bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced response of bulk heterojunction polymer photodetectors upon incorporating CsPbBr3 quantum dots
Authors: Ren Zhongyuan , Su Ying , Chen Shaoqing , Wang Jiantao , Wang Changhao , Wang Changchun , Ma Pengfei , Meng Fanxu , Zeng Qinghui , Wang Hsing-lin
Published: December 2018

CsPbBr3 quantum dots (QDs) were doped into a blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and indene-C60 bisadduct to fabricate bulk heterojunction polymer photodetectors. The addition of the QDs significantly increased the shunt resistance of the device, thereby suppressing the reverse leakage current and improving both the signal-to-noise ratio and the specific detectivity. The photoresponse and recovery time both decreased because of the enhanced built-in electric field and improved charge carrier mobility.
Model for black silicon formation just from surface temperature non-uniformities
Authors: Gaudig Maria , Maiberg Matthias , Plapp Mathis , Wehrspohn Ralf B.
Published: December 2018

The scientific issue of this paper is the formation of the initial surface roughening during black silicon (b-Si) preparation by maskless SF6/O2 plasma texturing. In detail, the authors investigate a novel approach whether merely substrate temperature dependent surface mechanisms and plasma particle diffusion are sufficient to theoretically obtain anisotropic etching. For that, a quasi-2D model is developed including the relevant mechanisms such as (i) etching, (ii) the deposition of the masking layer SiOxFy, (iii) plasma particle transport, and (iv) heat diffusion. Further on, a linear stability analysis is applied, firstly, to reveal theoretical conditions for anisotropic etching and, secondly, to qualitatively evaluate the impact of the model parameters on the texturing range. The evaluation shows that plasma particle diffusion along the surface is the main factor for nano-roughening. Additionally, the experimentally expected strong dependency of the texturing on the substrate temperature is confirmed and other extracted dependencies can be correlated to experimental observations. With that, a novel model is introduced explaining the initial b-Si roughening without taking into account surface removal by directed ions.
A transient regime for transforming thermal convection: Cloaking, concentrating, and rotating creeping flow and heat flux
Authors: Dai Gaole , Huang Jiping
Published: December 2018

By treating a set of equations governing transient heat and mass transfer simultaneously, here we develop the transformation theory for thermal convection with unsteady creeping flow in porous media, whose steady counterpart has been previously studied. We find that the transformation theory can still be valid when the temperature, density, and velocity of fluids vary with time. As applications, we design thermal cloaks, concentrators, and rotators at transient states examined by finite-element simulations, which can be used to control the magnitude or direction of heat flux in convection. Also, we discuss both the effects of natural or mixed convection and the differences between steady and unsteady states. This work develops a theory for dynamically controlling the flow of heat associated with thermal convection.
Spontaneous formation of nanostructures during pulsed laser deposition of epitaxial half-Heusler TiNiSn on MgO(001)
Authors: Webster R. W. H. , Halpin J. E. , Popuri S. R. , Bos J.-W. G. , MacLaren D. A.
Published: December 2018

The half-Heusler alloy TiNiSn is a promising material for thermoelectric applications that is inexpensive and non-toxic. We demonstrate the epitaxial growth of smooth TiNiSn thin films on MgO(001) single crystal substrates by pulsed laser deposition, using transmission electron microscopy to investigate nanoscale structural and chemical inhomogeneities. In particular, an interfacial reaction results in the formation of a titanium-rich oxide nanolayer at the substrate interface, and this maintains epitaxy but perturbs film composition. Segregation effects are observed throughout the film, producing a narrow range of off-stoichiometric, half-Heusler compositions. The propensity of titanium to oxidise also leads to the commensurate formation of parasitic titanium oxide nanostructures which may be overlooked in bulk techniques but are a key feature that drives both the formation of Ni-enriched, full-Heusler phases and the local decomposition of the half-Heusler to form additional nickel-stannide phases.
Effective multiple sideband generation using an electro-optic modulator for a multiple isotope magneto-optical trap
Authors: Uchiyama A. , Harada K. , Sakamoto K. , Dammalapati U. , Inoue T. , Itoh M. , Ito S. , Kawamura H. , Tanaka K. S. , Yoshioka R. , Sakemi Y.
Published: December 2018

Herein, we report an effective method for the generation of radio-frequency (RF) sidebands in an electro-optic modulator for the simultaneous magneto-optical trapping of two isotopes. This is achieved by switching the RF signals alternately, which suppresses the generation of unwanted frequency signals and improves the laser power per sideband. The generated sidebands are successfully applied to a dual-rubidium-isotope magneto-optical trap (MOT), which results in an increased number of trapped atoms. This simple, flexible, and robust technique can be implemented in experiments that require a large number of atoms in multiple-isotope MOTs and for various applications.
Improved performance of InP-based 2.1 μm InGaAsSb quantum well lasers using Sb as a surfactant
Authors: Wang Dongbo , Zhuo Ning , Zhao Yue , Cheng Fengmin , Niu Shouzhu , Zhang Jinchuan , Zhai Shenqiang , Wang Lijun , Liu Shuman , Liu Fengqi , Wang Zhanguo
Published: December 2018

