bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proteomic Characterization of a New asymmetric Cellulose Triacetate Membrane for Hemodialysis
Authors: Ronci Maurizio , Leporini Lidia , Felaco Paolo , Sirolli Vittorio , Pieroni Luisa , Greco Viviana , Aceto Antonio , Urbani Andrea , Bonomini Mario
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The artificial membrane inside the haemodialyzer is the main determinant of the quality and success of haemodialysis therapy. The performances of haemodialysis membranes are highly influenced by the interactions with plasma proteins, which in turn are related to the physical and chemical characteristics of the membrane material. The present cross‐over study is aimed to analyse the haemodialysis performance of a newly developed asymmetric cellulose triacetate membrane (ATA) in comparison to the conventional parent symmetric polymer (CTA).

Experimental design

In four chronic non diabetic haemodialysis patients, the protein constituents of the adsorbed material from the filters after the haemodialysis session, and the proteins recovered in the ultrafiltrate during the session, are identified using a bottom‐up shotgun proteomics approach.

Results

The ATA membrane shows a lower protein adsorption rate and a lower mass distribution pattern of the proteinaceous material.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

By highlighting the differences between the two haemodialysis filters in terms of adsorbed proteins and flow through, it is demonstrated the higher biocompatibility of the novel ATA membrane, that fulfils the indications for the development of more performant membranes and may represent a step forward for the treatment of patients on chronic haemodialysis.
A Hydrogel‐Film Casting to Fabricate Platelet‐Reinforced Polymer Composite Films Exhibiting Superior Mechanical Properties
Authors: Ji Donghwan , Choi Suji , Kim Jaeyun
Published: May 2018

The fabrication of mechanically superior polymer composite films with controllable shapes on various scales is difficult. Despite recent research on polymer composites consisting of organic matrices and inorganic materials with layered structures, these films suffer from complex preparations and limited mechanical properties that do not have even integration of high strength, stiffness, and toughness. Herein, a hydrogel‐film casting approach to achieve fabrication of simultaneously strong, stiff, and tough polymer composite films with well‐defined microstructure, inspired from a layer‐by‐layer structure of nacre is reported. Ca2+‐crosslinked alginate hydrogels incorporated with platelet‐like alumina particles are dried to form composite films composed of horizontally aligned alumina platelets and alginate matrix with uniformly layered microstructure. Alumina platelets are evenly distributed parallel without precipitations and contribute to synergistic enhancements of strength, stiffness and toughness in the resultant film. Consequentially, Ca2+‐crosslinked alginate/alumina (Ca2+‐Alg/Alu) films show exceptional tensile strength (267 MPa), modulus (17.9 GPa), and toughness (3.60 MJ m−3). Furthermore, the hydrogel‐film casting allows facile preparation of polymer composite films with controllable shapes and various scales. The results suggest an alternative approach to design and prepare polymer composites with the layer‐by‐layer structure for superior mechanical properties.
Holographic quantum entanglement negativity
Authors: Chaturvedi Pankaj , Malvimat Vinay , Sengupta Gautam
Published: May 2018

Abstract

We advance a holographic conjecture for the entanglement negativity of bipartite quantum states in (1 + 1)-dimensional conformal field theories in the AdS
3
/CF T
2 framework. Our conjecture exactly reproduces the replica technique results in the large central charge limit, for both the pure state described by the CF T
1+1 vacuum dual to bulk the pure AdS
3 geometry and the finite temperature mixed state dual to a Euclidean BTZ black hole respectively. The holographic entanglement negativity characterizes the distillable entanglement and reduces to a specific sum of holographic mutual informations. We briefly allude to a possible higher dimensional generalization of our conjecture in a generic AdS

d+1
/CF T

d
scenario.
Charting generalized supersoft supersymmetry
Authors: Chakraborty Sabyasachi , Martin Adam , Roy Tuhin S.
Published: May 2018

Abstract

Without any shred of evidence for new physics from LHC, the last hiding spots of natural electroweak supersymmetry seem to lie either in compressed spectra or in spectra where scalars are suppressed with respect to the gauginos. While in the MSSM (or in any theory where supersymmetry is broken by the F-vev of a chiral spurion), a hierarchy between scalar and gaugino masses requires special constructions, it is automatic in scenarios where supersymmetry is broken by D-vev of a real spurion. In the latter framework, gaugino mediated contributions to scalar soft masses are finite (loop suppressed but not log-enhanced), a feature often referred to as “supersoftness”. Though phenomenologically attractive, pure supersoft models suffer from the μ-problem, potential color-breaking minima, large T-parameter, etc. These problems can be overcome without sacrificing the model’s virtues by departing from pure supersoftness and including μ-type effective operators at the messenger scale, that use the same D-vev, a framework known as generalized supersoft supersymmetry. The main purpose of this paper is to point out that the new operators also solve the last remaining issue associated with supersoft spectra, namely that a right handed (RH) slepton is predicted to be the lightest superpartner, rendering the setup cosmologically unfeasible. In particular, we show that the μ-operators in generalized supersoft generate a new source for scalar masses, which can raise the RH-slepton mass above bino due to corrections from renormalisation group evolutions (RGEs). In fact, a mild tuning can open up the bino-RH slepton coannihilation regime for a thermal dark matter. We derive the full set of RGEs required to determine the spectrum at low energies. Beginning with input conditions at a high scale, we show that completely viable spectra can be achieved.
Surface reconstruction from FE mesh model
Authors: Park Jung Min , Lee Byung Chai , Chae Soo Won , Kwon Ki Youn
Published: May 2018

In the computer aided engineering process with finite element analysis, a CAD surface model is sometimes needed for various tasks such as remeshing, shape optimization or design modification. Occasionally, engineers who perform an analysis at the product design stage are given only finite element mesh models; corresponding CAD models can be unavailable. This paper presents a method to extract free-form B-spline surfaces and certain feature curves from a surface mesh model. First, using the k-means clustering method, our process segments given meshes into a number of regions according to principal curvature information; then, region operations are performed. Next, each region is converted to an approximately free-form B-spline surface. In the last step, feature curves to create loft or sweep surfaces are calculated by minimizing the distance error. Some practical examples are also presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and usefulness of our method.

