bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is it all going south? Four future scenarios for Antarctica
Authors: Liggett Daniela , Frame Bob , Gilbert Neil , Morgan Fraser
Published: September 2017

The future is uncertain for Antarctica, with many possibilities – some more plausible, others more preferable. Indeed, the region and its governance regime may be reaching (or may have reached) a crossroads moment as a result of a series of challenges, including the changing Antarctic climate and environment, increasing human activity, shifting values among Antarctic states and a low-cost, somewhat benign governance regime (the Antarctic Treaty System). Within this context there are a number of interdependent drivers that are likely to influence Antarctica's future over, say, 25 years: global environmental and socio-economic developments; Antarctic governance; Antarctic research, including national Antarctic programme operations; and Antarctic tourism. The research presented here involved a thorough examination of Antarctic literature on current Antarctic developments and challenges, and an assessment of global trends. Scenarios were developed through a facilitated workshop process. From these, four future scenarios were developed based on interactions between these drivers. The resulting scenarios provide a dynamic, evolving possibility space to be explored as a means of understanding where Antarctic issues might evolve, depending on the growth or diminishing importance of drivers. In turn these suggest that more structured polar futures are needed based on formal quantitative and qualitative data.
Effort-cost decision-making in psychosis and depression: could a similar behavioral deficit arise from disparate psychological and neural mechanisms?
Authors: Culbreth A. J. , Moran E. K. , Barch D. M.
Published: September 2017

Motivational impairment is a common feature of both depression and psychosis; however, the psychological and neural mechanisms that give rise to motivational impairment in these disorders are poorly understood. Recent research has suggested that aberrant effort-cost decision-making (ECDM) may be a potential contributor to motivational impairment in both psychosis and depression. ECDM refers to choices that individuals make regarding the amount of ‘work’ they are willing to expend to obtain a certain outcome or reward. Recent experimental work has suggested that those with psychosis and depression may be less willing to expend effort to obtain rewards compared with controls, and that this effort deficit is related to motivational impairment in both disorders. In the current review, we aim to summarize the current literature on ECDM in psychosis and depression, providing evidence for transdiagnostic impairment. Next, we discuss evidence for the hypothesis that a seemingly similar behavioral ECDM deficit might arise from disparate psychological and neural mechanisms. Specifically, we argue that effort deficits in psychosis might be largely driven by deficits in cognitive control and the neural correlates of cognitive control processes, while effort deficits in depression might be largely driven by reduced reward responsivity and the associated neural correlates of reward responsivity. Finally, we will provide some discussion regarding future directions, as well as interpretative challenges to consider when examining ECDM transdiagnostically.
An analysis of three curriculum approaches to teaching English in public-sector schools
Authors: Graves Kathleen , Garton Sue
Published: September 2017

This article explores three current, influential English language teaching (ELT) curriculum approaches to the teaching of English in public-sector schools at the primary and secondary level and how the theory of each approach translates into curriculum practice. These approaches are communicative language teaching (CLT), genre-based pedagogy, and content and language integrated learning (CLIL). For consistency across approaches, the theoretical underpinnings of each will be briefly described according to a matrix of curriculum factors including:

•

the view of language and language acquisition underlying the approach

•

how learners’ needs are construed

•

the nature of the content and materials

•

the teacher's role

•

the context

•

how language is assessed

This is followed by a discussion of research on how each approach is implemented in primary and secondary contexts, the extent to which the theory is put into practice and factors that influence its success in the classroom. Implications for the future of curriculum development in ELT will be discussed. These implications address the viability of CLT in primary and secondary schools, the role of knowledge about language in curriculum implementation, and teacher roles and identity.
Corpora in language teaching and learning
Authors: Boulton Alex
Published: September 2017

This timeline looks at explicit uses of corpora in foreign or second language (L2) teaching and learning, i.e. what happens when end-users explore corpus data, whether directly via concordancers or integrated into CALL programs, or indirectly with prepared printed materials. The underlying rationale is that such contact provides the massive contextualised exposure needed for language learning, but in a more controlled way than purely haphazard exposure via regular reading or listening, thus promoting or enhancing noticing, language awareness, autonomy, and ultimately producing ‘better learners’. It interweaves with many other notions in language teaching, from authenticity and autonomy to induction and constructivism, taking in much of what we know about language from corpus linguistics itself – its fuzzy, probabilistic nature and the importance of lexical patterns, collocations, chunks, frequencies and distributions. Commonly known as data-driven learning or DDL (Johns 1990), the approach goes back several decades; yet despite its impressive pedigree, a frequent lament is that it remains a marginal practice. Teachers may not be aware of DDL if it is absent from their initial training, or may see it as a research activity confined to higher education. While corpus consultation may appear too demanding for school-age learners, there are connections with the web searches that are already a frequent practice for many. Though lack of uptake is sometimes attributed at least in part to a dearth of empirical research, this claim is increasingly difficult to defend, as witnessed by the number of entries in this timeline and the hundreds of others not included. For a balanced discussion of the limits of DDL as well as what it can reasonably achieve, see Kaltenböck & Mehlmauer-Larcher (2005).
Research agenda: Language learning beyond the classroom
Authors: Reinders Hayo , Benson Phil
Published: September 2017

