bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Facts, Legal Fictions, and the Attribution of Slave Status: The Puzzle of Prescription
Authors: Scott Rebecca J.
Published: December 2016

This article explores a core question in the law of slavery: how was an individual's status as slave or free socially discerned and formally adjudicated? Under the doctrine of “freedom by prescription,” a person who had in good faith “lived as free” could argue that the absence of exercise of ownership for a specified term of years extinguished a prior owner's title. In the medieval Siete Partidas of Alfonso the Wise, which continued as a legal point of reference in Louisiana well after the end of Spanish rule, both the law of status and the law of property confirmed this path to freedom. From 1808 onward, Louisiana jurists and legislators sought to eliminate the remnants of the doctrine, but it lingered in popular and even judicial consciousness. The 1853 kidnapping of a woman named Eulalie Oliveau, six of her children, and eleven of her grandchildren for sale in the New Orleans slave market brought the question of “freedom by prescription” back into the courts. The awkward resolution of that case, and the uncertain fate of Eulalie Oliveau and her children, foreshadowed Reconstruction-era struggles over the content of legal freedom and the rights that freedom might bring to those who had once been held as property.
The campylobacteriosis conundrum – examining the incidence of infection withCampylobactersp. in Australia, 1998–2013
Authors: MOFFATT C. R. M. , GLASS K. , STAFFORD R. , D'ESTE C. , KIRK M. D.
Published: December 2016

Campylobactersp. are a globally significant cause of gastroenteritis. Although rates of infection in Australia are among the highest in the industrialized world, studies describing campylobacteriosis incidence in Australia are lacking. Using national disease notification data between 1998 and 2013 we examinedCampylobacterinfections by gender, age group, season and state and territory. Negative binomial regression was used to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRRs), including trends by age group over time, with post-estimation commands used to obtain adjusted incidence rates. The incidence rate for males was significantly higher than for females [IRR 1·20, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·18–1·21], while a distinct seasonality was demonstrated with higher rates in both spring (IRR 1·18, 95% CI 1·16–1·20) and summer (IRR 1·17, 95% CI 1·16–1·19). Examination of trends in age-specific incidence over time showed declines in incidence in those aged <40 years combined with contemporaneous increases in older age groups, notably those aged 70–79 years (IRR 1998–2013: 1·75, 95% CI 1·63–1·88). While crude rates continue to be highest in children, our findings suggest the age structure for campylobacteriosis in Australia is changing, carrying significant public health implications for older Australians.
Species Membership and the Veil of Ignorance: What Principles of Justicewouldthe Representatives of all Animals Choose?
Authors: LIBERTO HALLIE
Published: December 2016

Mark Rowlands gives a compelling argument that, if John Rawls's contractarianism is consistently applied, and Rawls's premises fully explained, then we have powerful reasons to believe that representatives behind the Veil of Ignorance should be blind to species membership in the same way that they are blind to economic status and natural talent.1I argue that even if we suppose this to be correct, these agents would not choose the two principles of justice, but instead ones that more closely resemble utilitarian principles.
What's Wrong with Differential Punishment?
Authors: YOST BENJAMIN S.
Published: December 2016

Half of the drug offenders incarcerated in the United States are black, even though whites and blacks use and sell drugs at the same rate, and blacks make up only 13 per cent of the population. Non-comparativists about retributive justice see nothing wrong with this picture; for them, an offender's desert is insensitive to facts about other offenders. By contrast, comparativists about retributive justice assert that facts about others can partially determine an offender's desert. Not surprisingly, comparativists, especially comparative egalitarians, contend that differential punishment is retributively unjust. I agree with this assessment, but take issue with the reasons egalitarians cite in its favour. In this article, I argue that differential punishment violates retributive justice because it contributes to structural racial oppression. Over the course of developing and defending this claim, I identify the shortcomings of both comparative egalitarianism and respectarianism, which is the most popular and plausible brand of non-comparativism.
Programming with ornaments
Authors: KO HSIANG-SHANG , GIBBONS JEREMY
Published: December 2016

Dependently typed programming advocates the use of various indexed versions of the same shape of data, but the formal relationship amongst these structurally similar datatypes usually needs to be established manually and tediously. Ornaments have been proposed as a formal mechanism to manage the relationships between such datatype variants. In this paper, we conduct a case study under an ornament framework; the case study concerns programming binomial heaps and their operations — including insertion and minimum extraction — by viewing them as lifted versions of binary numbers and numeric operations. We show how current dependently typed programming technology can lead to a clean treatment of the binomial heap constraints when implementing heap operations. We also identify some gaps between the current technology and an ideal dependently typed programming language that we would wish to have for our development.
Alcohol use, depression, and life satisfaction among older persons in Jamaica
Authors: Gibson Roger C. , Waldron Norman K. , Abel Wendel D. , Eldemire-Shearer Denise , James Kenneth , Mitchell-Fearon Kathryn
Published: December 2016

Background:

We aimed to determine the prevalence of alcohol use among older Jamaicans as well as to explore among this population the relationships between alcohol use and: age, sex, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction. Although the nature of these relationships among the proposed study population were uncertain, in other settings alcohol use has tended to decline with increasing age, occur more commonly among men than women, and show non-linear relationships with depressive symptoms and life satisfaction.

