killer (NK), cytotoxic T lymphocytes and hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation. After partial hepatectomy (PH), survival rates increased in mice receiving Fc-GLP-1 on chow or MCD diet. However, the benefit of Fc-GLP-1 on NASH-like features was attenuated 2 weeks post-PH and liver mass restoration was not improved. At this time-period, markers of NK cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes were further elevated in Fc-GLP-1 treated mice. Increased HSC related gene expression in livers was observed together with decreased retinyl ester content and increased retinal and retinoic acid, reflecting HSC activation. Similar effects were found in mice fed HFD receiving Fc-GLP-1. Our results shed light on the differential effects of a long-acting GLP-1R agonist in improving NAFLD and PLF, but not enhancing liver regeneration in mice.
Social context modulates digestive efficiency in greylag geese (Anser anser)
Authors: Frigerio Didone , Kotrschal Kurt , Fabro Carla , Puehringer-Sturmayr Verena , Iaiza Lara , Hemetsberger Josef , Mason Federico , Sarnataro Chiara , Filacorda Stefano
Published: November 2018

In group-living animals, social context is known to modulate physiology, behaviour and reproductive output as well as foraging and nutritional strategies. Here we investigate the digestive efficiency of 38 individuals belonging to different social categories of a semi-feral and individually marked flock of greylag geese (Anser anser). During 9 consecutive days in winter 2017, when the ground was fully covered with snow (i.e. no grass or other natural forage available) and the accessible food was standardized, 184 individual droppings were collected and analysed to estimate the apparent digestibility of organic matter (ADOM). Lignin was used as an indigestible internal marker in the food and droppings. The digestive efficiency was higher in pairs with offspring as compared to pairs without offspring or unpaired birds. Furthermore, individuals with high ADOM were more likely to breed successfully in the following season than those with low ADOM. Our findings demonstrate that social status modulates digestive efficiency, probably via a chain of physiological mechanisms including a dampened stress response in individuals enjoying stable social relationships with and social support by their family members (i.e. their own pair-partner and offspring). Our findings underline the importance of the social network in modulating physiology, such as digestive efficiency, and ultimately reproductive success.
A novel alkaline protease from alkaliphilic Idiomarina sp. C9-1 with potential application for eco-friendly enzymatic dehairing in the leather industry
Authors: Zhou Cheng , Qin Hongliang , Chen Xiujuan , Zhang Yan , Xue Yanfen , Ma Yanhe
Published: November 2018

Alkaline proteases have a myriad of potential applications in many industrial processes such as detergent, food and feed production, waste management and the leather industry. In this study, we isolated several alkaline protease producing bacteria from soda lake soil samples. A novel serine alkaline protease (AprA) gene from alkaliphilicIdiomarinasp. C9-1 was cloned and expressed inEscherichia coli. The purified AprA and its pre-peptidase C-terminal (PPC) domain-truncated enzyme (AprA-PPC) showed maximum activity at pH 10.5 and 60 °C, and were active and stable in a wide range of pH and temperature. Ca2+significantly improved the thermostability and increased the optimal temperature to 70 °C. Furthermore, both AprA and AprA-PPC showed good tolerance to surfactants and oxidizing and reducing agents. We found that the PPC domain contributed to AprA activity, thermostability and surfactant tolerance. With casein as substrate, AprA and AprA-PPC showed the highest specific activity of 42567.1 U mg−1and 99511.9 U mg−1, theKmvalues of 3.76 mg ml−1and 3.98 mg ml−1, and theVmaxvalues of 57538.5 U mg−1and 108722.1 U mg−1, respectively. Secreted expression of AprA-PPC inBacillus subtilisafter 48 h cultivation resulted in yield of 4935.5 U ml−1with productivity of 102.8 U ml−1h−1, which is the highest reported in literature to date. Without adding any lime or sodium sulfide, both of which are harmful pollutants, AprA-PPC was effective in dehairing cattle hide and skins of goat, pig and rabbit in 8–12 h without causing significant damage to hairs and grain surface. Our results suggest that AprA-PPC may have great potentials for ecofriendly dehairing of animal skins in the leather industry.
Domestication modifies the volatile emissions produced by male Queensland fruit flies during sexual advertisement
Authors: Pérez Jeanneth , Park Soo Jean , Taylor Phillip W.
Published: November 2018