Most language learning research is carried out either in classrooms or among classroom learners. As Richards (2015) points out, however, there are two dimensions to successful learning: what happens inside classrooms and what happens outside them. Rapid development of online media, communications technologies and opportunities for travel has also expanded the world beyond the classroom for language learners. Language learning and teachingbeyondthe classroom (LBC) is, thus, emerging as a field ripe for the development of new research agendas (Benson & Reinders 2011; Nunan & Richards 2015). We propose potentially fruitful avenues for research here under the headings of settings for learning, learning processes and teaching.
Scalar Characterization of Azimuthal Coverage Governing Geolocation Resolution
Authors: Sharpitor Nicholas
Published: September 2017

We examine the relation between fix error and the azimuthal distribution of lines of position by subsuming the distribution into a scalar formQanalogous to the nematic order parameter of statistical physics. It is shown in the least-squares approach that the error behaves as (1−Q2)−1/2. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the control ofQas a strategy for fix improvement.
Statistical Analysis of the Detection Probability of the TianTuo-3 Space-based AIS
Authors: Li Shiyou , Chen Lihu , Chen Xiaoqian , Zhao Yong , Yang Lei
Published: September 2017

The Micro-Nano satellite TianTuo-3 (TT-3) developed by the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) was successfully launched on 20 September 2015. The space-based Automatic Identification System (AIS) on board TT-3 works well and stably receives AIS signals from global vessels. In this work, we perform statistical analysis on the detection probability of the vessels in the concerned areas by using the TT-3 AIS data. The results suggest that the detection probability of vessels decreases as the distribution density increases, especially in the offshore areas of dense traffic and the TT3-AIS vessel detection probability in the oceans can be higher than 40%, indicating that the TT-3 AIS has achieved a high probability of coverage of vessels for a single receiving antenna. The analysis results will present helpful references both in evaluating the potential application of satellite-based AIS and for designing the next generation space-based AIS which might greatly improve the detection probability of ocean-going vessels.
Function modeling combined with physics-based reasoning for assessing design options and supporting innovative ideation
Authors: Mokhtarian Hossein , Coatanéa Eric , Paris Henri
Published: September 2017

Functional modeling is an analytical approach to design problems that is widely taught in certain academic communities but not often used by practitioners. This approach can be applied in multiple ways to formalize the understanding of the systems, to support the synthesis of the design in the development of a new product, or to support the analysis and improvement of existing systems incrementally. The type of usage depends on the objectives that are targeted. The objectives can be categorized into two key groups: discovering a totally new solution, or improving an existing one. This article proposes to use the functional modeling approach to achieve three goals: to support the representation of physics-based reasoning, to use this physics-based reasoning to assess design options, and finally to support innovative ideation. The exemplification of the function-based approach is presented via a case study of a glue gun proposed for this Special Issue. A reverse engineering approach is applied, and the authors seek an incremental improvement of the solution. As the physics-based reasoning model presented in this article is heavily dependent on the quality of the functional model, the authors propose a general approach to limit the interpretability of the functional representations by mapping the functional vocabulary with elementary structural blocks derived from bond graph theory. The physics-based reasoning approach is supported by a mathematical framework that is summarized in the article. The physics-based reasoning model is used for discovering the limitations of solutions in the form of internal contradictions and guiding the design ideation effort.
Endocarditis of a congenital coronary fistula in a child
Authors: Krasemann Thomas , van Beynum Ingrid M. , Frohn-Mulder Ingrid M. E. , Dalinghaus Michiel
Published: September 2017

Endocarditis of congenital coronary fistulas in the cardiac chambers is rare, especially in the paediatric age group. We describe the case of a 9-year-old boy with a fistula from the dilated right coronary artery to the junction of the superior caval vein to the right atrium, complicated by endocarditis. Treatment consisted of 6 weeks of antibiotics and interventional closure of the fistula 3 months later with an Amplatzer vascular plug.
The mind of suicide terrorists
Authors: Marazziti Donatella , Veltri Antonello , Piccinni Armando
Published: September 2017

After reviewing the available literature about the main hypotheses on suicide terrorism and the psychological characteristics of terrorists that have been proposed throughout the years, the present authors have put forward some personal considerations on what the distinctive traits of today’s suicide bombers might be. In spite of the heterogeneity and paucity of “real” data, it is evident that there is no peculiar familial, educational, or socioeconomic factors that may account for religious radicalization leading to suicide terrorism. On the contrary, some common psychological features can be highlighted: such as isolation, feelings of emptiness, cold rationality, a lack of empathy, and a lust for martyrdom and death. To die to kill: this is the core feature, a sort of organizer that can twist higher cognitive and emotional processes, resulting in the supreme and highly rewarding suicidal and killing behaviors.
Identifying foods with good nutritional quality and price for the Opticourses intervention research project
Authors: Dubois Christophe , Tharrey Marion , Darmon Nicole
Published: September 2017

Objective

People on a limited budget want to know the ‘good price’ of foods. Here we report the methodology used to produce an educational tool designed to help recognize foods with good nutritional quality and price, and assess the validity and relevancy of the tool.

Design

A ‘Good Price Booklet’ presenting a list of foods with good nutritional quality and price was constructed. The validity of the in-booklet prices was assessed by comparing them with prices actually paid by households from the Opticourses project. The relevancy of the booklet tool was assessed by semi-structured interviews with Opticourses participants.

Setting

Socio-economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods of Marseille, France.

