bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A combination mode of climate variability responsible for extremely poor recruitment of the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica)
Authors: Lin Yong-Fu , Wu Chau-Ron , Han Yu-San
Published: March 2017

Satellite data and assimilation products are used to investigate fluctuations in the catch of Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) in eastern Asian countries. It has been reported that the salinity front has extended farther south, which has shifted the eel’s spawning grounds to a lower latitude, resulting in smaller eel catches in 1983, 1992, and 1998. This study demonstrates that interannual variability in the eel catch is strongly correlated with the combination mode (C-mode), but not with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation. These eels continue to spawn within the North Equatorial Current (NEC), but the salinity front shifts south during a canonical El Niño. On the other hand, the spawning grounds accompanied by the salinity front extend farther south during the C-mode of climate variability, and eel larvae fail to join the nursery in the NEC, resulting in extremely poor recruitment in East Asia. We propose an appropriate sea surface temperature index to project Japanese eel larval catch.
One-step generation of mice carrying a conditional allele together with an HA-tag insertion for the delta opioid receptor
Authors: Su Dongru , Wang Min , Ye Chenli , Fang Jiahui , Duan Yanhui , Zhang Zhenghong , Hua Qiuhong , Shi Changjie , Zhang Lihong , Zhang Ru , Xie Xin
Published: March 2017

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are important modulators of many physiological functions and excellent drug targets for many diseases. However, to study the functions of endogenous GPCRs is still a challenging task, partially due to the low expression level of GPCRs and the lack of highly potent and selective GPCR antibodies. Overexpression or knock-in of tagged GPCRs, or knockout of specific GPCRs in mice, are common strategies used to study the in vivo functions of these receptors. However, generating separate mice carrying tagged GPCRs or conditional alleles for GPCRs is labor intensive, and requires additional breeding costs. Here we report the generation of mice carrying an HA-tagged DOR (delta opioid receptor) flanked by LoxP sequences at the endogenous DOR locus using a single recombination step, aided by the TALEN system. These animals can be used directly to study the expression, localization, protein-protein interaction and signal transduction of endogenous DOR using anti-HA antibodies. By crossing with mice expressing tissue-specific Cre, these mice can also generate offspring with DOR knockout within specific tissues. These mice are powerful tools to study the in vivo functions of DOR. Furthermore, the gene modification strategy could also be used to study the functions of many other GPCRs.
ALS Along the Axons – Expression of Coding and Noncoding RNA Differs in Axons of ALS models
Authors: Rotem Nimrod , Magen Iddo , Ionescu Ariel , Gershoni-Emek Noga , Altman Topaz , Costa Christopher J. , Gradus Tal , Pasmanik-Chor Metsada , Willis Dianna E. , Ben-Dov Iddo Z. , Hornstein Eran , Perlson Eran
Published: March 2017

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a multifactorial lethal motor neuron disease with no known treatment. Although the basic mechanism of its degenerative pathogenesis remains poorly understood, a subcellular spatial alteration in RNA metabolism is thought to play a key role. The nature of these RNAs remains elusive, and a comprehensive characterization of the axonal RNAs involved in maintaining neuronal health has yet to be described. Here, using cultured spinal cord (SC) neurons grown using a compartmented platform followed by next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, we find that RNA expression differs between the somatic and axonal compartments of the neuron, for both mRNA and microRNA (miRNA). Further, the introduction of SOD1G93Aand TDP43A315T, established ALS-related mutations, changed the subcellular expression and localization of RNAs within the neurons, showing a spatial specificity to either the soma or the axon. Altogether, we provide here the first combined inclusive profile of mRNA and miRNA expression in two ALS models at the subcellular level. These data provide an important resource for studies on the roles of local protein synthesis and axon degeneration in ALS and can serve as a possible target pool for ALS treatment.
Fine-tuning the extent and dynamics of binding cleft opening as a potential general regulatory mechanism in parvulin-type peptidyl prolyl isomerases
Authors: Czajlik András , Kovács Bertalan , Permi Perttu , Gáspári Zoltán
Published: March 2017

Parvulins or rotamases form a distinct group within peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerases. Their exact mode of action as well as the role of conserved residues in the family are still not unambiguously resolved. Using backbone S2 order parameters and NOEs as restraints, we have generated dynamic structural ensembles of three distinct parvulins, SaPrsA, TbPin1 and CsPinA. The resulting ensembles are in good agreement with the experimental data but reveal important differences between the three enzymes. The largest difference can be attributed to the extent of the opening of the substrate binding cleft, along which motional mode the three molecules occupy distinct regions. Comparison with a wide range of other available parvulin structures highlights structural divergence along the bottom of the binding cleft acting as a hinge during the opening-closing motion. In the prototype WW-domain containing parvulin, Pin1, this region is also important in forming contacts with the WW domain known to modulate enzymatic activity of the catalytic domain. We hypothesize that modulation of the extent and dynamics of the identified ‘breathing motion’ might be one of the factors responsible for functional differences in the distinct parvulin subfamilies.
Identification of a novel locus associated with skin colour in African-admixed populations
Authors: Hernandez-Pacheco Natalia , Flores Carlos , Alonso Santos , Eng Celeste , Mak Angel C. Y. , Hunstman Scott , Hu Donglei , White Marquitta J. , Oh Sam S. , Meade Kelley , Farber Harold J. , Avila Pedro C. , Serebrisky Denise , Thyne Shannon M. , Brigino-Buenaventura Emerita , Rodriguez-Cintron William , Sen Saunak , Kumar Rajesh , Lenoir Michael , Rodriguez-Santana Jose R. , Burchard Esteban G. , Pino-Yanes Maria
Published: March 2017

