bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors Influencing New RNs’ Supervisory Performance in Long-Term Care Facilities
Authors: Prentice Dawn , Boscart Veronique , McGilton Katherine S. , Escrig Astrid
Published: October 2017

Dans les établissements de soins de longue durée (ÉSLD), les infirmières autorisées (IAs) exercent à la fois des fonctions cliniques et de supervision en tant que membres d’une équipe visant à dispenser des soins de grande qualité aux résidents. Les résidents sont affectés par plusieurs comorbidités et leurs besoins en matière de soins sont complexes. Malheureusement, les infirmières nouvellement agréées ne reçoivent que peu de formation en gérontologie et leur expérience de supervision est minimale, ce qui entraîne de faibles taux de rétention et affecte les résultats chez les patients. Cette étude qualitative a exploré les facteurs influençant l’expérience de supervision des nouvelles IA en ÉSLD à porter d’un échantillon de 24 participants en Ontario (Canada). Les données ont été recueillies par la voie d’entrevues individuelles, et une analyse de contenu directe fut réalisée. Trois niveaux d’influence ont été identifiés : influences personnelles, influences organisationnelles et influences externes. Chacun des niveaux présentait des sous-éléments qui décrivaient plus précisément les facteurs ayant de l’impact sur la performance de la nouvelle IA en supervision. La rétention des nouvelles IA en ÉSLD nécessiterait la mise en place d’une formation additionnelle en gérontologie et d’un processus de mentorat par ces organisations, afin d’assurer le développement de leurs rôles de supervision.
IlluminatingGustavus the Thirdand the Art of Spectacle in 1830s London
Authors: Alexander Tamsin
Published: October 2017

To turn to 1830s London is to explore a time and place newly obsessed with the eye and with lighting technologies. Understanding how opera was experienced at this time, therefore, requires that visuality be brought to the fore. One staging in particular, that ofGustavus the Third, adapted from Daniel Auber’sGustave IIIfor Covent Garden in 1833, reveals how new discussions about light and vision were influencing responses to opera. While London adaptations of Frenchgrands opérasin the nineteenth century have often been dismissed as shabby imitations, critics insisted that the spectacle inGustavusoutstripped anything that had ever been done in Paris. The reason, I propose, was the source and focus of that spectacle: light.
The Race for Robert and Other Rivalries: Negotiating the Local and (Inter)National in Nineteenth-Century New Orleans
Authors: Bentley Charlotte
Published: October 2017

Grand opéra occupied a prominent but fraught position in the life of New Orleans in the 1830s, where it became a focus for debates surrounding contemporary cultural and political issues. In 1835, the city’s rival theatres – one francophone, the other anglophone – raced to give the first performance of Giacomo Meyerbeer’s Robert le diable, bringing tensions between their respective communities to a head. This article explores Robert’s arrival in New Orleans, arguing that the discourses that grew up first around this work and later Les Huguenots provided a means through which opposing linguistic and cultural factions within the city could negotiate their local, national and international identities.
Transparency of reporting in CALL meta-analyses between 2003 and 2015
Authors: Lin Huifen , Chen Tsuiping , Liou Hsien-Chin
Published: October 2017

Since its introduction by Glass in the 1970s, meta-analysis has become a widely accepted and the most preferred approach to conducting research synthesis. Overcoming the weaknesses commonly associated with traditional narrative review and vote counting, meta-analysis is a statistical method of systematically aggregating and analyzing empirical studies by following well-established procedures. The findings of a meta-analysis, when appropriately conducted, are able to inform important policy decisions and provide practical pedagogical suggestions. With the growing number of publications employing meta-analysis across a wide variety of disciplines, it has received criticism due to its inconsistent findings derived from multiple meta-analyses in the same research domain. These inconsistencies have arisen partly due to the alternatives available to meta-analysts in each major meta-analytic procedure. Researchers have therefore recommended transparent reporting on the decision-making for every essential judgment call so that the results across multiple meta-analyses become replicable, consistent, and interpretable. This research explored the degree to which meta-analyses in the computer-assisted language learning (CALL) discipline transparently reported their decisions in every critical step. To achieve this aim, we retrieved 15 eligible meta-analyses in CALL published between 2003 and 2015. Features of these meta-analyses were extracted based on a codebook modified from Cooper (2003) and Aytug, Rothstein, Zhou and Kern (2012). A transparency score of reporting was then calculated to examine the degree to which these meta-analyses are compliant with the norms of reporting as recommended in the literature. We then discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the methodologies and provide suggestions for conducting quality meta-analyses in this domain.
Fruit dispersal dynamics of the cold desert shrub Zygophyllum xanthoxylon
Authors: Zhao Xiaoying , Baskin Carol C. , Zhu Changqing , Baskin Jerry M.
Published: October 2017

