bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tailoring the photon spin via light–matter interaction in liquid-crystal-based twisting structures
Authors: Ming Yang , Chen Peng , Ji Wei , Wei Bing-yan , Lee Chun-hong , Lin Tsung-hsien , Hu Wei , Lu Yan-qing
Published: January 2017

We demonstrate the photonic spin Hall effect in a system comprising designable liquid crystal materials. The photoalignment technique provides an effective approach to control the directors of the liquid crystal molecules. Twisting structures with different transverse distributions are conveniently introduced into the liquid crystal plates for tailoring the spin–orbit coupling process to present various photonic spin Hall effect phenomena. The light–matter interaction in the twisting mediums is described with a Schrödinger-like equation. The photonic spin Hall effect considered in the study is explained as the result of an effective magnetic field acting on a pseudospin. Moreover, owing to the designability of the liquid crystal system, it is a potential platform for Hamiltonian engineering. Several valuable multiple quantum systems are possible to be presented in classical analogies.
Skeletal Site-specific Effects of Zoledronate on in vivo Bone Remodeling and in vitro BMSCs Osteogenic Activity
Authors: Gong Xue , Yu Wanlu , Zhao Hang , Su Jiansheng , Sheng Qing
Published: January 2017

Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) has been associated with long-term oral or intravenous administration of nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates (BPs). However, the pathogenesis of BRONJ remains unknown, and definitively effective treatment has not yet been established. Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis (BRON) tends to occur in maxillofacial bones. Why this occurs is still unclear. Here we show that zoledronate (Zol) treatment suppresses alveolar bone remodeling after tooth typical clinical and radiographic hallmarks of the human BRONJ, whereas enhances peripheral bone quantity in bone remodeling following injury in the same individuals, shown as increased cortical bone thickness, increased trabecular bone formation and accelerated bone defect repair. We find that the RANKL/OPG ratio and Wnt-3a expression are suppressed at the extracted alveolar sites in Zol-treated rats compared with those at the injured sites of peripheral bones. We also show that Zol-treated bone marrow stromal cell (BMSCs) derived from jaw and peripheral bones exhibit differences in cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, expression of osteogenic and chondrogenic related marker genes, and in vivo bone formation capacity. Hopefully, this study will help us better understand the pathogenesis of BRONJ, and deepen the theoretical research.
SNP variants associated with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) correlate with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II expression
Authors: Ten Lik-Chin , Chin Yoon-Ming , Tai Mei-Chee , Chin Edmund Fui-Min , Lim Yat-Yuen , Suthandiram Sujatha , Chang Kian-Meng , Ong Tee-Chuan , Bee Ping-Chong , Mohamed Zahurin , Gan Gin-Gin , Ng Ching-Ching
Published: January 2017

Large consortia efforts and genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have linked a number of genetic variants within the 6p21 chromosomal region to non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Complementing these efforts, we genotyped previously reported SNPs in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I (rs6457327) and class II (rs9271100, rs2647012 and rs10484561) regions in a total of 1,145 subjects (567 NHL cases and 578 healthy controls) from two major ethnic groups in Malaysia, the Malays and the Chinese. We identified a NHL-associated (PNHL_add = 0.0008; ORNHL_add = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.37–0.77) and B-cell associated (PBcell_add = 0.0007; ORBcell_add = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.35–0.76) SNP rs2647012 in the Malaysian Malays. In silico cis-eQTL analysis of rs2647012 suggests potential regulatory function of nearby HLA class II molecules. Minor allele rs2647012-T is linked to higher expression of HLA-DQB1, rendering a protective effect to NHL risk. Our findings suggest that the HLA class II region plays an important role in NHL etiology.
The hypothalamic NPVF circuit modulates ventral raphe activity during nociception
Authors: Madelaine Romain , Lovett-Barron Matthew , Halluin Caroline , Andalman Aaron S. , Liang Jin , Skariah Gemini M. , Leung Louis C. , Burns Vanessa M. , Mourrain Philippe
Published: January 2017

RFamide neuropeptide VF (NPVF) is expressed by neurons in the hypothalamus and has been implicated in nociception, but the circuit mechanisms remain unexplored. Here, we studied the structural and functional connections from NPVF neurons to downstream targets in the context of nociception, using novel transgenic lines, optogenetics, and calcium imaging in behaving larval zebrafish. We found a specific projection from NPVF neurons to serotonergic neurons in the ventral raphe nucleus (vRN). We showed NPVF neurons and vRN are suppressed and excited by noxious stimuli, respectively. We combined optogenetics with calcium imaging and pharmacology to demonstrate that stimulation of NPVF cells suppresses neuronal activity in vRN. During noxious stimuli, serotonergic neurons activation was due to a suppression of an inhibitory NPVF-ventral raphe peptidergic projection. This study reveals a novel NPVF-vRN functional circuit modulated by noxious stimuli in vertebrates.
Midcontinental Native American population dynamics and late Holocene hydroclimate extremes
Authors: Bird Broxton W. , Wilson Jeremy J. , Gilhooly III William P. , Steinman Byron A. , Stamps Lucas
Published: January 2017

