bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermal conductivity of GaN single crystals: Influence of impurities incorporated in different growth processes
Authors: Rounds Robert , Sarkar Biplab , Sochacki Tomasz , Bockowski Michal , Imanishi Masayuki , Mori Yusuke , Kirste Ronny , Collazo Ramón , Sitar Zlatko
Published: September 2018

The thermal conductivity of GaN crystals grown by different techniques is analyzed using the 3ω method in the temperature range of 30 K to 295 K. GaN wafers grown by the ammonothermal method show a significant variation in thermal conductivity at room temperature with values ranging between 164 W m−1 K−1 and 196 W m−1 K−1. GaN crystals produced with the sodium flux and hydride vapor phase epitaxy methods show results of 211 W m−1 K−1 and 224 W m−1 K−1, respectively, at room temperature. Analysis using secondary ion mass spectrometry indicates varying amounts of impurities between the respective crystals and explains the behavior of thermal conductivity trends in the samples. The observed difference between thermal conductivity curves suggests that scattering of phonons at point defects dominates the thermal conductivity of GaN within the investigated temperature range. Deviations of model curves from thermal conductivity measurements and disparities between modelled characteristic lengths and actual sample thicknesses indicate that phonon resonances are active in GaN.
The correlation effects on the wake field and stopping power for two ion-beam pulses moving in a background plasma
Authors: Zhao Xiao-ying , Qi Xin , Yang Lei , Zhao Yong-tao , Shi Jian
Published: September 2018

The particle-in-cell simulations are performed to study the wake field as well as stopping power of two ion-beam pulses passing through a background plasma. The influence of plasma turbulence induced by the first pulse to the second pulse is discussed. When the density of the first pulse is much larger than the second one, the wake field in the plasma is dominated by the first pulse. In this case, the energy loss of the second pulse is completely determined by the distances between the two pulses. If the second pulse is located on the “negative area” of the wake field in plasmas, its energy loss will be greatly enhanced compared with the results of the individual-projectile. On the other side, the second pulse can be even accelerated when it is in the “positive area” of the wake field. The wake field induced by two identical pulses is also studied, and we find that the wake field can be enhanced due to the superimposed effect of the beam pulses. Otherwise, the wake field can be totally canceled out.
Towards electrocaloric heat pump—A relaxor ferroelectric polymer exhibiting large electrocaloric response at low electric field
Authors: Chen Xin , Xu Wenhan , Lu Biao , Zhang Tian , Wang Qing , Zhang Q. M.
Published: September 2018

A polymer that generates large cooling under applied voltage is attractive for many applications. The past decade has witnessed the discovery and advancement in electrocaloric (EC) polymers, which display large electric field induced temperature and entropy changes. However, in contrast to the burgeoning literature on large electrocaloric effects (ECEs) in various ferroelectric materials, there are no EC devices employing these EC polymers, demonstrating a meaningful cooling power. Here, we show that it is the dielectric breakdown, the weakest link problem, in EC materials which poses a critical barrier for transitioning these advanced EC materials to practical EC coolers. Hence, high quality EC films and high performance of EC materials, exhibiting large ECE at low electric fields, are required to overcome this barrier. Here, we show that by expanding the compositions in EC polymers, a relaxor tetrapolymer exhibits a critical end point at low electric fields, leading to large ECE induced at low electric fields.
Cellular hysteresis as a principle to maximize the efficacy of antibiotic therapy
Authors: Roemhild Roderich , Gokhale Chaitanya S. , Dirksen Philipp , Blake Christopher , Rosenstiel Philip , Traulsen Arne , Andersson Dan I. , Schulenburg Hinrich
Published: September 2018

Antibiotic resistance has become one of the most dramatic threats to global health. While novel treatment options are urgently required, most attempts focus on finding new antibiotic substances. However, their development is costly, and their efficacy is often compromised within short time periods due to the enormous potential of microorganisms for rapid adaptation. Here, we developed a strategy that uses the currently available antibiotics. Our strategy exploits cellular hysteresis, which is the long-lasting, transgenerational change in cellular physiology that is induced by one antibiotic and sensitizes bacteria to another subsequently administered antibiotic. Using evolution experiments, mathematical modeling, genomics, and functional genetic analysis, we demonstrate that sequential treatment protocols with high levels of cellular hysteresis constrain the evolving bacteria by (
i
) increasing extinction frequencies, (
ii
) reducing adaptation rates, and (
iii
) limiting emergence of multidrug resistance. Cellular hysteresis is most effective in fast sequential protocols, in which antibiotics are changed within 12 h or 24 h, in contrast to the less frequent changes in cycling protocols commonly implemented in hospitals. We found that cellular hysteresis imposes specific selective pressure on the bacteria that disfavors resistance mutations. Instead, if bacterial populations survive, hysteresis is countered in two distinct ways, either through a process related to antibiotic tolerance or a mechanism controlled by the previously uncharacterized two-component regulator CpxS. We conclude that cellular hysteresis can be harnessed to optimize antibiotic therapy, to achieve both enhanced bacterial elimination and reduced resistance evolution.
Precipitation of iron-rich intermetallics and mechanical properties of Al–Si–Mg–Fe alloys with Al–5Ti–B
Authors: Lin Bo , Li Haoyu , Xu Rui , Shi Ya , Xiao Huaqiang , Zhang Weiwen , Liu Kun
Published: September 2018

