bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adhesion G‐protein coupled receptor 56 is required for 3T3‐L1 adipogenesis
Authors: Al Hasan Mohammad , Roy Poornima , Dolan Sharron , Martin Patricia E. , Patterson Steven , Bartholomew Chris
Published: July 2019

Obesity‐associated conditions represent major global health and financial burdens and understanding processes regulating adipogenesis could lead to novel intervention strategies. This study shows that adhesion G‐protein coupled receptor 56 (GPR56) gene transcripts are reduced in abdominal visceral white adipose tissue derived from obese Zucker rats versus lean controls. Immunostaining in 3T3‐L1 preadipocytes reveals both mitotic cell restricted surface and low level general expression patterns of Gpr56. Gpr56 transcripts are differentially expressed in 3T3‐L1 cells during adipogenesis. Transient knockdown (KD) of Gpr56 in 3T3‐L1 cells dramatically inhibits differentiation through reducing the accumulation of both neutral cellular lipids (56%) and production of established adipogenesis Pparγ
2 (60–80%), C/ebpα (40–78%) mediator, and Ap2 (56–80%) marker proteins. Furthermore, genome editing of Gpr56 in 3T3‐L1 cells created CW2.2.4 and RM4.2.5.5 clones (Gpr56
−/− cells) with compound heterozygous deletion frameshift mutations which abolish adipogenesis. Genome edited cells have sustained levels of the adipogenesis inhibitor β‐catenin, reduced proliferation, reduced adhesion, altered profiles, and or abundance of extracellular matrix component gene transcripts for fibronectin, types I, III, and IV collagens and loss of actin stress fibers. β‐catenin KD alone is insufficient to restore adipogenesis in Gpr56
−/− cells. Together these data show that Gpr56 is required for adipogenesis in 3T3‐L1 cells. This report is the first demonstration that Gpr56 participates in regulation of the adipogenesis developmental program. Modulation of the levels of this protein and/or its biological activity may represent a novel target for development of therapeutic agents for the treatment of obesity.
Towards a comprehensive understanding of the contributions of mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of Huntington's disease
Authors: Tobore Tobore Onojighofia
Published: July 2019

Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder affecting the corticostriatal area of the brain. HD is driven by elongated cytosine–adenine–guanine (CAG) repeat (36 repeats or more) on the short arm of chromosome 4p16.3 in the Huntingtin gene (HTTg) which encode the huntingtin protein (HTT). Although the polyglutamine expansion within HTT is the causative factor in the pathogenesis of HD, the underlying mechanisms that provoke this expansion and the resulting neurodegeneration and clinical symptoms are not fully understood. In this paper, the critical role played by mitochondria dysfunction and oxidative stress in HTT expansion, HD progression, and clinical symptoms are elucidated. Their interactions with the key factors in the disease, as well as treatment strategies, are discussed.
Acute Changes in NADPH Oxidase 4 in Early Post‐Traumatic Osteoarthritis
Authors: Wegner Adam M. , Campos Nestor R. , Robbins Michael A. , Haddad Andrew F. , Cunningham Hailey C. , Yik Jasper H. N. , Christiansen Blaine A. , Haudenschild Dominik R.
Published: July 2019

Knee injuries cause structural damage and acute inflammation that initiates the development of post‐traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4), a member of a family of enzymes that generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), plays a pivotal role in normal development of the musculoskeletal system, but may increase ROS production to harmful levels after joint injury. The role of ROS in both normal joint homeostasis and injury is poorly understood, but inhibition of excessive ROS production by Nox4 after joint injury could be protective to the joint, decreasing oxidative stress, and initiation of PTOA. Knee injuries were simulated using inflammatory cytokines in cultured primary human chondrocytes and a non‐invasive mouse model of PTOA in C57BL/6N and Nox4 knockout mice. There is an acute decrease in Nox4 activity within 24 h after injury in both systems, followed by a subsequent sustained low‐level increase, a novel finding not seen in any other system. Inhibition of Nox4 activity by GKT137831 was protective against early structural changes after non‐invasive knee injury in a mouse model. Nox4 knockout mice had significant differences in structural and mechanical properties of bone, providing further evidence for the role of Nox4 in development of joint tissues and biochemical response after joint injury. Nox4 plays a significant role in the acute phase after joint injury, and targeted inhibition of inflammation caused by Nox4 may be protective against early joint changes in the pathogenesis of PTOA. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 37:2429–2436, 2019
Influence of dryingvs. freezing of archived soil samples on soil organic matter fractions
Authors: Kühnel Anna , Wiesmeier Martin , Spörlein Peter , Schilling Bernd , Kögel-Knabner Ingrid
Published: July 2019

Archived soil samples are a valuable tool for any long‐term soil research. We analysed total carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) content and soil organic matter fractions in 38 archived soil samples that were stored for up to 21 years and compared air‐dried storage to frozen storage conditions. Samples include top‐ and upper subsoils, different soil texture and land use with C contents between 4.3 and 174 mg g−1.

