bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mean diffusivity related to collectivism among university students in Japan
Authors: Nakagawa Seishu , Takeuchi Hikaru , Taki Yasuyuki , Nouchi Rui , Kotozaki Yuka , Shinada Takamitsu , Maruyama Tsukasa , Sekiguchi Atsushi , Iizuka Kunio , Yokoyama Ryoichi , Yamamoto Yuki , Hanawa Sugiko , Araki Tsuyoshi , Miyauchi Carlos Makoto , Magistro Daniele , Sakaki Kohei , Jeong Hyeonjeong , Sasaki Yukako , Kawashima Ryuta
Published: February 2019

Collectivism is an important factor for coping with stress in one’s social life. To date, no imaging studies have revealed a direct association between collectivism and white matter structure. Collectivism is positively related to independence, harm avoidance, rejection sensitivity, cooperativeness, external locus of control, and self-monitoring and negatively related to need for uniqueness. Accordingly, we hypothesised that the neural structures underpinning collectivism are those that are also involved with its relationship using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study aimed to identify the brain structures associated with collectivism in healthy young adults (n = 797), using regional grey and white matter volume, fractional anisotropy, and mean diffusivity (MD) analyses of MRI data. Scores on the collectivism scale were positively associated with MD values in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, left orbitofrontal cortex, inferior frontal gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus, ventral posterior cingulate cortex, globus pallidus, and calcarine cortex using the threshold-free cluster enhancement method with family-wise errors corrected to P < 0.05 at the whole-brain level. No significant associations between were found collectivism and other measures. Thus, the present findings supported our hypothesis that the neural correlates of collectivism are situated in regions involved in its related factors.
Dietary Niacin Intake Predicts the Decrease of Liver Fat Content During a Lifestyle Intervention
Authors: Linder Katarzyna , Willmann Caroline , Kantartzis Konstantinos , Machann Jürgen , Schick Fritz , Graf Marjo , Kümmerle Sabine , Häring Hans-Ulrich , Fritsche Andreas , Stefan Norbert , Wagner Róbert
Published: February 2019

Niacin inhibits fatty acid flux from adipose tissue to liver, reduces hepatic triglyceride synthesis and increases hepatic lipid oxidation. Thus, niacin may have a role in the regulation of liver fat content in humans. We tested if dietary intake of niacin predicts change of liver fat content during a lifestyle intervention. To this end, we estimated the composition of diet from diaries of 202 healthy subjects at risk of type 2 diabetes undergoing lifestyle intervention comprising physical activity and diet counselling. Total-, subcutaneous- and visceral adipose tissue mass were measured by magnetic resonance (MR) tomography and liver fat content by 1H-MR spectroscopy at baseline and after 9 months of follow-up. Among fat compartments, liver fat content showed the largest decrease (−32%, p < 0.0001). High baseline niacin intake predicted a larger decrease of liver fat (p = 0.004). Subjects in the highest quartile of niacin intake at baseline also had the largest decrease of liver fat (1st:−10%; 2nd:−27%; 3rd:−35%; 4th:−37%). Among 58 subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) at baseline, NAFLD resolved in 23 subjects during the lifestyle intervention. For one standard deviation increase in niacin intake, the odds ratio for resolution of NAFLD was 1.77 (95% CI, 1.00–3.43). High dietary niacin intake may have a favorable effect on the reduction of liver fat during lifestyle intervention.
Metformin enhances the radiosensitizing effect of cisplatin in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines with different cisplatin sensitivities
Authors: Riaz Muhammad Assad , Sak Ali , Erol Yasin Bahadir , Groneberg Michael , Thomale Jürgen , Stuschke Martin
Published: February 2019

Cisplatin is an extensively used chemotherapeutic drug for lung cancer, but the development of resistance decreases its effectiveness in the treatments of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we examined the effects of metformin, a widely used antidiabetic drug, on cisplatin radiosensitization in NSCLC cell lines. Human NSCLC cell lines, A549 (cisplatin-resistant) and H460 (cisplatin-sensitive), were treated with metformin, cisplatin or a combination of both drugs before ionizing radiation. Cell proliferation, clonogenic assays, western blotting, cisplatin-DNA adduct formation and immunocytochemistry were used to characterize the treatments effects. Metformin increased the radiosensitivity of NSCLC cells. Metformin showed additive and over-additive effects in combination with cisplatin and the radiation response in the clonogenic assay in H460 and A549 cell lines (p = 0.018 for the interaction effect between cisplatin and metformin), respectively. At the molecular level, metformin led to a significant increase in cisplatin-DNA adduct formation compared with cisplatin alone (p < 0.01, ANOVA-F test). This was accompanied by a decreased expression of the excision repair cross-complementation 1 expression (ERCC1), a key enzyme in nucleotide excision repair pathway. Furthermore, compared with each treatment alone metformin in combination with cisplatin yielded the lowest level of radiation-induced Rad51 foci, an essential protein of homologous recombination repair. Ionizing radiation-induced γ-H2AX and 53BP1 foci persisted longer in both cell lines in the presence of metformin. Pharmacological inhibition of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) demonstrated that metformin enhances the radiosensitizing effect of cisplatin through an AMPK-dependent pathway only in H460 but not in A549 cells. Our results suggest that metformin can enhance the effect of combined cisplatin and radiotherapy in NSCLC and can sensitize these cells to radiation that are not sensitized by cisplatin alone.
Environmental stresses suppress nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) and affect cells by stabilizing NMD-targeted gene expression
Authors: Usuki Fusako , Yamashita Akio , Fujimura Masatake
Published: February 2019