The pattern of seed dispersal in time and space can affect plant fitness and the soil seed bank, and thus information is needed on this aspect of the seed biology of a species before it is selected for use in habitat restoration projects. Zygophyllum xanthoxylon is a super-xerophilous shrub that is a potential pioneer species for use in revegetating highly disturbed areas of the cold deserts of northwest China. We studied fruit release and soil seed banks of Z. xanthoxylon for 3 years in two cold desert habitats characterized by different degrees of drought and wind velocity. In our study, fruit (a three-winged capsule) release began in summer (June 2010, August 2011, July 2012) and extended for 9–10 months, but plants can be found in the population with previous- and current-year fruits attached to them. More than 50% of the fruits were released in the first 3–4 months after maturity, while the others were released gradually over a 7–8 month period. The temporal pattern of fruit dispersal varied with habitat but not with amount of precipitation during summer. The pattern of fruit deposition on the soil surface was affected by neighbouring plants, wind velocity, wind direction and topography. In both habitats, >90% of the fruits were deposited beside large and small clusters of plants, mainly Ephedra przewalskii. To facilitate plant community development, we suggest that E. przewalskii should be planted (as a wind break) together with Z. xanthoxylon when native pioneer species are used for restoration of cold desert shrublands.
Finding Fortune in Motet 13: insights on ordering and borrowing in Machaut's motets
Authors: SHAFFER MELANIE
Published: October 2017

On first glance, Machaut's Tans doucement/Eins que ma dame/Ruina (M13) is a typical motet with few musical or textual anomalies. Perhaps this is why, with the exception of a brief article by Alice V. Clark, little extensive, individual study of M13 has been conducted. This article examines the musico-poetic cues for Fortune found in M13’s many forms of reversal, duality and upset order. The discovery of a new acrostic which references the Roman de Fauvel, whose interpolated motet Super cathedram/Presidentes in thronis/Ruina (F4) is the source of M13’s tenor, further supports a Fortune-based reading of this motet. M13 may therefore be included among the Fortune-prominent motets proposed by Anna Zayaruznaya and Jacques Boogaart (M12, M14 and M15). Understanding that Machaut intentionally ordered his motets, M13 fills a sequential gap, suggesting that M12–15 may serve as a meaningfully ordered group of Fortune-based motets. The acrostic's Fauvel reference also provides additional connections between M13 and F4, offering insight into ways Machaut may have responded to and cleverly cited his sources.
Infants born with critical CHD in Arizona and capacities of birth centres for screening and management
Authors: Villa Lydia , Bjornsen Brent , Giacone Heather , Weidler Erica M. , Bajaj Ekta , Muth Andrew , Kennedy Melanie , Flood Timothy , Contreras Dianna , Spadafino Joseph , Shah Ashish
Published: October 2017

Objectives

The aims of this study were to identify locations of births in Arizona with critical CHD, as well as to assess the current use of pulse-oximetry screening and capacities of birth centres to manage a positive screen.

Study design

Infants (n=487) with a potentially critical CHD were identified from the Arizona Department of Health Services from 2012 and 2013; charts were retrospectively reviewed. Diagnosis was confirmed using echocardiographies. ArcGIS was used to generate maps to visualise the location of treating facility and mother’s residence. Birth centres were surveyed to assess screening practices and capacities to manage critical CHD in 2015.

Results

Of the 272 patients identified with critical CHD, 52% had been diagnosed prenatally. Patients travelled an average distance of 55.1 miles to their treating facility. Mortality was not related to prenatal diagnosis (p=0.30), living at a high elevation (p=0.82), or to distance travelled to the treating facility (p=0.68). Of 50 birth centres, 33 responded to the survey and all centres practiced critical CHD screening. A total of 25 centres could perform paediatric echocardiographies; 64% of these centres could digitally transmit echocardiograms. In all, 24 birth centres maintained access to prostaglandins.

Conclusions

Pulse-oximetry screening in newborns is currently implemented in the majority of Arizona hospitals. Although most centres could perform initial management steps following a positive screen, access to paediatric cardiology services was limited. Patients with critical CHD sometimes travelled a great distance to treating facilities. Digital transmission of echocardiograms or tele-echocardiography would reduce the distance travelled for the management of a positive screen, decrease the financial burden of transportation, and expedite care for critically ill neonates.
Morphological priming in bilingualism research
Authors: JACOB GUNNAR
Published: October 2017

The review describes how morphological priming can be utilised to study the processing of morphologically complex words in bilinguals. The article starts with an overview of established experimental paradigms based on morphological priming, discusses a number of basic methodological pitfalls with regard to experimental design and materials, then reviews previous L2 morphological priming studies, and concludes with a brief discussion of recent developments in the field as well as possible future directions.
Improved statistical learning abilities in adult bilinguals
Authors: ONNIS LUCA , CHUN WIN EE , LOU-MAGNUSON MATTHEW
Published: October 2017

Using multiple languages may confer distinct advantages in cognitive control, yet it is unclear whether bilingualism is associated with better implicit statistical learning, a core cognitive ability underlying language. We tested bilingual adults on a challenging task requiring simultaneous learning of two miniature grammars characterized by different statistics. We found that participants learned each grammar significantly better than chance and both grammars equally well. Crucially, a validated continuous measure of bilingual dominance predicted accuracy scores for both artificial grammars in a generalized linear model. The study thus demonstrates the first graded advantage in learning novel statistical relations in adult bilinguals.
THE GODFATHER OF “OCCIDENTALITY”: AUGUSTE COMTE AND THE IDEA OF “THE WEST”
Authors: VAROUXAKIS GEORGIOS
Published: October 2017

