bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the steady-state resonant acoustic–gravity waves
Authors: Yang Xiaoyan , Dias Frederic , Liao Shijun
Published: June 2018

The steady-state interaction of acoustic–gravity waves in an ocean of uniform depth is researched theoretically by means of the homotopy analysis method (HAM), an analytic approximation method for nonlinear problems. Considering compressibility, a hydroacoustic wave can be produced by the interaction of two progressive gravity waves with the same wavelength travelling in opposite directions, which contains an infinite number of small denominators in the framework of the classical analytic approximation methods, like perturbation methods. Using the HAM, the infinite number of small denominators are avoided once and for all by means of choosing a proper auxiliary linear operator. Besides, by choosing a proper ‘convergence-control parameter’, convergent series solutions of the steady-state acoustic–gravity waves are obtained in cases of both non-resonance and exact resonance. It is found, for the first time, that the steady-state resonant acoustic–gravity waves widely exist. In addition, the two primary wave components and the resonant hydroacoustic wave component might occupy most of wave energy. It is found that the dynamic pressure on the sea bottom caused by the resonant hydroacoustic wave component is much larger than that in the case of non-resonance, which might even trigger microseisms of the ocean floor. All of these might deepen our understanding and enrich our knowledge of acoustic–gravity waves.
Tethering in pastures new
Authors: Mahony John D.
Published: June 2018

In a recent and illuminating article that provided much food for thought [1], the problem of tethering a goat at the edge of a circular pasture so as to restrict its attentions to only one half of the grazing supply was elegantly addressed and developed further to embrace the corresponding three-dimensional scenario involving a bird. The exercises resulted in mathematical formulations that required the use of numerical methods to extract practical results. Following the article, various questions and different scenarios sprang to my mind. The following poser perhaps best illustrates one of these, and it is the purpose of this Article to address this particular conundrum:

A grazier has three troublesome beasts that are water averse, eat grass and who will, given half a chance, eat one another also in some fashion. The first will eat the other two and the second will eat only the third, which eats just grass. Having stabled and fed them in separate stalls during the winter months he plans to release them in the spring to an arbitrarily elliptic shaped pasture up to the water's edge in the middle of a lake. He has at his disposal:

(1)

A drum of tethering rope from which he can cut just once any required length, TBD (To Be Determined).

(2)

Slip rings and two tethering pegs that can be positioned only on the pasture boundary (i.e. at the water's edge).
Using 10Be exposure dating to constrain glacial advances during the late glacial and Holocene on Mount Xuebaoding, eastern Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Liu Beibei , Cui Zhijiu , Peng Xu , Han Yesong , Liu Gengnian
Published: June 2018

Moraines preserved around Mount Xuebaoding (5588 m above sea level) on the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, represent past glacial activity in this area. The chronology of these moraines was established using 10Be exposure dating. The dating results revealed multiple glacial events prior to the late glacial (>14.1±2.2 ka), the late glacial (15.6±1.6 to 11.2±3.0 ka), the early-middle Holocene (9.1±0.9 to 6.7±0.7 ka), and the Neoglacial periods (2.5±0.5 to 1.5±0.1 ka). These glacial stages are consistent with the recalculated ages from surrounding areas throughout the Indian and East Asian monsoon-influenced region on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Comparing with other paleoclimate indexes, we suggest that the late glacial event was mainly driven by low temperature, the early–middle Holocene event by high precipitation, and the late Holocene/Neoglacial event by low temperature.
‘A Hundred Per Cent Good Man Cannot do Politics’: Violent self-sacrifice, student authority, and party-state integration in Bangladesh
Authors: SUYKENS BERT
Published: June 2018

This article seeks to better understand political violence in Bangladesh. Analysing the case of student politics, the article enquires into the productive use of violence by student activists and leaders. It argues that student violence should not be considered as a breakdown of order or a sign of state fragility, but as a means of gaining access to party-state resources and patronage. Violence operates to mark out and maintain power relations between student groups and factions. Risk-taking and the performance of self-sacrifice are important to delineate spaces of power and broker connections to potential political patrons. While actively engaging in political violence provides legitimacy within student hierarchies, victimhood provides a powerful means of publicly displaying one's commitment to a political party. Student public authority, while violent, is closely integrated in national political-party authority structures and, as a result, is intrinsically connected to the Bangladesh party-state. While it might seem counter-intuitive, this article argues that the use of political violence helps one to gain protection from the (party-)state.
A state-of-the-art of semantic change computation
Authors: TANG XURI
Published: June 2018

This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of one emergent field in computational linguistics—semantic change computation. It summarizes the literature by proposing a framework that identifies five components in the field: diachronic corpus, diachronic word sense characterization, change modelling, evaluation and data visualization. Despite its potentials, the review shows that current studies are mainly focused on testifying hypotheses of semantic change from theoretical linguistics and that several core issues remain to be tackled: the need of diachronic corpora for languages other than English, the comparison and development of approaches to diachronic word sense characterization and change modelling, the need of comprehensive evaluation data and further exploration of data visualization techniques for hypothesis justification.
The use of conservation tillage in an agro-intensive region: results from a survey of farmers in Scania, Sweden
Authors: Hydbom Sofia , Alkan Olsson Johanna , Olsson Pål Axel
Published: June 2018

