bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Seminal Evidence of a 2.5‐Sol Ultra‐Fast Kelvin Wave in Mars' Middle and Upper Atmosphere
Authors: Gasperini Federico , Hagan Maura E. , Forbes Jeffrey M.
Published: June 2018

The structure and dynamics of Mars' middle and upper atmosphere is significantly impacted by waves propagating from the lower atmosphere. Using concurrent temperature and neutral density measurements taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN satellites, we demonstrate for the first time that a 2.5‐sol ultra‐fast Kelvin wave is a prominent global‐scale feature of the low‐latitude middle (i.e., 30–80 km) and upper (approximately 150 km) atmosphere of Mars. Further, we present evidence of secondary waves arising from nonlinear interactions between this ultra‐fast Kelvin wave and solar tides, and based on their amplitudes we surmise that they could represent an important source of tidal and longitudinal variability in the aerobraking region.
Greenland Ice Sheet: Higher Nonlinearity of Ice Flow Significantly Reduces Estimated Basal Motion
Authors: Bons P. D. , Kleiner T. , Llorens M.‐G. , Prior D. J. , Sachau T. , Weikusat I. , Jansen D.
Published: June 2018

In times of warming in polar regions, the prediction of ice sheet discharge is of utmost importance to society, because of its impact on sea level rise. In simulations the flow rate of ice is usually implemented as proportional to the differential stress to the power of the exponentn = 3. This exponent influences the softness of the modeled ice, as higher values would produce faster flow under equal stress. We show that the stress exponent, which best fits the observed state of the Greenland Ice Sheet, equalsn = 4. Our results, which are not dependent on a possible basal sliding component of flow, indicate that most of the interior northern ice sheet is currently frozen to bedrock, except for the large ice streams and marginal ice.
Foreshock Properties at Typical and Enhanced Interplanetary Magnetic Field Strengths: Results From Hybrid‐Vlasov Simulations
Authors: Turc L. , Ganse U. , Pfau‐Kempf Y. , Hoilijoki S. , Battarbee M. , Juusola L. , Jarvinen R. , Brito T. , Grandin M. , Palmroth M.
Published: June 2018

In this paper, we present a detailed study of the effects of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) strength on the foreshock properties at small and large scales. Two simulation runs performed with the hybrid‐Vlasov code Vlasiator with identical setup but with different IMF strengths, namely, 5 and 10 nT, are compared. We find that the bow shock position and shape are roughly identical in both runs, due to the quasi‐radial IMF orientation, in agreement with previous magnetohydrodynamic simulations and theory. Foreshock waves develop in a broader region in the higher IMF strength run, which we attribute to the larger growth rate of the waves. The velocity of field‐aligned beams remains essentially the same, but their density is generally lower when the IMF strength increases, due to the lower Mach number. Also, we identify in the regular IMF strength run ridges of suprathermal ions which disappear at higher IMF strength. These structures may be a new signature of the foreshock compressional boundary. The foreshock wave field is structured over smaller scales in higher IMF conditions, due to both the period of the foreshock waves and the transverse extent of the wave fronts being smaller. While the foreshock is mostly permeated by monochromatic waves at typical IMF strength, we find that magnetosonic waves at different frequencies coexist in the other run. They are generated by multiple beams of suprathermal ions, while only a single beam is observed at typical IMF strength. The consequences of these differences for solar wind‐magnetosphere coupling are discussed.
Including Farmer Irrigation Behavior in a Sociohydrological Modeling Framework With Application in North India
Authors: O'Keeffe Jimmy , Moulds Simon , Bergin Emma , Brozović Nick , Mijic Ana , Buytaert Wouter
Published: June 2018

Understanding water user behavior and its potential outcomes is important for the development of suitable water resource management options. Computational models are commonly used to assist water resource management decision making; however, while natural processes are increasingly well modeled, the inclusion of human behavior has lagged behind. Improved representation of irrigation water user behavior within models can provide more accurate and relevant information for irrigation management in the agricultural sector. This paper outlines a model that conceptualizes and proceduralizes observed farmer irrigation practices, highlighting impacts and interactions between the environment and behavior. It is developed using a bottom‐up approach, informed through field experience and farmer interaction in the state of Uttar Pradesh, northern India. Observed processes and dynamics were translated into parsimonious algorithms, which represent field conditions and provide a tool for policy analysis and water management. The modeling framework is applied to four districts in Uttar Pradesh and used to evaluate the potential impact of changes in climate and irrigation behavior on water resources and farmer livelihood. Results suggest changes in water user behavior could have a greater impact on water resources, crop yields, and farmer income than changes in future climate. In addition, increased abstraction may be sustainable but its viability varies across the study region. By simulating the feedbacks and interactions between the behavior of water users, irrigation officials and agricultural practices, this work highlights the importance of directly including water user behavior in policy making and operational tools to achieve water and livelihood security.
Reflective chiral meta-holography: multiplexing holograms for circularly polarized waves
Authors: Wang Qiu , Plum Eric , Yang Quanlong , Zhang Xueqian , Xu Quan , Xu Yuehong , Han Jiaguang , Zhang Weili
Published: June 2018

