bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CXCL12 enhances angiogenesis through CXCR7 activation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells
Authors: Zhang Min , Qiu Lisha , Zhang Yanyan , Xu Dongsheng , Zheng Jialin C. , Jiang Li
Published: August 2017

Angiogenesis is the process by which new vessels form from existing vascular networks. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) may contribute to the study of vascular repair and angiogenesis. The chemokine CXCL12 regulates multiple cell functions, including angiogenesis, mainly through its receptor CXCR4. In contrast to CXCL12/CXCR4, few studies have described roles for CXCR7 in vascular biology, and the downstream mechanism of CXCR7 in angiogenesis remains unclear. The results of the present study showed that CXCL12 dose-dependently enhanced angiogenesis in chorioallantoic membranes (CAMs) and HUVECs. The specific activation of CXCR7 with TC14012 (a CXCR7 agonist) resulted in the significant induction of tube formation in HUVECs and in vivo. Further evidence suggested that CXCL12 induced directional polarization and migration in the HUVECs, which is necessary for tube formation. Moreover, CXCR7 translocalization was observed during the polarization of HUVECs in stripe assays. Finally, treatment with TC14012 also significantly increased PI3K/Akt phosphorylation, and tube formation was blocked by treating HUVECs with an Akt inhibitor. Overall, this study indicated that CXCL12-stimulated CXCR7 acts as a functional receptor to activate Akt for angiogenesis in HUVECs and that CXCR7 may be a potential target molecule for endothelial regeneration and repair after vascular injury.
Coenzyme Q10 Improves Lipid Metabolism and Ameliorates Obesity by Regulating CaMKII-Mediated PDE4 Inhibition
Authors: Xu Zhe , Huo Jia , Ding Xin , Yang Mu , Li Lin , Dai Jian , Hosoe Kazunori , Kubo Hiroshi , Mori Masayuki , Higuchi Keiichi , Sawashita Jinko
Published: August 2017

Our recent studies revealed that supplementation with the reduced form of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10H2) inhibits oxidative stress and slows the process of aging in senescence-accelerated mice. CoQ10H2 inhibits adipocyte differentiation and regulates lipid metabolism. In the present study, we show that dietary supplementation with CoQ10H2 significantly reduced white adipose tissue content and improved the function of brown adipose tissue by regulating expression of lipid metabolism-related factors in KKAy mice, a model of obesity and type 2 diabetes. In the liver, CoQ10H2 reduced cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels and consequently inhibited the phosphorylation of CaMKII. CoQ10H2 also regulated the activity of the transcription factor C-FOS and inhibited gene expression of PDE4, a cAMP-degrading enzyme, via the CaMKII-MEK1/2-ERK1/2 signaling pathway, thereby increasing intracellular cAMP. This increased cAMP activated AMPK, enhanced oxidative decomposition of lipids, and inhibited de novo synthesis of fatty acids, inhibiting the development and progression of obesity and type 2 diabetes. These results suggest that CoQ10H2 supplementation may be useful as a treatment for metabolic disorders associated with obesity.
Caution in interpreting FTIR/ATR spectral intensity values
Authors: Jensen Elizabeth A. , Smith Doug , Chapela Patricia , Lederer Susan M.
Published: August 2017

We discuss and demonstrate why FTIR/ATR spectra can only be calibrated in wavelength, not intensity, for comparison with other data sets at present.
A coral129I/127I measurement method using ICP-MS and AMS with carrier addition
Authors: Bautista VII Angel T. , Miyake Yasuto , Matsuzaki Hiroyuki , Siringan Fernando P.
Published: August 2017

A method that can measure129I/127I in 1–4 g of coral sample is developed. Iodine-129 in coral cores provides historical records of human nuclear activities, establishes coral age models, and traces environmental processes.
Enhancing the solubility and bioactivity of anticancer drug tamoxifen by water-soluble pillar[6]arene-based host–guest complexation
Authors: Shangguan Liqing , Chen Qi , Shi Bingbing , Huang Feihe
Published: August 2017

A water-soluble pillar[6]arene functions as a solubilizing agent to enhance the solubility and bioactivity of poorly water-soluble anticancer drug tamoxifen.
Origin of attraction in p-benzoquinone complexes with benzene and p-hydroquinone
Authors: Tsuzuki Seiji , Uchimaru Tadafumi , Ono Taizo
Published: August 2017

Dispersion interaction (Ecorr) is the primary source of the attraction in a charge-transfer complex.
Validation of density functionals for pancake-bonded π-dimers; dispersion is not enough
Authors: Mou Zhongyu , Tian Yong-Hui , Kertesz Miklos
Published: August 2017

π-Stacking pancake bonding between radicals poses special challenges to density functional theories (DFTs) due to their shorter than van der Waals contact distances, their multireference singlet ground states and the concurrently important dispersion interactions.
Highly selective gas separation membrane using in situ amorphised metal–organic frameworks
Authors: Kertik Aylin , Wee Lik H. , Pfannmöller Martin , Bals Sara , Martens Johan A. , Vankelecom Ivo F. J.
Published: August 2017

Cross-linked amorphous mixed matrix membranes for selective separations of CO2/CH4 mixed-gas feeds.
Study of the antibacterial and catalytic activity of silver colloids synthesized using the fruit of Sapindus mukorossi
Authors: Dinda Gargi , Halder Dipankar , Mitra Atanu , Pal Nabanita , Vázquez-Vázquez Carlos , López-Quintela M. Arturo
Published: August 2017