Conventional agricultural practices can lead to soil erosion and a reduction in soil organic carbon (SOC) content. It has been suggested that less intensive agricultural practices, such as conservation tillage (including no-till and reduced till without soil inversion) may reduce both erosion and loss of SOC. The aim of this study was to determine whether, and why, conservation tillage is used in Scania, which is one of the most agro-intensive regions in Sweden. We also investigated how information on tillage practices is obtained, why one type of tillage may be favored over another, and whether some farmers are more likely to use conservation tillage. The result of this study will benefit policy makers and researchers by pinpointing factors that influence the use of conservation tillage. To collect data, a questionnaire was sent to farmers in Scania in 2016. We found that the majority of the responding farmers used conservation tillage, and that it was more likely to be used if the farmer was highly educated and spent more than 50% of their annual working time on crop production. The use of conservation tillage was also more common if the farm was large and clay soil dominated. Crop rotation was often highlighted as the most important factor influencing the choice of tillage practice, which may be due to crop species requirements. When asked to compare the consequences of reduced tillage and plowing, the perception of farmers using conservation tillage was in general more positive, indicating skepticism toward the practice of reduced tillage until it had been tried. We show that the use of conservation tillage, sometimes in combination with plowing, is widespread in Scania. However, unless changes in, for example, crop rotation and labor requirements occur, the use of conservation tillage will most likely remain the same as today, or only increase slightly in the near future. Farm enlargement may result in an increased conservation tillage use, and so may efforts to educate advisors, increased opportunities for peer-to-peer meetings, and the development of economically viable small farm solutions. Increased conservation tillage may be part of the solution for sustainable crop production, but drawbacks such as increased pesticide use must be addressed further, as well as factors such as crop rotation development and practical knowledge that influence conservation tillage use at the farm level.
Vorhersage des Rauschtrinkens im jungen Erwachsenenalter: Eine Kohortenstudie über 9 Jahre
Authors: Morgenstern Matthis , Isensee Barbara , Hanewinkel Reiner
Published: June 2018

Zusammenfassung. Fragestellung: Welche im frühen Jugendalter erfassten Personen- und Umweltfaktoren sagen das Rauschtrinken im Alter von 21 Jahren vorher? Methode: Beobachtungsstudie im Längsschnitt über einen Zeitraum von 9 Jahren. Im Jahr 2006 wurden in Schleswig-Holstein und Sachsen-Anhalt mittels Papierfragebogen 5 176 Jugendliche im mittleren Alter von 12.6 Jahren (SD = 0.6) befragt, die Folgebefragung erfolgte 2015. Als Prädiktoren wurden bei der Eingangsbefragung das Alter, das Geschlecht, der Schultyp, die Schulleistungen, der elterliche Erziehungsstil, der Alkoholkonsum ohne elterliches Wissen, der Alkoholkonsum der Freunde und Eltern sowie das Persönlichkeitsmerkmal „Sensation Seeking“ erfasst. Zentrales vorherzusagendes Verhalten im Jahr 2015 war die Häufigkeit des mindestens monatlichen Rauschtrinkens (sechs oder mehr alkoholische Getränke bei einer Trinkgelegenheit). Ergebnisse: 9 Jahre nach der Eingangserhebung konnten 1 087 Personen (20.9 %), die nun im Mittel 21.6 Jahre (SD = 0.8) alt waren, erneut befragt werden. Ein Viertel (25.4 %) gab an, mindestens monatlich Rauschtrinken zu praktizieren. In einem multiplen Regressionsmodell sagten drei Prädiktoren das Rauschtrinken im jungen Erwachsenenalter vorher: männliches Geschlecht, frühe Erfahrung mit Alkohol sowie die wahrgenommene Häufigkeit des Alkoholkonsums der Eltern im Jugendalter. Schlussfolgerungen: Der im frühen Jugendalter wahrgenommene elterliche Alkoholkonsum kann als möglicher Risikofaktor des Rauschtrinkens im jungen Erwachsenenalter angesehen werden. Eltern sollten sich ihrer Rolle als alkoholspezifische Sozialisationsagenten in stärkerem Maße bewusst werden.
Anticancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy trigger both non-cell-autonomous and cell-autonomous death
Authors: Martins Isabelle , Raza Syed Qasim , Voisin Laurent , Dakhli Haithem , Allouch Awatef , Law Frédéric , Sabino Dora , De Jong Dorine , Thoreau Maxime , Mintet Elodie , Dugué Delphine , Piacentini Mauro , Gougeon Marie-Lise , Jaulin Fanny , Bertrand Pascale , Brenner Catherine , Ojcius David M. , Kroemer Guido , Modjtahedi Nazanine , Deutsch Eric , Perfettini Jean-Luc
Published: June 2018

Even though cell death modalities elicited by anticancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy have been extensively studied, the ability of anticancer treatments to induce non-cell-autonomous death has never been investigated. By means of multispectral imaging flow-cytometry-based technology, we analyzed the lethal fate of cancer cells that were treated with conventional anticancer agents and co-cultured with untreated cells, observing that anticancer agents can simultaneously trigger cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous death in treated and untreated cells. After ionizing radiation, oxaliplatin, or cisplatin treatment, fractions of treated cancer cell populations were eliminated through cell-autonomous death mechanisms, while other fractions of the treated cancer cells engulfed and killed neighboring cells through non-cell-autonomous processes, including cellular cannibalism. Under conditions of treatment with paclitaxel, non-cell-autonomous and cell-autonomous death were both detected in the treated cell population, while untreated neighboring cells exhibited features of apoptotic demise. The transcriptional activity of p53 tumor-suppressor protein contributed to the execution of cell-autonomous death, yet failed to affect the non-cell-autonomous death by cannibalism for the majority of tested anticancer agents, indicating that the induction of non-cell-autonomous death can occur under conditions in which cell-autonomous death was impaired. Altogether, these results reveal that chemotherapy and radiotherapy can induce both non-cell-autonomous and cell-autonomous death of cancer cells, highlighting the heterogeneity of cell death responses to anticancer treatments and the unsuspected potential contribution of non-cell-autonomous death to the global effects of anticancer treatment.
IL-4 enhances survival of in vitro-differentiated mouse basophils through transcription-independent signaling downstream of PI3K
Authors: Reinhart Ramona , Kaufmann Thomas
Published: June 2018