Effects of added Al–5Ti–B master alloys on precipitation of iron-rich intermetallics and mechanical properties of A356 cast alloys with high Fe content (1.5 wt-%) were investigated using image analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and tensile testing. Results show that added Al–5Ti–B has apparent refinement on α (Al) grain size of A356 alloys that have high Fe content. 12 wt-% Al–5Ti–B is beneficial for improving mechanical properties of A356 cast alloys with high Fe content. Improved mechanical properties can be attributed to refined microstructure, the proper amounts of TiB2 and Ti(AlSi)3, and decreased porosity. An excessive amount of Al–5Ti–B deteriorates mechanical properties of alloys because it leads to the formation of large secondary intermetallics and increased porosity.
Enhanced laser weldability of an aerospace superalloy by thermal treatment
Authors: Aina J. O. , Ojo O. A. , Chaturvedi M. C.
Published: September 2018

Weldability improvement of the Inconel 738 alloy, subjected to different pre-weld heat treatments and, thermomechanical fatigue of the unwelded and welded alloy is investigated. A new pre-weld heat treatment is found to significantly reduce the susceptibility of the extremely difficult-to-weld alloy to weld cracking. The heat treatment also produces welded material with enhanced resistance to thermomechanical fatigue failure at high mechanical strain ranges, in comparison to the unwelded alloy. Furthermore, by comparing polycrystalline and single crystal materials, without altering the chemistry/microstructure of the superalloy, the presence of grain boundaries in the alloy is found to aid damage mechanisms during in-phase thermomechanical fatigue.
Layers of regulation of cell-cycle gene expression in the budding yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Kelliher Christina M. , Foster Matthew W. , Motta Francis C. , Deckard Anastasia , Soderblom Erik J. , Moseley M. Arthur , Haase Steven B.
Published: September 2018

In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, transcription factors (TFs) regulate the periodic expression of many genes during the cell cycle, including gene products required for progression through cell-cycle events. Experimental evidence coupled with quantitative models suggests that a network of interconnected TFs is capable of regulating periodic genes over the cell cycle. Importantly, these dynamical models were built on transcriptomics data and assumed that TF protein levels and activity are directly correlated with mRNA abundance. To ask whether TF transcripts match protein expression levels as cells progress through the cell cycle, we applied a multiplexed targeted mass spectrometry approach (parallel reaction monitoring) to synchronized populations of cells. We found that protein expression of many TFs and cell-cycle regulators closely followed their respective mRNA transcript dynamics in cycling wild-type cells. Discordant mRNA/protein expression dynamics was also observed for a subset of cell-cycle TFs and for proteins targeted for degradation by E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes such as SCF (Skp1/Cul1/F-box) and APC/C (anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome). We further profiled mutant cells lacking B-type cyclin/CDK activity ( clb1-6) where oscillations in ubiquitin ligase activity, cyclin/CDKs, and cell-cycle progression are halted. We found that a number of proteins were no longer periodically degraded in clb1-6 mutants compared with wild type, highlighting the importance of posttranscriptional regulation. Finally, the TF complexes responsible for activating G1/S transcription (SBF and MBF) were more constitutively expressed at the protein level than at periodic mRNA expression levels in both wild-type and mutant cells. This comprehensive investigation of cell-cycle regulators reveals that multiple layers of regulation (transcription, protein stability, and proteasome targeting) affect protein expression dynamics during the cell cycle.
TCellXTalk facilitates the detection of co-modified peptides for the study of protein post-translational modification cross-talk in T cells
Authors: Casanovas Albert , Gallardo Óscar , Carrascal Montserrat , Abian Joaquin
Published: September 2018

Motivation

Protein function is regulated by post-translational modifications (PTMs) that may act individually or interact with others in a phenomenon termed PTM cross-talk. Multiple databases have been dedicated to PTMs, including recent initiatives oriented towards the in silico prediction of PTM interactions. The study of PTM cross-talk ultimately requires experimental evidence about whether certain PTMs coexist in a single protein molecule. However, available resources do not assist researchers in the experimental detection of co-modified peptides.

Results

Herein, we present TCellXTalk, a comprehensive database of phosphorylation, ubiquitination and acetylation sites in human T cells that supports the experimental detection of co-modified peptides using targeted or directed mass spectrometry. We demonstrate the efficacy of TCellXTalk and the strategy presented here in a proof of concept experiment that enabled the identification and quantification of 15 co-modified (phosphorylated and ubiquitinated) peptides from CD3 proteins of the T-cell receptor complex. To our knowledge, these are the first co-modified peptide sequences described in this widely studied cell type. Furthermore, quantitative data showed distinct dynamics for co-modified peptides upon T cell activation, demonstrating differential regulation of co-occurring PTMs in this biological context. Overall, TCellXTalk facilitates the experimental detection of co-modified peptides in human T cells and puts forward a novel and generic strategy for the study of PTM cross-talk.