The results from this study reveal no changes in total C and N contents with storage time up to 21 years or type of storage (freezingvs. air drying). The analyses of soil physical fractions also revealed no significant differences between air‐dried stored and frozen stored samples for most samples. However, we found indications, that freezing of soil material might lead to changes in the mineral fractions for soils containing high amounts of water. Therefore, and as archiving soils in a frozen state is more expensive than storing air‐dried samples, we recommend the use of air‐dried samples for C quality analyses of archived soil samples.
Air pollution and tourism demand: A case study of Beijing, China
Authors: Zhou Xiaoge , Santana Jiménez Yolanda , Pérez Rodríguez Jorge V. , Hernández Juan María
Published: July 2019

This paper analyses the relationship between air pollution and tourism demand in Beijing. The study method is based on a gravity model, in which air quality variables are incorporated into the model of tourism demand. The results obtained show that air pollution has a negative influence on tourism flows and that this effect is more pronounced for inbound than for domestic tourism. The findings also show that a simple index such as the classification of good and bad air‐quality days is a good representation of the air pollution factors taken into account by tourists in their travel decision.
PWM‐Driven Thermally Tunable Silicon Microring Resonators: Design, Fabrication, and Characterization
Authors: Pintus Paolo , Hofbauer Michael , Manganelli Costanza L. , Fournier Maryse , Gundavarapu Sarat , Lemonnier Olivier , Gambini Fabrizio , Adelmini Laetitia , Meinhart Carl , Kopp Christophe , Testa Francesco , Zimmermann Horst , Oton Claudio J.
Published: July 2019

Ring resonators are one of the fundamental building blocks of advanced integrated optical circuits. They find applications as nonlinear optical elements, filters, sensors, and switches among others. Here, a comprehensive optimization framework and experimental results of thermally tunable microring resonators in silicon photonics is presented, with a focus on standard silicon photonic foundry processes. In order to minimize the total power consumption, the ring resonators are tuned by applying a pulse‐width‐modulated electrical signal to the heaters. The thermal performance of integrated silicon and metal heaters are investigated and compared using an effective model validated by the measurement results. The heater power consumption is minimized by optimizing heater cross section, resistance, and metal contact configurations. Using the multiproject wafer run developed at CEA‐LETI, it is demonstrated that a metal heater provides 30% lower power consumption compared to an integrated silicon one, reaching a power consumption of 27.53 mW per free spectral range. The measurements are in excellent agreement with the theoretically predicted thermal performance, with a deviation as low as 5%. The proposed framework, supported by the experimental results, will serve as a design guideline set that can be easily adapted for other thermo‐optic switches in future silicon photonic applications.
All‐Dielectric Layered Photonic Topological Insulators
Authors: Chen Xiao‐Dong , He Xin‐Tao , Dong Jian‐Wen
Published: July 2019

The recent realization of photonic topological insulators has brought the discovery of fundamentally new states of light and revolutionary applications such as nonreciprocal devices for photonic diodes and robust waveguides for light routing. The spatially distinguished layer pseudospin has attracted attention in two‐dimensional electronic materials but it is yet to be discovered in topological photonic structures. Here, all‐dielectric layered photonic topological insulators based on bilayer photonic crystal slabs are reported. The introduction of layer pseudospin offers more dispersion engineering capability, leading to the layer‐polarized and layer‐mixed photonic topological insulators. Their phase transition is demonstrated with a model Hamiltonian by considering the nonzero interlayer coupling. Layer‐direction locking behavior of layer‐polarized photonic topological insulators results in the selective light refraction. High transmission is observed in the bilayer domain wall between two layer‐mixed photonic topological insulators, even when a large defect is introduced. Layered photonic topological insulators not only offer a route toward the observation of richer nontrivial phases, but also open a way for device applications in integrated photonics and information processing by using the additional layer pseudospin.
Chain Engineering of Benzodifuran‐Based Wide‐Bandgap Polymers for Efficient Non‐Fullerene Polymer Solar Cells
Authors: Zhu Ruoxi , Wang Zhen , Gao Yueyue , Zheng Zhi , Guo Fengyun , Gao Shiyong , Lu Kun , Zhao Liancheng , Zhang Yong
Published: July 2019

Two novel benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′ ]difuran (BDF)‐based wide‐bandgap polymers, PBDFT‐FBz and PBDFF‐FBz, featuring a difluorobenzotriazole (FBz) acceptor unit, are designed and synthesized. The first attempt through main‐chain engineering to alter thiophene units to furan units in the main chain of PBDFT‐FBz, and further side‐chain engineering eliminate the 2‐ethylthiophenyl side chains of PBDFT‐FBz by 2‐ethylfuryl side chains to generate the “all‐furan” polymer PBDFF‐FBz. By taking the benefit of the oxygen atom in furan, both PBDFT‐FBz and PBDFF‐FBz exhibit lower HOMO energy levels and enhanced polymer chain interactions compared to their benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′ ]dithiophene (BDT)‐based counterparts. As a result, while applying both polymers in non‐fullerene polymer solar cells with non‐fullerene acceptor m‐ITIC, both devices exhibit highly promising photovoltaic performance. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) in the PBDFT‐FBz device reaches 7.57% with increased open circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF) compared to the PCE of 5.98% in its BDT counterpart (J52). A further increased PCE is obtained (8.79%) in the PBDFF‐FBz:m‐ITIC device, which shows ≈47% enhancement in device performance compared to that of J52. The large increase in photovoltaic performance is attributed to the lower‐lying HOMO energy levels and better chain interactions in these BDF‐based polymers.
Identification and analysis of genes associated with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by integrated bioinformatics methods
Authors: Jin Yu , Yang Ya
Published: July 2019

Background

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, exhibiting high morbidity and mortality. The prognosis of HNSCC patients has remained poor, though considerable efforts have been made to improve the treatment of this cancer. Therefore, identifying significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in HNSCC progression and exploiting them as novel biomarkers or potential therapeutic targets for HNSCC is highly valuable.