By allowing almost arbitrary distributions of amplitude and phase of electromagnetic waves to be generated by a layer of sub-wavelength-size unit cells, metasurfaces have given rise to the field of meta-holography. However, holography with circularly polarized waves remains complicated as the achiral building blocks of existing meta-holograms inevitably contribute to holographic images generated by both left-handed and right-handed waves. Here we demonstrate how planar chirality enables the fully independent realization of high-efficiency meta-holograms for one circular polarization or the other. Such circular-polarization-selective meta-holograms are based on chiral building blocks that reflect either left-handed or right-handed circularly polarized waves with an orientation-dependent phase. Using terahertz waves, we experimentally demonstrate that this allows the straightforward design of reflective phase meta-holograms, where the use of alternating structures of opposite handedness yields independent holographic images for circularly polarized waves of opposite handedness with negligible polarization cross-talk.
NR3C1 hypermethylation in depressed and bullied adolescents
Authors: Efstathopoulos Paschalis , Andersson Filip , Melas Philippe A. , Yang Liu L. , Villaescusa J. Carlos , Rȕegg Joëlle , Ekström Tomas J. , Forsell Yvonne , Galanti Maria Rosaria , Lavebratt Catharina
Published: June 2018

The disruption of key epigenetic processes during critical periods of brain development can increase an individual’s vulnerability to psychopathology later in life. For instance, DNA methylation in the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) in adulthood is known to be associated with early-life adversities and has been suggested to mediate the development of stress-related disorders. However, the association between NR3C1 methylation and the emergence of internalizing symptoms in childhood and adolescence has not been studied extensively. In the present report, we used saliva DNA from a cohort of Swedish adolescents (13–14 years old; N = 1149) to measure NR3C1 methylation in the exon 1F region. Internalizing psychopathological symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC). We found that NR3C1 hypermethylation was cross-sectionally associated with high score for internalizing symptoms in the whole group as well as among the female participants. In addition, an analysis of social environmental stressors revealed that reports of bullied or lacking friends were significantly associated with NR3C1 hypermethylation. This cross-sectional association of NR3C1 exon 1F hypermethylation with internalizing psychopathology in adolescents, as well as with bullying and lack of friends are novel results in this field. Longitudinal studies are needed to address whether NR3C1 methylation mediates the link between social stressors and psychopathology in adolescence.
NEURAPRO: a multi-centre RCT of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids versus placebo in young people at ultra-high risk of psychotic disorders—medium-term follow-up and clinical course
Authors: Nelson B. , Amminger G. P. , Yuen H. P. , Markulev C. , Lavoie S. , Schäfer M. R. , Hartmann J. A. , Mossaheb N. , Schlögelhofer M. , Smesny S. , Hickie I. B. , Berger G. , Chen E. Y. H. , de Haan L. , Nieman D. H. , Nordentoft M. , Riecher-Rössler A. , Verma S. , Thompson A. , Yung A. R. , McGorry P. D.
Published: June 2018

This study reports a medium-term follow-up of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in ultra-high risk for psychosis (UHR) patients. Primary outcomes of interest were transition to psychosis and symptomatic and functional outcome. A secondary aim was to investigate clinical predictors of medium-term outcome. Three hundred four UHR participants were recruited across 10 specialised early psychosis services in Australia, Asia, and Europe. The intervention consisted of 1.4 g/daily of omega-3 PUFA or placebo, plus up to 20 sessions of cognitive-behavioural case management (CBCM), over the 6-month study period, with participants receiving further CBCM sessions on basis of need between months 6–12. Mean time to follow-up was 3.4 (median = 3.3; SD = 0.9) years. There was a modest increase in transitions between 12-month and medium-term follow-up (11–13%) and substantial improvement in symptoms and functioning between baseline and follow-up, with no differences between the treatment groups. Most improvement had been achieved by end of the intervention. 55% of the sample received mental health treatment between end of intervention and follow-up. Omega-3 PUFA did not provide additional benefits to good quality psychosocial intervention over the medium term. Although most improvement had been achieved by end of intervention the substantial rates of post-intervention mental health service use indicate longer-term clinical need in UHR patients. The post-intervention phase treatment or the longer-term effect of CBCM, or a combination of the two, may have contributed to maintaining the gains achieved during the intervention phase and prevented significant deterioration after this time.
Author Correction: Proximity of breeding and foraging areas affects foraging effort of a crepuscular, insectivorous bird
Authors: Evens Ruben , Beenaerts Natalie , Neyens Thomas , Witters Nele , Smeets Karen , Artois Tom
Published: June 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.
Ligand Binding Stabilizes Cellulosomal Cohesins as Revealed by AFM-based Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy
Authors: Verdorfer Tobias , Gaub Hermann E.
Published: June 2018

The cohesin-dockerin receptor-ligand family is the key element in the formation of multi-enzyme lignocellulose-digesting extracellular complexes called cellulosomes. Changes in a receptor protein upon binding of a ligand - commonly referred to as allostery - are not just essential for signalling, but may also alter the overall mechanical stability of a protein receptor. Here, we measured the change in mechanical stability of a library of cohesin receptor domains upon binding of their dockerin ligands in a multiplexed atomic force microscopy-based single-molecule force spectroscopy experiment. A parallelized, cell-free protein expression and immobilization protocol enables rapid mechanical phenotyping of an entire library of constructs with a single cantilever and thus ensures high throughput and precision. Our results show that dockerin binding increases the mechanical stability of every probed cohesin independently of its original folding strength. Furthermore, our results indicate that certain cohesins undergo a transition from a multitude of different folds or unfolding pathways to a single stable fold upon binding their ligand.
Transparent anti-fogging and self-cleaning TiO2/SiO2 thin films on polymer substrates using atmospheric plasma
Authors: Chemin Jean-Baptiste , Bulou Simon , Baba Kamal , Fontaine Charly , Sindzingre Thierry , Boscher Nicolas D. , Choquet Patrick
Published: June 2018