Availability and implementation

TCellXTalk is available at https://www.tcellxtalk.org. Source Code is available at https://bitbucket.org/lp-csic-uab/tcellxtalk.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Array testing for multiplex assays
Authors: Hou Peijie , Tebbs Joshua M , Wang Dewei , McMahan Christopher S , Bilder Christopher R
Published: September 2018

Group testing involves pooling individual specimens (e.g., blood, urine, swabs, etc.) and testing the pools for the presence of disease. When the proportion of diseased individuals is small, group testing can greatly reduce the number of tests needed to screen a population. Statistical research in group testing has traditionally focused on applications for a single disease. However, blood service organizations and large-scale disease surveillance programs are increasingly moving towards the use of multiplex assays, which measure multiple disease biomarkers at once. Tebbs and others (2013, Two-stage hierarchical group testing for multiple infections with application to the Infertility Prevention Project. Biometrics  69, 1064–1073) and Hou and others (2017, Hierarchical group testing for multiple infections. Biometrics  73, 656–665) were the first to examine hierarchical group testing case identification procedures for multiple diseases. In this article, we propose new non-hierarchical procedures which utilize two-dimensional arrays. We derive closed-form expressions for the expected number of tests per individual and classification accuracy probabilities and show that array testing can be more efficient than hierarchical procedures when screening individuals for multiple diseases at once. We illustrate the potential of using array testing in the detection of chlamydia and gonorrhea for a statewide screening program in Iowa. Finally, we describe an R/Shiny application that will help practitioners identify the best multiple-disease case identification algorithm.
From the Tuileries to Twickenham: The Orléans, Exile and Anglo-French Liberalism, c.1848–1880
Authors: Stammers Tom
Published: September 2018

Between the 1848 Revolution and the Franco-Prussian War, the Orléans dynasty relocated to the suburbs of London. For the Orléans as for the Bourbons and the Bonapartes, exile was a fundamental aspect of nineteenth-century royalism. Deprived of the French throne, Louis-Philippe’s heirs nonetheless remained highly engaged with the political culture of Victorian Britain and the British Empire. Studying the interactions between the Orléans and their British hosts challenges existing narratives about the stagnation and decline of the Orleanist cause after 1848 as well as the divergence between French and English variants of liberalism. Taking as its focus Henri, duc d’Aumale, and his nephew Philippe, comte de Paris, this article charts the family’s evolving ambitions, divided between building a new home in Britain, and keeping the prospects open for a possible restoration in Paris.

The Orléans engagement with Britain is traced through several channels. Firstly, through their participation in British elite sociability, thanks to their devoted champion and neighbour in Twickenham, Frances, Countess Waldegrave. This London hostess played a central role in facilitating the family’s interests and favourable press coverage. Secondly, through the Orléans’ engagement with global politics in the mid-nineteenth century, in which British perspectives helped to reshape their own vision of France’s imperial future. Thirdly, through their exploration of British parliamentary debates and the problems of industrial society. Far from simply prolonging the vision of the July monarchy, this article suggests that the Orléans’ engagement with questions of mass politics was more dynamic and extensive than previously believed. Although the revised and vicarious vision of liberalism formulated by the Orléans during the London exile was never applied after the family returned to France in 1870–71, it continued to inform and constrain the subsequent development of French monarchist politics.
Land fragmentation with double dividends – the case of Tanzanian agriculture
Authors: Rao Xudong
Published: September 2018

This study evaluates the economic effects of land fragmentation on agricultural production and hypothesises that fragmentation may benefit farmers by diversifying production risk among separate land plots with heterogeneous agronomic conditions. Applying a stochastic production frontier model to the Tanzania Living Standards Measurement Study data, we find robust evidence to support the risk-reduction hypothesis, as well as indications that fragmentation is positively associated with technical efficiency. We argue the low level of fragmentation in Tanzania may have limited its negative impact on efficiency, while crop diversification concurrent with fragmentation may have increased efficiency, leaving the net effect to be positive.
Mobile-accessible personal health records increase the frequency and timeliness of PHR use for patients with diabetes
Authors: Graetz Ilana , Huang Jie , Brand Richard , Hsu John , Reed Mary E
Published: September 2018

Personal health records (PHRs) offer patients a portal to view lab results, communicate with their doctors, and refill medications. Expanding PHR access to mobile devices could increase patients’ engagement with their PHRs. We examined whether access to a mobile-optimized PHR changed the frequency and timeliness of PHR use among adult patients with diabetes in an integrated delivery system. Among patients originally using the PHR only by computer, PHR use frequency increased with mobile access. Non-White patients were more likely to view their lab results within 7 days if they had computer and mobile access compared with computer only; however, there were no statistically significant differences among White patients. More frequent and timely mobile access to PHR data and tools may lead to convenient and effective PHR engagement to support patient self-management. Future studies should evaluate whether PHR use with a mobile device is associated with changes in self-management and outcomes.
Germline Pathogenic Variants in Homologous Recombination and DNA Repair Genes in an Asian Cohort of Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Toh Ming Ren , Chiang Jian Bang , Chong Siao Ting , Chan Sock Hoai , Ishak Nur Diana Binte , Courtney Eliza , Lee Wei Hao , Syed Abdillah Al Syed Muhammad Fahmy Bin , Carson Allen John , Lim Kiat Hon , Davila Sonia , Tan Patrick , Lim Weng Khong , Tan Iain Bee Huat , Ngeow Joanne
Published: September 2018