Insects commonly undergo substantial changes during adaptation for laboratory or mass-rearing environments (‘domestication’) that may have significant implications for inferences from laboratory studies and utility for biological control. We assessed the effect of domestication on the amount and blend of volatiles released during sexual calling by laboratory-reared Bactrocera tryoni males using colonies from three regions of Australia: Brisbane, Cairns and Sydney. For each region, volatiles released by males from a young colony (five or fewer generations) and an old colony (20+ generations) during sexual calling was compared. Males from old colonies released more volatiles than males from young colonies. All components of the blend were more abundant in one or more of the older colonies, although differences varied by compound and by region. To assess changes over generations, the young and old colonies obtained from Brisbane were sampled at 5, 12 and 15 generations (young colony) and 25, 35 and 38 generations (old colony). While the old colony remained unchanged, flies from the young colony released more volatiles at each sequential sampling episode, and became increasingly similar to the old colony. Increased volatile production during domestication may be an adaptive response to crowded rearing conditions in which males need to overcome a chemically noisy environment to be sexually successful.
Increased frequency of systemic pro-inflammatory Vδ1+ γδ T cells in HIV elite controllers correlates with gut viral load
Authors: Olson Gregory S. , Moore Sarah W. , Richter James M. , Garber John J. , Bowman Brittany A. , Rawlings Crystal A. , Flagg Meaghan , Corleis Björn , Kwon Douglas S.
Published: November 2018

γδ T cells predominate in the intestinal mucosa and help maintain gut homeostasis and mucosal immunity. Although HIV infection significantly alters these cells, what drives these perturbations is unclear. Growing evidence suggests that impaired intestinal immune function in HIV leads to chronic immune activation and disease progression. This occurs even in HIV controllers – individuals with undetectable HIV viremia without antiretroviral therapy (ART). We show that Vδ1+cells, a subset of γδ T cells described as being important in intestinal barrier function, increase in frequency in HIV-infected individuals, including HIV controllers. These cells resemble terminally differentiated effector memory cells, producing the pro-inflammatory cytokines IFNγ, TNFα, and MIP-1β upon stimulation. Importantly, pro-inflammatory Vδ1+cell frequency correlates with levels of HIV RNA in intestinal tissue but not in plasma. This study supports a model in which local viral replication in the gut in HIV controllers disrupts the phenotype and function of Vδ1+cells, a cell type involved in the maintenance of epithelial barrier integrity, and may thereby contribute to systemic immune activation and HIV disease progression.
Comparison Between Metabolic Syndrome and the Framingham Risk Score as Predictors of Cardiovascular Diseases Among Kazakhs in Xinjiang
Authors: Yang Wenwen , Ma Rulin , Zhang Xianghui , Guo Heng , He Jia , Mao Lei , Mu Lati , Hu Yunhua , Yan Yizhong , Liu Jiaming , Ma Jiaolong , Li Shugang , Ding Yusong , Zhang Mei , Zhang Jingyu , Guo Shuxia
Published: November 2018

Metabolic syndrome (MS) and Framingham risk score (FRS) can be used for predicting the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Previous studies that compared FRS and MS have focused on high-income urban areas. This study focused on the comparison between FRS and MS when used in nomadic minorities in mountain areas. Moreover, an applicable tool for predicting the risk of developing CVD was identified. 2,286 participants who were recruited from the far west of China were followed-up for a median of 5.49 years. MS and FRS were compared in terms of their ability in predicting development of CVD using Cox regression and receiver operating characteristic curve. After each component of MS was appraised, its area under the curve (AUC) was 0.647. When age was included, the AUC of MS risk score increased from 0.647 to 0.758 (P < 0.001). After adjusting for age, the AUC of FRS decreased from 0.732 to 0.582 (P < 0.001). The association between CVD and each quintile of MS risk score that included age was more significant than that between FRS and CVD under the same exposed condition. In conclusion, MS risk score that included age may be a better predictor of CVD among Kazakhs.
Interplay between MexAB-OprM and MexEF-OprN in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Horna Gertrudis , López María , Guerra Humberto , Saénz Yolanda , Ruiz Joaquim
Published: November 2018