Methods

Overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened out from three independent gene expression omnibus (GEO) datasets and subjected to GO and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathway enrichment analyses. The protein–protein interactions network of DEGs was constructed in the STRING database, and the top ten hub genes were selected using cytoHubba. The relative expression of hub genes was detected in GEPIA, Oncomine, and human protein atlas (HPA) databases. Furthermore, the relationship of hub genes with the overall survival and disease‐free survival in HNSCC patients was investigated using the cancer genome atlas data.

Results

The top ten hub genes (SPP1, POSTN, COL1A2, FN1, IGFBP3, APP, MMP3, MMP13, CXCL8, and CXCL12) could be utilized as potential diagnostic indicators for HNSCC. The relative levels of FN1, APP, SPP1, and POSTN could be associated with the prognosis of HNSCC patients. The mRNA expression of APP and COL1A2 was validated in HNSCC samples.

Conclusion

This study identified effective and reliable molecular biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis by integrated bioinformatics analysis, suggesting novel and essential therapeutic targets for HNSCC.
A self‐supervised strategy for fully automatic segmentation of renal dynamic contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance images
Authors: Huang Wenjian , Li Hao , Wang Rui , Zhang Xiaodong , Wang Xiaoying , Zhang Jue
Published: July 2019

Purpose

An automated accurate segmentation for dynamic contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance (DCE‐MR) image sequences is essential for quantification of renal function. A self‐supervised strategy is proposed for fully automatic segmentation of the renal DCE‐MR images without using manually labeled data.

Methods

The proposed strategy employed both temporal and spatial information of the DCE‐MR image sequences. First, the kidney area, the seed regions of the cortex, the medulla, and the pelvis were automatically detected in the spatial domain. Subsequently, all the pixels in the kidney were automatically labeled as the cortex, the medulla, or the pelvis based on their time–intensity signal and spatial position using a supervised classifier. The feasibility of the proposed strategy was verified on a dataset of renal DCE‐MR images of 14 subjects without history of kidney diseases. Furthermore, the self‐supervised strategy and the commonly used traditional unsupervised method were quantitatively compared with a reference manual segmentation by an experienced radiologist, using similarity indexes.

Results

The average Dice coefficient (ADC) for the segmentations of the proposed self‐supervised method is 0.92 using a ransom walker model as the classifier or 0.86 using a K‐nearest neighbor model as the classifier. The ADC of the Kmeans‐based unsupervised methods with three and six clusters were 0.65 and 0.79, respectively. The Dice coefficients of the self‐supervised method were remarkably higher than that of the unsupervised method (one‐tailed paired‐sample t‐test, P‐values <10−3).

Conclusions

The results indicate that the proposed self‐supervised approach yields a satisfactory similarity with the reference manual segmentation. Compared with the traditional unsupervised clustering method, the new strategy does not require manual intervention during the segmentation process and achieves better results for the segmentation of renal DCE‐MR images.
NEK5 regulates cell cycle progression during mouse oocyte maturation and preimplantation embryonic development
Authors: Li Yuan‐Yuan , Guo Lei , Li Hui , Li Jian , Dong Feng , Yi Zi‐Yun , Ouyang Ying‐Chun , Hou Yi , Wang Zhen‐Bo , Sun Qing‐Yuan , Lu Sheng‐Sheng , Han Zhiming
Published: July 2019

NEK5, a member of never in mitosis‐gene A‐related protein kinase, is involved in the regulation of centrosome integrity and centrosome cohesion at mitosis in somatic cells. In this study, we investigated the expression and function of NEK5 during mouse oocyte maturation and preimplantation embryonic development. The results showed that NEK5 was expressed from germinal vesicle (GV) to metaphase II (MII) stages during oocyte maturation with the highest level of expression at the GV stage. It was shown that NEK5 localized in the cytoplasm of oocytes at GV stage, concentrated around chromosomes at germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) stage, and localized to the entire spindle at prometaphase I, MI and MII stages. The small interfering RNA‐mediated depletion of Nek5 significantly increased the phosphorylation level of cyclin‐dependent kinase 1 in oocytes, resulting in a decrease of maturation‐promoting factor activity, and severely impaired GVBD. The failure of meiotic resumption caused by Nek5 depletion could be rescued by the depletion of Wee1B. We found that Nek5 depletion did not affect CDC25B translocation into the GV. We also found that NEK5 was expressed from 1‐cell to blastocyst stages with the highest expression at the blastocyst stage, and Nek5 depletion severely impaired preimplantation embryonic development. This study demonstrated for the first time that NEK5 plays important roles during meiotic G2/M transition and preimplantation embryonic development.
Use of Natural and Added Cover Types by Game and Nongame Fishes in a Great Plains River
Authors: Dugan Jessica A. , Rahel Frank J.
Published: July 2019

