bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alternating terminal electron‐acceptors at the basis of symbiogenesis: How oxygen ignited eukaryotic evolution
Authors: Speijer Dave
Published: January 2017

What kind of symbiosis between archaeon and bacterium gave rise to their eventual merger at the origin of the eukaryotes? I hypothesize that conditions favouring bacterial uptake were based on exchange of intermediate carbohydrate metabolites required by recurring changes in availability and use of the two different terminal electron chain acceptors, the bacterial one being oxygen. Oxygen won, and definitive loss of the archaeal membrane potential allowed permanent establishment of the bacterial partner as the proto‐mitochondrion, further metabolic integration and highly efficient ATP production. This represents initial symbiogenesis, when crucial eukaryotic traits arose in response to the archaeon‐bacterium merger. The attendant generation of internal reactive oxygen species (ROS) gave rise to a myriad of further eukaryotic adaptations, such as extreme mitochondrial genome reduction, nuclei, peroxisomes and meiotic sex. Eukaryotic origins could have started with shuffling intermediate metabolites as is still essential today.
Economic improvement of continuous pharmaceutical production via the optimal control of a multifeed bioreactor
Authors: Raftery Jonathan P. , DeSessa Melanie R. , Karim M. Nazmul
Published: January 2017

Projections on the profitability of the pharmaceutical industry predict a large amount of growth in the coming years. Stagnation over the last 20 years in product development has led to the search for new processing methods to improve profitability by reducing operating costs or improving process productivity. This work proposes a novel multifeed bioreactor system composed of independently controlled feeds for substrate(s) and media used that allows for the free manipulation of the bioreactor supply rate and substrate concentrations to maximize bioreactor productivity and substrate utilization while reducing operating costs. The optimal operation of the multiple feeds is determined a priori as the solution of a dynamic optimization problem using the kinetic models describing the time‐variant bioreactor concentrations as constraints. This new bioreactor paradigm is exemplified through the intracellular production of beta‐carotene using a three feed bioreactor consisting of separate glucose, ethanol and media feeds. The performance of a traditional bioreator with a single substrate feed is compared to that of a bioreactor with multiple feeds using glucose and/or ethanol as substrate options. Results show up to a 30% reduction in the productivity with the addition of multiple feeds, though all three systems show an improvement in productivity when compared to batch production. Additionally, the breakeven selling price of beta‐carotene is shown to decrease by at least 30% for the multifeed bioreactor when compared to the single feed counterpart, demonstrating the ability of the multifeed reactor to reduce operating costs in bioreactor systems. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:902–912, 2017
CO Oxidation on Au Nanoparticles Supported on ZrO2: Role of Metal/Oxide Interface and Oxide Reducibility
Authors: Puigdollers Antonio Ruiz , Pacchioni Gianfranco
Published: December 2016

In this paper, we report the results of density functional theory calculations on CO oxidation on a model Au/ZrO2 catalyst, in which the support is a non‐reducible oxide (zirconia). Low‐temperature CO oxidation on supported gold nanoparticles occurs through direct interaction of an activated O2 molecule with adsorbed CO to form CO2. However, at room temperature or above the reaction follows another path as O2 desorbs from Au at 170 K. On a reducible oxide, such as TiO2, CO is directly oxidized by a lattice oxygen in a gold‐assisted Mars van Krevelen mechanism. The role of the oxide reducibility is thus essential, as the first step of the reaction is the formation of an oxygen vacancy. Contrary to what one would expect, the reaction can occur also on zirconia. We show that this is a result of the reduced oxygen vacancy formation energy at the gold/zirconia interface. The role of ambient oxygen is to reoxidize the support with a slightly activated process. The results point towards the importance of distinguishing between bulk reducibility and surface reducibility, as the latter can be strongly affected by phenomena such as deposition of metal nanoparticles or oxide nanostructuring.
Direct Electrophilic C−H Alkynylation of Unprotected 2‐Vinylanilines
Authors: Caspers Lucien D. , Finkbeiner Peter , Nachtsheim Boris J.
Published: December 2016

Unprotected aromatic amines can be used as directing groups in metal‐catalyzed C−H alkynylations of alkenes. By using low amounts of an IrIII catalyst in combination with alkynylbenziodoxolones as electrophilic alkyne‐transfer reagents, highly desirable 1,3‐enynes were isolated in excellent yields of up to 98 % with Z stereoselectivity. A broad substrate scope as well as the high synthetic utility of the 1,3‐enynes render this new method an efficient approach for the synthesis of five‐ and six‐membered heterocycles. Further derivatizations of the 1,3‐enynes to highly substituted quinolines through AuI‐ and N‐bromosuccinimide‐mediated exo‐dig cyclizations were demonstrated.
Diversity of photoreceptor arrangements in nocturnal, cathemeral and diurnal Malagasy lemurs
Authors: Peichl Leo , Kaiser Alexander , Rakotondraparany Felix , Dubielzig Richard R. , Goodman Steven M. , Kappeler Peter M.
Published: January 2017