MexAB-OprM and MexEF-OprN are Pseudomonas aeruginosa efflux pumps involved in the development of antibiotic resistance. Several studies developed with laboratory strains or using a few clinical isolates have reported that the regulation system of MexEF-OprN is involved in the final levels of MexAB-OprM expression. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the interplay between MexAB-OprM and MexEF-OprN in 90 out of 190 P. aeruginosa clinical isolates with an efflux pump overexpression phenotype. Regarding oprD, 33% (30/90) of isolates displayed relevant modifications (RM) defined as frameshift or premature stop, both related to carbapenem resistance. On the other hand, 33% of the isolates displayed RM in nalC, nalD or mexR, which were significantly associated with multidrug resistance (MDR), non-susceptibility to carbapenems, OprD alterations and strong biofilm production. Meanwhile, the RM in MexS were associated with presence of pigment (p = 0.004). Otherwise, when all the regulators were analysed together, the association between RM in MexAB-OprM regulators and MDR was only significant (p = 0.039) when mexS was the wild type. These data show the modulatory effect of MexEF-OprN on MexAB-OprM in a clinical population of P. aeruginosa. Further studies may contribute to design of novel molecules acting on this interplay to fight against antimicrobial resistance.
Purified Inactivated Zika Vaccine Candidates Afford Protection against Lethal Challenge in Mice
Authors: Baldwin Whitney R. , Livengood Jill A. , Giebler Holli A. , Stovall Janae L. , Boroughs Karen L. , Sonnberg Stephanie , Bohning Kelly J. , Dietrich Elizabeth A. , Ong Yee Tsuey , Danh Hoang K. , Patel Hetal K. , Huang Claire Y.-H. , Dean Hansi J.
Published: November 2018

In response to the 2016 global public health emergency of international concern announced by the World Health Organization surrounding Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreaks, we developed a purified inactivated Zika virus vaccine (PIZV) candidate from ZIKV strain PRVABC59, isolated during the outbreak in 2015. The virus isolate was plaque purified, creating six sub-isolated virus stocks, two of which were selected to generate PIZV candidates for preclinical immunogenicity and efficacy evaluation in mice. The alum-adjuvanted PIZV candidates were highly immunogenic in both CD-1 and AG129 mice after a 2-dose immunization. Further, AG129 mice receiving 2 doses of PIZV formulated with alum were fully protected against lethal ZIKV challenge and mouse immune sera elicited by the PIZV candidates were capable of neutralizing ZIKVs of both African and Asian genetic lineages in vitro. Additionally, passive immunization of naïve mice with ZIKV-immune serum showed strong positive correlation between neutralizing ZIKV antibody (NAb) titers and protection against lethal challenge. This study supported advancement of the PIZV candidate toward clinical development.
Closed-type pre-treatment device for point-of-care testing of sputum
Authors: Park Hyun-Ju , Woo Ayoung , Cha Jae Min , Lee Kyu-Sung , Lee Min-Young
Published: November 2018

The procedures and protocols for the pre-treatment of sputum specimens, mainly used for the diagnosis of pneumonia, are complex, labor intensive, and require skilled specialists working in a biosafety containment laboratory because of sample infectivity. In this study, we developed the first portable, low-power pre-treatment device that carries out all sputum pre-treatment procedures (liquefaction, homogenization, dissolution, and inactivation) in an enclosed space. Designed to simultaneously employ chemical and mechanical dissolution in the enclosed chamber, this device eliminates the risk of transmission and improves the effectiveness of sputum dissolution and pathogen detection. This device is expected to allow for the pre-treatment of infectious sputum specimens outside of a biosafety containment laboratory. Used in conjunction with automated genome extraction and detection systems, this device should make the on-site diagnosis using infectious sputum specimens possible.
Rapid adaptation in phoretic mite development time
Authors: Schedwill Petra , Geiler Adrian M. , Nehring Volker
Published: November 2018