Interleukin 4 (IL-4) is a critical cytokine implicated with TH2 immune reactions, which are linked to pathologic conditions of allergic diseases. In that context, the initiation of TH2 responses can critically depend on early basophil-derived IL-4 to activate T-cell responses, which then amplify IL-4 secretion. As a pleiotropic cytokine, IL-4 acts on a broad variety of hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic cells. However, the effect of IL-4 on basophils themselves, which are emerging as relevant players in allergic as well as autoimmune diseases, was only scarcely addressed so far. Here we used in vitro-differentiated mouse basophils to investigate the direct effects of IL-4 on cellular viability and surface expression of the high-affinity receptor for IgE, FcεRI. We observed that IL-4 elicits pronounced pro-survival signaling in basophils, delaying spontaneous apoptosis in vitro to a degree comparable to the known pro-survival effects of IL-3. Our data indicate that IL-4-mediated survival depends on PI3K/AKT signaling and—in contrast to IL-3—seems to be largely independent of transcriptional changes but effectuated by post-translational mechanisms affecting BCL-2 family members among others. Additionally, we found that IL-4 signaling has a stabilizing effect on the surface expression levels of the critical basophil activation receptor FcεRI. In summary, our findings indicate an important regulatory role of IL-4 on in vitro-differentiated mouse basophils enhancing their survival and stabilizing FcεRI receptor expression through PI3K-dependent signaling. A better understanding of the regulation of basophil survival will help to define promising targets and consequently treatment strategies in basophil-driven diseases.
Evidence of an active volcanic heat source beneath the Pine Island Glacier
Authors: Loose Brice , Naveira Garabato Alberto C. , Schlosser Peter , Jenkins William J. , Vaughan David , Heywood Karen J.
Published: June 2018

Tectonic landforms reveal that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) lies atop a major volcanic rift system. However, identifying subglacial volcanism is challenging. Here we show geochemical evidence of a volcanic heat source upstream of the fast-melting Pine Island Ice Shelf, documented by seawater helium isotope ratios at the front of the Ice Shelf cavity. The localization of mantle helium to glacial meltwater reveals that volcanic heat induces melt beneath the grounded glacier and feeds the subglacial hydrological network crossing the grounding line. The observed transport of mantle helium out of the Ice Shelf cavity indicates that volcanic heat is supplied to the grounded glacier at a rate of ~ 2500 ± 1700 MW, which is ca. half as large as the active Grimsvötn volcano on Iceland. Our finding of a substantial volcanic heat source beneath a major WAIS glacier highlights the need to understand subglacial volcanism, its hydrologic interaction with the marine margins, and its potential role in the future stability of the WAIS.
Secondary lymphoid organ fibroblastic reticular cells mediate trans-infection of HIV-1 via CD44-hyaluronan interactions
Authors: Murakami Tomoyuki , Kim Jiwon , Li Yi , Green Glenn Edward , Shikanov Ariella , Ono Akira
Published: June 2018

Fibroblastic reticular cells (FRCs) are stromal cells in secondary lymphoid organs, the major sites for HIV-1 infection of CD4+T cells. Although FRCs regulate T cell survival, proliferation, and migration, whether they play any role in HIV-1 spread has not been studied. Here, we show that FRCs enhance HIV-1 spread via trans-infection in which FRCs capture HIV-1 and facilitate infection of T cells that come into contact with FRCs. FRCs mediate trans-infection in both two- and three-dimensional culture systems and in a manner dependent on the virus producer cells. This producer cell dependence, which was also observed for virus spread in secondary lymphoid tissues ex vivo, is accounted for by CD44 incorporated into virus particles and hyaluronan bound to such CD44 molecules. This virus-associated hyaluronan interacts with CD44 expressed on FRCs, thereby promoting virus capture by FRCs. Overall, our results reveal a novel role for FRCs in promoting HIV-1 spread.
LINC complex-Lis1 interplay controls MT1-MMP matrix digest-on-demand response for confined tumor cell migration
Authors: Infante Elvira , Castagnino Alessia , Ferrari Robin , Monteiro Pedro , Agüera-González Sonia , Paul-Gilloteaux Perrine , Domingues Mélanie J. , Maiuri Paolo , Raab Matthew , Shanahan Catherine M. , Baffet Alexandre , Piel Matthieu , Gomes Edgar R. , Chavrier Philippe
Published: June 2018