Background

Growing evidence suggests a role for cancer susceptibility genes such as BRCA2 and PALB2 in young-onset colorectal cancers. Using a cohort of young colorectal cancer patients, we sought to identify and provide functional evidence for germline pathogenic variants of DNA repair genes not typically associated with colorectal cancer.

Methods

We recruited 88 patients with young-onset colorectal cancers seen at a general oncology center. Whole-exome sequencing was performed to identify variants in DNA repair and colorectal cancer predisposition genes. Pathogenic BRCA2 and PALB2 variants were analyzed using immunoblot and immunofluorescence on patient-derived lymphoblastoid cells.

Results

In general, our cohort displayed characteristic features of young-onset colorectal cancers. Most patients had left-sided tumors and were diagnosed at late stages. Four patients had familial adenomatous polyposis, as well as pathogenic APC variants. We identified 12 pathogenic variants evenly distributed between DNA repair and colorectal cancer predisposition genes. Six patients had pathogenic variants in colorectal cancer genes: APC (n = 4) and MUTYH monoallelic (n = 2). Another six had pathogenic variants in DNA repair genes: ATM (n = 1), BRCA2 (n = 1), PALB2 (n = 1), NTHL1 (n = 1), and WRN (n = 2). Pathogenic variants BRCA2 c.9154C>T and PALB2 c.1059delA showed deficient homologous recombination repair, evident from the impaired RAD51 nuclear localization and foci formation.

Conclusion

A substantial portion of pathogenic variants in young-onset colorectal cancer was found in DNA repair genes not previously associated with colorectal cancer. This may have implications for the management of patients. Further studies are needed to ascertain the enrichment of pathogenic DNA repair gene variants in colorectal cancers.
The 600-mm precipitation isoline distinguishes tree-ring-width responses to climate in China
Authors: Liu Yu , Song Huiming , Sun Changfeng , Song Yi , Cai Qiufang , Liu Ruoshi , Lei Ying , Li Qiang
Published: September 2018

The numerous temperature and precipitation reconstructions in China based on tree-ring-width data have played significant roles in furthering the understanding of past climate changes. However, the geographical variability in the responses of trees to climate variations in China remains largely undetermined. Here, we describe an important spatial boundary in the response of trees to climate variations, namely the 600-mm annual precipitation isoline. We found that, to the north of this line, tree-ring widths are usually positively correlated with precipitation and negatively correlated with growing-season temperature. To the south of this line, the tree-ring widths respond positively to temperature, and winter half-year temperatures are the main reconstructed parameters, especially on the third topographical step of China. We also found that precipitation reconstructions based on tree-ring data and the Palmer Drought Severity Index almost exclusively fall in the region of the 200- to 600-mm annual precipitation isolines, not other regions. Our findings indicate that, when using multiple tree-ring-width chronologies for large-scale past climate reconstructions, the climatic signal of each tree-ring-width series should be carefully considered.
This Service Terminates Here? Politics, Practitioner Perspectives, and the Future of Railway Policing in Scotland
Authors: Murray Kath , Atkinson Colin
Published: September 2018

Following the devolution of railway policing under the Scotland Act 2016, the Railway Policing (Scotland) Act 2017 set in motion a process that, if completed, will see the British Transport Police's Scottish Division integrated into Scotland’s relatively new national police force, Police Scotland. The post-legislative journey has, however, proven far more challenging than supporters of integration envisaged. Drawing upon primary and secondary data, this article investigates the integration process to date and shows how a politicized and poorly managed transition programme left employees disillusioned, and fostered a deep strain of mistrust towards the project. With escalating costs, a lack of practitioner buy-in, the potential loss of experienced officers and staff, longer-term risks to the remaining BTP organization, and no clear evidence of benefits, the article concludes that the Scottish Government should call off full integration and consider an alternative approach towards the devolution of railway policing.
Cultural Persistence and Labor Force Participation among Partnered Second-Generation Women in the United States
Authors: Apgar Lauren , McManus Patricia A
Published: September 2018

Women who migrate to the United States often face structural and cultural obstacles when joining the workforce. The US-born daughters of these women show considerable upward mobility, yet recent scholarship finds substantial variation in the employment of second-generation women by parental country of origin. This study assesses whether gender traditionalism in the parental country of origin has a persistent effect on the labor force participation of partnered second-generation women in the United States. An analysis of 1995–2015 Current Population Survey data supplemented with parental origin country characteristics finds that gender-traditional behaviors, religions, institutions, and attitudes are each associated with a lower likelihood of female labor force participation (FLFP). We propose that the successful intergenerational transmission of conservative cultural repertoires from the first to the second-generation accounts for these relationships. Conservative religious context is the best overall predictor of lowered second-generation FLFP. However, patriarchal attitudes and institutions in the parental birthplace best account for the participation of women with parental origins in Latin America and the Caribbean, while the effect of religious context is strongest among women with parental origins in Asia and Europe.
Engineering a living biomaterial via bacterial surface capture of environmental molecules
Authors: Scott Felicia Y , Heyde Keith C , Rice MaryJoe K , Ruder Warren C
Published: September 2018