We demonstrate significantly enhanced performance of 2.1 μm InGaAsSb quantum well lasers using Sb as a surfactant. The lasers are grown on an InP substrate by metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy. Following the introduction of Sb, a double-channel waveguide laser, with uncoated facets, shows a remarkably increased continuous-wave output power of 330 mW, compared with 160 mW for a Sb-free InGaAs quantum well laser, measured at 10 °C. Moreover, the introduction of Sb improves the temperature performance of the device and doubles its wall-plug efficiency. In addition, the active region material and interface quality are investigated by transmission electron microscopy, which help to elucidate the basic physical mechanism of the Sb surfactant effect.
Significant reduction in Young's modulus of Fe–Ga alloy single crystal by inverse magnetostrictive effect under tensile stress
Authors: Fujieda S. , Asano S. , Hashi S. , Ishiyama K. , Fukuda T. , Suzuki S.
Published: December 2018

A characteristic modulation of the magnetic domain structure on the (001) plane of an Fe–12.8 at. % Ga alloy single crystal under tensile stress was observed by magneto-optic Kerr effect microscopy. The magnetic domain structure under zero applied stress was composed of magnetic domains with magnetizations in four types of <100> magnetic easy directions on the (001) plane, which were separated by straight 90° domain walls and stair-like 180° domain walls. When a tensile stress of 11.4 MPa was applied parallel to the [010] direction, these 90° domain walls disappeared to release the tensile stress. A stripe domain structure that was composed of straight 180° domain walls parallel to the tensile stress direction was thus formed by the inverse magnetostrictive effect. Young's modulus of the alloy below the applied 11.4 MPa tensile stress was estimated to be 32 GPa, which is 57% smaller than the corresponding value above that tensile stress value. Consequently, a significant reduction in Young's modulus is caused by the characteristic modulation of the magnetic domain structure that occurs as a result of the inverse magnetostrictive effect.
Mass-analyzed threshold ionization spectroscopy of lanthanide imide LnNH (Ln = La and Ce) radicals from N–H bond activation of ammonia
Authors: Zhang Yuchen , Nyambo Silver , Yang Dong-Sheng
Published: December 2018

Ln (Ln = La and Ce) atom reactions with ammonia are carried out in a pulsed laser vaporization supersonic molecular beam source. Lanthanide-containing species are observed with time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and LnNH molecules are characterized by mass-analyzed threshold ionization (MATI) spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations. The theoretical calculations include density functional theory for both Ln species and a scalar relativity correction, electron correlation, and spin-orbit coupling for the Ce species. The MATI spectrum of LaNH exhibits a single vibronic band system with a strong origin band and two weak vibronic progressions, whereas the spectrum of CeNH displays two band systems separated by 75 cm−1 with each being like the LaNH spectrum. By comparing with the theoretical calculations, both LaNH and CeNH are identified as linear molecules with C∞v symmetry, and the two vibronic progressions are attributed to the excitations of Ln–N stretching and Ln–N–H bending modes in the ions. The additional band system observed for CeNH is due to the spin-orbit splitting from the interactions of triplet and singlet states. The ground valence electron configurations of LaNH and CeNH are La 6s1 and Ce 4f16s1, and the ionization of each species removes the Ln 6s1 electron. The remaining two electrons that are associated with the isolated Ln atoms or ions are in a doubly degenerate molecular orbital that is a bonding combination between Ln 5dπ and N pπ orbitals.
Correlation between two non-linear events in a dusty plasma system
Authors: Mishra Rinku , Adhikari S. , Mukherjee Rupak , Dey M.
Published: December 2018

A phenomenological model using fluid theory is developed to show that the decay of two seemingly independent nonlinear structures, namely, dust void and dust soliton, strongly depends on the plasma ionization parameter in an unmagnetized dusty plasma system. The numerical solution of model equations has shown that the evolution of dust voids and their subsequent decay in a time frame are intimately related to the ionization parameter. A similar result also holds good in the case of dust solitons where the stability of solitons is found to depend critically upon the ionization parameter. Most importantly, it is observed that time of the collapse of a dust soliton precedes the onset time of a dust void decay, and therefore, soliton decay acts as a precursor for void decay to occur in a given dusty plasma system.
Knockdown of DEAD-box helicase 4 (DDX4) decreases the number of germ cells in male and female chicken embryonic gonads
Authors: Aduma Nana , Izumi Hiroe , Mizushima Shusei , Kuroiwa Asato
Published: December 2018

DEAD-box helicase 4 (DDX4; also known as vasa) is essential for the proper formation and maintenance of germ cells. Although DDX4 is conserved in a variety of vertebrates and invertebrates, its roles differ between species. This study investigated the function of DDX4 in chicken embryos by knocking down its expression using retroviral vectors that encoded DDX4-targeting microRNAs. DDX4 was effectively depleted invitro and invivo via this approach. Male and female gonads of DDX4-knockdown embryos contained a decreased number of primordial germ cells, indicating that DDX4 is essential to maintain a normal level of these cells in chicken embryos of both sexes. Expression of doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 1 (DMRT1) and sex determining region Y-box 9 (SOX9), which are involved in testis determination and differentiation, was normal in male gonads of DDX4-knockdown embryos. In contrast, expression of cytochrome P450 family 19 subfamily A member 1 (CYP19A1), which encodes aromatase and is essential for ovary development, was significantly decreased in female gonads of DDX4-knockdown embryos. Expression of forkhead box L2 (FOXL2), which plays an important role in ovary differentiation, was also slightly reduced in DDX4-knockdown embryos, but not significantly. Based on several pieces of evidence FOXL2 was hypothesised to regulate aromatase expression. The results of this study indicate that aromatase expression is also regulated by several additional pathways.
Retromer has a selective function in cargo sorting via endosome transport carriers
Authors: Cui Yi , Carosi Julian M. , Yang Zhe , Ariotti Nicholas , Kerr Markus C. , Parton Robert G. , Sargeant Timothy J. , Teasdale Rohan D.
Published: December 2018

