bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microfluidic block copolymer membrane arrays for nanopore DNA sequencing
Authors: Rofeh Justin , Schankweiler Steven , Morton Danielle , Mortezaei Shahab , Qiang Liangliang , Gundlach Jens , Fisher Jeffrey , Theogarajan Luke
Published: May 2019

Nanopore DNA sequencing has the potential to provide significant improvements to DNA sequencing: it may decrease cost while increasing speed and portability. Due to fundamental limits on the speed of reading DNA as it moves through a nanopore, an array of nanopores is necessary to parallelize measurements for high speeds. Additionally, a practical nanopore sequencing device would benefit from the use of block copolymer membranes to house the nanopore proteins; block copolymers are more structurally and chemically stable than phospholipids. We have previously tailored membranes composed of a block copolymer to house the nanopore protein MspA for this purpose. In this work, we extend the use of this polymer to a membrane array. We find that when switching from our previous manual system to this microfluidic system, the nanopore protein MspA exhibits variable behavior despite the use of the same block copolymer solution as before. We establish a metric for quantifying this variability and investigate its cause. We find that the cause is likely the use of volatile and water-soluble solvents in a small channel volume. Finally, we demonstrate that MspA in these block copolymer membranes is able to translocate DNA similar to MspA behavior in lipid membranes. These results illustrate the viability of polymer membranes for nanopore-based sensors while highlighting the challenges inherent in the development of a practical nanopore DNA sequencing device.
Experimental investigation of the impact and freezing processes of a hot water droplet on an ice surface
Authors: Ju Jiajun , Yang Zhigang , Yi Xian , Jin Zheyan
Published: May 2019

Water droplet freezing on an ice surface is a common phenomenon and poses hazards to a lot of applications, including wind turbines, aircraft, and power transmission lines. Since the water droplet temperature is critical, many studies have been carried out to understand the influence of the water droplet temperature on both the impact and freezing processes of droplets on different surfaces. However, the past research studies mainly focused on supercooled water droplets, not on hot water droplets. For applications such as hot-water ice-drilling, the understanding of freezing of hot water droplets on an ice surface is necessary. In the present study, we report the detailed dynamic motions of a hot water droplet impacting on an ice surface. The impact and freezing processes of the hot water droplet on the ice surface are recorded by two cameras. The effects of the water droplet temperature and the ice surface temperature on the impact and freezing processes of the water droplet were experimentally investigated. The results showed that, at the same ice surface temperature, the increase of the water droplet temperature resulted in the increase of the maximum spreading factor, the reduction of the height of the ice bead, and the slight increase of the freezing time. In addition, during the droplet spreading process, the experimental results of the normalized contact diameter fitted well with the exponential model and the water droplet temperature was found to have an apparent influence on the lamella thickness.
Using collocation and a hierarchical basis to solve the vibrational Schrödinger equation
Authors: Zak Emil J. , Carrington Tucker
Published: May 2019

We show that it is possible to compute vibrational energy levels of polyatomic molecules with a collocation method and a basis of products of one-dimensional harmonic oscillator functions pruned so that it does not include functions for which the indices of many of the one-dimensional functions are nonzero. Functions with many nonzero indices are coupled only by terms that depend simultaneously on many coordinates, and they are typically small. The collocation equation is derived without invoking differences of interpolation operators, which simplifies implementation of the method. This, however, requires inverting a matrix whose elements are values of the pruned basis functions at the collocation points. The collocation points are the points on a Smolyak grid whose size is equal to the size of the pruned basis set. The Smolyak grid is built from symmetrized Leja points. Because both the basis and the grid are not tensor products, the inverse is not straightforward. It can be done by using so-called hierarchical 1-D basis functions. They are defined so that the matrix whose elements are the 1-D hierarchical basis functions evaluated at points is lower triangular. We test the method by applying it to compute 100 energy levels of CH2NH with an iterative eigensolver.
Effect of fine-tuning pore structures on the dynamics of confined water
Authors: Kolesnikov A. I. , Anovitz L. M. , Hawthorne F. C. , Podlesnyak A. , Schenter G. K.
Published: May 2019

Confinement of water in sub-nanometer pores strongly alters its vibrational dynamics from that of bulk water. The effect of confinement can, furthermore, be finely tuned by small changes in the size and symmetry of the confining pore. Using inelastic neutron scattering (INS), we recently studied the dynamics of water confined in the channels of beryl and cordierite in which, at low temperatures, water shows similar behavior, indicating an absence of hydrogen bonds acting on the water molecule and a shallow water potential in the direction perpendicular to the channels. In addition, we observed multiple tunneling modes (between 0.66 and 14.7 meV) in the INS spectra of beryl due to transitions between the split ground-state of the water protons. Here, we present a study of (i) the effect of pressure on the dynamics of water in beryl, (ii) the dynamics of water in beryl containing alkali metals (which results in changing the orientation of the water molecule in the crystal), and (iii) the dynamics of water in cordierite at low energies. We found a shift in the tunneling and vibrational modes of water in beryl to higher energies at 22 kbar relative to 1 bar. No tunneling modes were observed for water in cordierite and type-II water in beryl. Therefore, we conclude that very small differences in the size and structure of the pores and the orientation of the water molecule in these minerals result in changes in the potential of the water protons and drastic changes in the confined water dynamics.
Range-separated hybrid density functionals made simple
Authors: Brémond Éric , Pérez-Jiménez Ángel José , Sancho-García Juan Carlos , Adamo Carlo
Published: May 2019

