bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magnetotelluric Evidence for Asymmetric Simple Shear Extension and Lithospheric Thinning in South China
Authors: Xu Shan , Unsworth Martyn J. , Hu Xiangyun , Mooney Walter D.
Published: January 2019

Extension and rifting of the lithosphere is fundamental to the evolution of the continents, but the mechanism by which the lithosphere thins under extension remains enigmatic. Using a new dense array of magnetotelluric data from the rifted margin of southeast China, we resolve the three‐dimensional electrical resistivity structure of the lithosphere to constrain the process of rifting and thinning. Our results reveal a brittle‐ductile transition zone in the Cathaysia Block, featuring low electrical resistivity and low seismic velocity at 15‐ to 20‐km depth. A southeast directed dip is resolved for the Jiangshan‐Shaoxing Fault—a suture zone originally formed by the Neoproterozoic collision of Yangtze and Cathaysia Blocks. This boundary fault had been reactivated to different extents by the Early Paleozoic and Early Mesozoic intracontinental orogenies of south China. Its present structural style, however, was interpreted as a lithospheric‐scale detachment fault that acted during the Late Mesozoic extension and rifting. Given the asymmetries of topography, electrical resistivity, Bouguer gravity anomaly, and Late Mesozoic volcanism across the Gan‐Hang Rift, we propose an asymmetric simple shear extension model for the south China rift system. Water content of up to 0.1 wt% and melt fraction of up to 1% are estimated at 70‐km depth beneath the central Wuyi Mountains, suggesting hydration and partial melting of the mantle lithosphere. The hydration weakening of the mantle lithosphere promoted both the gravitational instability and convective removal of the lowermost lithosphere in south China.
The Generation of Overtides in Flow Around a Headland in a Low Inflow Estuary
Authors: Lieberthal Brandon , Huguenard Kimberly , Ross Lauren , Bears Kristopher
Published: January 2019

The Damariscotta River in midcoast Maine is a weakly stratified estuary characterized by several constrictions and channel bends that affect tidal asymmetry and material transport. Microstructure and current velocity measurements were collected at a cross‐channel transect in the northern reach of the estuary during spring and neap tidal conditions to study the effects of a channel bend immediately upstream of a constricted sill on intratidal dynamics. During the flood phase, a counterclockwise gyre is formed upstream of the headland, which enhances landward‐directed flow in the channel and is countered by seaward‐directed flow over the shallow shoal. Semidiurnal and quarter‐diurnal patterns of lateral advection and stress divergence emerge in the surface layer because of these secondary flows. Lateral advection effects dominate the dynamics in neap tide, and although they are stronger in spring tide, they are partially obscured by bottom friction forces that are proportional to the along‐channel velocity squared. A novel harmonic decomposition technique is introduced to determine the relative importance of advection and stress divergence on quarter‐diurnal velocity generation, and their implications to neap/spring variability in estuarine water quality are discussed.
Evaluating the Roles of Wind‐ and Buoyancy Flux‐Induced Mixing on Phytoplankton Dynamics in the Northern and Central South China Sea
Authors: Geng Bingxu , Xiu Peng , Shu Chan , Zhang Wen‐Zhou , Chai Fei , Li Shiyu , Wang Dongxiao
Published: January 2019

Observations from two Bio‐Argo floats deployed in the northern and central South China Sea (SCS) show distinct seasonal patterns of vertical chlorophyll distribution. There is a permanent subsurface chlorophyll maximum (SCM) located between 60 and 80 m throughout the year and a weak seasonality of surface chlorophyll in the central SCS. In the northern SCS, the SCM shoals to the upper mixed layer in winter and surface phytoplankton shows a clear winter bloom pattern. The mechanism driving the spatial and seasonal differences in phytoplankton dynamics in the euphotic zone remains unclear. Here a coupled physical‐biological model is developed and applied to the northern and central SCS. With model and satellite data, we show that the contrasting patterns in chlorophyll are induced by the spatial variability in winter mixing dynamics. In the northern SCS, the buoyancy flux‐induced mixing plays a dominant role in controlling the seasonal variability of vertical nutrient transport and phytoplankton production, which leads to the peak of surface chlorophyll and the significant shoaling of the SCM in winter. In the central SCS, the intensity of the buoyancy flux is reduced and both buoyancy flux‐ and wind‐induced mixing control the winter mixing dynamics. However, the combination of these two mixing processes is weaker than in the northern SCS and the vertical nutrient transport is limited to the layer above the SCM, resulting in the reduced seasonality of surface chlorophyll and the relatively stable SCM all year round in the central SCS.
Double‐Diffusive Layering in the Canada Basin: An Explanation of Along‐Layer Temperature and Salinity Gradients
Authors: Bebieva Yana , Timmermans Mary‐Louise
Published: January 2019