Synthetic biology holds significant potential in biomaterials science as synthetically engineered cells can produce new biomaterials, or alternately, can function as living components of new biomaterials. Here, we describe the creation of a new biomaterial that incorporates living bacterial constituents that interact with their environment using engineered surface display. We first developed a gene construct that enabled simultaneous expression of cytosolic mCherry and a surface-displayed, catalytically active enzyme capable of covalently bonding with benzylguanine (BG) groups. We then created a functional living material within a microfluidic channel using these genetically engineered cells. The material forms when engineered cells covalently bond to ambient BG-modified molecules upon induction. Given the wide range of materials amenable to functionalization with BG-groups, our system provides a proof-of-concept for the sequestration and assembly of BG-functionalized molecules on a fluid-swept, living biomaterial surface.
Plant Volatiles Reduce the Viability of the Root-Knot NematodeMeloidogyne incognitaEither Directly or When Retained in Water
Authors: Silva Julio Carlos P. , Campos Vicente P. , Barros Aline F. , Pedroso Marcio P. , Terra Willian C. , Lopez Liliana E. , de Souza Jorge T.
Published: September 2018

Volatile organic compounds (VOC) produced by green residues for the management of plant-parasitic nematodes are poorly studied for oilseed plants and some Brassica spp. To investigate the activity of VOC in vitro and as biofumigants, dry and aqueous macerates of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) shoots and sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seed were used against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. VOC produced by sunflower seed caused higher mortality of M. incognita second-stage juveniles (J2) than VOC produced by broccoli shoots but both plant species were equally effective in decreasing the infectivity and reproduction of this nematode. The number of galls and eggs produced by the nematode in tomato roots was reduced by 89 and 95%, respectively, on average, at the highest concentrations of broccoli and sunflower seed macerates tested as biofumigants. When nematodes were placed in water exposed to broccoli VOC, J2immobility increased and the number of galls and eggs produced by the nematode in tomato roots decreased 80 and 96%, respectively. Water exposed to sunflower seed VOC had no effect on the viability of the nematode. Gas chromatography was used to identify five and six chemical groups in broccoli and in sunflower seed macerates, respectively, but only alcohols, sulfurated VOC, and terpenes were detected in the water exposed to these plant macerates. Sulfurated VOC from the water exposed to broccoli macerates were found to be involved in its activity against M. incognita. The purified VOC dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) and 3-pentanol were tested directly against J2and showed a lethal concentration of 176 and 918 µg/ml (ppm), respectively, whereas dimethyl sulfide had no effect against M. incognita. Furthermore, DMDS and 3-pentanol retained in water killed J2and reduced gall formation and the number of eggs of M. incognita on tomato roots. Both these plant species produced toxic VOC to M. incognita, whereas only VOC retained in water exposed to broccoli had activity against M. incognita.
Michael John Caldwell Gordon. 28 February 1948—22 August 2017
Authors: Paulson Lawrence C.
Published: September 2018

Michael Gordon was a pioneer in the field of interactive theorem proving and hardware verification. In the 1970s, he had the vision of formally verifying system designs, proving their correctness using mathematics and logic. He demonstrated his ideas on real-world computer designs. His students extended the work to such diverse areas as the verification of floating-point algorithms, the verification of probabilistic algorithms and the verified translation of source code to correct machine code. He was elected to the Royal Society in 1994, and he continued to produce outstanding research until retirement.

His achievements include his work at Edinburgh University helping to create Edinburgh LCF, the first interactive theorem prover of its kind, and the ML family of functional programming languages. He adopted higher-order logic as a general formalism for verification, showing that it could specify hardware designs from the gate level right up to the processor level. It turned out to be an ideal formalism for many problems in computer science and mathematics. His tools and techniques have exerted a huge influence across the field of formal verification.
Multiplex core–periphery organization of the human connectome
Authors: Battiston Federico , Guillon Jeremy , Chavez Mario , Latora Vito , De Vico Fallani Fabrizio
Published: September 2018

What is the core of the human brain is a fundamental question that has been mainly addressed by studying the anatomical connections between differently specialized areas, thus neglecting the possible contributions from their functional interactions. While many methods are available to identify the core of a network when connections between nodes are all of the same type, a principled approach to define the core when multiple types of connectivity are allowed is still lacking. Here, we introduce a general framework to define and extract the core–periphery structure of multi-layer networks by explicitly taking into account the connectivity patterns at each layer. We first validate our algorithm on synthetic networks of different size and density, and with tunable overlap between the cores at different layers. We then use our method to merge information from structural and functional brain networks, obtaining in this way an integrated description of the core of the human connectome. Results confirm the role of the main known cortical and subcortical hubs, but also suggest the presence of new areas in the sensori-motor cortex that are crucial for intrinsic brain functioning. Taken together these findings provide fresh evidence on a fundamental question in modern neuroscience and offer new opportunities to explore the mesoscale properties of multimodal brain networks.
Effect on electrospun fibres by synthesis of high branching polylactic acid
Authors: Shen Wen , Zhang Guanghua , Ge Xuemei , Li Yali , Fan Guodong
Published: September 2018