Skin pigmentation is a complex trait that varies largely among populations. Most genome-wide association studies of this trait have been performed in Europeans and Asians. We aimed to uncover genes influencing skin colour in African-admixed individuals. We performed a genome-wide association study of melanin levels in 285 Hispanic/Latino individuals from Puerto Rico, analyzing 14 million genetic variants. A total of 82 variants with p-value ≤1 × 10−5 were followed up in 373 African Americans. Fourteen single nucleotide polymorphisms were replicated, of which nine were associated with skin colour at genome-wide significance in a meta-analysis across the two studies. These results validated the association of two previously known skin pigmentation genes, SLC24A5 (minimum p = 2.62 × 10−14, rs1426654) and SLC45A2 (minimum p = 9.71 × 10−10, rs16891982), and revealed the intergenic region of BEND7 and PRPF18 as a novel locus associated with this trait (minimum p = 4.58 × 10−9, rs6602666). The most significant variant within this region is common among African-descent populations but not among Europeans or Native Americans. Our findings support the advantages of analyzing African-admixed populations to discover new genes influencing skin pigmentation.
Effect of pesticides on microbial communities in container aquatic habitats
Authors: Muturi Ephantus J. , Donthu Ravi Kiran , Fields Christopher J. , Moise Imelda K. , Kim Chang-Hyun
Published: March 2017

Container aquatic habitats support a specialized community of macroinvertebrates (e.g. mosquitoes) that feed on microbial communities associated with decaying organic matter. These aquatic habitats are often embedded within and around agricultural lands and are frequently exposed to pesticides. We used a microcosm approach to examine the single and combined effects of two herbicides (atrazine, glyphosate), and three insecticides (malathion, carbaryl, permethrin) on microbial communities of container aquatic habitats. MiSeq sequencing of the V4 region of both bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA gene was used to characterize the microbial communities of indoor microcosms that were either exposed to each pesticide alone, a mix of herbicides, a mix of insecticides, or a mix of all five insecticides. Individual insecticides but not herbicides reduced the microbial diversity and richness and two insecticides, carbaryl and permethrin, also altered the microbial community structure. A mixture of herbicides had no effect on microbial diversity or structure but a mixture of insecticides or all five pesticides reduced microbial diversity and altered the community structure. These findings suggest that exposure of aquatic ecosystems to individual pesticides or their mixtures can disrupt aquatic microbial communities and there is need to decipher how these changes affect resident macroinvertebrate communities.
Genome-wide analysis of complex wheat gliadins, the dominant carriers of celiac disease epitopes
Authors: Wang Da-Wei , Li Da , Wang Junjun , Zhao Yue , Wang Zhaojun , Yue Guidong , Liu Xin , Qin Huanju , Zhang Kunpu , Dong Lingli , Wang Daowen
Published: March 2017

Gliadins, specified by six compound chromosomal loci (Gli-A1/B1/D1 and Gli-A2/B2/D2) in hexaploid bread wheat, are the dominant carriers of celiac disease (CD) epitopes. Because of their complexity, genome-wide characterization of gliadins is a strong challenge. Here, we approached this challenge by combining transcriptomic, proteomic and bioinformatic investigations. Through third-generation RNA sequencing, full-length transcripts were identified for 52 gliadin genes in the bread wheat cultivar Xiaoyan 81. Of them, 42 were active and predicted to encode 25 α-, 11 γ-, one δ- and five ω-gliadins. Comparative proteomic analysis between Xiaoyan 81 and six newly-developed mutants each lacking one Gli locus indicated the accumulation of 38 gliadins in the mature grains. A novel group of α-gliadins (the CSTT group) was recognized to contain very few or no CD epitopes. The δ-gliadins identified here or previously did not carry CD epitopes. Finally, the mutant lacking Gli-D2 showed significant reductions in the most celiac-toxic α-gliadins and derivative CD epitopes. The insights and resources generated here should aid further studies on gliadin functions in CD and the breeding of healthier wheat.
Dynamic cortical participation during bilateral, cyclical ankle movements: effects of aging
Authors: Yoshida Takashi , Masani Kei , Zabjek Karl , Chen Robert , Popovic Milos R.
Published: March 2017

The precise role of the human primary motor cortex in walking is unknown. Our previous study showed that the primary motor cortex may contribute to specific requirements of walking (i.e., maintaining a constant movement frequency and bilaterally coordinating the feet). Because aging can impair (i) the ability to fulfill the aforementioned requirements and (ii) corticomuscular communication, we hypothesized that aging would impair the motoneuronal recruitment by the primary motor cortex during bilateral cyclical movements. Here, we used corticomuscular coherence (i.e., coherence between the primary motor cortex and the active muscles) to examine whether corticomuscular communication is affected in older individuals during cyclical movements that shared some functional requirements with walking. Fifteen young men and 9 older men performed cyclical, anti-phasic dorsiflexion and plantarflexion of the feet while seated. Coherence between the midline primary motor cortex and contracting leg muscles cyclically increased in both age groups. However, the coherence of older participants was characterized by (i) lower magnitude and (ii) mediolaterally broader and more rostrally centered cortical distributions. These characteristics suggest that aging changes how the primary motor cortex participates in the cyclical movements, and such change may extend to walking.
Significant decline in anticancer immune capacity during puberty in the Tasmanian devil
Authors: Cheng Yuanyuan , Heasman Kim , Peck Sarah , Peel Emma , Gooley Rebecca M. , Papenfuss Anthony T. , Hogg Carolyn J. , Belov Katherine
Published: March 2017

Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) are at risk of extinction in the wild due to Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD), a rare contagious cancer. The prevalence of DFTD differs by age class: higher disease prevalence is seen in adults (2–3 years) versus younger devils (<2 years). Here we propose that immunological changes during puberty may play a role in susceptibility to DFTD. We show that the second year of life is a key developmental period for Tasmanian devils, during which they undergo puberty and pronounced changes in the immune system. Puberty coincides with a significant decrease in lymphocyte abundance resulting in a much higher neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio in adults than subadults. Quantitative PCR analysis of gene expression of transcription factors T-bet and GATA-3 and cytokines interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin 4 (IL-4) revealed a drastic increase in GATA-3 and IL-4 expression during puberty. These changes led to a significantly lower IFN-γ:IL-4 ratio in 2-year-olds than <1 year olds (on average 1.3-fold difference in males and 4.0-fold in females), which reflects a major shift of the immune system towards Th2 responses. These results all indicate that adult devils are expected to have a lower anticancer immune capacity than subadults, which may explain the observed pattern of disease prevalence of DFTD in the wild.
Host-guest complexation of cucurbit[8]uril with two enantiomers
Authors: Gao Zhong-Zheng , Lin Rui-Lian , Bai Dong , Tao Zhu , Liu Jing-Xin , Xiao Xin
Published: March 2017

Host-guest complexation of cucurbit[8]uril (Q[8]) with two enantiomers, D-3-(2-naphthyl)-alanine (D-NA) and L-3-(2-naphthyl)-alanine (L-NA), has been fully investigated. Experimental data indicate that double guests reside within the cavity of Q[8] in both aqueous solution and solid state, generating highly stable homoternary complexes D-NA2@Q[8] and L-NA2@Q[8].
Short-term air pollution exposure aggravates Parkinson’s disease in a population-based cohort
Authors: Lee Hyewon , Myung Woojae , Kim Doh Kwan , Kim Satbyul Estella , Kim Clara Tammy , Kim Ho
Published: March 2017

Increasing experimental evidence has suggested air pollution as new risk factor for neurological disease. Although long-term exposure is reportedly related to neurological disease, information on association with short-term exposure is scarce. We examined the association of short-term exposure to particles <2.5 μm (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), and carbon monoxide (CO) with PD aggravation in Seoul from the National Health Insurance Service–National Sample Cohort, Korea during 2002–2013. PD aggravation cases were defined as emergency hospital admissions for primarily diagnosed PD and analyzed with a case-crossover analysis, designed for rare acute outcomes. Pollutants concentrations on case and control days were compared and effect modifications were explored. A unit increase in 8-day moving average of concentrations was significantly associated with PD aggravation. The association was consistent for PM2.5(odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.61 [1.14–2.29] per 10 μg/m3), NO2(2.35 [1.39–3.97] per 10 ppb), SO2(1.54 [1.11–2.14] per 1 ppb), and CO (1.46 [1.05–2.04] per 0.1 ppm). The associations were stronger in women, patients aged 65–74 years, and cold season, but not significant. In conclusion, short-term air pollution exposure increased risk of PD aggravation, and may cause neurological disease progression in humans.
Inorganic Photocatalytic Enhancement: Activated RhB Photodegradation by Surface Modification of SnO2 Nanocrystals with V2O5-like species
Authors: Epifani Mauro , Kaciulis Saulius , Mezzi Alessio , Altamura Davide , Giannini Cinzia , Díaz Raül , Force Carmen , Genç Aziz , Arbiol Jordi , Siciliano Pietro , Comini Elisabetta , Concina Isabella
Published: March 2017

SnO2 nanocrystals were prepared by precipitation in dodecylamine at 100 °C, then they were reacted with vanadium chloromethoxide in oleic acid at 250 °C. The resulting materials were heat-treated at various temperatures up to 650 °C for thermal stabilization, chemical purification and for studying the overall structural transformations. From the crossed use of various characterization techniques, it emerged that the as-prepared materials were constituted by cassiterite SnO2 nanocrystals with a surface modified by isolated V(IV) oxide species. After heat-treatment at 400 °C, the SnO2 nanocrystals were wrapped by layers composed of vanadium oxide (IV-V mixed oxidation state) and carbon residuals. After heating at 500 °C, only SnO2 cassiterite nanocrystals were obtained, with a mean size of 2.8 nm and wrapped by only V2O5-like species. The samples heat-treated at 500 °C were tested as RhB photodegradation catalysts. At 10−7 M concentration, all RhB was degraded within 1 h of reaction, at a much faster rate than all pure SnO2 materials reported until now.
Recombinant Mycobacterium smegmatis with a pMyong2 vector expressing Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type I Gag can induce enhanced virus-specific immune responses
Authors: Kim Byoung-Jun , Gong Jeong-Ryeol , Kim Ga-Na , Kim Bo-Ram , Lee So-Young , Kook Yoon-Hoh , Kim Bum-Joon
Published: March 2017