Recent theories concerning the origins of the idea of “the West” have missed the most important link in the story, the writings and tireless propagandizing efforts of Auguste Comte. It was Comte who first developed an explicit and elaborate idea of “the West” as a sociopolitical concept, basing it on a historical analysis of the development of the “vanguard” of humanity and proposing a detailed plan for the reorganization of that portion of the world, before it could serve the rest of humanity to achieve the same “positive” state of development. Previous authors who had used “the West” did not go beyond employing it casually and interchangeably with “Europe.” Thus the modern political idea of “the West” was anything but an imperialistic project in its inception, despite widespread arguments in the literature that attribute its emergence to the needs of high imperialism. Comte's West was meant to abolish empires of conquest and establish world peace.
Governing the innovation commons
Authors: POTTS JASON
Published: October 2017

This paper analyses the origin of innovation using institutional economic theory. Because of distributed information and fundamental uncertainty, an efficient institutional context for the economic organization of innovation in its early stages is often that of a common pool resource. The theory of theinnovation commonsdraws upon Hayek, Williamson and Ostrom to present the innovation problem as a combined knowledge problem, implicit contracting problem and collective action governance problem. Innovation commons theory also implies that Kirzner's model of entrepreneurial opportunity discovery extends to higher-order groups, suggesting a multilevel selection model of economic evolution.
Zusammenhang von Sicherheitsgefühl und psychischen Auffälligkeiten bei Jugendlichen in Internaten und Jugendhilfeeinrichtungen
Authors: Seidler Corinna , Rau Thea , Allroggen Marc
Published: October 2017

Zusammenfassung. Fragestellung: Partizipation und Sicherheitsgefühl stellen wesentliche Aspekte eines entwicklungsfördernden Umfeldes für Jugendliche in institutioneller Erziehung dar. Obwohl diese Aspekte zunehmend aus der Sicht von betroffenen Jugendlichen untersucht werden, wurde bislang nicht berücksichtigt, ob sich psychische Auffälligkeiten auf das Erleben der o. g. Aspekte auswirken. Methodik: Insgesamt 216 Jugendliche im Alter von 14 bis 18 Jahren beantworteten in einem Onlinefragebogen Items zum Sicherheitsgefühl und zu Partizipationsmöglichkeiten in ihrer Einrichtung sowie zur Wahrnehmung ihrer Einrichtung. Psychische Auffälligkeiten wurden mit dem Strenghts and Difficulties Questionnaire Self-Report (SDQ-S) erfasst. Ergebnisse: Eine signifikante Korrelation mit dem Sicherheitsgefühl ergab sich mit dem Gesamtscore des SDQ, mit prosozialem Verhalten sowie mit der positiven Wahrnehmung der Einrichtung. Es zeigte sich zudem ein signifikanter Einfluss der Faktoren des SDQ, der positiven Wahrnehmung der Einrichtung sowie den Items zu Partizipationsmöglichkeiten der Jugendlichen auf das Sicherheitsgefühl. Auch die anschließenden t-Tests ergaben signifikante Ergebnisse und es konnte gezeigt werden, dass der Faktor „Probleme unter Gleichaltrigen“ signifikant mit dem Sicherheitsgefühl zusammenhängt. Schlussfolgerungen: Die Ergebnisse geben einen ersten Hinweis darauf, dass eine Verbindung zwischen Sicherheitsgefühl und psychischen Symptomen sowie Partizipationsmöglichkeiten und der Wahrnehmung der Einrichtung besteht. Bei der Erarbeitung von Schutzkonzepten zur Steigerung des Sicherheitsgefühls sind neben Partizipationsmöglichkeiten insbesondere Probleme der Jugendlichen im Umgang mit Gleichaltrigen zu berücksichtigen.
The impact of anthropogenic land use and land cover change on regional climate extremes
Authors: Findell Kirsten L. , Berg Alexis , Gentine Pierre , Krasting John P. , Lintner Benjamin R. , Malyshev Sergey , Santanello Joseph A. , Shevliakova Elena
Published: October 2017

Land surface processes modulate the severity of heat waves, droughts, and other extreme events. However, models show contrasting effects of land surface changes on extreme temperatures. Here, we use an earth system model from the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory to investigate regional impacts of land use and land cover change on combined extremes of temperature and humidity, namely aridity and moist enthalpy, quantities central to human physiological experience of near-surface climate. The model’s near-surface temperature response to deforestation is consistent with recent observations, and conversion of mid-latitude natural forests to cropland and pastures is accompanied by an increase in the occurrence of hot-dry summers from once-in-a-decade to every 2–3 years. In the tropics, long time-scale oceanic variability precludes determination of how much of a small, but significant, increase in moist enthalpy throughout the year stems from the model’s novel representation of historical patterns of wood harvesting, shifting cultivation, and regrowth of secondary vegetation and how much is forced by internal variability within the tropical oceans.
Circuit quantum acoustodynamics with surface acoustic waves
Authors: Manenti Riccardo , Kockum Anton F. , Patterson Andrew , Behrle Tanja , Rahamim Joseph , Tancredi Giovanna , Nori Franco , Leek Peter J.
Published: October 2017

The experimental investigation of quantum devices incorporating mechanical resonators has opened up new frontiers in the study of quantum mechanics at a macroscopic level. It has recently been shown that surface acoustic waves (SAWs) can be piezoelectrically coupled to superconducting qubits, and confined in high-quality Fabry–Perot cavities in the quantum regime. Here we present measurements of a device in which a superconducting qubit is coupled to a SAW cavity, realising a surface acoustic version of cavity quantum electrodynamics. We use measurements of the AC Stark shift between the two systems to determine the coupling strength, which is in agreement with a theoretical model. This quantum acoustodynamics architecture may be used to develop new quantum acoustic devices in which quantum information is stored in trapped on-chip acoustic wavepackets, and manipulated in ways that are impossible with purely electromagnetic signals, due to the 105 times slower mechanical waves.
Control of enzyme reactions by a reconfigurable DNA nanovault
Authors: Grossi Guido , Dalgaard Ebbesen Jepsen Mette , Kjems Jørgen , Andersen Ebbe Sloth
Published: October 2017