Retromer is a peripheral membrane protein complex that coordinates multiple vesicular trafficking events within the endolysosomal system. Here, we demonstrate that retromer is required for the maintenance of normal lysosomal morphology and function. The knockout of retromer subunit Vps35 causes an ultrastructural alteration in lysosomal structure and aberrant lysosome function, leading to impaired autophagy. At the whole-cell level, knockout of retromer Vps35 subunit reduces lysosomal proteolytic capacity as a consequence of the improper processing of lysosomal hydrolases, which is dependent on the trafficking of the cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor (CI-M6PR). Incorporation of CI-M6PR into endosome transport carriers via a retromer-dependent process is restricted to those tethered by GCC88 but not golgin-97 or golgin-245. Finally, we show that this retromer-dependent retrograde cargo trafficking pathway requires SNX3, but not other retromer-associated cargo binding proteins, such as SNX27 or SNX-BAR proteins. Therefore, retromer does contribute to the retrograde trafficking of CI-M6PR required for maturation of lysosomal hydrolases and lysosomal function.
Interior Schauder estimates for the fourth order Hamiltonian stationary equation in two dimensions
Authors: Bhattacharya Arunima , Warren Micah
Published: December 2018

We consider the Hamiltonian stationary equation for all phases in dimension two. We show that solutions that are

C

1
,
1

C^{1,1}

will be smooth and we also derive a

C

2
,
α

C^{2,\alpha }

estimate for it.
A remark on constant scalar curvature Kähler metrics on minimal models
Authors: Jian Wangjian , Shi Yalong , Song Jian
Published: December 2018

In this short note, we prove the existence of constant scalar curvature Kähler metrics on compact Kähler manifolds with semi-ample canonical bundles.
Definable maximal independent families
Authors: Brendle Jörg , Fischer Vera , Khomskii Yurii
Published: December 2018

We study maximal independent families (m.i.f.) in the projective hierarchy. We show that (a) the existence of a

Σ
2
1

\boldsymbol {\Sigma }^1_2

m.i.f. is equivalent to the existence of a

Π
1
1

\boldsymbol {\Pi }^1_1

m.i.f., (b) in the Cohen model, there are no projective maximal independent families, and (c) in the Sacks model, there is a

Π
1
1

\boldsymbol {\Pi }^1_1

m.i.f. We also consider a new cardinal invariant related to the question of destroying or preserving maximal independent families.
Artin groups of infinite type: Trivial centers and acylindrical hyperbolicity
Authors: Charney Ruth , Morris-Wright Rose
Published: December 2018

While finite type Artin groups and right-angled Artin groups are well understood, little is known about more general Artin groups. In this paper we use the action of an infinite type Artin group

A

Γ

A_{\Gamma }

on a CAT(0) cube complex to prove that

A

Γ

A_{\Gamma }

has trivial center providing

Γ
\Gamma

is not the star of a single vertex, and is acylindrically hyperbolic providing

Γ
\Gamma

is not a join.
Prime geodesic theorem in the 3-dimensional hyperbolic space
Authors: Balkanova Olga , Chatzakos Dimitrios , Cherubini Giacomo , Frolenkov Dmitry , Laaksonen Niko
Published: December 2018

For

Γ
\Gamma

a cofinite Kleinian group acting on

H

3

\mathbb {H}^3

, we study the prime geodesic theorem on

M
=
Γ
∖

H

3

M=\Gamma \backslash \mathbb {H}^3

, which asks about the asymptotic behavior of lengths of primitive closed geodesics (prime geodesics) on

M
M

. Let

E

Γ

(
X
)

E_{\Gamma }(X)

be the error in the counting of prime geodesics with length at most

log
⁡
X

\log X

. For the Picard manifold,

Γ
=

P
S
L

(
2
,

Z

[
i
]
)

\Gamma =\mathrm {PSL}(2,\mathbb {Z}[i])

, we improve the classical bound of Sarnak,

E

Γ

(
X
)
=
O
(

X

5

/

3
+
ϵ

)

E_{\Gamma }(X)=O(X^{5/3+\epsilon })

, to

E

Γ

(
X
)
=
O
(

X

13

/

8
+
ϵ

)

E_{\Gamma }(X)=O(X^{13/8+\epsilon })

. In the process we obtain a mean subconvexity estimate for the Rankin–Selberg

L
L

-function attached to Maass–Hecke cusp forms. We also investigate the second moment of

E

Γ

(
X
)

E_{\Gamma }(X)

for a general cofinite group

Γ
\Gamma

, and we show that it is bounded by

O
(

X

16

/

5
+
ϵ

)