The lemurs of Madagascar (Primates: Lemuriformes) are a monophyletic group that has lived in isolation from other primates for about 50 million years. Lemurs have diversified into species with diverse daily activity patterns and correspondingly different visual adaptations. We assessed the arrangements of retinal cone and rod photoreceptors in six nocturnal, three cathemeral and two diurnal lemur species and quantified different parameters in six of the species. The analysis revealed lower cone densities and higher rod densities in the nocturnal than in the cathemeral and diurnal species. The photoreceptor densities in the diurnal Propithecus verreauxi indicate a less “diurnal” retina than found in other diurnal primates. Immunolabeling for cone opsins showed the presence of both middle‐to‐longwave sensitive (M/L) and shortwave sensitive (S) cones in most species, indicating at least dichromatic color vision. S cones were absent in Allocebus trichotis and Cheirogaleus medius, indicating cone monochromacy. In the Microcebus species, the S cones had an inverse topography with very low densities in the central retina and highest densities in the peripheral retina. The S cones in the other species and the M/L cones in all species had a conventional topography with peak densities in the central area. With the exception of the cathemeral Eulemur species, the eyes of all studied taxa, including the diurnal Propithecus, possessed a tapetum lucidum, a feature only found among nocturnal and crepuscular mammals.
High‐resolution data assimilation of cardiac mechanics applied to a dyssynchronous ventricle
Authors: Balaban Gabriel , Finsberg Henrik ,  Odland Hans Henrik , Rognes Marie E. , Ross Stian , Sundnes Joakim , Wall Samuel
Published: December 2016

Computational models of cardiac mechanics, personalized to a patient, offer access to mechanical information above and beyond direct medical imaging. Additionally, such models can be used to optimize and plan therapies in‐silico, thereby reducing risks and improving patient outcome. Model personalization has traditionally been achieved by data assimilation, which is the tuning or optimization of model parameters to match patient observations. Current data assimilation procedures for cardiac mechanics are limited in their ability to efficiently handle high‐dimensional parameters. This restricts parameter spatial resolution, and thereby the ability of a personalized model to account for heterogeneities that are often present in a diseased or injured heart. In this paper, we address this limitation by proposing an adjoint gradient–based data assimilation method that can efficiently handle high‐dimensional parameters. We test this procedure on a synthetic data set and provide a clinical example with a dyssynchronous left ventricle with highly irregular motion. Our results show that the method efficiently handles a high‐dimensional optimization parameter and produces an excellent agreement for personalized models to both synthetic and clinical data.
Transition Metal Oxyfluorides for Next‐Generation Rechargeable Batteries
Authors: Deng Da
Published: December 2016

Transition metal oxyfluorides are attracting much attention for next‐generation rechargeable batteries, including lithium‐ion batteries and those beyond lithium‐ion batteries. Mixed‐anion transition metal oxyfluorides offer the combined advantages of fluorides and the beneficial effects of oxides achieving improved capacity, high voltage, good conductivity and good cycling stability. Oxygen‐fluorine substitution can be employed to manipulate the physiochemical properties of those corresponding transition metal oxides and/or fluorides for rechargeable batteries, as cathode and/or anode materials, achieving improved electrochemical performances. However, it is still a challenging task to develop facile procedures to produce transition metal oxyfluorides, particularly difficult on a large scale and with high purity. Various methods and approaches have been developed over the years, typically based on solid state reactions. Recently, liquid‐based approaches under mild conditions for the preparation of transition metal oxyfluorides are attracting much attention. In this review, a number of transition metal oxyfluorides reported for rechargeable batteries, including VO2F, BiOF, FeOF, TiOF2, NbO2F, are discussed. Their synthetic approaches, limitations and electrochemical performances are reviewed. Transition metal oxyfluorides with the presence of strong electronegativity of fluorides are often suitable as positive electrode materials. For cathode applications, the author suggests that lithium‐free cathodes of transition metal oxyfluorides can be coupled with lithiated anodes to make as‐assembled charged‐state lithium‐ion batteries. The same concept can be employed to prepare charged state sodium‐ion batteries and other batteries using transition metal oxyfluorides as cathodes. The author suggests that as‐assembled batteries in charged state based on transition metal oxyfluorides (e.g., FeOF) as cathodes coupled with lithiated anodes will eventually be commercialized. The development of next‐generation lithium‐ion batteries and those so‐called beyond lithium‐ion batteries will depend on the capability to synthesize and produce high‐quality transition metal oxyfluorides on a large scale. Those transition metal oxyfluorides not only can find practical applications in batteries, but also can be employed as model electrode systems for fundamental mechanism studies.
Symbiotic bacterial communities in ants are modified by invasion pathway bottlenecks and alter host behavior
Authors: Lester Philip J. , Sébastien Alexandra , Suarez Andrew V. , Barbieri Rafael F. , Gruber Monica A. M.
Published: December 2016