In this communication, we present a new and simple route to derive range-separated exchange (RSX) hybrid and double hybrid density functionals in a nonempirical fashion. In line with our previous developments [Brémond et al., J. Chem. Theory Comput. 14, 4052 (2018)], we show that by imposing an additional physical constraint to the exchange-correlation energy, i.e., by enforcing to reproduce the total energy of the hydrogen atom, we are able to generalize the nonempirical determination of the range-separation parameter to a family of RSX hybrid density functionals. The success of the resulting models is illustrated by an accurate modeling of several molecular systems and properties, like ionization potentials, particularly prone to the one- and many-electron self-interaction errors.
Design of a fully automatic microwave plasma torch system
Authors: Wang Yaoyao , Wang Zhongli , Wu Dajun , Wu Zege , Zhu Liang , Ma Wendong , Tang Yunying , Shan Jiafang
Published: May 2019

Several advantages are associated with an atmospheric microwave plasma torch, including low cost, easy processing, and high density of electrons and reactive species. This paper develops a compact microwave plasma torch (CMPT) operating at 2.45 GHz with an ultrabandwidth of 30 MHz. The structure and equivalent circuit of CMPT is established and analyzed based on theory of transmission line. The simulation results indicate that the resonant frequency will drift downward with the presence of plasma. In order to keep the better coupling between the microwave and plasma, a new design scheme of a fully automatic microwave plasma system is proposed. The effects of different microwave powers on the CMPT discharge are carried out on this system. Finally, in order to demonstrate the performance of the CMPT, an experiment to modify the surface of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is conducted. It is found that the water contact angle is reduced from 85.4° to 32.3°, and the surface morphology characterized by atomic force microscope indicates significant improvement of the surface wettability of PMMA, which proves that the CMPT system is feasible and available.
High sensitivity characterization of the nonlinear electric susceptibility of a glass ceramic in the microwave range
Authors: Bergmann Florian , Letz Martin , Maune Holger , Jakob Gerhard
Published: May 2019

The nonlinear electric susceptibility of a glass ceramic is characterized in the microwave range by measuring intermodulation of two high-power signals. To achieve the necessary sensitivity for dielectric nonlinearities, the setup ensures that the measured intermodulation can be ascribed to the material under test while all other intermodulation sources are suppressed. This is achieved by coupling three dielectric resonators in a cut-off waveguide. The third order nonlinearity of the glass ceramic is found to be χ3/εr = (1.6 ± 0.8) × 10−15 m2/V2 at 950 MHz. The magnitude is comparable to the previously measured high-end sintered ceramics. The power of the intermodulation signal as a function of the input power deviates from the simple 3 dB/dB scaling and can be modeled by linear-nonlinear interaction.
Superconducting pair-breaking under intense sub-gap terahertz radiation
Authors: Tian Jie , Zuber Jack , Huang Sunchao , Zhang Chao
Published: May 2019

We study the effect of a strong and low frequency (ω < Δ, the superconducting gap) electrical field on a superconducting state. It is found that the superconducting gap decreases with the field intensity and wavelength. The physical mechanism for this dependence is the multiphoton absorption by a superconducting electron. By constructing the state of a superconducting electron dressed by photons, we determined the dependence of the superconducting gap on E/ω and temperature. We show that the critical temperature is determined by the parameter E/ω which is distinct from that induced by the heating effect. The result is consistent with experimental findings. This result can be applied to study terahertz nonlinear superconducting metamaterials.
Atomic layer deposition of energy band tunable tin germanium oxide electron transport layer for the SnS-based solar cells with 400 mV open-circuit voltage
Authors: Chua Danny , Kim Sang Bok , Sinsermsuksakul Prasert , Gordon Roy
Published: May 2019

Tin germanium oxide, (Sn,Ge)O2, films were prepared using atomic layer deposition and tailored to a SnS absorber layer by incorporating various amounts of germanium into tin oxide to adjust band alignments at the interfaces of SnS/(Sn,Ge)O2 photovoltaic devices. Carrier concentrations of (Sn,Ge)O2 were suppressed from 1020 to 1018 cm−3 with germanium incorporation, with nitrogen doping further reducing carrier concentrations by another order of magnitude. Excellent tunability of both band energy levels and carrier concentrations of (Sn,Ge)O2 allowed optimizing SnS-based solar cells. SnS/(Sn,Ge)O2:N devices were demonstrated, with an open-circuit voltage as high as 400 mV, due to the effective mitigation of interfacial recombination of photogenerated carriers at the SnS/(Sn,Ge)O2:N absorber-buffer heterojunction interface.
Enhancing the applicability of multicomponent time-dependent density functional theory
Authors: Culpitt Tanner , Yang Yang , Pavošević Fabijan , Tao Zhen , Hammes-Schiffer Sharon
Published: May 2019