Double‐diffusive mixing gives rise to layered structures in the Arctic Ocean: layers within a double‐diffusive staircase overlying deeper layers associated with thermohaline intrusions. These layers exhibit well‐defined lateral temperature and salinity gradients. Gradients in salinity along individual layers change sign with depth, while along‐layer gradients in temperature remain the same sign with depth. A theoretical formalism is put forward to explain these features in terms of vertical divergences of double‐diffusive fluxes; temperature and salinity gradients along layers are set by the depth‐dependent ratio of double‐diffusive heat to salt fluxes. Examination of fine structure in temperature and salinity profiles reveals how the net flux ratio depends upon whether the layer is part of an evolving thermohaline intrusion or a staircase. The physical framework in context with observations of varying along‐layer gradients in temperature and salinity provides evidence for thermohaline intrusions evolving to a staircase and describes the parameters that dictate this process. Results bring new understanding to heat and salt transport in the Arctic Ocean as well as the physics of double‐diffusive layering in the world's oceans.
Seasonality of the Transpiration Fraction and Its Controls Across Typical Ecosystems Within the Heihe River Basin
Authors: Tong Yaqin , Wang Pei , Li Xiao‐Yan , Wang Lixin , Wu Xiuchen , Shi Fangzhong , Bai Yan , Li Engui , Wang Jiaqi , Wang Yang
Published: January 2019

Understanding the seasonality of the transpiration fraction (T/ET) of total terrestrial evapotranspiration (ET) is vital for coupling ecological and hydrological systems and quantifying the heterogeneity among various ecosystems. In this study, a two‐source model was used to estimate T/ET in five ecosystems over the Heihe River Basin. In situ measurements of daily energy flux, sap flow, and surface soil temperature were compared with model outputs for 2014 and 2015. Agreement between model predictions and observations demonstrates good performance in capturing the ecosystem seasonality of T/ET. In addition, sensitivity analysis indicated that the model is insensitive to errors in measured input variables and parameters. T/ET among the five sites showed only slight interannual fluctuations while exhibited significant seasonality. All the ecosystems presented a single‐peak trend, reaching the maximum value in July and fluctuating day to day. During the growing season, average T/ET was the highest for the cropland ecosystem (0.80 ± 0.13), followed by the alpine meadow ecosystem (0.79 ± 0.12), the desert riparian forest Populus euphratica (0.67 ± 0.07), the Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb desert riparian shrub ecosystem (0.67 ± 0.06), and the alpine swamp meadow (0.55 ± 0.23). Leaf area index exerted a first‐order control on T/ET and showed divergence among the five ecosystems because of different vegetation dynamics and environmental conditions (e.g., water availability or vapor pressure deficits). This study quantified transpiration fraction across diverse ecosystems within the same water basin and emphasized the biotic controls on the seasonality of the transpiration fraction.
Adaptive Jamming Waveform Design for Distributed Multiple‐Radar Architectures Based on Low Probability of Intercept
Authors: Shi C. G. , Wang F. , Salous S. , Zhou J. J.
Published: January 2019

This paper investigates the problem of low probability of intercept (LPI)‐based adaptive jamming waveform design for distributed multiple‐radar architectures. Such a smart jammer system adopts a multibeam working mode, where multiple simultaneous jamming beams are synthesized to interfere with multiple radars independently. The primary objective of the smart jammer is to minimize the total jamming power by optimizing the transmitted jamming waveform while the achieved signal‐to‐interference‐plus‐noise ratio (SINR) and mutual information (MI) between the received echoes from the target at each radar receiver and the target impulse responses are enforced to be below specified thresholds. First, the expressions of SINR and MI are derived to characterize target detection and characterization performance, respectively. Then, two different LPI‐based jamming waveform design strategies are proposed to minimize the total noise jamming power by optimizing the jamming waveform while the achieved SINR/MI is enforced to be below a certain threshold. The resulting optimization problems are solved analytically by employing the technique of Lagrange multipliers. With the aid of some numerical examples, it is illustrated that the two schemes result in different jamming waveform design results, which is useful to guide jamming power allocation for various jamming tasks. It is also shown that the LPI performance of the smart jammer can be efficiently improved by exploiting the proposed jamming waveform design criteria.
Empirical Phase Calibration for Multistatic Specular Meteor Radars Using a Beamforming Approach
Authors: Chau J. L. , Clahsen M.
Published: January 2019

Specular meteor radars have proven useful for observing mesosphere and lower thermosphere altitudes. More recently, their capabilities have been enhanced by including multistatic configurations. In both cases, monostatic and multistatic, the multiantenna interferometer used to determine the location of the measurements needs to be carefully calibrated in phase. In this work we proposed a technique to calibrate the receiving phases of such interferometers, including the standard five‐antenna Jones configuration located on a plane and arbitrary configurations not necessarily located on a plane and not limited to five antennas. Our technique uses beamforming and nonlinear least squares fitting to determine the angle of arrivals that are consistent with the complex spatial coherences of the detected meteors. The optimization process uses a priori information based on the expected angular and altitude distribution of the echoes. The technique is demonstrated using real bistatic data. The obtained distribution of inverse decay time as a function of altitude is shown to be a sensitive and independent quality control feature of the applied calibration.
Nanophotonics of higher-plant photosynthetic membranes
Authors: Capretti A. , Ringsmuth A. K. , van Velzen J. F. , Rosnik A. , Croce R. , Gregorkiewicz T.
Published: January 2019