Biological invasions are a threat to global biodiversity and provide unique opportunities to study ecological processes. Population bottlenecks are a common feature of biological invasions and the severity of these bottlenecks is likely to be compounded as an invasive species spreads from initial invasion sites to additional locations. Despite extensive work on the genetic consequences of bottlenecks, we know little about how they influence microbial communities of the invaders themselves. Due to serial bottlenecks, invasive species may lose microbial symbionts including pathogenic taxa (the enemy release hypothesis) and/or may accumulate natural enemies with increasing time after invasion (the pathogen accumulation and invasive decline hypothesis). We tested these alternate hypotheses by surveying bacterial communities of Argentine ants (Linepithema humile). We found evidence for serial symbiont bottlenecks: the bacterial community richness declined over the invasion pathway from Argentina to New Zealand. The abundance of some genera, such as Lactobacillus, also significantly declined over the invasion pathway. Argentine ants from populations in the United States shared the most genera with ants from their native range in Argentina, while New Zealand shared the least (120 vs. 57, respectively). Nine genera were present in all sites around the globe possibly indicating a core group of obligate microbes. In accordance with the pathogen accumulation and invasive decline hypothesis, Argentine ants acquired genera unique to each specific invaded country. The United States had the most unique genera, though even within New Zealand these ants acquired symbionts. In addition to our biogeographic sampling, we administered antibiotics to Argentine ants to determine if changes in the micro‐symbiont community could influence behavior and survival in interspecific interactions. Treatment with the antibiotics spectinomycin and kanamycin only slightly increased Argentine ant interspecific aggression, but this increase significantly decreased survival in interspecific interactions. The survival of the native ant species also decreased when the symbiotic microbial community within Argentine ants was modified by antibiotics. Our work offers support for both the enemy release hypothesis and that invasive species accumulate novel microbial taxa within their invaded range. These changes appear likely to influence invader behavior and survival.
Risk of POP mixtures on the Arctic food chain
Authors: Villa Sara , Migliorati Sonia , Monti Gianna Serafina , Holoubek Ivan , Vighi Marco
Published: January 2017

The exposure of the Arctic ecosystem to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) was assessed through a review of literature data. Concentrations of 19 chemicals or congeneric groups were estimated for the highest levels of the Arctic food chain (Arctic cod, ringed seals, and polar bears). The ecotoxicological risk for seals, bears, and bear cubs was estimated by applying the concentration addition (CA) concept. The risk of POP mixtures was very low in seals. By contrast, the risk was 2 orders of magnitude higher than the risk threshold for adult polar bears and even more (3 orders of magnitude above the threshold) for bear cubs fed with contaminated milk. Based on the temporal trends available for many of the chemicals, the temporal trend of the mixture risk for bear cubs was calculated. Relative to the 1980s, a decrease in risk from the POP mixture is evident, mainly because of international control measures. However, the composition of the mixture substantially changes, and the contribution of new POPs (particularly perfluorooctane sulfonate) increases. These results support the effectiveness of control measures, such as those promulgated in the Stockholm Convention, as well as the urgent need for their implementation for new and emerging POPs. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1181–1192. © 2017 SETAC
Consistent low‐contrast detectability for variable patient sizes and corresponding dose in abdominal CT
Authors: Zhou Yifang , Nute Jessica , Scott Alexander , Lee Christina
Published: December 2016

Purpose

For CT dose optimization, one needs to address two important questions. The first is how various lesion‐specific detection tasks demand different patient doses for the same patient. The second is how the variation of the patient size requires different patient doses for the same lesion detection task. In this study, we attempted to find quantitative solutions to these questions by utilizing a wide range of abdomen phantoms.

Methods

A simplified model with a monochromatic fan beam passing through a bowtie‐filter and an elliptical object was proposed. The model relates the minimum detectable contrast (MDC) to the size‐specific dose by power index of −1/2 and to the lesion size by power index of −1 with a patient size dependence function (PSDF) as the proportionality factor. The experimental validation was performed using seven abdomen phantoms (lateral ranges: 10 cm–39 cm) scanned with helical modes at various dose levels on two 64‐slice scanners (Siemens mCT and GE HD 750). Noise images were obtained using subtractions among adjacent slices in the images reconstructed with filtered backprojection. It was verified that the mean pixel value distributions from various small regions (1.8 mm–10 mm) are Gaussian, thus the concept of the statistically defined minimum detectable contrast (SD‐MDC), defined as distribution's standard deviation multiplied by 3.29, can be applied. The impact of the helical pitch and the high‐definition (HD) acquisition was also studied.

Results

The experimental data from all phantoms were found to fit the power law well (R2 ≥ 0.983). The PSDF was found to be scanner dependent — modeled with a Gaussian amplifier (R2 = 0.983) for one manufacturer and with an exponential function for the other (R2 = 0.990). The MDC relationship was not found to be impacted by different pitches or by HD acquisition. The results were used to find the size‐specific doses and corresponding acquisition techniques required by consistent low‐contrast detectability for variable patient sizes. Visual comparisons on the low‐contrast insert images demonstrated that the derived techniques delivered consistent low‐contrast detectability.

Conclusions

We have modeled and verified the relationship of the minimum detectable contrast to the patient size, the patient dose, and the lesion size from the images reconstructed with filtered backprojection. The findings can be useful for task‐specific dose modulation on abdomen CT studies.
A regularized, model‐based approach to phase‐based conductivity mapping using MRI
Authors: Ropella Kathleen M. , Noll Douglas C.
Published: December 2016

Purpose

To develop a novel regularized, model‐based approach to phase‐based conductivity mapping that uses structural information to improve the accuracy of conductivity maps.