Strong ecological selection can erode genetic variation and render populations unable to deal with changes in ecological conditions. In the adaptation of the phoretic mitePoecilochirus carabito its host, the burying beetleNicrophorus vespilloides, the timing of reproduction is crucial. Safe mite development is only possible during the beetles’ brood care; mites that develop too slowly will have virtually zero fitness. If the strong specialisation in development time leaves no room for standing genetic variation to remain, changes in beetle brood care are disastrous. Beetle brood care depends on temperature and is thus vulnerable to changing climate. Accidental host switches to another beetle species with shorter brood care would also have negative effects on the mites. Only sufficient standing genetic variation could allow mismatched mite lines to survive and adapt. To test whether such rapid adaptation is possible in principle, we artificially selected on mite generation time. We were able to speed up, but not to slow down, mite development. We conclude that there is enough standing genetic variation in development time to allowP. carabito quickly adapt to new host species or climate conditions, which could potentially lead to the evolution of new mite species.
Segmentation of the Proximal Femur from MR Images using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Deniz Cem M. , Xiang Siyuan , Hallyburton R. Spencer , Welbeck Arakua , Babb James S. , Honig Stephen , Cho Kyunghyun , Chang Gregory
Published: November 2018

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been proposed as a complimentary method to measure bone quality and assess fracture risk. However, manual segmentation of MR images of bone is time-consuming, limiting the use of MRI measurements in the clinical practice. The purpose of this paper is to present an automatic proximal femur segmentation method that is based on deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs). This study had institutional review board approval and written informed consent was obtained from all subjects. A dataset of volumetric structural MR images of the proximal femur from 86 subjects were manually-segmented by an expert. We performed experiments by training two different CNN architectures with multiple number of initial feature maps, layers and dilation rates, and tested their segmentation performance against the gold standard of manual segmentations using four-fold cross-validation. Automatic segmentation of the proximal femur using CNNs achieved a high dice similarity score of 0.95 ± 0.02 with precision = 0.95 ± 0.02, and recall = 0.95 ± 0.03. The high segmentation accuracy provided by CNNs has the potential to help bring the use of structural MRI measurements of bone quality into clinical practice for management of osteoporosis.
Impact of the secondary plant metabolite Cucurbitacin B on the demographical traits of the melon aphid, Aphis gossypii
Authors: Yousaf Hafiz Kamran , Shan Tisheng , Chen Xuewei , Ma Kangsheng , Shi Xueyan , Desneux Nicolas , Biondi Antonio , Gao Xiwu
Published: November 2018

Cucurbitacin B is a natural triterpene present in plants of Cucurbitaceae family, which are among the host plants for melon aphid, Aphis gossypii. In present study we characterized the effects of two cucurbitacin B concentrations on the biological parameters of adults (F0) and of juveniles and adults of their progeny (F1). The results showed that cucurbitacin B at 25 ppm significantly reduced the adult longevity and fecundity of both F0 and F1 generation. Exposure of F0 generation to 25 ppm though reduced the demographic traits of F1 including the intrinsic rate of increase r (day−1), generation time T (day), finite rate of increase λ (day−1), however, only net reproductive rate R0 (offspring/individual) decreased significantly. While 100 ppm reduced not only the longevity and fecundity of F0 generation but also the longevity of F1 generation. Fecundity of F1 was not affected by 100 ppm of cucurbitacin B, however, R0 (offspring/individual) and T (day) of F1 generation were lower than the control population. These results support the hypothesis that high contents of cucurbitacin B caused negative impact on melon aphid and could be used as a lead for classical selection of resistant varieties of plants that are main hosts for the melon aphid.
Intra-articular administration of IκBα kinase inhibitor suppresses mouse knee osteoarthritis via downregulation of the NF-κB/HIF-2α axis
Authors: Murahashi Yasutaka , Yano Fumiko , Kobayashi Hiroshi , Makii Yuma , Iba Kousuke , Yamashita Toshihiko , Tanaka Sakae , Saito Taku
Published: November 2018