The thylakoid membrane inside chloroplasts hosts the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis. Its embedded protein complexes are responsible for light harvesting, excitation energy transfer, charge separation, and transport. In higher plants, when the illumination conditions vary, the membrane adapts its composition and nanoscale morphology, which is characterized by appressed and non-appressed regions known as grana and stroma lamellae, respectively. Here we investigate the nanophotonic regime of light propagation in chloroplasts of higher plants and identify novel mechanisms in the optical response of the thylakoid membrane. Our results indicate that the relative contributions of light scattering and absorption to the overall optical response of grana strongly depend on the concentration of the light-harvesting complexes. For the pigment concentrations typically found in chloroplasts, the two mechanisms have comparable strengths, and their relative value can be tuned by variations in the protein composition or in the granal diameter. Furthermore, we find that collective modes in ensembles of grana significantly increase light absorption at selected wavelengths, even in the presence of moderate biological disorder. Small variations in the granal separation or a large disorder can dismantle this collective response. We propose that chloroplasts use this mechanism as a strategy against dangerously high illumination conditions, triggering a transition to low-absorbing states. We conclude that the morphological separation of the thylakoid membrane in higher plants supports strong nanophotonic effects, which may be used by chloroplasts to regulate light absorption. This adaptive self-organization capability is of interest as a model for novel bioinspired optical materials for artificial photosynthesis, imaging, and sensing.
A programmed wave of uridylation-primed mRNA degradation is essential for meiotic progression and mammalian spermatogenesis
Authors: Morgan Marcos , Kabayama Yuka , Much Christian , Ivanova Ivayla , Di Giacomo Monica , Auchynnikava Tatsiana , Monahan Jack Michael , Vitsios Dimitrios Michael , Vasiliauskaitė Lina , Comazzetto Stefano , Rappsilber Juri , Allshire Robin Campbell , Porse Bo Torben , Enright Anton James , O’Carroll Dónal
Published: January 2019

Several developmental stages of spermatogenesis are transcriptionally quiescent which presents major challenges associated with the regulation of gene expression. Here we identify that the zygotene to pachytene transition is not only associated with the resumption of transcription but also a wave of programmed mRNA degradation that is essential for meiotic progression. We explored whether terminal uridydyl transferase 4- (TUT4-) or TUT7-mediated 3′ mRNA uridylation contributes to this wave of mRNA degradation during pachynema. Indeed, both TUT4 and TUT7 are expressed throughout most of spermatogenesis, however, loss of either TUT4 or TUT7 does not have any major impact upon spermatogenesis. Combined TUT4 and TUT7 (TUT4/7) deficiency results in embryonic growth defects, while conditional gene targeting revealed an essential role for TUT4/7 in pachytene progression. Loss of TUT4/7 results in the reduction of miRNA, piRNA and mRNA 3′ uridylation. Although this reduction does not greatly alter miRNA or piRNA expression, TUT4/7-mediated uridylation is required for the clearance of many zygotene-expressed transcripts in pachytene cells. We find that TUT4/7-regulated transcripts in pachytene spermatocytes are characterized by having long 3′ UTRs with length-adjusted enrichment for AU-rich elements. We also observed these features in TUT4/7-regulated maternal transcripts whose dosage was recently shown to be essential for sculpting a functional maternal transcriptome and meiosis. Therefore, mRNA 3′ uridylation is a critical determinant of both male and female germline transcriptomes. In conclusion, we have identified a novel requirement for 3′ uridylation-programmed zygotene mRNA clearance in pachytene spermatocytes that is essential for male meiotic progression.
Phonon-enhanced photothermoelectric effect in SrTiO3 ultra-broadband photodetector
Authors: Lu Xiaowei , Jiang Peng , Bao Xinhe
Published: January 2019

The self-powered and ultra-broadband photodetectors based on photothermoelectric (PTE) effect are promising for diverse applications such as sensing, environmental monitoring, night vision and astronomy. The sensitivity of PTE photodetectors is determined by the Seebeck coefficient and the rising temperature under illumination. Previous PTE photodetectors mostly rely on traditional thermoelectric materials with Seebeck coefficients in the range of 100 μV K−1, and array structures with multiple units are usually employed to enhance the photodetection performance. Herein, we demonstrate a reduced SrTiO3 (r-STO) based PTE photodetector with sensitivity up to 1.2 V W−1 and broadband spectral response from 325 nm to 10.67 μm. The high performance of r-STO PTE photodetector is attributed to its intrinsic high Seebeck coefficient and phonon-enhanced photoresponse in the long wavelength infrared region. Our results open up a new avenue towards searching for novel PTE materials beyond traditional thermoelectric materials for low-cost and high-performance photodetector at room temperature.
Long-lasting field-free alignment of large molecules inside helium nanodroplets
Authors: Chatterley Adam S. , Schouder Constant , Christiansen Lars , Shepperson Benjamin , Rasmussen Mette Heidemann , Stapelfeldt Henrik
Published: January 2019

Molecules with their axes sharply confined in space, available through laser-induced alignment methods, are essential for many current experiments, including ultrafast molecular imaging. For these applications the aligning laser field should ideally be turned-off, to avoid undesired perturbations, and the strong alignment should last long enough that reactions and dynamics can be mapped out. Presently, this is only possible for small, linear molecules and for times less than 1 picosecond. Here, we demonstrate strong, field-free alignment of large molecules inside helium nanodroplets, lasting >10 picoseconds. One-dimensional or three-dimensional alignment is created by a slowly switched-on laser pulse, made field-free through rapid pulse truncation, and retained thanks to the impeding effect of the helium environment on molecular rotation. The opportunities field-free aligned molecules open are illustrated by measuring the alignment-dependent strong-field ionization yield of dibromothiophene oligomers. Our technique will enable molecular frame experiments, including ultrafast excited state dynamics, on a variety of large molecules and complexes.
Dissecting the circuit for blindsight to reveal the critical role of pulvinar and superior colliculus
Authors: Kinoshita Masaharu , Kato Rikako , Isa Kaoru , Kobayashi Kenta , Kobayashi Kazuto , Onoe Hirotaka , Isa Tadashi
Published: January 2019