Transparent anti-fogging and self-cleaning coatings are of great interest for many applications, including solar panels, windshields and displays or lenses to be used in humid environments. In this paper, we report on the simultaneous synthesis, at atmospheric pressure, of anatase TiO2 nanoparticles and low-temperature, high-rate deposition of anatase TiO2/SiO2 nanocomposite coatings. These coatings exhibit durable super-hydrophilic and photocatalytic properties. The strategy followed relies on concomitant and separated injections of titania, i.e. titanium isopropoxide, and silica, i.e. hexamethyldisiloxane, precursors in the stream of a blown-arc discharge to form transparent anti-fogging and self-cleaning anatase TiO2/SiO2 nanocomposite coatings on polymer substrates.
Neck-specific exercise improves impaired interactions between ventral neck muscles in chronic whiplash: A randomized controlled ultrasound study
Authors: Peterson Gunnel , Nilsson David , Trygg Johan , Peolsson Anneli
Published: June 2018

Chronic pain and disability is common in whiplash-associated disorders (WAD), leading to personal suffering, sick leave, and social cost. The cervical spine is heavily dependent on muscular support and whiplash injury can cause damage to the neck muscles, but diagnostic tools to measure neck muscle impairment and evaluate exercise interventions are lacking. Therefore, the present study investigated ventral neck muscle interactions in 26 individuals with chronic WAD randomized to neck-specific exercise (NSE) or remaining on a waiting list (WL) in 3 months. We performed real-time, non-invasive ultrasound measurements with speckle tracking analysis and calculated the deformation area and deformation rate in three ventral neck muscles. Multivariate statistics were used to analyse interactions between the muscles. After 3 months of NSE, significant improvements were observed in neck muscle interactions and pain intensity in the NSE group compared to the WL group. Thus, this study demonstrates that non-invasive ultrasound can be a diagnostic tool for muscle impairment and used to evaluate exercise interventions in WAD and stands to make a breakthrough for better management in chronic WAD.
Maternal Trophic Status and Offpsring Phenotype in a Marine Invertebrate
Authors: González-Ortegón Enrique , Vay Lewis Le , Walton Mark Edward Mackay , Giménez Luis
Published: June 2018

Offspring size variation in relation to maternal size and season is characteristic of a range of species living in seasonal environments. Little is known about the proximate mechanisms explaining the links between maternally driven variation in offspring phenotypes, for instance when mothers have different diets depending on their size or the season. Here, we use stable isotopes techniques to quantify size dependent and seasonal variations in diet in mothers of shrimp Palaemon serratus and explore possible links between maternal diet and phenotype of embryos and freshly hatched larvae. We found that larger females, which occur more frequently in winter, produce larvae with higher carbon and nitrogen content as well as higher percent carbon, than smaller mothers collected in winter. In addition, isotopic composition suggest that larger mothers collected in winter, were feeding at a higher trophic level, or on an enriched prey pool compared with smaller mothers collected in summer. Overall, there seems to be a strong association between offspring size and maternal diet, mediated by maternal size and/or season.
Imaging through scattering media with the auxiliary of a known reference object
Authors: Yang Wanqin , Li Guowei , Situ Guohai
Published: June 2018

Imaging through scattering media has been one of the main challenges in optics, and are encountered in many different disciplines of sciences, ranging from biology, mesoscopic physics to astronomy. Recently, various methods have been proposed. In this manuscript, we propose a robust method for imaging through scattering media in a reflective geometry, a scenario widely encountered in non-invasive and marker-free biological imaging. The proposed method relies on the a priori information of a known reference object in the neighborhood of the target, and uses it as an auxiliary to reconstruct the target image. We show that the target image can be analytically reconstructed from the autocorrelation of the recorded speckle if the reference is point-like, otherwise, deconvolution with the reference speckle should be performed. We experimentally demonstrate the proposed method in a proof-of-concept system with an LED illumination through a thick ground glass.
A genome-wide mutation analysis method enabling high-throughput identification of chemical mutagen signatures
Authors: Matsumura Shoji , Fujita Yurika , Yamane Masayuki , Morita Osamu , Honda Hiroshi
Published: June 2018

Trinucleotide mutational signatures extracted from cancer genomes provide clues useful in understanding the roles of mutagens and mutagenic mechanisms in cancer development. The lack of a simple method for genome-wide analysis of alterations induced by mutagens hampers the identification of trinucleotide signatures of mutagen exposure and evaluation of their relationships with human cancers. Here, we describe a novel approach to facilitate analysis of chemically induced mutations in bacterial cells by detection of increased frequencies of base substitutions after mutagen exposure, using paired-end overlapping next-generation sequencing. DNA samples from Salmonella typhimurium strain TA100, exposed to three alkylating agents, ethylnitrosourea (ENU), methylnitrosourea (MNU), and ethyl methansulphonate (EMS), were analysed. The G:C > A:T mutation frequency was increased in all samples, whereas A:T base pair substitution frequencies were increased specifically in samples exposed to ENU, consistent with previous reports. Mutation patterns in the context of 96 possible trinucleotide formats in these samples exhibited a sharp peak corresponding to an NpCpY consensus sequence, which is similar to the mutational signature of alkylating agents in human cancer. These results indicate that our approach can be useful in facilitating the understanding of mechanisms underlying chemical mutagenicity and for identification of unknown causal mutagens in human cancer.
Pan4Draft: A Computational Tool to Improve the Accuracy of Pan-Genomic Analysis Using Draft Genomes
Authors: Veras Allan , Araujo Fabricio , Pinheiro Kenny , Guimarães Luis , Azevedo Vasco , Soares Siomar , da Costa da Silva Artur , Ramos Rommel
Published: June 2018