Highlights We propose a new method of creating CAD surfaces from given finite element mesh model. Feature curves are extracted for creating sweep or loft surfaces. By using the generated surfaces based on the feature curves, the shape modification can be easily performed in the designing process.
CULTIVATING TORGHUT MONGOLS IN A SEMI-ARID STEPPE
Authors: Bello David A.
Published: May 2018

In 1782 acting Shaanxi Governor Bi Yuan 畢沅 (1730–97) submitted an exemplary memorial to the throne that concisely outlined the provincial administrative view of the proper order of relations between people, cultivars, livestock, climate, and water in northwestern China. He began with ostensibly human relations. His premise was that imperial official identity was ultimately formed through its connection to the food security of the general populace: “The root purpose of appointing officials is to prioritize the devotion of effort to civil affairs, and its main end is to put food sufficiency first.” Bi Yuan, like most of his contemporaries, unquestionably valued agriculture as the general and “main source” of food. By virtue of his posting to a China-proper province whose northern reaches lay along an ecotone with the Mongolian steppe, however, Bi Yuan was also distinctively aware of pastoralism as what he called the “second” source. While he made it clear that agriculture was certainly preferable, he was equally plain that human agency's range of choice was quite constrained in large parts of his jurisdiction, primarily by scarce water and cold climate. “Places in the northern provincial prefectures of Yan'an 延安 and Yulin 榆林, like Suide 綏德 and Fuzhou 鄜州, have land full of sand and gravel. Each is a high, cold frontier area where rainfall and ponds are scarce and inhibited, so that at harvest there is concern about shortfall.”
Funerals of mafia victims, 1963-2012: the construction of a new civil religion
Authors: Gavini Diego
Published: May 2018

Political and criminal violence are an integral part of recent Italian history. Killings and mass murders have moulded everyday life and the collective memory of the Italian people, changing the shape of public life. Veneration of the dead has taken on a symbolic function and become part of a new ‘civil religion’, which has redefined Italy’s national identity. Scholars are currently examining the role of mafia victims in this phenomenon, concentrating in particular on the bombings that took place in 1992. Following the crisis that marked the end of the First Republic, symbolic ties to figures like Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino became an essential aspect of redefining democratic mobilisation. Nevertheless, when examined from a long-term perspective, the relationship between the Italian population and the celebration of mafia victims is more complex than it may at first appear. This article aims to analyse the contradictions inherent in the issue, focusing on the funerals of mafia victims in order to examine the relationships between political and institutional bodies, the Italian population as a whole, and the local community, in the celebration of the dead. Through this analysis, it seeks to consider both the achievements and failures in the construction of this new ‘civil religion’ in a contemporary society.
Limited parasite acquisition by non-native Lepomis gibbosus (Actinopterygii: Centrarchidae) at two ponds in the Upper Rhine basin, Germany
Authors: Ondračková M. , Kvach Y. , Martens A. , Jurajda P.
Published: May 2018

Metazoan parasite communities ofLepomis gibbosus(Centrarchidae), one of the most successfully introduced fish species in Europe, were studied at two isolated ponds (Knielingen, Tropfen) along the Upper Rhine in Germany. Nine parasite taxa were observed, including North American species co-introduced to Europe (ancyrocephalid monogeneans, diplostomid trematodes), circumpolar species infectingL. gibbosusin both their native and non-native ranges (bothriocephalid cestodes) and locally acquired parasitic nematodes. Both parasite communities consisted predominantly of North American species. Acquisition of local parasites was not observed at Tropfen, where the fish community comprised just two species, withL. gibbosusdominant. Low prevalence and abundance of acquired parasites was found at Knielingen, which supported a diverse fish community. At Tropfen, a high abundance of the North American parasitePosthodiplostomum centrarchiprobably contributed to the lower condition index, hepatomegaly and splenomegaly observed. Due to low local parasite competency,L. gibbosusappears to have no significant impact on parasite dynamics in affected habitats.
Devastating cerebral Lipiodol® embolization related to therapeutic lymphangiography for refractory chylothorax in a patient with Behçet’s disease
Authors: Geeroms Barbara , Demaerel Philippe , Wauters Joost , Verschakelen Johny , Maleux Geert
Published: May 2018

Abstract. Onset of neurological symptoms early after intranodal lymphangiography can occur due to Lipiodol droplet migration through intrapulmonary lymphovenous communication. Patients with Behçet’s disease may be at higher risk of developing this devastating complication.
Buchrezension: Unterrichten und Präsentieren in Gesundheitsfach- berufen. Methodik und Didaktik für Praktiker
Authors: Frambach Isabella
Published: May 2018