O(X^{16/5+\epsilon })

.
The State and Civil Society: the case of Citizens’ Groups in the ger districts of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Authors: Terbish Bayartsetseg , Rawsthorne Margot
Published: December 2018

Mongolia is a vast landlocked, sparsely populated, country which shares borders with China and Russia. Two decades of democratic government has coincided with rapid cultural, social, environmental and economic change marred by increasing inequality. Addressing the challenges of inequality demands meaningful engagement between state and non-state actors in the emergent democracy of Mongolia. This article focuses on research with Citizens’ Groups, semi-formal grassroots groups involved in community development in ger districts of Ulaanbaatar, the capital city. Drawing on research undertaken in 2017 with members of Citizens’ Groups and employed staff of Non-Government Organizations it explores the interaction between government (in the form of local government or Khoroo) and civil society (in the form of Citizens’ Groups). Data was collected via interviews, focus groups and site visits with over thirty people. Accordingly, the paper continues a focus on emerging community development practices in East Asia, a region both benefiting from and challenged by urbanization from rural to urban settings. The paper concludes that Citizens’ Groups are key to realizing the Government’s commitment to building social capital, social innovation and the social economy. To realize this goal, however further work is required to promote a democratic political culture, expand citizen participation and strengthen co-operation between the State and civil society.
Normal radiological lymph node appearance in the thorax
Authors: Hansen T , Nilsson M , Lindholm D , Sundström J , Hedberg J
Published: December 2018

Modern treatment of esophageal cancer is multimodal and highly dependent on a detailed diagnostic assessment of clinical stage, which includes nodal stage. Clinical appraisal of nodal stage is highly dependent on knowledge of normal radiological appearance, information of which is scarce. We aimed to describe lymph node appearance on computed tomography (CT) investigations in a randomly selected cohort of healthy subjects. In a sample of the Swedish Cardiopulmonary bioimage study, which investigates a sample of the Swedish population aged 50–64 years, the CT scans of 426 subjects were studied in detail concerning intrathoracic node stations relevant in clinical staging of esophageal cancer. With stratification for sex, the short axis of visible lymph nodes was measured and the distribution of lymph node sizes was calculated as well as proportion of patients with visible nodes above 5 and 10 millimeters for each station. Probability of having any lymph node station above 5 and 10 millimeters was calculated with a logistic regression model adjusted for age and sex. In the 214 men (aged: 57.3 ± 4.1 years) and 212 women (aged: 57.8 ± 4.4 years) included in this study, a total of 309 (72.5%) had a lymph node with a short axis of 5 mm or above was seen in at least one of the node stations investigated. When using 10 mm as a cutoff, nodes were visible in 29 (6.81%) of the subjects. Men had higher odds of having any lymph node with short axis 5 mm or above (OR 3.03 95% CI 1.89–4.85, P < 0.001) as well as 10 mm or above (OR 2.31 95% CI 1.02–5.23, P = 0.044) compared to women. Higher age was not associated with propensity for lymph nodes above 5 or 10 millimeters in this sample. We conclude that, in a randomly selected cohort of patients between 50 and 64 years, almost 10% of the men and 4% of the women had lymph nodes above 10 millimeters, most frequently in the subcarinal station (station 107). More than half of the patients had nodes above 5 millimeters on CT and men were much more prone to have this finding. The probability of finding lymph nodes in specific stations relevant of esophageal cancer is now described.
Appropriate Treatment for Bloodstream Infections Due to Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli: A Nationwide Multicenter Study in Taiwan
Authors: Lin Yi-Tsung , Su Chin-Fang , Chuang Chien , Lin Jung-Chung , Lu Po-Liang , Huang Ching-Tai , Wang Jann-Tay , Chuang Yin-Ching , Siu L Kristopher , Fung Chang-Phone
Published: December 2018

Background

In a multicenter study from Taiwan, we aimed to investigate the outcome of patients who received different antimicrobial therapy in carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae bloodstream infections and proposed a new definition for tigecycline use.

Methods

Patients from 16 hospitals in Taiwan who received appropriate therapy for bloodstream infections due to carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli were enrolled in the study between January 2012 and June 2015. We used a cox proportional regression model for multivariate analysis to identify independent risk factors of 14-day mortality. Tigecycline was defined as appropriate when the isolates had a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ≤0.5 mg/L, and we investigated whether tigecycline was associated with mortality among patients with monotherapy.

Results

Sixty-four cases with carbapenem-resistant K pneumoniae (n = 50) and E coli (n = 14) bloodstream infections were analyzed. Of the 64 isolates, 17 (26.6%) had genes that encoded carbapenemases. The 14-day mortality of these cases was 31.3%. In the multivariate analysis, Charlson Comorbidity Index (hazard ratio [HR], 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–1.42; P = .022) and colistin monotherapy (HR, 5.57; 95% CI, 2.13–14.61; P < .001) were independently associated with 14-day mortality. Among the 55 patients with monotherapy, the 14-day mortality was 30.9% (n = 17). Tigecycline use was not associated with mortality in the multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