Polylactic electrospun porous fibres have been widely used in tissue engineering scaffolds. However, the application of linear polylactic is limited due to its poor hydrophilicity, which leads to phase separation and has been seldom used in porous fibre preparation. Instead, branching polylactic acts as a new effective method to prepare porous fibres because it can increase polylactic polar property and make it easy to be formulated in the following application. In the current study, we prepared an ultra-high molecular weight of high branching polylactic with glycerol as the initiator by controlling the ring-opening polymerization time, adding amount of catalyst and glycerol. The structure, molecular weight and thermal properties of copolymers were tested subsequently. The result showed that the surface of the high branching polylactic films is smooth, hydrophilic and porous. This branching polylactic formed electrospun porous fibres and possessed a strong adsorption of silver ion. Our study provided a simple and efficient way to synthesize branching polylactic polymer and prepare electrospun porous fibres, which may provide potential applications in the field of biomaterials for tissue engineering or antibacterial dressing compared with the application of linear polylactic and 3-arm polylactic materials.
Removal of Hg
0
from simulated flue gas over silver-loaded rice husk gasification char
Authors: Yang Ru , Diao Yongfa , Abayneh Befkadu
Published: September 2018

Mercury released into the atmosphere from coal combustion is harmful to humans and the environment. Rice husk gasification char (RHGC) is an industrial waste of biomass gasification power generation, which is silver-loaded to develop a novel and efficient sorbent for mercury removal from simulated flue gas. The experiment was carried out in a fixed-bed experimental system. The Hg
0
adsorption performance of RHGC was improved significantly after loading silver. Hg
0
adsorption capacity and mercury inlet concentration were found to be nonlinear. The adsorption capacity of RHGC decreased with the increase of reaction temperature. SO
2
inhibited mercury removal, NO and HCl promoted mercury removal; the Hg
0
adsorption capacity in the simulated flue gas was higher than that in pure N
2
. The silver-loaded rice husk gasification char (SRHGC) could be recycled about five times without significantly losing its removal efficiency. The SRHGC will not only reduce the cost of mercury removal but also save energy and reduce environmental pollution. At the same time, it provides a new way for the resource utilization of RHGC.
NH
4
F-assisted one-pot solution synthesis of hexagonal ZnO microdiscs for efficient ultraviolet photodetection
Authors: Li Borui , Zhou Kai , Chen Zhao , Song Zengcai , Zhang Dong , Fang Guojia
Published: September 2018

One-pot solution method to grow large hexagonal ZnO microdiscs with the aid of ammonium fluoride (NH
4
F) mineralizer has been realized. The size, morphology, crystallinity and optical properties of the synthesized ZnO microdiscs can be efficiently modulated by the concentration of NH
4
F. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analyses illustrate that hexagonal ZnO microdiscs achieved at 0.03 M NH
4
F concentration have larger disc size and narrower full-width value at half maximum of (002) peak. It implies better crystal quality compared with those from other additive concentrations. Photoluminescence results also demonstrate the same trend. These results indicate that with proper addition of NH
4
F, the crystal quality of ZnO microdiscs has been improved and defects have been suppressed. Furthermore, a UV photodetector has been fabricated by simply transferring the ZnO microdiscs grown with 0.03 M NH
4
F onto a
p
-type silicon substrate. The device exhibits photosensitive behaviour at 365 nm UV light illuminating when −0.6 V is applied. The response time as well as recovery time is less than 0.1 s. The relatively large photoresponsivity of 1.19 A W
−1
with power consumption less than 10 nW makes it possible in application field of highly efficient low power consumption UV detection.
Synthesis of novel (
E
)-1-(2-(2-(4(dimethylamino) benzylidene) hydrazinyl)-4-methylthiazol-5-yl)ethanone derivatives as ecto-5′-nucleotidase inhibitors
Authors: Hassan Sidra , Channar Pervaiz Ali , Larik Fayaz Ali , Saeed Aamer , Shah Hamid Saeed , Lecka Joanna , Sévigny Jean , Iqbal Jamshed
Published: September 2018