Climate’s influence on late Pre-Columbian (pre-1492 CE), maize-dependent Native American populations in the midcontinental United States (US) is poorly understood as regional paleoclimate records are sparse and/or provide conflicting perspectives. Here, we reconstruct regional changes in precipitation source and seasonality and local changes in warm-season duration and rainstorm events related to the Pacific North American pattern (PNA) using a 2100-year-long multi-proxy lake-sediment record from the midcontinental US. Wet midcontinental climate reflecting negative PNA-like conditions occurred during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (950–1250 CE) as Native American populations adopted intensive maize agriculture, facilitating population aggregation and the development of urban centers between 1000–1200 CE. Intensifying midcontinental socio-political instability and warfare between 1250–1350 CE corresponded with drier positive PNA-like conditions, culminating in the staggered abandonment of many major Native American river valley settlements and large urban centers between 1350–1450 CE during an especially severe warm-season drought. We hypothesize that this sustained drought interval rendered it difficult to support dense populations and large urban centers in the midcontinental US by destabilizing regional agricultural systems, thereby contributing to the host of socio-political factors that led to population reorganization and migration in the midcontinent and neighboring regions shortly before European contact.
Rewiring carotenoid biosynthesis in plants using a viral vector
Authors: Majer Eszter , Llorente Briardo , Rodríguez-Concepción Manuel , Daròs José-Antonio
Published: January 2017

Plants can be engineered to sustainably produce compounds of nutritional, industrial or pharmaceutical relevance. This is, however, a challenging task as extensive regulation of biosynthetic pathways often hampers major metabolic changes. Here we describe the use of a viral vector derived from Tobacco etch virus to express a whole heterologous metabolic pathway that produces the health-promoting carotenoid lycopene in tobacco tissues. The pathway consisted in three enzymes from the soil bacteria Pantoea ananatis. Lycopene is present at undetectable levels in chloroplasts of non-infected leaves. In tissues infected with the viral vector, however, lycopene comprised approximately 10% of the total carotenoid content. Our research further showed that plant viruses that express P. ananatis phytoene synthase (crtB), one of the three enzymes of the heterologous pathway, trigger an accumulation of endogenous carotenoids, which together with a reduction in chlorophylls eventually result in a bright yellow pigmentation of infected tissues in various host-virus combinations. So, besides illustrating the potential of viral vectors for engineering complex metabolic pathways, we also show a yellow carotenoid-based reporter that can be used to visually track infection dynamics of plant viruses either alone or in combination with other visual markers.
Genome-Wide Association Study of Polymorphisms Predisposing to Bronchiolitis
Authors: Pasanen Anu , Karjalainen Minna K. , Bont Louis , Piippo-Savolainen Eija , Ruotsalainen Marja , Goksör Emma , Kumawat Kuldeep , Hodemaekers Hennie , Nuolivirta Kirsi , Jartti Tuomas , Wennergren Göran , Hallman Mikko , Rämet Mika , Korppi Matti
Published: January 2017

Bronchiolitis is a major cause of hospitalization among infants. Severe bronchiolitis is associated with later asthma, suggesting a common genetic predisposition. Genetic background of bronchiolitis is not well characterized. To identify polymorphisms associated with bronchiolitis, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in which 5,300,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were tested for association in a Finnish–Swedish population of 217 children hospitalized for bronchiolitis and 778 controls. The most promising SNPs (n = 77) were genotyped in a Dutch replication population of 416 cases and 432 controls. Finally, we used a set of 202 Finnish bronchiolitis cases to further investigate candidate SNPs. We did not detect genome-wide significant associations, but several suggestive association signals (p < 10−5) were observed in the GWAS. In the replication population, three SNPs were nominally associated (p < 0.05). Of them, rs269094 was an expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) for KCND3, previously shown to be associated with occupational asthma. In the additional set of Finnish cases, the association for another SNP (rs9591920) within a noncoding RNA locus was further strengthened. Our results provide a first genome-wide examination of the genetics underlying bronchiolitis. These preliminary findings require further validation in a larger sample size.
Macroscopic liquid-state molecular hydrodynamics
Authors: Keanini R. G. , Tkacik Peter T. , Fleischhauer Eric , Shahinian Hossein , Sholar Jodie , Azimi Farzad , Mullany Brid
Published: January 2017

Experimental evidence and theoretical modeling suggest that piles of confined, high-restitution grains, subject to low-amplitude vibration, can serve as experimentally-accessible analogs for studying a range of liquid-state molecular hydrodynamic processes. Experiments expose single-grain and multiple-grain, collective dynamic features that mimic those either observed or predicted in molecular-scale, liquid state systems, including: (i) near-collision-time-scale hydrodynamic organization of single-molecule dynamics, (ii) nonequilibrium, long-time-scale excitation of collective/hydrodynamic modes, and (iii) long-time-scale emergence of continuum, viscous flow. In order to connect directly observable macroscale granular dynamics to inaccessible and/or indirectly measured molecular hydrodynamic processes, we recast traditional microscale equilibrium and nonequilibrium statistical mechanics for dense, interacting microscale systems into self-consistent, macroscale form. The proposed macroscopic models, which appear to be new with respect to granular physics, and which differ significantly from traditional kinetic-theory-based, macroscale statistical mechanics models, are used to rigorously derive the continuum equations governing viscous, liquid-like granular flow. The models allow physically-consistent interpretation and prediction of observed equilibrium and non-equilibrium, single-grain, and collective, multiple-grain dynamics.
Accumulated quiescent neural stem cells in adult hippocampus of the mouse model for the MECP2 duplication syndrome
Authors: Chen Zhifang , Li Xiao , Zhou Jingjing , Yuan Bo , Yu Bin , Tong Dali , Cheng Cheng , Shao Yinqi , Xia Shengnan , Zhang Ran , Lyu Jingwen , Yu Xiuya , Dong Chen , Zhou Wen-Hao , Qiu Zilong
Published: January 2017