The multicomponent extension of time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) within the nuclear-electronic orbital (NEO) framework enables the calculation of both electronic and vibrational excitations simultaneously. In this NEO-TDDFT approach, all electrons and select nuclei, typically protons, are treated quantum mechanically on the same level. Herein, the dependence of the proton vibrational excitation energies on the nuclear and electronic basis sets is examined. Protonic basis sets that include f basis functions in conjunction with substantial electronic basis sets for the quantum hydrogen are found to produce accurate proton vibrational excitation energies that are mostly within ∼30 cm−1 of reference values for the molecules studied. The NEO-TDDFT approach is shown to be effective for open-shell as well as closed-shell systems. Additionally, an approach for computing and visualizing the nuclear transition densities associated with the proton vibrational excitations is implemented. These nuclear transition densities are important for characterizing the proton vibrational excitations and determining the spatial orientations of the corresponding vibrational modes. These capabilities are essential for a variety of applications, including the incorporation of anharmonic effects into molecular vibrational frequency calculations.
Historical roots of implicit bias in slavery
Authors: Payne B. Keith , Vuletich Heidi A. , Brown-Iannuzzi Jazmin L.
Published: May 2019

Significance

Geographic variation in implicit bias is associated with multiple racial disparities in life outcomes. We investigated the historical roots of geographical differences in implicit bias by comparing average levels of implicit bias with the number of slaves in those areas in 1860. Counties and states more dependent on slavery in 1860 displayed higher pro-White implicit bias today among White residents and less pro-White bias among Black residents. Mediation analyses suggest that historical oppression may be transmitted into contemporary biases through structural inequalities, including disparities in poverty and upward mobility. Given the importance of contextual factors, efforts to reduce unintended discrimination might focus on modifying social environments that cue implicit biases in the minds of individuals.
TIMELESS mutation alters phase responsiveness and causes advanced sleep phase
Authors: Kurien Philip , Hsu Pei-Ken , Leon Jacy , Wu David , McMahon Thomas , Shi Guangsen , Xu Ying , Lipzen Anna , Pennacchio Len A. , Jones Christopher R. , Fu Ying-Hui , Ptáček Louis J.
Published: May 2019

Significance

TIMELESS has a clear role in the regulation of circadian rhythms in
Drosophila
, but its role in mammalian circadian regulation remains unclear. A mutation identified in a small family with advanced sleep phase causes cytoplasmic accumulation of TIMELESS. We confirm that TIMELESS can bind the critical negative regulators of the circadian clock, PER2 and CRY2, and destabilize them when TIMELESS remains in the cytoplasm. The mutant mouse model has a phase advance of sleep–wake behavior and altered sensitivity to light pulses, but normal period length. These data demonstrate that TIMELESS may play a role in regulating minor phase changes and therefore contribute to the maintenance of circadian rhythmicity in mammals.
Gain-of-function mutations in a member of the Src family kinases cause autoinflammatory bone disease in mice and humans
Authors: Abe Koichiro , Cox Allison , Takamatsu Nobuhiko , Velez Gabriel , Laxer Ronald M. , Tse Shirley M. L. , Mahajan Vinit B. , Bassuk Alexander G. , Fuchs Helmut , Ferguson Polly J. , Hrabe de Angelis Martin
Published: May 2019

Significance

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is an autoinflammatory bone disease that presents with bone destruction occurring primarily in children. In a mouse ENU mutagenesis screen, the
Ali18
strain was isolated because of spontaneous inflammation in the joints and bones. Sequencing candidate genes in the
Ali18
critical region identified a missense mutation in the C-terminal regulatory region of the Src family kinase (SFK) member,
Fgr
. Genome editing revealed
Fgr
dependency of the inflammatory phenotype in
Ali18
mice. Further, whole exome sequencing in our CRMO cohort identified two patients with missense mutations in
FGR
. In vitro functional assays confirm altered protein function. This work identifies
FGR
as a CRMO susceptibility gene and suggests that targeting SFKs may be useful in its treatment.
The emergence of the formal category “symmetry” in a new sign language
Authors: Gleitman Lila , Senghas Ann , Flaherty Molly , Coppola Marie , Goldin-Meadow Susan
Published: May 2019

Significance

Nicaraguan Sign Language (NSL), invented by a small group of heretofore linguistically isolated children, has developed over a flash of evolutionary time, approximately 40 y. We present evidence that NSL quickly became a linguistic system that parallels known mature languages, with a syntax for describing the logical structural features of
symmetry
. This appearance of essentially the same forms to express the same abstract content points to a significant, and likely universal, component in the design and acquisition of natural language.
Motor primitives are determined in early development and are then robustly conserved into adulthood
Authors: Yang Qi , Logan David , Giszter Simon F.
Published: May 2019