Zusammenfassung. Im vorliegenden Buch wird das hochkomplexe Geschehen des Unterrichtens in Gesundheitsfachberufen entmystifiziert und praktikabel dargestellt, damit die Lehr-Lernsequenzen sowohl für Lehrende als auch für Lernende einen Lerngewinn ermöglichen. Der Autor setzt sich zum Ziel eine Brücke zu schlagen zwischen der theoretischen Grundlage des Unterrichtens und der realen Unterrichtspraxis (vgl. Vorwort S. V).
Along‐Axis Variations of Rift Width in a Coupled Lithosphere‐Mantle System, Application to East Africa
Authors: Koptev Alexander , Calais Eric , Burov Evgueni , Leroy Sylvie , Gerya Taras
Published: May 2018

Narrow and wide rifts are end‐member expressions of continental extension. Within the framework of passive rifting, the transition from wide to narrow rifts requires lowering the geothermal gradient. Reconciling this view with observational evidence for narrow rift zones in regions underlain by sublithospheric hot plume material, such as the eastern branch of the East African Rift, requires invoking preexisting weak zones for strain to localize in a warm crust. Based on thermomechanical numerical models, we show that along‐rift width variations can develop spontaneously as a consequence of spatial variations of the geotherm over an evolving mantle plume impinging a lithosphere subjected to ultraslow extension. The eastern branch of the East African Rift, with a narrow Kenya segment underlain by a mantle plume head and widening to the north and south in the colder regions of the Turkana depression and North Tanzania divergence, is in agreement with this numerical prediction.
Sea Surface Height Measurement Using a GNSS Wave Glider
Authors: Penna Nigel T. , Morales Maqueda Miguel A. , Martin Ian , Guo Jing , Foden Peter R.
Published: May 2018

To overcome spatial and temporal limitations of sea surface height instruments such as tide gauges, satellite altimetry, and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) buoys, we investigate the use of an unmanned, self‐propelled Wave Glider surface vehicle equipped with a geodetic GNSS receiver. Centimetric precision instantaneous sea surface height measurement is demonstrated from a 13‐day deployment in the North Sea, during which the glider traversed a track of about 600 km. Ellipsoidal heights were estimated at 5 Hz using kinematic GNSS precise point positioning and, after correcting for tides using the Finite Element Solution 2014b model and for the geoid using the Earth Gravitational Model 2008, hourly dynamic ocean topography measurements agreed with those from the UK Met Office Forecasting Ocean Assimilation Model‐Atlantic Margin Model 7 to 6.1‐cm standard deviation. Conversely, on correcting for the tides and dynamic ocean topography, 5.1‐cm standard deviation agreement with Earth Gravitational Model 2008 at its North Sea spatial resolution was obtained. Hourly measurements of significant wave height agreed with the WAVEWATCH III model and WaveNet buoy observations to 17 and 24 cm (standard deviation), respectively, and dominant wave periods to 1.4 s. These precisions were obtained in winds gusting up to 20 m/s.
Changes to the Air‐Sea Flux and Distribution of Radiocarbon in the Ocean Over the 21st Century
Authors: Khatiwala Samar , Graven Heather , Payne Sarah , Heimbach Patrick
Published: May 2018

We investigate the spatiotemporal evolution of radiocarbon (Δ14C) in the ocean over the 21st century under different scenarios for anthropogenic CO2 emissions and atmospheric CO2 and radiocarbon changes using a 3‐D ocean carbon cycle model. Strong decreases in atmospheric Δ14C in the high‐emission scenario result in strong outgassing of 14C over 2050–2100, causing Δ14C spatial gradients in the surface ocean and vertical gradients between the surface and intermediate waters to reverse sign. Surface Δ14C in the subtropical gyres is lower than Δ14C in Pacific Deep Water and Southern Ocean surface water in 2100. In the low‐emission scenario, ocean Δ14C remains slightly higher than in 1950 and relatively constant over 2050–2100. Over the next 20 years we find decadal changes in Δ14C of −30‰ to +5‰ in the upper 2 km of the ocean, which should be detectable with continued hydrographic surveys. Our simulations can help in planning future observations, and they provide a baseline for investigating natural or anthropogenic changes in ocean circulation using ocean Δ14C observations and models.
Suspected Deep Interaction and Triggering Between Giant Earthquakes in the Chilean Subduction Zone
Authors: Bouchon Michel , Marsan David , Jara Jorge , Socquet Anne , Campillo Michel , Perfettini Hugo
Published: May 2018

Between 2010 and 2015 three giant earthquakes occurred in the Chilean subduction where the oceanic Nazca plate plunges under South America. These were the largest events there since the gigantic M9.5 1960 earthquake so their close occurrences raise the question of a possible link between them. We show here that two‐and‐a‐half days after the M8.2 Iquique earthquake, seismic activity started to increase downdip below (depth~100 km) the future Illapel epicenter. This increase, which began with the largest intermediate‐depth earthquake in the Chilean subduction after Iquique, lasted until the M8.3 Illapel earthquake, 18 months later. The mechanisms involved suggest that the Iquique earthquake started a tear in the slab directly downdip from the future epicenter. This study relies on seismicity which occurs in the cold core of the slab and which is the only direct information we have on processes occurring at these depths. The results support that giant earthquakes interact at the scale of a subducting plate and suggest that this interaction occurs through the deep slab.
Energetic Constraints on the ITCZ Position in Idealized Simulations With a Seasonal Cycle
Authors: Wei Ho‐Hsuan , Bordoni Simona
Published: May 2018