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles has been demonstrated using an aqueous extract of the pericarp ofSapindus mukorossifruit as a reducing agent as well as a stabilizer.
Facile preparation of sulphur-doped graphene quantum dots for ultra-high performance ultraviolet photodetectors
Authors: Gao Shuxiong , Tang Libin , Xiang Jinzhong , Ji Rongbin , Lai Sin Ki , Yuan Shouzhang , Lau Shu Ping
Published: August 2017

Sulphur-doped GQDs were prepared using a novel co-combustion method (T-X-J method), and ultra-high performance UV photodetectors based on S-GQDs were fabricated.
Silver nanocrystal-decorated polyoxometalate single-walled nanotubes as nanoreactors for desulfurization catalysis at room temperature
Authors: Zhang Hao , Xu Xiaobin , Lin Haifeng , Ud Din Muhammad Aizaz , Wang Haiqing , Wang Xun
Published: August 2017

Ultrathin nanocrystals generally provide a remarkable catalytic performance due to their high specific surface area and exposure of certain active sites.
Enzyme-assisted peptide folding, assembly and anti-cancer properties
Authors: Liang Chunhui , Zheng Debin , Shi Fang , Xu Tengyan , Yang Cuihong , Liu Jianfeng , Wang Ling , Yang Zhimou
Published: August 2017

Enzymatically triggered reactions provide a unique pathway to produce α-helical peptides and hydrogels.
High thermal conductivity through simultaneously aligned polyethylene lamellae and graphene nanoplatelets
Authors: Saeidijavash Mortaza , Garg Jivtesh , Grady Brian , Smith Benjamin , Li Zheling , Young Robert J. , Tarannum Fatema , Bel Bekri Nour
Published: August 2017

We demonstrate a large enhancement in the thermal conductivity of polymer nanocomposites through simultaneous alignment of graphene nanoplatelets and polymer lamellae.
Polymerization of silyl ketenes using alkoxide initiators: a combined computational and experimental study
Authors: Xiang Yuanhui , Burrill Daniel J. , Bullard Krista K. , Albrecht Benjamin J. , Tragesser Lauren E. , McCaffrey John , Lambrecht Daniel S. , Pentzer Emily
Published: August 2017

The atomic composition and chemical structure of polymers is fundamental to dictating properties and applications.
Hollowing out MOFs: hierarchical micro- and mesoporous MOFs with tailorable porosity via selective acid etching
Authors: Koo Jaehyoung , Hwang In-Chul , Yu Xiujun , Saha Subhadeep , Kim Yonghwi , Kim Kimoon
Published: August 2017

We report a new strategy for the synthesis of robust hierarchical micro- and mesoporous MOFs from water stable MOFsviaa selective acid etching process.
Stereochemistry and biological activity of chlorinated lipids: a study of danicalipin A and selected diastereomers
Authors: Boshkow J. , Fischer S. , Bailey A. M. , Wolfrum S. , Carreira E. M.
Published: August 2017

Impact of configuration and conformation of selected (+)-danicalipin A diastereomers on biological activity.
Total Ear Reconstruction Using Porous Polyethylene
Authors: Ali Kausar , Trost Jeffrey , Truong Tuan , Harshbarger Raymond
Published: August 2017

Total ear reconstruction has been approached by several techniques involving autologous graft, prosthetic implant, and alloplastic implant options. Recent studies have shown the superiority of porous polyethylene (Medpor, Porex Surgical) reconstruction over autologous reconstruction based on improved aesthetic results, earlier age of intervention, shorter surgery times, fewer number of required procedures, and a simpler postoperative recovery process. A durable and permanent option for total ear reconstruction, like Medpor, can help alleviate the cosmetic concerns that patients with auricular deformities may be burdened with on a daily basis. In this article, the authors discuss the advantages of Medpor-based ear reconstruction and discuss recent advances in the surgical techniques involved, such as harvesting a temporoparietal fascia flap and full-thickness skin graft to adequately cover the Medpor framework and decrease extrusion rates.
Normal Head Shape Parameters in the First 2 Years of Life and Effect of Helmet Therapy
Authors: Kaps Kerstin , Tabak Darko , Bierther Uta , Wilbrand Martina , Neubauer Bernd , Pons-Kuehnemann Joern , Howaldt Hans-Peter , Hahn Andreas , Wilbrand Jan-Falco
Published: August 2017

Objective The treatment of a positional head deformity in infancy is a controversial issue. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of helmet therapy on positional plagiocephaly and brachycephaly.

Patients and Methods We determined cranial vault shape parameters in 348 healthy children during the second year of life, combined them with preexisting data from more than 400 subjects younger than 12 months, and related retrospectively the data of 1,531 children obtained before and after treatment with individual molding helmets to these newly generated normative values.

Results The number of subjects with cranial vault asymmetry values > 97th percentile decreased by 85.5% from 1,361 before to 197 (p < 0.01) after helmet therapy, while the number of individuals with cranial vault asymmetry index values > 97th percentile declined by 87.7% from 1,353 to 167 (p < 0.01). Similarly, the number of infants with cranial index values > 97th percentile diminished by 66.8% from 885 to 294 (p < 0.01).