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a cellular mechanism that eliminates mRNAs that harbor premature translation termination codons (PTCs). Here, we investigated the effects of environmental stresses (oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress) on NMD activity. Methylmercury (MeHg) was used to cause oxidative stress and thapsigargin to stress the ER. NMD suppression, evidenced by upregulation of NMD-sensitive mRNAs and a decrease in UPF1 phosphorylation, was observed in MeHg-treated myogenic cells, cerebral cortical neuronal cells, and astroglial cells. Mild ER stress amplified NMD suppression caused by MeHg. To elucidate the cause of stress-induced NMD suppression, the role of the phospho-eIF2α/ATF4 pathway was investigated. Knockdown and non-phosphorylatable eIF2α-transfection studies demonstrated the critical role of phospho-eIF2α-mediated repression of translation in mild ER stress-induced NMD suppression. However, NMD suppression was also observed in phospho-eIF2α-deficient cells under mild ER stress. Mechanistic target of rapamycin suppression-induced inhibition of cap-dependent translation, and downregulation of the NMD components UPF1, SMG7, and eIF4A3, were probably involved in stress-induced NMD suppression. Our results indicate that stress-induced NMD suppression has the potential to affect the condition of cells and phenotypes of PTC-related diseases under environmental stresses by stabilizing NMD-targeted gene expression.
Myristoyl group-aided protein import into the mitochondrial intermembrane space
Authors: Ueda Eri , Tamura Yasushi , Sakaue Haruka , Kawano Shin , Kakuta Chika , Matsumoto Shunsuke , Endo Toshiya
Published: February 2019

The MICOS complex mediates formation of the crista junctions in mitochondria. Here we analyzed the mitochondrial import pathways for the six yeast MICOS subunits as a step toward understanding of the assembly mechanisms of the MICOS complex. Mic10, Mic12, Mic26, Mic27, and Mic60 used the presequence pathway to reach the intermembrane space (IMS). In contrast, Mic19 took the TIM40/MIA pathway, through its CHCH domain, to reach the IMS. Unlike canonical TIM40/MIA substrates, presence of the N-terminal unfolded DUF domain impaired the import efficiency of Mic19, yet N-terminal myristoylation of Mic19 circumvented this effect. The myristoyl group of Mic19 binds to Tom20 of the TOM complex as well as the outer membrane, which may lead to “entropy pushing” of the DUF domain followed by the CHCH domain of Mic19 into the import channel, thereby achieving efficient import.
Selective morphological analysis of cerium metal in electrodeposit recovered from molten LiCl-KCl eutectic by radiography and computed tomography
Authors: Jee Young Taek , Park Miran , Cho Seungryong , Yun Jong-Il
Published: February 2019

This paper presents, for the first time, a study to analyze the surface morphology of metal extracted from a high temperature molten salt medium in the electrodeposit using x-ray radiography and computed tomography. Widely used methods such as scanning electron microscopy and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry/mass spectrometry are destructive and the related processes are often subject to the air condition. The x-ray imaging can provide rich information of the target sample in a non-destructive way without invoking hydrolysis or oxidation of a hygroscopic sample. In this study, the x-ray imaging conditions were optimized as following: tube voltage at 100 kVp and the current exposure time product at 8.8 mAs in our in-house x-ray imaging system. LiCl-KCl and cerium metals used in this work produced substantially distinguishable contrasts in the radiography due to their distinctive attenuation characteristics, and this difference was well quantified in the histograms of brightness. Electrodeposits obtained by chronoamperometry and chronopotentiometry demonstrated a completely different behavior of electrodeposition even at the same applied charge. In particular, computed tomography and volumetric analysis clearly showed the structural and morphological dissimilarity. The structure of cerium metal in the electrodeposit was successfully separated from the chloride salt structure in the CT image by an image segmentation process.
Inversion-free image recovery from strong aberration using a minimally sampled transmission matrix
Authors: Park Kwanjun , Yang Taeseok Daniel , Kim Hyung-Jin , Kong Taedong , Lee Jung Min , Choi Hyuk Soon , Chun Hoon Jai , Kim Beop-Min , Choi Youngwoon
Published: February 2019

A transmission matrix (TM), a characteristic response for an input-output relation of an optical system, has been used for achieving diffraction-limited and aberration-free images through highly-aberrant imaging systems. However, its requirement of acquiring a huge-size TM along with its heavy computational load limit its widespread applications. Here we propose a method for TM-based image reconstruction, which is more efficient in terms of data manipulation and computational time. Only 10% of the TM elements for a fish-eye (FE) lens with strong aberration were sampled compared to that required for the image reconstruction by the conventional inversion method. The missing information was filled in by an iterative interpolation algorithm working in k-space. In addition, as a replacement of the time-consuming matrix inversion process, a phase pattern was created from the minimally sampled TM in order to compensate for the angle-dependent phase retardation caused by the FE lens. The focal distortion could be corrected by applying the phase correction pattern to the angular spectrums of the measured object images. The remaining spatial distortion could also be determined through the geometrical transformation also determined by the minimally sampled TM elements. Through the use of these procedures, the object image can be reconstructed 55 times faster than through the use of the usual inversion method using the full-sized TM, without compromising the reconstruction performances.
Co-circularity opponency in visual texture
Authors: Sato Hiromi , Kingdom Frederick A. A. , Motoyoshi Isamu
Published: February 2019

