bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A lacustrine record of East Asian summer monsoon and atmospheric dust loading since the last interglaciation from Lake Xingkai, northeast China
Authors: Sun Weiwei , Shen Ji , Yu Shi-Yong , Long Hao , Zhang Enlou , Liu Enfeng , Chen Rong
Published: October 2017

A 336-cm-long sediment core spanning the last 130 ka was recovered from Lake Xingkai on the northeastern margin of the East Asian summer monsoon domain to reveal the linkage between lacustrine depositional processes and environmental changes. Bayesian end member modeling analysis was conducted to partition and interpret the grain-size distributions of Lake Xingkai sediments. Our results suggest that the sedimentary system is characterized by three end members (EMs). EM1 and EM2, with a modal value of 13 and 10 μm, respectively, indicate the variation of local hydraulic conditions. EM3, with a modal value of 5 μm, reflects the background atmospheric dust loading. High atmospheric dust concentration generally occurred during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5d, MIS 4, and early MIS 3, when the climate in the Asian dust source region was cold and dry. In contrast, low dust concentration prevailed during MIS 2, likely due to the southward shift of the westerlies driven by maximum ice volume in the high latitudes.
A maternal high-fat, high-sucrose diet alters insulin sensitivity and expression of insulin signalling and lipid metabolism genes and proteins in male rat offspring: effect of folic acid supplementation
Authors: Cuthbert Candace E. , Foster Jerome E. , Ramdath D. Dan
Published: October 2017

A maternal high-fat, high-sucrose (HFS) diet alters offspring glucose and lipid homoeostasis through unknown mechanisms and may be modulated by folic acid. We investigated the effect of a maternal HFS diet on glucose homoeostasis, expression of genes and proteins associated with insulin signalling and lipid metabolism and the effect of prenatal folic acid supplementation (HFS/F) in male rat offspring. Pregnant Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly fed control (CON), HFS or HFS/F diets. Offspring were weaned on CON; at postnatal day 70, fasting plasma insulin and glucose and liver and skeletal muscle gene and protein expression were measured. Treatment effects were assessed by one-way ANOVA. Maternal HFS diet induced higher fasting glucose in offspringv. HFS/F (P=0·027) and down-regulation (P<0·05) of genes coding for v-Akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog 2, resistin and v-Raf-1 murine leukaemia viral oncogene homolog 1 (Raf1) in offspring skeletal muscle and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (Acaca), fatty acid synthase and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-biphosphate 3-kinase, catalytic subunitβin offspring liver. Skeletal muscle neuropeptide Y and hepatic Kruppel-like factor 10 were up-regulated in HFSv. CON offspring (P<0·05). Compared with CON,AcacaandRaf1protein expression levels were significantly lower in HFS offspring. Maternal HFS induced higher homoeostasis model of assessment index of insulin resistancev. CON (P=0·030) and HFS/F was associated with higher insulin (P=0·016) and lower glucose (P=0·025). Maternal HFS diet alters offspring insulin sensitivity andde novohepatic lipogenesis via altered gene and protein expression, which appears to be potentiated by folate supplementation.
Sennacherib's northern Assyrian canals: New insights from satellite imagery and aerial photography
Authors: Ur Jason
Published: October 2017

In discussions of the agricultural economies of ancient Mesopotamia, scholars commonly make a sharp distinction between intensive irrigation in the south and extensive rain-fed farming in the north (Weiss 1986; Bagg 2000: 283). In popular as well as academic publications Babylonia is strongly associated with canals, and when one thinks of large state-sponsored initiatives the massive integrated network of canals built by the Sasanian rulers of southern Mesopotamia (Adams 1978) normally springs to mind first. However, since the mid-nineteenth century archaeology and epigraphy have documented the great irrigation schemes of the Neo-Assyrian kings. The inscriptions of Sennacherib in particular refer proudly to his great network of canals, and often describe them in the context of luxurious gardens and parks. The inscriptions make mention of the waters' use for vegetable garden plots and, less frequently, for grain fields above and below Nineveh.
A pathway to recovery: the Critically Endangered Sumatran tigerPanthera tigris sumatraein an ‘in danger’ UNESCO World Heritage Site
Authors: Pusparini Wulan , Batubara Timbul , Surahmat Fahrudin , Ardiantiono  , Sugiharti Tri , Muslich Muhammad , Amama Fahrul , Marthy William , Andayani Noviar
Published: October 2017