Cancer cells’ ability to migrate through constricting pores in the tissue matrix is limited by nuclear stiffness. MT1-MMP contributes to metastasis by widening matrix pores, facilitating confined migration. Here, we show that modulation of matrix pore size or of lamin A expression known to modulate nuclear stiffness directly impinges on levels of MT1-MMP-mediated pericellular collagenolysis by cancer cells. A component of this adaptive response is the centrosome-centered distribution of MT1-MMP intracellular storage compartments ahead of the nucleus. We further show that this response, including invadopodia formation in association with confining matrix fibrils, requires an intact connection between the nucleus and the centrosome via the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex protein nesprin-2 and dynein adaptor Lis1. Our results uncover a digest-on-demand strategy for nuclear translocation through constricted spaces whereby confined migration triggers polarization of MT1-MMP storage compartments and matrix proteolysis in front of the nucleus depending on nucleus-microtubule linkage.
Information Spread and Topic Diffusion in Heterogeneous Information Networks
Authors: Molaei Soheila , Babaei Sama , Salehi Mostafa , Jalili Mahdi
Published: June 2018

Diffusion of information in complex networks largely depends on the network structure. Recent studies have mainly addressed information diffusion in homogeneous networks where there is only a single type of nodes and edges. However, some real-world networks consist of heterogeneous types of nodes and edges. In this manuscript, we model information diffusion in heterogeneous information networks, and use interactions of different meta-paths to predict the diffusion process. A meta-path is a path between nodes across different layers of a heterogeneous network. As its most important feature the proposed method is capable of determining the influence of all meta-paths on the diffusion process. A conditional probability is used assuming interdependent relations between the nodes to calculate the activation probability of each node. As independent cascade models, we consider linear threshold and independent cascade models. Applying the proposed method on two real heterogeneous networks reveals its effectiveness and superior performance over state-of-the-art methods.
Quantitative assessment of individual populations within polymicrobial biofilms
Authors: Lopes Susana Patrícia , Azevedo Nuno Filipe , Pereira Maria Olívia
Published: June 2018

Selecting appropriate tools providing reliable quantitative measures of individual populations in biofilms is critical as we now recognize their true polymicrobial and heterogeneous nature. Here, plate count, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) and peptide nucleic acid probe-fluorescence in situ hybridization (PNA-FISH) were employed to quantitate cystic fibrosis multispecies biofilms. Growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Inquilinus limosus and Dolosigranulum pigrum was assessed in dual- and triple-species consortia under oxygen and antibiotic stress. Quantification methods, that were previously optimized and validated in planktonic consortia, were not always in agreement when applied in multispecies biofilms. Discrepancies in culture and molecular outcomes were observed, particularly for triple-species consortia and antibiotic-stressed biofilms. Some differences were observed, such as the higher bacterial counts obtained by q-PCR and/or PNA-FISH (≤4 log10 cells/cm2) compared to culture. But the discrepancies between PNA-FISH and q-PCR data (eg D. pigrum limited assessment by q-PCR) demonstrate the effect of biofilm heterogeneity in method’s reliability. As the heterogeneity in biofilms is a reflection of a myriad of variables, tailoring an accurate picture of communities´ changes is crucial. This work demonstrates that at least two, but preferentially three, quantification techniques are required to obtain reliable measures and take comprehensive analysis of polymicrobial biofilm-associated infections.
Experimental evidence that thermal selection shapes mitochondrial genome evolution
Authors: Lajbner Zdeněk , Pnini Reuven , Camus M. Florencia , Miller Jonathan , Dowling Damian K.
Published: June 2018

Mitochondria are essential organelles, found within eukaryotic cells, which contain their own DNA. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has traditionally been used in population genetic and biogeographic studies as a maternally-inherited and evolutionary-neutral genetic marker. However, it is now clear that polymorphisms within the mtDNA sequence are routinely non-neutral, and furthermore several studies have suggested that such mtDNA polymorphisms are also sensitive to thermal selection. These observations led to the formulation of the “mitochondrial climatic adaptation” hypothesis, for which all published evidence to date is correlational. Here, we use laboratory-based experimental evolution in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to test whether thermal selection can shift population frequencies of two mtDNA haplogroups whose natural frequencies exhibit clinal associations with latitude along the Australian east-coast. We present experimental evidence that the thermal regime in which the laboratory populations were maintained drove changes in haplogroup frequencies across generations. Our results strengthen the emerging view that intra-specific mtDNA variants are sensitive to selection, and suggest spatial distributions of mtDNA variants in natural populations of metazoans might reflect adaptation to climatic environments rather than within-population coalescence and diffusion of selectively-neutral haplotypes across populations.
Quantum walks on regular uniform hypergraphs
Authors: Liu Ying , Yuan Jiabin , Duan Bojia , Li Dan
Published: June 2018

Quantum walks on graphs have shown prioritized benefits and applications in wide areas. In some scenarios, however, it may be more natural and accurate to mandate high-order relationships for hypergraphs, due to the density of information stored inherently. Therefore, we can explore the potential of quantum walks on hypergraphs. In this paper, by presenting the one-to-one correspondence between regular uniform hypergraphs and bipartite graphs, we construct a model for quantum walks on bipartite graphs of regular uniform hypergraphs with Szegedy’s quantum walks, which gives rise to a quadratic speed-up. Furthermore, we deliver spectral properties of the transition matrix, given that the cardinalities of the two disjoint sets are different in the bipartite graph. Our model provides the foundation for building quantum algorithms on the strength of quantum walks on hypergraphs, such as quantum walks search, quantized Google’s PageRank, and quantum machine learning.
Environmental drivers of spatiotemporal foraging intensity in fruit bats and implications for Hendra virus ecology
Authors: Giles John R. , Eby Peggy , Parry Hazel , Peel Alison J. , Plowright Raina K. , Westcott David A. , McCallum Hamish
Published: June 2018