It is well known that the human visual system is sensitive to co-circularity among oriented edges, which are ubiquitous features of object contours. Here, we report a novel aftereffect in which the appearance of a texture is dramatically altered after adaptation to a texture composed of elements with co-circular structure. Following prolonged viewing of a texture made of pairs of adjacent Gabor elements arranged to form obtuse angle co-circular pairs, i.e. shallow curves, a subsequently viewed random texture appears to be composed of acute angle, i.e. near-parallel pairs. Conversely, adaptation to a texture made of parallel pairs causes a random texture to appear to be composed of shallow curves. This suggests that mechanisms sensitive to co-circularity are organized in an opponent manner, with one pole sensitive to shallow curves the other parallel shapes. This notion was tested further in a non-adaptation experiment in which co-circular and non-co-circular Gabor pairs were mixed within a single texture. Results revealed summation between pairs that fell on one side of the opponent continuum, and cancellation between pairs that fell on opposite sides of the continuum. Taken together these results support opponent interactions between mechanisms sensitive to pairwise co-circular texture features.
Evolution-guided evaluation of the inverted terminal repeats of the synthetic transposon Sleeping Beauty
Authors: Scheuermann Barbara , Diem Tanja , Ivics Zoltán , Andrade-Navarro Miguel A.
Published: February 2019

Sleeping Beauty (SB) is a synthetic Tc1/mariner transposon that is widely used for genetic engineering in vertebrates, including humans. Its sequence was derived from a consensus of sequences found in fish species including the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). One of the functional components of SB, the transposase enzyme, has been subject to extensive mutagenesis yielding hyperactive protein variants for advanced applications. The second functional component, the transposon inverted terminal repeats (ITRs), has so far not been extensively modified, mainly due to a lack of natural sequence information. Importantly, as genome sequences become available, they can provide a rich source of information for a refined molecular definition of the functional components of these transposons. Here we have mined the Salmo salar genome for a comprehensive set of transposon sequences that were used to build a refined consensus sequence. We synthetically produced the new consensus ITR sequences and used them to build a new transposon, the performance of which has been tested in cell-based transposition assays. The consensus sequence did not support enhanced transposition, suggesting alternative mechanisms responsible for the preferential amplification of these sequence variants in the salmon genome.
Translating large-scale climate variability into crop production forecast in Europe
Authors: Guimarães Nobre Gabriela , Hunink Johannes E. , Baruth Bettina , Aerts Jeroen C. J. H. , Ward Philip J.
Published: February 2019

Studies show that climate variability drives interannual changes in meteorological variables in Europe, which directly or indirectly impacts crop production. However, there is no climate-based decision model that uses indices of atmospheric oscillation to predict agricultural production risks in Europe on multiple time-scales during the growing season. We used Fast-and-Frugal trees to predict sugar beet production, applying five large-scale indices of atmospheric oscillation: El Niño Southern Oscillation, North Atlantic Oscillation, Scandinavian Pattern, East Atlantic Pattern, and East Atlantic/West Russian pattern. We found that Fast-and-Frugal trees predicted high/low sugar beet production events in 77% of the investigated regions, corresponding to 81% of total European sugar beet production. For nearly half of these regions, high/low production could be predicted six or five months before the start of the sugar beet harvesting season, which represents approximately 44% of the mean annual sugar beet produced in all investigated areas. Providing early warning of crop production shortages/excess allows decision makers to prepare in advance. Therefore, the use of the indices of climate variability to forecast crop production is a promising tool to strengthen European agricultural climate resilience.
Cyclability evaluation on Si based Negative Electrode in Lithium ion Battery by Graphite Phase Evolution: an operando X-ray diffraction study
Authors: Hu Chih-Wei , Chou Jyh-Pin , Hou Shang-Chieh , Hu Alice , Su Yu-Fan , Chen Tsan-Yao , Liew Wing-Keong , Liao Yen-Fa , Huang Jow-Lay , Chen Jin-Ming , Chang Chia-Chin
Published: February 2019

Artificial graphite (FSN) additive is employed as internal structural label for projecting cyclability of Si material native electrode in a mass ratio of Si/FSN = 1.0 in Li ion battery (LIB). Results of operando X-ray diffraction analysis on Si-FSN negative electrode in LIB demonstrate that one can evaluate the lithiation and delithiation affinity of active material by referring phase transition delay of graphite as affected by experimental splits in a formation process of LIB. We prove that a thin layer of surface amorphous structure and residual lattice strain are formed in Si by high energy ball-milling treatment. Those manipulations improve Li intercalation kinetics and thus enabling a capacity fading of less than 10% (from 1860 to 1650 mAhg−1) for Si negative electrode in 50 cycles. Of utmost importance, this study discloses a robust assessment for revealing mechanism on amorphous and strain related silicide formation and predicting cyclability of negative electrode by quantitative phase evolution rate of FSN additive in LIB.
IL-10 produced by macrophages regulates epithelial integrity in the small intestine
Authors: Morhardt Tina L. , Hayashi Atsushi , Ochi Takanori , Quirós Miguel , Kitamoto Sho , Nagao-Kitamoto Hiroko , Kuffa Peter , Atarashi Koji , Honda Kenya , Kao John Y. , Nusrat Asma , Kamada Nobuhiko
Published: February 2019

Macrophages (Mϕs) are known to be major producers of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) in the intestine, thus playing an important role in maintaining gastrointestinal homeostasis. Mϕs that reside in the small intestine (SI) have been previously shown to be regulated by dietary antigens, while colonic Mϕs are regulated by the microbiota. However, the role which resident Mϕs play in SI homeostasis has not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we show that SI Mϕs regulate the integrity of the epithelial barrier via secretion of IL-10. We used an animal model of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced SI epithelial injury to show that IL-10 is mainly produced by MHCII+ CD64+ Ly6Clow Mϕs early in injury and that it is involved in the restoration of the epithelial barrier. We found that a lack of IL-10, particularly its secretion by Mϕs, compromised the recovery of SI epithelial barrier. IL-10 production by MHCII+ CD64+ Ly6Clow Mϕs in the SI is not regulated by the gut microbiota, hence depletion of the microbiota did not influence epithelial regeneration in the SI. Collectively, these results highlight the critical role IL-10-producing Mϕs play in recovery from intestinal epithelial injury induced by NSAID.
UVA-activated riboflavin promotes collagen crosslinking to prevent root caries
Authors: Uemura R. , Miura J. , Ishimoto T. , Yagi K. , Matsuda Y. , Shimizu M. , Nakano T. , Hayashi M.
Published: February 2019