Ecto-5′-nucleotidase (e5′NT), a membrane-bound enzyme and an essential member of ecto-nucleotidases which regulates extracellular purinergic signalling. Their upregulation results in various disease conditions, for example, inflammation, hypoxia and cancer. Therefore, efforts have been made to synthesize potent and selective inhibitors of e5′NT. Here we have synthesized, characterized and evaluated six thiazole derivatives
(3a–3f)
as potent e5′NT inhibitors. Among all derivatives, the compound (
E
)-1-(4-methyl-2-(2-(pyridin-3-ylmethylene)hydrazinyl) thiazol-5-yl)ethanone
(3a)
exhibited maximum inhibition towards both human and rat enzymes. However, their potency against
h
-e5′NT was 24-fold higher than
r
-e5′NT. Only two compounds exhibited inhibitory behaviour towards
r
-e5′NT. The molecular structures of these derivatives were confirmed with the help of solid-state characterization through NMR (
1
H and
13
C), FTIR and elemental analysis. Additionally, molecular docking was also implemented to explain putative bonding interaction between the active site of an enzyme and potent inhibitors.
A novel Pd-catalysed sequential carbonylation/cyclization approach toward bis-
N
-heterocycles: rationalization by electronic structure calculations
Authors: Damas Liliana , Carrilho Rui M. B. , Nunes Sandra C. C. , Pais Alberto A. C. C. , Kollár László , Pineiro Marta , Pereira Mariette M.
Published: September 2018

An unprecedented palladium-catalysed sequential aminocarbonylation/cyclization synthetic strategy, using carbon monoxide and structurally different aliphatic diamines as
N
-nucleophiles, gives access, in one pot, to a new family of indole-based
N
-heterocyclic derivatives (hydropyrazinones, benzodiazepinones and hydroquinoxalines). Optimization of the reaction conditions towards double carbonylation (
P
CO
= 30 bar,
T
= 80°C, iodoindole/diamine ratio = 1 : 1.5, toluene as solvent) allowed the target cyclic products, which are formed
in situ
via intramolecular cyclization of the ketocarboxamide intermediates, to be obtained through a nucleophilic addition/elimination reaction with the pendant terminal amine groups. The structure of the diamine nucleophile was revealed to affect the reaction's selectivity, with the best yields for the cyclic products being obtained in the presence of (1
S
,
2S
)-(+)-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine (
a
) as the nucleophile, using either 5- or 7-iodoindole as the substrate. The reaction's selectivity was rationalized based on electronic structure calculations, which explain the effect of the diamine structure on the predominant formation of the cyclic products.
Estimating statistical power, posterior probability and publication bias of psychological research using the observed replication rate
Authors: Ingre Michael , Nilsonne Gustav
Published: September 2018

In this paper, we show how Bayes' theorem can be used to better understand the implications of the 36% reproducibility rate of published psychological findings reported by the Open Science Collaboration. We demonstrate a method to assess publication bias and show that the observed reproducibility rate was not consistent with an unbiased literature. We estimate a plausible range for the prior probability of this body of research, suggesting expected statistical power in the original studies of 48–75%, producing (positive) findings that were expected to be true 41–62% of the time. Publication bias was large, assuming a literature with 90% positive findings, indicating that negative evidence was expected to have been observed 55–98 times before one negative result was published. These findings imply that even when studied associations are truly NULL, we expect the literature to be dominated by statistically significant findings.
Transient and asymptotic kinetics of mass transfer by coupled surface and grain boundary diffusion in sintering under strain rate control
Authors: Delannay Francis , Brassart Laurence
Published: September 2018

An original procedure is developed for simulating pore surface evolution during sintering at high strain rate while distinguishing two types of diffusion fluxes: transient surface fluxes governed by short-range curvature gradients and coupled fluxes at surface and grain boundary governed by strain rate. The latter fluxes become dominant asymptotically, i.e. after damping-out of transient fluxes. The procedure aims at allowing the prediction of the strain rate dependence of macroscopic viscosity, a concept which is meaningful only during the asymptotic stage. The problem is addressed in two-dimension. It is shown that the asymptotic solution of the general partial differential equation of the problem can be obtained as the solution of an ordinary differential equation, of which the resolution lends itself to a semi-analytical procedure. An estimate is also proposed for the rate of convergence of the general solution towards the asymptotic solution. The accuracy of the mathematical procedure is validated by a comparison of the evolution of asymptotic profiles and exact profiles calculated fully numerically during densification or expansion of the system. A method is proposed for mapping the conditions of existence of an asymptotic stage. The method can account for the dependence of average grain coordination on relative density.
Acousto-thermo-mechanical deformation of hydrogels coupled with chemical diffusion
Authors: Xin Fengxian , Lu Tian Jian
Published: September 2018

We develop an acousto-thermo-mechanical theory for nonlinear (large) deformation of temperature-sensitive hydrogels subjected to temperature and ultrasonic inputs, with diffusion mass transport driven by osmotic pressure accounted for. On the basis of the strain energy due to network stretching, the mixing energy of polymers and small molecules, the Cauchy stress of the deformed hydrogel can be obtained. The acoustic radiation stress generated by the ultrasonic inputs is incorporated into the Cauchy stress to give the constitutive equations of the acousto-thermal-mechanical hydrogel. The mixing energy contains an interaction parameter as a function of temperature and polymer concentration so that hydrogel deformation is temperature dependent. By employing the incompressible condition of polymers and molecules, both the temperature and acoustic radiation stress contribute to osmotic pressure, inducing hydrogel swelling (or shrinking). Specifically, for a temperature-sensitive hydrogel layer immersed in solvent, its acoustic-triggered large deformation is comprehensively analysed under different boundary conditions (e.g. free swelling, uniaxial constraint and biaxial constraint).
Nonlinear averaging of thermal experience predicts population growth rates in a thermally variable environment
Authors: Bernhardt Joey R. , Sunday Jennifer M. , Thompson Patrick L. , O'Connor Mary I.
Published: September 2018