High-throughput sequencing technologies are a milestone in molecular biology for facilitating great advances in genomics by enabling the deposit of large volumes of biological data to public databases. The availability of such data has made possible the comparative genomic analysis through pipelines, using the entire gene repertoire of genomes. However, a large number of unfinished genomes exist in public databases; their number is approximately 16-fold higher than the number of complete genomes, which creates bias during comparative analyses. Therefore, the present work proposes a new tool called Pan4Drafts, an automated pipeline for pan-genomic analysis of draft prokaryotic genomes to maximize the representation and accuracy of the gene repertoire of unfinished genomes by using reads from sequencing data. Pan4Draft allows to perform comparative analyses using different methodologies such as combining complete and draft genomes, using only draft genomes or only complete genomes. Pan4Draft is available at http://www.computationalbiology.ufpa.br/pan4drafts and the test dataset is available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/pan4drafts.
A novel adenovirus isolated from the Egyptian fruit bat in South Africa is closely related to recent isolates from China
Authors: Jansen van Vuren Petrus , Allam Mushal , Wiley Michael R. , Ismail Arshad , Storm Nadia , Birkhead Monica , Markotter Wanda , Palacios Gustavo , Paweska Janusz T.
Published: June 2018

Recently a number of novel adenoviruses have been isolated from diverse bat species and from diverse geographical locations. We describe the isolation of a novel adenovirus (Family Adenoviridae, genus Mastadenovirus) from a pool of liver and spleen tissue of an apparently healthy wild-caught Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) in South Africa. Genetically the virus is most closely related to four mastadenoviruses recently isolated in China, from Miniopterus schreibersi and Rousettus leschenaultii bats, which are highly divergent from previously identified bat adenoviruses. The length of the Rousettus aegyptiacus adenovirus-3085 (RaegAdV-3085) genome, at 29,342 bp is similar to its closest relatives, and contains 27 open reading frames. The RaegAdV-3085 genome has a low G + C content (36.4%) relative to other viruses in the genus (between 43.6 and 63.9%) but similar to its closest relatives. The inverted terminal repeat (ITR) of RaegAdV-3085 is only 40 bp compared to between 61 and 178 bp of its closest relatives. The discovery of RaegAdV-3085 expands the diversity of known adenoviruses in bats and might represent a member of a new mastadenovirus species in bats.
Fabrication of 3D Fingerprint Phantoms via Unconventional Polycarbonate Molding
Authors: Schultz Clayton W. , Wong Jessica X. H. , Yu Hua-Zhong
Published: June 2018

Fingerprint biometrics is a valuable and convenient security tool; every fingerprint is highly detailed and unique, we always have them on “hand”. Herein we describe a novel bench-top method of making 3D fingerprint replicas (namely, fingerprint phantoms) by exploring a unique microfabrication approach using conventional polymeric materials, to aid the development of reliable and accurate fingerprint biometrics. By pressing an impression of human fingerprints onto solvent-softened plastic plates (e.g., polycarbonate chips), followed by casting with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, a popular elastomer), we can produce a flexible, nanoscale detailed, 3D reproduction of the fingerprint (“phantom”). By testing with standard optical fingerprint scanners, we have shown that all three levels of fingerprint details can be precisely recorded and match well with the original fingerprint. Superior to artificial fingerprint patterns, these phantoms have the exact 3D features of fingerprints and introduce no variability compared to human sampling, which make them perfect targets for standardizing fingerprint scanners and for biometric applications. We envision that the microcontact replication protocol via unconventional PC molding promises a practical, bench-top, instrumentation-free method to mass reproduce many other micro/nanostructures with high fidelity.
Application of Whole Genome Resequencing in Mapping of a
Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus Resistance Gene
Authors: Wang Yinlei , Jiang Jing , Zhao Liping , Zhou Rong , Yu Wengui , Zhao Tongmin
Published: June 2018

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) has significantly impacted the
tomato industry around the world, and the use of insecticides and insect nets have
not effectively controlled the spread of this pathogen. The tomato line AVTO1227 is
highly resistant to TYLCV. In this study, F2 and
BC1 populations derived from AVTO1227 and the susceptible
line Money maker were used to assess the genetic mechanism underlying TYLCV
resistance. We have identified a recessive TYLCV resistance gene, hereby designated
as ty-5, which is linked to SlNACI. Genomic DNA pools from resistant and susceptible
groups were constructed, and their genomes were resequenced. The ty-5 gene was identified on an interval encompassing the
genomic positions 2.22 Mb to 3.19 Mb on tomato chromosome 4. Genotyping using
linkage markers further mapped ty-5 within the
interval between markers ty5–25 and ty5–29, where only the pelota gene is located. Consequently, pelota was considered as the candidate gene corresponding to ty-5. Two nucleotide transversions within the promoter
region and one transversion in exon region of the pelota gene were detected in the parental lines. However, the relative
transcript levels of pelota did not significantly
differ among the three tomato lines, regardless of TYLCV infection. This study will
facilitate marker-assisted breeding for resistance to TYLCV and lay a foundation for
the research of the resistance mechanism of ty-5
in tomato.
Genetic association and functional analysis of rs7903456 in FAM35A gene and hyperuricemia: a population based study
Authors: Yan Feng , Sun Peng , Zhao Huishou , Zhao Changhai , Zhang Nana , Dai Yujie
Published: June 2018