The atmospheric energy budget has recently been shown to provide powerful constraints on the position and shifts of the zonal and annual mean intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), which lies close to the latitude of zero vertically integrated energy transport (energy flux equator, EFE). Relatively little work has, however, explored the applicability of the energetic framework to ITCZ shifts on shorter time scales. This study investigates to what extent the EFE tracks the ITCZ on subseasonal time scales in idealized aquaplanet simulations with different mixed layer depths. It is shown that the ITCZ always lags the EFE, even in the simulation with the shallowest mixed layer depth, making it possible for the EFE and the ITCZ to reside on opposite sides of the equator. At these times, which occur as the winter cross‐equatorial Hadley circulation retreats from the summer hemisphere, the required energy balance is achieved not through shifts of the Hadley cell's ascending branch and ITCZ to track the EFE but through changes in the cell's vertical structure into one of negative gross moist stability. For any given position of the ascending branch, the winter cell is much weaker as it retreats from than as it expands into the summer hemisphere and develops a shallow return flow at middle‐to‐lower tropospheric levels where the moist static energy reaches its minimum, hence favoring a negative gross moist stability. It is argued that the asymmetry between the expanding and retreating phases of the winter Hadley cell is linked to the nonlinear seasonal evolution of near‐surface temperatures.
Linking spatial gene expression patterns to sex-specific brain structural changes on a mouse model of 16p11.2 hemideletion
Authors: Kumar Vinod Jangir , Grissom Nicola M. , McKee Sarah E. , Schoch Hannah , Bowman Nicole , Havekes Robbert , Kumar Manoj , Pickup Stephen , Poptani Harish , Reyes Teresa M. , Hawrylycz Mike , Abel Ted , Nickl-Jockschat Thomas
Published: May 2018

Neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ASD and ADHD, affect males about three to four times more often than females. 16p11.2 hemideletion is a copy number variation that is highly associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Previous work from our lab has shown that a mouse model of 16p11.2 hemideletion (del/+) exhibits male-specific behavioral phenotypes. We, therefore, aimed to investigate with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), whether del/+ animals also exhibited a sex-specific neuroanatomical endophenotype. Using the Allen Mouse Brain Atlas, we analyzed the expression patterns of the 27 genes within the 16p11.2 region to identify which gene expression patterns spatially overlapped with brain structural changes. MRI was performed ex vivo and the resulting images were analyzed using Voxel-based morphometry for T1-weighted sequences and tract-based spatial statistics for diffusion-weighted images. In a subsequent step, all available in situ hybridization (ISH) maps of the genes involved in the 16p11.2 hemideletion were aligned to Waxholm space and clusters obtained by sex-specific group comparisons were analyzed to determine which gene(s) showed the highest expression in these regions. We found pronounced sex-specific changes in male animals with increased fractional anisotropy in medial fiber tracts, especially in those proximate to the striatum. Moreover, we were able to identify gene expression patterns spatially overlapping with male-specific structural changes that were associated with neurite outgrowth and the MAPK pathway. Of note, previous molecular studies have found convergent changes that point to a sex-specific dysregulation of MAPK signaling. This convergent evidence supports the idea that ISH maps can be used to meaningfully analyze imaging data sets.
The hedgehog and Wnt/β-catenin system machinery mediate myofibroblast differentiation of LR-MSCs in pulmonary fibrogenesis
Authors: Chen Xiang , Shi Chaowen , Cao Honghui , Chen Ling , Hou Jiwei , Xiang Zou , Hu Kebin , Han Xiaodong
Published: May 2018

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive and fatal lung disease that is characterized by enhanced changes in stem cell differentiation and fibroblast proliferation. Resident mesenchymal stem cells (LR-MSCs) can undergo phenotype conversion to myofibroblasts to augment extracellular matrix production, impairing function and contributing to pulmonary fibrosis. Hedgehog and Wnt signaling are developmental signal cascades that play an essential role in regulating embryogenesis and tissue homeostasis. Recently, it has been reported that both hedgehog and Wnt signaling play important roles in pulmonary fibrogenesis. Thus, the identification of specific target regulators may yield new strategy for pulmonary fibrosis therapies. In our work, we demonstrated the critical role of Gli1, Wnt7b, Wnt10a and Fzd10 in the process of pulmonary fibrogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Gli1 was induced in LR-MSCs following TGF-β1 treatment and fibrotic lung tissues. Inhibition of Gli1 suppressed myofibroblast differentiation of LR-MSCs and pulmonary fibrosis, and decreased the expression of Wnt7b, Wnt10a and β-catenin. Gli1 bound to and increased promoter activity of the Wnt7b and Wnt10a genes, and Wnt7b and Wnt10a were critical activators of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. It was noteworthy that Fzd10 knockdown reduced Wnt7b and Wnt10a-induced activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, which imply that Wnt7b and Wnt10a may be the ligands for Fzd10. Moreover, siRNA-mediated inhibition of Fzd10 prevented TGF-β1-induced myofibroblast differentiation of LR-MSCs in vitro and impaired bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. We conclude that hedgehog and Wnt/β-catenin signaling play a critical role in promoting myofibroblast differentiation of LR-MSCs and development of pulmonary fibrosis. These findings elucidate a therapeutic approach to attenuate pulmonary fibrosis through targeted inhibition of Gli1 or Fzd10.
Profiling and functional analysis of circular RNAs in acute promyelocytic leukemia and their dynamic regulation during all-trans retinoic acid treatment
Authors: Li Shufen , Ma Yunlin , Tan Yun , Ma Xuefei , Zhao Ming , Chen Bing , Zhang Rongsheng , Chen Zhu , Wang Kankan
Published: May 2018