Subjects

Ninety-one participants collected household food-purchase receipts over a 1-month period.

Results

Based on the French food database, foods with higher-than-median nutritional quality were identified. After grouping similar foods, 100 foods were selected and their corresponding in-booklet prices were derived based on the distribution of average national prices by food group. Household food purchases data revealed that of the 2386 purchases of foods listed in the booklet, 67·1 % were bought at prices lower than the in-booklet prices. Nineteen semi-structured interviews showed that participants understood the tool and most continued using it more than a month after the intervention.

Conclusions

A method was developed to ease the identification of foods with good nutritional quality and price. The Good Price Booklet is an effective tool to help guide people shopping on a low budget.
Exploring the changing institutions of early-stage finance
Authors: SHANE SCOTT , NICOLAOU NICOS
Published: September 2017

Since the end of the shakeout following the bursting of the dot com bubble, we have seen substantial innovation in the institutions and organizational arrangements used to finance early-stage high growth technology companies. This paper will document the emergence of business accelerators, angel groups, micro venture capital funds and online equity crowdfunding platforms, and show the rapid growth in angel investing over this period. It will also document the corresponding movement away from traditional venture capital activity at the early stage of company development. The paper will explain how technological advance, specifically the decline in the cost of bringing a new software product to market, has driven this shift in the institutions of early-stage finance.
Autonomie als Prädiktor intrinsischer Motivation im Schulsport
Authors: Sieber Vanda , Wegner Mirko , Schüler Julia
Published: September 2017

Zusammenfassung. Autonomieförderung gilt als ein wichtiger Prädiktor für intrinsische Motivation im Sport. Anlehnend an bestehende Arbeiten, die zeigen, dass der Zusammenhang von Autonomie und Motivation durch Unterschiede in der dispositionellen Autonomieneigung moderiert wird, prüft die vorliegende Arbeit die zugrundeliegende Passungshypothese für intrinsische Motivation direkt im Schulsportunterricht. Es wird angenommen, dass autonomieförderliche Instruktionen besonders für Schüler und Schülerinnen mit starker Autonomiedisposition die intrinsische Motivation für den Schulsport begünstigen, während sie für Personen mit schwächerer Autonomieausprägung weniger wirksam sind. In einem experimentellen Design wurden 45 Schülerinnen und Schülern entweder einer Autonomie-fördernden (AF) Bedingung, einer Autonomie-einschränkenden (AE) Bedingung oder einer Kontrollgruppe (KG) zugeordnet und die intrinsische Motivation bei einer Basketballübung erfasst. Wie erwartet berichten Personen mit stark ausgeprägter Autonomiedisposition eine signifikant höhere intrinsische Motivation in der Autonomieförderungsbedingung als Personen mit schwacher Autonomieausprägung. Die Ergebnisse sprechen für eine differentielle Betrachtung von Autonomieförderung im Schulsport.
Taking the Pulse of the Planet
Authors: Cheng Lijing , Trenberth Kevin , Fasullo John , Abraham John , Boyer Tim , von Schuckmann Karina , Zhu Jiang
Published: September 2017

How fast is Earth warming? Ocean heat content and sea level rise measurements may provide a more reliable answer than atmospheric measurements.
Identifying therapeutic targets by combining transcriptional data with ordinal clinical measurements
Authors: Pirhaji Leila , Milani Pamela , Dalin Simona , Wassie Brook T. , Dunn Denise E. , Fenster Robert J. , Avila-Pacheco Julian , Greengard Paul , Clish Clary B. , Heiman Myriam , Lo Donald C. , Fraenkel Ernest
Published: September 2017

The immense and growing repositories of transcriptional data may contain critical insights for developing new therapies. Current approaches to mining these data largely rely on binary classifications of disease vs. control, and are not able to incorporate measures of disease severity. We report an analytical approach to integrate ordinal clinical information with transcriptomics. We apply this method to public data for a large cohort of Huntington’s disease patients and controls, identifying and prioritizing phenotype-associated genes. We verify the role of a high-ranked gene in dysregulation of sphingolipid metabolism in the disease and demonstrate that inhibiting the enzyme, sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase 1 (SPL), has neuroprotective effects in Huntington’s disease models. Finally, we show that one consequence of inhibiting SPL is intracellular inhibition of histone deacetylases, thus linking our observations in sphingolipid metabolism to a well-characterized Huntington’s disease pathway. Our approach is easily applied to any data with ordinal clinical measurements, and may deepen our understanding of disease processes.
Cross-ethnic meta-analysis identifies association of the GPX3-TNIP1 locus with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Benyamin Beben , He Ji , Zhao Qiongyi , Gratten Jacob , Garton Fleur , Leo Paul J. , Liu Zhijun , Mangelsdorf Marie , Al-Chalabi Ammar , Anderson Lisa , Butler Timothy J. , Chen Lu , Chen Xiang-Ding , Cremin Katie , Deng Hong-Weng , Devine Matthew , Edson Janette , Fifita Jennifer A. , Furlong Sarah , Han Ying-Ying , Harris Jessica , Henders Anjali K. , Jeffree Rosalind L. , Jin Zi-Bing , Li Zhongshan , Li Ting , Li Mengmeng , Lin Yong , Liu Xiaolu , Marshall Mhairi , McCann Emily P. , Mowry Bryan J. , Ngo Shyuan T. , Pamphlett Roger , Ran Shu , Reutens David C. , Rowe Dominic B. , Sachdev Perminder , Shah Sonia , Song Sharon , Tan Li-Jun , Tang Lu , van den Berg Leonard H. , van Rheenen Wouter , Veldink Jan H. , Wallace Robyn H. , Wheeler Lawrie , Williams Kelly L. , Wu Jinyu , Wu Xin , Yang Jian , Yue Weihua , Zhang Zong-Hong , Zhang Dai , Noakes Peter G. , Blair Ian P. , Henderson Robert D. , McCombe Pamela A. , Visscher Peter M. , Xu Huji , Bartlett Perry F. , Brown Matthew A. , Wray Naomi R. , Fan Dongsheng
Published: September 2017