Root caries is an increasingly problem in aging societies with severe implications for the general health and wellbeing of large numbers of people. Strengthening type-I collagen, a major organic component of human dentin, has proved effective in preventing root caries. This study sought to determine whether exposure to riboflavin followed by UVA irradiation (RF/UVA) could promote additional collagen crosslinking, and thus improve the acid and enzymatic resistance of human dentin under simulated oral environments. If so, it could offer potential for treatment of the intractable problem of root caries. The greatest flexural strengths were found in dentin exposed to a 0.1% riboflavin solution for 1 minute followed by 1,600 mW/cm2UVA irradiation for 10 minutes. Mineral loss and lesion depth were significantly lower in the RF/UVA group than in the control group. The microstructures of dentinal tubules and collagen networks after RF/UVA treatment retained their original forms after acidic and enzymatic degradation. In conclusion, RF/UVA treatment may be a new method for preventing root caries with promising prospects for clinical application.
Elucidation of microstructural changes in leaves during senescence using spectral domain optical coherence tomography
Authors: Anna Tulsi , Chakraborty Sandeep , Cheng Chia-Yi , Srivastava Vishal , Chiou Arthur , Kuo Wen-Chuan
Published: February 2019

Leaf senescence provides a unique window to explore the age-dependent programmed degradation at organ label in plants. Here, spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) has been used to study in vivo senescing leaf microstructural changes in the deciduous plant Acer serrulatum Hayata. Hayata leaves show autumn phenology and change color from green to yellow and finally red. SD-OCT image analysis shows distinctive features among different layers of the leaves; merging of upper epidermis and palisade layers form thicker layers in red leaves compared to green leaves. Moreover, A-scan analysis showed a significant (p < 0.001) decrease in the attenuation coefficient (for wavelength range: 1100–1550 nm) from green to red leaves. In addition, the B-scan analysis also showed significant changes in 14 texture parameters extracted from second-order spatial gray level dependence matrix (SGLDM). Among these parameters, a set of three features (energy, skewness, and sum variance), capable of quantitatively distinguishing difference in the microstructures of three different colored leaves, has been identified. Furthermore, classification based on k-nearest neighbors algorithm (k-NN) was found to yield 98% sensitivity, 99% specificity, and 95.5% accuracy. Following the proposed technique, a portable noninvasive tool for quality control in crop management can be anticipated.
Hydrogen gas distribution in organs after inhalation: Real-time monitoring of tissue hydrogen concentration in rat
Authors: Yamamoto Ryo , Homma Koichiro , Suzuki Sayuri , Sano Motoaki , Sasaki Junichi
Published: February 2019

Hydrogen has therapeutic and preventive effects against various diseases. Although animal and clinical studies have reported promising results, hydrogen distribution in organs after administration remains unclear. Herein, the sequential changes in hydrogen concentration in tissues over time were monitored using a highly sensitive glass microsensor and continuous inhalation of 3% hydrogen gas. The hydrogen concentration was measured in the brain, liver, kidney, mesentery fat and thigh muscle of rats. The maximum concentration, time to saturation, and other measurements representing the dynamics of distribution were obtained from the concentration curves, and the results obtained for different organs were compared. The time to saturation was significantly longer (20.2 vs 6.3–9.4 min. P = 0.004 in all cases) and increased more gradually in muscle than in the other organs. The maximum concentration was the highest in liver and the lowest in the kidney (29.0 ± 2.6 vs 18.0 ± 2.2 μmol/L; P = 0.03 in all cases). The concentration varied significantly depending on the organ (P = 0.03). These results provide the fundamentals for elucidating the mechanisms underlying the in vivo favourable effects of hydrogen gas in mammalian systems.
Spectrum of Microbial Sequences and a Bacterial Cell Wall Antigen in Primary Demyelination Brain Specimens Obtained from Living Patients
Authors: Kriesel John D. , Bhetariya Preetida , Wang Zheng-Ming , Renner David , Palmer Cheryl , Fischer Kael F.
Published: February 2019

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by multiple lesions in the brain and spinal cord. We used RNA sequencing to identify microbial sequences and characterize human gene expression patterns in 30 human brain biopsy specimens. RNAs which aligned to known microbial taxa, were significantly enriched in 10 of 12 primary demyelination (MS) brain specimens compared to a group of 15 epilepsy controls, leading to a list of 29 MS microbial candidate genera from 11 different phyla. Most of the candidate MS microbes are anaerobic bacteria. While there were some shared candidates, each of the 10 MS samples with significant microbial RNA enrichment had a distinct set microbial candidates. The fraction of microbial sequencing reads was greater for the MS group (128.8 PPM) compared to the controls (77.4 PPM, p = 0.016). Bacterial peptidoglycan was demonstrated in brain tissue sections from several MS subjects. Human gene expression analysis showed increased expression of inflammation-related pathways in the MS group. This data shows that demyelinating brain lesions are associated with the presence of microbial RNA sequences and bacterial antigen. This suggests that MS is triggered by the presence of a diverse set of microbes within a lesion.
A Simple Method for Removal of Carbon Nanotubes from Wastewater Using Hypochlorite
Authors: Zhang Minfang , Deng Yinmei , Yang Mei , Nakajima Hideaki , Yudasaka Masako , Iijima Sumio , Okazaki Toshiya
Published: February 2019