Biological systems use compartmentalisation as a general strategy to control enzymatic reactions by precisely regulating enzyme–substrate interactions. With the advent of DNA nanotechnology, it has become possible to rationally design DNA-based nano-containers with programmable structural and dynamic properties. These DNA nanostructures have been used to cage enzymes, but control over enzyme–substrate interactions using a dynamic DNA nanostructure has not been achieved yet. Here we introduce a DNA origami device that functions as a nanoscale vault: an enzyme is loaded in an isolated cavity and the access to free substrate molecules is controlled by a multi-lock mechanism. The DNA vault is characterised for features such as reversible opening/closing, cargo loading and wall porosity, and is shown to control the enzymatic reaction catalysed by an encapsulated protease. The DNA vault represents a general concept to control enzyme–substrate interactions by inducing conformational changes in a rationally designed DNA nanodevice.
Firefly-mimicking intensive and long-lasting chemiluminescence hydrogels
Authors: Liu Yating , Shen Wen , Li Qi , Shu Jiangnan , Gao Lingfeng , Ma Mingming , Wang Wei , Cui Hua
Published: October 2017

Most known chemiluminescence (CL) reactions exhibit flash-type light emission. Great efforts have been devoted to the development of CL systems that emit light with high intensity and long-lasting time. However, a long-lasting CL system that can last for hundreds of hours is yet-to-be-demonstrated. Here we show firefly-mimicking intensive and long-lasting CL hydrogels consisting of chitosan, CL reagent N-(4-aminobutyl)-N-ethylisoluminol (ABEI) and catalyst Co2+. The light emission is even visible to naked eyes and lasts for over 150 h when the hydrogels are mixed with H2O2. This is attributed to slow-diffusion-controlled heterogeneous catalysis. Co2+ located at the skeleton of the hydrogels as an active site catalyzes the decomposition of slowly diffusing H2O2, followed by the reaction with ABEI to generate intensive and long-lasting CL. This mimics firefly bioluminescence system in terms of intensity, duration time and catalytic characteristic, which is of potential applications in cold light sources, bioassays, biosensors and biological imaging.
Mitigating oxygen loss to improve the cycling performance of high capacity cation-disordered cathode materials
Authors: Lee Jinhyuk , Papp Joseph K. , Clément Raphaële J. , Sallis Shawn , Kwon Deok-Hwang , Shi Tan , Yang Wanli , McCloskey Bryan D. , Ceder Gerbrand
Published: October 2017

Recent progress in the understanding of percolation theory points to cation-disordered lithium-excess transition metal oxides as high-capacity lithium-ion cathode materials. Nevertheless, the oxygen redox processes required for these materials to deliver high capacity can trigger oxygen loss, which leads to the formation of resistive surface layers on the cathode particles. We demonstrate here that, somewhat surprisingly, fluorine can be incorporated into the bulk of disordered lithium nickel titanium molybdenum oxides using a standard solid-state method to increase the nickel content, and that this compositional modification is very effective in reducing oxygen loss, improving energy density, average voltage, and rate performance. We argue that the valence reduction on the anion site, offered by fluorine incorporation, opens up significant opportunities for the design of high-capacity cation-disordered cathode materials.
Erratum: A novel humanized mouse lacking murine p450 oxidoreductase for studying human drug metabolism
Authors: Barzi Mercedes , Pankowicz Francis P. , Zorman Barry , Liu Xing , Legras Xavier , Yang Diane , Borowiak Malgorzata , Bissig-Choisat Beatrice , Sumazin Pavel , Li Feng , Bissig Karl-Dimiter
Published: October 2017

An incorrect version of the Supplementary Information was inadvertently published with this Article where the wrong file was included. The HTML has been updated to include the correct version of the Supplementary Information.
Erratum: Observation of ultrahigh mobility surface states in a topological crystalline insulator by infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Wang Ying , Luo Guoyu , Liu Junwei , Sankar R. , Wang Nan-Lin , Chou Fangcheng , Fu Liang , Li Zhiqiang
Published: October 2017

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML version of this article.
Interphase engineering of reactive metal surfaces using ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents—from corrosion control to next-generation batteries
Authors: Forsyth Maria , Howlett Patrick C. , Somers Anthony E. , MacFarlane Douglas R. , Basile Andrew
Published: October 2017