Recently, we have developed a novel Mycobacterium-Escherichia coli shuttle vector system using pMyong2, which can provide an enhanced expression of heterologous genes in recombinant Mycobacterium smegmatis (rSmeg). To investigate the usefulness of rSmeg using pMyong2 in vaccine application, we vaccinated M. smegmatis with pMyong2 system expressing Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type I (HIV-1) Gag p24 antigen (rSmeg-pMyong2-p24) into mice and examined its cellular and humoral immune responses against HIV gag protein. We found that rSmeg-pMyong2-p24 expressed higher levels of Gag protein in bacteria, macrophage cell line (J774A.1) and mouse bone marrow derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) compared to rSmeg strains using two other vector systems, pAL5000 derived vector (rSmeg-pAL-p24) and the integrative plasmid, pMV306 (rSmeg-pMV306-p24). Inoculation of mice with rSmeg-pMyong2-p24 elicited more effective immunity compared to the other two rSmeg strains, as evidenced by higher levels of HIV-1 Gag-specific CD4 and CD8 T lymphocyte proliferation, interferon gamma ELISPOT cell induction, and antibody production. Furthermore, rSmeg-pMyong2-p24 showed a higher level of cytotoxic T cell response against target cells expressing Gag p24 proteins. Our data suggest that Mycobacterium-Escherichia coli shuttle vector system with pMyong2 may provide an advantage in vaccine application of rSmeg over other vector systems.
A phosphine mediated sequential annulation process of 2-tosylaminochalcones with MBH carbonates to construct functionalized aza-benzobicyclo[4.3.0] derivatives
Authors: Zhang Qinglong , Zhu Yannan , Jin Hongxing , Huang You
Published: March 2017

A novel phosphine mediated sequential annulation process to construct functionalized aza-benzobicyclo[4.3.0] derivatives has been developed involving a one-pot process.
Estimation of conventional C–H⋯π (arene), unconventional C–H⋯π (chelate) and C–H⋯π (thiocyanate) interactions in hetero-nuclear nickel(ii)–cadmium(ii) complexes with a compartmental Schiff base
Authors: Roy Sourav , Drew Michael G. B. , Bauzá Antonio , Frontera Antonio , Chattopadhyay Shouvik
Published: March 2017

Energy associated with unconventional C–H⋯π (chelate) and C–H⋯π (thiocyanate) interactions in hetero-nuclear nickel(ii)/cadmium(ii) complexes are estimated.
Investigation of the post-annealing electromagnetic response of Cu–Co oxide coatings via optical measurement and computational modelling
Authors: Rahman M. Mahbubur , Miran Hussein A. , Jiang Zhong-Tao , Altarawneh Mohmmednoor , Chuah Lee Siang , Lee Hooi-Ling , Amri Amun , Mondinos Nicholas , Dlugogorski Bogdan Z.
Published: March 2017

The annealing temperature (200–500 °C) effects of optical frequency response on the dielectric functions of sol–gel derived CuCoOx thin film coatings: experimental and modelling.
Enhanced anti-stocks luminescence in LaNbO4:Ln3+ (Ln3+ = Yb3+, Er3+/Ho3+/Tm3+) with abundant color
Authors: Huang Huining , Zhou Haifeng , Zhou Juan , Wang Tao , Huang Dapeng , Wu Yaqiang , Sun Leilei , Zhou Guangjun , Zhan Jie , Hu Jifan
Published: March 2017

A 980 nm laser was employed to excite Yb3+ ions to achieve the 2F7/2 → 2F5/2 transition, and the LNO:Yb3+, Er3+/Ho3+/Tm3+ samples exhibited intense green, yellowish-green and blue emission, respectively.
RGO/AuNR/HA-5FU nanocomposite with multi-stage release behavior and efficient antitumor activity for synergistic therapy
Authors: Yang Ying , Wang Yunlong , Zhu Manzhou , Chen Yan , Xiao Yazhong , Shen Yuhua , Xie Anjian
Published: March 2017

A reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/gold nanorod (AuNR)/hydroxyapatite (HA) nanocomposite was designed and successfully synthesized for the first time.
A gold nanoparticle-mediated rapid in vitro assay of anti-aggregation reagents for amyloid β and its validation
Authors: Kim Hye Young , Lee Donghee , Ryu Kwon-Yul , Choi Inhee
Published: March 2017

A rapidin vitrocolorimetric method for screening anti-aggregation reagents of amyloid β is reported by using gold nanoparticles.
Luminescence sensing of weakly-hydrated anions in aqueous solution by self-assembled europium(iii) complexes
Authors: Sagami Takuya , Tahara Yuhei O. , Miyata Makoto , Miyake Hiroyuki , Shinoda Satoshi
Published: March 2017

Perchlorate anions in water could be sensed by luminescence decrease of europium(iii) using a self-assembly system.
Depolymerization of lignin via a non-precious Ni–Fe alloy catalyst supported on activated carbon
Authors: Zhai Yongxiang , Li Chuang , Xu Guangyue , Ma Yanfu , Liu Xiaohao , Zhang Ying
Published: March 2017

Ni–Fe alloy catalysts were prepared and they displayed high efficiency for depolymerization of lignin to PG and PS.
Synthesis of pyrrolo[1,2-a]naphthyridines by Lewis acid mediated cycloisomerization
Authors: Flader Anika , Parpart Silvio , Ehlers Peter , Langer Peter
Published: March 2017