Conclusions These findings do not finally prove, but they support the idea that helmet treatment is effective and meaningful in preventing permanent head deformities in infants with severe deformation. The normative anthropometric data generated in this study will allow investigating the natural course and effects of various therapies on infant cranial shape objectively.
The threshold algorithm: Description of the methodology and new developments
Authors: Neelamraju Sridhar , Oligschleger Christina , Schön J. Christian
Published: August 2017

Understanding the dynamics of complex systems requires the investigation of their energy landscape. In particular, the flow of probability on such landscapes is a central feature in visualizing the time evolution of complex systems. To obtain such flows, and the concomitant stable states of the systems and the generalized barriers among them, the threshold algorithm has been developed. Here, we describe the methodology of this approach starting from the fundamental concepts in complex energy landscapes and present recent new developments, the threshold-minimization algorithm and the molecular dynamics threshold algorithm. For applications of these new algorithms, we draw on landscape studies of three disaccharide molecules: lactose, maltose, and sucrose.
Influence of non-local thermodynamic equilibrium and Zeeman effects on magnetic equilibrium reconstruction using spectral motional Stark effect diagnostic
Authors: Reimer R. , Marchuk O. , Geiger B. , Mc Carthy P. J. , Dunne M. , Hobirk J. , Wolf R. ,   ASDEX Upgrade Team
Published: August 2017

The Motional Stark Effect (MSE) diagnostic is a well established technique to infer the local internal magnetic field in fusion plasmas. In this paper, the existing forward model which describes the MSE data is extended by the Zeeman effect, fine-structure, and relativistic corrections in the interpretation of the MSE spectra for different experimental conditions at the tokamak ASDEX Upgrade. The contribution of the non-Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (non-LTE) populations among the magnetic sub-levels and the Zeeman effect on the derived plasma parameters is different. The obtained pitch angle is changed by 3°…4° and by 0.5°…1° including the non-LTE and the Zeeman effects into the standard statistical MSE model. The total correction is about 4°. Moreover, the variation of the magnetic field strength is significantly changed by 2.2% due to the Zeeman effect only. While the data on the derived pitch angle still could not be tested against the other diagnostics, the results from an equilibrium reconstruction solver confirm the obtained values for magnetic field strength.
Description of ground and excited electronic states by ensemble density functional method with extended active space
Authors: Filatov Michael , Martínez Todd J. , Kim Kwang S.
Published: August 2017

An extended variant of the spin-restricted ensemble-referenced Kohn-Sham (REKS) method, the REKS(4,4) method, designed to describe the ground electronic states of strongly multireference systems is modified to enable calculation of excited states within the time-independent variational formalism. The new method, the state-interaction state-averaged REKS(4,4), i.e., SI-SA-REKS(4,4), is capable of describing several excited states of a molecule involving double bond cleavage, polyradical character, or multiple chromophoric units. We demonstrate that the new method correctly describes the ground and the lowest singlet excited states of a molecule (ethylene) undergoing double bond cleavage. The applicability of the new method for excitonic states is illustrated with π stacked ethylene and tetracene dimers. We conclude that the new method can describe a wide range of multireference phenomena.
Large magnetoelectric effect in the strained CoPt/SrTiO3 junction
Authors: Yu Li , Gao Guoying , Xu Shengqiu , Zhou Benyuan , Xie Yanding , Yao Kailun
Published: August 2017

The intrinsic critical thickness for the ferroelectricity and magnetoelectric effect in the strained CoPt/SrTiO3 junction is investigated using first-principles based on the density functional theory. We found that the ferroelectric polarization can be maintained in about 12 Å thick SrTiO3 films when the compressive strain is up to 3.82%. The critical thickness can be as small as the value of the CoPt/BaTiO3 junction under the same strain. The small critical ferroelectric thickness for the SrTiO3 film is due to the screening effect of interfacial charges. The magnetoelectric effect is determined by the difference in the magnetic moments of interfacial atoms when the electric polarization reverses. The underlying physics is the changes in the interface bonding which can significantly alter the interfacial electronic hybridizations. Furthermore, the effect of different misfit strains on the ferroelectric properties and magnetoelectric coupling of the CoPt/SrTiO3 film is also studied. It is found that the ferroelectric polarization and magnetoelectric effect are enhanced as the compressive strain increases. The strained paraelectric/ferromagnetic junction opens a direction to design novel nanometer-scale electronic and spintronic devices.
Scaling laws for diffusion on (trans)fractal scale-free networks
Authors: Peng Junhao , Agliari Elena
Published: August 2017

Fractal (or transfractal) features are common in real-life networks and are known to influence the dynamic processes taking place in the network itself. Here, we consider a class of scale-free deterministic networks, called (u, v)-flowers, whose topological properties can be controlled by tuning the parameters u and v; in particular, for u > 1, they are fractals endowed with a fractal dimension df, while for u = 1, they are transfractal endowed with a transfractal dimension d̃f. In this work, we investigate dynamic processes (i.e., random walks) and topological properties (i.e., the Laplacian spectrum) and we show that, under proper conditions, the same scalings (ruled by the related dimensions) emerge for both fractal and transfractal dimensions.
Vortex-crossing-induced timing jitter of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors
Authors: Wu Hao , Gu Chao , Cheng Yuhao , Hu Xiaolong
Published: August 2017