Cross-ethnic genetic studies can leverage power from differences in disease epidemiology and population-specific genetic architecture. In particular, the differences in linkage disequilibrium and allele frequency patterns across ethnic groups may increase gene-mapping resolution. Here we use cross-ethnic genetic data in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), an adult-onset, rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease. We report analyses of novel genome-wide association study data of 1,234 ALS cases and 2,850 controls. We find a significant association of rs10463311 spanning GPX3-TNIP1 with ALS (p = 1.3 × 10−8), with replication support from two independent Australian samples (combined 576 cases and 683 controls, p = 1.7 × 10−3). Both GPX3 and TNIP1 interact with other known ALS genes (SOD1 and OPTN, respectively). In addition, GGNBP2 was identified using gene-based analysis and summary statistics-based Mendelian randomization analysis, although further replication is needed to confirm this result. Our results increase our understanding of genetic aetiology of ALS.
Strain-engineered growth of two-dimensional materials
Authors: Ahn Geun Ho , Amani Matin , Rasool Haider , Lien Der-Hsien , Mastandrea James P. , Ager III Joel W. , Dubey Madan , Chrzan Daryl C. , Minor Andrew M. , Javey Ali
Published: September 2017

The application of strain to semiconductors allows for controlled modification of their band structure. This principle is employed for the manufacturing of devices ranging from high-performance transistors to solid-state lasers. Traditionally, strain is typically achieved via growth on lattice-mismatched substrates. For two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, this is not feasible as they typically do not interact epitaxially with the substrate. Here, we demonstrate controlled strain engineering of 2D semiconductors during synthesis by utilizing the thermal coefficient of expansion mismatch between the substrate and semiconductor. Using WSe2 as a model system, we demonstrate stable built-in strains ranging from 1% tensile to 0.2% compressive on substrates with different thermal coefficient of expansion. Consequently, we observe a dramatic modulation of the band structure, manifested by a strain-driven indirect-to-direct bandgap transition and brightening of the dark exciton in bilayer and monolayer WSe2, respectively. The growth method developed here should enable flexibility in design of more sophisticated devices based on 2D materials.
The non-canonical poly(A) polymerase FAM46C acts as an onco-suppressor in multiple myeloma
Authors: Mroczek Seweryn , Chlebowska Justyna , Kuliński Tomasz M. , Gewartowska Olga , Gruchota Jakub , Cysewski Dominik , Liudkovska Vladyslava , Borsuk Ewa , Nowis Dominika , Dziembowski Andrzej
Published: September 2017

FAM46C is one of the most frequently mutated genes in multiple myeloma. Here, using a combination of in vitro and in vivo approaches, we demonstrate that FAM46C encodes an active non-canonical poly(A) polymerase which enhances mRNA stability and gene expression. Reintroduction of active FAM46C into multiple myeloma cell lines, but not its catalytically-inactive mutant, leads to broad polyadenylation and stabilization of mRNAs strongly enriched with those encoding endoplasmic reticulum-targeted proteins and induces cell death. Moreover, silencing of FAM46C in multiple myeloma cells expressing WT protein enhance cell proliferation. Finally, using a FAM46C-FLAG knock-in mouse strain, we show that the FAM46C protein is strongly induced during activation of primary splenocytes and that B lymphocytes isolated from newly generated FAM46C KO mice proliferate faster than those isolated from their WT littermates. Concluding, our data clearly indicate that FAM46C works as an onco-suppressor, with the specificity for B-lymphocyte lineage from which multiple myeloma originates.
Late Neoproterozoic seawater oxygenation by siliceous sponges
Authors: Tatzel Michael , von Blanckenburg Friedhelm , Oelze Marcus , Bouchez Julien , Hippler Dorothee
Published: September 2017

The Cambrian explosion, the rapid appearance of most animal phyla in the geological record, occurred concurrently with bottom seawater oxygenation. Whether this oxygenation event was triggered through enhanced nutrient supply and organic carbon burial forced by increased continental weathering, or by species engaging in ecosystem engineering, remains a fundamental yet unresolved question. Here we provide evidence for several simultaneous developments that took place over the Ediacaran–Cambrian transition: expansion of siliceous sponges, decrease of the dissolved organic carbon pool, enhanced organic carbon burial, increased phosphorus removal and seawater oxygenation. This evidence is based on silicon and carbon stable isotopes, Ge/Si ratios, REE-geochemistry and redox-sensitive elements in a chert-shale succession from the Yangtze Platform, China. According to this reconstruction, sponges have initiated seawater oxygenation by redistributing organic carbon oxidation through filtering suspended organic matter from seawater. The resulting increase in dissolved oxygen levels potentially triggered the diversification of eumetazoans.
Distal axotomy enhances retrograde presynaptic excitability onto injured pyramidal neurons via trans-synaptic signaling
Authors: Nagendran Tharkika , Larsen Rylan S. , Bigler Rebecca L. , Frost Shawn B. , Philpot Benjamin D. , Nudo Randolph J. , Taylor Anne Marion
Published: September 2017