Functionalized pyrrolo[1,2-a]naphthyridines were synthesized by application of PtCl2 and Bi(OTf)3 as simple Lewis acids in a cycloisomerization reaction.
ipso-Cyclization: an emerging tool for multifunctional spirocyclohexadienones
Authors: Reddy Chada Raji , Prajapti Santosh Kumar , Warudikar Kamalkishor , Ranjan Ravi , Rao Billa Bhargava
Published: March 2017

Various ipso-annulation strategies to access diversely substituted spirocyclohexadienones and their applications have been presented.
RAFT/MADIX emulsion copolymerization of vinyl acetate and N-vinylcaprolactam: towards waterborne physically crosslinked thermoresponsive particles
Authors: Etchenausia Laura , Khoukh Abdel , Deniau Lejeune Elise , Save Maud
Published: March 2017

Controlled radical emulsion polymerization as a tool to synthesize thermoresponsive PVCL-based amphiphilic copolymer particles crosslinked by supramolecular hydrophobic interactions.
Twisted terrylene dyes: synthesis and application in organic solar cells
Authors: Feng Jiajing , Liang Ningning , Jiang Wei , Meng Dong , Xin Rui , Xu Bowei , Zhang Jianqi , Wei Zhixiang , Hou Jianhui , Wang Zhaohui
Published: March 2017

Two twisted terrylene diimides as non-fullerene acceptors for solar cells have been designed with a resulting power conversion efficiency of 3.64%.
A dual-emitting core–shell carbon dot–silica–phosphor composite for LED plant grow light
Authors: Wang Li , Zhang Haoran , Zhou Xiaohua , Liu Yingliang , Lei Bingfu
Published: March 2017

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are widely used for artificial lighting in plant factories and have been applied for disease prevention and for accelerating plant growth.
Elucidating the role of chlorine in perovskite solar cells
Authors: Fan Lin , Ding Yi , Luo Jingshan , Shi Biao , Yao Xin , Wei Changchun , Zhang Dekun , Wang Guangcai , Sheng Yun , Chen Yifeng , Hagfeldt Anders , Zhao Ying , Zhang Xiaodan
Published: March 2017

Chlorine incorporation and its configuration evolution during perovskite film formation were studied, as well as its effect on solar cell performance.
Chemical approaches to targeted protein degradation through modulation of the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway
Authors: Collins Ian , Wang Hannah , Caldwell John J. , Chopra Raj
Published: March 2017

Manipulation of the ubiquitin–proteasome system to achieve targeted degradation of proteins within cells using chemical tools and drugs has the potential to transform pharmacological and therapeutic approaches in cancer and other diseases. An increased understanding of the molecular mechanism of thalidomide and its analogues following their clinical use has unlocked small-molecule modulation of the substrate specificity of the E3 ligase cereblon (CRBN), which in turn has resulted in the advancement of new immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) into the clinic. The degradation of multiple context-specific proteins by these pleiotropic small molecules provides a means to uncover new cell biology and to generate future drug molecules against currently undruggable targets. In parallel, the development of larger bifunctional molecules that bring together highly specific protein targets in complexes with CRBN, von Hippel–Lindau, or other E3 ligases to promote ubiquitin-dependent degradation has progressed to generate selective chemical compounds with potent effects in cells and in vivo models, providing valuable tools for biological target validation and with future potential for therapeutic use. In this review, we survey recent breakthroughs achieved in these two complementary methods and the discovery of new modes of direct and indirect engagement of target proteins with the proteasome. We discuss the experimental characterisation that validates the use of molecules that promote protein degradation as chemical tools, the preclinical and clinical examples disclosed to date, and the future prospects for this exciting area of chemical biology.
Gender recognition based on face image using reinforced local binary patterns
Authors: Panner Selvam Ithaya Rani , Karuppiah Muneeswaran
Published: March 2017

Gender recognition is a challenging and innovative research topic in the present sophisticated world of visual technology. This study proposes a system which can identify the gender based on face image. For finding the location of the face region, each input image is divided into overlapping blocks and Gabor features are extracted with different scale and orientations. Generate the enhanced feature, concatenate mean, standard deviation and skewness of Gabor features which are obtained from each block. For detecting face region, this feature is passed to ensemble classifier. To recognise the gender, reinforced local binary patterns are used to extract the facial local features. Adaboost algorithm is used to select and classify the discriminative features such as male or female. The authors’ experimental results on Labeled Faces in the Wild (LFW), FERET and Gallagher databases for face detection using Gabor features achieve 98, 98.5 and 96.5% accuracy, respectively. Moreover, the reinforced local binary patterns achieve the accuracy for gender classification as 97.08, 98.5 and 94.21% on the LFW, FERET and Gallagher databases, respectively. Both are achieving improved performance compared with other standard methodologies described in the literature.
Hybrid analytical model of switched reluctance machine for real‐time hardware‐in‐the‐loop simulation
Authors: Xu Fengqiu , Dinavahi Venkata , Xu Xianze
Published: March 2017

Applications of switched reluctance machine (SRM) are increasing in the industry due to their many desirable features. This study proposes a hybrid analytical model (HAM) of the SRM for the hardware‐in‐the‐loop (HIL) simulation. To obtain satisfactory accuracy, the phase flux linkage is solved by the magnetic equivalent circuit (MEC) method when the stator and rotor poles overlap, and by the space harmonic method (SHM) when the poles do not overlap. The backward Euler and Newton–Raphson methods are used to calculate the exciting current, while the Gaussian quadrature is used to compute the electromagnetic torque in the HIL simulation. The digital hardware implementation of computation components are developed on the field‐programmable gate array by exploiting the parallel hardware architecture and fully pipelined arithmetic processing. To highlight the performance of the HAM, the captured real‐time results are compared with the off‐line transient solution obtained through the co‐simulation of Ansys Maxwell®, Ansys Simplorer®, and Simulink®, which model the SRM, drive circuit, and control system, respectively.
Different Methods and Technical Considerations of Decompressive Craniectomy in the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Review
Authors: Ghosh Amit
Published: March 2017