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been applied in a wide range of fields, such as materials, electronics, energy storages, and biomedicine. With the rapid increase in CNTs industrialization, more and more CNT-containing wastewater is being produced. Since concerns about the toxic effects of CNTs on human health persist, CNT-containing wastewater should not be released into the environment without purification, but no effective methods have been reported. In the present study, we report a simple method to eliminate CNTs from industrial or laboratorial wastewater using sodium hypochlorite. Direct treatment of aqueous dispersions with sodium hypochlorite solution completely degraded CNTs into carbon oxides or carbonates ions. Since hypochlorite is environmentally friendly and frequently used as a disinfectant or bleaching agent in domestic cleaning, this method is practical for purification of CNT-contaminated industrial wastewater.
Classical and quantum conductivity in β-Ga2O3
Authors: Look David C. , Leedy Kevin D.
Published: February 2019

The conductivity σ, quantum-based magnetoconductivity Δσ = σ(B) − σ(0), and Hall coefficient RH (= µH/σ) of degenerate, homoepitaxial, (010) Si-doped β-Ga2O3, have been measured over a temperature range T = 9–320 K and magnetic field range B = 0–10 kG. With ten atoms in the unit cell, the normal-mode phonon structure of β-Ga2O3 is very complex, with optical-phonon energies ranging from kTpo ~ 20–100 meV. For heavily doped samples, the phonon spectrum is further modified by doping disorder. We explore the possibility of developing a single function Tpo(T) that can be incorporated into both quantum and classical scattering theory such that Δσ vs B, Δσ vs T, and µH vs T are all well fitted. Surprisingly, a relatively simple function, Tpo(T) = 1.6 × 103{1 − exp[−(T + 1)/170]} K, works well for β-Ga2O3 without any additional fitting parameters. In contrast, Δσ vs T in degenerate ScN, which has only one optical phonon branch, is well fitted with a constant Tpo = 550 K. These results indicate that quantum conductivity enables an understanding of classical conductivity in disordered, multi-phonon semiconductors.
An Implantable Ultrasonically-Powered Micro-Light-Source (µLight) for Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Kim Albert , Zhou Jiawei , Samaddar Shayak , Song Seung Hyun , Elzey Bennet D. , Thompson David H. , Ziaie Babak
Published: February 2019

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising cancer treatment modality that can selectively target unresectable tumors through optical activation of cytotoxic agents, thus reducing many side effects associated with systemic administration of chemotherapeutic drugs. However, limited light penetration into most biological tissues have so far prevented its widespread adoption beyond dermatology and a few other oncological applications in which a fiber optic can be threaded to the desired locations via an endoscopic approach (e.g., bladder). In this paper, we introduce an ultrasonically powered implantable microlight source, μLight, which enables in-situ localized light delivery to deep-seated solid tumors. Ultrasonic powering allows for small receiver form factor (mm-scale) and power transfer deep into the tissue (several centimeters). The implants consist of piezoelectric transducers measuring 2 × 2 × 2 mm3 and 2 × 4 × 2 mm3 with surface-mounted miniature red and blue LEDs. When energized with 185 mW/cm2 of transmitted acoustic power at 720 kHz, μLight can generate 0.048 to 6.5 mW/cm2 of optical power (depending on size of the piezoelectric element and light wavelength spectrum). This allows powering multiple receivers to a distance of 10 cm at therapeutic light output levels (a delivery of 20–40 J/cm2 light radiation dose in 1–2 hours). In vitro tests show that HeLa cells irradiated with μLights undergo a 70% decrease in average cell viability as compared to the control group. In vivo tests in mice implanted with 4T1-induced tumors (breast cancer) show light delivery capability at therapeutic dose levels. Overall, results indicate implanting multiple µLights and operating them for 1–2 hours can achieve cytotoxicity levels comparable to the clinically reported cases using external light sources.
Pharmacophore-guided discovery of CDC25 inhibitors causing cell cycle arrest and tumor regression
Authors: Kabakci Zeynep , Käppeli Simon , Cantù Claudio , Jensen Lasse D. , König Christiane , Toggweiler Janine , Gentili Christian , Ribaudo Giovanni , Zagotto Giuseppe , Basler Konrad , Pinna Lorenzo A. , Cozza Giorgio , Ferrari Stefano
Published: February 2019

CDC25 phosphatases play a key role in cell cycle transitions and are important targets for cancer therapy. Here, we set out to discover novel CDC25 inhibitors. Using a combination of computational methods, we defined a minimal common pharmacophore in established CDC25 inhibitors and performed virtual screening of a proprietary library. Based on the availability of crystal structures for CDC25A and CDC25B, we implemented a molecular docking strategy and carried out hit expansion/optimization. Enzymatic assays revealed that naphthoquinone scaffolds were the most promising CDC25 inhibitors among selected hits. At the molecular level, the compounds acted through a mixed-type mechanism of inhibition of phosphatase activity, involving reversible oxidation of cysteine residues. In 2D cell cultures, the compounds caused arrest of the cell cycle at the G1/S or at the G2/M transition. Mitotic markers analysis and time-lapse microscopy confirmed that CDK1 activity was impaired and that mitotic arrest was followed by death. Finally, the compounds induced differentiation, accompanied by decreased stemness properties, in intestinal crypt stem cell-derived Apc/K-Ras-mutant mouse organoids, and led to tumor regression and reduction of metastatic potential in zebrafish embryo xenografts used as in vivo model.
Vortex conveyor belt for matter-wave coherent splitting and interferometry
Authors: Liu Jixun , Wang Xi , Mellado Muñoz Jorge , Kowalczyk Anna , Barontini Giovanni
Published: February 2019