In the Australian subtropics, flying-foxes (family Pteropididae) play a fundamental ecological role as forest pollinators. Flying-foxes are also reservoirs of the fatal zoonosis, Hendra virus. Understanding flying fox foraging ecology, particularly in agricultural areas during winter, is critical to determine their role in transmitting Hendra virus to horses and humans. We developed a spatiotemporal model of flying-fox foraging intensity based on foraging patterns of 37 grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) using GPS tracking devices and boosted regression trees. We validated the model with independent population counts and summarized temporal patterns in terms of spatial resource concentration. We found that spatial resource concentration was highest in late-summer and lowest in winter, with lowest values in winter 2011, the same year an unprecedented cluster of spillover events occurred in Queensland and New South Wales. Spatial resource concentration was positively correlated with El Niño Southern Oscillation at 3–8 month time lags. Based on shared foraging traits with the primary reservoir of Hendra virus (Pteropus alecto), we used our results to develop hypotheses on how regional climatic history, eucalypt phenology, and foraging behaviour may contribute to the predominance of winter spillovers, and how these phenomena connote foraging habitat conservation as a public health intervention.
Pyruvate dehydrogenase complex plays a central role in brown adipocyte energy expenditure and fuel utilization during short-term beta-adrenergic activation
Authors: Held Ntsiki M. , Kuipers Eline N. , van Weeghel Michel , van Klinken Jan Bert , Denis Simone W. , Lombès Marc , Wanders Ronald J. , Vaz Frédéric M. , Rensen Patrick C. N. , Verhoeven Arthur J. , Boon Mariëtte R. , Houtkooper Riekelt H.
Published: June 2018

Activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) contributes to total body energy expenditure through energy dissipation as heat. Activated BAT increases the clearance of lipids and glucose from the circulation, but how BAT accommodates large influx of multiple substrates is not well defined. The purpose of this work was to assess the metabolic fluxes in brown adipocytes during β3-adrenergic receptor (β3-AR) activation.T37i murine preadipocytes were differentiated into brown adipocytes and we used Seahorse respirometry employing a set of specific substrate inhibitors in the presence or absence of β3-AR agonist CL316,243. The main substrate used by these brown adipocytes were fatty acids, which were oxidized equally during activation as well as during resting condition. [U-13C]-glucose tracer-based metabolomics revealed that the flux through the TCA cycle was enhanced and regulated by pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity. Based on 13C-tracer incorporation in lipids, it appeared that most glucose was oxidized via TCA cycle activity, while some was utilized for glycerol-3-phosphate synthesis to replenish the triglyceride pool. Collectively, we show that while fatty acids are the main substrates for oxidation, glucose is also oxidized to meet the increased energy demand during short term β3-AR activation. PDH plays an important role in directing glucose carbons towards oxidation.
Temporal window for detection of inflammatory disease using dynamic cell tracking with time-lapse MRI
Authors: Masthoff Max , Gran Sandra , Zhang Xueli , Wachsmuth Lydia , Bietenbeck Michael , Helfen Anne , Heindel Walter , Sorokin Lydia , Roth Johannes , Eisenblätter Michel , Wildgruber Moritz , Faber Cornelius
Published: June 2018

Time-lapse MRI was implemented for dynamic non-invasive cell tracking of individual slowly moving intravascular immune cells. Repetitive MRI acquisition enabled dynamic observation of iron oxide nanoparticle (ION) labelled cells. Simulations of MRI contrast indicated that only cells moving slower than 1 µm/s were detectable. Time-lapse MRI of the brain was performed after either IONs or ION-labelled monocytes were injected intravenously into naïve and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) bearing mice at a presymptomatic or symptomatic stage. EAE mice showed a reduced number of slow moving, i.e. patrolling cells before and after onset of symptoms as compared to naïve controls. This observation is consistent with the notion of altered cell dynamics, i.e. higher velocities of immune cells rolling along the endothelium in the inflamed condition. Thus, time-lapse MRI enables for assessing immune cell dynamics non-invasively in deep tissue and may serve as a tool for detection or monitoring of an inflammatory response.
Cooperative bi-exponential decay of dye emission coupled via plasmons
Authors: Lyvers David P. , Moazzezi Mojtaba , de Silva Vashista C. , Brown Dean P. , Urbas Augustine M. , Rostovtsev Yuri V. , Drachev Vladimir P.
Published: June 2018

Bi-exponential decay of dye fluorescence near the surface of plasmonic metamaterials and core-shell nanoparticles is shown to be an intrinsic property of the coupled system. Indeed, the Dicke, cooperative states involve two groups of transitions: super-radiant, from the most excited to the ground states and sub-radiant, which cannot reach the ground state. The relaxation in the sub-radiant system occurs mainly due to the interaction with the plasmon modes. Our theory shows that the relaxation leads to the population of the sub-radiant states by dephasing the super-radiant Dicke states giving rise to the bi-exponential decay in agreement with the experiments. We use a set of metamaterial samples consisting of gratings of paired silver nanostrips coated with Rh800 dye molecules, having resonances in the same spectral range. The bi-exponential decay is demonstrated for Au\SiO2\ATTO655 core-shell nanoparticles as well, which persists even when averaging over a broad range of the coupling parameter.
LIM Protein Ajuba associates with the RPA complex through direct cell cycle-dependent interaction with the RPA70 subunit
Authors: Fowler Sandy , Maguin Pascal , Kalan Sampada , Loayza Diego
Published: June 2018