The rivers in the western Great Plains of the United States are characterized by low gradients, sandy substrates, and a relative scarcity of structural habitat. Habitat improvement projects in these systems often involve the addition of large wood and rock riprap to increase habitat for nonnative game fishes, such as piscivorous Brown Trout Salmo trutta. However, little is known about the use of added habitats by the small-bodied nongame fishes that historically dominated the fish assemblages in these systems. We evaluated habitat availability and fish habitat use in the Laramie River (Wyoming, USA) at four sites that contained natural and added habitats. We calculated habitat selection for three natural cover types (natural wood, macrophytes, and undercut bank), two added cover types (added wood and rock riprap), and open water. Open-water habitat dominated all sites (87–94% of the stream area), but all species except Johnny Darter Etheostoma nigrum showed negative selection for this cover type. Most species showed positive selection for both natural and added cover types but showed greater selectivity for natural wood compared to added wood. Native, small-bodied fishes in the Laramie River used added cover types intended to benefit populations of Brown Trout. Thus, features that enhance habitat for Brown Trout also should benefit native species in Great Plains rivers that have limited natural structural habitat.
Expression of carcinoma, apoptosis, and cell‐death–related genes are determinants for sensitivity of pediatric cancer cell lines to lysis by natural killer cells
Authors: Ray Anish K. , Somanchi Srinivas S. , Dastgheyb Neda , Aquino‐Lopez Arianexys , Cobanoglu Zehra E. , Geier Brian , Lee Dean A.
Published: July 2019

Natural killer (NK) cells have potential utility in pediatric cancer immunotherapy for their ability to lyse diverse tumor targets, lack of dependence on mutation‐associated tumor antigens, and for their relative safety demonstrated so far in clinical trials. Here, we evaluate the cytotoxic potential of expanded NK cells against a well‐characterized panel of pediatric cancer cell lines representing Ewing sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, neuroblastoma, lymphoma, leukemia, and brain tumors. We correlate their sensitivity NK cell lysis with tumor phenotypic, transcriptomic, and genetic determinants, and correlate known immunogenetic determinants with donor NK cell potency. Although ligand expression on cell lines stratified according to hematologic versus nonhematologic cancer types, the sensitivity to NK cell lysis varied widely and did not correlate with cancer type, expression of individual activating or inhibitory ligands, gene‐expression clusters of NK cell ligands, disease status (newly diagnosed or relapsed), or MYCN amplification. Rather, sensitivity to NK cell–mediated lysis was associated with a novel 96‐gene cluster of predominantly carcinoma‐, apoptosis‐, and cell death–related pathways, and with functional p53 status. NK cell potency was strongly associated with activating KIR gene content, but not with KIR/KIR‐ligand mismatch. This study suggests that adoptive immunotherapy with expanded NK cells has the potential for a wide range of pediatric cancers, identifies potential biomarkers of efficacy and response, and establishes a foundation for using this cell line panel for the preclinical evaluation of immunotherapies.
New technological approaches for recovering bioactive food constituents from sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) stems
Authors: Nastić Nataša , Lozano‐Sánchez Jesús , Borrás‐Linares Isabel , Švarc‐Gajić Jaroslava , Segura‐Carretero Antonio
Published: July 2019

Introduction

In recent years, an increasing interest in biological properties of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) stems has resulted in increased attention for advanced extraction techniques and their optimisation.

Objectives

In the present study chemical profiles of P. avium stems extracts obtained by selected emerging technologies, such as pressurised liquid extraction (PLE) and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), under different experimental conditions were compared.

Material and Methods

All SFEs were carried out at 40°C in a dynamic mode with different solvent combinations (CO2 plus ethanol at 7 and 15%) and pressures (150 and 300 bar). The PLE experiments were performed in a static mode for all tested combinations of extraction solvent (ethanol–water from 0% to 100%) at temperatures ranging from 40 to 200°C. A complete analytical characterisation of cherry stem extracts was performed by high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionisation quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (HPLC‐ESI‐QTOF‐MS).

Results

PLE showed to be more efficient than SFE removing a wide variety of compounds with different polarities being phenols the most abundant, whereas SFE resulted in a higher amount of fatty acids and derivatives. Chemical characterisation of the extracts was carried out by HPLC‐ESI‐QTOF‐MS yielding in total 42 identified compounds, among which 22 compounds were identified in P. avium stems for the first time.

Conclusion

These results point out the possibility of sweet cherry stem extracts to be incorporated in formulations manufactured by food and pharmaceutical industry. Also, these new thermal and high‐pressure industrial technologies proved to be promising candidates in the valorisation of sweet cherry by‐product.
Placental MRI and its application to fetal intervention
Authors: Aughwane Rosalind , Ingram Emma , Johnstone Edward D. , Salomon Laurent J. , David Anna L. , Melbourne Andrew
Published: July 2019

Objective

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of placental invasion has been part of clinical practice for many years. The possibility of being better able to assess placental vascularization and function using MRI has multiple potential applications. This review summarises up‐to‐date research on placental function using different MRI modalities.