Theory and Methods

The inverse of the three‐dimensional Laplacian operator is used to model the relationship between measured phase maps and the object conductivity in a penalized weighted least‐squares optimization problem. Spatial masks based on structural information are incorporated into the problem to preserve data near boundaries. The proposed Inverse Laplacian method was compared against a restricted Gaussian filter in simulation, phantom, and human experiments.

Results

The Inverse Laplacian method resulted in lower reconstruction bias and error due to noise in simulations than the Gaussian filter. The Inverse Laplacian method also produced conductivity maps closer to the measured values in a phantom and with reduced noise in the human brain, as compared to the Gaussian filter.

Conclusion

The Inverse Laplacian method calculates conductivity maps with less noise and more accurate values near boundaries. Improving the accuracy of conductivity maps is integral for advancing the applications of conductivity mapping. Magn Reson Med 78:2011–2021, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Aerobic training in myotonia congenita: Effect on myotonia and fitness
Authors: Andersen Grete , Løkken Nicoline , Vissing John
Published: December 2016

Introduction

Exercise has not been investigated in myotonia congenita (MC). We investigated whether regular aerobic training can reduce myotonia and improve fitness.

Methods

Untrained patients with MC (age: 24–62 years; n = 6) completed 28 ± 3 sessions of 30‐minute cycle ergometer training at 75% of maximal capacity for 11 ± 1 weeks. Fitness was evaluated by maximal oxygen uptake. The level of myotonia was assessed by the Myotonia Behavior Scale, 14 step stair test, timed up and go test, and hand and eye closure‐open tests.

Results

Training increased fitness by 9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1–17%; P = 0.02) and maximal workload by 10% (95% CI, 3–18%; P = 0.03). None of the myotonia tests changed in a clinically meaningful way.

Conclusions

Regular endurance training improves fitness and maximal workload performance in patients with MC. The lack of creatine kinase elevations indicates that muscle damage did not occur. Improved fitness, however, did not change myotonic symptoms in this small cohort. Muscle Nerve 56: 696–699, 2017
Exome sequencing establishes a gelsolin mutation as the cause of inherited bulbar‐onset neuropathy
Authors: Caress James B. , Johnson Janel O. , Abramzon Yevgeniya A. , Hawkins Gregory A. , Gibbs J. Raphael , Sullivan Elizabeth A. , Chahal Chamanpreet S. , Traynor Bryan J.
Published: December 2016

Introduction

Progressive bulbar motor neuropathy is primarily caused by bulbar‐onset ALS. Hereditary amyloidosis type IV also presents with a bulbar neuropathy that mimics motor neuron disease. The disease is prevalent in Finland only and is not commonly included in the differential diagnosis of ALS.

Methods

We studied 18 members of a family in which some had bulbar motor neuropathy, and we performed exome sequencing.

Results

Five affected family members were found to have a D187Y substitution in the GSN gene known to cause hereditary amyloidosis type IV.

Conclusions

This American family presented with progressive bulbar neuropathy due to a gelsolin mutation not found in Finland. Hereditary amyloidosis type IV presents with bulbar motor neuropathy and not with peripheral neuropathy as occurs with common forms of amyloidosis. This report demonstrates the power of exome sequencing to determine the cause of rare hereditary diseases with incomplete or atypical phenotypes. Muscle Nerve 56: 1001–1005, 2017
An enhanced response sensitivity approach for structural damage identification: convergence and performance
Authors: Lu Zhong‐Rong , Wang Li
Published: December 2016

This paper develops an enhanced response sensitivity approach for structural damage identification. The whole work is mainly two‐fold. Firstly, the general response sensitivity approach has been shown to perform well for small damage, but may not work for moderate or large damage. Therefore, to overcome this drawback, the trust‐region restriction is additionally enforced to enhance the general response sensitivity approach. In doing so, the Tikhonov regularization is invoked which is simple for practical manipulation and is shown equivalent to trust‐region considerations. Secondly, concrete convergence analysis is presented to guarantee the performance of the enhanced response sensitivity approach. Numerical examples are studied to verify the proposed approach. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cholesterol crystallization in human atherosclerosis is triggered in smooth muscle cells during the transition from fatty streak to fibroatheroma
Authors: Ho‐Tin‐Noé Benoît , Vo Sophie , Bayles Richard , Ferrière Stephen , Ladjal Hayette , Toumi Sondes , Deschildre Catherine , Ollivier Véronique , Michel Jean‐Baptiste
Published: December 2016

Recent studies have shown that in addition to being major constituents of the atheromatous core, solid cholesterol crystals (CCs) promote atherosclerotic lesion development and rupture by causing mechanical damage and exerting cytotoxic and pro‐inflammatory effects. These findings suggest that targeting CCs might represent a therapeutic strategy for plaque stabilization. However, little is known about how cholesterol crystallization is initiated in human atherothrombotic disease. Here, we investigated these mechanisms. We performed a thorough immunohistological analysis of non‐embedded, minimally processed human aortic tissues, combining polarized light and fluorescence microscopy. We found that CC formation was initiated during the fatty streak to fibroatheroma transition in tight association with the death of intralesional smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Cholesterol‐loaded human SMCs were capable of producing CCs in vitro, a process that was enhanced by type I collagen and by inhibition of autophagy and cholesterol esterification. The fibrous transition, which was characterized by increased type I collagen expression, was associated with changes in the expression of autophagy and cholesterol flux‐related genes, including a decrease in the autophagic adapter p62 and an increase in the cholesterol intracellular transporter Niemann–Pick C1. Collagen was identified as a potent inducer of these changes in SMCs. Collagen‐induced changes in cholesterol metabolism and autophagy flux in smooth muscle foam cells at the fibrolipid transition likely contribute to initiate cholesterol crystallization in human atherosclerosis. Also, our data are in support of a protective role of autophagy against CC formation. Copyright © 2016 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Tubal origin of ovarian cancer – the double‐edged sword of haemoglobin
Authors: Lin Shiou‐Fu , Gerry Emily , Shih Ie‐Ming
Published: January 2017