DNA damage response pathways are essential for genome stability and cell survival. Specifically, the ATR kinase is activated by DNA replication stress. An early event in this activation is the recruitment and phosphorylation of RPA, a single stranded DNA binding complex composed of three subunits, RPA70, RPA32 and RPA14. We have previously shown that the LIM protein Ajuba associates with RPA, and that depletion of Ajuba leads to potent activation of ATR. In this study, we provide evidence that the Ajuba-RPA interaction occurs through direct protein contact with RPA70, and that their association is cell cycle-regulated and is reduced upon DNA replication stress. We propose a model in which Ajuba negatively regulates the ATR pathway by directly interacting with RPA70, thereby preventing inappropriate ATR activation. Our results provide a framework to further our understanding of the mechanism of ATR regulation in human cells in the context of cellular transformation.
Quantitative proteomic analysis using iTRAQ to identify salt-responsive proteins during the germination stage of two Medicago species
Authors: Long Ruicai , Gao Yanli , Sun Hao , Zhang Tiejun , Li Xiao , Li Mingna , Sun Yan , Kang Junmei , Wang Zhen , Ding Wang , Yang Qingchuan
Published: June 2018

Salt stress is one of the primary abiotic stresses responsible for decreasing crop yields worldwide. Germinating seeds can be greatly influenced by saline conditions. In this study, the physiological and phenotypic changes induced by salt treatments (10–50 mM NaCl and Na2SO4 mixtures) were analysed for Zhongmu-3 (Medicago sativa) and R108 (Medicago truncatula) seedlings. Our observations indicated that Zhongmu-3 was more salt-tolerant than R108. To characterize the protein expression profiles of these two Medicago species in response to salt stress, an iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic analysis was applied to examine salt-responsive proteins. We identified 254 differentially changed salt-responsive proteins. Compared with control levels, the abundance of 121 proteins increased and 44 proteins decreased in salt-treated Zhongmu-3 seedlings, while 119 proteins increased and 18 proteins decreased in R108 seedlings. Moreover, 48 differentially changed proteins were common to Zhongmu-3 and R108 seedlings. A subsequent functional annotation indicated these proteins influenced diverse processes, such as catalytic activity, binding, and antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the corresponding transcript levels of 15 differentially changed proteins were quantified by qRT-PCR. The data presented herein provide new insights into salt-responsive proteins, with potential implications for enhancing the salt tolerance of Medicago species.
The Usefulness of Direct Digital Manufacturing for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Morouço P. G.
Published: June 2018

Societies have been witnessing a constant increase in technology development. Likewise, the manufacturing process is shifting from a scope of massive production to massive customization. Thus, Direct Digital Manufacturing has emerged as a technical innovation that reduces the capital required to achieve emerging economies and breaks the current constraints, creating opportunities for companies to improve innovation, growth and performance. Its usage in biomedical applications has huge potential due to its ability to produce tailored products. This chapter highlights its use in the pharmaceutical domain, for surgical planning and training, and for tissue engineering. These areas of research can overlap the drawbacks of conventional methods in exploring advances in the design and printing processes. With constant evolution of the available (bio)materials and improved printing processes, enabling rapid production, complex geometries can be pursued. Examples are provided for each domain, demonstrating the future trends for adopting this manufacturing practice in our society.
Organic solvent-free immunoassay for quantitative detection of neonicotinoid acetamiprid residues in agricultural products
Authors: Watanabe Eiki , Yamasaki Tomomi , Hirakawa Yuki , Harada Ayako , Iwasa Seiji , Miyake Shiro
Published: June 2018

A completely organic solvent-free analytical residue method fulfilling some requirements for development of a screening method has been established.
Ellagic acid–borax fluorescence interaction: application for novel cyclodextrin-borax nanosensors for analyzing ellagic acid in food samples
Authors: Matencio Adrián , Navarro-Orcajada Silvia , García-Carmona Francisco , López-Nicolás José Manuel
Published: June 2018

The food industry needs cheap, fast and sensitive methods. For that reason, the Ellagic acid–Borax–Cyclodextrin complex fluorescence enhancing has been studied.
Homogeneous localized surface plasmon resonance inflection points for enhanced sensitivity and tracking plasmon damping in single gold bipyramids
Authors: Tsalu Philippe Vuka , Kim Geun Wan , Hong Jong Wook , Ha Ji Won
Published: June 2018

Localized surface plasmon resonance inflection points for enhanced sensitivity in single gold bipyramids.
Aromatic substitutions of arenediazonium salts via metal catalysis, single electron transfer, and weak base mediation
Authors: Koziakov Denis , Wu Guojiao , Jacobi von Wangelin Axel
Published: June 2018

Radical aromatic substitutions of arenediazonium salts can be initiated by various methods. The recent developments of weak base-mediated protocols provide great advantages over conventional metal-mediated or photoredox reactions by their operational simplicity, price, hazard potential and scalability.
Synthetic access to isoxazoline-functionalized isoquinolines via microwave-assisted iminoxyl radical-participated cascade cyclization of vinyl isocyanides
Authors: Xu Yulong , Chen Hao , Li Wei , Xie Qiong , Yu Linqian , Shao Liming
Published: June 2018