We numerically study a matter wave interferometer realized by splitting a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate with phase imprinting. We show that a simple step-like imprinting pattern rapidly decays into a string of vortices that can generate opposite velocities on the two halves of the condensate. We first study in detail the splitting and launching effect of these vortex structures, whose functioning resembles the one of a conveyor belt, and we show that the initial exit velocity along the vortex conveyor belt can be controlled continuously by adjusting the vortex distance. We finally characterize the complete interferometric sequence, demonstrating how the phase of the resulting interference fringe can be used to measure an external acceleration. The proposed scheme has the potential to be developed into compact and high precision accelerometers.
Tackling the re-emergence of wheat stem rust in Western Europe
Authors: Saunders Diane G. O. , Pretorius Zacharias A. , Hovmøller Mogens S.
Published: February 2019

In our recent Communications Biology article, we reported the first occurrence of wheat stem rust in the UK in nearly six decades. An increased incidence of wheat stem rust in Western Europe, caused by the fungus Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, could signify the return of this formidable foe. As pathologists fight back against this devastating disease we outline the continuing research and strategies being employed to bridle its onslaught.
Publisher Correction: SnRK2 protein kinases represent an ancient system in plants for adaptation to a terrestrial environment
Authors: Shinozawa Akihisa , Otake Ryoko , Takezawa Daisuke , Umezawa Taishi , Komatsu Kenji , Tanaka Keisuke , Amagai Anna , Ishikawa Shinnosuke , Hara Yurie , Kamisugi Yasuko , Cuming Andrew C. , Hori Koichi , Ohta Hiroyuki , Takahashi Fuminori , Shinozaki Kazuo , Hayashi Takahisa , Taji Teruaki , Sakata Yoichi
Published: February 2019

In the original published PDF version of the article, the labels on the graphs in Figure 2c were inadvertently swapped. The error has been corrected in the PDF.
Effective imprinting of an anticancer drug, 6-thioguanine,viamussel-inspired self-polymerization of dopamine over reduced graphene oxide
Authors: Zaidi Shabi Abbas
Published: February 2019

Apart from being a vital catecholamine molecule responsible for the proper functioning of the central nervous system (CNS), hormonal and renal systems, dopamine (DA) has also been increasingly employed as a functional monomer in the fabrication of surface molecular imprinting polymers (MIPs) for valuable analytes.
Determination of urea concentration using urease-containing polyelectrolyte microcapsules
Authors: Kim Aleksandr L. , Musin Egor V. , Dubrovskii Alexey V. , Tikhonenko Sergey A.
Published: February 2019

A diagnostic system of multiple use for urea based on polyelectrolyte microcapsules.
Reductive microenvironment responsive gadolinium-based polymers as potential safe MRI contrast agents
Authors: Guo Shiwei , Xiao Xueyang , Wang Xiaoming , Luo Qiang , Zhu Hongyan , Zhang Hu , Li Haonan , Gong Qiyong , Luo Kui
Published: February 2019

A ROX and enzyme-responsive biodegradable gadolinium-based mCA was prepared, demonstrating a short gadolinium retention time and sufficient MRI contrast efficacy in tumors.
Phthalocyanine functionalized poly(glycidyl methacrylate) nano-assemblies for photodynamic inactivation of bacteria
Authors: Tong Wei , Xiong Yanhua , Duan Shun , Ding Xiaokang , Xu Fu-Jian
Published: February 2019

Self-assembled PGED-Pc nanoparticles are able to inactivate bacteria via the generation of reactive oxygen species in aqueous solution, while a facile immobilization strategy sheds light on the engineering of self-sterilizing surfaces to combat bacterial infections.
Micelle carriers based on dendritic macromolecules containing bis-MPA and glycine for antimalarial drug delivery
Authors: Martí Coma-Cros Elisabet , Lancelot Alexandre , San Anselmo María , Neves Borgheti-Cardoso Livia , Valle-Delgado Juan José , Serrano José Luis , Fernàndez-Busquets Xavier , Sierra Teresa
Published: February 2019

Biocompatible dendrimer-based carriers suitable for antimalarial drug transport: cell targeting and in vitro and in vivo analysis of Plasmodium growth inhibition.
Tuning of the exchange interaction and the Curie temperature by mixed crystal formation of the bridging anionic ligands
Authors: Neumann Tristan , Rams Michał , Tomkowicz Zbigniew , Jess Inke , Näther Christian
Published: February 2019

A strategy to continuously tune the exchange constant J and the critical temperature Tc in the 1D coordination polymers [Co(NCS)x(NCSe)2−x(pyridine)2]n is reported. For such mixed crystals, prepared by annealing and from solution, an increase of J and Tc with increasing selenocyanate content is observed.
A mixed molecular salt of lithium and sodium breaks the Hume-Rothery rules for solid solutions
Authors: Lestari Monica , Lusi Matteo
Published: February 2019

Despite the difference in size and chemistry, lithium and sodium form a solid solution as isoorotate salt. Such behaviour, which represents an exception to the Hume-Rothery rules, can be exploited in the preparation of novel lithium drugs.
A visible-light-induced oxidative cyclization of N-propargylanilines with sulfinic acids to 3-sulfonated quinoline derivatives without external photocatalysts
Authors: Zhang Yicheng , Chen Wei , Jia Xueshun , Wang Lei , Li Pinhua
Published: February 2019

A visible-light-induced oxidative cyclization of N-propargyl anilines with sulfinic acids to 3-sulfonated quinoline derivatives was developed under external photocatalyst-free conditions.
Silver-catalyzed decarboxylative radical cascade cyclization toward benzimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-6(5H)-ones
Authors: Sun Kai , Li Shi-Jun , Chen Xiao-Lan , Liu Yan , Huang Xian-Qiang , Wei Dong-Hui , Qu Ling-Bo , Zhao Yu-Fen , Yu Bing
Published: February 2019