Ovarian high‐grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) is the most malignant neoplasm of the gynaecological tract. While the origins of many human malignant neoplasms are clear, the origin of HGSC remains poorly understood. This lack of knowledge limits our understanding of its pathogenesis and compromises efforts devoted to developing better early detection tools and effective preventative interventions. The paradigm of the tubal origin of HGSC has been advanced since the initial report of dysplastic lesions (now known as serous tubal intraepithelial carcinomas or STICs) that morphologically resemble HGSC in the Fallopian tube. These were observed in a group of patients with a genetic predisposition to ovarian cancer who were undergoing risk‐reducing salpingo‐oophorectomy. Since then, a series of clinico‐pathological and molecular studies have characterized STICs and their concurrent HGSCs, and the results support the new paradigm of a tubal origin of many ‘ovarian’ HGSCs. Reactive oxygen species‐containing ovulatory follicular fluid has been thought to be the major culprit behind DNA damage in tubal epithelial cells, leading to either cell death or, if the cells survive, mutagenesis. A recent report from this journal demonstrates that ferryl haemoglobin (Hb) in peritoneal fluid could prevent cell death from DNA‐damaged fimbrial epithelial cells, facilitating ovulation‐induced carcinogenesis of tubal epithelium. This timely study provides new insight into the tumour initiation event in HGSC. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Water absorption and low‐energy impact and their role in the failure of ±45° carbon fibre composites
Authors: Korkees Feras , Arnold Cris , Alston Sue
Published: December 2016

Defects in polymer composites associated with in‐service damage induced by impact and those produced by environmental degradation due moisture absorption can have a significant influence on the mechanical properties and failure modes of the structures. This study evaluates the flexural characteristics and failure modes of ±45° carbon/epoxy laminates under different conditions. The flexural strength and stiffness of these composites were inspected before and after subjecting to water absorption, drying, re‐drying and low energy impact. It was observed that both absorbed water and low energy impact caused significant deformations and fractures which drastically reduced the load carrying ability of the ±45° carbon/epoxy laminates. Re‐drying slightly improved the properties and reversed the effects of water. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:2771–2782, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers
Deposition of aminosilane coatings on porous Al2O3 microspheres by means of dielectric barrier discharges
Authors: Garzia Trulli Marta , Claes Nathalie , Pype Judith , Bals Sara , Baert Kitty , Terryn Herman , Sardella Eloisa , Favia Pietro , Vanhulsel Annick
Published: January 2017

Advances in the synthesis of porous microspheres and in their functionalization are increasing the interest in applications of alumina. This paper deals with coatings plasma deposited from 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane by means of dielectric barrier discharges on alumina porous microspheres, shaped by a vibrational droplet coagulation technique. Aims of the work are the functionalization of the particles with active amino groups, as well as the evaluation of their surface coverage and of the penetration of the coatings into their pores. A multi‐diagnostic approach was used for the chemical/morphological characterization of the particles. It was found that 5 min exposure to plasma discharges promotes the deposition of homogeneous coatings onto the microspheres and within their pores, down to 1 μm.
The graph structure of a deterministic automaton chosen at random
Authors: Cai Xing Shi , Devroye Luc
Published: December 2016

An n‐state deterministic finite automaton over a k‐letter alphabet can be seen as a digraph with n vertices which all have k labeled out‐arcs. Grusho (Publ Math Inst Hungarian Acad Sci 5 (1960), 17–61). proved that whp in a random k‐out digraph there is a strongly connected component of linear size, i.e., a giant, and derived a central limit theorem. We show that whp the part outside the giant contains at most a few short cycles and mostly consists of tree‐like structures, and present a new proof of Grusho's theorem. Among other things, we pinpoint the phase transition for strong connectivity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 51, 428–458, 2017
Microwave‐Assisted Sustainable Synthesis of Telechelic Poly(ethylene glycol)s with Benzoxazine End Groups
Authors: Sharma Pratibha , Kumar Devendra , Roy Prasun Kumar
Published: December 2016