Tigecycline monotherapy was a choice if the strains exhibited MIC ≤0.5 mg/L, and colistin monotherapy was not suitable. Our findings can initiate additional clinical studies regarding the efficacy of tigecycline in carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections.
Use of Systemic Acquired Resistance and Whitefly Optical Barriers to Reduce Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Disease Damage to Tomato Crops
Authors: Monci Francisco , García-Andrés Susana , Sánchez-Campos Sonia , Fernández-Muñoz Rafael , Díaz-Pendón Juan Antonio , Moriones Enrique
Published: December 2018

Epidemics of tomato yellow leaf curl disease (TYLCD) caused by tomato yellow leaf curl-like begomoviruses (genus Begomovirus, family Geminiviridae) severely damage open field and protected tomato crops worldwide. Intensive application of insecticides against the whitefly vector Bemisia tabaci is generally used as control strategy to reduce TYLCD impact. This practice, however, is frequently ineffective and has a negative impact on the environment and human health. TYLCD-resistant varieties are commercially available, but cultivation of susceptible traditional tasting ones is also requested if possible. For susceptible tomatoes, here we show that using whitefly optical barriers by means of UV-blocking plastics in protected crops can contribute to reducing TYLCD damage and increasing commercial fruit yield. Moreover, induction of systemic acquired resistance by application of the elicitor of plant defense acibenzolar-S-methyl was effective to reduce yield losses when viral pressure was moderate. Interestingly, combining both practices in protected tomato crops can result in a significant TYLCD control. Therefore, these control practices are proposed to be used commercially as management alternatives to include in integrated management of TYLCD.
Safety of Pleuroscopy Performed in Negative Pressure Bronchoscopy Rooms
Authors: Sagar A.S. , Eapen Georgie A. , Casal Roberto F. , Ost David , Sarkiss Mona , Grosu Horiana B.
Published: December 2018

Background:

The use of pleuroscopy has expanded over the last decade due to its higher diagnostic yield and low complications rate. Whether the infectious complications of pleuroscopy performed in negative pressure rooms is similar to that of pleuroscopy performed in positive pressure rooms remain unclear. To assess the safety of pleuroscopy performed in negative pressure rooms, we sought to determine the rate of infectious complications in patients who underwent pleuroscopy in negative pressure bronchoscopy rooms at our institution.

Methods:

This was a retrospective cohort study of all patients who underwent pleuroscopy in our institution’s negative pressure bronchoscopy rooms between January 2005 and January 2018. The primary outcome was the incidence of infectious complications at 14 and 30 days after the procedure.

Results:

We identified 318 patients. Of the 318 patients, 47 (15%) had hematological malignancies, 118 (37%) had lung cancer, 121 (38%) had solid non–lung cancers, and 32 (10%) had no cancer diagnosis before the procedure. At the end of pleuroscopy, 255 patients (80%) had an indwelling pleural catheter placed, 63 patients (20%) had only a chest tube placed, and 31 patients (9%) had both an indwelling pleural catheter and chest tube placed. No patients developed empyema within 14 days. Three patients (0.9%) developed empyema within 30 days after the procedure and was presumed to be due to pleural catheter infection in all cases.

Conclusion:

Our findings show that pleuroscopy performed in negative pressure rooms has a low incidence of infectious complications, provided that proper sterile precautions are maintained.
Methotrexate-induced Acute Myelopathy in a Teenager With High-risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Geurten Claire , Forget Patricia , Leroy Patricia , Barrea Christophe , Hoyoux Claire
Published: December 2018

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is one of the most frequent malignancies in childhood whose long-term survival has increased up to 80% thanks to modern therapy enhancements. Nevertheless, methotrexate (MTX) remains a mainstay of ALL therapy, but also represents one of the major causes of neurotoxicity in patients with ALL. MTX-induced toxicity occurs in about 9% of patients treated for ALL. It usually affects deep white matter region leading to leukoencephalopathy, which has varying clinical manifestations ranging from acute neurologic disturbances to seizures or chronic permanent encephalopathy. Here we describe a 13-year-old girl affected with ALL who developed lower limbs hypesthesia and static ataxia due to transverse myelopathy after intrathec administration of MTX therapy. A high-dose corticotherapy combined to vitamin supplementation and rehabilitation was tested. Neurological evolution was characterized by slow and partial recovery.
Changes in Perceived Self-efficacy of Physical Therapist Students Following a Pediatric Experiential Learning Opportunity
Authors: Wolden Mitch , Anderson Brittany , Ray Chris
Published: December 2018

Purpose:

Physical therapists (PT) must be competent to treat patients across the lifespan, from pediatrics through geriatrics. Increasing the amount of experiential learning (EL) in pediatrics presents an opportunity for students to improve their self-efficacy in communication and patient handling. The purpose was to investigate changes in PT students' perceived self-efficacy in communication and patient handling following a structured and focused 8-week EL opportunity with a pediatric population.

Methods:

Thirty-two PT students completed the Pediatric Communication and Handling Self-Efficacy Scale before and after an 8-week pediatric EL opportunity. A paired-samples t test was performed to assess changes in students' self-efficacy levels of communication and patient handling.

Results:

Perceived self-efficacy levels significantly improved in regard to students' communication and patient handling skills following a pediatric EL opportunity.