Methods:

Data gathered by two-stage cluster sampling for a nationally representative health and lifestyle survey of 2,943 community-dwelling older Jamaicans, aged 60 to 103 years, were subjected to secondary analysis using the Student's t-test and χ2 test as appropriate.

Results:

Current alcohol use was reported by 21.4% of the participants. It steadily declined with age and was six times more prevalent among men (37.6%) than women (6.2%). These findings were statistically significant as were associations of current alcohol use with comparatively lower levels of depressive symptoms. Current alcohol use was also more prevalent among persons who were either highly satisfied or highly dissatisfied with their lives, compared to others who had levels of life satisfaction between these two extremes.

Conclusions:

Current alcohol use among older Jamaicans occurs primarily among men, declines with increasing age, and is associated with a relatively low likelihood of depression. It is also associated with very high and very low levels of life satisfaction.
Cardiac manifestations of congenital LMNA-related muscular dystrophy in children: three case reports and recommendations for care
Authors: Heller Felice , Dabaj Ivana , Mah Jean K. , Bergounioux Jean , Essid Aben , Bönnemann Carsten G. , Rutkowski Anne , Bonne Gisèle , Quijano-Roy Susana , Wahbi Karim
Published: December 2016

Skeletal and cardiac muscle laminopathies, caused by mutations in the lamin A/C gene, have a clinical spectrum from congenital LMNA-related muscular dystrophy to later-onset Emery–Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, limb girdle muscular dystrophy, and dilated cardiomyopathy. Although cardiac involvement is observed at all ages, it has only been well described in adults. We present the evolution of cardiac disease in three children with congenital muscular dystrophy presentation of LMNA-related muscular dystrophy. In this series, atrial arrhythmia was the presenting cardiac finding in all three patients. Heart failure developed up to 5 years later. Symptoms of right heart failure, including diarrhoea and peripheral oedema, preceded a rapid decline in left ventricular ejection fraction. Recommendations for cardiac surveillance and management in these patients are made.
Role of low kilovoltage electrocardiographic-gated multidetector CT in electrophysiological procedures in the paediatric age group
Authors: Khalil Sameh N. K. , Ibrahim Ahmed S.
Published: December 2016

Treatment of arrhythmias by catheter ablation targeting the anatomical foci of arrhythmias by radiofrequency has evolved dramatically in recent years. A road map for the relevant heart structures is an important asset for the success of the procedure and should be obtained before the intervention. This can be achieved by intra-cardiac echocardiography, conventional angiographic methods, multidetector CT, or MRI. The electrophysiological technique comprises a diagnostic procedure and an interventional – therapeutic – procedure. Electrocardiographic-gated multidetector CT is important in the diagnostic session to evaluate the anatomical details in combination with electric activity mapping. This combined protocol provides a unique view of the propagation of electrical activity, either normal or abnormal, over cardiac structures and allows a precise functional and anatomical evaluation to be obtained. In this review, we evaluate the role of electrocardiographic-gated multidetector CT in roadmapping arrhythmias in the paediatric age group, focussing on its strengths; we also evaluated some additional aspects that need further improvement in the future.
Health Service Impact from Mass Gatherings: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Ranse Jamie , Hutton Alison , Keene Toby , Lenson Shane , Luther Matt , Bost Nerolie , Johnston Amy N. B. , Crilly Julia , Cannon Matt , Jones Nicole , Hayes Courtney , Burke Brandon
Published: December 2016

Background

During a mass gathering, some participants may receive health care for injuries or illnesses that occur during the event. In-event first responders provide initial assessment and management at the event. However, when further definitive care is required, municipal ambulance services provide additional assessment, treatment, and transport of participants to acute care settings, such as hospitals. The impact on both ambulance services and hospitals from mass-gathering events is the focus of this literature review.

Aim

This literature review aimed to develop an understanding of the impact of mass gatherings on local health services, specifically pertaining to in-event and external health services.

Method

This research used a systematic literature review methodology. Electronic databases were searched to find articles related to the aim of the review. Articles focused on mass-gathering health, provision of in-event health services, ambulance service transportation, and hospital utilization.

Results

Twenty-four studies were identified for inclusion in this review. These studies were all case-study-based and retrospective in design. The majority of studies (n=23) provided details of in-event first responder services. There was variation noted in reporting of the number and type of in-event health professional services at mass gatherings. All articles reported that patients were transported to hospital by the ambulance service. Only nine articles reported on patients presenting to hospital. However, details pertaining to the impact on ambulance and hospital services were not reported.

Conclusions

There is minimal research focusing on the impact of mass gatherings on in-event and external health services, such as ambulance services and hospitals. A recommendation for future mass-gathering research and evaluation is to link patient-level data from in-event mass gatherings to external health services. This type of study design would provide information regarding the impact on health services from a mass gathering to more accurately inform future health planning for mass gatherings across the health care continuum.