Method

We discuss how combinations of these MRI techniques have much to contribute to fetal conditions amenable for therapy such as singletons at high risk for fetal growth restriction (FGR) and monochorionic twin pregnancies for planning surgery and counselling for selective growth restriction and transfusion conditions.

Results

The whole placenta can easily be visualized on MRI, with a clear boundary against the amniotic fluid, and a less clear placental‐uterine boundary. Contrasts such as diffusion weighted imaging, relaxometry, blood oxygenation level dependent MRI and flow and metabolite measurement by dynamic contrast enhanced MRI, arterial spin labeling, or spectroscopic techniques are contributing to our wider understanding of placental function.

Conclusion

The future of placental MRI is exciting, with the increasing availability of multiple contrasts and new models that will boost the capability of MRI to measure oxygen saturation and placental exchange, enabling examination of placental function in complicated pregnancies.
From treetops to tabletops: a preliminary investigation of how plants are represented in popular modern board games
Authors: Friedersdorff Jessica C. A. , Thomas Benjamin J. , Hay Hannah R. , Freeth‐Thomas Brodie A. , Creevey Christopher J.
Published: July 2019

Societal Impact Statement

Plants have been elements in games throughout history. In an era where “digital pushback” is becoming more common, the impressions that representations of plants in board games have on an audience is not to be overlooked. By acknowledging the importance, beauty and history of the botanic world and its considerable impact on the daily lives of human beings connected to it, modern board games may offer an entertainment route towards awareness as well as an educational resource to challenge plant blindness.

Summary

Plant blindness is the inability to appreciate plants in one's own environment, in the biosphere as a whole and their relationship to human affairs. Here, we discuss a community of interests in which we suggest that an appreciation of plants is vital for success: namely the world of modern board gaming. We present a classification system for the presentation of plants in the 500 most popular modern board games, where games are categorised based on their complexity, and representation and portrayal of plants. This initial mapping exercise defines a potential scope for the future analysis of how modern board games may offer a novel and interactive entertainment mechanism to challenge plant blindness and a framework for future analysis work in this area.
Structures of single‐layer β‐sheet proteins evolved from β‐hairpin repeats
Authors: Xu Qingping , Biancalana Matthew , Grant Joanna C. , Chiu Hsiu‐Ju , Jaroszewski Lukasz , Knuth Mark W. , Lesley Scott A. , Godzik Adam , Elsliger Marc‐André , Deacon Ashley M. , Wilson Ian A.
Published: July 2019

Free‐standing single‐layer β‐sheets are extremely rare in naturally occurring proteins, even though β‐sheet motifs are ubiquitous. Here we report the crystal structures of three homologous, single‐layer, anti‐parallel β‐sheet proteins, comprised of three or four twisted β‐hairpin repeats. The structures reveal that, in addition to the hydrogen bond network characteristic of β‐sheets, additional hydrophobic interactions mediated by small clusters of residues adjacent to the turns likely play a significant role in the structural stability and compensate for the lack of a compact hydrophobic core. These structures enabled identification of a family of secreted proteins that are broadly distributed in bacteria from the human gut microbiome and are putatively involved in the metabolism of complex carbohydrates. A conserved surface patch, rich in solvent‐exposed tyrosine residues, was identified on the concave surface of the β‐sheet. These new modular single‐layer β‐sheet proteins may serve as a new model system for studying folding and design of β‐rich proteins.
Electron‐ and X‐Ray Spectroscopies of Organic Charge‐Transfer Complexes
Authors: Medjanik Katerina , Elmers Hans‐Joachim , Schönhense Gerd , Pouget Jean‐Paul , Valenti Roser , Lang Michael
Published: July 2019

Recent work aiming at a deeper understanding of the electronic properties of classical and novel charge‐transfer (CT) complexes is reviewed herein. From a variety of studied CT salts, the prototypical examples TTF‐TCNQ, (TMTTF)2SbF6, (TMTSF)2PF6, and TMP/HMP‐TCNQ have been selected. Three different types of electron and X‐ray spectroscopies were applied, namely ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), hard X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES), and near‐edge X‐ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. Using UPS, the development of the valence band structure during co‐deposition of the donor and acceptor moieties TMP/HMP and TCNQ has been studied. The spectra reveal characteristic level shifts and a strong reduction of the HOMO–LUMO gap upon formation of the complex. HAXPES probes the core levels and reveals characteristic shifts of the binding energies in (TMTTF)2SbF6 at the phase transition to the low‐temperature charge‐ordered state. NEXAFS is a local, element‐specific probe for the unoccupied bands above the Fermi level and reveals changes in the population of specific orbitals when the CT complex is formed. As an outlook, the novel method of photoelectron momentum microscopy is presented, giving access to the valence bands and core‐levels and in particular to high‐resolution X‐ray photoelectron diffraction patterns.
Evaluation of turbulence parametrizations in convective clouds and their environment based on a large‐eddy simulation
Authors: Strauss Clément , Ricard Didier , Lac Christine , Verrelle Antoine
Published: July 2019