Recent studies have identified SNP rs7903456 of FAM35A to be associated with gout. Because of the close connections between hyperuricemia and gout, we hypothesized that the effect of rs7903456 on gout might be mediated by hyperuricemia or its related quantitative trait, uric acid level. We investigated the association between 31 SNPs of FAM35A, including rs7903456, and hyperuricemia based on 2,773 hyperuricemia patients and controls. We fitted a simple model for each of these 31 SNPs to screen the candidate SNP for further analyses. Moreover, we selected potential confounders and fitted a multivariate model to investigate the adjusted effects of the targeted SNPs. Both disease status of hyperuricemia and blood uric acid level were considered as the main phenotype. We have identified rs7903456 to be associated with hyperuricemia and uric acid level. The significant signal was identified between rs7903456 and uric acid level after adjusted by several potential confounders. Our findings showed that the T allele of rs7903456 could increase the uric acid level by ~10 mmol/L on average after adjusting several biochemical and clinical variables. Our findings indicated that the previously identified effects of rs7903456 on gout might partly be mediated by its effect on uric acid levels.
Vibration and damping characteristics of 3D printed Kagome lattice with viscoelastic material filling
Authors: Wang Rong , Shang Jianzhong , Li Xin , Luo Zirong , Wu Wei
Published: June 2018

Constrained layer dampers (CLD) are in widespread use for passive vibration damping, in applications including aerospace structures. However, the introducing of the damping layer can reduce the stiffness of the sandwich structures. A viscoelastic material filling (VMF) is chosen to balance structural and vibrational performance of lattice truss in this work. The recently brought forward 3D Kagome truss with face sheet was manufactured by selective laser sintering technology and the thermosetting polyurethane was chosen as the viscoelastic filling material. A novel complex modal analysis finite element method for Hybrid composite lattice truss sandwich is introduced in this paper. Dynamic analysis experiment results show that the VMF method is found to be effective in reducing the vibration amplitude and it has the potential for band-gap design. The VMF method can provide high stiffness at low mass and considerable vibrational performance at low cost and it can be considered as a general vibration design method in lattice truss manufacture.
Common variants in the GNL3 contribute to the increasing risk of knee osteoarthritis in Han Chinese population
Authors: Liu Bo , Cheng Huiguang , Ma Wenlong , Gong Futai , Wang Xiangyang , Duan Ning , Dang Xiaoqian
Published: June 2018

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex degenerative joint disorder, which is caused by both environmental and genetic factors. Previous studies have indicated that the GNL3 gene is associated with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) susceptibility in Europeans; however, the exact molecular mechanism is still unclear. In the present study, we investigated the potential genetic association of GNL3 with KOA in a two-stage sample of 6,704 individuals from the Han Chinese population. Subjects containing 1,052 KOA patients and 2,117 controls were considered the discovery dataset, while subjects consisting of 1,173 KOA patients and 2,362 controls were utilized as the replication dataset. Single-SNP association, imputation, and haplotypic association analyses were performed. The SNP of rs11177 in GNL3 was identified to be significantly associated with KOA after accounting for age, gender and BMI in both stages. The imputed SNP of rs6617 in SPCS1 was found to be strongly associated with KOA risk, and the significant association signal was confirmed in the replication stage. Moreover, a haplotype-based analysis also indicated a positive genetic effect of GNL3 on KOA susceptibility. In summary, our results proved that GNL3 plays an important role in the etiology of KOA, suggesting that GNL3 is a potential genetic modifier for KOA development.
2-[2-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenylamino)thiazol-4-yl]acetic acid (Activator-3) is a potent activator of AMPK
Authors: Bung Navneet , Surepalli Sobhitha , Seshadri Sriram , Patel Sweta , Peddasomayajula Saranya , Kummari Lalith Kumar , Kumar Sireesh T. , Babu Phanithi Prakash , Parsa Kishore V. L. , Poondra Rajamohan Reddy , Bulusu Gopalakrishnan , Misra Parimal
Published: June 2018

AMPK is considered as a potential high value target for metabolic disorders. Here, we present the molecular modeling, in vitro and in vivo characterization of Activator-3, 2-[2-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenylamino)thiazol-4-yl]acetic acid, an AMP mimetic and a potent pan-AMPK activator. Activator-3 and AMP likely share common activation mode for AMPK activation. Activator-3 enhanced AMPK phosphorylation by upstream kinase LKB1 and protected AMPK complex against dephosphorylation by PP2C. Molecular modeling analyses followed by in vitro mutant AMPK enzyme assays demonstrate that Activator-3 interacts with R70 and R152 of the CBS1 domain on AMPK γ subunit near AMP binding site. Activator-3 and C2, a recently described AMPK mimetic, bind differently in the γ subunit of AMPK. Activator-3 unlike C2 does not show cooperativity of AMPK activity in the presence of physiological concentration of ATP (2 mM). Activator-3 displays good pharmacokinetic profile in rat blood plasma with minimal brain penetration property. Oral treatment of High Sucrose Diet (HSD) fed diabetic rats with 10 mg/kg dose of Activator-3 once in a day for 30 days significantly enhanced glucose utilization, improved lipid profiles and reduced body weight, demonstrating that Activator-3 is a potent AMPK activator that can alleviate the negative metabolic impact of high sucrose diet in rat model.
Author Correction: Controlling invasive ant species: a theoretical strategy for efficient monitoring in the early stage of invasion
Authors: Ujiyama Shumpei , Tsuji Kazuki
Published: June 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.
Electrical Conductivity Distribution in Detonating Benzotrifuroxane
Authors: Satonkina Nataliya , Ershov Alexander , Kashkarov Alexey , Mikhaylov Anatoly , Pruuel Eduard , Rubtsov Ivan , Spirin Ivan , Titova Victoria
Published: June 2018