Ionic liquids are unique solvents composed entirely of ions and have recently been considered for applications ranging from synthesis, separations, electrochemical devices, tribology and corrosion. In this perspective, we summarise the literature, and look at the future prospects, surrounding the use of ionic liquids in the engineering of interphases to control charge transport thereby leading to improved performance of high-energy density batteries, including Mg, Li and Na metal as well as corrosion protection of reactive engineering alloys, such as aluminium, magnesium and steel alloys. The ability to create task-specific ionic liquids by controlling the chemistry of either the anion or the cation means that interphases can be engineered for specific substrates and applications. Thus far, fluorine containing anions, such as bis(trifluoromethane) sulfonamide and its analogues, have been favoured for controlling the conductive solid–electrolyte interphase layer on Li and Na, while ionic liquids containing organophosphate anions have been used to form nanometre thick protective interphases on Mg alloys. Recently, ionic liquids based on carboxylate anions have also been shown to provide excellent corrosion inhibition for steel. In the search for cost-effective solutions, a relatively new class of ionic liquids, termed deep eutectic solvents, have also been explored as potential media for controlling surface films on reactive metals. The deep eutectic solvents class of ionic liquid materials offers many possible combinations of chemistry that can be targeted to produce desired properties in this context.
Impaired detection of happy facial expressions in autism
Authors: Sato Wataru , Sawada Reiko , Uono Shota , Yoshimura Sayaka , Kochiyama Takanori , Kubota Yasutaka , Sakihama Morimitsu , Toichi Motomi
Published: October 2017

The detection of emotional facial expressions plays an indispensable role in social interaction. Psychological studies have shown that typically developing (TD) individuals more rapidly detect emotional expressions than neutral expressions. However, it remains unclear whether individuals with autistic phenotypes, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and high levels of autistic traits (ATs), are impaired in this ability. We examined this by comparing TD and ASD individuals in Experiment 1 and individuals with low and high ATs in Experiment 2 using the visual search paradigm. Participants detected normal facial expressions of anger and happiness and their anti-expressions within crowds of neutral expressions. In Experiment 1, reaction times were shorter for normal angry expressions than for anti-expressions in both TD and ASD groups. This was also the case for normal happy expressions vs. anti-expressions in the TD group but not in the ASD group. Similarly, in Experiment 2, the detection of normal vs. anti-expressions was faster for angry expressions in both groups and for happy expressions in the low, but not high, ATs group. These results suggest that the detection of happy facial expressions is impaired in individuals with ASD and high ATs, which may contribute to their difficulty in creating and maintaining affiliative social relationships.
Exosomes secreted by human adipose mesenchymal stem cells promote scarless cutaneous repair by regulating extracellular matrix remodelling
Authors: Wang Lu , Hu Li , Zhou Xin , Xiong Zehuan , Zhang Chenguang , Shehada Hassan M. A. , Hu Bo , Song Jinlin , Chen Lili
Published: October 2017

Scar formation is an intractable medical problem that appears after skin wounds have healed. Recent research has shown that exosomes secreted by human adipose mesenchymal stem cells (ASC-Exos) can benefit wound healing. To further explore the therapeutic potential of ASC-Exos, we investigated their effects on mitigating scar formation, and the underlying mechanisms of these effects. We found that intravenous injection of ASC-Exos decreased the size of scars and increased the ratio of collagen III to collagen I in murine incisional wounds. Exosome treatment also prevented the differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts and increased the ratio of transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3) to TGF-β1 in vivo. Additionally, we found that ASC-Exos increased the matrix metalloproteinases-3 (MMP3) expression of skin dermal fibroblasts by activating the ERK/MAPK pathway, leading to a high ratio of MMP3 to tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP1), which is also beneficial for the remodelling of extracellular matrix (ECM). In conclusion, our results demonstrated that ASC-Exos promote ECM reconstruction in cutaneous wound repair by regulating the ratios of collagen type III: type I, TGF-β3:TGF-β1 and MMP3:TIMP1, and by regulating fibroblast differentiation to mitigate scar formation. Therefore, the application of ASC-Exos may be a novel therapeutic approach for scarless wound repair.
Structure, Intrinsic properties and Vibrational Spectra of Pr(Mg1/2Sn1/2)O3 Ceramic Crystal
Authors: Qiao Hengyang , Sun Haiqing , Li Jianzhu , Chen Huiling , Xing Chao , Yang Jun , Dong Helei , Wang Jing , Yin Xunqian , Qi Ze-Ming , Shi Feng
Published: October 2017

Pr(Mg1/2Sn1/2)O3 (PMS) ceramic was prepared through a conventional solid-state reaction method. Crystal structure was investigated through X-ray diffraction (XRD), which certificates that the main phase is PMS with monoclinic P21/n1 symmetry. Lattice vibrational modes were obtained through Raman scattering spectroscopy and Fourier transform far-infrared reflection spectroscopy. The Raman spectrum active modes were assigned and illustrated, respectively, and then fitted with Lorentzian function. The four modes within the range of 110–200 cm−1 are derived from the F
2g
vibrations (A-site cations), and the other three modes (300–430 cm−1) are derived from the F
2g
vibrations (B-site cations).The mode with highest frequency above 650 cm−1 is attributed to A
1g
-like mode that corresponds to the symmetric breathing of oxygen octahedral. The far-infrared spectrum with seven infrared active modes was fitted using four-parameter semi-quantum models to calculate intrinsic properties (permittivity and loss). F
2u
(2) yielded the greatest contribution to dielectric constant and loss, which is mainly performed as the inverted translational vibration of Pr-MgO6 octahedron.
Separation of Antioxidant Peptides from Pepsin Hydrolysate of Whey Protein Isolate by ATPS of EOPO Co-polymer (UCON)/Phosphate
Authors: Jiang Bin , Zhang Xiaoqing , Yuan Yongqiang , Qu Yuxiao , Feng Zhibiao
Published: October 2017

An aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) consisting of poly(ethylene glycol-ran-propylene glycol) monobutyl ether (UCON)/phosphate was developed for the separation of the antioxidant peptides from pepsin hydrolysate of Whey Protein Isolate (WPI). The efficiency of the separation was evaluated based on the DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of the separated peptides. The effects of some parameters on the partition of antioxidant peptides were investigated. An efficient separation of antioxidant peptides was achieved using ATPS with pH of 4.0, 4 mL of UCON solution (40%, w/w), 4 mL of KH2PO4 solution (15.5%, w/w), 2 mL of WPI hydrolysate and 0.40 g/10 mL of NaCl. Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), amino acid analyzer and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) were used to characterize the purified peptides separated by the ATPS. The peptides in top phase were less polar than those in bottom phase. More antioxidative and hydrophobic amino acids were extracted to the top phase of ATPS, and the peptides with the amino acid sequences with antioxidant activities moved to the top phase as well. In conclusion, antioxidant peptides were successfully separated from the WPI hydrolysate by UCON/phosphate ATPS.
A plasma proteomics method reveals links between ischemic stroke and MTHFR C677T genotype
Authors: Zhang Zhenchang , Yan Qi , Guo Jia , Wang Xueping , Yuan Wei , Wang Lei , Chen Lixia , Su Gang , Wang Manxia
Published: October 2017

Methylene Tetrahydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR) catalyzes the conversion of methylene tetrahydrofolate to methylte trahydrofolate. The 677th nucleotide of the MTHFR gene is often regarded as a risk factor of cardiovascular disease. Previous studies demonstrated an elevated risk of ischemic stroke with the MTHFR677TT genotype. In this study, we employed a plasma proteomics method to investigate the connection between the polymorphism of the target nucleotide and stroke. In total, 28 protein spots were differentially expressed between the two groups, and of which, 25 protein spots were up-regulated and 3 were down-regulated. Five randomly selected spots were successfully identified as Haptoglobin (HPT) and Transferrin (TRFE). A functional analysis indicated that most of the differential expressed proteins (DEPs) were related to the inflammatory immune response. A Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis showed that these DEPs were involved in the complement cascade reaction. Meanwhile, protein-protein interactions (PPIs) analysis highlighted the novel association between the C677T MTHFR genotype and Vitamin D binding protein (DBP), which was confirmed by a molecular genetic analysis. The results suggested that the phenotype of the MTHFR might be associated with multiple proteins that have a synergistic effect, which might be related to the mechanism of ischemic stroke.
Effects of short-term heat shock and physiological responses to heat stress in two Bradysia adults, Bradysia odoriphaga and Bradysia difformis
Authors: Zhu Guodong , Xue Ming , Luo Yin , Ji Guixia , Liu Fang , Zhao Haipeng , Sun Xia
Published: October 2017

Bradysia odoriphaga and Bradysia difformis are devastating pests of vegetable, ornamental crops and edible mushrooms causing significant losses. Temperature may be an important factor restricting their population abundance in the summer. To determine the effects of short-term heat shock on adults, their survival, longevity and fecundity data were collected, and antioxidant responses and heat shock protein expression levels were examined. Our results indicated that the survival rates of Bradysia adults decreased rapidly after heat shock ≥36 °C, and the longevity and reproductive capacities were significantly inhibited, indicating that short-term heat shock had lethal and sub-lethal effects. Moreover, the lipid peroxidation levels of B. difformis and B. odoriphaga increased dramatically at 36 °C and 38 °C, respectively. Four antioxidant enzymes activities of B. odoriphaga were greater than those of B. difformis at 38 °C. Additionally, hsp70 and hsp90 expression levels significantly increased after heat stress, and higher expression levels of B. difformis and B. odoriphaga were discovered at 36 and 38 °C respectively, indicating their different heat tolerance levels. Overall, short-term heat shock (≥36 °C) caused significantly adverse effects on Bradysia adults, indicating that it could be applied in pest control, and antioxidant system and hsp genes played important roles in their heat tolerance levels.
RNA editing by ADAR1 regulates innate and antiviral immune functions in primary macrophages
Authors: Pujantell Maria , Riveira-Muñoz Eva , Badia Roger , Castellví Marc , Garcia-Vidal Edurne , Sirera Guillem , Puig Teresa , Ramirez Cristina , Clotet Bonaventura , Esté José A. , Ballana Ester
Published: October 2017

ADAR1-dependent A-to-I editing has recently been recognized as a key process for marking dsRNA as self, therefore, preventing innate immune activation and affecting the development and resolution of immune-mediated diseases and infections. Here, we have determined the role of ADAR1 as a regulator of innate immune activation and modifier of viral susceptibility in primary myeloid and lymphoid cells. We show that ADAR1 knockdown significantly enhanced interferon, cytokine and chemokine production in primary macrophages that function as antiviral paracrine factors, rendering them resistant to HIV-1 infection. ADAR1 knockdown induced deregulation of the RLRs-MAVS signaling pathway, by increasing MDA5, RIG-I, IRF7 and phospho-STAT1 expression, an effect that was partially rescued by pharmacological blockade of the pathway. In summary, our results demonstrate a role of ADAR1 in regulating innate immune function in primary macrophages, suggesting that macrophages may play an essential role in disease associated to ADAR1 dysfunction. We also show that viral inhibition is exclusively dependent on innate immune activation consequence of ADAR1 knockdown, pointing towards ADAR1 as a potential target to boost antiviral immune response.
Short-term effects of tillage and residue on spring maize yield through regulating root-shoot ratio in Northeast China
Authors: You Debao , Tian Ping , Sui Pengxiang , Zhang Wenke , Yang Bin , Qi Hua
Published: October 2017