We investigate the timing properties of single-photon-triggered vortex (or anti-vortex) crossing in a current-biased superconducting nanowire and find that the time delays caused in the vortex-crossing process vary with the transverse positions on the nanowire where the photons are absorbed. The position-dependent time delays indicate that the vortex-crossing process induces timing jitter of a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD). The magnitude of this timing jitter further depends on various parameters, including the polarization of the incident photon, the bias current, and the width of the nanowire. This vortex-crossing-induced timing jitter might represent the lower bound of the timing jitter of the SNSPD and fundamentally limit its time-resolving capability.
Enhanced ferro- and piezoelectric performances through interface control in BiFe0.99W0.01O3/BiFe0.95Mn0.05O3/BiFe0.99W0.01O3 thin film
Authors: Jiang Xiaomei , Yan Jing , Hu Guangda
Published: August 2017

By eliminating domain backswitching, the severe aging problem of BiFe0.95Mn0.05O3, as a volume effect, was solved through an interface control method. A BiFe0.95Mn0.05O3 thin film sandwiched by BiFe0.99W0.01O3 layers (BiFe0.99W0.01O3/BiFe0.95Mn0.05O3/BiFe0.99W0.01O3) was prepared on a Pt(111)/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate using a metal organic decomposition method. BiFeO3, BiFe0.95Mn0.05O3, BiFe0.99W0.01O3, (top)BiFe0.99W0.01O3/BiFe0.95Mn0.05O3, and BiFe0.95Mn0.05O3/BiFe0.99W0.01O3(bottom) films were fabricated for comparison. All the films show well-saturated and rectangular hysteresis loops. Most importantly, the BiFe0.99W0.01O3/BiFe0.95Mn0.05O3/BiFe0.99W0.01O3 film exhibits the largest piezoresponse (∼220 pm/V). This interface control method, by inhibiting the nucleation of domains with the opposite direction at the interfaces, opens up a promisingly feasible way to solve the aging problem of ferroelectric films and to achieve desired ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties.
Strain sensing based on radiative emission-absorption mechanism using dye-doped polymer optical fiber
Authors: Kamimura S. , Furukawa R.
Published: August 2017

A stress sensor based on a dye-doped polymeric optical fiber is able to detect stress by simple comparison of two luminescence peaks from a pair of energy transfer organic dyes. Coumarin 540A (donor) and Rhodamine 6G (acceptor) were doped in the core and cladding of the fiber, respectively. For various laser wavelengths, the change in the near-field pattern and visible emission spectrum upon variation in the fiber bending diameter was evaluated. From a comparison with a low-numerical-aperture fiber, it is shown that the sensitivity of the sensor is controllable by optimization of the waveguide parameters.
Reactions of Trivalent Iodine Reagents with Classic Iridium and Rhodium Complexes
Authors: Albayer Mohammad , Dutton Jason L.
Published: August 2017

In this work, the reactions of iodine(iii) reagents (PhI(L)2: L = pyridine, acetate (OAc−), triflate (OTf−)) with iridium(i) and rhodium(i) complexes (Vaskas’s compound, Wilkinson’s catalyst, and bis[bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane]rhodium(i) triflate) are reported. In all cases, the reactions resulted in two-electron oxidation of the metal complexes. Mixtures of products were observed in the reactions of Iiii reagents with Vaska’s compound and Wilkinson’s catalyst via ligand exchange and anion scrambling. In the case of reacting Iiii reagents with chelating ligand-containing bis[bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane]rhodium(i) triflate, no scrambling was observed.
Necrotic disease in bivalve larval cultures
Authors: Kwan Tzu Nin , Bolch Christopher , Bowman John
Published: August 2017

The health of marine bivalve larvae is greatly affected by bacteria in the environment particularly when reared in marine hatcheries. This is generally because high stocking densities resulting in high organic loads of both food and faeces, can support increased bacterial growth and biomass levels. Increased bacterial load can lead to larval disease referred to as bacillary necrosis (BN) leading in turn to rapid larval mortality and loss of production. Despite more than 50 years since the first detailed description of BN, we still do not fully understand its causes and mechanisms. Through the manipulation of a model larval culture of the Australian blue mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis), we determined that BN is linked with rapid and systematic changes in the bacterial community.
Landowner behavior can determine the success of conservation strategies for ecosystem migration under sea-level rise
Authors: Field Christopher R. , Dayer Ashley A. , Elphick Chris S.
Published: August 2017

Significance

Key questions remain about the role of social factors, especially the behavior of private landowners, in determining the outcome of strategies for conservation under climate change. We surveyed the behavioral intentions of coastal landowners in the northeast United States, where extreme sea-level rise threatens tidal marsh persistence unless private landowners allow landward marsh migration. Our results identify (i) conservation strategies currently being implemented that may not have enough support among target populations to mitigate losses from sea-level rise, and (ii) beliefs and attitudes that may be effective targets for outreach aimed at increasing participation in these strategies. The importance of these social factors as constraints on marsh migration highlights the need for wider integration into planning for coastal adaptation.
English news discourse from newsbooks to new media
Authors: Ratia Maura , Palander-Collin Minna , Taavitsainen Irma
Published: August 2017

This chapter discusses the long diachrony of English news discourse from seventeenth-century newsbooks to the twentieth century and the dawn of multimedia. We shall place news discourse in its context of sociocultural developments considering what might be diachronically constant and what prone to change. The data available for studies on news discourse as well as the potential for interdisciplinary study methods at various interfaces will be highlighted between sociolinguistics, journalism, semiotics, literary theory, critical discourse analysis, pragmatics and sociology.
Lexical bundles in news discourse 1784–1983
Authors: Wang Ying
Published: August 2017