Duplications of Methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2) -containing segments lead to the MECP2 duplication syndrome, in which severe autistic symptoms were identified. Whether adult neurogenesis may play a role in pathogenesis of autism and the role of MECP2 on state determination of adult neural stem cells (NSCs) remain largely unclear. Using a MECP2 transgenic (TG) mouse model for the MECP2 duplication syndrome, we found that adult hippocampal quiescent NSCs were significantly accumulated in TG mice comparing to wild type (WT) mice, the neural progenitor cells (NPCs) were reduced and the neuroblasts were increased in adult hippocampi of MECP2 TG mice. Interestingly, we found that parvalbumin (PV) positive interneurons were significantly decreased in MECP2 TG mice, which were critical for determining fates of adult hippocampal NSCs between the quiescence and activation. In summary, we found that MeCP2 plays a critical role in regulating fate determination of adult NSCs. These evidences further suggest that abnormal development of NSCs may play a role in the pathogenesis of the MECP2 duplication syndrome.
Beyond Slurry-Cast Supercapacitor Electrodes: PAN/MWNT Heteromat-Mediated Ultrahigh Capacitance Electrode Sheets
Authors: Lee Jung Han , Kim Jeong A , Kim Ju-Myung , Lee Sun-Young , Yeon Sun-Hwa , Lee Sang-Young
Published: January 2017

Supercapacitors (SCs) have garnered considerable attention as an appealing power source for forthcoming smart energy era. An ultimate challenge facing the SCs is the acquisition of higher energy density without impairing their other electrochemical properties. Herein, we demonstrate a new class of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/multi-walled carbon tube (MWNT) heteromat-mediated ultrahigh capacitance electrode sheets as an unusual electrode architecture strategy to address the aforementioned issue. Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) is chosen as a model electrode material to explore the feasibility of the suggested concept. The heteromat V2O5 electrode sheets are produced through one-pot fabrication based on concurrent electrospraying (for V2O5 precursor/MWNT) and electrospinning (for PAN nanofiber) followed by calcination, leading to compact packing of V2O5 materials in intimate contact with MWNTs and PAN nanofibers. As a consequence, the heteromat V2O5 electrode sheets offer three-dimensionally bicontinuous electron (arising from MWNT networks)/ion (from spatially reticulated interstitial voids to be filled with liquid electrolytes) conduction pathways, thereby facilitating redox reaction kinetics of V2O5 materials. In addition, elimination of heavy metallic foil current collectors, in combination with the dense packing of V2O5 materials, significantly increases (electrode sheet-based) specific capacitances far beyond those accessible with conventional slurry-cast electrodes.
Roxatidine attenuates mast cell-mediated allergic inflammation via inhibition of NF-κB and p38 MAPK activation
Authors: Lee Minho , Lee Na Young , Chung Kyung-Sook , Cheon Se-Yun , Lee Kyung-Tae , An Hyo-Jin
Published: January 2017

Roxatidine is an active metabolite of roxatidine acetate hydrochloride which is a histamine H2-receptor antagonist that is used to treat gastric and duodenal ulcers. In this study, we investigated the anti-allergic inflammatory effects and the underlying molecular mechanism of roxatidine in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and calcium ionophore (PMACI)-stimulated human mast cells-1 (HMC-1), compound 48/80-induced anaphylactic animal model and chemical allergen-induced contact hypersensitivity (CHS) models. Roxatidine suppressed the mRNA and protein expression of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in PMACI-stimulated HMC-1 and compound 48/80-induced anaphylactic mice. In addition, roxatidine attenuated PMACI-induced nuclear translocation of NF-κB and the phosphorylation of MKK3/6 and MK2, which are both involved in the p38 MAPK pathway. Furthermore, we observed that roxatidine suppressed the activation of caspase-1, an IL-1β converting enzyme, in PMACI-stimulated HMC-1 and compound 48/80-induced anaphylactic mice. In CHS model, roxatidine significantly reduced ear swelling, increased number of mast cells, production levels of cytokines and migration of dendritic cells. Our findings provide evidence that the anti-allergic inflammatory properties of roxatidine are mediated by the inhibition of NF-κB and caspase-1 activation, p38 MAPK pathway and mast cell-derived cytokine production. Taken together, the in vitro and in vivo anti-allergic inflammatory effects suggest a possible therapeutic application of roxatidine in allergic inflammatory diseases.
A sensitive single-enzyme assay system using the non-ribosomal peptide synthetase BpsA for measurement of L-glutamine in biological samples
Authors: Brown Alistair S. , Robins Katherine J. , Ackerley David F.
Published: January 2017