The synthesis of isoxazoline-functionalized isoquinolines via radical cascade cyclization of vinyl isocyanides with β,γ-unsaturated ketoximes has been described.
Dual-modal imaging and excellent anticancer efficiency of cisplatin and doxorubicin loaded NaGdF4:Yb3+/Er3+ nanoparticles
Authors: Zhang Zhiyang , Sheng Jiayi , Zhang Miaomiao , Ma Xiaoyan , Geng Zhirong , Wang Zhilin
Published: June 2018

The drug delivery system NaGdF4–CDDP–DOX showed best tumor inhibition capacity both in vitro and in vivo.
From batch to continuous: Au-catalysed oxidation of d-galacturonic acid in a packed bed plug flow reactor under alkaline conditions
Authors: van der Klis F. , Gootjes L. , van Haveren J. , van Es D. S. , Bitter J. H.
Published: June 2018

Comparing the Au-catalysed oxidation of sugar acids: highest selectivity obtained in batch, superior productivity in flow.
Single-ribonucleotide repair-mediated ligation-dependent cycling signal amplification for sensitive and specific detection of DNA methyltransferase
Authors: Wang Li-juan , Han Xiao , Li Chen-chen , Zhang Chun-yang
Published: June 2018

Specific and sensitive detection of DNA MTase activity can be achieved by a single-ribonucleotide repair-mediated ligation-dependent cycling signal amplification approach.
Fe-doped phosphorene for the nitrogen reduction reaction
Authors: Wei Zengxi , Zhang Yuefeng , Wang Shuangyin , Wang Caiyun , Ma Jianmin
Published: June 2018

The nitrogen-to-ammonia conversion is one of the most important and challenging processes in chemistry.
Nanoporous gyroid Ni/NiO/C nanocomposites from block copolymer templates with high capacity and stability for lithium storage
Authors: Cheng Chung-Fu , Chen Yu-Ming , Zou Feng , Yang Kai-Chieh , Lin Tzu-Ying , Liu Kewei , Lai Chih-Huang , Ho Rong-Ming , Zhu Yu
Published: June 2018

Nanoporous gyroid Ni/NiO/C nanocomposite electrodes exhibited good cycling stability over 1000 cycles at 1 A g−1 with a specific capacity of 800 mA h g−1.
A newly developed lithium cobalt oxide super hydrophilic film for large area, thermally stable and highly efficient inverted perovskite solar cells
Authors: Chiang Chien-Hung , Chen Cheng-Chiang , Nazeeruddin Mohammad Khaja , Wu Chun-Guey
Published: June 2018

A new inorganic hole transporting layer, a sputtering made LiCoO2 film, was developed and used in an inverted perovskite solar cell (PSC) and sub-module (PSM).
Circulating tumor DNA detectable in early- and late-stage colorectal cancer patients
Authors: Yang Ying-Chi , Wang Dong , Jin Lan , Yao Hong-Wei , Zhang Jing-Hui , Wang Jin , Zhao Xiao-Mu , Shen Chun-Ying , Chen Wei , Wang Xue-Liang , Shi Rong , Chen Si-Yi , Zhang Zhong-Tao
Published: June 2018

Characterization, diagnosis, and treatment of colorectal cancers (CRC) is difficult due to limited biopsy information, impracticality of repeated biopsies, and cancer biomarker fallibility. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has recently been investigated as a non-invasive way to gain representative gene mutations in tumors, in addition to monitoring disease progression and response to treatment. We analyzed ctDNA mutations and concentrations in 47 early- and late-stage CRC patients using a targetted sequencing approach using a panel that covers 50 cancer-related genes. ctDNA mutations in 37 genes were identified in 93.6% of the patients (n=47). The results showed that TP53, PIK3CA, APC, and EGFR were the most frequently mutated genes. Stage IV patients had significantly higher ctDNA concentration than Stage I patients, and increased ctDNA concentration correlated with increased tumor size. Additionally, ctDNA detection was found to be a greater predictor of disease when compared with five known commonly used tumor biomarkers. The present study supports the use of ctDNA as a liquid biopsy to gain clinical tumor information that may facilitate early diagnosis and treatment and improve CRC patient prognosis.
Deutschlandweites Vergiftungsspektrum im Kindes- und
Jugendalter
Authors: Geith Stefanie , Ganzert Martin , Schmoll Sabrina , Acquarone Daniela , Deters Michael , Sauer Oliver , Stürer Andreas , Tutdibi Erol , Wagner Rafael , Eyer Florian
Published: June 2018

Hintergrund Vergiftungen verursachen bei Kindern den Großteil der
Notfalleinsätze in Deutschland, die durch präventive Maßnahmen verhindert
oder gemildert werden könnten. Daher ist für den Pädiater das Wissen um
häufige Intoxikationen essentiell. Die vorliegende Arbeit zeigt allgemeine
und epidemiologische Daten zu Vergiftungen sowie einen Überblick über die
häufigsten einzelnen Noxen und -kategorien im Kindes- und Jugendalter.

Methoden Retrospektiv wurden Vergiftungsfälle bei Kindern und
Jugendlichen aus 6 deutschen Giftnotrufzentralen (2012–2016 und 2002–2016)
ausgewertet. Kategorielle Daten sind als Mittelwerte±Standardabweichung,
häufigste Noxen nach Punkten angegeben.