A decarboxylative radical addition/cyclization strategy was developed, by which a wide range of benzimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinoline-6(5H)-ones were prepared via reaction of 2-arylbenzoimidazoles and carboxylic acids.
Computational design of CO-tolerant Pt3M anode electrocatalysts for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells
Authors: Liu Yulu , Duan Zhiyao , Henkelman Graeme
Published: February 2019

Surface phase diagram for Pt3Mo indicating suitable conditions for CO oxidation.
Effect of bicarbonate and phosphate on arsenic release from mining-impacted sediments in the Cheyenne River watershed, South Dakota, USA
Authors: DeVore Cherie L. , Rodriguez-Freire Lucia , Mehdi-Ali Abdul , Ducheneaux Carlyle , Artyushkova Kateryna , Zhou Zhe , Latta Drew E. , Lueth Virgil W. , Gonzales Melissa , Lewis Johnnye , Cerrato José M.
Published: February 2019

We investigated the effect of competing environmentally relevant anions (PO43−,HCO3−) on the release of As from solids (WW, DR) collected from the Cheyenne River watershed exposed to surface oxidizing conditions.
Evolution of the reactive surface area of ferrihydrite: time, pH, and temperature dependency of growth by Ostwald ripening
Authors: Hiemstra Tjisse , Mendez Juan C. , Li Jiayu
Published: February 2019

Surface area is a crucial property of ferrihydrite that has been assessed by probing it with PO4.
ISE-ammonium sensors in WRRFs: field assessment of their influencing factors
Authors: Cecconi Francesca , Reifsnyder Samuel , Ito Yuichi , Jimenez Margil , Sobhani Reza , Rosso Diego
Published: February 2019

Real-time quantification of the ammonium content in water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) has received attention in recent years for both monitoring and process control.
Alleviation of paraquat-induced oxidative lung injury by betaineviaregulation of sulfur-containing amino acid metabolism despite the lack of betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) in the lung
Authors: Na Jong Deok , Choi Yeo Jin , Jun Doo Sung , Kim Young Chul
Published: February 2019

Betaine regulates sulfur-containing amino acid metabolism in the lung despite the lack of BHMT and increases pulmonary antioxidant capacity.
Phenolic profiles and anti-inflammatory activities of sixteen table grape (Vitis viniferaL.) varieties
Authors: Colombo Francesca , Di Lorenzo Chiara , Regazzoni Luca , Fumagalli Marco , Sangiovanni Enrico , Peres de Sousa Luís , Bavaresco Luigi , Tomasi Diego , Bosso Antonella , Aldini Giancarlo , Restani Patrizia , Dell'Agli Mario
Published: February 2019

Fresh grapes contain phenolic compounds that have shown to exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities at gastric level.
Zein-based core–shell microcapsules for the potential delivery of algae oil and lipophilic compounds
Authors: Chen Jia-Feng , Chen Xiao-Wei , Guo Jian , Yang Xiao-Quan
Published: February 2019

Algae oil-core zein-shell micro-capsules with tunable shell thicknesses were prepared at a low temperature for controlling fragrance release.
Heterogeneous viologen catalysts for metal-free and selective oxidations
Authors: Hou Shengtai , Chen Nanqing , Zhang Pengfei , Dai Sheng
Published: February 2019

Metal-free oxidation, a green chemistry process, has drawn significant attention from catalysis researchers.
Self-digitization chip for quantitative detection of human papillomavirus gene using digital LAMP
Authors: Kreutz Jason E. , Wang Jiasi , Sheen Allison M. , Thompson Alison M. , Staheli Jeannette P. , Dyen Michael R. , Feng Qinghua , Chiu Daniel T.
Published: February 2019

Digital nucleic acid amplification and detection methods provide excellent sensitivity and specificity and allow absolute quantification of target nucleic acids.
Interfacial friction-induced electronic excitation mechanism for tribo-tunneling current generation
Authors: Liu Jun , Jiang Keren , Nguyen Lan , Li Zhi , Thundat Thomas
Published: February 2019

Strong interfacial electronic excitation may be induced by Schottky sliding contact, giving rise to direct-current generation with high current density (J, on the order of 100 A m−2).
Electronic properties of a PrPC–Cu(ii) complex as a marker of 5-fold Cu(ii) coordination
Authors: Nowakowski Michał , Czapla-Masztafiak Joanna , Zhukov Igor , Zhukova Lilia , Kozak Maciej , Kwiatek Wojciech M
Published: February 2019

Human prion protein is a subject of extensive study, related in particular to the molecular basis of neurodegenerative disease development and prevention. This protein has two main domains: the membrane C-terminal, structured domain as well as the unstructured N-terminal domain. While PrPC (23–231) has up to eight Cu(ii) binding sites in the N-terminal domain, it includes a characteristic, conservative octarepeat region PHGGGWGQ, which was studied by means of X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy. The measurements were conducted at the SuperXAS beamline (SLS, PSI, Villigen). For the initial 1 : 1 protein-to-Cu(ii) ratio, the two main Cu(ii) binding modes were identified using linear combination fitting and ab initio FEFF calculations for X-ray spectra. Their electronic structures indicated that Cu(ii) coordinated by strong π-donors could effectively suppress the pre-edge structure due to the filling of empty Cu(ii) d-states. The suppression was correlated with the charge transfer effect and filling of the virtual electronic Cu(ii) states. What is more, we showed that the 1s → 4p + LMCT (Ligand-to-Metal-Charge-Transfer) multielectron transition relation with the main edge transition could be used as a marker for preliminary comparison of an unknown organic compound to a reference. The presented results permitted a possible explanation of the mechanism of choosing the preferred Cu(ii) modes in PrPC–Cu(ii) coordination processes and of the complex stability from the electronic point of view.
Synthesis, photophysical and electroluminescent properties of iridium(iii) complexes with 2-aryl-thiazole and oxadiazol-substituted amide derivative ligands
Authors: Yang Jiali , Zhang Fuli , Dong Xiaobin , Yu Bo , Zhang Mengyang , Wei Donghui , Li Zhongyi , Wei Bin , Zhang Chi , Li Suzhi , Cao Guangxiu , Zhai Bin
Published: February 2019