The representation of deep convective clouds by convection‐permitting models could be improved by parametrizing the subgrid turbulent fluxes better. Following the work of Verrelle et al., a large‐eddy simulation (LES) of a population of convective clouds at 50‐m grid spacing was explored during the cloud life cycle to characterize the second‐order moment turbulent fluxes. The reference turbulence fields were deduced by coarse‐graining the LES outputs at horizontal grid resolutions of 500 m and 1 and 2 km. The ability of three parametrizations—the traditional K‐gradient model of Cuxart et al. (CBR), the Smagorinsky formulation, and the Moeng approach (MOENG) based on the horizontal gradients of the resolved variables—to reproduce the thermodynamical and dynamical fluxes was assessed in an offline configuration via a comparison with the reference fields. MOENG was the most appropriate scheme to represent the vertical and horizontal heat fluxes at all grid spacings in the clouds and their environment over the entire cloud life cycle, including the appropriate representation of countergradient areas. It also represented the vertical and horizontal moisture fluxes at 1‐km and 500‐m grid spacings best, while its advantage was reduced at a grid spacing of 2 km, as CBR performed slightly better for the statistical scores. MOENG was also able to represent the dynamical covariances well at grid spacings of 1 km and 500 m, even though the statistical scores were not as good as those obtained for the thermodynamical fluxes. The dynamical variances were well represented by CBR; however, for this offline evaluation, the subgrid turbulent kinetic energy, present in CBR formulations, is computed directly from the LES outputs, giving CBR an advantage over the two other diagnosed parametrizations. Also, the reference fluxes revealed an anisotropic deformation of turbulence throughout the troposphere, which was only captured by MOENG.
What global reanalysis best represents near‐surface winds?
Authors: Ramon Jaume , Lledó Llorenç , Torralba Verónica , Soret Albert , Doblas‐Reyes Francisco J.
Published: July 2019

Since global reanalysis datasets first appeared in the 1990s, they have become an essential tool to understand the climate of the past. The wind power industry uses those products extensively for wind resource assessment, while several climate services for energy rely on them as well. Nowadays various datasets coexist, which complicates the selection of the most suitable source for each purpose. In an effort to identify the products that best represent the wind speed features at turbine hub heights, five state‐of‐the‐art global reanalyses have been analysed: ERA5, ERA‐Interim, the Japanese 55‐year Reanalysis (JRA55), the Modern Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications‐2 (MERRA2), and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Reanalysis 1 (R1). A multi‐reanalysis ensemble approach is used to explore the main differences amongst these datasets in terms of surface wind characteristics. Then, the quality of the surface and near‐surface winds is evaluated with a set of 77 instrumented tall towers. Results reveal that important discrepancies exist in terms of boreal winter seasonal means, interannual variability (IAV), and decadal linear trends. The differences in the computation of these parameters, which are mainly concentrated inland, reach up to the order of magnitude of the parameters themselves. Comparison with in situ observations shows that the ERA5 surface winds offer the best agreement, correlating and reproducing the observed variability better than a multi‐reanalysis mean in 35.1% of the tall tower sites on a daily time‐scale. However, none of the reanalyses stands out from the others when comparing seasonal mean winds. Regarding the IAV, near‐surface winds from ERA5 offer the values closest to the observed IAV.
Appropriate Governance Responses to Infectious Disease Threats: Developing Working Hypotheses
Authors: Kenis Patrick , Schol Lianne G. C. , Kraaij‐Dirkzwager Marleen M. , Timen Aura
Published: July 2019

Infectious diseases remain a threat to public health in today's interconnected world. There is an ongoing debate on how responses to threats of infectious diseases can best be coordinated, and the field remains nascent in understanding which specific structural governance arrangement will perform best. The present paper contributes to this discussion by demonstrating that it is possible to develop working hypotheses specifying the relationship between the type of infectious disease crisis and type of response to the crisis. For type of crises and type of response mechanisms there is still a lack of research, but the hypothesis combining these two provide a perspective for a future research and action agenda. It certainly prevents us from choosing between schism or hypes when it comes to crisis response. It provides instruments to realize that no single type of response is the most effective and that not all responses are equally effective in a concrete case.
Microencapsulation of Stearic Acid into Strontium Titanate Shell by Sol‐Gel Approach for Thermal Energy Storage
Authors: Subramanian Arunachalam , Appukuttan Sreekumar
Published: July 2019

Microencapsulation of phase change material (PCM), stearic acid (SA) into strontium titanate (SrTiO3) shell was generated by means of sol‐gel approach using strontium nitrate and titanium tetraisopropoxide as precursors. The influence of core‐to‐shell ratio (stearic acid‐to‐strontium nitrate) was investigated on encapsulation ratio, stability and encapsulation efficiency in detail. It turned out that a maximum encapsulation efficiency of 41% and encapsulation ratio of 39% were resulted for the (1:2) ratio microencapsulated PCM. The TGA data confirmed that the fabricated MEPCMs degraded in two steps with less weight loss (78%) compared to pristine SA (99.76%). The cycling stability test recorded after 500 melting/solidification cycles revealed that the developed microcapsules retained excellent thermal stability. Detailed preparation of MEPCM and its analytical as well as thermal characterizations are presented.
The Investigation of a Multi‐Functional Peptide as Gelator, Dyes Separation Agent and Metal Ions Adsorbent
Authors: Li Zhenghao , Cui Chunling , Zhang Zongzheng , Meng Xiangxin , Yan Qianlong , Ouyang Jiahui , Xu Wenlong , Niu Yuzhong , Zhang Shaohua
Published: July 2019