Conclusions:

Our findings reinforce the benefits of incorporating pediatric EL opportunities into the DPT curriculum as an effective learning strategy in pediatric education.
Progression of Ankle Plantarflexion Contractures and Functional Decline in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: Implications for Physical Therapy Management
Authors: Kiefer Michael , Bonarrigo Kelly , Quatman-Yates Catherine , Fowler Amanda , Horn Paul S. , Wong Brenda L.
Published: December 2018

Purpose:

This study characterizes the progressive loss of ankle dorsiflexion range of motion in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the relationship to functional decline, and the implications for physical therapy management.

Methods:

Longitudinal data for 332 boys with DMD were extracted from medical records and analyzed. Summary statistics for age, number of visits, ankle dorsiflexion measures, and North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA) scores were computed.

Results:

Ankle dorsiflexion motion ranged from −32.5 to 25 degrees. Progression of ankle contractures is demonstrated by a trend line: slope −1.43 per year. NSAA score was estimated to decline approximately 0.23 points per 1 degree of ankle dorsiflexion lost.

Conclusions:

The results of this study describe the progression of ankle contractures and functional decline in DMD. The findings may help inform decisions regarding interventions to support participants with DMD and their families.
Effects of Structured Exercise Training in Children and Adolescents With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Authors: Klepper Susan , Mano Khong Taryn Tamiko , Klotz Rachel , Gregorek Adrienne Odmark , Chan Y Chee , Sawade Samantha
Published: December 2018

Purpose:

To examine safety and efficacy of exercise training (ET) for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) to improve physical fitness, pain, functional capability, and quality of life.

Methods:

Ovid Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, PEDro, and Web of Science were searched from 1995 to April 2018 to find English-language articles examining effects of ET in JIA, ages 4 to 21 years. Quality of evidence/strength of clinical recommendations were assessed using the Cochrane GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) system. Results were reported using the 2009 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist for health care interventions.

Results:

Nine papers met inclusion criteria. A total of 457 individuals with JIA, ages 4 to 19.9 years, received ET or alternate activity, wait-list, or no intervention. Moderate-quality evidence supports Stott Pilates and underwater knee-resistance exercise. No adverse effects of ET were reported.

Conclusions:

Moderate-quality evidence exists for ET (30-50 minutes, 2-3 times/week, 12-24 weeks) to decrease pain, improve range of motion, knee strength, functional capability, and quality of life in JIA.
Myc stimulates cell cycle progression through the activation of Cdk1 and phosphorylation of p27
Authors: Leon Javier , Garcia-Gutierrez Lucia , Bretones Gabriel , Molina Ester , Arechaga Iñaki , Acosta Juan Carlos R. , Blanco Rosa , Fernandez Adrian , Alonso Leticia , Sicinski Piotr , Barbacid Mariano , Santamaría David
Published: December 2018

Cell cycle stimulation is a major transforming mechanism of Myc oncoprotein. This is achieved through at least three concomitant mechanisms: upregulation of cyclins and Cdks, downregulation of Cdk inhibitors p15 and p21 and the degradation of p27. The Myc-p27 antagonism has been shown to be relevant in human cancer. To be degraded, p27 must be phosphorylated at Thr-187 to be recognized by Skp2, a component of the ubiquitination complex. We previously described that Myc induces Skp2 expression. Here we show that not only Cdk2 but Cdk1 phosphorylates p27 at the Thr187, which was previously unreported. Moreover, Myc induced p27 degradation in murine fibroblasts through Cdk1 activation, which was achieved by Myc-dependent cyclin A and B induction. In the absence of Cdk2, p27 phosphorylation at Thr-187 was mainly carried out by cyclin A2-Cdk1 and cyclin B1-Cdk1. We also show that Cdk1 inhibition was sufficient for the synthetic lethal interaction with Myc. This result is relevant because Cdk1 is the only Cdk strictly required for cell cycle and the reported synthetic lethal interaction between Cdk1 and Myc.
Pain neuroscience education on YouTube: a systematic review
Authors: Heathcote Lauren C. , Pate Joshua W. , Park Anna L. , Leake Hayley B. , Moseley G. Lorimer , Kronman Corey A. , Fischer Molly , Timmers Inge , Simons Laura E.
Published: December 2018

Objectives

The Internet in general, and YouTube in particular, is now one of the most popular sources of health-related information. Pain neuroscience education has become a primary tool for managing persistent pain, based in part on the discovery that information about pain can change pain. Our objective was to examine the availability, characteristics, and content of YouTube videos providing pain neuroscience education.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of videos on YouTube using the search terms “pain education”, “what is pain”, and “pain brain” in January 2018. Videos were included if they were in English, were under 10 minutes long, and included information on the neuroscience of pain. Videos were coded for i) descriptive characteristics (e.g., number of views, duration on YouTube), ii) source and style, iii) whether or not they addressed seven pre-determined target concepts of pain neuroscience education (e.g., ‘Pain is not an accurate marker of tissue state’), and iv) how engaging they were.

Results

We found 106 unique videos that met the inclusion criteria. The videos ranged from having four views to over five million views (Mdn = 1163 views), with the three most highly viewed videos accounting for 75% of the total views. Animated videos were much more highly viewed than non-animated videos. Only a small number of videos had been posted by a clearly-identifiable reputable source such as an academic or medical research institution (10%), although a number of videos were posted by healthcare professionals and professional medical societies. For a small number of videos (7%), the source was unclear. We found 17 videos that addressed at least one target concept of pain neuroscience science education, only nine of which were considered to be engaging. The target concept ‘Pain is a brain output’ was considered to be well addressed by the most videos (N = 11), followed by ‘Pain is a protector’ (N = 10). We found only one video that adequately addressed all seven target concepts of pain neuroscience education.