Reliable information on wildlife populations and the threats they face is crucial for assessing the performance of conservation strategies. As part of its efforts to improve the effectiveness of Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia, and aid the recovery of flagship species, the Park's management authority designated a 1,000 km2forest block an Intensive Protection Zone. To set a baseline from which to evaluate the performance of this zone, we investigated the density of tigersPanthera tigris sumatrae, and spatio-temporal interactions between tigers, their principle prey and threats. The estimated density of tigers was 2.8 per 100 km2, whereas in 2002 camera-trapping failed to record any tigers in the Intensive Protection Zone. We found the study area contained a rich prey base, with muntjac deerMuntiacus muntjak, macaquesMacaca nemestrinaand wild pigsSus scrofaoccupying 85–98% of the area, and sambarRusa unicolor61%. Despite these promising findings we also recorded a relatively high number of people entering the Park illegally, with 77 incidents over 6 months, of which 20% involved armed poachers. The poachers operated mainly at night and were concentrated in two locations. Law enforcement patrol teams were active during the day, and therefore had little overlap with the poachers. Prioritizing these at-risk areas for increased protection by rangers would further secure the Intensive Protection Zone, and expanding ranger activity across the Park would support efforts to remove the Park from UNESCO's List of World Heritage In Danger.
Numerical investigation of the influence of wavefront distortion on the laser near-field characteristics
Authors: Li S. , Lu Z. , Fan X. , Ding L.
Published: October 2017

The effect of the initial phase distortion of the laser on near-field transmission characteristics in free space is investigated both numerically and theoretically. It is demonstrated and proposed that the near-field modulation and fluence contrast of the output laser beam are changing with the increase of both spatial low- and high-frequency wavefront distortion. The simulation results show that in order to ensure the beam quality in propagation, the Fresnel number should be controlled not <50 generally and the wavefront distortion should also be minimized by controlling both low- and high-frequency phase coefficient not larger than 0.6.
Rethinking the Nineteenth-Century Domestication of the Sharīʿa: Marriage and Family in the Imaginary of Classical Legal Thought and the Genealogy of (Muslim) Personal Law in Late Colonial India
Authors: Chaudhry Faisal
Published: October 2017

This article situates the ‘personal law’ in late colonial India in the nineteenth-century genealogy of the idea of ‘family law.’ In doing so, it also looks at a case between Indian Muslim spouses before the judge and Islamic modernist Syed Mahmood. Involving the doctrine of the restitution of conjugal rights, the case was conducted in the shadow of a question about whether marriage was a status or contract that had a much wider resonance in the late nineteenth-century Anglo-common law world. The overall goal of the article is to critically reconsider a common view about legal modernization in the long nineteenth-century Islamicate world as a process of domesticating the Islamicsharīʿatradition to the sphere of family affairs and personal status. Working along a distinct path from other new scholarship that is moving past this thesis, I suggest that domestication should be seen as part of what some have called the globalization of classical legal thought after 1850. Because the era of domestication continued to be an important point of reference for later exponents of political Islam the article also argues that seeing the categories of personal law and family law genealogically has implications for the problem of translation that has often made scholars reticent about striking an equivalence between ‘Islamic law’ andsharīʿa(or beyond the Islamicate world, between ‘modern law’ and Afro-Asian juridical tradition).
Relationships between livestock grazing practices, disease risk, and antimicrobial use among East African Agropastoralists
Authors: Ahmed Haseeb , Call Douglas R. , Quinlan Robert J. , Yoder Jonathan K.
Published: October 2017

Livestock health is economically important for agropastoral households whose wealth is held partly as livestock. Households can invest in disease prevention and treatment, but livestock disease risk is also affected by grazing practices that result in inter-herd contact and disease transmission in regions with endemic communicable diseases. This paper examines the relationships between communal grazing and antimicrobial use in Maasai, Chagga and Arusha households in northern Tanzania. We develop a theoretical model of the economic connection between communal grazing, disease transmission risk, risk perceptions, and antimicrobial use, and derive testable hypotheses about these connections. Regression results suggest that history of disease and communal grazing are associated with higher subjective disease risk and greater antimicrobial use. We discuss the implications of these results in light of the potential for relatively high inter-herd disease transmission rates among communal grazers and potential contributions to antimicrobial resistance due to antimicrobial use.
President Park Geun-Hye of South Korea: A Woman President without Women?
Authors: Lee Young-Im , Jalalzai Farida
Published: October 2017