Electrical conductivity profile behind the detonation front in the benzotrifuroxane (BTF) was measured using high-resolution technique. BTF is a peculiar high explosive which is completely hydrogen-free: its molecular formula is C6N6O6. Results are compared with the conductivity distributions in detonating hexogen (RDX, C3H6N6O6) and triaminotrinitrobenzene based explosive (TATB, C6H6N6O6). The conductivity in BTF was found to be similar to that observed in the common explosives which contain hydrogen. Thus, the contribution of hydrogen (e.g., ions produced by the dissociation of water) in the conductivity is minor, both in the reaction zone and in the final detonation products. The characteristics of the conductivity profiles generally support the idea of contact conductivity through the connected structures of carbon particles formed in the detonation wave.
Molecular diversity of clustered protocadherin-α required for sensory integration and short-term memory in mice
Authors: Yamagishi Tatsuya , Yoshitake Kohei , Kamatani Daiki , Watanabe Kenji , Tsukano Hiroaki , Hishida Ryuichi , Takahashi Kuniyuki , Takahashi Sugata , Horii Arata , Yagi Takeshi , Shibuki Katsuei
Published: June 2018

Clustered protocadherins (Pcdhs) are neuronal cell adhesion molecules characterized by homophilic adhesion between the tetramers of 58 distinct isoforms in mice. The diversity of Pcdhs and resulting highly-specific neuronal adhesion may be required for the formation of neural circuits for executing higher brain functions. However, this hypothesis remains to be tested, because knockout of Pcdh genes produces abnormalities that may interfere with higher brain functions indirectly. In Pcdh-α1,12 mice, only α1, α12 and two constitutive isoforms are expressed out of 14 isoforms. The appearance and behavior of Pcdh-α1,12 mice are similar to those of wild-type mice, and most abnormalities reported in Pcdh-α knockout mice are not present in Pcdh-α1,12 mice. We examined Pcdh-α1,12 mice in detail, and found that cortical depression induced by sensory mismatches between vision and whisker sensation in the visual cortex was impaired. Since Pcdh-α is densely distributed over the cerebral cortex, various types of higher function are likely impaired in Pcdh-α1,12 mice. As expected, visual short-term memory of space/shape was impaired in behavioral experiments using space/shape cues. Furthermore, behavioral learning based on audio-visual associative memory was also impaired. These results indicate that the molecular diversity of Pcdh-α plays essential roles for sensory integration and short-term memory.
Nonstoichiometric titanium dioxide nanotubes with enhanced catalytical activity under visible light
Authors: Valeeva A. A. , Kozlova E. A. , Vokhmintsev A. S. , Kamalov R. V. , Dorosheva I. B. , Saraev A. A. , Weinstein I. A. , Rempel A. A.
Published: June 2018

The catalytic activity of nanotubular titanium dioxide films formed during the oxidation of acetone to carbon dioxide under the action of visible light with a wavelength of 450 nm was found to be approximately 2 times higher compared to standard titanium dioxide (Degussa P25). The nanotubular films were grown by the anodization of titanium foil using an original technique. Diffuse reflectance spectra of the films are attributed to enhanced activity in the visible spectrum by the nonstoichiometry of titanium dioxide near the interface between the nanotubular film and the titanium foil substrate.
CD4+CD28null T Lymphocytes are Associated with the Development of Atrial Fibrillation after Elective Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Sulzgruber Patrick , Thaler Barbara , Koller Lorenz , Baumgartner Johanna , Pilz Arnold , Steininger Matthias , Schnaubelt Sebastian , Fleck Tatjana , Laufer Günther , Steinlechner Barbara , Winter Max-Paul , Goliasch Georg , Wojta Johann , Niessner Alexander
Published: June 2018

Post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is postulated as a complex interaction of different pathogenic factors, suggesting inflammatory processes as a main trigger of this particular type of atrial fibrillation. Therefore, the study sought to assess the impact of cellular immunity on the development of POAF. Comparing patients developing POAF to individuals free of POAF the fraction of CD4+CD28null T Lymphocytes was significantly higher in individuals developing POAF (11.1% [POAF] vs. 1.9% [non-POAF]; p < 0.001). CD4+CD28null cells were independently associated with the development of POAF with an adjusted odds ratio per one standard deviation of 4.89 (95% CI: 2.68–8.97; p < 0.001). Compared to N-terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide, the fraction of CD4+CD28null cells demonstrated an increased discriminatory power for the development of POAF (NRI: 87.9%, p < 0.001; IDI: 30.9%, p < 0.001). Interestingly, a pre-operative statin-therapy was associated with a lower fraction of CD4+CD28null cells (p < 0.001) and showed an inverse association with POAF (p < 0.001). CD4+CD28null cells proved to be predictive for the development of POAF after cardiac surgery. Our results potentially indicate an auto-immune impact of this preexisting, highly cytotoxic T cell subset in the pathogenesis of POAF, which might be modified via the anti-inflammatory potential of a pre-operative statin-therapy.
Transcriptome-wide survey of pseudorabies virus using next- and third-generation sequencing platforms
Authors: Tombácz Dóra , Sharon Donald , Szűcs Attila , Moldován Norbert , Snyder Michael , Boldogkői Zsolt
Published: June 2018