Activation of NF-κB signaling promotes osteoarthritis (OA) through the transcriptional induction of Hif-2α and catabolic enzymes. This study sought to examine whether inhibiting IκBα kinase (IKK) could suppress the development of surgically-induced OA of the knee in a mouse model. We employed BMS-345541 (4(2′-aminoethyl) amino-1, 8-dimethylimidazo (1,2-a) quinoxaline) as a selective inhibitor of the subunits of IKK. OA was created by resecting the medial collateral ligament and the medial meniscus in the knees of mice. The mice were then treated with an intra-articular injection of BMS-345541 (50 nM to 500 µM) or vehicle three times a week for 8 weeks. We found that the intra-articular administration of 500 nM and 5 µM BMS-345541 significantly suppressed OA development. In the BMS-345541-treated cartilage, there was a decrease in the phosphorylation of IκBα and the expression of Hif-2α, Mmp13, and Adamts5. In human articular chondrocytes, the IL-1β-enhanced expression of Hif-2α and catabolic factors were decreased by BMS-345541 treatment in dose-dependent manner. We conclude that the intra-articular administration of BMS-345541 at some concentrations may suppress the development of OA by downregulating signaling through the NF-κB–Hif-2α axis.
Functional recovery of a subtropical evergreen-deciduous broadleaved mixed forest following clear cutting in central China
Authors: Huang Yongtao , Zhang Xiao , Zang Runguo , Fu Shenglei , Ai Xunru , Yao Lan , Ding Yi , Huang Jihong , Lu Xinghui
Published: November 2018

Ecosystem functioning is largely dependent on the functional traits of its component species. Most of the previous researches on ecosystem recovery have mainly focused on taxonomic composition but less attention is concentrated on functional community composition. Here, we examine the dynamic trend of functional community composition along a recovery chronosequence following clear cutting in subtropical evergreen-deciduous broadleaved mixed forest. Results showed that with the process of recovery, the functional composition changed from a community with high specific leaf area (CWM_ SLA), leaf nitrogen concentration (CWM_ LNC) and leaf phosphorus (CWM_ LPC) but low leaf thickness (CWM_ LT) and stem tissue density (CWM_ STD) to that with low CWM_ SLA, CWM_ LNC and CWM_ LPC but high CWM_ LT and CWM_ STD. Functional traits of evergreen and deciduous species were significantly different in each stage. Light availability and soil phosphorus were the most important influencing factors during the recovery. Our study suggests that the subtropical evergreen-deciduous broadleaved mixed forest is gradually shifting from a resource acquisitive to a resource conservative assemblage, in which evergreen species will become more and more dominant. Any management or conservation planning upon the forest ecosystem should integrate this dynamic trend of functional change.
Curvature induced quantum phase transitions in an electron-hole system
Authors: Siu Zhuo Bin , Chang Jian-Yuan , Tan Seng Ghee , Jalil Mansoor B. A. , Chang Ching-Ray
Published: November 2018

In this work, we study the effect of introducing a periodic curvature on nanostructures, and demonstrate that the curvature can lead to a transition from a topologically trivial state to a non-trivial state. We first present the Hamiltonian for an arbitrarily curved nanostructure, and introduce a numerical scheme for calculating the bandstructure of a periodically curved nanostructure. Using this scheme, we calculate the bandstructure for a sinusoidally curved two-dimensional electron gas. We show that the curvature can lead to a partner switching reminiscent of a topological phase transition at the time reversal invariant momenta. We then study the Bernevig-Hughes-Zhang (BHZ) Hamiltonian for a two-dimensional quantum well. We show that introducing a curvature can lead to the emergence of topological surface states.
Valproate reduces neuroinflammation and neuronal death in a rat chronic constriction injury model
Authors: Chen Jun-Yih , Chu Li-Wen , Cheng Kuang-I , Hsieh Su-Ling , Juan Yung-Shun , Wu Bin-Nan
Published: November 2018