Significance

We show that major differences in postnatal experience and development do not impact the fundamental deep structure of motor primitives generated in the spinal cords of mammals. We show that the availability of core synergy structures/primitives persists into adulthood. These synergy structures in lumbar spinal cord are revealed to be closely similar among all individuals despite different motor experiences and capabilities [postnatal day 5 (P5) vs. adult transections] after a complete spinal cord transection. This similarity of synergy set after spinal transection could arise, because the synergy circuitry is fully determined at P5, because the circuitry development is equifinal despite the P5 isolation from brain, or because the circuitry plasticity converges on the same synergies after each transection.
Fate plasticity and reprogramming in genetically distinct populations of
Danio
leucophores
Authors: Lewis Victor M. , Saunders Lauren M. , Larson Tracy A. , Bain Emily J. , Sturiale Samantha L. , Gur Dvir , Chowdhury Sarwat , Flynn Jessica D. , Allen Michael C. , Deheyn Dimitri D. , Lee Jennifer C. , Simon Julian A. , Lippincott-Schwartz Jennifer , Raible David W. , Parichy David M.
Published: May 2019

Understanding genetic and cellular bases of adult form remains a fundamental goal at the intersection of developmental and evolutionary biology. The skin pigment cells of vertebrates, derived from embryonic neural crest, are a useful system for elucidating mechanisms of fate specification, pattern formation, and how particular phenotypes impact organismal behavior and ecology. In a survey of
Danio
fishes, including the zebrafish
Danio rerio
, we identified two populations of white pigment cells—leucophores—one of which arises by transdifferentiation of adult melanophores and another of which develops from a yellow–orange xanthophore or xanthophore-like progenitor. Single-cell transcriptomic, mutational, chemical, and ultrastructural analyses of zebrafish leucophores revealed cell-type–specific chemical compositions, organelle configurations, and genetic requirements. At the organismal level, we identified distinct physiological responses of leucophores during environmental background matching, and we showed that leucophore complement influences behavior. Together, our studies reveal independently arisen pigment cell types and mechanisms of fate acquisition in zebrafish and illustrate how concerted analyses across hierarchical levels can provide insights into phenotypes and their evolution.
Historical and genomic data reveal the influencing factors on global transmission velocity of plague during the Third Pandemic
Authors: Xu Lei , Stige Leif C. , Leirs Herwig , Neerinckx Simon , Gage Kenneth L. , Yang Ruifu , Liu Qiyong , Bramanti Barbara , Dean Katharine R. , Tang Hui , Sun Zhe , Stenseth Nils Chr. , Zhang Zhibin
Published: May 2019

Significance

Plague is a devastating infectious disease that has caused three pandemics during the last millennia. Today, plague still causes sporadic cases every year and even some outbreaks. In this paper, we analyze how factors associated with climate change and globalization affect the spread of plague worldwide. Such information is important with respect to global disease prevention and control. For this purpose, we first constructed a global plague database of the Third Pandemic, and then analyzed the association of spatiotemporal environmental factors with spreading velocity. Our results provide insight into the global transmission and suggest strategies for preventing plague transmission under accelerated global change.
High sensitivity and interindividual variability in the response of the human circadian system to evening light
Authors: Phillips Andrew J. K. , Vidafar Parisa , Burns Angus C. , McGlashan Elise M. , Anderson Clare , Rajaratnam Shantha M. W. , Lockley Steven W. , Cain Sean W.
Published: May 2019

Significance

Electric lighting has fundamentally altered how the human circadian clock synchronizes to the day/night cycle. Exposure to light after dusk is pervasive in the modern world. We examined group-level sensitivity of the circadian system to evening light and the degree to which sensitivity varies between individuals. We found that, on average, humans are highly sensitive to evening light. Specifically, 50% suppression of melatonin occurred at <30 lux, which is comparable to or lower than typical indoor lighting used at night, as well as light produced by electronic devices. Significantly, there was a >50-fold difference in sensitivity to evening light across individuals. Interindividual differences in light sensitivity may explain differential vulnerability to circadian disruption and subsequent impact on human health.
BCL6 modulates tissue neutrophil survival and exacerbates pulmonary inflammation following influenza virus infection
Authors: Zhu Bibo , Zhang Ruixuan , Li Chaofan , Jiang Li , Xiang Min , Ye Zhenqing , Kita Hirohito , Melnick Ari M. , Dent Alexander L. , Sun Jie
Published: May 2019

Neutrophils are vital for antimicrobial defense; however, their role during viral infection is less clear. Furthermore, the molecular regulation of neutrophil fate and function at the viral infected sites is largely elusive. Here we report that BCL6 deficiency in myeloid cells exhibited drastically enhanced host resistance to severe influenza A virus (IAV) infection. In contrast to the notion that BCL6 functions to suppress innate inflammation, we find that myeloid BCL6 deficiency diminished lung inflammation without affecting viral loads. Using a series of Cre-transgenic, reporter, and knockout mouse lines, we demonstrate that BCL6 deficiency in neutrophils, but not in monocytes or lung macrophages, attenuated host inflammation and morbidity following IAV infection. Mechanistically, BCL6 bound to the neutrophil gene loci involved in cellular apoptosis in cells specifically at the site of infection. As such, BCL6 disruption resulted in increased expression of apoptotic genes in neutrophils in the respiratory tract, but not in the circulation or bone marrow. Consequently, BCL6 deficiency promoted tissue neutrophil apoptosis. Partial neutrophil depletion led to diminished pulmonary inflammation and decreased host morbidity. Our results reveal a previously unappreciated role of BCL6 in modulating neutrophil apoptosis at the site of infection for the regulation of host disease development following viral infection. Furthermore, our studies indicate that tissue-specific regulation of neutrophil survival modulates host inflammation and tissue immunopathology during acute respiratory viral infection.
Human NK cell receptor KIR2DS4 detects a conserved bacterial epitope presented by HLA-C
Authors: Sim Malcolm J. W. , Rajagopalan Sumati , Altmann Daniel M. , Boyton Rosemary J. , Sun Peter D. , Long Eric O.
Published: May 2019