RanseJ, HuttonA, KeeneT, LensonS, LutherM, BostN, JohnstonANB, CrillyJ, CannonM, JonesN, HayesC, BurkeB. Health service impact from mass gatherings: a systematic literature review. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(1):71–77.
Effect of fortified milk on growth and nutritional status in young children: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Matsuyama Misa , Harb Tracy , David Michael , Davies Peter SW , Hill Rebecca J
Published: December 2016

Objective

Adequate nutrition is critical for optimal growth and development. However, young children may be at risk of nutrient deficiencies when transitioning to weaning foods for a variety of reasons. Supplementation with fortified milk may provide potentially lacking essential nutrients, but effects on growth and nutritional status are yet to be established.

Design

Five databases were searched for randomised controlled trials using fortified milk against control milk in young children. Outcomes were growth, body composition and/or biochemical markers. Pooled differences in means were calculated for continuous outcomes and odds ratios for binary outcomes.

Setting

Randomised controlled trials set in any country.

Subjects

Otherwise healthy children aged 6–47 months.

Results

Fifteen articles met the eligibility criteria. Fortification varied from Fe, Zn, vitamins, essential fatty acids, to pre- and/or probiotics. Frequently reported outcomes were weight, height and Fe status. Studies varied in geographical location, sample size and duration. Fortified milk had minimal effects on weight gain (mean difference=0·17 kg; 95 % CI 0·02, 0·31 kg) compared with control milk. The risk of anaemia was reduced in fortified milk groups (OR=0·32; 95 % CI 0·15, 0·66) compared with control groups. There were no significant effects on height gain, changes in body composition or Hb concentration.

Conclusions

Fortified milk is an effective source of complementary nutrition to supplement children in need when consumed in appropriate amounts in addition to a normal diet. Due to compositional differences, further research on fortified milk is warranted before making global recommendations on benefits for growth and nutritional outcomes in young children.
Imaging of Dental Hard Tissue Surfaces Prepared by an Ultrashort Pulsed Laser System (USPL)
Authors: Schäper Matthias , Reimann Susanne , Frentzen Matthias , Meister Jörg
Published: December 2016

The aim of this study was to compare surface structures of laser-irradiated dental hard tissues using confocal (CFM), atomic force (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The general potential of the AFM in analyzing laser-irradiated surfaces was determined in this context. Specimens of human enamel and dentin were irradiated using an 8.6 W Nd:YVO4laser with a pulse duration of 8 ps,λCenter=1,064 nm, and a pulse repetition rate of 500 kHz. Surface topology of irradiated areas (1 mm2) was investigated using AFM, CFM, and SEM. Surface roughnessRzwas measured only with the AFM and the CFM. For non-irradiated enamel and dentin surfaces, roughnesses for CFM and AFM are in the nanometer range. However, major differences in roughness were determined for laser-prepared surfaces. For enamel,Rz(CFM)=2.33μm is much higher compared withRz(AFM)=0.09μm; in the case of dentin,Rz(CFM)=5.35μm is also much higher compared withRz(AFM)=0.093μm. Information regarding structural properties of surfaces needs real dimensions, particularly for use in dentistry. In this respect, AFM technology provides no additional results that lead to a significant improvement.
How consistent is breast boost radiotherapy practice across the United Kingdom?
Authors: Magwaro Sophia
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The aims of this project were to identify the national range of breast boost radiotherapy doses and variations in treatment practice; determine the factors that potentially cause variations; and examine whether differences between regions are based on clinical evidence or access to technical and financial resources by surveying Therapeutic Radiographers across the United Kingdom to determine current radiotherapy boost practice.

Methods

A cross-sectional study design was selected. An electronic questionnaire using the website Survey Monkey® tool was utilised to collect categorical data from practicing Therapeutic Radiographers within the United Kingdom.

Setting

Participants were invited to participate from radiotherapy departments across the four countries of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). There are 52 radiotherapy departments across 12 regions of the United Kingdom.

Results

In total, 34 Therapeutic Radiographers participated. Their responses were grouped according to their region of practice. Results indicated that there are ten different dose schedules offered to patients nationally for the treatment of breast boost, with 77% of respondents using electrons to deliver boost radiotherapy.

Conclusions

There is no general consensus among Therapeutic Radiographers about whether factors such as age, tumour size, tumour grade or the presence of negative or positive margins, influence the therapeutic doses prescribed for different patients. This may be attributed to the absence of clinical research evidence to support evidence-based practice.
Review of the clinical benefits and implementation of peer review of treatment plans in undergraduate medical dosimetry and radiation therapy training
Authors: Chamunyonga Crispen , Crowe Scott , Burbery Julie
Published: December 2016

Purpose

Peer review of treatment plans has been used to improve planning consistency, decrease the need for replanning and improve quality of care through the safe delivery of high-quality radiotherapy plans. This narrative review summarises the clinical benefits and addresses the implementation of peer review of treatment plans in undergraduate medical dosimetry and radiation therapy training.

Discussion

There are encouraging results of peer review for advanced treatment planning techniques such as Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy techniques in clinical practice. Peer review can be used as a tool to improve students’ knowledge of organ-at-risk contouring, treatment plan critique and quality assurance. These desirable treatment planning skills can be easily transferred to clinical settings. Moreover, there are several potential pedagogical benefits such as improvement in student engagement, better communication skills and provision of synchronous and asynchronous feedback that can positively impact student success and future employment. However, there are several challenges in facilitating its implementation in university settings.