In patients with damage to the primary visual cortex (V1), residual vision can guide goal-directed movements to targets in the blind field without awareness. This phenomenon has been termed blindsight, and its neural mechanisms are controversial. There should be visual pathways to the higher visual cortices bypassing V1, however some literature propose that the signal is mediated by the superior colliculus (SC) and pulvinar, while others claim the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) transmits the signal. Here, we directly test the role of SC to ventrolateral pulvinar (vlPul) pathway in blindsight monkeys. Pharmacological inactivation of vlPul impairs visually guided saccades (VGS) in the blind field. Selective and reversible blockade of the SC-vlPul pathway by combining two viral vectors also impairs VGS. With these results we claim the SC-vlPul pathway contributes to blindsight. The discrepancy would be due to the extent of retrograde degeneration of dLGN and task used for assessment.
Metformin prevents cell tumorigenesis through autophagy-related cell death
Authors: De Santi Mauro , Baldelli Giulia , Diotallevi Aurora , Galluzzi Luca , Schiavano Giuditta Fiorella , Brandi Giorgio
Published: January 2019

Autophagy is a cellular mechanism by which cells degrade intracellular components in lysosomes, maintaining cellular homeostasis. It has been hypothesized that autophagy could have a role in cancer prevention through the elimination of damaged proteins and organelles; this could explain epidemiological evidence showing the chemopreventive properties of the autophagy-inducer metformin. In this study, we analyzed the autophagy-related effect of metformin in both cancer initiation and progression in non-tumorigenic cells. We also analyzed the induction of tumorigenesis in autophagy-deficient cells, and its correlation with the ER stress. Our results showed that metformin induced massive cell death in preneoplastic JB6 Cl 41-5a cells treated with tumor promoter (phorbol) and in NIH/3T3 treated with H2O2. Inhibiting autophagy with wortmannin or ATG7 silencing, the effect of metformin decreased, indicating an autophagy-related cytotoxic activity under stress conditions. We also found an induction of tumorigenesis in ATG7-silenced NIH/3T3 cell clone (3T3-619C3 cells), but not in wild-type and in scrambled transfected cells, and an upregulation of unfolded protein response (UPR) markers in 3T3-619C3 cells treated with H2O2. These findings suggest that autophagic cell death could be considered as a new mechanism by which eliminate damaged cells, representing an attractive strategy to eliminate potential tumorigenic cells.
Computational insights into the role of α-strand/sheet in aggregation of α-synuclein
Authors: Balupuri Anand , Choi Kwang-Eun , Kang Nam Sook
Published: January 2019

The α-synuclein is a major component of amyloid fibrils found in Lewy bodies, the characteristic intracellular proteinaceous deposits which are pathological hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) and dementia. It is an intrinsically disordered protein that may undergo dramatic structural changes to form amyloid fibrils. Aggregation process from α-synuclein monomers to amyloid fibrils through oligomeric intermediates is considered as the disease-causative toxic mechanism. However, mechanism underlying aggregation is not well-known despite several attempts. To characterize the mechanism, we have explored the effects of pH and temperature on the structural properties of wild-type and mutant α-synuclein using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation technique. MD studies suggested that amyloid fibrils can grow by monomer. Conformational transformation of the natively unfolded protein into partially folded intermediate could be accountable for aggregation and fibrillation. An intermediate α-strand was observed in the hydrophobic non-amyloid-β component (NAC) region of α-synuclein that could proceed to α-sheet and initiate early assembly events. Water network around the intermediate was analyzed to determine its influence on the α-strand structure. Findings of this study provide novel insights into possible mechanism of α-synuclein aggregation and promising neuroprotective strategy that could aid alleviate PD and its symptoms.
Dissociable cognitive impairments in two strains of transgenic Alzheimer’s disease mice revealed by a battery of object-based tests
Authors: Creighton Samantha D. , Mendell Ari L. , Palmer Daniel , Kalisch Bettina E. , MacLusky Neil J. , Prado Vania F. , Prado Marco A. M. , Winters Boyer D.
Published: January 2019

Object recognition tasks detect cognitive deficits in transgenic Alzheimer’s disease (AD) mouse models. Object recognition, however, is not a unitary process, and there are many uncharacterized facets of object processing with relevance to AD. We therefore systematically evaluated object processing in 5xFAD and 3xTG AD mice to clarify the nature of object recognition-related deficits. Twelve-month-old male and female 5xFAD and 3xTG mice were assessed on tasks for object identity recognition, spatial recognition, and multisensory object perception. Memory and multisensory perceptual impairments were observed, with interesting dissociations between transgenic AD strains and sex that paralleled neuropathological changes. Overreliance on the widespread “object recognition” task threatens to slow discovery of potentially significant and clinically relevant behavioural effects related to this multifaceted cognitive function. The current results support the use of carefully designed object-based test batteries to clarify the relationship between “object recognition” impairments and specific aspects of AD pathology in rodent models.
Factors associated with non-initiation of latent tuberculosis treatment among healthcare workers with a positive interferon-gamma releasing assay
Authors: Lee Hyun , Koo Gun Woo , Min Ji-Hee , Park Tai Sun , Park Dong Won , Moon Ji-Yong , Kim Sang-Heon , Kim Tae Hyung , Yoon Ho Joo , Sohn Jang Won
Published: January 2019