Significance

Natural killer (NK) cells are known for their role in defense against viruses and cancer. Their activity is regulated, in part, by killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) that bind to polymorphic human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules. The KIR family includes an activation receptor of unknown function, KIR2DS4. Here, we show that KIR2DS4 binding to HLA-C*05:01 is dependent on specific peptides that include a Trp at position 8 of 9-mer peptides associated with HLA-C*05:01. Through sequence homology, we identified a highly conserved peptide sequence in bacterial recombinase A that binds to HLA-C*05:01 and stimulates KIR2DS4+NK cells. We predict that over 1,000 bacterial species contain this epitope and propose that NK cells contribute also to immune defense against bacteria.
Photocontrollable mononegaviruses
Authors: Tahara Maino , Takishima Yuto , Miyamoto Shohei , Nakatsu Yuichiro , Someya Kenji , Sato Moritoshi , Tani Kenzaburo , Takeda Makoto
Published: May 2019

Mononegaviruses are promising tools as oncolytic vectors and transgene delivery vectors for gene therapy and regenerative medicine. By using the Magnet proteins, which reversibly heterodimerize upon blue light illumination, photocontrollable mononegaviruses (measles and rabies viruses) were generated. The Magnet proteins were inserted into the flexible domain of viral polymerase, and viruses showed strong replication and oncolytic activities only when the viral polymerases were activated by blue light illumination.
Kant's“I think” and the agential approach to self-knowledge
Authors: Smit Houston
Published: May 2019

This paper relates Kant'saccount of pure apperception to the agential approach to self-knowledge. It argues that his famous claim ‘The I think must be able to accompany all of my representations’ (B131) does not concern the possibility of self-ascribing beliefs. Kant does advance this claim in the service of identifying an a priori warrant we have as psychological persons, that is, subjects of acts of thinking that are imputable to us. But this warrant is not one to self-knowledge that we have as critical reasoners. It is, rather, an a priori warrant we have, as thinkers, to prescribe to given representations their conformity to principles of thinking inherent in our capacity of understanding itself.
Design and implementation of a level control at the bottom of the first column of a continuous binary distillation tower
Authors: Fitatá-Bojacá M M , García-Bedoya O
Published: May 2019

The laboratory of the university has a continuous distillation tower where students carry out laboratory practice, require that student manipulate valve at high temperatures generating risk at operation. A control system was carried out on the plant to maintain the level of 0.18 meters in the bottom of the first column. For its identification, the inspection of the tower was carried out to identify the components of each distillation column. These tests allowed obtaining data from the point of operation during the start-up of the tower. With this information collected, a model was defined through the mass and energy balance. Additionally, the tower was simulated under the Aspen Hysys software to obtain the steady state and, over this point the dynamic system was analyzed through the linearized model to design the controller and test robustness. The control strategy implemented, with LabVIEW software, was ON-OFF with hysteresis due to limitations in the instrumentation. As a result, it was found that the time stabilization of the tower decreased from three hours to one hour to concerning the manual level control and, a better regulation was observed in the temperatures of the top of first column 96°C and second column 72°C.
Vibrational analysis of acetaminophen from commercial tablets
Authors: Castro-Suarez J R , Vásquez-Osorio M , Hernandez-Rivera S P , Pájaro-Payares A A
Published: May 2019

Acetaminophen (AAP) is an active ingredient very used in many pharmaceutical preparations. AAP is a pain reliever and a fever reducer drug. Generally, it is used to treat many conditions such as headache, muscle aches, arthritis, backache, toothaches, colds, and fevers. Standard methods most used for AAP chemical detection are based on chromatography and spectrophotometry techniques, these methods generally imply a sample preparation step, while vibrational spectroscopy based methods do not. Hence, analytical methods based on vibrational spectroscopy are very important for the pharmaceutical industry and law enforcement agency, given that allow obtain a way easy and fast molecular information for its detection. An effort for attaining a reliable identification procedure for the qualitative determination of AAP in different pharmaceuticals product, an additional statistical treatment of ATR-FTIR data is proposed. The proposed method was tested on solid samples containing API. The statistical routine of Hit Quality Index (HQI) values yielded excellent results. The results show that ATR-FTIR, QCL and Raman spectra are useful for detection of AAP in the drugs tested. Using the proposed method allowed to know if the drug is present as a desired product or it is counterfeit drugs.
Development of a prototype of an electronic module that allows to calculate the frequency of spawning in laying hens
Authors: Sanchez S A , Aguilar A A , Romero H J , Morales A D
Published: May 2019