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel class of powerful regulators in gene expression and participate in the pathogenesis of many diseases, including cancer. However, little is known about the roles of circRNAs in the development and treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Here we report the expression profiling and function of circRNAs in APL, including their dynamic regulation during all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA)-induced differentiation. We performed two independent ribosomal RNA-minus RNA-sequencing (Ribo-minus RNA-seq) experiments with and without RNase R treatment on APL patient-derived NB4 cells and identified a total of 4313 circRNAs, including 1098 newly identified circRNAs. Detailed analysis showed that circRNAs expressed in APL cells were mostly exon-derived, not by-products during splicing, and could be distinguished from hematopoietic stem cells, neutrophils and lymphocytes. The true presence and stability of circRNAs were verified both in NB4 cells and primary APL patient samples. Moreover, we conducted a time-series analysis of circRNAs on ATRA-treated NB4 cells and uncovered 508 circRNAs with dynamic expression during ATRA treatment, including 246 upregulated and 262 downregulated. Further evidence demonstrated that the majority of circRNAs were regulated independently of their host linear mRNAs. Detailed functional experiments demonstrated that circ-HIPK2, one of the differentially expressed circRNAs, significantly influenced ATRA-induced differentiation of APL cells. Further mechanistic studies revealed that circ-HIPK2 was located in cytoplasm and served as a sponge for differentiation-associated miR-124-3p. Finally, circ-HIPK2 expression in APL patients was significantly lower than that in normal peripheral mononuclear cells and other subtypes of AML, indicating its potential role as an APL biomarker. Our study indicates the biological functions of circRNAs in the development and treatment of APL, and provides a comprehensive circRNA resource for future studies.
A neuronal role of the Alanine-Serine-Cysteine-1 transporter (SLC7A10, Asc-1) for glycine inhibitory transmission and respiratory pattern
Authors: Mesuret Guillaume , Khabbazzadeh Sepideh , Bischoff Anne M. , Safory Hazem , Wolosker Herman , Hülsmann Swen
Published: May 2018

The Alanine-Serine-Cysteine-1 transporter (SLC7A10, Asc-1) has been shown to play a role in synaptic availability of glycine although the exact mechanism remains unclear. We used electrophysiological recordings and biochemical experiments to investigate the role of Asc-1 transporter in glycinergic transmission in the brainstem respiratory network. Using both the Asc-1 substrate and transportable inhibitor D-isoleucine (D-Ile), and the non-transportable Asc-1 blocker Lu AE00527 (Lu), we found that D-Ile reduces glycinergic transmission and increases glycine release via hetero-exchange, whereas Lu has no acute effect on glycinergic synaptic transmission. Furthermore, D-Ile increases the frequency and reduces amplitude of the phrenic nerve activity in the arterially-perfused working heart brainstem preparation. These results suggest a role of Asc-1 in modulating presynaptic glycine levels that can impact on the respiratory network.
Flagella-mediated secretion of a novel Vibrio cholerae cytotoxin affecting both vertebrate and invertebrate hosts
Authors: Dongre Mitesh , Singh Bhupender , Aung Kyaw Min , Larsson Per , Miftakhova Regina , Persson Karina , Askarian Fatemeh , Johannessen Mona , von Hofsten Jonas , Persson Jenny L. , Erhardt Marc , Tuck Simon , Uhlin Bernt Eric , Wai Sun Nyunt
Published: May 2018

Using Caenorhabditis elegans as an infection host model for Vibrio cholerae predator interactions, we discovered a bacterial cytotoxin, MakA, whose function as a virulence factor relies on secretion via the flagellum channel in a proton motive force-dependent manner. The MakA protein is expressed from the polycistronic makDCBA (motility-associated killing factor) operon. Bacteria expressing makDCBA induced dramatic changes in intestinal morphology leading to a defecation defect, starvation and death in C. elegans. The Mak proteins also promoted V. cholerae colonization of the zebrafish gut causing lethal infection. A structural model of purified MakA at 1.9 Å resolution indicated similarities to members of a superfamily of bacterial toxins with unknown biological roles. Our findings reveal an unrecognized role for V. cholerae flagella in cytotoxin export that may contribute both to environmental spread of the bacteria by promoting survival and proliferation in encounters with predators, and to pathophysiological effects during infections.
High-resolution small RNA structures from exact nuclear Overhauser enhancement measurements without additional restraints
Authors: Nichols Parker J. , Henen Morkos A. , Born Alexandra , Strotz Dean , Güntert Peter , Vögeli Beat
Published: May 2018

RNA not only translates the genetic code into proteins, but also carries out important cellular functions. Understanding such functions requires knowledge of the structure and dynamics at atomic resolution. Almost half of the published RNA structures have been solved by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). However, as a result of severe resonance overlap and low proton density, high-resolution RNA structures are rarely obtained from nuclear Overhauser enhancement (NOE) data alone. Instead, additional semi-empirical restraints and labor-intensive techniques are required for structural averages, while there are only a few experimentally derived ensembles representing dynamics. Here we show that our exact NOE (eNOE) based structure determination protocol is able to define a 14-mer UUCG tetraloop structure at high resolution without other restraints. Additionally, we use eNOEs to calculate a two-state structure, which samples its conformational space. The protocol may open an avenue to obtain high-resolution structures of small RNA of unprecedented accuracy with moderate experimental efforts.
A database of biological and geomorphological sea-level markers from the Last Glacial Maximum to present
Authors: Hibbert F.D. , Williams F.H. , Fallon S.J. , Rohling E.J.
Published: May 2018