Despite widespread use of the interferon-gamma release assay for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), the initiation rate of and factors associated with LTBI treatment among healthcare workers (HCWs) have not been studied in depth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the initiation rate of LTBI treatment and also to identify any factors associated with non-initiation of LTBI treatment among HCWs. A retrospective cohort study of 293 HCWs with LTBI was performed at a teaching hospital in Korea. LTBI was diagnosed using QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube tests (Cellestis Ltd., Carnegie, VIC, Australia). Of the 293 HCWs with LTBI, 189 HCWs (64.5%) visited an outpatient clinic for a medical consultation regarding LTBI treatment. Of these, 128 (67.7%) consented to LTBI treatment for a 43.7% LTBI treatment initiation rate. Upon multivariable analysis, having a liver disease or currently taking hepatotoxic drugs (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 12.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.12–46.35), being a physician (adjusted OR = 14.01, 95% CI = 2.82–69.74) and other patient-related HCWs (adjusted OR = 3.58, 95% CI = 1.46–8.78), and years of employment ≥20 years (adjusted OR = 4.77, 95% CI = 1.74–13.12) were independent factors associated with the non-initiation of LTBI treatment. Upon bivariate multivariable analysis, while having a liver disease or currently taking hepatotoxic drugs (adjusted OR = 12.85, 95% CI = 3.06–55.92), being a physician (adjusted OR = 28.43, 95% CI = 4.78–169.28) and other patient-related HCWs (adjusted OR = 4.80, 95% CI = 1.56–14.74), and years of employment ≥20 years (adjusted OR = 4.55, 95% CI = 1.37–15.15) were factors associated with no outpatient clinic visit for a consultation of LTBI treatment, having a liver disease or currently taking hepatotoxic drugs (adjusted OR = 11.76, 95% CI = 2.68–51.73) and years of employment ≥20 years (adjusted OR = 5.29, 95% CI = 1.38–20.19) were factors associated with refusal of LTBI treatment after a consultation. The overall initiation rate of LTBI treatment was suboptimal in HCWs with LTBI diagnosed using an interferon-gamma releasing assay. Having a liver disease or currently taking hepatotoxic drugs, being a physician and other patient-related HCWs, and years of employment ≥20 years were associated with non-initiation of LTBI treatment.
A FRET-based ratiometric two-photon fluorescent probe for superoxide anion detection and imaging in living cells and tissues
Authors: Yao Shan , Ma Chunli , Lu Yanbing , Wei Xianzhe , Feng Xiaowen , Miao Pei , Yang Guangxin , Zhang Jing , Yan Mei , Yu Jinghua
Published: January 2019

A FRET-based ratiometric two-photon fluorescent probe for superoxide anion detection and imaging in cells and tissue was reported with dual-channels.
Facile approach for the periodic poling of MgO-doped lithium niobate with liquid electrodes
Authors: Liang Longyue , Wang Fulei , Sang Yuanhua , Zhou Fei , Xie Xiuping , Sun Dehui , Zheng Mingyang , Liu Hong
Published: January 2019

Leakage current elimination by the SiO2 dielectric layer for high-quality periodic poling of 76.2 mm-diameter Mg:LN wafers using liquid electrodes.
A stable anionic metal–organic framework with open coordinated sites: selective separation toward cationic dyes and sensing properties
Authors: Gao Wei , Liu Feng , Pan Chang-Wei , Zhang Xiu-Mei , Liu Jie-Ping , Gao Qing-Yu
Published: January 2019

A multifunctional anionic metal–organic framework was successfully synthesized using a new pyridyl–tricarboxylate ligand. It could be applied as a luminescent sensor for Fe3+ions and TNP and it showed selective adsorption of cationic dyes.
The role of nanosized zeolite Y in the H2-free catalytic deoxygenation of triolein
Authors: Choo Min-Yee , Juan Joon Ching , Oi Lee Eng , Ling Tau Chuan , Ng Eng-Poh , Rahman Noorsaadah Abdul , Centi Gabriele , Lee Keat Teong
Published: January 2019

The reduction in zeolite Y crystal size has improved the triolein conversion, yield of deoxygenated product and diesel range hydrocarbon selectivity.
Phenyl-grafted carbon nitride semiconductor for photocatalytic CO2-reduction and rapid degradation of organic dyes
Authors: Vidyasagar Devthade , Manwar Nilesh , Gupta Akanksha , Ghugal Sachin G. , Umare Suresh S. , Boukherroub Rabah
Published: January 2019

Molecular engineering of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is achieved by the copolymerization of π-conjugated phenyl urea, melamine, and urea.
Transfer of hydrosulfide from thiols to iron(ii): a convenient synthetic route to nonheme diiron(ii)–hydrosulfide complexes
Authors: Pal Nabhendu , Majumdar Amit
Published: January 2019

The synthesis and reactivity of an unprecedented nonheme diiron(ii)–hydrosulfide complex via Fe(ii) mediated C–S bond cleavage of thiols.
Roles of multiwall carbon nanotubes in phytoremediation: cadmium uptake and oxidative burst in Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaudich
Authors: Gong Xiaomin , Huang Danlian , Liu Yunguo , Zeng Guangming , Wang Rongzhong , Xu Piao , Zhang Chen , Cheng Min , Xue Wenjing , Chen Sha
Published: January 2019

Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been widely used recently and their interaction with heavy metals or plants will influence the phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated sites.
Shape and ligand effect of palladium nanocrystals on furan hydrogenation
Authors: Sun Changyong , Cao Zhou , Wang Jiandian , Lin Liangbiao , Xie Xiaowei
Published: January 2019

A nanocube enclosed by {100} facets is the most active, residual PVP and halogen ions occupy partial surface sites.
Robust superlubricity by strain engineering
Authors: Wang Kunqi , Ouyang Wengen , Cao Wei , Ma Ming , Zheng Quanshui
Published: January 2019

We demonstrate that robust superlubricity can be achieved via both biaxial and uniaxial tensile strains in a substrate using molecular dynamics simulation. Above a critical strain, the friction is no longer dependent on the relative orientation between the surfaces mainly due to the complete lattice mismatch. Importantly, the larger the size of the flake is, the smaller the critical biaxial strain is.
Quench-resistant and stable nanocarbon dot/sheet emitters with tunable solid-state fluorescence via aggregation-induced color switching
Authors: Chang Qing , Ding Yamei , Cheng Shuai , Shen Wei , Zhou Zhe , Yin Yuhang , Sun Tao , Ban Chaoyi , Deng Zhengtao , Liu Juqing , Xiu Fei , Huang Wei
Published: January 2019

Color tunable and stable nanocarbon dot/sheet emitters have been prepared with the merits of high yield, solid state photoluminescence and film-forming ability.
Duplex nanoporous alumina and polyelectrolyte adsorption: more insights from a combined neutron reflectivity and electron microscopy study
Authors: Christoulaki Anastasia , Chennevière Alexis , Dubois Emmanuelle , Jouault Nicolas
Published: January 2019

We demonstrate that neutron reflectivity is a powerful technique to characterize duplex nanoporous alumina membranes and to quantify the behavior of confined polyelectrolytes.
Viral nanoparticles can elude protein barriers: exploiting rather than imitating nature
Authors: Berardi Alberto , Baldelli Bombelli Francesca , Thuenemann Eva C. , Lomonossoff George P.
Published: January 2019

CPMV – unlike synthetic nanoparticles – can elude the binding of biomolecules from different biological milieus.
Magnetism and plasmonic performance of mesoscopic hollow ceria spheres decorated with silver nanoparticles
Authors: Tseng Eric Nestor , Hsiao Yin-Ting , Chen Yi-Che , Chen Shih-Yun , Gloter Alexandre , Song Jenn-Ming
Published: January 2019

We investigate the role of interfaces and surfaces in the magnetic and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) properties of CeO2 hollow spheres decorated with Ag nanoparticles (H-CeO2@Ag).
Two-dimensional MoS2 modified using CoFe2O4 nanoparticles with enhanced microwave response in the X and Ku band
Authors: Cui Xiaoqing , Liu Wei , Gu Weihua , Liang Xiaohui , Ji Guangbin
Published: January 2019

A novel MoS2/CoFe2O4 two-dimensional composite was designed, which showed ideal impedance matching and enhanced interface polarization.
A mechanistic investigation into N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalyzed umpolung of ketones and benzonitriles: is the cyano group better than the classical carbonyl group for the addition of NHC?
Authors: Cao Shanshan , Yuan Haiyan , Zhang Jingping
Published: January 2019

The cooperative participation of NHC-H2O-activated cyano carbon is more preferred than the classical NHC-activated carbonyl carbon.
Flow-oriented synthetic design in the continuous preparation of the aryl piperazine drug flibanserin
Authors: Bana Péter , Szigetvári Áron , Kóti János , Éles János , Greiner István
Published: January 2019

The first integrated continuous-flow synthesis of the drug substance flibanserin was developed, using an uninterrupted four-step sequence,viaan unprecedented route.
Imidazole-modified G-quadruplex DNA as metal-triggered peroxidase
Authors: Punt Philip M. , Clever Guido H.
Published: January 2019

Imidazole-modified G-quadruplex DNA binds transition metals Cu(ii), Zn(ii), Ni(ii) and Co(ii). Metal-triggered association with hemin generates a stimuli-responsive peroxidase mimic.
Pressure responsive gating in nanochannels coated by semiflexible polymer brushes
Authors: Speyer K. , Pastorino C.
Published: January 2019

Nanochannels coated with semiflexible polymer brushes behave as pressure-responsive gates.
LncRNA DCST1-AS1 functions as a competing endogenous RNA to regulate FAIM2 expression by sponging miR-1254 in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Chen Jing , Wu Di , Zhang Yue , Yang Yong , Duan Yunfei , An Yong
Published: January 2019