Poultry farming is an industry recognized worldwide, being one of the main activities in different countries. From the national level, poultry farming is a source of income dedicated to the production of eggs and poultry meat, which has had a constant growth since the mid-twentieth century. This market in Colombia is one of the few economic sectors with permanent growth, this is evidenced by the increase in the per capita figures for this type of product. Nowadays in the market there is no evidence of a low cost system that allows to measure the hens’ position in real time, this necessity being the main objective to develop an electronic module that allows to calculate the frequency of spawning in laying hens, with the purpose that this information can be used by poultry farmers in order to determine what food treatments and environmental conditions improve egg productivity. The materials used for the prototype were; a module cell (independent cage for each bird), an Arduino UNO card, infrared proximity sensor, 12x2 LCD display, MicroSD card module and an SD memory. This investigation is framed in a technological development of experimental type, for the construction of the prototype 3 stages were taken into account; prototype design and its characteristics, final assembly of the prototype and tests and results. In the results found there is evidence of a versatile tool that allows to inform in real time in a graphic way the postures. The tests carried out demonstrate the potential of a low-cost, lightweight and state-of-the-art prototype.
Model for the interoperability between health service providers (IPS), based on the electronic clinical information standard (HL7) and architecture to design and develop distributed systems (SOA)
Authors: Arévalo J G , Gonzales A , Arévalo L
Published: May 2019

This study addresses the need to exchange clinical records, efficiently and uniform among health institutions (IPS Spanish acronym for Instituciones Prestadoras de Salud), which is generated in clinical care users from using the Hospital Information Systems (HIS). From defining a model for interoperability, with reference to the regulations governing the General System of Social Security in Health in Colombia (SGSSS Spanish acronym for Sistema General de Seguridad Social en Salud), the standards to facilitate electronic exchange of clinical information Health Level Seven (HL7) and service oriented architecture (SOA). The model it wasdesigned in two dimensions, on the one hand horizontally would facilitate electronic exchange of clinical information between IPS and on the other side vertically was projected was obtained as they settled components for the exchange of healthcare and administrative records the SGSSS different actors, in this case with the health Promotion Companies (EPS Spanish acronym for Empresas Promotoras de Salud) and the Territorial Entities through health secretaries.
Use of ICT Tools using the PBL Methodology as a Student Learning Strategy
Authors: Sanchez S A , Mercado C A , Serpa J F , Julio J S , Almanza A J
Published: May 2019

The community of Altos de la Sabana is a population composed of families of limited economic resources and victims of the internal armed conflict in Sucre, located in low-income housing. In this urbanization is the Institution of Higher Education of the Holy Shroud. Given that at present it does not have technological and innovative tools for academic use, information provided by the rector and the academic coordinator of this institution, as well as being considered as a vulnerable community by the national government, which gives them a priority position when implementing educational and social projects; The main objective of this project is to encourage the students of the secondary school of the institution to use technological tools to solve problems in their environment. This research has a quantitative approach and the design of the research focuses on field research and with a pre-experimental method. For the execution of this project, 3 moments were concentrated; initially, an initial test was carried out to validate knowledge in technological tools and the self-directed profile, then some training was carried out using the problem-based methodology and finally a final evaluation to measure acquired competences. The results of the post-test, in contrast to the initial test, revealed that 65% of students in grade 11 of the institution demonstrate an empowerment in the use of ICT tools and concepts in the field of basic analog-digital electronics. This is how ICTs are based on the education system, as they are facilitating tools in the teaching-learning process.
Extracellular vesicles-derived OncomiRs mediate communication between cancer cells and cancer-associated hepatic stellate cells in hepatocellular carcinoma microenvironment
Authors: Li Jiang , Yan Yan , Ang Lin , Li Xiaoya , Liu Chunying , Sun Bin , Lin Xuejing , Peng Zhangxiao , Zhang Xiaofeng , Zhang Qin , Wu Hongping , Zhao Min , Su Changqing
Published: May 2019

Tumor microenvironment (TME) is a critical determinant for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are main interstitial cells in TME and play a vital role in early intrahepatic invasion and metastasis of HCC. The potential mechanism on the interactions between HSCs and HCC cells remains unclear. In this study, the effects of extracellular vesicles (EVs)-derived OncomiRs that mediate communication between HCC cells and cancer-associated hepatic stellate cells (caHSCs) and remold TME were investigated. The results found that the HCC cells-released EVs contained more various OncomiRs, which could activate HSCs (LX2 cells) and transform them to caHSCs, the caHSCs in turn exerted promotion effects on HCC cells through HSCs-released EVs. To further simulate the effects of OncomiRs in EVs on construction of pro-metastatic TME, a group of OncomiRs, miR-21, miR-221 and miR-151 was transfected into HCC cells and LX2 cells. These microRNAs in the EVs from OncomiRs-enhanced cells were demonstrated to have oncogenic effects on HCC cells by upregulating the activities of protein kinase B (AKT)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signal pathways. Equivalent results were also found in HCC xenografted tumor models. The findings suggested that the OncomiR secretion and transference by cancer cells-released EVs can mediate the communication between HCC cells and HSCs. HCC cells and caHSCs, as well as their secreted EVs, jointly construct a pro-metastatic TME suitable for invasion and metastasis of cancer cells, all these TME components form a positive feedback loop to promote HCC progression and metastasis.
Polyamine synthesis enzyme AMD1 is closely associated with tumorigenesis and prognosis of human gastric cancers
Authors: Xu Lijiao , You Xue , Cao Qianqian , Huang Meiqin , Hong Lian-Lian , Chen Xiang-Liu , Lei Lan , Ling Zhi-Qiang , Chen Yan
Published: May 2019