Decompressive craniectomy, which is performed worldwide for the treatment of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), is a surgical procedure in which part of the skull is removed to allow the brain to swell without being squeezed. On 1901, Kocher was the first surgeon to promote surgical decompression in posttraumatic brain swelling. In this article, different methods of decompressive craniectomy and its technical considerations have been reviewed.
Variational mode decomposition denoising combined with the Hausdorff distance
Authors: Ma Wenping , Yin Shuxin , Jiang Chunlei , Zhang Yansheng
Published: March 2017

Variational mode decomposition (VMD) is a recently introduced adaptive signal decomposition algorithm with a solid theoretical foundation and good noise robustness compared with empirical mode decomposition (EMD). However, there is still a problem with this algorithm associated with the selection of relevant modes. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a novel signal-filtering method that combines VMD with Hausdorff distance (HD) in the VMD-HD method. A noisy signal is first decomposed into a given number K of band-limited intrinsic mode functions by VMD. The probability density function is then estimated for each mode. The aim of this method is to reconstruct the signal using the relevant modes, which are selected on the basis of noticeable similarities between the probability density function of the input signal and that of each mode. Various similarity measures are investigated and compared, and the HD is shown to offer the best performance. The results of filtering of simulation signals illustrate the validity of the proposed method when compared with EMD-based methods under comprehensive quantitative evaluation criteria. As a specific example, the proposed method is successfully used for filtering the pipeline leakage signal as evaluated by the de-trended fluctuation analysis algorithm.
Catalytic Performance of Graphite Oxide Supported Au Nanoparticles in Aerobic Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol: Support Effect
Authors: Huo Yu-jia , Yao Fan-fan , Ma Yun-sheng
Published: March 2017

Various Au/GO catalysts were prepared by depositing Au nanoparticles on thermally- and chemically-treated graphite oxide (GO) supports using a sol-immobilization method. The surface chemistry and structure of GO supports were characterized by a series of analytical techniques including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, temperature-programmed desorption and Raman spectroscopy. The results show that thermal and chemical treatments have large influence on the presence of surface oxygenated groups and the crystalline structure of GO supports. A strong support effect was observed on the catalytic activity of Au/GO catalysts in the liquid phase aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol. Compared to the amount and the type of surface oxygen functional groups, the ordered structure of GO supports may play a more important role in determining the catalytic performance of Au/GO catalysts.
High Resolution Synchrotron Diffraction Study on Charge Density Distribution of Ampicillin Trihydrate
Authors: Anzline C. , Israel S. , Niranjana Devi R. , Sheeba R. A. J. R. , Richard Rajkumar P.
Published: March 2017

Charge density distribution in ampicillin trihydrate was investigated experimentally. Results were compared with the quantum calculations using density functional theory. The charge derived properties including Mulliken atomic charges, dipole moment, and molecular electrostatic potential were calculated. The multipole analysis was done for the refinement of experimental population parameters. The structure factors obtained from multipole treatment were used for the construction of Fourier maps. Topological properties of the charge distribution were discussed and the characteristics of (3, −1) critical points were analyzed.
Narrow Band Gap and Room-temperature Ferromagnetism in KNb1−x FexO31−δ
Authors: Nie Dan , Zhang Jiang , Deng Wen-ji , Chen Xi , Mao Zhong-quan , Tang Ling-yun
Published: March 2017

We have investigated the structure, optical and magnetic properties of ferroelectric KNb1−xFexO3−δ (x=0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25) synthesized by a traditional solid-state reaction method. According to the X-ray diffraction and the results of Rietveld refinement, all the samples maintain orthorhombic distorted perovskite structures with Amm2 space group without any secondary phase, suggesting the well incorporation of Fe ions into the KNbO3 matrix. With the increase of Fe concentration, the band gap of each sample is decreased gradually, which is much smaller than the 3.18 eV band gap of pure KNbO3. Through X-ray photoelectron spectrum analysis, the increased density of oxygen vacancy and Fe ions may be responsible for the observed decrease in band gap. Compared with the pure KNbO3, Fe doped samples exhibit room-temperature weak ferromagnetism. The ferromagnetism in KNb1−xFexO3−δ with low-concentration dopants (x=0.01–0.10) can be attributed to the bound magnetic polaron mediated exchange. The enhancement of magnetism for the high-concentration (x=0.10–0.20) doped samples may arise from the further increase of magnetic Fe ions.
Robot-Mediated interviews with Children
Authors: Wood Luke Jai , Lehmann Hagen , Dautenhahn Kerstin , Robins Ben , Rainer Austen , Syrdal Dag Sverre
Published: March 2017