In recent years, yield instability of spring maize becomes increasingly pronounced under the traditional cropping system. In 2014 and 2015, short-term effects of tillage (plow-till, rotary-till and no-till) and residue (removal and incorporation) on soil properties, maize growth and yield were investigated in a brown soil region. Our results indicated that short-term reduced tillage (rotary-till and no-till) and residue incorporation promoted soil properties and maize growth. Compared with plow-till, rotary-till and no-till decreased soil bulk density and compaction below the plough layer (~30 cm). The soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen and C:N of surface soil layers increased under the rotary-till (0–20 cm) and no-till (0–10 cm), which were higher in 0–30 cm soil layers for residue incorporation. For both years, root characteristics of root diameter (RAD) and root surface area density (RSD), biomass indexes of root biomass (RB), shoot biomass (SB) and root-shoot ratio (R:S) were increased under these short-term treatments. Although there were positive relationships between soil water content (SWC), C:N, RAD, RSD, RB, SB, R:S and yield, structural equation modeling showed maize yield was directly controlled by R:S. These findings will have important implications for improving the current cropping system (i.e., plow-till with residue removed) in this area.
Radiation Resistance of Silicon Carbide Schottky Diode Detectors in D-T Fusion Neutron Detection
Authors: Liu Linyue , Liu Ao , Bai Song , Lv Ling , Jin Peng , Ouyang Xiaoping
Published: October 2017

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a wide band-gap semiconductor material with many excellent properties, showing great potential in fusion neutron detection. The radiation resistance of 4H-SiC Schottky diode detectors was studied experimentally by carefully analyzing the detectors’ properties before and after deuterium-tritium fusion neutron irradiation with the total fluence of 1.31 × 1014 n/cm2 and 7.29 × 1014 n/cm2 at room temperature. Significant degradation has been observed after neutron irradiation: reverse current increased greatly, over three to thirty fold; Schottky junction was broken down; significant lattice damage was observed at low temperature photoluminescence measurements; the peaks of alpha particle response spectra shifted to lower channels and became wider; the charge collection efficiency (CCE) decreased by about 7.0% and 22.5% at 300 V with neutron irradiation fluence of 1.31 × 1014 n/cm2 and 7.29 × 1014 n/cm2, respectively. Although the degradation exists, the SiC detectors successfully survive intense neutron radiation and show better radiation resistance than silicon detectors.
Diffusion and distribution of deuterium in scandium deuteride thin films under irradiation of deuterium ion beam
Authors: Wang Tao , Long Jidong , Wang Shiwei , Yang Zhen , Li Jie , Huang Gang , Zhang Linwen , Jian Yang Allen , Renshaw Wang Xiao
Published: October 2017

Scandium deuteride (ScDx) thin films, as an alternative target for deuterium-deuterium (D-D) reaction, are a very important candidate for detection and diagnostic applications. Albeit with their superior thermal stability, the ignorance of the stability of ScDx under irradiation of deuterium ion beam hinders the realization of their full potential. In this report, we characterize ScDx thin films with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA). We found with increased implantation of deuterium ions, accumulation and diffusion of deuterium are enhanced. Surprisingly, the concentration of deuterium restored to the value before implantation even at room temperature, revealing a self-healing process which is of great importance for the long-term operation of neutron generator.
An Integrin-Targeted, Highly Diffusive Construct for Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Klein Oliver J. , Yuan Hushan , Nowell Nicholas H. , Kaittanis Charalambos , Josephson Lee , Evans Conor L.
Published: October 2017

Targeted antineoplastic agents show great promise in the treatment of cancer, having the ability to impart cytotoxicity only to specific tumor types. However, these therapies do not experience uniform uptake throughout tumors, leading to sub-lethal cell killing that can impart treatment resistance, and cause problematic off-target effects. Here we demonstrate a photodynamic therapy construct that integrates both a cyclic RGD moiety for integrin-targeting, as well as a 5 kDa PEG chain that passivates the construct and enables its rapid diffusion throughout tumors. PEGylation of the photosensitizer construct was found to prevent photosensitizer aggregation, boost the generation of cytotoxic reactive radical species, and enable the rapid uptake of the construct into cells throughout large (>500 µm diameter) 3D tumor spheroids. Replacing the cyclic RGD with the generic RAD peptide led to the loss of cellular uptake in 3D culture, demonstrating the specificity of the construct. Photodynamic therapy with the construct was successful in inducing cytotoxicity, which could be competitively blocked by a tenfold concentration of free cyclic RGD. This construct is a first-of-its kind theranostic that may serve as a new approach in our growing therapeutic toolbox.
Optical switching of defect charge states in 4H-SiC
Authors: Golter D. A. , Lai C. W.
Published: October 2017