Discussion

YouTube contains a variety of videos that practitioners, patients, and families may view to access pain neuroscience education information. A small portion of these videos addressed one or more target concepts of pain neuroscience education in an engaging manner. It is yet to be determined to what extent patients are able to learn information from these videos, to what extent the videos promote behavior change, and thus to what extent the videos may be useful for clinical practice.
Bow-tie motifs enable protein multifunctionality by connecting cellular processes in the interactome
Authors: Niss Kristoffer , Hu Jessica Xin , Gomez-Casado Cristina , Joeris Thorsten , Agace William Winston , Belling Kirstine G , Brunak Søren
Published: December 2018

Cell type-specific protein interactomes are promising resources for the understanding of cell functionality and genetic perturbations in cellular states. However, while many low- and top-level aspects of interactome topology have been mapped, we still lack an understanding of the topological motifs at the intermediate level, where connectivity between cellular processes takes place. We combine conventional dendritic cell lineage 1 (cDC1)-specific expression data with a high-quality protein interactome, subsequently creating an information-rich cDC1-specifc interactome matrix that displays topological information on an unprecedented 36.7 million protein pairs at once. By dissecting the interactome-matrix, we reveal that the bow-tie motif is a major connector of cellular processes and an extremely widespread topology in the protein interactome. In aggregation, the bow-tie motifs form a scaffold within the interactome that hierarchically link cellular processes together. We further demonstrate that the bow-tie motif's design can enable protein multifunction. Our generic approach allows a topological characterization and visualization of any large network, facilitating a more effective usage of community-produced interaction data, and is applicable to any cell type's interactome.
Improved peak-calling with MACS2
Authors: Gaspar John M.
Published: December 2018

The computational analyses of genome-enrichment assays, such as ChIP-seq and ATAC-seq, are typically concluded with a peak-calling program that identifies genomic regions that are significantly enriched. The most popular peak-caller, MACS2, assumes that the input alignment files are for single-end sequence reads by default, yet those with paired-end Illumina sequence data frequently use this default setting. This leads to erroneous coverage values and suboptimal peak identification. However, using the correct paired-end mode can introduce another set of artifacts. After thoroughly reviewing the MACS2 source code, we have modified it to limit these and other problems. Our updated version is freely available (https://github.com/jsh58/MACS).
Use of RNA and DNA to Identify Mechanisms of Microbial Community Homogenization
Authors: Meyer Kyle M , Petersen Ian A.B. , Tobi Elie , Korte Lisa , Bohannan Brendan
Published: December 2018

Biotic homogenization is a commonly observed response following conversion of native ecosystems to agriculture, but our mechanistic understanding of this process is limited for microbial communities. In the case of rapid environmental changes, inference of homogenization mechanisms may be confounded by the fact that only a minority of taxa is active at any given point. RNA- and DNA-based community inference may help to distinguish the active fraction of a community from inactive taxa. Using these two community inference methods, we asked how soil prokaryotic communities respond to land use change following transition from rainforest to agriculture in the Congo Basin. Our results indicate that the magnitude of community homogenization is larger in the RNA-inferred community than the DNA-inferred perspective. We show that as the soil environment changes, the RNA-inferred community structure tracks environmental variation and loses spatial structure. The DNA-inferred community loses its association with environmental variability. Homogenization of the DNA-inferred community appears to instead be driven by the range expansion of a minority of taxa shared between the forest and conversion sites, which is also seen in the RNA-inferred community. Our results suggest that complementing DNA-based surveys with RNA can provide unique perspectives on community responses to environmental change.
Adaptation to developmental diet influences the response to selection on age at reproduction in the fruit fly
Authors: May Christina M. , van den Heuvel Joost , Doroszuk Agnieszka , Hoedjes Katja M. , Flatt Thomas , Zwaan Bas J.
Published: December 2018

Experimental evolution (EE) is a powerful tool for addressing how environmental factors influence life-history evolution. While in nature different selection pressures experienced across the lifespan shape life histories, EE studies typically apply selection pressures one at a time. Here we assess the consequences of adaptation to three different developmental diets in combination with classical selection for early or late reproduction in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We find that the response to each selection pressure is similar to that observed when they are applied independently, but the overall magnitude of the response depends on the selection regime experienced in the other life stage. For example, adaptation to increased age at reproduction increased lifespan across all diets, however, the extent of the increase was dependent on the dietary selection regime. Similarly, adaptation to a lower calorie developmental diet led to faster development and decreased adult weight, but the magnitude of the response was dependent on the age-at-reproduction selection regime. Given that multiple selection pressures are prevalent in nature, our findings suggest that trade-offs should be considered not only among traits within an organism, but also among adaptive responses to different - sometimes conflicting - selection pressures, including across life stages.
Disentangling the origins of confidence in speeded perceptual judgments through multimodal imaging
Authors: Pereira Michael , Faivre Nathan , Iturrate Iñaki , Wirthlin Marco , Serafini Luana , Martin Stéphanie , Desvachez Arnaud , Blanke Olaf , Ville Dimitri Van De , Millán José del R.
Published: December 2018