The ability to rapidly, economically and accurately measure L-glutamine concentrations in biological samples is important for many areas of research, medicine or industry, however there is room for improvement on existing methods. We describe here how the enzyme BpsA, a single-module non-ribosomal peptide synthetase able to convert L-glutamine into the blue pigment indigoidine, can be used to accurately measure L-glutamine in biological samples. Although indigoidine has low solubility in aqueous solutions, meaning direct measurements of indigoidine synthesis do not reliably yield linear standard curves, we demonstrate that resolubilisation of the reaction end-products in DMSO overcomes this issue and that spontaneous reduction to colourless leuco-indigoidine occurs too slowly to interfere with assay accuracy. Our protocol is amenable to a 96-well microtitre format and can be used to measure L-glutamine in common bacterial and mammalian culture media, urine, and deproteinated plasma. We show that active BpsA can be prepared in high yield by expressing it in the apo-form to avoid the toxicity of indigoidine to Escherichia coli host cells, then activating it to the holo-form in cell lysates prior to purification; and that BpsA has a lengthy shelf-life, retaining >95% activity when stored at either −20 °C or 4 °C for 24 weeks.
Combination of cephalosporins with vancomycin or teicoplanin enhances antibacterial effect of glycopeptides against heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA) and VISA
Authors: Lai Chih-Cheng , Chen Chi-Chung , Chuang Yin-Ching , Tang Hung-Jen
Published: January 2017

Eight heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (h-VISA) and seven VISA clinical isolates confirmed by the population analysis profile/area under the curve ratio (PAP/AUC) were collected. We further performed the PAP/AUC, time-killing methods and MIC tests using vancomycin/teicoplanin alone or combination with susceptible breakpoint concentrations of cefazolin, cefmetazole, cefotaxime, and cefepime for these isolates. The PAP/AUC MIC curve shifted left after addition of cephalosporins with vancomycin or teicoplanin for both h-VISA and VISA isolates. With the combination of different cephalosporins with vancomycin or teicoplanin, the AUC/Mu3 AUC ratio decreased to <0.9 for the standard Mu3 isolate which are compatible with the definition of vancomycin susceptible S. aureus. These decreases ranged between 1.81–2.02 and 2.37–2.85-fold for h-VISA treated with cephalosporins and vancomycin or teicoplanin, and 2.05–4.59, and 2.93–4,89-fold for VISA treated with cephalosporins with vancomycin or teicoplanin. As measured by time-killing assays, the combinations of different cephalosporins with vancomycin concentrations at 1/2 and 1/4 MIC, exhibited a bactericidal and bacteriostatic effect in VISA. The mean fold of MIC decline for vancomycin base combinations ranged from 1.81–3.83 and 2.71–9.33 for h-VISA and VISA, respectively. Overall, this study demonstrated the enhanced antibacterial activity of vancomycin/teicoplanin after adding cephalosporins against clinical h-VISA/VISA isolates.
Acid deprotonation driven by cation migration at biased graphene nanoflake electrodes
Authors: Lounasvuori M. M. , Holt K. B.
Published: January 2017

Deprotonation of acids at an electrode interface is driven by cation migration in response to the applied potential.
Supramolecular shape memory hydrogels: a new bridge between stimuli-responsive polymers and supramolecular chemistry
Authors: Lu Wei , Le Xiaoxia , Zhang Jiawei , Huang Youju , Chen Tao
Published: January 2017

This tutorial review summarizes the recent advancement in various reversible crosslinks employed to construct supramolecular shape memory hydrogels (SSMHs) and different shape memory behaviors.
Photoinduced charge separation in single-walled carbon nanotube/protein integrated systems
Authors: Kubie Lenore , Amori Amanda R. , Chakraborty Saikat , Bren Kara L. , Krauss Todd D.
Published: January 2017

Zinc-substituted cytochrome c and single-walled carbon nanotubes form an efficient, water-soluble, donor–acceptor system for photoinduced charge transfer.
A facile synthesis of 3,4-dimercaptofurans via sulfenylation of (E)-β-chlorovinyl ketones and 1,2-sulfur migration
Authors: Song E. , Kim H. Y. , Oh K.
Published: January 2017

A facile access to 3,4-dimercaptofurans was developed by the sulfenylation of β-chlorovinyl ketones followed by a novel 1,2-sulfur migration.
Illumination normalisation using convolutional neural network with application to face recognition
Authors: Kim Y.‐H. , Kim H. , Kim S.‐W. , Kim H.‐Y. , Ko S.‐J.
Published: January 2017

A novel illumination normalisation (IN) method using a convolutional neural network (CNN) is proposed. The proposed network is composed of the local pattern extraction (LPE) and illumination elimination (IE) layers. The LPE layers model the relationships between the pixels in each local region in order to handle various types of local shadow and shading in the face image. Based on the commonly used assumption about the illumination field, the IE layers generate illumination‐insensitive ratio images by calculating the ratio between the output pairs produced from the LPE layers. The final feature map obtained by combining the ratio images can possess an improved discriminative ability for face recognition (FR). For training the proposed network, the results produced by the Weber fraction‐based IN methods as ground truths are utilised. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed network performs better in terms of FR accuracy compared with the conventional non‐CNN‐based method and it can be combined with any CNN‐based face classifier.
Stochastic scheduling ensuring air quality through wind power and storage coordination
Authors: Geng Zhaowei , Conejo Antonio J. , Kang Chongqing , Chen Qixin
Published: January 2017