To date research investigating the potential of Robot-Mediated Interviews (RMI) has focused on establishing how children respond to robots in an interview scenario. In order to test if an RMI approach would work in a real world setting, it is important to establish what the experts (e.g. specialist child interviewers) would require from such a system. To determine the needs of such expert users we conducted three user panels with groups of potential real world users to gather their views of our current system and find out what they would require for the system to be useful to them. The user groups consisted of specialist police officers, intermediaries, educational specialists and healthcare specialists. To our knowledge this is the first article investigating user needs for Robot-Mediated Interviews. Due to the novelty of this area, the work presented in this paper is exploratory in nature. The results provide valuable insights into what real world users would need from a Robot-Mediated Interviewing system. Our findings will contribute to future research and technology development in the domain of RMI in particular, and child-robot interaction in general.
𝜆-lemma for families of Riemann surfaces and the critical loci of complex Hénon maps
Authors: Firsova Tanya , Lyubich Mikhail
Published: March 2017

We prove a version of the classical

λ
\lambda

-lemma for holomorphic families of Riemann surfaces. We then use it to show that critical loci for complex Hénon maps that are small perturbations of quadratic polynomials with Cantor Julia sets are all quasiconformally equivalent.
Protein arginine methyltransferases interact with intraflagellar transport particles and change location during flagellar growth and resorption
Authors: Mizuno Katsutoshi , Sloboda Roger D.
Published: March 2017

Changes in protein by posttranslational modifications comprise an important mechanism for the control of many cellular processes. Several flagellar proteins are methylated on arginine residues during flagellar resorption; however, the function is not understood. To learn more about the role of protein methylation during flagellar dynamics, we focused on protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) 1, 3, 5, and 10. These PRMTs localize to the tip of flagella and in a punctate pattern along the length, very similar, but not identical, to that of intraflagellar transport (IFT) components. In addition, we found that PRMT 1 and 3 are also highly enriched at the base of the flagella, and the basal localization of these PRMTs changes during flagellar regeneration and resorption. Proteins with methyl arginine residues are also enriched at the tip and base of flagella, and their localization also changes during flagellar assembly and disassembly. PRMTs are lost from the flagella of fla10-1 cells, which carry a temperature-sensitive mutation in the anterograde motor for IFT. The data define the distribution of specific PRMTs and their target proteins in flagella and demonstrate that PRMTs are cargo for translocation within flagella by the process of IFT.
The Effects the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children Demonstration has on Children’s Food Security
Authors: Klerman Jacob Alex , Wolf Anne , Collins Ann , Bell Stephen , Briefel Ronette
Published: March 2017

During the summers of 2011 through 2013 in selected demonstration locations, the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (SEBTC) Demonstration randomly assigned levels of additional food assistance to school‐age children in low‐income households in order to improve children’s food security in the summer, when many children lose access to federal school meals programs. The findings are simple and dramatic: a $60 per‐child monthly SEBTC benefit reduces very low food security among children by one‐third (a 3.0 percentage‐point decline from a control group level of 9.1%) and food insecurity among children by one‐fifth (an 8.3 percentage‐point decline from a control group level of 43.0%). Additional benefits also improve food security for the adults in the household. There is some evidence of larger impacts among those households that were more disadvantaged at baseline. These results suggest that an SEBTC‐like program would have substantial impacts on child, adult, and household food security. More broadly, they suggest that a moderate (e.g., $100 per household per month) increase in more general food assistance would also have substantial impacts on food security.
First Report of Sclerotinia Blight Caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on Peanut in Arkansas
Authors: Faske T. R. , Drennan G. , Hurd K.
Published: March 2017

This is the first report of Sclerotinia blight caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on peanut occurring in Arkansas. There has been renewed interest in commercial peanut production in Arkansas, and this pathogen could have a negative impact on peanut in the state.
Local Heating Test for Detection of Microcirculation Abnormalities in Patients with Diabetes-Related Foot Complications
Authors: Parshakov Aleksey , Zubareva Nadezhda , Podtaev Sergey , Frick Peter
Published: March 2017

OBJECTIVE:

In this study, authors used a wavelet analysis of skin temperature (WAST) to assess the mechanisms of microvascular tone regulation during the local heating test in patients with diabetic foot syndrome (DFS).

PARTICIPANTS:

The participants included control subjects and 36 hospitalized patients with DFS between 52 and 79 years old (68 ± 8 years old). They were distributed among 5 groups: 15 control subjects, 8 patients with DFS who did not develop ulcerative or necrotic disorders, 10 patients who developed the neuroischemic form of DFS complicated by foot ulceration, 12 patients with DFS complicated by toe necrosis, and 6 patients with DFS and foot gangrene.

OUTCOME MEASURES:

A comparison among the groups was made using a nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to assess the relationship between WAST results, aortoarteriography, and ultrasonic dopplerography data.

MAIN RESULTS:

In control subjects, a local increase in temperature (up to 42° C) causes a more than 3-fold increase in the amplitude of foot skin temperature oscillations. In patients with DFS, the response to the local heating test was much weaker. High correlations of WAST results to arterial patency of the lower extremities and the state of the vascular walls were established.

CONCLUSIONS:

The WAST technique may have considerable value in evaluating the progression of DFS and the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. The low cost of an individual test makes the WAST technique suitable for routine use in most healthcare facilities.
The Effect of Microporous Polysaccharide Hemospheres on Wound Healing and Scarring in Wild-Type and db/db Mice
Authors: Miller Kyle J. , Cao Wei , Ibrahim Mohamed M. , Levinson Howard
Published: March 2017

BACKGROUND:

Hemostasis, the initial phase of wound healing, sets the stage for tissue repair. Microporous polysaccharide hemosphere powder (MPH) is an FDA-approved hemostatic agent that may impact the wound-healing process.

OBJECTIVE:

This study examined the role of MPH in murine wild-type and diabetic (db/db) wound-healing models and a foreign body response scarring model.