The human capacity to compute the likelihood that a decision is correct - known as metacognition - has proven difficult to study in isolation as it usually co-occurs with decision-making. Here, we isolated post-decisional from decisional contributions to metacognition by combining a novel paradigm with multimodal imaging. Healthy volunteers reported their confidence in the accuracy of decisions they made or decisions they observed. We found better metacognitive performance for committed vs. observed decisions, indicating that committing to a decision informs confidence. Relying on concurrent electroencephalography and hemodynamic recordings, we found a common correlate of confidence following committed and observed decisions in the inferior frontal gyrus, and a dissociation in the anterior prefrontal cortex and anterior insula. We discuss these results in light of decisional and post-decisional accounts of confidence, and propose a generative model of confidence in which metacognitive performance naturally improves when evidence accumulation is constrained upon committing a decision.
Identification of novel anti-bacterial compounds from a chemically highly diverse pathways-based library using phenotypic screens in amoebae host models
Authors: Kicka Sebastien , Hanna Nabil , Chiriano Gianpaolo , Harrison Christopher , Ouertatani Sakouhi Hajer , Trofimov Valentin , Kranjc Agata , Hilbi Hubert , Cosson Pierre , Scapozza Leonardo , Soldati Thierry
Published: December 2018

Legionella pneumophila and tubercular Mycobacteria are the causative agents of potentially fatal diseases due to their pathogenesis but also to the emergence of antibiotic resistance that limits treatment strategies. The aim of our study is to explore the antimicrobial activity of a small ligand-based chemical library of 1,255 structurally diverse compounds. These compounds were screened in a combination of three assays, two monitoring the intracellular growth of the pathogenic bacteria, Mycobacterium marinum and L. pneumophila, and an additional anti-virulence plaque assay for M. marinum. We set up these assays using two amoeba strains, the genetically tractable Dictyostelium discoideum and the free-living amoeba Acanthamoeba castellanii. In summary, sixty-four compounds showed anti-infective/anti-virulence activity in at least one of the 3 assays. The intracellular assays hit rate varied between 1.7% (n=22) for M. marinum and 2.8% (n=35) for L pneumophila with 7 compounds in common between both pathogens. In parallel, 1.2 % (n= 15) of the tested compounds were able to restore D. discoideum growth in presence of M. marinum spiked in a lawn of Klebsiella pneumoniae. We also validated the generality of the hit compounds identified using the A. castellanii-M. marinum anti-infective screen in the powerful D. discoideum-M. marinum host-pathogen model. The characterization of anti-infective and antibacterial hits in the latter infection model revealed compounds able to reduce intracellular growth more than 50% at 30 μM. Our studies underline the relevance of using a combination of low-cost and low-complexity assays with full 3R compliance associated with a rationalized focused library of compounds to help identifying new chemical scaffolds and dissect some of their properties prior to run further compounds development steps.
Expression of the miR-302/367 microRNA cluster is regulated by a conserved long non-coding host gene
Authors: Rahimi Karim , Füchtbauer Annette C. , Fathi Fardin , Mowla Seyed Javad , Füchtbauer Ernst-Martin
Published: December 2018

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of cellular functions. MiR-302/367 is a polycistronic miRNA cluster including miR-302b/c/a/d (collectively termed miR-302s) and miR-367. The cluster is located in the intron of a non-coding host gene. MiR-302s have been shown to repress mRNAs required for differentiation and to induce pluripotency in somatic cells. The stem cell specific transcription factors OCT4, SOX2 and Nanog drive miR-302s expression, however, the reported expression in human and mice indicates a more complex transcriptional regulation. Here we investigate the transcriptional control and the processing of the miR-302 host gene. The murine miR-302 host gene is alternatively spliced, polyadenylated and exported from the nucleus. The regulatory sequences extend at least 2 kb upstream of the transcription start side and contain several conserved binding sites for both transcriptional activators and repressors. Reporter constructs with different upstream regions revealed a significant influence of the more distant regulatory sequences in pluripotent stem cells. The gene structure and regulatory elements like binding sites for activating and repressing transcriptional regulators, splice, and polyadenylation signals are highly conserved between mouse and human. So far, no miR-302 independent function has been annotated for the miR-302 host gene and we hypothesize that the complex and differential regulation of the miRNA transcription and processing might the reason for its conservation. Thus, regulation or micro-RNA expression might be a so far less recognized function of non-coding RNA genes.

Author Summary

Non-coding RNAs constitute a large part of the mammalian genome. Interestingly, some long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) are transcribed and processed in the same way as mRNAs but lack an open reading frame. Here we give evidence that a so far less recognized function of such lncRNAs could be to supply microRNAs with the complex transcriptional control and processing required for their intricate expression. As an example, we analyzed the regulatory sequences of the miR-302/367 host gene. MiR-302/367 is a microRNA cluster involved in the regulation of stem cells and cellular differentiation. We show here that the regulatory region is much more complex than anticipated, a complexity that can not be conferred alone by any of the stem cell specific transcription factors which were so far associated with the expression of miR-302/367.