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is an alphaherpesvirus of swine. PRV has a large double-stranded DNA genome and, as the latest investigations have revealed, a very complex transcriptome. Here, we present a large RNA-Seq dataset, derived from both short- and long-read sequencing. The dataset contains 1.3 million 100 bp paired-end reads that were obtained from the Illumina random-primed libraries, as well as 10 million 50 bp single-end reads generated by the Illumina polyA-seq. The Pacific Biosciences RSII non-amplified method yielded 57,021 reads of inserts (ROIs) aligned to the viral genome, the amplified method resulted in 158,396 PRV-specific ROIs, while we obtained 12,555 ROIs using the Sequel platform. The Oxford Nanopore’s MinION device generated 44,006 reads using their regular cDNA-sequencing method, whereas 29,832 and 120,394 reads were produced by using the direct RNA-sequencing and the Cap-selection protocols, respectively. The raw reads were aligned to the PRV reference genome (KJ717942.1). Our provided dataset can be used to compare different sequencing approaches, library preparation methods, as well as for validation and testing bioinformatic pipelines.
Near-infrared incoherent broadband cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy (NIR-IBBCEAS) for detection and quantification of natural gas components
Authors: Prakash Neeraj , Ramachandran Arun , Varma Ravi , Chen Jun , Mazzoleni Claudio , Du Ke
Published: June 2018

First application of IBBCEAS technique for natural gas detection and quantification in the NIR region.
Quantitative synthesis of protein–DNA conjugates with 1 : 1 stoichiometry
Authors: Yan Xiaowen , Zhang Hongquan , Wang Zhixin , Peng Hanyong , Tao Jeffrey , Li Xing-Fang , Chris Le X.
Published: June 2018

We describe here a binding-facilitated reaction strategy, enabling quantitative conjugation of DNA to native proteins with a desirable 1 : 1 stoichiometry.
Fe-doped CoP nanosheet arrays: an efficient bifunctional catalyst for zinc–air batteries
Authors: Qin Xin , Wang Zao , Han Jingrui , Luo Yonglan , Xie Fengyu , Cui Guangwei , Guo Xiaodong , Sun Xuping
Published: June 2018

Fe-doped CoP nanoarrays on nickel foam (Fe0.33–CoP/NF) act as a superior bifunctional electrocatalyst to CoP/NF for both the OER and ORR in alkaline media. In concentrated alkaline media, zinc–air batteries based on Fe0.33–CoP/NF exhibit a power density of 63 mW cm−2 with a long cycle life (up to 200 h).
Rhodium-catalyzed oxidative C–H/C–H cross-coupling of aniline with heteroarene: N-nitroso group enabled mild conditions
Authors: He Shuang , Tan Guangying , Luo Anping , You Jingsong
Published: June 2018

A rhodium(iii)-catalyzed oxidative ortho-heteroarylation of N-nitrosoaniline with heteroarene has been developed for the synthesis of (2-aminophenyl)heteroaryls under mild conditions.
Dissociative electron attachment induced ring opening in five-membered heterocyclic compounds
Authors: Li Zhou , Carmichael Ian , Ptasińska Sylwia
Published: June 2018

Ring opening in five-membered rings induced by gentle impact of low energy electrons.
Synthesis and organic solar cell performance of BODIPY and coumarin functionalized SWCNTs or graphene oxide nanomaterials
Authors: Şenocak Ahmet , Nur Kaya Esra , Kadem Burak , Basova Tamara , Demirbaş Erhan , Hassan Aseel , Durmuş Mahmut
Published: June 2018

Organic solar cell performances of the nanomaterials based on rGO or SWCNTs functionalized by BODIPY or coumarin groups have been investigated.
High performance direct hydrazine–hydrogen peroxide fuel cell using reduced graphene oxide supported Ni@M (M = Pt, Pd, Ru) nanoparticles as novel anodic electrocatalysts
Authors: Hosseini Mir Ghasem , Mahmoodi Raana , Abdolmaleki Mehdi
Published: June 2018

Ni@Pd/rGO shows excellent catalytic activity and power density toward hydrazine oxidation in comparison with Ni@Pt/rGO and Ni@Ru/rGO.
Metal organic framework derived CoFe@N-doped carbon/reduced graphene sheets for enhanced oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Kong Fanhao , Chen Kunfeng , Song Shuyan , Xue Dongfeng
Published: June 2018

Architectures of CoFe@N-doped carbon/wrinkled rGO sheets are synthesizedviathe one-step annealing of Prussian blue analogues and GO sheet composites. The optimized structure exhibits a low overpotential of 278 mV to drive 10 mA cm−2and has a durable stability.
Manipulating extracellular tumour pH: an effective target for cancer therapy
Authors: Hao Guanyu , Xu Zhi Ping , Li Li
Published: June 2018