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in a variety of tumours; however, their biological function and clinical significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still unclear. In the present study, the clinical significance, biological function and regulatory mechanisms of lncRNA DCST1-AS1 in HCC were investigated. Differential lncRNAs in HCC were identified based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The biological function and mechanism of DCST1-AS1 were studied in vitro and in vivo. LncRNA DCST1-AS1 was highly expressed in HCC tissues, and the high expression of DCST1-AS1 was significantly correlated with larger tumours and shorter survival time. Moreover, DCST1-AS1 knockout significantly inhibited proliferation, promoted apoptosis and cycle arrest of HCC cells, and inhibited tumour growth in vivo. According to functional analysis, DCST1-AS1 competitively bound miR-1254, thus blocking the silencing effect of miR-1254 on the target gene Fas apoptosis inhibitor 2 (FAIM2). A novel lncRNA DCST1-AS1 that functions as an oncogene in HCC was discovered. DCST1-AS1 up-regulates the expression of FAIM2 by up-regulating the expression of miR-1254, ultimately promoting the proliferation of HCC cells. This research provides new therapeutic targets for HCC.
Tinnitus: How Partners Can Help?
Authors: Mancini Patricia C. , Tyler Richard S. , Smith Sydra , Ji Helena , Perreau Ann , Mohr Anne-Mette
Published: January 2019

Purpose

Tinnitus can be distressing for sufferers, but for those who do not have tinnitus, it is difficult to understand what it is like. We attempted to gain an understanding of the knowledge and misconceptions of sufferers and their partners about tinnitus.

Method

Two different websites were created with surveys, 1 for tinnitus sufferers and the other for their partners. A mass e-mail was sent to employees and students at The University of Iowa inviting people with tinnitus and their significant others to fill out the online surveys. Those with tinnitus were asked to rate how their tinnitus affected their thoughts and emotions, sleep, concentration, and hearing. They were also invited to fill out the Iowa Tinnitus Primary Function Questionnaire (12-item version;
Tyler et al., 2014
). Partners completed a similar survey that asked how tinnitus affected the sufferer in these domains. Open-ended questions were also included to obtain more specific feedback from the participants regarding their experiences and how tinnitus affects their lifestyle and relationships.

Results

Two hundred twenty-two replies were obtained from 197 tinnitus sufferers and 25 partners of those with tinnitus. Partners and sufferers were not completely in agreement regarding their knowledge about tinnitus or familiar with the impact that this symptom may have on the sufferers. Sufferers showed more confidence in their hearing ability, regardless of tinnitus, than their partners. Furthermore, sufferers and partners do not generally talk about tinnitus to each other.

Conclusion

We conclude that both sufferers and partners would benefit from receiving counseling to address many misunderstandings regarding tinnitus and its consequences in their everyday life activities.
Prospective Investigation of Incidence and Co-Occurrence of Dysphagia, Dysarthria, and Aphasia Following Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Stipancic Kaila L. , Borders James C. , Brates Danielle , Thibeault Susan L.
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The high incidence of swallowing and communication disorders following stroke is well documented. However, many of these studies have used retrospective chart reviews to make estimates of incidence and co-occurrence. The current study prospectively examined the incidence and co-occurrence of dysphagia, dysarthria, and aphasia following a 1st occurrence of ischemic stroke at an academic medical center hospital.

Method

One hundred patients who experienced their 1st ischemic stroke were recruited for participation in this study. All participants received a clinical swallowing evaluation to assess for dysphagia, administration of the Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment–Second Edition (
Enderby & Palmer, 2008
) and Western Aphasia Battery–Revised (
Kertesz, 2006
) to screen for the presence of dysarthria and aphasia, respectively.

Results

Incidence rates of dysphagia, dysarthria, and aphasia were 32%, 26%, and 16%, respectively. Forty-seven percent of participants had at least 1 of these disorders, 28% had 2 of these disorders, and 4% had all 3. Although the incidence rates in this study were smaller in magnitude than incidence rates in previous research, the pattern of results is broadly similar (i.e., dysphagia had the highest incidence rate, followed by dysarthria and, lastly, aphasia).

Conclusions

This prospective study yielded slightly lower incidence rates than have been previously obtained from retrospective chart reviews. The high incidence and co-occurrence of devastating swallowing and communication disorders post–ischemic stroke provides clear motivation for speech-language pathology involvement in the early phase of stroke rehabilitation.
Open Mouth-Maximal Isometric Press: Development and Norms for Clinical Swallowing Evaluations and Treatment
Authors: Curtis James A. , Langenstein Jonelyn , Troche Michelle S. , Laus Joey , Schneider Sarah L.
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The aims of this study were to (a) describe the development and utility of the Open Mouth-Maximal Isometric Press (OM-MIP), a tool designed for the quantitative assessment of suprahyoid–infrahyoid muscle strength; (b) examine the effects of age and sex on the OM-MIP; and (c) establish age- and sex-based OM-MIP norms.

Method

Two hundred sixteen healthy male and female volunteers were recruited. Participants performed the OM-MIP, and the maximum of 3 trials that were within 10% of each other was recorded. Rest between each trial was allowed to avoid fatigue. Multiple regression examined the influence of age and sex on the OM-MIP. Descriptive statistics outlined normative OM-MIP values for young adult (aged 18–39 years), middle-aged adult (aged 40–59 years), old adult (aged 60–79 years), and very old adult (aged ≥ 80 years) men and women. Two-way analysis of variance determined if normative data differed significantly between the age and sex groups.

Results

Age and sex significantly influenced the OM-MIP, although no significant interaction effect was identified. Women had lower mean OM-MIPs when compared with men (
p
< .0005), and very old adults had lower mean OM-MIPs when compared with young (
p
= .001), middle-aged (
p
< .0005), and old (
p
= .013) adults.