Conclusion

Embedding skills in peer review of treatment plans at undergraduate teaching level can be a powerful tool to impart clinical treatment planning knowledge. This narrative review provides a basis on which to develop an exploratory study of structured peer review activities in a training environment.
The mighty metaphor: a collection of therapists’ favourite metaphors and analogies
Authors: Killick Steve , Curry Vicki , Myles Pamela
Published: December 2016

Metaphor is a central tool of the therapist of many therapeutic modalities, and they are a particular feature of CBT. Metaphors can be essential tools in the therapeutic process; providing the therapist with a means of communicating potentially complex psychological concepts and theory to clients, and also being part of the process of change. This paper presents a series of metaphors that some of the most experienced and innovative practitioners in the world of CBT have found to be helpful. Each practitioner describes how to utilize the metaphor skilfully and effectively: providing some tips for facilitating both the presentation of metaphors to, and eliciting of metaphors from the client; and demonstrating how the use of metaphor can facilitate therapeutic change. Overall, the small selection of metaphors presented here demonstrate the great versatility of metaphor to address all kinds of issues in therapy, with a range of client groups and presenting difficulties; and how the shared exploration and collaboration of both client- and therapist-generated metaphors can be an important addition to the therapist's toolbox.
The Collective Action Framing of Conservative Christian Groups in Britain
Authors: Kettell Steven
Published: December 2016

Conservative Christian groups in Britain have been involved in a number of high profile and controversial policy issues. Scholarly research into the political activities of such groups, however, remains limited. This article addresses this lacuna by exploring the collective action frames deployed by conservative Christian groups in their attempts to influence national level policies and debates. Drawing on elite interviews with group representatives, it argues that these frames have been constructed largely in response to the pressures of secularization, but have, in many respects, become secularized themselves.
Sozial-Emotionale und Kognitive Fertigkeiten als Regulationskompetenzen
Authors: Mähler Claudia , Petermann Ulrike , Greve Werner
Published: December 2016

Zusammenfassung. Die Bedeutung von sozial-emotionalen und kognitiven Kompetenzen und Prozessen für Wohlbefinden und Schulerfolg von Kindern ist bislang zu wenig zusammenhängend untersucht worden. Aus diesem Grund kann man den gemeinsamen Einfluss dieser Ressourcen für den Alltag und den Schulerfolg nur erahnen. Eine Systematik möglicher Zusammenhänge und Wechselwirkungen zwischen kognitiven und sozial-emotionalen Kompetenzen, Regulationsprozessen, Schulerfolg und Wohlbefinden wird vorgestellt und diskutiert.
hvTRA, a novel TRAIL receptor agonist, induces apoptosis and sustained growth retardation in melanoma
Authors: Fleten Karianne G , Flørenes Vivi Ann , Prasmickaite Lina , Hill Oliver , Sykora Jaromir , Mælandsmo Gunhild M , Engesæter Birgit
Published: December 2016

In recent years, new treatment options for malignant melanoma patients have enhanced the overall survival for selected patients. Despite new hope, most melanoma patients still relapse with drug-resistant tumors or experience intrinsic resistance to the therapy. Therefore, novel treatment modalities beneficial for subgroups of patients are needed. TRAIL receptor agonists have been suggested as promising candidates for use in cancer treatment as they preferentially induce apoptosis in cancer cells. Unfortunately, the first generation of TRAIL receptor agonists showed poor clinical efficacy. hvTRA is a second-generation TRAIL receptor agonist with improved composition giving increased potency, and in the present study, we showed hvTRA-induced activation of apoptosis leading to an efficient and sustained reduction in melanoma cell growth in cell lines and xenograft models. Furthermore, the potential of hvTRA in a clinical setting was demonstrated by showing efficacy on tumor cells harvested from melanoma patients with lymph node metastasis in an ex vivo drug sensitivity assay. Inhibition of mutated BRAF has been shown to regulate proteins in the intrinsic apoptotic pathway, making the cells more susceptible for apoptosis induction. In an attempt to increase the efficacy of hvTRA, combination treatment with the mutated BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib was investigated. A synergistic effect by the combination was observed for several cell lines in vitro, and an initial cytotoxic effect was observed in vivo. Unfortunately, the initial increased reduction in tumor growth compared with hvTRA mono treatment was not sustained, and this was related to downregulation of the DR5 level by vemurafenib. Altogether, the presented data imply that hvTRA efficiently induce apoptosis and growth delay in melanoma models and patient material, and the potential of this TRAIL receptor agonist should be further evaluated for treatment of subgroups of melanoma patients.
Granzymes A and K differentially potentiate LPS-induced cytokine response
Authors: Wensink Annette C , Kok Helena M , Meeldijk Jan , Fermie Job , Froelich Christopher J , Hack C Erik , Bovenschen Niels
Published: December 2016