A microwave assisted synthetic route was explored as a sustainable tool for the preparation of cross‐linkable telechelic poly(ethylene glycol)s endcapped with benzoxazine functionality. In comparison to the conventional methodology, the reaction completion time could be significantly reduced using MAS technique and the sustainability of the procedure was improved. Microwave active bifunctional amines were prepared by the condensation reaction of p‐aminobenzoic acid and poly(ethylene glycol)s of different chain lengths to yield amine terminated poly(ethylene glycol)s (ATPEGs). Cardanol, an agro‐waste was chosen as the phenolic source, which was reacted with ATPEG to undergo Mannich like condensation resulting in reactive thermoplastic of telechelic nature. The structure of the resulting polymer was confirmed through FT‐IR and 1H‐NMR spectroscopy. Benzoxazine moieties present at the terminals undergo thermally accelerated ring opening polymerization to form cross‐linked networks which was studied using non‐isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The rheological behavior of the resulting polymer suggests that the viscosity of the benzoxazine‐endcapped telechelic poly(ethylene glycol)s is sufficiently low to permit solventless processing which can be credited to the presence of flexible polyether linkages. The adhesive properties of the cross‐linked benzoxazine endcapped telechelic poly(ethylene glycol)s have also been studied.
Recent Advances in Green Synthesis of 3,3′‐Spirooxindoles via Isatin–based One–pot Multicomponent Cascade Reactions in Aqueous Medium
Authors: Yan Li‐Jun , Wang Yong‐Chao
Published: December 2016

3,3′‐spirooxindoles are important synthetic target compounds and play special role in organic chemistry because of their extensive biological activities and applications of pharmaceutical lead discovery. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in design of new, atom economical and eco‐friendly isatin‐based one‐pot multicomponent cascade reactions in aqueous medium for the green synthesis of 3,3′‐spirooxindoles. In this review, the recent advances in this area were summarized and classified according to catalyst‐free, organic‐catalyzed, inorganic‐catalyzed, nanometer‐silica‐catalyzed and enzyme‐catalyzed reaction systems. These reviewed methods provide important inspiration for the synthesis of novel 3,3′‐spirooxindoles and design of new pharmaceutical compounds.
Metabolic engineering of Klebsiella pneumoniae based on in silico analysis and its pilot-scale application for 1,3-propanediol and 2,3-butanediol co-production
Authors: Park Jong Myoung , Rathnasingh Chelladurai , Song Hyohak
Published: December 2016

Klebsiella pneumoniae naturally produces relatively large amounts of 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD) and 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD) along with various byproducts using glycerol as a carbon source. The ldhA and mdh genes in K. pneumoniae were deleted based on its in silico gene knockout simulation with the criteria of maximizing 1,3-PD and 2,3-BD production and minimizing byproducts formation and cell growth retardation. In addition, the agitation speed, which is known to strongly affect 1,3-PD and 2,3-BD production in Klebsiella strains, was optimized. The K. pneumoniae ΔldhA Δmdh strain produced 125 g/L of diols (1,3-PD and 2,3-BD) with a productivity of 2.0 g/L/h in the lab-scale (5-L bioreactor) fed-batch fermentation using high-quality guaranteed reagent grade glycerol. To evaluate the industrial capacity of the constructed K. pneumoniae ΔldhA Δmdh strain, a pilot-scale (5000-L bioreactor) fed-batch fermentation was carried out using crude glycerol obtained from the industrial biodiesel plant. The pilot-scale fed-batch fermentation of the K. pneumoniae ΔldhA Δmdh strain produced 114 g/L of diols (70 g/L of 1,3-PD and 44 g/L of 2,3-BD), with a yield of 0.60 g diols per gram glycerol and a productivity of 2.2 g/L/h of diols, which should be suitable for the industrial co-production of 1,3-PD and 2,3-BD.
Short-Term and Long-Term Educational Mobility of Families: A Two-Sex Approach
Authors: Song Xi , Mare Robert D.
Published: January 2017

We use a multigenerational perspective to investigate how families reproduce and pass their educational advantages to succeeding generations. Unlike traditional mobility studies that have typically focused on one-sex influences from fathers to sons, we rely on a two-sex approach that accounts for interactions between males and females—the process in which males and females mate and have children with those of similar educational statuses and jointly determine the educational status attainment of their offspring. Using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, we approach this issue from both a short-term and a long-term perspective. For the short term, grandparents’ educational attainments have a direct association with grandchildren’s education as well as an indirect association that is mediated by parents’ education and demographic behaviors. For the long term, initial educational advantages of families may benefit as many as three subsequent generations, but such advantages are later offset by the lower fertility of highly educated persons. Yet, all families eventually achieve the same educational distribution of descendants because of intermarriages between families of high- and low-education origin.
Statistical tests of differential susceptibility: Performance, limitations, and improvements
Authors: Del Giudice Marco
Published: January 2017

Statistical tests of differential susceptibility have become standard in the empirical literature, and are routinely used to adjudicate between alternative developmental hypotheses. However, their performance and limitations have never been systematically investigated. In this paper I employ Monte Carlo simulations to explore the functioning of three commonly used tests proposed by Roisman et al. (2012). Simulations showed that critical tests of differential susceptibility require considerably larger samples than standard power calculations would suggest. The results also showed that existing criteria for differential susceptibility based on the proportion of interaction index (i.e., values between .40 and .60) are especially likely to produce false negatives and highly sensitive to assumptions about interaction symmetry. As an initial response to these problems, I propose a revised test based on a broader window of proportion of interaction index values (between .20 and .80). Additional simulations showed that the revised test outperforms existing tests of differential susceptibility, considerably improving detection with little effect on the rate of false positives. I conclude by noting the limitations of a purely statistical approach to differential susceptibility, and discussing the implications of the present results for the interpretation of published findings and the design of future studies in this area.
WHAT ON EARTH IS LOGIC?
Authors: Shenefelt Michael , White Heidi
Published: January 2017