Conclusions

This study establishes age- and sex-based OM-MIP norms and outlines its potential utility during clinical swallowing evaluations and treatment. By providing these norms, clinicians can begin to quantitatively measure suprahyoid and infrahyoid strength, individualize resistance training programs to patients' OM-MIP 1 repetition maximum, and track strength changes over time in response to therapeutic interventions.
Referential Cohesion in the Narratives of Bilingual and Monolingual Children With Typically Developing Language and With Specific Language Impairment
Authors: Fichman Sveta , Altman Carmit
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The study explores referential cohesion in the narratives of bilingual preschool children with typical language development (TLD) and with specific language impairment (SLI). Referential cohesion requires integration of multiple discourse factors and is expected to pose a challenge for children with bilingual SLI due to weak proficiency in both languages.

Method

Narratives were elicited from 45 bilinguals speaking Russian as the home language (L1) and Hebrew as the societal language (L2; 15 with SLI), 20 Hebrew-speaking monolinguals (10 with SLI), and 20 Russian-speaking monolinguals (10 with SLI) using a story retelling procedure. Bilinguals were tested in both languages. Analyses examined the effect of impairment (SLI vs. TLD) in bilinguals and monolinguals. Language effects were examined in cross-language comparisons of bilinguals (L1 vs. L2) and in differences between monolingual groups (Russian vs. Hebrew speakers) for the use of referential expressions.

Results

Bilingual children with SLI used a higher proportion of pronouns for character introduction and had fewer pronouns, which have been described as “adequate” (
Colozzo & Whitely, 2014
) than bilingual children with TLD. No language effect emerged for bilinguals, who performed similarly in their L1 and L2, but a significant cross-linguistic difference emerged in the monolingual data: Russian-speaking children mainly used nouns to introduce and maintain characters, whereas Hebrew-speaking children mainly used pronouns for introduction and maintenance of characters.

Conclusion

The difficulty of children with SLI in creating a referential connection between a pronoun and a noun phrase is discussed in light of the interaction of local and global processes in narratives, which is shown to be weaker in children with SLI.
An M/G/1 retrial queue with single working vacation under Bernoulli schedule
Authors: Li Tao , Zhang Liyuan , Gao Shan
Published: January 2019

In this paper, an M/G/1 retrial queue with general retrial times and single working vacation is considered. We assume that the customers who find the server busy are queued in the orbit in accordance with a first-come-first-served (FCFS) discipline and only the customer at the head of the queue is allowed access to the server. During the normal period, if the orbit queue is not empty at a service completion instant, the server begins a working vacation with specified probabilityq(0 ≤ q ≤ 1), and with probability 1 − q, he waits for serving the next customer. During the working vacation period, customers can be served at a lower service rate. We first present the necessary and sufficient condition for the system to be stable. Using the supplementary variable method, we deal with the generating functions of the server state and the number of customers in the orbit. Various interesting performance measures are also derived. Finally, some numerical examples and cost optimization analysis are presented.
A multi-module energy-saving pulsed magnetic field generator
Authors: Liu Jinzhen , Wang Yuling , Chen Yimei , Xiong Hui , Sun Wanpeng
Published: January 2019

In order to generate the unipolar and bipolar pulsed magnetic fields and improve the energy efficiency of the magnetic field generator, a multi-module energy-saving (MMES) pulsed magnetic field generator is designed. The circuit topology of the MMES pulsed magnetic field generator is presented and the experimental data are measured by experiments. The results show that the peak current values of unipolar and bipolar pulsed magnetic fields are 156 A and 154 A by discharging two capacitors, and the intensities are 87.6 mT and 86.5 mT, respectively. The energy-saving rates of unipolar and bipolar pulsed magnetic fields can be up to 17.64% and 19.36%, respectively. Therefore, it has very high application and research value in the field of biological magnetism therapy.
Systematic investigation of electrical contact barriers between different electrode metals and layered GeSe
Authors: Li Ranran , Xia Wei , Guo Yanfeng , Xue Jiamin
Published: January 2019

For electronic and photoelectronic devices based on GeSe, an emergent two dimensional monochalcogenide with many exciting properties predicted, good electrical contacts are of great importance for achieving high device performances and exploring the intrinsic physics of GeSe. In this article, we use temperature-dependent transport measurements and thermionic emission theory for systematic investigation of the contact-barrier heights between GeSe and six common electrode metals, Al, Ag, Ti, Au, Pt, and Pd. These metals cover a wide range of work functions (from ∼3.6 eV to ∼5.7 eV). Our study indicates that Au forms the best contact with the valence band of GeSe even though Au does not possess the highest work function among the metals studied. This behavior clearly deviates from the expectation of Schottky-Mott theory and indicates the importance of the details at the interfaces between metals and GeSe.
Bosonic oscillator under a uniform magnetic field with Snyder-de Sitter algebra
Authors: Falek M. , Merad M. , Moumni M.
Published: January 2019

We study the deformed two-dimensional relativistic Bosonic oscillator equation for charged spin 0 and spin 1 particles moving in a uniform magnetic field with the Snyder-de Sitter model. For the scalar case, we compute the energy eigenvalues and eigenfunctions for both Klein Gordon and Duffin–Kemmer–Petiau (DKP) cases for an arbitrary magnetic field intensity. We also deduce the behavior of the DKP equation and compute the non-relativistic energies for the case of spin 1 particle. Finally, we study the thermodynamic properties of the system.