Valproate (VPA) is a well-known drug for treating epilepsy and mania, but its action in neuropathic pain is unclear. We used a chronic constriction injury (CCI) model to explore whether VPA prevents neuropathic pain-mediated inflammation and neuronal death. Rats were treated with or without VPA. CCI + VPA rats were intraperitoneally injected with VPA (300 mg/kg/day) from postoperative day (POD) 1 to 14. We measured paw withdrawal latency (PWL) and paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) 1 day before surgery and 1, 3, 7, 14 days after CCI and harvested the sciatic nerves (SN), spinal cord (SC) and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) on POD 3, 7, and 14. PWL and PWT were reduced in CCI rats, but increased in CCI + VPA rats on POD 7 and POD 14. VPA lowered CCI-induced inflammatory proteins (pNFκB, iNOS and COX-2), pro-apoptotic proteins (pAKT/AKT and pGSK-3β/GSK-3β), proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β) and nuclear pNFκB activation in the SN, DRG and SC in CCI rats. COX-2 and pGSK-3 proteins were decreased by VPA on immunofluorescence analysis. VPA attenuated CCI-induced thermal and mechanical pain behaviors in rats in correlation with anti-neuroinflammation action involving reduction of pNFκB/iNOS/COX-2 activation and inhibition of pAKT/pGSK-3β-mediated neuronal death from injury to peripheral nerves.
Spin-wave duplexer studied by finite-element micromagnetic simulation
Authors: Kim Sang-Koog , Park Hyeon-Kyu , Yang Jaehak , Kim Junhoe , Yoo Myoung-Woo
Published: November 2018

We conceptually designed a robust nano-scale waveguide structure suitable for potential use as a spin-wave duplexer that allows signal propagation only of selected narrow-band frequencies and duplex transmission in a three-port device comprising a receiver, a transmitter, and their common antenna. The waveguide structure combines three different arms and a circular ring, both made of nanostrip waveguides and a single magnetic material for reliably controllable propagations of spin waves. We attribute the observed duplex transmission of spin waves of narrow pass bands to scattering of spin waves by edge solitons placed at contact areas between the arms and the circular ring. This work proposes the first concept of nano-scale magnonic duplexers operating beyond GHz-frequency ranges.
Collagen-based materials combined with microRNA for repairing cornea wounds and inhibiting scar formation
Authors: Zhao Xuan , Song Wenjing , Chen Yawei , Liu Sa , Ren Li
Published: November 2018

AuNP/miR-133b can be released from cornea regeneration materials and entered into stromal cells to inhibit cornea scar formation.
Probing chirality recognition of protonated glutamic acid dimers by gas-phase vibrational spectroscopy and first-principles simulations
Authors: Klyne Johanna , Bouchet Aude , Ishiuchi Shun-ichi , Fujii Masaaki , Schneider Markus , Baldauf Carsten , Dopfer Otto
Published: November 2018

We characterize stereospecific aspects of homochiral and heterochiral dimers of glutamic acid by infrared spectroscopy and first-principles molecular dynamics simulations.
The lanthanide complexes of 2,2′-bipyridyl-6,6′-dicarboxylic dimethylanilides: the influence of a secondary coordination sphere on the stability, structure, luminescence and f-element extraction
Authors: Borisova Nataliya E. , Sumyanova Tsagana B. , Kharcheva Anastasia V. , Matveev Petr I. , Ivanov Alexey V. , Razumova Elizaveta A. , Patsaeva Svetlana V.
Published: November 2018

The secondary coordination sphere contributes to the stability of complexes, the extraction behaviour of the reagents and europium phosphorescence lifetimes.
High performance ambient-air-stable FAPbI3 perovskite solar cells with molecule-passivated Ruddlesden–Popper/3D heterostructured film
Authors: Niu Tianqi , Lu Jing , Tang Ming-Chun , Barrit Dounya , Smilgies Detlef-M. , Yang Zhou , Li Jianbo , Fan Yuanyuan , Luo Tao , McCulloch Iain , Amassian Aram , Liu Shengzhong (Frank) , Zhao Kui
Published: November 2018