The world is logical, according to some. Others call it absurd. Apart from who is correct, however, what seems clear is that no one senses the absurd without also sensing the logical. Yet in that case, where does our sense of logic come from, and what is it really a sense of?
Reducing alcohol-related interpretation biases in young hazardous drinkers by Cognitive Bias Modification–Interpretation Training
Authors: Hutschemaekers Moniek H. M. , Woud Marcella L. , Becker Eni S. , Rinck Mike
Published: January 2017

Abstract. Aims: This study examined whether alcohol-related interpretation biases (IBs) can be reduced by means of cognitive bias modification – interpretation (CBM-I) training. Also, the training’s generalization effects and the moderating role of executive control (EC) were examined. Methods: Participants were 98 young hazardous drinkers. Half of the participants were trained to interpret ambiguous alcohol-related scenarios in an alcohol-unrelated way (neutral CBM-I), the other half completed alcohol-related ambiguous open-ended scenarios (control CBM-I). Alcohol-related IBs were assessed with open-ended ambiguous alcohol-related scenarios, completed by participants. The completions were coded by participants (self-coding) and by two independent coders (conservatively and liberally). Results: Neutral CBM-I, compared to control CBM-I, did not decrease alcohol-related IBs for the conservative and self-coding. For the liberal coding, both groups showed a decrease in alcohol-related IBs pre to post training. Moreover, there were no group differences in interpreting ambiguous, alcohol-related pictures during a signal-detection task. At the behavioral level, there was no reduction in alcohol use for either group at one week follow-up. Finally, EC did not moderate training effects. Conclusions: Although CBM-I effects were largely absent; the findings emphasize that more research into the working mechanisms of alcohol CBM-I is needed to test its potential in the context of hazardous drinking.
Schulisches Wohlbefinden, Schulform und Tabakkonsum von Jugendlichen: Ergebnisse der SILNE-Studie
Authors: Rathmann Katharina , Heilmann Kristina , Moor Irene , Richter Matthias
Published: January 2017

Zusammenfassung. Zielsetzung: Der Beitrag untersucht die Bedeutung der besuchten Schulform und des schulischen Wohlbefindens für den Tabakkonsum von Jugendlichen und prüft erstmals, ob sich dieser Zusammenhang im Sinne einer doppelten Benachteiligung auf den Tabakkonsum auswirkt. Methodik: Datenbasis bildet der deutsche Survey der europäischen SILNE-Studie „Tackling socioeconomic inequalities in smoking: learning from natural experiments by time trend analyses and cross-national comparisons“ (Schüler der 8. und 9. Klasse) in Hannover (n = 1.190). In bi- und multivariaten Analysen werden die Zusammenhänge zwischen den Merkmalen des schulischen Wohlbefindens (Schulengagement, Schulverbundenheit und Burnout), der besuchten Schulform und dem Tabakkonsum überprüft. Ergebnisse: Jugendliche mit niedrigem Schulengagement, geringer Schulverbundenheit sowie erhöhtem schulbezogenen Burnout zeigen eine erhöhte Wahrscheinlichkeit zu rauchen, ebenso wie Schüler, die eine andere Schulform als das Gymnasium besuchen. Belege der doppelten Benachteiligung für den Tabakkonsum von Jugendlichen konnten nicht gefunden werden. Gymnasiasten besitzen im Vergleich zu Schülern anderer Schulformen eine erhöhte Wahrscheinlichkeit zu rauchen, wenn sie über schulbezogenes Burnout berichten. Schlussfolgerungen: Unsere Ergebnisse geben wichtige Hinweise für schulformspezifische Maßnahmen der Gesundheitsförderung, um das schulische Wohlbefinden zu fördern und dem Tabakkonsum im Jugendalter entgegenzuwirken.
The Pace of Change on Tropical Landscapes
Authors: Wilcox Bradford , Bruijnzeel Sampurno , Asbjornsen Heidi
Published: December 2016

Emerging Issues in Tropical Ecohydrology; Cuenca, Ecuador, 5–9 June 2016
Johnson, Lozier, Meltzer, and Oreskes Receive 2016 Ambassador Awards
Authors:   AGU
Published: December 2016

Ashanti Johnson, M. Susan Lozier, Anne S. Meltzer, and Naomi Oreskes were awarded the 2016 Ambassador Award at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, held on 14 December 2016 in San Francisco, Calif. The award is in recognition for "outstanding contributions to one or more of the following area(s): societal impact, service to the Earth and space community, scientific leadership, and promotion of talent/career pool."
Enhanced expression of Survivin has distinct roles in adipocyte homeostasis
Authors: Ju Liping , Zhang Xiaoyan , Deng Yujie , Han Junfeng , Yang Jian , Chen Shuqin , Fang Qichen , Yang Ying , Jia Weiping
Published: January 2017