Injury of CNS nerve tracts remodels circuitry through dendritic spine loss and hyper-excitability, thus influencing recovery. Due to the complexity of the CNS, a mechanistic understanding of injury-induced synaptic remodeling remains unclear. Using microfluidic chambers to separate and injure distal axons, we show that axotomy causes retrograde dendritic spine loss at directly injured pyramidal neurons followed by retrograde presynaptic hyper-excitability. These remodeling events require activity at the site of injury, axon-to-soma signaling, and transcription. Similarly, directly injured corticospinal neurons in vivo also exhibit a specific increase in spiking following axon injury. Axotomy-induced hyper-excitability of cultured neurons coincides with elimination of inhibitory inputs onto injured neurons, including those formed onto dendritic spines. Netrin-1 downregulation occurs following axon injury and exogenous netrin-1 applied after injury normalizes spine density, presynaptic excitability, and inhibitory inputs at injured neurons. Our findings show that intrinsic signaling within damaged neurons regulates synaptic remodeling and involves netrin-1 signaling.
Optical trapping of otoliths drives vestibular behaviours in larval zebrafish
Authors: Favre-Bulle Itia A. , Stilgoe Alexander B. , Rubinsztein-Dunlop Halina , Scott Ethan K.
Published: September 2017

The vestibular system, which detects gravity and motion, is crucial to survival, but the neural circuits processing vestibular information remain incompletely characterised. In part, this is because the movement needed to stimulate the vestibular system hampers traditional neuroscientific methods. Optical trapping uses focussed light to apply forces to targeted objects, typically ranging from nanometres to a few microns across. In principle, optical trapping of the otoliths (ear stones) could produce fictive vestibular stimuli in a stationary animal. Here we use optical trapping in vivo to manipulate 55-micron otoliths in larval zebrafish. Medial and lateral forces on the otoliths result in complementary corrective tail movements, and lateral forces on either otolith are sufficient to cause a rolling correction in both eyes. This confirms that optical trapping is sufficiently powerful and precise to move large objects in vivo, and sets the stage for the functional mapping of the resulting vestibular processing.
Laminar differences in decision-related neural activity in dorsal premotor cortex
Authors: Chandrasekaran Chandramouli , Peixoto Diogo , Newsome William T. , Shenoy Krishna V.
Published: September 2017

Dorsal premotor cortex is implicated in somatomotor decisions. However, we do not understand the temporal patterns and laminar organization of decision-related firing rates in dorsal premotor cortex. We recorded neurons from dorsal premotor cortex of monkeys performing a visual discrimination task with reaches as the behavioral report. We show that these neurons can be organized along a bidirectional visuomotor continuum based on task-related firing rates. “Increased” neurons at one end of the continuum increased their firing rates ~150 ms after stimulus onset and these firing rates covaried systematically with choice, stimulus difficulty, and reaction time—characteristics of a candidate decision variable. “Decreased” neurons at the other end of the continuum reduced their firing rate after stimulus onset, while “perimovement” neurons at the center of the continuum responded only ~150 ms before movement initiation. These neurons did not show decision variable-like characteristics. “Increased” neurons were more prevalent in superficial layers of dorsal premotor cortex; deeper layers contained more “decreased” and “perimovement” neurons. These results suggest a laminar organization for decision-related responses in dorsal premotor cortex.
Peer punishment promotes enforcement of bad social norms
Authors: Abbink Klaus , Gangadharan Lata , Handfield Toby , Thrasher John
Published: September 2017

Social norms are an important element in explaining how humans achieve very high levels of cooperative activity. It is widely observed that, when norms can be enforced by peer punishment, groups are able to resolve social dilemmas in prosocial, cooperative ways. Here we show that punishment can also encourage participation in destructive behaviours that are harmful to group welfare, and that this phenomenon is mediated by a social norm. In a variation of a public goods game, in which the return to investment is negative for both group and individual, we find that the opportunity to punish led to higher levels of contribution, thereby harming collective payoffs. A second experiment confirmed that, independently of whether punishment is available, a majority of subjects regard the efficient behaviour of non-contribution as socially inappropriate. The results show that simply providing a punishment opportunity does not guarantee that punishment will be used for socially beneficial ends, because the social norms that influence punishment behaviour may themselves be destructive.
Silicon single-photon avalanche diodes with nano-structured light trapping
Authors: Zang Kai , Jiang Xiao , Huo Yijie , Ding Xun , Morea Matthew , Chen Xiaochi , Lu Ching-Ying , Ma Jian , Zhou Ming , Xia Zhenyang , Yu Zongfu , Kamins Theodore I. , Zhang Qiang , Harris James S.
Published: September 2017