This article explores the first female president of South Korea, Park Geun-Hye, and her substantive representation of women. Though Park is one of many women executives from Asia taking the family route to power, her presidency still may lead to the implementation of women-friendly policies once elected. Park's government has expanded women-related policy areas first developed by previous progressive governments, but not consistently. Though mixed, her performance shows improvement over the previous conservative president, who shares Park's party affiliation. Since we can control for partisanship, Park administration's efforts on behalf of women prove particularly compelling. While advantaged by her political lineage, her government offers important policy benefits to women.
Queer Harlem, Queer Tashkent: Langston Hughes's “Boy Dancers of Uzbekistan”
Authors: Wilson Jennifer
Published: October 2017

In Langston Hughes's 1934 essay “Boy Dancers of Uzbekistan,” (published inTravelmagazine), the author writes mournfully about the Soviet reforms that put an end to the practice of effeminized male dancers,bachi, performing in the teahouses of Central Asia for exclusively male audiences; in doing so, Hughes expresses an enthusiasm for the queer contours of thebachitradition. This article connects that enthusiasm with Hughes's earlier involvement in cultural efforts aimed at increasing queer visibility within the black community during the Harlem Renaissance. By situating “Boy Dancers” in this context, the underexplored role of the Russian Revolution in fostering queer solidarity among global communities of color is highlighted.
The Russian Revolution and the Instrumentalization of Death
Authors: Malysheva Svetlana
Published: October 2017

The article analyzes the instrumentalization of death during the first two decades after the 1917 Russian Revolution. The Bolsheviks made use of two trends in the culture of death that took shape during the First World War. One, a cult of the dead communist “leaders and heroes”, and two, the minimalist, non-religious, pragmatic treatment of the dead recommended for “ordinary” citizens, who were supposed to help build new Soviet hierarchies. As a result, by the end of the 1930s, a peculiar hybrid mass culture of death took shape that combined the surviving religious tradition with elements of the Soviet cult.
Russian Revolutions in Print: The Fate of the Ethnic Press
Authors: Lenkart Joseph
Published: October 2017

On October 28, 1917, Izvestiia published V.I. Lenin's directive on printing, which articulated his vision for reshaping the printing press as the “inseparable” literary organ of the party. Although Lenin's views on printing and publishing were known to his close associates, this directive outlined a clear process upon which the party was able to base its revolutionary goal of total consolidation, thus reshaping local publishing cultures and determining the fate of the ethnic press during and after the Russian Revolution. The end goal of this process was to create an extensive publishing apparatus, which was subservient to party orthodoxy and homogeneity. This article discusses the consolidation of the ethnic press by highlighting the case of the Tatar printing press during the early Soviet period.
5 = 100: Long Live the “Filologicheskaia Revoliutsiia”
Authors: Fratto Elena
Published: October 2017

In his pamphlet 5 = 100, published inKnizhnyi ugolin 1922, Boris Eikhenbaum looked back at the first few years of Formalist activity in parallel to the recent social and political upheavals, and compared the deep renovation that the OPOIAZ (Obshchestvo izucheniia poeticheskogo iazyka) circle was bringing about in the field of literary studies to the revolutions that had shaken and transformed the country in 1917. He defined the emergence of the Formal method as afilologicheskaia revoliutsiia. The correlation was not just a seductive metaphor, and not only did it gesture at the principle of the scholar as a public figure—one that the Russian Formalists, with their active participation and transformation of the cultural scene of their city and country, fully embodied. With this essay I aim to unpack Eikhenbaum's concept offilologicheskaia revoliutsiiain its manifold declensions—on the one hand, I will foreground the profound connections between the political turmoil of the late 1910s and the powerful recasting of methods and approaches that the Formalists brought about in the field of cultural studies; on the other, I will highlight the “permanent revolution” that their theories have set in motion by exploring their rich heritage a hundred years after 1917.
Control of Volunteer Horseradish and Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) with Dicamba and Glyphosate
Authors: Jenkins Matthew E. , Krausz Ronald F. , Matthews Joseph L. , Gage Karla L. , Walters S. Alan
Published: October 2017