Adenosylmethionine decarboxylase 1 (AMD1) is a key enzyme involved in biosynthesis of polyamines including spermidine and spermine. The potential function of AMD1 in human gastric cancers is unknown. We analyzed AMD1 expression level in 319 human gastric cancer samples together with the adjacent normal tissues. The protein expression level of AMD1 was significantly increased in human gastric cancer samples compared with their corresponding para-cancerous histological normal tissues (P < 0.0001). The expression level of AMD1 was positively associated with Helicobactor pylori 16sRNA (P < 0.0001), tumor size (P < 0.0001), tumor differentiation (P < 0.05), tumor venous invasion (P < 0.0001), tumor lymphatic invasion (P < 0.0001), blood vessel invasion (P < 0.0001), and tumor lymph node metastasis (TNM) stage (P < 0.0001). Patients with high expression of AMD1 had a much shorter overall survival than those with normal/low expression of AMD1. Knockdown of AMD1 in human gastric cancer cells suppressed cell proliferation, colony formation and cell migration. In a tumor xenograft model, knockdown of AMD1 suppressed the tumor growth in vivo. Inhibition of AMD1 by an inhibitor SAM486A in human gastric cancer cells arrested cell cycle progression during G1-to-S transition. Collectively, our studies at the cellular, animal and human levels indicate that AMD1 has a tumorigenic effect on human gastric cancers and affect the prognosis of the patients.
IRAM: virus capsid database and analysis resource
Authors: Almansour Iman , Alhagri Mazen , Alfares Rahaf , Alshehri Manal , Bakhashwain Razan , Maarouf Ahmed
Published: May 2019

IRAM is an online, open access, comprehensive database and analysis resource for virus capsids. The database includes over 200 000 hierarchically organized capsid-associated nucleotide and amino acid sequences, as well as 193 capsids structures of high resolution (1–5 Å). Each capsid’s structure includes a data file for capsid domain (PDB), capsid symmetry unit (PDB) and capsid structure information (PSF); these contain capsid structural information that is necessary to run further computational studies. Physicochemical properties analysis is implemented for calculating capsid total charge at given radii and for calculating charge distributions. This resource includes BLASTn and BLASTp tools, which can be applied to compare nucleotide and amino acid sequences. The diverse functionality of IRAM is valuable to researchers because it integrates different aspects of virus capsids via a user-friendly interface. Such data are critical for studying capsid evolution and patterns of conservation. The IRAM database can also provide initial necessary information for the design of synthetic capsids for various biotechnological applications.
County and Community in Medieval England
Authors: Dodd Gwilym
Published: May 2019

The ‘county community’ is something of a hot potato amongst late medieval political historians. Since the publication of an influential article by Christine Carpenter in 1994, in which she condemned the county community as anachronistic and conceptually flawed, research on the political structures of late medieval England has mostly avoided the term and the idea. In other fields, the methodological challenges and conceptual complexities underpinning the idea of ‘community’ have been embraced and new, more nuanced understandings of how medieval people organised and represented themselves collectively have been achieved. It is now time for historians of politics and government in late medieval England to move beyond reductionist arguments about the existence or otherwise of county communities to investigate the assumptions and social realities that lay behind contemporary references to the ‘commonalty’, ‘commons’ or ‘people’ of one or more counties. This discussion offers the first in-depth analysis of the single most important evidence for grass-roots expressions of county solidarity: county community petitions. It argues that the county was not merely the creation of administrative expedience on the part of the Crown, but provided the basis for real and meaningful expressions of collective identity and corporate action locally. What underpinned the concept of the ‘county community’, and what gave it particular strength, was its inclusivity and flexibility. The discussion concludes by considering the particular circumstances of the early fourteenth century which helped stimulate a culture of corporate identity and self-help on the basis of the county unit.
Health inequalities: a Research Positioning Exercise at the National Institute of Health, Italy
Authors: Bucciardini Raffaella , Ferrelli Rita Maria , Giammarioli Anna Maria , Bortolin Emanuela , Fanales Belasio Emanuele , Mattioli Benedetta , Donfrancesco Chiara , Sabbatucci Michela , Pasetto Roberto , Colucci Anna , Mancinelli Rosanna , Palmieri Luigi , De Castro Paola , Sampaolo Letizia , Gaudi Simona , Falzano Loredana , Morelli Sandra , Grassi Tiziana , Buttò Stefano , Luzi Annamaria , Ricciardi Walter
Published: May 2019

Background

The Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, ISS) considers health inequalities (HI) an important area of activity. As the scientific and technical body of the Ministry of Health and the National Health Service, ISS may play a key role to reduce HI. In order to enable ISS in addressing the new and crucial HI challenge, a Research Positioning Exercise was designed and implemented.