This paper aims to identify and trace the development of four-word lexical bundles characterising news discourse, using a corpus of news articles published in The Times of London between 1784 and 1983. In terms of frequency, there has been an increase until the end of the nineteenth century, followed then by a continual decrease. The explanations take into account the sociohistorical background of early newspapers, including improved technology, increased literacy and journalist movements, which in turn may have resulted in changes in news discourse. At the same time, we can see recurrent structural patterns and functions of such bundles over the two centuries, suggesting a high degree of stability underlying the use of lexical bundles, and by extension, news discourse itself.
Astride two worlds
Authors: Ryan John M.
Published: August 2017

This paper explores the emergence of Italian-American identity and its correlation with changes in format, content, and language over the course of the first five decades of the twentieth century in La Gazzetta del Massachusetts (The Massachusetts Gazette), a weekly newspaper published in Boston, but intended for the Greater New England Italian community. A representative longitudinal sample of 528 equally-spaced issues between 1903 and 1949 reveals patterns that are suggestive of an evolving population and an ethnic community’s changing attitudes toward its ancestral culture and relationship with its homeland. Findings relate to prior work in the areas of the Italian immigrant language press, sociology, cultural assimilation and preservation, as well as studies of identity construction through language.
An essential role of high-molecular-weight kininogen in endotoxemia
Authors: Yang Aizhen , Xie Zhanli , Wang Bo , Colman Robert W. , Dai Jihong , Wu Yi
Published: August 2017

In this study, we show that mice lacking high-molecular-weight kininogen (HK) were resistant to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mortality and had significantly reduced circulating LPS levels. Replenishment of HK-deficient mice with human HK recovered the LPS levels and rendered the mice susceptible to LPS-induced mortality. Binding of HK to LPS occurred through the O-polysaccharide/core oligosaccharide, consistent with the ability to bind LPS from K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, S. minnesota, and different E. coli strains. Binding of LPS induced plasma HK cleavage to the two-chain form (HKa, containing a heavy chain [HC] and a light chain [LC]) and bradykinin. Both HKa and the LC, but not the HC, could disaggregate LPS. The light chain bound LPS with high affinity (Kd = 1.52 × 10−9 M) through a binding site in domain 5 (DHG15). A monoclonal antibody against D5 significantly reduced LPS-induced mortality and circulating LPS levels in wild-type mice. Thus, HK, as a major LPS carrier in circulation, plays an essential role in endotoxemia.
On projectivized vector bundles and positive holomorphic sectional curvature
Authors: Alvarez Angelynn , Heier Gordon , Zheng Fangyang
Published: August 2017

We generalize a construction of Hitchin to prove that, given any compact Kähler manifold

M
M

with positive holomorphic sectional curvature and any holomorphic vector bundle

E
E

over

M
M

, the projectivized vector bundle

P

(
E
)

{\mathbb P}(E)

admits a Kähler metric with positive holomorphic sectional curvature.
A direct solution to the Generic Point Problem
Authors: Zucker Andy
Published: August 2017

We provide a new proof of a recent theorem of Ben Yaacov, Melleray, and Tsankov. If

G
G

is a Polish group and

X
X

is a minimal, metrizable

G
G

-flow with all orbits meager, then the universal minimal flow

M
(
G
)

M(G)

is nonmetrizable. In particular, we show that given

X
X

as above, the universal highly proximal extension of

X
X

is nonmetrizable.
An application of non-positively curved cubings of alternating links
Authors: Sakuma Makoto , Yokota Yoshiyuki
Published: August 2017

By using non-positively curved cubings of prime alternating link exteriors, we prove that certain ideal triangulations of their complements, derived from reduced alternating diagrams, are non-degenerate, in the sense that none of the edges is homotopic relative its endpoints to a peripheral arc. This guarantees that the hyperbolicity equations for those triangulations for hyperbolic alternating links have solutions corresponding to the complete hyperbolic structures. Since the ideal triangulations considered in this paper are often used in the study of the volume conjecture, this result has a potential application to the volume conjecture.
Participation in decision-making processes of community development agents: a study from Peru
Authors: Quiroz-Niño Catalina , Blanco-Encomienda Francisco J
Published: August 2017

This article argues that although Civil Social Organizations aspire towards a culture of participatory process-driven governance and management, the reality seems far from this aspiration. A culture of participatory processes is understood in this study as working and decisional engagement practices which are part of internal decision-making and action-taking processes from Community Development Agents (CDAs). This brings an ethical dilemma, as these organizations claim to operate upon principles of participation, solidarity, democracy, social justice, human dignity and decent work. Through this study, 506 Peruvian CDAs offered their own analyses about the factors that foster and/or inhibit their participation in specific organizational managerial and professional developmental areas, such as: systemic planning, organization, sustainable management and empowerment. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies was used to gain a comprehensive understanding of the field of study. Dialogical focus groups were applied, by which CDAs themselves identified and deconstructed the inhibiting and facilitating factors. The study echoes CDAs’ aspiration to engage meaningfully with decision-making and action-taking processes as well as creating the participatory mechanisms and processes themselves. In order to do this, CDAs demand an ethical and democratic competence-based training, to empower them to democratize their organizational structures and to counterbalance their daily power relations and dynamics.
Undiagnosed Diabetes Mellitus in Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Jensen Andreas Vestergaard , Faurholt-Jepsen Daniel , Egelund Gertrud Baunbæk , Andersen Stine Bang , Petersen Pelle Trier , Benfield Thomas , Witzenrath Martin , Rohde Gernot , Ravn Pernille ,   for the German Community-Acquired Pneumonia Competence Network (CAPNETZ), Dreher M , Cornelissen C , Knüppel W , Stolz D , Suttorp N , Creutz P , Bauer T , Sabha T , Pankow W , Lies A , Thiemig D , Hauptmeier B , Ewig S , Wehde D , Prediger M , Schmager S , Höffken G , Kolditz M , Schulte-Hubbert B , Langner S , Welte T , Barten G , Abrahamczik M , Naim J , Kröner W , Illig T , Klopp N , Kroegel C , Pletz M , Happe J , Frosinski J , Winning J , Moeser A , Dalhoff K , Dageförde K , Franzen K , Hyzy F , Schmieg H , Parschke P , Thiemann P , Ahrens J , Hardel T , Drijkoningen J , Buschmann H , Kröning R , Schütte H , Schaberg T , Hering I , Kropf-Sanchen C , Illmann T , Wallner M , Burghuber O , Rainer G
Published: August 2017