A multi‐functional peptide molecule was rational designed to use as gelator, dyes separation agent and metal ions adsorbent. The peptide molecule consists of phenylalanine‐phenylalanine‐alanine‐cysteine‐aspartic acid with a protective group of acetyl, simplified as Ac‐FFACD‐OH. FF is the critical composition of gelator and contributes to the formation of gels in a range of pH values from 1.0 to 6.0. The application as drug delivery system (DDS) of gels was tested by encapsulating DOX without destroying the gel structure. The in vitro release behaviors were investigated at different pH, showing a rapid release at pH 5.5 while a slow release at pH 7.4. Among all the amino acids, D is one of the only two acidic amino acids, which can bring acidity and electronegativity to peptide molecules. The electrostatic attraction makes the peptide to be a good adsorption agent for cationic dyes and repulsive towards anionic dyes. Adsorption experiments show that the adsorption efficiency is higher than 90% for cationic dyes and lower than 25% for anionic dyes. In a separation experiment, about 60% of the anionic dyes can be separated from the mixed dyes. Metal ions are also adsorbed with high adsorption efficiency of > 99% for Fe3+ and > 95% for Cu2+. The multi‐functions of the peptide molecule will provide theoretical basis and practical application for the goal‐directed design of peptide molecule structures.
Effects of N‐Substitution on the Property of Acridone
Authors: Liu Renfei , Gao Hongshuai , Zhou Leyong , Ji Yongxin , Zhang Gang
Published: July 2019

A variety of N‐substituted acridone derivatives were synthesized to make a comparison of their properties according to the number of acridone unit and the nature of substituent. The spectroscopic and electrochemical investigations show that the properties of N‐substituted acridone derivatives are substituent‐dependent. With benzene, biphenyl, fluorene and carbazole as linkers, the acridone derivatives demonstrate the properties of acridone itself due to a very weak intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) between acridone and the linker. However, significant ICT process is observed when the electron withdrawing groups are involved to form the donor–acceptor systems with acridone as the electron donating groups, which is different from the previously reported results of which acridone is usually used as an electron acceptor. Moreover, thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) is observed with anthraquinone as linker. The theoretical calculations reveal that the N‐substitutions have more influences on the locations and energy levels of the LUMOs than those of the HOMOs.
The architecture of attention: Group structure and subsidiary autonomy
Authors: Belenzon Sharon , Hashai Niron , Patacconi Andrea
Published: July 2019

Research Summary

This paper examines the relationship between strategic decision‐making at the subsidiary level and organizational structure. In many organizations, headquarters and subsidiaries are separated by intermediate subsidiaries. Building on the attention‐based view of the firm, we argue that the greater the “organizational distance” of a focal subsidiary from headquarters (measured by the number of intermediate subsidiaries separating the subsidiary from headquarters), the lower the attention that headquarters devote to the subsidiary. Thus, subsidiary autonomy from headquarters increases with organizational distance. Using a large comprehensive dataset on the structure of corporate groups in Western Europe, we provide several pieces of evidence consistent with these hypotheses. By contrast, we find little support for the view that tall pyramids are created to magnify the voting control of large shareholders.

Managerial Summary

Corporate groups—confederations of legally independent firms linked via ownership ties—are common around the world. An important function of headquarters in corporate groups is to allocate resources among member firms. We argue that, because headquarters mostly focus on allocating resources among units that they directly own, subsidiaries near the top of the group perform differently in response to changing external conditions than similar unaffiliated firms. This difference declines as one moves down the group pyramid, as lower‐level affiliates receive less attention from headquarters. An analysis of a large comprehensive dataset on the structure of corporate groups in Western Europe supports these predictions. The paper suggests that the legal organization of groups is a useful instrument to channel limited headquarters attention to selected affiliates.
Adaptation across multiple landscapes: Relatedness, complexity, and the long run effects of coordination in diversified firms
Authors: Chen Mo , Kaul Aseem , Wu Brian
Published: July 2019

Research Summary

We study the effect of coordination between businesses on the adaptation of diversified firms. Using a simulation‐based approach, we show that coordination between businesses limits adaptation, causing the relative performance of diversified firms to decline relative to their focused counterparts over time, with this effect being strongest for moderate levels of relatedness between, and complexity within, businesses. Given complexity, firms diversifying into moderately related businesses may therefore be better off limiting coordination between businesses to a few key activities—if they diversify at all—sacrificing short run synergies for long run flexibility. Our study thus offers a novel argument for conglomerate diversification, while linking work on the costs of coordination in diversified firms to the literature on organizational adaptation.