In highly polluted regions, it might be necessary to operate power plants enforcing appropriate emission limits to help ensuring air quality. If the air quality is low and pollutants are difficult to diffuse, few additional emissions should be allowed to avoid further deteriorating the air quality. Wind power helps reducing pollution levels as it substitutes polluting thermal production. However, wind and air pollution are generally anti‐correlated. Storage can be used to shift wind power production from hours when higher pollution levels are allowed to hours when lower pollution levels are allowed to help meeting emission constraints at critical hours. Storage availability also achieves a comparatively lower production cost for the system as a whole. To represent the stochastic nature of wind power production and weather‐dependent emission limits, the authors propose a two‐stage stochastic programming model to analyse the trade‐off emission versus cost in an electric energy system with storage facilities. The first stage represents the day‐ahead scheduling, while the second one represents the real‐time operation under different scenarios. The authors analyse the impact of emission limits and/or storage on generation scheduling by comparing different models using an illustrative example and a case study based on the IEEE 118‐node system.
“Baker's Cyst”–Induced Above-Knee Amputation
Authors: Liebensteiner Michael , Auckenthaler Thomas , Frech Andreas , Posch Lydia , Fraedrich Gustav , Ferlic Peter
Published: January 2017

We report a 65-year-old man who presented with a necrotic fifth toe, incipient phlegmon and hypesthesia of the right foot, a swollen lower leg, and a palpable popliteal mass. An occlusion of the popliteal artery secondary to a Baker's cyst was found to have caused protracted ischemia and the abovementioned symptoms. Despite several endovascular and open-surgery procedures to restore perfusion of the limb, the patient eventually had to undergo above-knee amputation.

It might be speculated whether earlier surgery would have preserved the patient's limb. Whereas the traditional procedure of open resection of the Baker's cyst has been associated with high recurrence rates, the condition can be treated effectively and safely today by means of arthroscopic surgery. We believe that arthroscopic interventions should at least be performed in the following instances: (1) in patients with recurrent symptoms of a Baker's cyst after previous treatment of the intra-articular pathology and previous aspiration of the cyst and (2) in patients with incipient sequelae that indicate relevant compression of neurovascular structures of the popliteal fossa (pseudothrombophlebitis, intermittent claudication, neuropathy).
Modeling of the shrinking process of a bubble induced by laser metal ablation in water and experimental verification
Authors: Dabir-Moghaddam Navid , Liu Ze , Wu Benxin
Published: January 2017

Laser ablation of a solid target immersed in liquid (such as water) has many important applications such as laser synthesis of nanoparticles, laser micromachining in water, and laser shock peening. Laser ablation of a solid target in water involves complicated physical processes. One important process often involved is the generation and evolution of a bubble in water and attached to the target surface, which may have significant effects on the target and the ambient water, and hence may greatly affect the relevant practical applications. Some experimental studies were reported in the literature on bubble evolutions induced by laser ablation of a solid target in water. However, the reported previous relevant physics-based modeling work is not sufficient. A physics-based model may help improve the process fundamental understanding and generate valuable information to related applications. In this paper, physics-based modeling work has been performed on the shrinking process of a bubble induced by laser metal ablation in water, together with time-resolved shadowgraph imaging experiments to verify the model. The model-predicted bubble evolution agrees reasonably well with the experimental measurement shown in the paper. Under the studied conditions, it has been found that near the bubble collapse moment (i.e., the moment when the bubble shrinks to a minimum size): (1) the bubble shrinks very fast, and the peak fluid velocity magnitude occurs inside the bubble and can exceed ∼550 m/s; (2) the temperature inside the bubble increases very quickly and approaches ∼2000 K; and (3) the pressure inside the bubble becomes very high, and can reach a peak magnitude of ∼380 MPa at the collapse moment at the bubble center. During the shrinking process, a high-pressure region outside and near the bubble wall is generated near the collapse moment, but the temperature of the region outside the bubble mostly remains low.
Complex dispersion relation of surface acoustic waves at a lossy metasurface
Authors: Schwan Logan , Geslain Alan , Romero-García Vicente , Groby Jean-Philippe
Published: January 2017

The complex dispersion relation of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) at a lossy resonant metasurface is theoretically and experimentally reported. The metasurface consists of the periodic arrangement of borehole resonators in a rigid substrate. The theoretical model relies on a boundary layer approach that provides the effective metasurface admittance governing the complex dispersion relation in the presence of viscous and thermal losses. The model is experimentally validated by measurements in the semi-anechoic chamber. The complex SAW dispersion relation is experimentally retrieved from the analysis of the spatial Laplace transform of the pressure scanned along a line at the metasurface. The geometrical spreading of the energy from the speaker is accounted for, and both the real and imaginary parts of the SAW wavenumber are obtained. The results show that the strong reduction of the SAW group velocity occurs jointly with a drastic attenuation of the wave, leading to the confinement of the field close to the source and preventing the efficient propagation of such slow-sound surface modes. The method opens perspectives to theoretically predict and experimentally characterize both the dispersion and the attenuation of surface waves at structured surfaces.
Direct evidence of M2 phase during the monoclinic-tetragonal (rutile) phase transition of W-doped VO2 nanowires
Authors: Asayesh-Ardakani Hasti , Yao Wentao , Nie Anmin , Marley Peter M. , Braham Erick , Klie Robert F. , Banerjee Sarbajit , Shahbazian-Yassar Reza
Published: January 2017