We report a Ruddlesden–Popper/3D heterostructure combined with molecule passivation within α-phase FAPbI3 films for high-performance and ambient-air-stable solar cells.
Raw material recovery from hydraulic fracturing residual solid waste with implications for sustainability and radioactive waste disposal
Authors: Ajemigbitse Moses A. , Cannon Fred S. , Klima Mark S. , Furness James C. , Wunz Chris , Warner Nathaniel R.
Published: November 2018

By applying a novel system to unconventional oil and gas residual waste, we were able to recover valuable raw materials, which could represent significant savings to disposal cost, while aiding radioactivity management.
Understanding interactions of organic nitrates with the surface and bulk of organic films: implications for particle growth in the atmosphere
Authors: Vander Wall A. C. , Lakey P. S. J. , Rossich Molina E. , Perraud V. , Wingen L. M. , Xu J. , Soulsby D. , Gerber R. B. , Shiraiwa M. , Finlayson-Pitts B. J.
Published: November 2018

Experiments, kinetics modeling and quantum chemical calculations are combined to probe both initial uptake and equilibrium partition coefficients for organic nitrates into various organic films.
Nature-inspired creation of a robust free-standing electrospun nanofibrous membrane for efficient oil–water separation
Authors: Ma Wenjing , Zhang Mengjie , Liu Zhongche , Huang Chaobo , Fu Guodong
Published: November 2018

A nature-inspired method for the fabrication of superhydrophobic Fe3+–PA/OTMS/PI membranes with a micro/nanoscale hierarchical structure is presented.
Energy-based descriptors to rapidly predict hydrogen storage in metal–organic frameworks
Authors: Bucior Benjamin J. , Bobbitt N. Scott , Islamoglu Timur , Goswami Subhadip , Gopalan Arun , Yildirim Taner , Farha Omar K. , Bagheri Neda , Snurr Randall Q.
Published: November 2018

A new, energy-based descriptor for porous materials is highly predictive for hydrogen adsorption using an interpretable regression model.
Uncovering the mystery of ferroelectricity in zero dimensional nanoparticles
Authors: Barnakov Yury A. , Idehenre Ighodalo U. , Basun Sergey A. , Tyson Trevor A. , Evans Dean R.
Published: November 2018

A crystalline organic shell provides a 650 times increase in spontaneous polarization in nanoscale BaTiO3 core–shell superparticles.
Beauvetetraones A–C, phomaligadione-derived polyketide dimers from the entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana
Authors: Lee Seoung Rak , Küfner Michelle , Park Minji , Jung Won Hee , Choi Sang Un , Beemelmanns Christine , Kim Ki Hyun
Published: November 2018

Beauvetetraones A–C, phomaligadione-derived polyketide dimers, were isolated from the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana using LC/MS-guided isolation and their putative biosynthetic pathway is proposed.
ReI-Catalyzed highly regio- and stereoselective C–H addition to terminal and internal alkynes
Authors: Chang Yu-Che , Prakash Sekar , Cheng Chien-Hong
Published: November 2018

Re(i)-Catalyzed ortho alkenylation of arylpyridines and N-pyrimidyl indoles with alkynes provides excellent regio- and stereoselectivity with lower catalytic loadings.
Structural, electrical, and multiferroic characteristics of lead-free multiferroic: Bi(Co0.5Ti0.5)O3–BiFeO3 solid solution
Authors: Kumar Nitin , Shukla Alok , Kumar Nripesh , Choudhary R. N. P. , Kumar Ajeet
Published: November 2018

A solid solution of bismuth cobalt titanate [Bi(Co0.5Ti0.5)O3] and bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) with a composition Bi(Co0.40Ti0.40Fe0.20)O3 (abbreviated as BCTF80/20) was synthesized via a cost effective solid-state technique.
Biocompatible, stretchable and mineral PVA–gelatin–nHAP hydrogel for highly sensitive pressure sensors
Authors: Zhu Yi , Lu Weipeng , Guo Yanchuan , Chen Yu , Wu Yuxiao , Lu Haojun
Published: November 2018