Managerial Summary

While coordination of activities between businesses enables a diversified firm to realize synergies, it may also limit the flexibility of each business to adapt to changing conditions over time. Thus, the very cross‐business coordination that gives a diversified firm an advantage relative to its single business competitors in the short run may cause it to fall behind them in the long run. Using a mathematical simulation, we show that this negative effect is strongest for firms coordinating across moderately related businesses with activities that are highly interdependent. Multibusiness firms—especially moderately related diversifiers in complex businesses—may thus be better off coordinating only those activities that yield the greatest synergies, foregoing more marginal synergies in the short run for the sake of long run flexibility.
Microfluidic Chips for Life Sciences—A Comparison of Low Entry Manufacturing Technologies
Authors: Grösche Maximilian , Zoheir Ahmed E. , Stegmaier Johannes , Mikut Ralf , Mager Dario , Korvink Jan G. , Rabe Kersten S. , Niemeyer Christof M.
Published: July 2019

Microfluidic water‐in‐oil droplets are a versatile tool for biological and biochemical applications due to the advantages of extremely small monodisperse reaction vessels in the pL–nL range. A key factor for the successful dissemination of this technology to life science laboratory users is the ability to produce microfluidic droplet generators and related accessories by low‐entry barrier methods, which enable rapid prototyping and manufacturing of devices with low instrument and material costs. The direct, experimental side‐by‐side comparison of three commonly used additive manufacturing (AM) methods, namely fused deposition modeling (FDM), inkjet printing (InkJ), and stereolithography (SLA), is reported. As a benchmark, micromilling (MM) is used as an established method. To demonstrate which of these methods can be easily applied by the non‐expert to realize applications in topical fields of biochemistry and microbiology, the methods are evaluated with regard to their limits for the minimum structure resolution in all three spatial directions. The suitability of functional SLA and MM chips to replace classic SU‐8 prototypes is demonstrated on the basis of representative application cases.
Nanodiamond‐Based Theranostic Platform for Drug Delivery and Bioimaging
Authors: Gao Guanyue , Guo Qingyue , Zhi Jinfang
Published: July 2019

Nanodiamonds (NDs) are promising candidates for biomedical application due to their excellent biocompatibility and innate physicochemical properties. In this Concept article, nanodiamond‐based theranostic platforms, which combine both drug delivery features and bioimaging functions, are discussed. The latest developments of therapeutic strategies are introduced and future perspectives for theranostic NDs are addressed.
Forensic inference of biogeographical ancestry from genotype: The Genetic Ancestry Lab
Authors: McNevin Dennis
Published: July 2019

Short tandem repeat (STR) profiling of DNA has become ubiquitous in forensic practice and is used to associate people, objects, and places with each other and with crimes. STRs can include or exclude a suspect or victim as the donor of biological evidence. In the absence of a matching profile, however, STRs have limited value. It is possible, then, to extract other information from the DNA that might lead forensic investigators to an offender. Examples include biogeographical ancestry (BGA) and externally visible characteristics (EVCs). These require alternative genetic markers including single nucleotide polymorphisms and microhaplotypes which can be genotyped on many different platforms including capillary electrophoresis, microarrays, and massively parallel sequencing (MPS). The Genetic Ancestry Lab (GAL) in Australia provides estimates of BGA and EVCs derived from DNA that is extracted from biological evidence and then subjected to targeted amplicon enrichment and subsequent MPS. This review will describe the process of BGA prediction employed by the GAL as well as describing alternative practices. Limitations are addressed and future directions highlighted, including resolution of genetic admixture. It is highly likely that inference of BGA will become standard forensic practice, performed simultaneously with or in addition to STR profiling, and it is hoped that this review might provide a road map.

This article is categorized under:

Forensic Anthropology > Ancestry Determination

Forensic Science in Action/Crime Scene Investigation > From Traces to Intelligence and Evidence

Forensic Biology > Ancestry Determination using DNA Methods

Forensic Biology > Forensic DNA Technologies
Wie Reallabore für Herausforderungen und Expertise in der Gestaltung transdisziplinären und transformativen Forschens sensibilisieren – eine Einführung
Authors: Defila Rico , Di Giulio Antonietta
Published: July 2019

Der Beitrag erläutert Kontext, Ziel, Entstehung und Aufbau des Buchs. Dessen Hintergrund bilden forschungspraktische Erfahrungen in Reallaboren, d. h. in Projekten, in denen transdisziplinär geforscht und gleichzeitig ein transformativer Anspruch verfolgt wird. Der Beitrag zieht zum einen Bilanz hinsichtlich dessen, was sich gegenüber dem ersten Band der Methodensammlung verändert hat, was gleichgeblieben ist, und welche Gesichtspunkte neu hinzukommen. Dabei wird erneut Bezug genommen auf Fragen, die von generellem Interesse sein dürften für solche Forschung innerhalb wie außerhalb von Reallaboren: (1) Wer sind die an transdisziplinärer (und transformativer) Forschung partizipierenden Akteure? (2) Wie innovativ sind die bei einer solchen Forschung eingesetzten Methoden? (3) Können die Forschungsziele und die Praxisziele bei dieser Art Forschung ausbalanciert werden? Zum anderen erörtert der Beitrag, welche Expertise Projektverantwortliche aufbauen müssen, um die vielfältigen Anforderungen an transdisziplinäre (und transformative) Projekte zu erfüllen. Den Schluss bilden Überlegungen zu den Bedingungen dafür, dass die Erfahrungen in Reallaboren fruchtbar gemacht werden können für die Methodik transdisziplinären und transformativen Forschens.