The last deglacial was an interval of rapid climate and sea-level change, including the collapse of large continental ice sheets. This database collates carefully assessed sea-level data from peer-reviewed sources for the interval 0 to 25 thousand years ago (ka), from the Last Glacial Maximum to the present interglacial. In addition to facilitating site-specific reconstructions of past sea levels, the database provides a suite of data beyond the range of modern/instrumental variability that may help hone future sea-level projections. The database is global in scope, internally consistent, and contains U-series and radiocarbon dated indicators from both biological and geomorpohological archives. We focus on far-field data (i.e., away from the sites of the former continental ice sheets), but some key intermediate (i.e., from the Caribbean) data are also included. All primary fields (i.e., sample location, elevation, age and context) possess quantified uncertainties, which—in conjunction with available metadata—allows the reconstructed sea levels to be interpreted within both their uncertainties and geological context.
A Research Graph dataset for connecting research data repositories using RD-Switchboard
Authors: Aryani Amir , Poblet Marta , Unsworth Kathryn , Wang Jingbo , Evans Ben , Devaraju Anusuriya , Hausstein Brigitte , Klas Claus-Peter , Zapilko Benjamin , Kaplun Samuele
Published: May 2018

This paper describes the open access graph dataset that shows the connections between Dryad, CERN, ANDS and other international data repositories to publications and grants across multiple research data infrastructures. The graph dataset was created using the Research Graph data model and the Research Data Switchboard (RD-Switchboard), a collaborative project by the Research Data Alliance DDRI Working Group (DDRI WG) with the aim to discover and connect the related research datasets based on publication co-authorship or jointly funded grants. The graph dataset allows researchers to trace and follow the paths to understanding a body of work. By mapping the links between research datasets and related resources, the graph dataset improves both their discovery and visibility, while avoiding duplicate efforts in data creation. Ultimately, the linked datasets may spur novel ideas, facilitate reproducibility and re-use in new applications, stimulate combinatorial creativity, and foster collaborations across institutions.
Transient dynamical responses of a charged binary colloid in an electric field
Authors: Dutta Suman , Chakrabarti J.
Published: May 2018

In a model system of oppositely charged colloids we studyviaBrownian dynamics simulation the dynamical response as the system approaches steady states upon application of a constant electric field.
Separating photoanode from recognition events: toward a general strategy for a self-powered photoelectrochemical immunoassay with both high sensitivity and anti-interference capabilities
Authors: Fan Gao-Chao , Ma Linzheng , Jayachandran Silambarasan , Li Zimeng , Luo Xiliang
Published: May 2018

A general, efficient strategy for a self-powered PEC immunoassay, with both high sensitivity and anti-interference properties, by separating the photoanode from recognition events.
Structural motifs in salts of sulfathiazole: implications for design of salt forms in pharmaceuticals APIs
Authors: Seaton Colin C. , Thomas Rayan R. , Essifaow Eman A. A. , Nauha Elisa , Munshi Tasnim , Scowen Ian J.
Published: May 2018

The creation of salts is a frequently used approach to modify physicochemical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients. This work prepares a collection of sulfathiazole salts to probe the influence of counterion structure on crystal packing.
On the aqueous solvation of AsO(OH)3vs. As(OH)3. Born–Oppenheimer molecular dynamics density functional theory cluster studies
Authors: Ramírez-Solís A. , Amaro-Estrada J. I. , León-Pimentel C. I. , Hernández-Cobos J. , Garrido-Hoyos S. E. , Saint-Martin H.
Published: May 2018

BOMD simulations were used to reveal the hydration features of As(OH)3 and (for the first time) AsO(OH)3 in aqueous solution.
Size and morphology-controlled synthesis of vernier yttrium oxyfluoride towards enhanced photoluminescence and white light emission
Authors: Dong Jianchao , Xiong Hailong , Wang Xiaoxue , Song Lina , Liu Yali , Yang Junfeng , Wu Hongyue , Yang Chunming , Gan Shucai
Published: May 2018

In this study, various shapes and sizes of vernier yttrium fluoride (Y5O4F7 denoted as V-YOF) were synthesized to improve fluorescence properties.
Strategies to synthesize various nanostructures of silver and their applications – a review
Authors: Khatoon Umme Thahira , Rao G. V. S. Nageswara , Mantravadi Krishna Mohan , Oztekin Yasemin
Published: May 2018

Due to their various beneficial application-based properties, such as behavior, structure, and size, the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) with different structures has become an interesting yet common task for researchers to produce nanostructures for applications in various fields.
Design, microwave-assisted synthesis, bioactivity and SAR of novel substituted 2-phenyl-2-cyclohexanedione enol ester derivatives
Authors: Ye Fei , Ma Peng , Zhai Yue , Yang Fei , Gao Shuang , Zhao Li-Xia , Fu Ying
Published: May 2018

Based on the structure–activity relationship and active substructure combination, a novel class of substituted 2-phenyl-2-cyclohexanedione enol ester derivatives was designed for use as potential herbicide safeners.
Modeling of the surface plasmon resonance tunability of silver/gold core–shell nanostructures
Authors: Chahinez Dab , Reji Thomas , Andreas Ruediger
Published: May 2018

Tunable plasmonic noble metal nanoparticles are indispensable for chemical sensors and optical near field enhancement applications.
Non-lithographic nanofluidic channels with precisely controlled circular cross sections
Authors: Park Yang-Seok , Oh Jung Min , Cho Yoon-Kyoung
Published: May 2018

Printing nanochannel arrays with controlled cross section size and shape using near-field electrospinning.
Catching VY Sculptoris in a low state
Authors: Schmidtobreick L. , Mason E. , Howell S. B. , Long K. S. , Pala A. F. , Points S. , Walter F. M.
Published: May 2018

Context. In the context of a large campaign to determine the system parameters of high mass transfer cataclysmic variables, we found VY Scl in a low state in 2008.