Management of volunteer horseradish is a challenge when it is grown in rotation with other crops, such as corn and soybean. Although volunteer horseradish may not cause yield loss, these plants serve as hosts for various soilborne pathogens that damage subsequent horseradish crops. In addition to volunteer horseradish, glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth is becoming difficult to control in southwestern Illinois, as a consequence of the plant’s ability to withstand glyphosate and drought, produce many seeds, and grow rapidly. Field studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of glyphosate and dicamba on volunteer horseradish and Palmer amaranth control in 2014 and 2015. Glyphosate alone (1,265 and 1,893 g ae ha−1) and glyphosate plus dicamba at the high rate (1,680 g ae ha−1) provided the greatest volunteer horseradish control, ranging from 81% to 89% and 90% to 93%, respectively. Measures of root biomass reduction followed similar trends. Glyphosate alone provided the greatest reduction in volunteer horseradish root viability (79% to 100%) but was similar in efficacy to applications of glyphosate plus dicamba in most comparisons. Efficacy of PRE-only applications on Palmer amaranth control ranged from 92% to 99% control in 2014 and 68% to 99% in 2015. However, PRE-only applications were often similar in efficacy to PRE followed by (fb) glyphosate plus dicamba applied POST. Treatments containing flumioxazin did not control Palmer amaranth as well as other treatments. POST applications alone were not effective in managing Palmer amaranth. Many of the PRE fb POST treatment options tested will improve resistance management over PRE-only treatments, provide control of Palmer amaranth, and allow horseradish to be planted the following spring.
Multi-wavelength anomalous diffraction de novo phasing using a two-colour X-ray free-electron laser with wide tunability
Authors: Gorel Alexander , Motomura Koji , Fukuzawa Hironobu , Doak R. Bruce , Grünbein Marie Luise , Hilpert Mario , Inoue Ichiro , Kloos Marco , Kovácsová Gabriela , Nango Eriko , Nass Karol , Roome Christopher M. , Shoeman Robert L. , Tanaka Rie , Tono Kensuke , Joti Yasumasa , Yabashi Makina , Iwata So , Foucar Lutz , Ueda Kiyoshi , Barends Thomas R. M. , Schlichting Ilme
Published: October 2017

Serial femtosecond crystallography at X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) offers unprecedented possibilities for macromolecular structure determination of systems prone to radiation damage. However, de novo structure determination, i.e., without prior structural knowledge, is complicated by the inherent inaccuracy of serial femtosecond crystallography data. By its very nature, serial femtosecond crystallography data collection entails shot-to-shot fluctuations in X-ray wavelength and intensity as well as variations in crystal size and quality that must be averaged out. Hence, to obtain accurate diffraction intensities for de novo phasing, large numbers of diffraction patterns are required, and, concomitantly large volumes of sample and long X-ray free-electron laser beamtimes. Here we show that serial femtosecond crystallography data collected using simultaneous two-colour X-ray free-electron laser pulses can be used for multiple wavelength anomalous dispersion phasing. The phase angle determination is significantly more accurate than for single-colour phasing. We anticipate that two-colour multiple wavelength anomalous dispersion phasing will enhance structure determination of difficult-to-phase proteins at X-ray free-electron lasers.
Breakdown of magnons in a strongly spin-orbital coupled magnet
Authors: Winter Stephen M. , Riedl Kira , Maksimov Pavel A. , Chernyshev Alexander L. , Honecker Andreas , Valentí Roser
Published: October 2017

The description of quantized collective excitations stands as a landmark in the quantum theory of condensed matter. A prominent example occurs in conventional magnets, which support bosonic magnons—quantized harmonic fluctuations of the ordered spins. In striking contrast is the recent discovery that strongly spin-orbital-coupled magnets, such as α-RuCl3, may display a broad excitation continuum inconsistent with conventional magnons. Due to incomplete knowledge of the underlying interactions unraveling the nature of this continuum remains challenging. The most discussed explanation refers to a coherent continuum of fractional excitations analogous to the celebrated Kitaev spin liquid. Here, we present a more general scenario. We propose that the observed continuum represents incoherent excitations originating from strong magnetic anharmonicity that naturally occurs in such materials. This scenario fully explains the observed inelastic magnetic response of α-RuCl3 and reveals the presence of nontrivial excitations in such materials extending well beyond the Kitaev state.
Microbial mineralization of cellulose in frozen soils
Authors: Segura Javier H. , Nilsson Mats B. , Haei Mahsa , Sparrman Tobias , Mikkola Jyri-Pekka , Gräsvik John , Schleucher Jürgen , Öquist Mats G.
Published: October 2017