Granzymes are serine proteases that, upon release from cytotoxic cells, induce apoptosis in tumor cells and virally infected cells. In addition, a role of granzymes in inflammation is emerging. Recently, we have demonstrated that extracellular granzyme K (GrK) potentiates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cytokine response from monocytes. GrK interacts with LPS, disaggregates LPS micelles, and stimulates LPS-CD14 binding and Toll-like receptor signaling. Here we show that human GrA also potentiates cytokine responses in human monocytes initiated by LPS or Gram-negative bacteria. Similar to GrK, this effect is independent of GrA catalytic activity. Unlike GrK, however, GrA does not bind to LPS, has little influence on LPS micelle disaggregation, and does not augment LPS-CD14 complex formation. We conclude that GrA and GrK differentially modulate LPS-Toll-like receptor signaling in monocytes, suggesting functional redundancy among cytotoxic lymphocyte proteases in the anti-bacterial innate immune response.
Co-axial heterostructures integrating palladium/titanium dioxide with carbon nanotubes for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution
Authors: Valenti Giovanni , Boni Alessandro , Melchionna Michele , Cargnello Matteo , Nasi Lucia , Bertoni Giovanni , Gorte Raymond J. , Marcaccio Massimo , Rapino Stefania , Bonchio Marcella , Fornasiero Paolo , Prato Maurizio , Paolucci Francesco
Published: December 2016

Considering the depletion of fossil-fuel reserves and their negative environmental impact, new energy schemes must point towards alternative ecological processes. Efficient hydrogen evolution from water is one promising route towards a renewable energy economy and sustainable development. Here we show a tridimensional electrocatalytic interface, featuring a hierarchical, co-axial arrangement of a palladium/titanium dioxide layer on functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The resulting morphology leads to a merging of the conductive nanocarbon core with the active inorganic phase. A mechanistic synergy is envisioned by a cascade of catalytic events promoting water dissociation, hydride formation and hydrogen evolution. The nanohybrid exhibits a performance exceeding that of state-of-the-art electrocatalysts (turnover frequency of 15000 H2 per hour at 50 mV overpotential). The Tafel slope of ∼130 mV per decade points to a rate-determining step comprised of water dissociation and formation of hydride. Comparative activities of the isolated components or their physical mixtures demonstrate that the good performance evolves from the synergistic hierarchical structure.
Achieving ZT=2.2 with Bi-doped n-type SnSe single crystals
Authors: Duong Anh Tuan , Nguyen Van Quang , Duvjir Ganbat , Duong Van Thiet , Kwon Suyong , Song Jae Yong , Lee Jae Ki , Lee Ji Eun , Park SuDong , Min Taewon , Lee Jaekwang , Kim Jungdae , Cho Sunglae
Published: December 2016

Recently SnSe, a layered chalcogenide material, has attracted a great deal of attention for its excellent p-type thermoelectric property showing a remarkable ZT value of 2.6 at 923 K. For thermoelectric device applications, it is necessary to have n-type materials with comparable ZT value. Here, we report that n-type SnSe single crystals were successfully synthesized by substituting Bi at Sn sites. In addition, it was found that the carrier concentration increases with Bi content, which has a great influence on the thermoelectric properties of n-type SnSe single crystals. Indeed, we achieved the maximum ZT value of 2.2 along b axis at 733 K in the most highly doped n-type SnSe with a carrier density of −2.1 × 1019 cm−3 at 773 K.
A programmable DNA origami nanospring that reveals force-induced adjacent binding of myosin VI heads
Authors: Iwaki M. , Wickham S. F. , Ikezaki K. , Yanagida T. , Shih W. M.
Published: December 2016

Mechanosensitive biological nanomachines such as motor proteins and ion channels regulate diverse cellular behaviour. Combined optical trapping with single-molecule fluorescence imaging provides a powerful methodology to clearly characterize the mechanoresponse, structural dynamics and stability of such nanomachines. However, this system requires complicated experimental geometry, preparation and optics, and is limited by low data-acquisition efficiency. Here we develop a programmable DNA origami nanospring that overcomes these issues. We apply our nanospring to human myosin VI, a mechanosensory motor protein, and demonstrate nanometre-precision single-molecule fluorescence imaging of the individual motor domains (heads) under force. We observe force-induced transitions of myosin VI heads from non-adjacent to adjacent binding, which correspond to adapted roles for low-load and high-load transport, respectively. Our technique extends single-molecule studies under force and clarifies the effect of force on biological processes.
Spin doping using transition metal phthalocyanine molecules
Authors: Atxabal A. , Ribeiro M. , Parui S. , Urreta L. , Sagasta E. , Sun X. , Llopis R. , Casanova F. , Hueso L. E.
Published: December 2016

Molecular spins have become key enablers for exploring magnetic interactions, quantum information processes and many-body effects in metals. Metal-organic molecules, in particular, let the spin state of the core metal ion to be modified according to its organic environment, allowing localized magnetic moments to emerge as functional entities with radically different properties from its simple atomic counterparts. Here, using and preserving the integrity of transition metal phthalocyanine high-spin complexes, we demonstrate the magnetic doping of gold thin films, effectively creating a new ground state. We demonstrate it by electrical transport measurements that are sensitive to the scattering of itinerant electrons with magnetic impurities, such as Kondo effect and weak antilocalization. Our work expands in a simple and powerful way the classes of materials that can be used as magnetic dopants, opening a new channel to couple the wide range of molecular properties with spin phenomena at a functional scale.
Suppressing photochemical reactions with quantized light fields
Authors: Galego Javier , Garcia-Vidal Francisco J. , Feist Johannes
Published: December 2016