Greenish yellow and yellow to orange phosphorescent iridium(iii) complexes have been synthesized and fully characterized with respect to their electrochemical, photophysical and device optoelectronic properties.
Coordination of Nd(iii) and Eu(iii) with monodentate organophosphorus ligands in ionic liquids: spectroscopy and thermodynamics
Authors: Dang Jiahao , Duan Wuhua , Wu Wenchao , Sun Taoxiang , Li Youzhen , Pu Ning , Xu Lei , Chen Jing , Xu Chao
Published: February 2019

The thermodynamics and coordination nature of the complexes of Ln(iii) with three monodentate organophosphorus ligands in ionic liquids have been elucidated and illustrated by spectroscopic and calorimetric techniques.
Branching effect on triphenylamine-CF3 cyanostilbenes: enhanced emission and aggregation in water
Authors: Kumari Beena , Singh Surya Pratap , Santosh Ranga , Dutta Arnab , Mallajosyula Sairam S. , Ghosal Subhas , Kanvah Sriram
Published: February 2019

Aggregation-induced emission and gelation behavior of symmetric and asymmetric triphenylamines
Preparation of tea polyphenol-modified copper nanoclusters to promote the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 in high glucose microenvironment
Authors: Zhang Peng , Li Dan , Chen Guanyu , Mei Xifan , Zhang Jie , Chen Zhenhua
Published: February 2019

Monodisperse, ultra-small copper nanoclusters (ca. 1.8 nm) were prepared by using tea polyphenols (TP) as both the reducing and capping reagent.
Upconversion luminescence enhancement and lifetime based thermometry of Na(Gd/Lu)F4solid solutions
Authors: Yao Lu , Li Yongjin , Xu Dekang , Lin Hao , Peng Yan , Yang Shenghong , Zhang Yueli
Published: February 2019

Upconversion luminescence and lifetime based thermal sensing performance enhancements of NaGdF4are achieved by a simple solid solution strategy.
Fabrication of multi-material 3D structures by the integration of direct laser writing and MEMS stencil patterning
Authors: Reeves Jeremy B. , Jayne Rachael K. , Barrett Lawrence , White Alice E. , Bishop David J.
Published: February 2019

MEMS stencil patterning coupled with direct laser writing is used to fabricate 3D microstructures with nanoscale metallic elements.
Hybrid organic nanocrystal/carbon nanotube film electrodes for air- and photo-stable perovskite photovoltaics
Authors: Siram Raja Bhaskar Kanth , Khenkin Mark V. , Niazov-Elkan Angelica , K. M. Anoop , Weissman Haim , Katz Eugene A. , Visoly-Fisher Iris , Rybtchinski Boris
Published: February 2019

Perylenediimide/carbon nanotube films solution-fabricated in air were used as back contacts for CsPbBr3 solar cells resulting in excellent outdoor performance.
Morphological and crystallographic orientation of hematite spindles in an applied magnetic field
Authors: Zákutná Dominika , Falke Yannic , Dresen Dominique , Prévost Sylvain , Bender Philipp , Honecker Dirk , Disch Sabrina
Published: February 2019

The magnetic response of spindle-shaped hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles was investigated by simultaneous small-angle and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) experiments.
An ultranarrow SPR linewidth in the UV region for plasmonic sensing
Authors: Zheng Jie , Yang Weimin , Wang Jingyu , Zhu Jinfeng , Qian Lihua , Yang Zhilin
Published: February 2019

An ultranarrow linewidth of 14 nm can be obtained in the UV region with simple and stable-state 2D Al plasmonic arrays.
Direct observation of the fast and robust folding of a slipknotted protein by optical tweezers
Authors: He Chengzhi , Li Shuai , Gao Xiaoqing , Xiao Adam , Hu Chunguang , Hu Xiaodong , Hu Xiaotang , Li Hongbin
Published: February 2019

The folding of the slipknotted protein AFV3-109 is fast and does not involve a high topological barrier.
A multi-component Cu2O@FePO4 core–cage structure to jointly promote fast electron transfer toward the highly sensitive in situ detection of nitric oxide
Authors: Zhang Yuhuan , Lu Shi-Yu , Shi Zhuanzhuan , Zhao Zhi Liang , Liu Qian , Gao Jie-Chang , Liang Taotao , Zou Zhuo , Li Chang Ming
Published: February 2019

Core–cage Cu2O@FePO4 nanocomposites for the highly sensitive in situ detection of nitric oxide.
Boosting photochemical activity by Ni doping of mesoporous CoO nanoparticle assemblies
Authors: Velegraki Georgia , Vamvasakis Ioannis , Papadas Ioannis T. , Tsatsos Sotiris , Pournara Anastasia , Manos Manolis J. , Choulis Stelios A. , Kennou Stella , Kopidakis Georgios , Armatas Gerasimos S.
Published: February 2019

Mesoporous Ni-implanted CoO nanoparticle assemblies possessing a suitable electronic structure and large mesoporosity deliver highly efficient photocatalytic Cr(vi) reduction and water oxidation activity.