Background

Diabetes mellitus is an important risk factor for community-acquired pneumonia, whereas the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes mellitus and prediabetes in patients with community-acquired pneumonia is largely unknown. We aimed to determine the prevalence of prediabetes, undiagnosed diabetes mellitus, and risk factors associated with undiagnosed diabetes mellitus in a large European community-acquired pneumonia cohort.

Methods

This was a multicenter prospective cohort study of hospitals and private practices in Germany and Austria encompassing 1961 adults with community-acquired pneumonia included in the German Community-Acquired Pneumonia Competence Network (CAPNETZ) study between 2007 and 2014. The prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes mellitus and prediabetes was estimated based on hemoglobin A1c measurements. Logistic regression was used to assess risk factors for undiagnosed diabetes mellitus.

Results

Fifteen percent of patients had known diabetes mellitus. Among patients without known diabetes mellitus, 5.0% had undiagnosed diabetes mellitus and 37.5% had prediabetes. Male sex (odds ratio [OR], 2.45 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.35–4.45]), body mass index ≥25 kg/m2 (OR, 2.64 [95% CI, 1.48–4.72]), and hyperglycemia at admission (6–11 mM: OR, 2.93 [95% CI, 1.54–5.60] and ≥11 mM: OR, 44.76 [95% CI, 17.58–113.98]) were associated with undiagnosed diabetes mellitus. Patients with undiagnosed diabetes mellitus had a higher 180-day mortality rate compared to patients without diabetes mellitus (12.1% vs 3.8%, respectively; P = .001).

Conclusions

Undiagnosed diabetes mellitus was prevalent among community-acquired pneumonia. Male sex, overweight, and hyperglycemia at admission were associated with undiagnosed diabetes mellitus. The long-term mortality among patients with undiagnosed diabetes mellitus was high compared to patients without diabetes mellitus.
The Corticospinal Reserve Capacity: Reorganization of Motor Area and Excitability As a Novel Pathophysiological Concept in Cervical Myelopathy
Authors: Zdunczyk Anna , Schwarzer Vera , Mikhailov Michael , Bagley Brendon , Rosenstock Tizian , Picht Thomas , Vajkoczy Peter
Published: August 2017

BACKGROUND

In degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), the dynamics of disease progression and the outcome after surgical decompression vary interindividually and do not necessarily correlate with radiological findings.

OBJECTIVE

To improve diagnostic power in DCM by better characterization of the underlying pathophysiology using navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS).

METHODS

Eighteen patients with DCM due to cervical spinal canal stenosis were examined preoperatively with nTMS. On the basis of the initial Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) Score, 2 patient groups were established (JOA ≤12/>12). We determined the resting motor threshold, recruitment curve, cortical silent period, and motor area. Accordingly, 8 healthy subjects were examined.

RESULTS

Although the resting motor threshold was comparable in both groups (P = .578), the corticospinal excitability estimated by the recruitment curve was reduced in patients (P = .022). In patients with only mild symptoms (JOA > 12), a compensatory higher activation of non-primary motor areas was detected (P < .005). In contrast, patients with severe impairment (JOA ≤ 12) showed a higher cortical inhibition (P < .05) and reduced cortical motor area (P < .05) revealing a functional restriction on the cortical level.

CONCLUSION

Based on these results, we propose a new concept for functional compensation for DCM on the cortical and spinal level, ie corticospinal reserve capacity. nTMS is a useful tool to noninvasively characterize the pattern of functional impairment and compensatory reorganization in patients suffering from DCM. The change in nTMS parameters might serve as a valuable prognostic factor in these patients in the future.
Colloidal Suspensions
Authors: Poon Wilson C. K.
Published: August 2017

This article deals with the fundamentals of colloid science, with particular emphasis on the interplay of energy and entropy factors in forming colloidal suspensions. It first considers when a colloidal suspension changes from a liquid at low colloid concentration to various equilibrium, along with metastable (including kinetically arrested) structures at higher concentrations. active driven matter and the selectivity of binding in protein-based colloids. It then discusses a number of key ideas and some recent developments in colloid physics by focusing on the work of Albert Einstein and Jean Perrin. It also explores the physics of entropy, how the liquid state is formed, strategies for tuning colloidal interactions, kinetic arrest and glass transition, and mode coupling theory. Finally, it describes gelation, colloid rheology, concentration effects in colloidal fluids, the rheology of solids, and proteins as ‘a mysterious sort of colloids’.
Cell Cytoskeleton
Authors: Piel Matthieu , Voituriez Raphael
Published: August 2017