Although precisely controlled lipolysis is crucial for maintaining physiological levels of circulating free fatty acids in response to energetic stress, the underlying mechanisms by which this process is governed remain poorly understood. Survivin is a gene that has been found to be highly expressed in the most common human tumors, and it is considered to be associated with tumorigenesis. Survivin expression in normal tissue is developmentally downregulated and is undetectable in most terminally differentiated adult tissues. Here, we report that Survivin expression in mature adipocytes from murine white adipose tissue can be highly induced under high-fat diet feeding conditions. During the adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and mesenchymal C3H10T1/2 cells, Survivin expression is gradually decreased and almost undetectable in fully differentiated adipocytes. However, it can be expressed again upon insulin exposure, through the PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway. Nevertheless, Survivin overexpression is sensitive to nutritional deprivation, and expression markedly decreases in response to starvation with Hank’s buffered salt solution challenge. The ectopic expression of Survivin downregulates expression of Adrb3 and then decreases the production of cAMP, while Fsp27 protein levels are upregulated as a result of reduced protein degradation. This in turn inhibits isoproterenol-stimulated adipocyte lipolysis. Survivin also attenuates DNA damage related to PARP activation and inhibits TNFα-induced lipolysis, suggesting that Survivin may facilitate adipocyte maintenance in response to inflammatory stimuli. Further studies will be undertaken to determine whether Survivin is critical for lipid storage to maintain metabolic homeostasis in vivo.
Temporal coherence structure rapidly shapes neuronal interactions
Authors: Lu Kai , Xu Yanbo , Yin Pingbo , Oxenham Andrew J. , Fritz Jonathan B. , Shamma Shihab A.
Published: January 2017

Perception of segregated sources is essential in navigating cluttered acoustic environments. A basic mechanism to implement this process is the temporal coherence principle. It postulates that a signal is perceived as emitted from a single source only when all of its features are temporally modulated coherently, causing them to bind perceptually. Here we report on neural correlates of this process as rapidly reshaped interactions in primary auditory cortex, measured in three different ways: as changes in response rates, as adaptations of spectrotemporal receptive fields following stimulation by temporally coherent and incoherent tone sequences, and as changes in spiking correlations during the tone sequences. Responses, sensitivity and presumed connectivity were rapidly enhanced by synchronous stimuli, and suppressed by alternating (asynchronous) sounds, but only when the animals engaged in task performance and were attentive to the stimuli. Temporal coherence and attention are therefore both important factors in auditory scene analysis.
Structure of the acetophenone carboxylase core complex: prototype of a new class of ATP-dependent carboxylases/hydrolases
Authors: Weidenweber Sina , Schühle Karola , Demmer Ulrike , Warkentin Eberhard , Ermler Ulrich , Heider Johann
Published: January 2017

Degradation of the aromatic ketone acetophenone is initiated by its carboxylation to benzoylacetate catalyzed by acetophenone carboxylase (Apc) in a reaction dependent on the hydrolysis of two ATP to ADP and Pi. Apc is a large protein complex which dissociates during purification into a heterooctameric Apc(αα′βγ)2 core complex of 482 kDa and Apcε of 34 kDa. In this report, we present the X-ray structure of the Apc(αα′βγ)2 core complex from Aromatoleum aromaticum at ca. 3 Å resolution which reveals a unique modular architecture and serves as model of a new enzyme family. Apcβ contains a novel domain fold composed of two β-sheets in a barrel-like arrangement running into a bundle of eight short polyproline (type II)-like helical segments. Apcα and Apcα′ possess ATP binding modules of the ASKHA superfamily integrated into their multidomain structures and presumably operate as ATP-dependent kinases for acetophenone and bicarbonate, respectively. Mechanistic aspects of the novel carboxylation reaction requiring massive structural rearrangements are discussed and criteria for specifically annotating the family members Apc, acetone carboxylase and hydantoinase are defined.
Large-scale, thick, self-assembled, nacre-mimetic brick-walls as fire barrier coatings on textiles
Authors: Das Paramita , Thomas Helga , Moeller Martin , Walther Andreas
Published: January 2017

Highly loaded polymer/clay nanocomposites with layered structures are emerging as robust fire retardant surface coatings. However, time-intensive sequential deposition processes, e.g. layer-by-layer strategies, hinders obtaining large coating thicknesses and complicates an implementation into existing technologies. Here, we demonstrate a single-step, water-borne approach to prepare thick, self-assembling, hybrid fire barrier coatings of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/montmorillonite (MTM) with well-defined, bioinspired brick-wall nanostructure, and showcase their application on textile. The coating thickness on the textile is tailored using different concentrations of CMC/MTM (1–5 wt%) in the coating bath. While lower concentrations impart conformal coatings of fibers, thicker continuous coatings are obtained on the textile surface from highest concentration. Comprehensive fire barrier and fire retardancy tests elucidate the increasing fire barrier and retardancy properties with increasing coating thickness. The materials are free of halogen and heavy metal atoms, and are sourced from sustainable and partly even renewable building blocks. We further introduce an amphiphobic surface modification on the coating to impart oil and water repellency, as well as self-cleaning features. Hence, our study presents a generic, environmentally friendly, scalable, and one-pot coating approach that can be introduced into existing technologies to prepare bioinspired, thick, fire barrier nanocomposite coatings on diverse surfaces.