Silicon single-photon avalanche detectors are becoming increasingly significant in research and in practical applications due to their high signal-to-noise ratio, complementary metal oxide semiconductor compatibility, room temperature operation, and cost-effectiveness. However, there is a trade-off in current silicon single-photon avalanche detectors, especially in the near infrared regime. Thick-junction devices have decent photon detection efficiency but poor timing jitter, while thin-junction devices have good timing jitter but poor efficiency. Here, we demonstrate a light-trapping, thin-junction Si single-photon avalanche diode that breaks this trade-off, by diffracting the incident photons into the horizontal waveguide mode, thus significantly increasing the absorption length. The photon detection efficiency has a 2.5-fold improvement in the near infrared regime, while the timing jitter remains 25 ps. The result provides a practical and complementary metal oxide semiconductor compatible method to improve the performance of single-photon avalanche detectors, image sensor arrays, and silicon photomultipliers over a broad spectral range.
Disrupted topological organization of structural brain networks in childhood absence epilepsy
Authors: Qiu Wenchao , Yu Chuanyong , Gao Yuan , Miao Ailiang , Tang Lu , Huang Shuyang , Jiang Wenwen , Sun Jintao , Xiang Jing , Wang Xiaoshan
Published: September 2017

Childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) is the most common paediatric epilepsy syndrome and is characterized by frequent and transient impairment of consciousness. In this study, we explored structural brain network alterations in CAE and their association with clinical characteristics. A whole-brain structural network was constructed for each participant based on diffusion-weighted MRI and probabilistic tractography. The topological metrics were then evaluated. For the first time, we uncovered modular topology in CAE patients that was similar to healthy controls. However, the strength, efficiency and small-world properties of the structural network in CAE were seriously damaged. At the whole brain level, decreased strength, global efficiency, local efficiency, clustering coefficient, normalized clustering coefficient and small-worldness values of the network were detected in CAE, while the values of characteristic path length and normalized characteristic path length were abnormally increased. At the regional level, especially the prominent regions of the bilateral precuneus showed reduced nodal efficiency, and the reduction of efficiency was significantly correlated with disease duration. The current results demonstrate significant alterations of structural networks in CAE patients, and the impairments tend to grow worse over time. Our findings may provide a new way to understand the pathophysiological mechanism of CAE.
Multiwell capillarity-based microfluidic device for the study of 3D tumour tissue-2D endothelium interactions and drug screening in co-culture models
Authors: Virumbrales-Muñoz María , Ayuso José María , Olave Marta , Monge Rosa , de Miguel Diego , Martínez-Lostao Luis , Le Gac Séverine , Doblare Manuel , Ochoa Ignacio , Fernandez Luis J.
Published: September 2017

The tumour microenvironment is very complex, and essential in tumour development and drug resistance. The endothelium is critical in the tumour microenvironment: it provides nutrients and oxygen to the tumour and is essential for systemic drug delivery. Therefore, we report a simple, user-friendly microfluidic device for co-culture of a 3D breast tumour model and a 2D endothelium model for cross-talk and drug delivery studies. First, we demonstrated the endothelium was functional, whereas the tumour model exhibitedin vivofeatures,e.g., oxygen gradients and preferential proliferation of cells with better access to nutrients and oxygen. Next, we observed the endothelium structure lost its integrity in the co-culture. Following this, we evaluated two drug formulations of TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand): soluble and anchored to a LUV (large unilamellar vesicle). Both diffused through the endothelium, LUV-TRAIL being more efficient in killing tumour cells, showing no effect on the integrity of endothelium. Overall, we have developed a simple capillary force-based microfluidic device for 2D and 3D cell co-cultures. Our device allows high-throughput approaches, patterning different cell types and generating gradients without specialised equipment. We anticipate this microfluidic device will facilitate drug screening in a relevant microenvironment thanks to its simple, effective and user-friendly operation.
Discrete-Time Quantum Walk with Phase Disorder: Localization and Entanglement Entropy
Authors: Zeng Meng , Yong Ee Hou
Published: September 2017

Quantum Walk (QW) has very different transport properties to its classical counterpart due to interference effects. Here we study the discrete-time quantum walk (DTQW) with on-site static/dynamic phase disorder following either binary or uniform distribution in both one and two dimensions. For one dimension, we consider the Hadamard coin; for two dimensions, we consider either a 2-level Hadamard coin (Hadamard walk) or a 4-level Grover coin (Grover walk) for the rotation in coin-space. We study the transport properties e.g. inverse participation ratio (IPR) and the standard deviation of the density function (σ) as well as the coin-position entanglement entropy (EE), due to the two types of phase disorders and the two types of coins. Our numerical simulations show that the dimensionality, the type of coins, and whether the disorder is static or dynamic play a pivotal role and lead to interesting behaviors of the DTQW. The distribution of the phase disorder has very minor effects on the quantum walk.
Loss of p73 in ependymal cells during the perinatal period leads to aqueductal stenosis
Authors: Fujitani Masashi , Sato Ryohei , Yamashita Toshihide
Published: September 2017