Identifying different phases of VO2 during the metal−insulator phase transition is critical for device application due to the difference of electrical, mechanical and magnetic properties of phases. However, most studies so far were carried out using microprobe analyses, which lack the spatial resolution needed to identify nanoscale phases and changes. Taking advantage of in situ low temperature aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy, we observed the existence of M2 phase alongside M1 and R phase in the W-doped nanowires close to transition temperature. The localized stress caused by adding W in the structure results in the stabilization of nanosize grains of M2 phase in structure along with M1 and R phases. The observation of the metastable M2 phase even for unclamped nanowires suggests the possibility of finely modulating the phase diagram of VO2 through a combination of finite size and doping.
Pin potential effect on vortex pinning in YBa2Cu3O7-δ films containing nanorods: Pin size effect and mixed pinning
Authors: Horide Tomoya , Matsukida Naoki , Ishimaru Manabu , Kita Ryusuke , Awaji Satoshi , Matsumoto Kaname
Published: January 2017

The pin size effect and mixed pinning of nanorods and matrix defects are discussed for YBa2Cu3O7-δ films containing nanorods. BaSnO3 nanorods with a diameter of 11 nm and BaHfO3 nanorods with a diameter of 7 nm were prepared, and critical current density (Jc) and resistivity were measured in the films. When the coherence length was larger than the nanorod size at high temperatures near the critical temperature, the trapping angle and activation energy of the vortex flow depended on the nanorod diameter. At a moderate temperature of 65−77 K, the pin size effect on Jc disappeared since the coherence length became smaller than the nanorod size. At a low temperature of 20 K, the contribution from matrix pinning became comparable to that of nanorods in a high magnetic field due to the small coherence length. Thus, the temperature-dependent coherence length caused the pin potential situation to vary significantly, namely, the pin size effect and mixed pinning, which strongly affected vortex pinning in YBa2Cu3O7-δ containing nanorods.
Charge and topography patterned lithium niobate provides physical cues to fluidically isolated cortical axons
Authors: Kilinc D. , Blasiak A. , Baghban M. A. , Carville N. C. , Al-Adli A. , Al-Shammari R. M. , Rice J. H. , Lee G. U. , Gallo K. , Rodriguez B. J.
Published: January 2017

In vitro devices that combine chemotactic and physical cues are needed for understanding how cells integrate different stimuli. We explored the suitability of lithium niobate (LiNbO3), a transparent ferroelectric material that can be patterned with electrical charge domains and micro/nanotopography, as a neural substrate. On flat LiNbO3 z-surfaces with periodically alternating charge domains, cortical axons are partially aligned with domain boundaries. On submicron-deep etched trenches, neurites are aligned with the edges of the topographical features. Finally, we bonded a bicompartmental microfluidic chip to LiNbO3 surfaces patterned by etching, to create isolated axon microenvironments with predefined topographical cues. LiNbO3 is shown to be an emerging neuron culture substrate with tunable electrical and topographical properties that can be integrated with microfluidic devices, suitable for studying axon growth and guidance mechanisms under combined topographical/chemical stimuli.
Evidence that the rate of strong selective sweeps increases with population size in the great apes
Authors: Nam Kiwoong , Munch Kasper , Mailund Thomas , Nater Alexander , Greminger Maja Patricia , Krützen Michael , Marquès-Bonet Tomàs , Schierup Mikkel Heide
Published: January 2017

Significance

The rate of genomic adaptation is determined by the rate of environmental change, the availability of beneficial mutations, and the efficiency of positive selection. The relative importance of these factors has been actively discussed. We address the questions using whole genome sequences of great apes, which have very different population sizes whereas their genomic architectures are highly similar. We infer that the impact of selection on the genomic diversity of a species increases with the effective population size, most likely due to the differential influx rate of beneficial mutations. This explanation is, among other possibilities, expected if adaptive evolution is limited by the waiting time for new favorable mutations in great apes.
The impact of bilingualism on brain reserve and metabolic connectivity in Alzheimer's dementia
Authors: Perani Daniela , Farsad Mohsen , Ballarini Tommaso , Lubian Francesca , Malpetti Maura , Fracchetti Alessandro , Magnani Giuseppe , March Albert , Abutalebi Jubin
Published: January 2017

Significance

Recent epidemiological studies report that lifelong bilingualism may delay dementia onset. However, the underlying neural mechanism of these protective effects is largely unknown. Using fluorodeoxyglucose and PET to investigate brain metabolism and neural connectivity in individuals with Alzheimer’s dementia, we unravel the neural mechanism responsible for the bilingual individuals’ ability to cope better with Alzheimer’s dementia. These findings foster the view that lifelong bilingualism contributes to brain cognitive reserve.
Differentiation of human telencephalic progenitor cells into MSNs by inducible expression of Gsx2 and Ebf1
Authors: Faedo Andrea , Laporta Angela , Segnali Alice , Galimberti Maura , Besusso Dario , Cesana Elisabetta , Belloli Sara , Moresco Rosa Maria , Tropiano Marta , Fucà Elisa , Wild Stefan , Bosio Andreas , Vercelli Alessandro E. , Biella Gerardo , Cattaneo Elena
Published: January 2017