Aims. Making use of this low state, we study the stellar components of the binary with little influence of the normally dominating accretion disc.

Methods. Time-resolved spectroscopy and photometry of VY Scl taken during the low state are presented. We analysed the lightcurve and radial velocity curve and use time-resolved spectroscopy to calculate Doppler maps of the dominant emission lines.

Results. The spectra show narrow emission lines of Hα, Hβ, He I, Na I D, and Fe II, as well as faint TiO absorption bands that trace the motion of the irradiated secondary star, and Hα and He I emission line wings that trace the motion of the white dwarf. From these radial velocities, we find an orbital period of 3.84 h, and put constraints on binary parameters such as the mass ratio M2/M1 of 0.43 and the inclination of 15°. With a secondary’s mass between 0.3 and 0.35 M⊙, we derive the mass for the white dwarf as M1 = 0.6–1.1 M⊙.
Environmental effects on the ionisation of brown dwarf atmospheres
Authors: Rodríguez-Barrera M. I. , Helling Ch. , Wood K.
Published: May 2018

Context. Brown dwarfs emit bursts of Hα, white-light flares, and show radio flares and quiescent radio emission. They are suggested to form aurorae, similar to planets in the solar system, but much more energetic. All these processes require a source gas with an appropriate degree of ionisation, which, so far, is mostly postulated to be sufficient.

Aims. We aim to demonstrate that the Galactic environment influences atmospheric ionisation, and that it hence amplifies or enables the magnetic coupling of the atmospheres of ultra-cool objects, like brown dwarfs and free-floating planets.

Methods. We build on our previous work on thermal ionisation of ultra-cool atmospheres and explore the effect of environmental high-energy radiation on the degree of ionisation in the atmosphere. We consider the effect of photoionisation by Lyman-continuum radiation in three different environments: in the interstellar radiation field (ISRF), O and B stars in star-forming regions, and in white dwarf companions in binary systems. We apply our Monte Carlo radiation transfer code to investigate the effect of Lyman-continuum photoionisation for prescribed atmosphere structures for very low-mass objects.

Results. The external radiation environment plays an important role for the atmospheric ionisation of very low-mass, ultra-cool objects. Lyman-continuum irradiation greatly increases the level of ionisation in the uppermost atmospheric regions. Our results suggest that a shell of an almost fully ionised atmospheric gas emerges for brown dwarfs in star-forming regions and brown dwarfs in white dwarf binary systems. As a consequence, brown dwarf atmospheres can be magnetically coupled, which is the presumption for chromospheric heating to occur and for aurorae to emerge. First tests for assumed chromosphere-like temperature values suggest that the resulting free-free X-ray luminosities are comparable with those observed from non-accreting brown dwarfs in star-forming regions.
The limb-brightened jet of M87 down to the 7 Schwarzschild radii scale
Authors: Kim J.-Y. , Krichbaum T. P. , Lu R.-S. , Ros E. , Bach U. , Bremer M. , de Vicente P. , Lindqvist M. , Zensus J. A.
Published: May 2018

Messier 87 (M 87) is one of the nearest radio galaxies with a prominent jet extending from sub-pc to kpc scales. Because of its proximity and the large mass of its central black hole (BH), it is one of the best radio sources for the study of jet formation. We study the physical conditions near the jet base at projected separations from the BH of ~7–100 Schwarzschild radii (Rsch). Global mm-VLBI Array (GMVA) observations at 86 GHz (λ= 3.5 mm) provide an angular resolution of ~50μas, which corresponds to a spatial resolution of only 7Rschand reach the small spatial scale. We use five GMVA data sets of M 87 obtained from 2004 to 2015 and present new high angular resolution VLBI maps at 86 GHz. In particular, we focus on the analysis of the brightness temperature, the jet ridge lines, and the ratio of jet to counter-jet. The imaging reveals a parabolically expanding limb-brightened jet which emanates from a resolved VLBI core of ~(8–13)Rschin size. The observed brightness temperature of the core at any epoch is ~(1–3) × 1010K, which is below the equipartition brightness temperature and suggests magnetic energy dominance at the jet base. We estimate the diameter of the jet at its base to be ~5Rschassuming a self-similar jet structure. This suggests that the sheath of the jet may be anchored in the very inner portion of the accretion disk. The image stacking reveals faint emission at the center of the edge-brightened jet on sub-pc scales. We discuss its physical implication within the context of the spine-sheath structure of the jet.
Akute Bewusstseinsstörung
Authors: Madlener Marie , Onur Oezguer A.
Published: May 2018