This article examines the ‘active’ part of the cell cytoskeleton — which mostly corresponds to actin and tubulin polymers and associated molecular motors — using theoretical tools derived from a soft matter physics coarse-grained approach. It begins with an overview of the cytoskeleton and its components, which include actin filaments and gels, microtubules and specialized microtubule-based organelles, molecular motors, intermediate filaments, the plasma membrane and glycocalix, the cell wall, and the extracellular matrix. It then describes coarse-grained models of the cytoskeleton and gives two examples of models for important cellular functions, namely cell migration and cell polarity. It also proposes a new kind of soft matter model providing a coarse-grained description of cytoskeletal polymers and associated molecular motors.
Elastomers and Rubberlike Elasticity
Authors: Mark James E. , Erman Burak
Published: August 2017

This article focuses on the rubberlike elasticity of elastomers, with particular emphasis on rubberlike materials that exhibit high deformability and recoverability. It begins with a discussion of the variety of practical ways to form and characterize a rubber-elastic network, including random chemical crosslinking, highly specific chemical end-linking, polymerizations with multi-functional monomers, physical aggregation, and crosslinking in solution and in the deformed state. It then considers the effects of network structure on elastomeric properties, along with the results of elasticity experiments regarding the mechanical properties of elastomeric materials. It also examines the evolution of theories of rubber elasticity describes the specific properties of swollen polymer gels where the possibility of solvent exchange leads to some dramatic transformations in the system. Finally, it evaluates new emerging classes of rubber-elastic materials, such as liquid crystalline elastomers, where the internal microstructure added to the random network leads to some unique mechanical properties.
Effect of Single‐Pass and Multipass Milling Systems on Whole Wheat Durum Flour and Whole Wheat Pasta Quality
Authors: Deng Lingzhu , Manthey Frank A.
Published: August 2017

Single‐pass and multipass milling systems were evaluated for the quality of whole wheat durum flour (WWF) and the subsequent whole wheat (WW) spaghetti they produced. The multipass system used a roller mill with two purifiers to produce semolina and bran/germ and shorts (bran fraction). The single‐pass system used an ultracentrifugal mill with two configurations (fine grind, 15,000 rpm with 250 μm mill screen aperture; and coarse grind, 12,000 rpm with 1,000 μm mill screen aperture) to direct grind durum wheat grain into WWF or to regrind the bran fraction, which was blended with semolina to produce a reconstituted WWF. Particle size, starch damage, and pasting properties were similar for direct finely ground WWF and multipass reconstituted durum flour/fine bran blend and for direct coarsely ground WWF and multipass reconstituted semolina/coarse bran blend. The semolina/fine bran blend had low starch damage and had desirable pasting properties for pasta cooking. WW spaghetti was better when made with WWF produced using the multipass than single‐pass milling system. Mechanical strength was greatest with spaghetti made from the semolina/fine bran or durum flour/fine bran blends. The semolina/fine bran and semolina/coarse bran blends made spaghetti with high cooked firmness and low cooking loss.
David Stewart Jenkinson. 25 February 1928 — 16 February 2011
Authors: Powlson David , Brookes Phil
Published: August 2017

David Jenkinson was one of the most influential soil scientists of his generation, bringing new insights into the transformations of organic matter and nitrogen in soil. He spent the majority of his career at Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK. His studies were influential regarding the role of soil carbon stocks in the context of climate change and the role of nitrogen fertilizer in delivering adequate supplies of food for a growing world population. His research encompassed both fundamental studies on soil processes and immensely practical applications of this knowledge, often utilizing the Rothamsted long-term experiments that have run for over 170 years. He is particularly well known for his development of a method for determining the quantity of organic carbon held in the cells of living micro-organisms in soil, termed the ‘soil microbial biomass’. This breakthrough opened the way for a new wave of soil biological research. David developed one of the earliest computer models for the turnover of organic carbon in soil, known as the Rothamsted Carbon Model, RothC. This model, conceptually very simple, has proved highly successful in simulating and predicting changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) content under different management practices worldwide, being used by over 2600 people in 115 countries. His research using the stable isotope of nitrogen,
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N, in large-scale field experiments drew attention to the factors leading to inefficiencies in the use of nitrogen fertilizer but also demonstrated that it is possible to achieve high efficiency if good agricultural management practices are followed. It also demonstrated, more clearly than previously, the great importance of soil organic matter as a source of nitrogen for crops and the role of the soil microbial biomass both in immobilizing a proportion of applied fertilizer nitrogen and also in causing confusion in the interpretation of such experiments. By calculating nitrogen budgets for the Rothamsted long-term experiments he quantified the deposition of nitrogen compounds from atmosphere to land, laying foundations for later studies concerning the ecological and agricultural impacts of this significant input of nitrogen.
The crowns have eyes: Multiple opsins found in the eyes of the Crown-of-Thorns StarfishAcanthaster planciincluding the first r-opsin utilized by a deuterostome eye
Authors: Lowe Elijah K. , Garm Anders , Ullrich-Lüter Esther , Ina Arnone M.
Published: August 2017