Significance

We established human embryonic stem (hES) cell-inducible lines to express specific transcription factors [GS Homeobox 2 (Gsx2) and Early B-cell factor 1 (Ebf1)] to improve medium spiny neuron (MSN) differentiation and to study human striatal development in vitro. We also used a nonintegrating system, by utilizing modified mRNAs to transiently overexpress Gsx2 and Ebf1 in a different hES cell line. These data can help to improve the differentiation protocols that aim to produce high-quality cell preparation suitable for cell transplantation in animal models of Huntington’s disease. Finally, we show that hES-derived striatal progenitors can be transplanted in the striatum of animal models and can differentiate and integrate into the host, extending fibers over a long distance (including the substantia nigra, a striatal target).
Holocene peatland and ice-core data constraints on the timing and magnitude of CO2emissions from past land use
Authors: Stocker Benjamin David , Yu Zicheng , Massa Charly , Joos Fortunat
Published: January 2017

Significance

Timing, extent, and impacts of preindustrial agricultural expansion are uncertain, yet crucial for understanding the role of humans in the Earth’s environmental history. The buildup of northern peatlands, initiated after ice-age conditions, was a major carbon sink and could have compensated large CO2emissions from land use, given timing matches. We present observation- and model-based reconstructions of past peatland carbon and land-use CO2emission estimates based on all published scenarios. Our analyses of the terrestrial carbon balance reveal a large nonpeatland land carbon source after the Mid-Holocene climate optimum, not explained by land use, and we find that previously suggested links between CO2and population and land-use history are not supported.
DYRK1A regulates Hap1–Dcaf7/WDR68 binding with implication for delayed growth in Down syndrome
Authors: Xiang Jianxing , Yang Su , Xin Ning , Gaertig Marta A. , Reeves Roger H. , Li Shihua , Li Xiao-Jiang
Published: January 2017

Significance

Postnatal growth retardation is a Down syndrome (DS) phenotype, but its mechanism is unknown. Our previous studies have shown that Huntingtin-associated protein 1 (Hap1) is important for the postnatal growth of mice. Here we report that Hap1 binds DDB1- and CUL4-associated factor 7 (Dcaf7) competitively in the cytoplasm with dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A), a protein implicated in DS. Loss of Hap1 in the hypothalamus, which can impair postnatal growth, is associated with increased levels of DYRK1A. Transgenic DS mice overexpressing DYRK1A show reduced Hap1–Dcaf7 association in the hypothalamus. Furthermore, the overexpression of DYRK1A in the hypothalamus led to delayed growth in postnatal mice, suggesting that DYRK1A regulates the Hap1–Dcaf7 interaction and postnatal growth and that targeting Hap1 or Dcaf7 may ameliorate growth retardation in DS.
Entirely plasmid-based reverse genetics system for rotaviruses
Authors: Kanai Yuta , Komoto Satoshi , Kawagishi Takahiro , Nouda Ryotaro , Nagasawa Naoko , Onishi Misa , Matsuura Yoshiharu , Taniguchi Koki , Kobayashi Takeshi
Published: January 2017

Significance

Rotaviruses (RVs) are a group of viruses that cause severe gastroenteritis in infants and young children. Until now, no strategy has been developed to generate infectious RVs entirely from cloned cDNAs. The absence of a reliable reverse genetics platform has been a major roadblock in the RV field, precluding numerous studies of RV replication and pathogenesis and hampering efforts to develop the next generation of RV vaccines. Here, we developed a plasmid-based reverse genetics system that is free from helper viruses and independent of any selection for RV. This technology will accelerate studies of RV pathobiology, allow rational design of RV vaccines, and yield RVs suitable for screening small molecules as potential antivirals.
DSCAM promotes axon fasciculation and growth in the developing optic pathway
Authors: Bruce Freyja M. , Brown Samantha , Smith Jonathan N. , Fuerst Peter G. , Erskine Lynda
Published: January 2017

Significance

Our findings demonstrate a function for Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (DSCAM) in the embryonic development of the mouse visual system. We found that DSCAM promotes fasciculation and growth of axons in the developing mouse optic pathway, at least in part, through homotypic interactions. We also found that shed DSCAM can act independently of direct cell–cell contact to provide growth-promoting signals. Because the
Dscam
mutant phenotypes are mediated in a dose-dependent manner, these results are potentially relevant to human Down syndrome, in which
Dscam
is overexpressed as a result of trisomy of chromosome 21, and fragile-X syndrome, in which
Dscam
is overexpressed because of misregulation of
Dscam
mRNA.
Interleukin-37 suppresses the osteogenic responses of human aortic valve interstitial cells in vitro and alleviates valve lesions in mice
Authors: Zeng Qingchun , Song Rui , Fullerton David A. , Ao Lihua , Zhai Yufeng , Li Suzhao , Ballak Dov B. , Cleveland Joseph C. , Reece T. Brett , McKinsey Timothy A. , Xu Dingli , Dinarello Charles A. , Meng Xianzhong
Published: January 2017