Die Akutversorgung eines bewusstlosen Patienten in der Notaufnahme ist komplex und sollte nach einem standardisierten Algorithmus erfolgen. Die Aufrechterhaltung der Vitalparameter, Ursachensuche und Behandlung erfolgen zum Teil parallel und erfordern eine interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit. Die Notfalldiagnostik steht unter einem hohen Zeitdruck, um lebensbedrohliche Erkrankungen rasch erkennen und spezifische Therapien einleiten zu können. Der Zeitpunkt der Therapieeinleitung bestimmt dabei oft das Behandlungsergebnis.
Sport und Bewegung mit und nach Krebs – wer profitiert, was ist gesichert?
Authors: Steindorf Karen , Schmidt Martina , Zimmer Philipp
Published: May 2018

Die Diagnose „Krebs“ und die anschließende medizinische Therapie verleiten viele Patienten dazu ihre körperlichen Aktivitäten einzuschränken. Doch gerade Sport und bewegungstherapeutische Programme sind effektive supportive Maßnahmen im Kampf gegen den Krebs und manche Nebenwirkungen. Zudem haben die Betroffenen eine einzigartige Chance, selbst aktiv an ihrem Genesungsprozess mitzuarbeiten. Was zu berücksichtigen ist, zeigt dieser Beitrag.
Synthesis of Imidazo[1,5-a]quinolines via Metal-Free Oxidative Amination of sp3 C–H Bonds
Authors: Ma Chen , Liu Huanhuan , Wang Xinfeng
Published: May 2018

A novel oxidative amination of sp3 C–H bonds was developed for the efficient synthesis of imidazo[1,5-a]quinolines from readily available α-amino acids and (2-azaaryl)methanes. This domino protocol, which was established in a TBAI-TBHP oxidation system, includes transition-metal-free decarboxylation and intramolecular cyclization. This method represented a new avenue for the synthesis of N-heterocycles using 2-methylquinolines as the synthon of quinoline-2-carbaldehydes.
Störung zirkadianer Rhythmen im Kontext depressiver Erkrankungen
Authors: Wittmann Markus , Schreiber Wolfgang , Landgrebe Michael , Hajak Göran
Published: May 2018

Die Entstehung depressiver Erkrankungen wird im Allgemeinen als multifaktorielles Geschehen verstanden. In den letzten Jahren konnten vielfältige
neurobiologische Veränderungen beschrieben werden, die mit der Entstehung und dem Verlauf von depressiven Erkrankungen in Zusammenhang gebracht werden. Das
ursprüngliche Paradigma der Monoanminomangelhypothese wird dabei immer weiter relativiert, es resultiert somit mittlerweile ein komplexes, aber immer noch nicht
vollständiges Verständnis der Genese dieser Erkrankungen. Dabei greifen die verschiedenen physiologischen Erkrankungsmodelle mit wachsendem Wissensstand
zunehmend ineinander über.
Fick’s law in non-local evolution equations
Authors: Boccagna Roberto
Published: May 2018

We study the stationary non-local equation which corresponds to the energy functional of a one-dimensional Ising spin system, in which particles interact via a Kac potential. In particular, following some of the techniques developed in the work of De Masi et al. [Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 201(2), 681–725 (2011)], we construct a time invariant profile for the model proposed in the work of Giacomin and Lebowitz [J. Stat. Phys. 87(1), 37–61 (1997)]. The boundary conditions share the same sign and both lie above the value m*β=1−1/β, which divides the metastable region from the unstable one, the inverse temperature being fixed and larger than the critical value βc = 1. Due to the non-equilibrium setting, a non-zero magnetization current, which scales with the inverse of the size of the volume ε−1, does flow in the system [M. Colangeli et al., J. Stat. Phys. 167(5), 1081–1111 (2017)]. Here ε−1 also represents the ratio of macroscopic and mesoscopic length. We show that for ε > 0 small enough, the stationary profile has no discontinuities so that no phase transition occurs; although expected when the magnetizations are larger than mβ, this turns out to be non-trivial in the metastable region. Moreover, when ε−1 → ∞, the solution converges to the macroscopic profile which solves the local diffusion equation. The validity of Fick’s law in this context is then established.
Concentration-dependent and configuration-dependent interactions of monovalent ions with an RNA tetraloop
Authors: Miner Jacob Carlson , García Angel Enrique
Published: May 2018

Monovalent salt solutions have strongly coupled interactions with biopolymers, from large polyelectrolytes to small RNA oligomers. High salt concentrations have been known to induce transitions in the structure of RNA, producing non-canonical configurations and even driving RNA to precipitate out of solution. Using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we model a monovalent salt species (KCL) at high concentrations (0.1–3m) and calculate the equilibrium distributions of water and ions around a small tetraloop-forming RNA oligomer in a variety of structural arrangements: folded A-RNA (canonical) and Z-RNA (non-canonical) tetraloops and unfolded configurations. From these data, we calculate the ion preferential binding coefficients and Donnan coefficients for the RNA oligomer as a function of concentration and structure. We find that cation accumulation is highest around non-canonical Z-RNA configurations at concentrations below 0.5m, while unfolded configurations accumulate the most co-ions in all concentrations. By contrast, canonical A-RNA structures consistently show the lowest accumulations for all ion species. Water distributions vary markedly with RNA configuration but show little dependency on KCL concentration. Based on Donnan coefficient calculations, the net charge of the solution at the surface of the RNA decreases linearly as a function of salt concentration and becomes net-neutral near 2.5–3m KCL for folded configurations, while unfolded configurations still show a positive solution charge. Our findings show that all-atom molecular dynamics can describe the equilibrium distributions of monovalent salt in the presence of small RNA oligomers at KCL concentrations where ion correlation effects become important. Furthermore, these results provide valuable insights into the distributions of water and ions near the RNA oligomer surface as a function of structural configuration.