Opsins are G protein-coupled receptors used for both visual and non-visual photoreception, and these proteins evolutionarily date back to the base of the bilaterians. In the current sequencing age, phylogenomic analysis has proven to be a powerful tool, facilitating the increase in knowledge about diversity within the opsin subclasses and, so far, nine paralogs have been identified. Within echinoderms, opsins have been studied in Echinoidea and Ophiuroidea, which do not possess proper image forming eyes, but rather widely dispersed dermal photoreceptors. However, most species of Asteroidea, the starfish, possess true eyes and studying them will shed light on the diversity of opsin usage within echinoderms and help resolve the evolutionary history of opsins. Using high-throughput RNA sequencing, we have sequenced and analyzed the transcriptomes of differentAcanthaster plancitissue samples: eyes, radial nerve, tube feet and a mixture of tissues from other organs. At least ten opsins were identified, and eight of them were found significantly differentially expressed in both eyes and radial nerve, providing new important insight into the involvement of opsins in visual and nonvisual photoreception. Of relevance, we found the first evidence of an r-opsin photopigment expressed in a well developed visual eye in a deuterostome animal.
MERS-CoV NSP16 necessary for IFN resistance and viral pathogenesis
Authors: Menachery Vineet D. , Gralinski Lisa E. , Mitchell Hugh D. , Dinnon Kenneth H. , Leist Sarah R. , Yount Boyd L. , Graham Rachel L. , McAnarney Eileen T. , Stratton Kelly G. , Cockrell Adam S. , Debbink Kari , Sims Amy C. , Waters Katrina M. , Baric Ralph S.
Published: August 2017

Coronaviruses encode a mix of highly conserved and novel genes as well as genetic elements necessary for infection and pathogenesis, raising the possibility for common targets for attenuation and therapeutic design. In this study, we focus on the highly conserved nonstructural protein (NSP) 16, a viral 2’O methyl-transferase (MTase) that encodes critical functions in immune modulation and infection. Using reverse genetics, we disrupted a key motif in the conserved KDKE motif of MERS NSP16 (D130A) and evaluated the effect on viral infection and pathogenesis. While the absence of 2’O MTase activity had only marginal impact on propagation and replication in Vero cells, the MERS dNSP16 mutant demonstrated significant attenuation relative to control both in primary human airway cultures andin vivo.Further examination indicated the MERS dNSP16 mutant had a type I IFN based attenuation and was partially restored in the absence of IFIT molecules. Importantly, the robust attenuation permitted use of MERS dNSP16 as a live attenuated vaccine platform protecting from challenge with a mouse adapted MERS-CoV strain. These studies demonstrate the importance of the conserved 2’O MTase activity for CoV pathogenesis and highlight NSP16 as a conserved universal target for rapid live attenuated vaccine design in an expanding CoV outbreak setting.

Significance

Coronavirus emergence in both human and livestock represents a significant threat to global public health, as evidenced by the sudden emergence of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, PEDV and swine delta coronavirus in the 21stcentury. These studies describe an approach that effectively targets the highly conserved 2’O methyl-transferase activity of coronaviruses for attenuation. With clear understanding of the IFN/IFIT based mechanism, NSP16 mutants provide a suitable target for a live attenuated vaccine platform as well as therapeutic development for both current and future emergent CoV strains. Importantly, other approaches targeting other conserved pan-coronavirus functions have not yet proven effective against MERS-CoV, illustrating the broad applicability of targeting viral 2’O MTase function across coronaviruses.
Effects of mutation and selection on plasticity ofTDH3promoter activity inSaccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Duveau Fabien , Yuan David C. , Metzger Brian P.H. , Hodgins-Davis Andrea , Wittkopp Patricia J.
Published: August 2017

Phenotypic plasticity is an evolvable property of biological systems that can arise from environment-specific regulation of gene expression. To better understand the evolutionary and molecular mechanisms that give rise to plasticity in gene expression, we quantified the effects of 235 single nucleotide mutations in theSaccharomyces cerevisiae TDH3promoter (PTDH3) on the activity of this promoter in media containing glucose, galactose, or glycerol as a carbon source. We found that the distributions of mutational effects differed among environments because many mutations altered the plastic response exhibited by the wild type allele. Comparing the effects of these mutations to the effects of 30PTDH3polymorphisms on expression plasticity in the same environments provided evidence of natural selection acting to prevent the plastic response inPTDH3activity between glucose and galactose from becoming larger. The largest changes in expression plasticity were observed between fermentable (glucose or galactose) and nonfermentable (glycerol) carbon sources and were caused by mutations located in the RAP1 and GCR1 transcription factor binding sites. Mutations altered expression plasticity most frequently between the two fermentable environments, however, with mutations causing significant changes in plasticity between glucose and galactose distributed throughout the promoter, suggesting they might affect chromatin structure. Taken together, these results provide insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying gene-by-environment interactions affecting gene expression as well as the evolutionary dynamics affecting natural variation in plasticity of gene expression.

Significance Statement

From seasonal variation in the color of butterfly wings to trees bending toward the light, organisms often change in response to their environment. These changes, known as phenotypic plasticity, can result from differences in how genes are expressed among environments. Mutations causing environment-specific changes in gene expression provide raw material for phenotypic plasticity, but their frequency, effect size and direction of effects among environments are not well understood. This study shows that mutations in the promoter of a yeast metabolic gene often display environment-dependent effects on gene expression and that these environment-dependent effects have been shaped by selection in natural populations.