The pH in tumour cells and the tumour microenvironment has played important roles in cancer development and treatment.
Grain boundary plane distribution and its potential correlation with magnetic properties in hexagonal RCo5 permanent magnets
Authors: Yuan Xiaokun , Zhang Dongtao , Ji Yuan
Published: June 2018

The crystallographic texture in permanent magnets should cover not only texture of crystals, but also texture between crystals.
Manipulating the morphology of the nano oxide domain in AuCu–iron oxide dumbbell-like nanocomposites as a tool to modify magnetic properties
Authors: Najafishirtari Sharif , Lak Aidin , Guglieri Clara , Marras Sergio , Brescia Rosaria , Fiorito Sergio , Sadrollahi Elaheh , Litterst Fred Jochen , Pellegrino Teresa , Manna Liberato , Colombo Massimo
Published: June 2018

We highlighted the effects of oleic acid on the structural and magnetic properties of colloidal nanodumbbells.
Stapling strategy enables improvement of antitumor activity and proteolytic stability of host-defense peptide hymenochirin-1B
Authors: Li Yulei , Wu Minghao , Chang Qi , Zhao Xia
Published: June 2018

A series of stapled peptide analogs of hymenochirin-1B were efficiently prepared by an Fmoc-SPPS procedure. The peptide stapling strategy can improve the helicity, proteolytic stability and tumor cell-killing activity of linear peptide hymenochirin-1B.
Synthesis of TiO2–ZnS nanocomposites via sacrificial template sulfidation and their ethanol gas-sensing performance
Authors: Liang Yuan-Chang , Xu Nian-Cih
Published: June 2018

TiO2–ZnS core–shell composite nanorods were synthesized by using ZnO as a sacrificial shell layer in a hydrothermal reaction.
Fabrication of a porous β-cyclodextrin-polymer-coated solid-phase microextraction fiber for the simultaneous determination of five contaminants in water using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
Authors: Pan Jiongxiu , Li Shuming , Dang Fuquan , Zhang Zhiqi , Zhang Jing
Published: June 2018

A novel solid-phase microextraction fiber coated with a porous β-cyclodextrin polymer was developed.
Kinetic evolution of DOPC lipid bilayers exposed to α-cyclodextrins
Authors: Kluzek Monika , Schmutz Marc , Marques Carlos M. , Thalmann Fabrice
Published: June 2018

Confocal laser scanning microscopy image of a fluorescent supported lipid bilayer exposed to a 15 mM solution of α-cyclodextrin.
Shen-Shuai-Ning granule decreased serum concentrations of indoxyl sulphate in uremic patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis
Authors: Chen Xujiao , Gao Shouhong , Ruan Mengna , Chen Sixiu , Xu Jing , Xing Xiaohong , Pan Xiaohong , Mei Changlin , Mao Zhiguo
Published: June 2018

Clearance of protein-bound uremic toxins (PBUTs) by dialysis is a challenge in the treatment of uremic patients. Shen-Shuai-Ning (SSN), a traditional Chinese medicine formulation, has been used commonly in China to retard kidney disease progression and decrease uremic toxins in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, but the effects of SSN on serum PBUTs in dialysis patients were not investigated. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) at dialysis center of Changzheng Hospital to evaluate the effects of SSN on serum PBUTs. Participants with SSN intervention took 5 g SSN granule three times daily for 12 weeks, while the baseline medications and dialysis prescriptions remained during the study in all patients. The serum concentrations of indoxyl sulphate (IS) and p-cresol sulphate (PCS) were determined by HPLC/MS/MS and biochemical parameters were assessed during the study. Sixty PD patients were enrolled and randomly allocated into SSN group and control group. Total IS level was significantly lower in SSN group than in control group at week 4, 8, and 12 (27.28 ± 18.19, 29.73 ± 19.10, and 29.41 ± 17.61 mg/l compared with 39.25 ± 20.23, 44.86 ± 23.91, and 45.34 ± 33.52 mg/l, respectively). However, there were no statistical difference of total PCS, free forms of IS and PCS concentrations between SSN group and control group during 12 weeks follow-up. Administration of SSN granule orally decreased serum total IS level effectively in uremic patients on PD with good tolerance. Benefits of PD patients’ outcomes from IS reduction by SSN awaits further large size and long duration clinical trials to verify.
The rs3850641 polymorphism of the TNFSF4 gene increases the risk of myocardial infarction in a Chinese Han population
Authors: Lu Changqing , Jia Helei , Xu Aiguo
Published: June 2018

Tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 4 (TNFSF4), also known as Ox40 ligand (Ox40l), plays an important role in atherosclerosis development. Several studies reported the association between the rs3850641 polymorphism of the TNFSF4 gene and the risk of myocardial infarction (MI). However, the results are inconsistent. In order to explore the relationship between the rs3850641 polymorphism of the TNFSF4 gene and MI, we conducted a case–control study including 454 cases and 512 controls in a Chinese Han population. Genotyping was performed using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The present study found that AA genotype (AA vs. GG: odds ratio (OR) & 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.00(1.04,3.86), P=0.039; AA vs. AG+GG: OR & 95% CI, 1.93(1.00,3.70), P=0.049) or A allele carriers (A vs. G: OR & 95% CI, 1.27(1.00,1.60), P=0.047) of the rs3850641 polymorphism of the TNFSF4 gene increased the risk of MI. In conclusion, this case–control study confirms that the rs3850641 polymorphism of the TNFSF4 gene increases the risk of MI.