The p53 family member p73 plays a critical role in brain development. p73 knockout mice exhibit a number of deficits in the nervous system, such as neuronal death, hydrocephalus, hippocampal dysgenesis, and pheromonal defects. Among these phenotypes, the mechanisms of hydrocephalus remain unknown. In this study, we generated a p73 knock-in (KI) mutant mouse and a conditional p73 knockout mouse. The homozygous KI mutants showed aqueductal stenosis. p73 was expressed in the ependymal cell layer and several brain areas. Unexpectedly, when p73 was disrupted during the postnatal period, animals showed aqueductal stenosis at a later stage but not hydrocephalus. An assessment of the integrity of cilia and basal body (BB) patch formation suggests that p73 is required to establish translational polarity but not to establish rotational polarity or the planar polarization of BB patches. Deletion of p73 in adult ependymal cells did not affect the maintenance of translational polarity. These results suggest that the loss of p73 during the embryonic period is critical for hydrocephalus development.
Characterization of Methane Excess and Absolute Adsorption in Various Clay Nanopores from Molecular Simulation
Authors: Tian Yuanyuan , Yan Changhui , Jin Zhehui
Published: September 2017

In this work, we use grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulation to study methane adsorption in various clay nanopores and analyze different approaches to characterize the absolute adsorption. As an important constituent of shale, clay minerals can have significant amount of nanopores, which greatly contribute to the gas-in-place in shale. In previous works, absolute adsorption is often calculated from the excess adsorption and bulk liquid phase density of absorbate. We find that methane adsorbed phase density keeps increasing with pressure up to 80 MPa. Even with updated adsorbed phase density from GCMC, there is a significant error in absolute adsorption calculation. Thus, we propose to use the excess adsorption and adsorbed phase volume to calculate absolute adsorption and reduce the discrepancy to less than 3% at high pressure conditions. We also find that the supercritical Dubinin-Radushkevich (SDR) fitting method which is commonly used in experiments to convert the excess adsorption to absolute adsorption may not have a solid physical foundation for methane adsorption. The methane excess and absolute adsorptions per specific surface area are similar for different clay minerals in line with previous experimental data. In mesopores, the excess and absolute adsorptions per specific surface area become insensitive to pore size. Our work should provide important fundamental understandings and insights into accurate estimation of gas-in-place in shale reservoirs.
Use of medroxyprogesterone acetate in women with ovarian endometriosis undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for in vitro fertilization
Authors: Guo Haiyan , Wang Yun , Chen Qiuju , Chai Weiran , Sun Lihua , Ai Ai , Fu Yonglun , Lyu Qifeng , Kuang Yanping
Published: September 2017

This study investigated the use of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) or a short protocol for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) in patients with advanced endometriosis who have normal ovarian function, and to compare cycle characteristics and pregnancy outcomes after frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET). This was a retrospective case-control study of 244 patients with advanced endometriosis undering COH. The patients were allocated to three groups: the surgery group with MPA COH (62 patients, 71 IVF/ICSI cycles, 78 FET cycles); the aspiration group with MPA COH (85 patients had ovarian “chocolate” cysts (>3 cm) aspirated, 90 IVF/ICSI cycles, 76 FET cycles); and the short protocol group (97 patients, 101 IVF/ICSI cycles, 51 FET cycles). The results showed that higher rates of mature oocyte, D3 high quality embryo, hMG dose were observed in the two study groups using MPA compared with the short protocol. The number of >10–14 mm follicles on the trigger day, D3 top-quality embryos, viable embryos, rates of cancellation, fertilization, implantation, pregnancy outcomes were similar among the three groups. The oocytes, embryos, and pregnancy outcomes were not influenced by endometrioma surgery or presence of endometrioma. MPA COH could be effective for women with ovarian advanced endometriosis who had normal ovarian function.
Hydrothermal activity, functional diversity and chemoautotrophy are major drivers of seafloor carbon cycling
Authors: Bell James B. , Woulds Clare , Oevelen Dick van
Published: September 2017

Hydrothermal vents are highly dynamic ecosystems and are unusually energy rich in the deep-sea. In situ hydrothermal-based productivity combined with sinking photosynthetic organic matter in a soft-sediment setting creates geochemically diverse environments, which remain poorly studied. Here, we use comprehensive set of new and existing field observations to develop a quantitative ecosystem model of a deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystem from the most southerly hydrothermal vent system known. We find evidence of chemosynthetic production supplementing the metazoan food web both at vent sites and elsewhere in the Bransfield Strait. Endosymbiont-bearing fauna were very important in supporting the transfer of chemosynthetic carbon into the food web, particularly to higher trophic levels. Chemosynthetic production occurred at all sites to varying degrees but was generally only a small component of the total organic matter inputs to the food web, even in the most hydrothermally active areas, owing in part to a low and patchy density of vent-endemic fauna. Differences between relative abundance of faunal functional groups, resulting from environmental variability, were clear drivers of differences in biogeochemical cycling and resulted in substantially different carbon processing patterns between habitats.
Rapid identification of fermentation stages of bioethanol solid-state fermentation (SSF) using FT-NIR spectroscopy: comparisons of linear and non-linear algorithms for multiple classification issues
Authors: Jiang Hui , Mei Congli , Chen Quansheng
Published: September 2017

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) is a critical step in bioethanol production, and a means for the effective monitoring of the process is urgently needed due to the rapid changes in SSF industry, which demands fast tools that could provide real time information to ensure final product quality.
H. pylori α1–3/4-fucosyltransferase (Hp3/4FT)-catalyzed one-pot multienzyme (OPME) synthesis of Lewis antigens and human milk fucosides
Authors: Yu Hai , Li Yanhong , Wu Zhigang , Li Lei , Zeng Jie , Zhao Chao , Wu Yijing , Tasnima Nova , Wang Jing , Liu Huaide , Gadi Madhusudhan Reddy , Guan Wanyi , Wang Peng G. , Chen Xi
Published: September 2017