Methods

The Exercise included: (i) workshop to strengthen the institutional interest in the field of HI; (ii) review and analysis of ISS publications (years 2000–2017) to identify HI research topics; (iii) survey among ISS researchers regarding main research challenges to address HI in the coming years; and (iv) analysis of input on research challenges from HI international experts.

Results

The results of this Exercise suggest that the following points should be included in the future ISS agenda planning: (i) themes which ISS should continue working on (e.g. migrants/vulnerable groups); (ii) themes to be improved: (a) relationship between social determinants and mechanism of HI generation and (b) relationship between risk factors exposure and social determinants; and (iii) new themes to be addressed: (a) mechanisms underlying the resilience observed in Italy; (b) new socioeconomic indicators for HI monitoring; and (c) evidence-based policies aimed at reducing HI.

Conclusion

Findings of this Exercise show that ISS researchers identified relevant areas, addressing inequalities in addressing the health. Because of ISS structural peculiarity that includes multidisciplinary expertise, the ISS could provide a significant contribution to HI research challenges and knowledge gaps.
A practical measure for determining if diameter (D) and height (H) should be combined into D2H in allometric biomass models
Authors: Dutcă I , McRoberts R E , Næsset E , Blujdea V N B
Published: May 2019

Tree diameter at breast height (D) and tree height (H) are often used as predictors of individual tree biomass. Because D and H are correlated, the combined variable D2H is frequently used in regression models instead of two separate independent variables, to avoid collinearity related issues. The justification for D2H is that aboveground biomass is proportional to the volume of a cylinder of diameter, D, and height, H. However, the D2H predictor constrains the model to produce parameter estimates for D and H that have a fixed ratio, in this case, 2.0. In this paper we investigate the degree to which the D2H predictor reduces prediction accuracy relative to D and H separately and propose a practical measure, Q-ratio, to guide the decision as to whether D and H should or should not be combined into D2H. Using five training biomass datasets and two fitting approaches, weighted nonlinear regression and linear regression following logarithmic transformations, we showed that the D2H predictor becomes less efficient in predicting aboveground biomass as the Q-ratio deviates from 2.0. Because of the model constraint, the D2H-based model performed less well than the separate variable model by as much as 12 per cent with regard to mean absolute percentage residual and as much as 18 per cent with regard to sum of squares of log accuracy ratios. For the analysed datasets, we observed a wide variation in Q-ratios, ranging from 2.5 to 5.1, and a large decrease in efficiency for the combined variable model. Therefore, we recommend using the Q-ratio as a measure to guide the decision as to whether D and H may be combined further into D2H without the adverse effects of loss in biomass prediction accuracy.
Home-Based, Adaptive Cognitive Training for Cognitively Normal Older adults: Initial Efficacy Trial
Authors: Lee Hyun Kyu , Kent James D , Wendel Christopher , Wolinsky Fredric D , Foster Eric D , Merzenich Michael M , Voss Michelle W
Published: May 2019

Objectives

We examined whether a home-based, adaptive cognitive training (CT) program would lead to cognitive performance changes on a neuropsychological test battery in cognitively normal older adults.

Method

Sixty-eight older adults (age = 70.0, SD = 3.74) were randomly assigned to either CT or an active control group (AC, casual computer games). Participants were instructed to train on their assigned programs for 42 min per day, 5 days per week, over 10 weeks (35 hr of total program usage). Participants completed tests of processing speed, working memory, and executive control before and after 10 weeks of training.

Results

Training groups did not differ in performance before training. After training, CT participants out-performed AC participants in the overall cognitive composite score, driven by processing speed and working memory domains.

Discussion

Our results show that a limited dose of home-based CT can drive cognitive improvements as measured with neuropsychological test battery, suggesting potential cognitive health maintenance implications for cognitively normal older adults.
India's national security: challenges and dilemmas
Authors: Pant Harsh V. , Bommakanti Kartik
Published: May 2019

India faces a very challenging strategic environment, with its immediate opponents possessing significant capabilities and militaries that are modernizing rapidly. This article explores the opportunities, challenges and constraints confronting the Indian state in building its military strength to deal with its variegated threat environment. It examines how India has dealt with the use of force and how it seeks to shape its armed forces in the face of new threats and emerging capabilities. This article explores six key areas of enquiry and is correspondingly structured. First, how does the Indian state view the use of force? Second, what has the Indian state's recent experience been with conflict and to what extent has it influenced its thinking? Third, how does the Indian state view the future character of conflict? Fourth, what conclusions has India drawn about the role of alliances and strategic partners in dealing with the nature of the conflict it faces? Fifth, how does the Indian state intend to configure its forces to deal with this evolving nature of conflict? Finally, what do all these factors mean for its defence acquisitions? As an emerging power, India has to contend with these questions and the measures it has put in place are still a work in progress. There remains a fundamental need for greater integration across the Indian security sphere—in interservice arrangements, in procurement processes, and in broader strategic thinking and planning.