Photoisomerization, that is, a photochemical reaction leading to a change of molecular structure after absorption of a photon, can have detrimental effects such as leading to DNA damage under solar irradiation, or as a limiting factor for the efficiency of solar cells. Here, we show that strong coupling of organic molecules to a confined light mode can be used to strongly suppress photoisomerization, as well as other photochemical reactions, and thus convert molecules that normally show fast photodegradation into photostable forms. We find this to be especially efficient in the case of collective strong coupling, where the distribution of a single excitation over many molecules and the light mode leads to a collective protection effect that almost completely suppresses the photochemical reaction.
Elevated Type II Secretory Phospholipase A2 Increases the Risk of Early Atherosclerosis in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Sun Chang-Qing , Zhong Chun-Yan , Sun Wei-Wei , Xiao Hua , Zhu Ping , Lin Yi-Zhang , Zhang Chen-Liang , Gao Hao , Song Zhi-Yuan
Published: December 2016

A critical association between type II secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2-IIa) and established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease has been demonstrated. However, the contribution of sPLA2-IIa to early atherosclerosis remains unknown. This study investigated the association between early-stage atherosclerosis and sPLA2-IIa in metabolic syndrome (MetS) patients. One hundred and thirty-six MetS patients and 120 age- and gender-matched subjects without MetS were included. Serum sPLA2-IIa protein levels and activity were measured using commercial kits. Circulating endothelial activation molecules (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), E-selectin, and P-selectin), and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), were measured as parameters of vascular endothelial dysfunction and early atherosclerosis. MetS patients exhibited significantly higher sPLA2-IIa protein and activity levels than the controls. Both correlated positively with fasting blood glucose and waist circumference in MetS patients. Additionally, MetS patients exhibited strikingly higher levels of endothelial activation molecules and increased cIMT than controls. These levels correlated positively with serum sPLA2-IIa protein levels and activity. Moreover, multivariate analysis showed that high sPLA2-IIa protein and activity levels were independent risk factors of early atherosclerosis in MetS patients. This study demonstrates an independent association between early-stage atherosclerosis and increased levels of sPLA2-IIa, implying that increased sPLA2-IIa may predict early-stage atherosclerosis in MetS patients.
Boron doped graphene wrapped silver nanowires as an efficient electrocatalyst for molecular oxygen reduction
Authors: Nair Anju K. , Thazhe veettil Vineesh , Kalarikkal Nandakumar , Thomas Sabu , Kala M. S. , Sahajwalla Veena , Joshi Rakesh K. , Alwarappan Subbiah
Published: December 2016

Metal nanowires exhibit unusually high catalytic activity towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) due to their inherent electronic structures. However, controllable synthesis of stable nanowires still remains as a daunting challenge. Herein, we report the in situ synthesis of silver nanowires (AgNWs) over boron doped graphene sheets (BG) and demonstrated its efficient electrocatalytic activity towards ORR for the first time. The electrocatalytic ORR efficacy of BG-AgNW is studied using various voltammetric techniques. The BG wrapped AgNWs shows excellent ORR activity, with very high onset potential and current density and it followed four electron transfer mechanism with high methanol tolerance and stability towards ORR. The results are comparable to the commercially available 20% Pt/C in terms of performance.
Defect-free high Sn-content GeSn on insulator grown by rapid melting growth
Authors: Liu Zhi , Cong Hui , Yang Fan , Li Chuanbo , Zheng Jun , Xue Chunlai , Zuo Yuhua , Cheng Buwen , Wang Qiming
Published: December 2016

GeSn is an attractive semiconductor material for Si-based photonics. However, large lattice mismatch between GeSn and Si and the low solubility of Sn in Ge limit its development. In order to obtain high Sn-content GeSn on Si, it is normally grown at low temperature, which would lead to inevitable dislocations. Here, we reported a single-crystal defect-free graded GeSn on insulator (GSOI) stripes laterally grown by rapid melting growth (RMG). The Sn-content reaches to 14.2% at the end of the GSOI stripe. Transmission electron microscopy observation shows the GSOI stripe without stacking fault and dislocations. P-channel pseudo metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) and metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) Schottky junction photodetectors were fabricated on these GSOIs. Good transistor performance with a low field peak hole mobility of 402 cm2/Vs is obtained, which indicates a high-quality of this GSOI structure. Strong near-infrared and short-wave infrared optical absorption of the MSM photodetectors at 1550 nm and 2000 nm were observed. Owing to high Sn-content and defect-free, responsivity of 236 mA/W@-1.5 V is achieved at 1550 nm wavelength. In addition, responsivity reaches 154 mA/W@-1.5 V at 2000 nm with the optical absorption layer only 200 nm-thick, which is the highest value reported for GeSn junction photodetectors until now.
Isolated pores dissected from human two-pore channel 2 are functional
Authors: Penny Christopher J. , Rahman Taufiq , Sula Altin , Miles Andrew J. , Wallace B. A. , Patel Sandip
Published: December 2016