We demonstrate optically induced switching between bright and dark charged divacancy defects in 4H-SiC. Photoluminescence excitation and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements reveal the excitation conditions for such charge conversion. For an energy below 1.3 eV (above 950 nm), the PL is suppressed by more than two orders of magnitude. The PL is recovered in the presence of a higher energy repump laser with a time-averaged intensity less than 0.1% that of the excitation field. Under a repump of 2.33 eV (532 nm), the PL increases rapidly, with a time constant 30 μs. By contrast, when the repump is switched off, the PL decreases first within 100–200 μs, followed by a much slower decay of a few seconds. We attribute these effect to the conversion between two different charge states. Under an excitation at energy levels below 1.3 eV, VSiVC0 are converted into a dark charge state. A repump laser with an energy above 1.3 eV can excite this charged state and recover the bright neutral state. This optically induced charge switching can lead to charge-state fluctuations but can be exploited for long-term data storage or nuclear-spin-based quantum memory.
The construction of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma model in zebrafish
Authors: Wang Jing , Leng Xiaoqian , Wang Guiping , Wan Xiaoyang , Cao Hong
Published: October 2017

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a highly malignant tumor, difficult to diagnose even at an early stage. In this study, we successfully constructed annras61K-induced ICC model in zebrafish. Transcriptome analysis and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of liver samples of the ICC and WT (wild-type) zebrafish revealed that the genes differentially expressed between the two groups were mainly involved in focal adhesion, chemokine signaling and metabolic pathways. Analysis of DNA methylomes revealed that compared with WT samples, methylated genes in ICC samples were enriched in functions associated with cellular, single-organism and metabolic processes. In particular, our result discovered eleven potential biomarker genes of ICC which were conserved between zebrafish and humans. Moreover, three potential biomarker genes were hypomethylated in the tumorigenesis of ICC:ehf,epha4anditgb6. In summary, our study provides a comprehensive analysis of molecular mechanisms accompanying the progressivenras61K-induced ICC. This work indicates that our transgenic zebrafish could be a valuable model, not only for studying liver cancer, but also for exploring new therapeutic targets.
HIV-1 viral protein R (Vpr) induces fatty liver in mice via LXRα and PPARα dysregulation: implications for HIV-specific pathogenesis of NAFLD
Authors: Agarwal Neeti , Iyer Dinakar , Gabbi Chiara , Saha Pradip , Patel Sanjeet G. , Mo Qianxing , Chang Benny , Goswami Biman , Schubert Ulrich , Kopp Jeffrey B. , Lewis Dorothy E. , Balasubramanyam Ashok
Published: October 2017

HIV patients develop hepatic steatosis. We investigated hepatic steatosis in transgenic mice expressing the HIV-1 accessory protein Vpr (Vpr-Tg) in liver and adipose tissues, and WT mice infused with synthetic Vpr. Vpr-Tg mice developed increased liver triglyceride content and elevated ALT, bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase due to three hepatic defects: 1.6-fold accelerated de novo lipogenesis (DNL), 45% slower fatty acid ß-oxidation, and 40% decreased VLDL-triglyceride export. Accelerated hepatic DNL was due to coactivation by Vpr of liver X receptor-α (LXRα) with increased expression of its lipogenic targets Srebp1c, Chrebp, Lpk, Dgat, Fasn and Scd1, and intranuclear SREBP1c and ChREBP. Vpr enhanced association of LXRα with Lxrα and Srebp1c promoters, increased LXRE-LXRα binding, and broadly altered hepatic expression of LXRα-regulated lipid metabolic genes. Diminished hepatic fatty acid ß-oxidation was associated with decreased mRNA expression of Pparα and its targets Cpt1, Aox, Lcad, Ehhadh, Hsd10 and Acaa2, and blunted VLDL export with decreased expression of Mttp and its product microsomal triglyceride transfer protein. With our previous findings that Vpr circulates in HIV patients (including those with undetectable plasma HIV-1 RNA), co-regulates the glucocorticoid receptor and PPARγ and transduces hepatocytes, these data indicate a potential role for Vpr in HIV-associated fatty liver disease.
Effects of long-term aspirin use on molecular alterations in precancerous gastric mucosa in patients with and without gastric cancer
Authors: Michigami Yuki , Watari Jiro , Ito Chiyomi , Hara Ken , Yamasaki Takahisa , Kondo Takashi , Kono Tomoaki , Tozawa Katsuyuki , Tomita Toshihiko , Oshima Tadayuki , Fukui Hirokazu , Morimoto Takeshi , Das Kiron M. , Miwa Hiroto
Published: October 2017

The risk of gastric cancer (GC) remains even afterH. pylorieradication; thus, other combination treatments, such as chemopreventive drugs, are needed. We evaluated the effects of aspirin on genetic/epigenetic alterations in precancerous conditions, i.e., atrophic mucosa (AM) and intestinal metaplasia (IM), in patients with chronic gastritis who had taken aspirin for more than 3 years. A total of 221 biopsy specimens from 74 patients, including atrophic gastritis (AG) cases without aspirin use (control), AG cases with aspirin use (AG group), and GC cases with aspirin use (GC group), were analyzed. Aspirin use was associated with a significant reduction ofCDH1methylation in AM (OR: 0.15, 95% CI: 0.06–0.41, p = 0.0002), but was less effective in reversing the methylation that occurred in IM. Frequent hypermethylation including that ofCDH1in AM increased in the GC group compared to the AG group, andCDH1methylation was an independent predictive marker of GC (OR: 8.50, 95% CI: 2.64–25.33, p = 0.0003). In patients with long-term aspirin use, the changes of molecular events in AM but not IM may be an important factor in the reduction of cancer incidence. In addition, methylation of theCDH1gene in AM may be a surrogate of GC.