A biocompatible, stretchable and mineral conductive hydrogel used for highly sensitive pressure sensors.
Dissolving organic matter from low-organic sewage sludge for shortening the anaerobic digestion time
Authors: Li Yiyong , Hu Yongyou , Huang Guofu , Yu Ziqi , Bi Wei , Fan Hao , Du Jianjun
Published: November 2018

Pretreatments have been successfully used to shorten the HRT of anaerobic digestion (AD) of sewage sludge, but they become ineffective for low-organic sewage sludge, with HRT > 10 days. A new process below was developed to solve this problem.
Room temperature two-photon-pumped random lasers in FAPbBr3/polyethylene oxide (PEO) composite perovskite thin film
Authors: Xu Long , Meng Yan , Xu Caixia , Chen Ping
Published: November 2018

Solution-processed organic–inorganic halide lead perovskites have attracted increasing attention due to their great potential in low-cost, effective, and versatile light emission applications and large-scale portable optoelectronic devices.
Mechanistic study of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine transformation over Pt/SiO2 catalyst
Authors: Smirnov Andrei V. , Kots Pavel A. , Panteleyev Maksim A. , Ivanova Irina I.
Published: November 2018

Unusual two-step oxidation process of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine on Pt/SiO2 catalyst.
A two-step telescoped continuous flow switchable process leading to nitriles, diaziridine or hydrazine derivatives
Authors: Drageset Audun , Frøystein Nils Åge , Törnroos Karl Wilhelm , Bjørsvik Hans-René
Published: November 2018

Primary and benzylic alcohols were converted into nitriles on a continuous flow MJOD reactor platform or with a batch protocol. The two steps process involves TEMPO as the precatalyst with DIH and DCH as the terminal oxidants, respectively.
Membrane-less photoelectrochemical devices for H2O2 production: efficiency limit and operational constraint
Authors: Hu Shu
Published: November 2018

A membrane-less design with 100% catalytic selectivity enables H2O2 accumulation at a maximum solar-to-H2O2 conversion efficiency of 20.0–27.5%.
Highly efficient colloidal MnxCd1−xS nanorod solid solution for photocatalytic hydrogen generation
Authors: Li Ling , Liu Guoning , Qi Shaopeng , Liu Xindi , Gu Liuyu , Lou Yongbing , Chen Jinxi , Zhao Yixin
Published: November 2018

Colloidal MnxCd1−xS nanorods as highly efficient H2generation photocatalysts were prepared by hot-injection synthesis for the first time.
A ZnO-gated porphyrinic metal–organic framework-based drug delivery system for targeted bimodal cancer therapy
Authors: Zhao Qiu-ge , Wang Jing , Zhang Yu-peng , Zhang Jing , Tang An-na , Kong De-ming
Published: November 2018

A ZnO-gated porMOF-AS1411 nanosystem was prepared and successfully used for drug delivery and synergistic bimodal cancer therapy.
Comparing the Effect of Different Hearing Aid Fitting Methods in Bimodal Cochlear Implant Users
Authors: Vroegop Jantien L. , Dingemanse J. Gertjan , van der Schroeff Marc P. , Goedegebure André
Published: November 2018

Purpose

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of 3 hearing aid fitting procedures on provided gain of the hearing aid in bimodal cochlear implant users and their effect on bimodal benefit.

Method

This prospective study measured hearing aid gain and auditory performance in a cross-over design in which 3 hearing aid fitting methods were compared. Hearing aid fitting methods differed in initial gain prescription rule (NAL-NL2 and Audiogram+) and loudness balancing method (broadband vs. narrowband loudness balancing). Auditory functioning was evaluated by a speech-in-quiet test, a speech-in-noise test, and a sound localization test. Fourteen postlingually deafened adult bimodal cochlear implant users participated in the study.

Results

No differences in provided gain and in bimodal performance were found for the different hearing aid fittings. For all hearing aid fittings, a bimodal benefit was found for speech in noise and sound localization.

Conclusion

Our results confirm that cochlear implant users with residual hearing in the contralateral ear substantially benefit from bimodal stimulation. However, on average, no differences were found between different types of fitting methods, varying in prescription rule and loudness balancing method.