Multi-domain voltage-gated ion channels appear to have evolved through sequential rounds of intragenic duplication from a primordial one-domain precursor. Whereas modularity within one-domain symmetrical channels is established, little is known about the roles of individual regions within more complex asymmetrical channels where the domains have undergone substantial divergence. Here we isolated and characterised both of the divergent pore regions from human TPC2, a two-domain channel that holds a key intermediate position in the evolution of voltage-gated ion channels. In HeLa cells, each pore localised to the ER and caused Ca2+ depletion, whereas an ER-targeted pore mutated at a residue that inactivates full-length TPC2 did not. Additionally, one of the pores expressed at high levels in E. coli. When purified, it formed a stable, folded tetramer. Liposomes reconstituted with the pore supported Ca2+ and Na+ uptake that was inhibited by known blockers of full-length channels. Computational modelling of the pore corroborated cationic permeability and drug interaction. Therefore, despite divergence, both pores are constitutively active in the absence of their partners and retain several properties of the wild-type pore. Such symmetrical ‘pore-only’ proteins derived from divergent channel domains may therefore provide tractable tools for probing the functional architecture of complex ion channels.
MHC-dependent mate choice is linked to a trace-amine-associated receptor gene in a mammal
Authors: Santos Pablo S. C. , Courtiol Alexandre , Heidel Andrew J. , Höner Oliver P. , Heckmann Ilja , Nagy Martina , Mayer Frieder , Platzer Matthias , Voigt Christian C. , Sommer Simone
Published: December 2016

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes play a pivotal role in vertebrate self/nonself recognition, parasite resistance and life history decisions. In evolutionary terms, the MHC’s exceptional diversity is likely maintained by sexual and pathogen-driven selection. Even though MHC-dependent mating preferences have been confirmed for many species, the sensory and genetic mechanisms underlying mate recognition remain cryptic. Since olfaction is crucial for social communication in vertebrates, variation in chemosensory receptor genes could explain MHC-dependent mating patterns. Here, we investigated whether female mate choice is based on MHC alleles and linked to variation in chemosensory trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) in the greater sac-winged bat (Saccopteryx bilineata). We sequenced several MHC and TAAR genes and related their variation to mating and paternity data. We found strong evidence for MHC class I-dependent female choice for genetically diverse and dissimilar males. We also detected a significant interaction between mate choice and the female TAAR3 genotype, with TAAR3-heterozygous females being more likely to choose MHC-diverse males. These results suggest that TAARs and olfactory cues may be key mediators in mammalian MHC-dependent mate choice. Our study may help identify the ligands involved in the chemical communication between potential mates.
Reactivity of disulfide bonds is markedly affected by structure and environment: implications for protein modification and stability
Authors: Karimi Maryam , Ignasiak Marta T. , Chan Bun , Croft Anna K. , Radom Leo , Schiesser Carl H. , Pattison David I. , Davies Michael J.
Published: December 2016

Disulfide bonds play a key role in stabilizing protein structures, with disruption strongly associated with loss of protein function and activity. Previous data have suggested that disulfides show only modest reactivity with oxidants. In the current study, we report kinetic data indicating that selected disulfides react extremely rapidly, with a variation of 104in rate constants. Five-membered ring disulfides are particularly reactive compared with acyclic (linear) disulfides or six-membered rings. Particular disulfides in proteins also show enhanced reactivity. This variation occurs with multiple oxidants and is shown to arise from favorable electrostatic stabilization of the incipient positive charge on the sulfur reaction center by remote groups, or by the neighboring sulfur for conformations in which the orbitals are suitably aligned. Controlling these factors should allow the design of efficient scavengers and high-stability proteins. These data are consistent with selective oxidative damage to particular disulfides, including those in some proteins.
Stochastic quantum Zeno-based detection of noise correlations
Authors: Müller Matthias M. , Gherardini Stefano , Caruso Filippo
Published: December 2016

A system under constant observation is practically freezed to the measurement subspace. If the system driving is a random classical field, the survival probability of the system in the subspace becomes a random variable described by the Stochastic Quantum Zeno Dynamics (SQZD) formalism. Here, we study the time and ensemble average of this random survival probability and demonstrate how time correlations in the noisy environment determine whether the two averages do coincide or not. These environment time correlations can potentially generate non-Markovian dynamics of the quantum system depending on the structure and energy scale of the system Hamiltonian. We thus propose a way to detect time correlations of the environment by coupling a quantum probe system to it and observing the survival probability of the quantum probe in a measurement subspace. This will further contribute to the development of new schemes for quantum sensing technologies, where nanodevices may be exploited to image external structures or biological molecules via the surface field they generate.
Tunable reflecting terahertz filter based on chirped metamaterial structure
Authors: Yang Jing , Gong Cheng , Sun Lu , Chen Ping , Lin Lie , Liu Weiwei
Published: December 2016