As thermal regimes change worldwide, projections of future population and species persistence often require estimates of how population growth rates depend on temperature. These projections rarely account for how temporal variation in temperature can systematically modify growth rates relative to projections based on constant temperatures. Here, we tested the hypothesis that time-averaged population growth rates in fluctuating thermal environments differ from growth rates in constant conditions as a consequence of Jensen's inequality, and that the thermal performance curves (TPCs) describing population growth in fluctuating environments can be predicted quantitatively based on TPCs generated in constant laboratory conditions. With experimental populations of the green alga
Tetraselmis tetrahele
, we show that nonlinear averaging techniques accurately predicted increased as well as decreased population growth rates in fluctuating thermal regimes relative to constant thermal regimes. We extrapolate from these results to project critical temperatures for population growth and persistence of 89 phytoplankton species in naturally variable thermal environments. These results advance our ability to predict population dynamics in the context of global change.
Maternal reproductive senescence shapes the fitness consequences of the parental age difference in ruffed lemurs
Authors: Tidière Morgane , Thevenot Xavier , Deligiannopoulou Adamantia , Douay Guillaume , Whipple Mylisa , Siberchicot Aurélie , Gaillard Jean-Michel , Lemaître Jean-François
Published: September 2018

In humans, pronounced age differences between parents have deleterious fitness consequences. In particular, the number of children is lower when mothers are much older than fathers. However, previous analyses failed to disentangle the influence of differential parental age
per se
from a direct age effect of each parent. In this study, we analyse the fitness consequences of both parental age and parental age differences on litter size and offspring survival in two closely related species of lemurs living in captivity. As captive lemurs do not choose their reproductive partner, we were able to measure litter size and offspring survival across breeding pairs showing a wide range of parental age differences. However, we demonstrated that the effect of the parental age difference on litter size was fully accounted for by female reproductive senescence because females mating with much younger males were old females. On the other hand, both parental age difference and female reproductive senescence influenced offspring survival. Our results emphasize the importance of teasing apart the effect of parental reproductive senescence when investigating the health and fitness consequences of parental age differences and also provide new insights for conservation programmes of endangered species.
The scent of attractiveness: levels of reproductive hormones explain individual differences in women's body odour
Authors: Lobmaier Janek S. , Fischbacher Urs , Wirthmüller Urs , Knoch Daria
Published: September 2018

Individuals are thought to have their own distinctive body odour which reportedly plays an important role in mate choice. In the present study we investigated individual differences in body odours of women and examined whether some women generally smell more attractive than others or whether odour preferences are a matter of individual taste. We then explored whether levels of reproductive hormones explain women's body odour attractiveness, to test the idea that body odour attractiveness may act as a chemosensory marker of reproductive fitness. Fifty-seven men rated body odours of 28 healthy, naturally cycling women of reproductive age. We collected all odours at peak fertility to control for menstrual cycle effects on body odour attractiveness. Women's salivary oestradiol, progesterone, testosterone and cortisol levels were assessed at the time of odour collection to test whether hormone levels explain body odour attractiveness. We found that the men highly agreed on how attractive they found women's body odours. Interestingly, women's body odour attractiveness was predicted by their oestradiol and progesterone levels: the higher a woman's levels of oestradiol and the lower her levels of progesterone, the more attractive her body odour was rated. In showing that women's body odour attractiveness is explained by levels of female reproductive hormones, but not by levels of cortisol or testosterone, we provide evidence that body odour acts as a valid cue to potential fertility.
Divergence in sex peptide-mediated female post-mating responses inDrosophila melanogaster
Authors: Wensing Kristina U. , Fricke Claudia
Published: September 2018

Transfer and receipt of seminal fluid proteins crucially affect reproductive processes in animals. Evolution in these male ejaculatory proteins is explained with post-mating sexual selection, but we lack a good understanding of the evolution of female post-mating responses (PMRs) to these proteins. Some of these proteins are expected to mediate sexually antagonistic coevolution generating the expectation that females evolve resistance. One candidate inDrosophila melanogasteris the sex peptide (SP) which confers cost of mating in females. In this paper, we compared female SP-induced PMRs across threeD. melanogasterwild-type populations after mating with SP-lacking versus control males including fitness measures. Surprisingly, we did not find any evidence for SP-mediated fitness costs in any of the populations. However, female lifetime reproductive success and lifespan were differently affected by SP receipt indicating that female PMRs diverged among populations. Injection of synthetic SP into virgin females further supported these findings and suggests that females from different populations require different amounts of SP to effectively initiate PMRs. Molecular analyses of the SP receptor suggest that genetic differences might explain the observed phenotypical divergence. We discuss the evolutionary processes that might have caused this divergence in female PMRs.