METHODS:

The powder was topically applied to excisional wounds in wild-type C57BL/6 mice and db/db mice. The effect of MPH on scarring was evaluated by applying it to the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene tube implantation model.

RESULTS:

In wild-type mice, topically applied MPH increased epithelial thickness. Levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were decreased in MPH-treated wild-type wounds, whereas Rho-associated protein kinase 2 (ROCK2) and transforming growth factor β levels were increased. In db/db mice, topical wound MPH application decreased epithelial thickness and delayed wound closure. The db/db wounds displayed an increased collagen index. The ROCK2 was increased in a similar manner to wild-type mice, whereas α-SMA and transforming growth factor β levels were decreased. The MPH-treated expanded polytetrafluoroethylene tube mice showed increased α-SMA levels and depressed ROCK2 levels. There were no changes in histologic parameters of the foreign body response.

CONCLUSIONS:

The results suggest that MPH does not adversely impact wound healing in wild-type mice, both topically and around implants, but prolongs time to closure and diminishes thickness in db/db wounds. The MPH application alters contractile proteins in all wound models. These changes could have downstream effects on the wound healing process, and further investigation into the use of MPH in altered or impaired states of wound healing is warranted.
Do workplace policies influence a woman's decision to breastfeed?
Authors: Winegar Rhonda , Johnson Alisha
Published: March 2017

This literature review addresses workplace breastfeeding policies in the United States. Breastfeeding yields many important benefits to both mother and infants, yet workplace barriers contribute to low rates of breastfeeding. NPs often serve as the initial point of education for new mothers and may impact decisions to breastfeed.
Using smartphones to improve interdisciplinary collaboration
Authors: Brown-Manhertz Durline
Published: March 2017

Most individuals in the United States have access to and use smartphones to facilitate effective collaboration. Health information technology is invaluable to the improvement of collaboration and communication in the healthcare setting. The versatile nature of technology has demonstrated that healthcare professionals are dependent on its use. Smartphones play a key role in keeping interdisciplinary team members connected.
Combined Electric and Acoustic Stimulation With Hearing Preservation: Effect of Cochlear Implant Low-Frequency Cutoff on Speech Understanding and Perceived Listening Difficulty
Authors: Gifford René H. , Davis Timothy J. , Sunderhaus Linsey W. , Menapace Christine , Buck Barbara , Crosson Jillian , O’Neill Lori , Beiter Anne , Segel Phil
Published: March 2017

Objective:

The primary objective of this study was to assess the effect of electric and acoustic overlap for speech understanding in typical listening conditions using semidiffuse noise.

Design:

This study used a within-subjects, repeated measures design including 11 experienced adult implant recipients (13 ears) with functional residual hearing in the implanted and nonimplanted ear. The aided acoustic bandwidth was fixed and the low-frequency cutoff for the cochlear implant (CI) was varied systematically. Assessments were completed in the R-SPACE sound-simulation system which includes a semidiffuse restaurant noise originating from eight loudspeakers placed circumferentially about the subject’s head. AzBio sentences were presented at 67 dBA with signal to noise ratio varying between +10 and 0 dB determined individually to yield approximately 50 to 60% correct for the CI-alone condition with full CI bandwidth. Listening conditions for all subjects included CI alone, bimodal (CI + contralateral hearing aid), and bilateral-aided electric and acoustic stimulation (EAS; CI + bilateral hearing aid). Low-frequency cutoffs both below and above the original “clinical software recommendation” frequency were tested for all patients, in all conditions. Subjects estimated listening difficulty for all conditions using listener ratings based on a visual analog scale.

Results:

Three primary findings were that (1) there was statistically significant benefit of preserved acoustic hearing in the implanted ear for most overlap conditions, (2) the default clinical software recommendation rarely yielded the highest level of speech recognition (1 of 13 ears), and (3) greater EAS overlap than that provided by the clinical recommendation yielded significant improvements in speech understanding.

Conclusions:

For standard-electrode CI recipients with preserved hearing, spectral overlap of acoustic and electric stimuli yielded significantly better speech understanding and less listening effort in a laboratory-based, restaurant-noise simulation. In conclusion, EAS patients may derive more benefit from greater acoustic and electric overlap than given in current software fitting recommendations, which are based solely on audiometric threshold. These data have larger scientific implications, as previous studies may not have assessed outcomes with optimized EAS parameters, thereby underestimating the benefit afforded by hearing preservation.
Treatment of forearm deformity with radial head dislocation because of multiple osteochondromas: a series of three cases treated by simple axis correction and distraction osteogenesis of the ulna
Authors: Iba Kousuke , Hanaka Megumi , Ozasa Yasuhiro , Takahashi Nobuyuki , Kanaya Kohei , Yamashita Toshihiko
Published: March 2017

Radial head dislocation in multiple osteochondroma leads to functional impairment and cosmetic problems, and surgical intervention has not been successful to date, with high rates of redislocation. Simple correction of the longitudinal axis and distraction oste8ogenesis of the ulna without corrective osteotomy of the radius were performed within 1 year of radial head dislocation. The mean age of the patients was 7.2 years and the postoperative follow-up duration was 63.6 months. In all cases, the dislocated radial head was repositioned without surgical invention involving the radius. All patients were pain free, with no impairment of daily activity, and all were satisfied with the cosmetic appearance, indicating successful medium-term postoperative outcomes for our surgical procedure.