Tunable reflecting terahertz bandstop filter based on chirped metamaterial structure is demonstrated by numerical simulation. In the metamaterial, the metal bars are concatenated to silicon bars with different lengths. By varying the conductivity of the silicon bars, the reflectivity, central frequency and bandwidth of the metamaterial could be tuned. Light illumination could be introduced to change the conductivity of the silicon bars. Numerical simulations also show that the chirped metamaterial structure is insensitive to the incident angle and polarization-dependent. The proposed chirped metamaterial structure can be operated as a tunable bandstop filter whose modulation depth, bandwidth, shape factor and center frequency can be controlled by light pumping.
Enhancing radiosensitization in EphB4 receptor-expressing Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas
Authors: Bhatia Shilpa , Hirsch Kellen , Sharma Jaspreet , Oweida Ayman , Griego Anastacia , Keysar Stephen , Jimeno Antonio , Raben David , Krasnoperov Valery , Gill Parkash S. , Pasquale Elena B. , Wang Xiao-Jing , Karam Sana D.
Published: December 2016

Members of the Eph family of receptor tyrosine kinases have been implicated in a wide array of human cancers. The EphB4 receptor is ubiquitously expressed in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and has been shown to impart tumorigenic and invasive characteristics to these cancers. In this study, we investigated whether EphB4 receptor targeting can enhance the radiosensitization of HNSCC. Our data show that EphB4 is expressed at high to moderate levels in HNSCC cell lines and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) tumors. We observed decreased survival fractions in HNSCC cells following EphB4 knockdown in clonogenic assays. An enhanced G2 cell cycle arrest with activation of DNA damage response pathway and increased apoptosis was evident in HNSCC cells following combined EphB4 downregulation and radiation compared to EphB4 knockdown and radiation alone. Data using HNSCC PDX models showed significant reduction in tumor volume and enhanced delay in tumor regrowth following sEphB4-HSA administration with radiation compared to single agent treatment. sEphB4-HSA is a protein known to block the interaction between the EphB4 receptor and its ephrin-B2 ligand. Overall, our findings emphasize the therapeutic relevance of EphB4 targeting as a radiosensitizer that can be exploited for the treatment of human head and neck carcinomas.
Molecular mechanism for sphingosine-induced Pseudomonas ceramidase expression through the transcriptional regulator SphR
Authors: Okino Nozomu , Ito Makoto
Published: December 2016

Pseudomonas aeruginosa,an opportunistic, but serious multidrug-resistant pathogen, secretes a ceramidase capable of cleaving theN-acyl linkage of ceramide to generate fatty acids and sphingosine. We previously reported that the secretion ofP. aeruginosaceramidase was induced by host-derived sphingolipids, through which phospholipase C-induced hemolysis was significantly enhanced. We herein investigated the gene(s) regulating sphingolipid-induced ceramidase expression and identified SphR, which encodes a putative AraC family transcriptional regulator. Disruption of thesphRgene inP. aeruginosamarkedly decreased the sphingomyelin-induced secretion of ceramidase, reduced hemolytic activity, and resulted in the loss of sphingomyelin-induced ceramidase expression. A microarray analysis confirmed that sphingomyelin significantly induced ceramidase expression inP. aeruginosa. Furthermore, an electrophoretic mobility shift assay revealed that SphR specifically bound free sphingoid bases such as sphingosine, dihydrosphingosine, and phytosphingosine, but not sphingomyelin or ceramide. A β-galactosidase-assisted promoter assay showed that sphingosine activated ceramidase expression through SphR at a concentration of 100 nM. Collectively, these results demonstrated that sphingosine induces the secretion of ceramidase by promoting the mRNA expression of ceramidase through SphR, thereby enhancing hemolytic phospholipase C-induced cytotoxicity. These results facilitate understanding of the physiological role of bacterial ceramidase in host cells.
Metastatic lymph node ratio demonstrates better prognostic stratification than pN staging in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after esophagectomy
Authors: Zhang Hongdian , Liang Huagang , Gao Yongyin , Shang Xiaobin , Gong Lei , Ma Zhao , Sun Ke , Tang Peng , Yu Zhentao
Published: December 2016

This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of lymph node ratio (LNR) by establishing a hypothetical tumor-ratio-metastasis (TRM) staging system in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The records of 387 ESCC patients receiving curative esophagectomy were retrospectively investigated. The optimal cut-point for LNR was assessed via the best cut-off approach. Potential prognostic parameters were identified through univariate and multivariate analyses. A novel LNR-based TRM stage was proposed. The prognostic discriminatory ability and prediction accuracy of each system were determined using hazard ratio (HR), Akaike information criterion (AIC), concordance index (C-index), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The optimal cut-points of LNR were set at 0, 0~0.2, 0.2~0.4, and 0.4~1.0. Multivariate Cox analysis indicated that the LNR category was an independent risk factor of overall survival (P < 0.001). The calibration curves for the probability of 3- and 5-year survival showed good consistency between nomogram prediction and actual observation. The LNR category and TRM stage yielded a larger HR, a smaller AIC, a larger C-index, and a larger AUC than the N category and TNM stage did. In summary, the proposed LNR category was superior to the conventional N category in predicting the prognosis of ESCC patients.