Lewis antigens and fucosylated human milk oligosaccharides were efficiently produced by an Hp3/4FT-catalyzed OPME fucosylation system.
Halogen-bonded iodonium ion catalysis: a route to α-hydroxy ketones via domino oxidations of secondary alcohols and aliphatic C–H bonds with high selectivity and control
Authors: Guha Somraj , Kazi Imran , Mukherjee Pranamita , Sekar Govindasamy
Published: September 2017

Halogen-bonded iodonium ions have been employed as selective oxidants in a challenging domino oxidation process to form synthetically important α-hydroxy ketones from easily available benzylic alcohols.
Planar lithium silolide: aromaticity, with significant contribution of non-classical resonance structures
Authors: Fekete Csaba , Kovács Ilona , Nyulászi László , Holczbauer Tamás
Published: September 2017

The X-ray characterizedα-silyl substituted lithium-silolide is planar and highly aromatic. The bonding is described by mesomeric structures the significant participation of those with SiC character.
Solvent orientation in the crystal lattice producing distinct magnetic dynamics in two binuclear Dy(iii) polymorphs with a polydentate Schiff base ligand
Authors: Jiang Zhijie , Sun Lin , Yang Qi , Wei Shilong , Ke Hongshan , Chen Sanping , Zhang Yiquan , Wei Qing , Xie Gang
Published: September 2017

Here, two Dy(iii) polymorphs with D4d symmetry, [Dy(Clapi)]2·(CH2Cl2)2 (1a and 1b), exhibit distinct magnetic dynamic behaviours. This work presents a rational model to explore the magneto-structural relationship of SMMs in both experimental and theoretical aspects.
Self-assembled bundled TiO2nanowire arrays encapsulated with indium tin oxide for broadband absorption in plasmonic photocatalysis
Authors: Huang Hao , Hao Qi , Fan Xingce , Luo Zhengwei , Hou Xiangyu , Yang Xiaozhi , Qiu Teng , Chu Paul K.
Published: September 2017

A new hybrid plasmonic photocatalyst, indium tin oxide wrapped bundled TiO2nanowire arrays, with broadband absorption and enhanced photocatalytic efficiency.
Periodic DFT+U investigation of the bulk and surface properties of marcasite (FeS2)
Authors: Dzade Nelson Y. , de Leeuw Nora H.
Published: September 2017

Marcasite FeS2and its surfaces properties have been investigated by Hubbard-corrected density functional theory (DFT+U) calculations.
Coherence in nonradiative transitions: internal conversion in Rydberg-excited N-methyl and N-ethyl morpholine
Authors: Zhang Yao , Jónsson Hannes , Weber Peter M.
Published: September 2017

The survival of coherent wavepacket motion during internal conversions is observed in relatively large molecules,N-methyl morpholine andN-ethyl morpholine, where standard models imply fast decoherence in a statistical limit.
Solvent water interactions within the active site of the membrane type I matrix metalloproteinase
Authors: Decaneto Elena , Vasilevskaya Tatiana , Kutin Yuri , Ogata Hideaki , Grossman Moran , Sagi Irit , Havenith Martina , Lubitz Wolfgang , Thiel Walter , Cox Nicholas
Published: September 2017

EPR, MCD, crystallographic and QM/MM investigation reveals the role of the 1st solvation shell waters in the catalytic mechanism of MT1-MMP.
Edge-defect induced spin-dependent Seebeck effect and spin figure of merit in graphene nanoribbons
Authors: Liu Qing-Bo , Wu Dan-Dan , Fu Hua-Hua
Published: September 2017

By using first-principle calculations combined with the non-equilibrium Green's function approach, we have studied spin caloritronic properties of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with different edge defects.
Polypyridyl-functionalizated alkynyl gold(i) metallaligands supported by tri- and tetradentate phosphanes
Authors: Ferrer Montserrat , Giménez Leticia , Gutiérrez Albert , Lima João Carlos , Martínez Manuel , Rodríguez Laura , Martín Avelino , Puttreddy Rakesh , Rissanen Kari
Published: September 2017

The synthesis of photophysical active polytopic alkynyl gold(i) metallaligands and preliminary studies of their interaction with metal cations are presented.
A unique zinc-organic framework constructed through in situ ligand synthesis for conversion of CO2 under mild conditions and as a luminescence sensor for Cr2O72−/CrO42−
Authors: Song Tian-Qun , Dong Jie , Gao Hong-Ling , Cui Jian-Zhong , Zhao Bin
Published: September 2017

A novel 3D pillared-layer-like zinc-organic framework was synthesized through an in situ generated tetrazole ligand, displaying significant catalyst activity for the conversion of CO2 and the luminescence detection of Cr2O72−/CrO42−.
Noble-metal-free nickel phosphide modified CdS/C3N4 nanorods for dramatically enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution under visible light irradiation
Authors: Wu Tengfei , Wang Peifang , Qian Jin , Ao Yanhui , Wang Chao , Hou Jun
Published: September 2017

A highly efficient noble metal free Ni2P–CdS/g-C3N4 composite was constructed based on the concept of combining heterojunction engineering with co-catalyst modification.