Ergebnisse Die Anruferzahl insbesondere der Laien nahm ab 2002
deutlich zu. Zwei Drittel der Fälle traten bei Klein- und Vorschulkindern
auf, häufiger bei Jungen (50%) als bei Mädchen (44%), bei Jugendlichen
überwiegen weibliche Patienten (>60%). Im Alter<14 Jahre sind
Intoxikationen auf Unfälle in Haushalt, Kindertagespflege oder Schulen
zurückzuführen (>95%), bei Jugendlichen treten suizidale Intoxikationen
und Abusus (13%) in den Vordergrund. 90% der Fälle verlaufen asymptomatisch
oder leicht, wobei der Anteil der klinisch symptomatischen Fälle mit dem
Alter zunimmt (Jugendliche 13% vs. Säuglinge 1%). Vergiftungen mit
Medikamenten stellen bei Jugendlichen die häufigste Gruppe dar, bei Kindern
tensidhaltige Reinigungsmittel und Kosmetika, Sanitärreinigungsmittel,
Tabak, Knicklicht und Entkalker in Lösung.

Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung Stetig steigende Anruferzahlen von
Fachpersonal und Laien veranschaulichen die Bedeutung der
Giftnotrufzentralen. Obwohl Vergiftungen bei Kindern und Jugendlichen meist
asymptomatisch oder mit leichten Symptomen verlaufen, darf die Relevanz
präventiver Maßnahmen v. a. bei Kindern<7 Jahren nicht unterschätzt
werden.
Cost-effectiveness of Carbetocin versus Oxytocin for Prevention of Postpartum Hemorrhage Resulting from Uterine Atony in Women at high-risk for bleeding in Colombia
Authors: Gil-Rojas Yaneth , Lasalvia Pieralessandro , Hernández Fabián , Castañeda-Cardona Camilo , Rosselli Diego
Published: June 2018

Objective To assess the cost-effectiveness of carbetocin versus oxytocin for prevention of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) due to uterine atony after vaginal delivery/cesarean section in women with risk factors for bleeding.

Methods A decision tree was developed for vaginal delivery and another one for cesarean, in which a sequential analysis of the results was obtained with the use of carbetocin and oxytocin for prevention of PPH and related consequences. A third-party payer perspective was used; only direct medical costs were considered. Incremental costs and effectiveness in terms of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were evaluated for a one-year time horizon. The costs were expressed in 2016 Colombian pesos (1 USD = 3,051 Col$).

Results In the vaginal delivery model, the average cost of care for a patient receiving prophylaxis with uterotonic agents was Col$ 347,750 with carbetocin and Col$ 262,491 with oxytocin, while the QALYs were 0.9980 and 0.9979, respectively. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio is above the cost-effectiveness threshold adopted by Colombia. In the model developed for cesarean section, the average cost of a patient receiving prophylaxis with uterotonics was Col$ 461,750 with carbetocin, and Col$ 481,866 with oxytocin, and the QALYs were 0.9959 and 0.9926, respectively. Carbetocin has lower cost and is more effective, with a saving of Col$ 94,887 per avoided hemorrhagic event.

Conclusion In case of elective cesarean delivery, carbetocin is a dominant alternative in the prevention of PPH compared with oxytocin; however, it presents higher costs than oxytocin, with similar effectiveness, in cases of vaginal delivery.
Quasi-coherent states for the Hermite oscillator
Authors: Ünal Nuri
Published: June 2018

In this study, we obtained the quasi-coherent states of the damped harmonic oscillator which satisfy the Hermite differential equation classically. For the general damped oscillator, the Gaussian wave packets were derived in configuration and momentum spaces with minimum uncertainities at t = 0, and the quasi-stationary states also obtained and showed that the expansion coefficients give a time-dependent Poisson distribution. As a special case, we found the displaced Gaussian wave packets for the Hermite oscillator and also discussed the weak coupling limit of the wave packets.
Investigation on the optimal wavelength for two-photon microscopy in brain tissue
Authors: Tang Wanyi , Boateng Derrick , Cheng Pan , Zhou Quanyu , Wei Xunbin , He Hao
Published: June 2018

Two-photon microscopy (TPM) has been one of the most widely used fluorescent microscopy methods in biological tissue. The femtosecond laser in the near-infrared (NIR) range showed better penetration in tissue due to less scattering and absorption. The method to estimate the optimal wavelength generally according to the scattering and absorption is somehow too rough considering the complex biological property and other factors that influence TPM. In this report, we set up a model to calculate the optimal wavelength in the NIR range for different imaging depths by involving more parameters of TPM. The calculated result suggests the image of brain slice stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) can be acquired with the best TPM imaging quality at 780 nm excitation rather than longer wavelengths, which is consistent with our experimental results of TPM at depth of 50-300 μm in mouse brain tissue. Our results may, therefore, bring a better understanding on TPM in tissue and help to develop a more accurate model for the simulation of TPM.
Effect of modified periodic waveforms on current-induced spin polarization measurements
Authors: Iafrate Joseph R. , Huang Simon , Del Gaudio Davide , Goldman Rachel S. , Sih Vanessa
Published: June 2018

Applying a voltage to a semiconductor sample generates a current-induced electron spin polarization (CISP). Using an ultrafast mode-locked laser and lock-in detection scheme, we measure CISP on an indium gallium arsenide epilayer via Faraday rotation and extract the spin generation rate. While the measured spin polarization initially increases linearly with electric field as observed in previous work, larger applied voltages lead to a decreasing spin generation rate. We show that we can recover the linear dependence of spin generation rate with electric field even at larger applied voltages by modifying the applied voltage waveform to reduce heating and multiplying by an appropriate correction factor. Future CISP studies can utilize this technique to investigate CISP under larger applied electric fields.