Significance

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a chronic inflammatory and osteogenic condition with unknown underlying mechanism and unavailable pharmacological therapy. The present study shows that lower levels of IL-37 expression in aortic valve interstitial cells (AVICs) of diseased valves play a role in the elevated valvular osteogenic activity associated with CAVD. IL-37 inhibits NF-κB and ERK1/2 to suppress AVIC osteogenic responses, and recombinant IL-37 has a greater effect on AVICs of diseased valves. Moreover, expression of IL-37 in mice attenuates aortic valve thickening following a prolonged exposure to endotoxin or high fat diet. Thus, IL-37 is antiosteogenic in human AVICs and has the potential for limitation of CAVD progression.
Endothelium-targeted overexpression of heat shock protein 27 ameliorates blood–brain barrier disruption after ischemic brain injury
Authors: Shi Yejie , Jiang Xiaoyan , Zhang Lili , Pu Hongjian , Hu Xiaoming , Zhang Wenting , Cai Wei , Gao Yanqin , Leak Rehana K. , Keep Richard F. , Bennett Michael V. L. , Chen Jun
Published: January 2017

Significance

Blood–brain barrier (BBB) breakdown is a catastrophic event in the pathogenesis of various neurological disorders, including stroke. Here we report that overexpressing heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) specifically within microvascular endothelial cells protects the BBB in models of ischemic stroke. HSP27 achieves this protection through a previously unexplored mechanism—the inhibition of actin polymerization—that suppresses early structural changes within endothelial cells that appear to initiate the BBB breach. Furthermore, intravenous delivery of a cell membrane-permeable TAT-HSP27 protein after postischemic reperfusion boosts endothelial HSP27 and improves BBB integrity and long-term functional outcomes. Thus, HSP27 has translational potential as a therapeutic agent to ameliorate BBB disruption, reduce the progression of brain injury, and improve long-term neurological outcomes in stroke victims.
Alterations of p11 in brain tissue and peripheral blood leukocytes in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Green Holly , Zhang Xiaoqun , Tiklova Katarina , Volakakis Nikolaos , Brodin Lovisa , Berg Louise , Greengard Paul , Perlmann Thomas , Svenningsson Per
Published: January 2017

Significance

No disease-modifying drugs to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are available at present. A deeper understanding of the pathological changes occurring in this disease will suggest novel drug targets and help identify biomarkers for diagnostic and prognostic outcomes. The involvement of p11 in depression and the response to antidepressants is well documented. Up to 35% of patients with PD suffer from comorbid depression. We have found that p11 levels are reduced in PD patients, and, specifically, that peripheral leukocyte p11 levels are altered in PD patients both with depression and without depression in a cell-specific manner. These data provide insight into the pathological alterations occurring centrally and peripherally in PD.
The content feedback practices of Applied Linguistics doctoral supervisors in New Zealand and Australian universities
Authors: Bitchener John
Published: January 2017

The focus of this article is on the written feedback that supervisors say they often give their second language (L2) doctoral students. Little is known about the focus of this feedback and about what supervisors consider as priorities in the early draft writing of dissertation chapters. Given the potentially different priorities and foci of supervisors in different disciplines and different contexts (Bitchener, Basturkmen, & East, 2010), this article reports the findings of an investigation into the content focus of the written feedback that 30 Applied Linguistics supervisors in New Zealand and Australian universities said they provide on early drafts of dissertation chapters. All supervisors completed a questionnaire and 26 were interviewed. Two broad areas of concern are identified: subject knowledge, coverage and argument; and aspects of the writing that need to be edited in some way. The article closes with recommendations for further research and suggestions for pedagogical application.
The challenge of reset
Authors: Belova Oksana
Published: January 2017

In this contribution, Obama’s reset in U.S. – Russian relations is viewed in terms of Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory. To link the macro-level of discourse theory to the micro-level of linguistic analysis, the empirical study implements the analysis of indexicality (Chilton 2004) and assumptions (Fairclough 2003) as applied in critical discourse analysis. Obama’s first term representations of Russia were examined in four contexts: global nuclear nonproliferation; Iran and North Korea; the New START Treaty; European ABM system and NATO – Russian relations. Articulations in the first and second contexts exhibited Obama’s strategies to construct Russia as partner in his hegemonic project of global nuclear nonproliferation. Articulations in the third context demonstrated Obama’s strategies of creating different discursive Russias to achieve the ratification of START, whereas no strategies proved successful in mitigating the issue of missile defense. In all four contexts, Obama’s construction of Russia was, to various degrees, permeated by ambiguity.
Renversement de gouvernance sémantique dans le syntagme nominal en français
Authors: Wauthion Michel
Published: January 2017

L’analyse sémantique du syntagme nominal à plusieurs éléments est ordonnée d’ordinaire à partir du noyau nominal. Les éléments de détermination complètent le nom en lui ajoutant des éléments d’information ou en modifiant l’étendue du groupe ainsi formé. D’abord élément de sous-catégorisation du nom, l’adjectif a été progressivement isolé en français pour marquer ces fonctions. L’article passe en revue les éléments de frontière entre ces parties du discours : le substantif épithète, l’adjectif relationnel principalement. En partant de l’analyse connue des tours avec nom qualifieur antéposé, il montre que le commandement sémantique doit être attribué dans plusieurs cas à l’élément syntaxiquement subordonné sans que l’explication d’un emploi figuré du langage soit nécessaire.