High-latitude soils store ~40% of the global soil carbon and experience winters of up to 6 months or more. The winter soil CO2 efflux importantly contributes to the annual CO2 budget. Microorganisms can metabolize short chain carbon compounds in frozen soils. However, soil organic matter (SOM) is dominated by biopolymers, requiring exoenzymatic hydrolysis prior to mineralization. For winter SOM decomposition to have a substantial influence on soil carbon balances it is crucial whether or not biopolymers can be metabolized in frozen soils. We added 13C-labeled cellulose to frozen (−4 °C) mesocosms of boreal forest soil and followed its decomposition. Here we show that cellulose biopolymers are hydrolyzed under frozen conditions sustaining both CO2 production and microbial growth contributing to slow, but persistent, SOM mineralization. Given the long periods with frozen soils at high latitudes these findings are essential for understanding the contribution from winter to the global carbon balance.
Curvature instability of chiral colloidal membranes on crystallization
Authors: Saikia Lachit , Sarkar Tanmoy , Thomas Meera , Raghunathan V. A. , Sain Anirban , Sharma Prerna
Published: October 2017

Buckling and wrinkling instabilities are failure modes of elastic sheets that are avoided in the traditional material design. Recently, a new paradigm has appeared where these instabilities are instead being utilized for high-performance applications. Multiple approaches such as heterogeneous gelation, capillary stresses, and confinement have been used to shape thin macroscopic elastic sheets. However, it remains a challenge to shape two-dimensional self-assembled monolayers at colloidal or molecular length scales. Here, we show the existence of a curvature instability that arises during the crystallization of finite-sized monolayer membranes of chiral colloidal rods. While the bulk of the membrane crystallizes, its edge remains fluid like and exhibits chiral ordering. The resulting internal stresses cause the flat membrane to buckle macroscopically and wrinkle locally. Our results demonstrate an alternate pathway based on intrinsic stresses instead of the usual external ones to assemble non-Euclidean sheets at the colloidal length scale.
Host and bacterial proteases influence biofilm formation and virulence in a murine model of enterococcal catheter-associated urinary tract infection
Authors: Xu Wei , Flores-Mireles Ana L. , Cusumano Zachary T. , Takagi Enzo , Hultgren Scott J. , Caparon Michael G.
Published: October 2017

Enterococcus faecalis is a leading causative agent of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), the most common hospital-acquired infection. Its ability to grow and form catheter biofilm is dependent upon host fibrinogen (Fg). Examined here are how bacterial and host proteases interact with Fg and contribute to virulence. Analysis of mutants affecting the two major secreted proteases of E. faecalis OG1RF (GelE, SprE) revealed that while the loss of either had no effect on virulence in a murine CAUTI model or for formation of Fg-dependent biofilm in urine, the loss of both resulted in CAUTI attenuation and defective biofilm formation. GelE−, but not SprE− mutants, lost the ability to degrade Fg in medium, while paradoxically, both could degrade Fg in urine. The finding that SprE was activated independently of GelE in urine by a host trypsin-like protease resolved this paradox. Treatment of catheter-implanted mice with inhibitors of both host-derived and bacterial-derived proteases dramatically reduced catheter-induced inflammation, significantly inhibited dissemination from bladder to kidney and revealed an essential role for a host cysteine protease in promoting pathogenesis. These data show that both bacterial and host proteases contribute to CAUTI, that host proteases promote dissemination and suggest new strategies for therapeutic intervention.
Limiting Injury During Saphenous Vein Graft Preparation For Coronary Arterial Bypass Prevents Metabolic Decompensation
Authors: Cheung-Flynn Joyce , Song Jun , Voskresensky Igor , Wise Eric S. , Liu Yapu , Xiong Yanhua , Eagle Susan S. , Brophy Colleen M. , Flynn C. Robb
Published: October 2017

Standard harvest and preparation of human saphenous vein (HSV) for autologous coronary and peripheral arterial bypass procedures is associated with injury and increased oxidative stress that negatively affect graft performance. In this study we investigated the global metabolomic profiles of HSV before (unprepared; UP) and after standard vein graft preparation (AP). AP-HSV showed impaired vasomotor function that was associated with increased oxidative stress, phospholipid hydrolysis and energy depletion that are characteristic of mechanical and chemical injury. A porcine model (PSV) was utilized to validate these metabolomic changes in HSV and to determine the efficacy of an improved preparation technique (OP) using pressure-regulated distension, a non-toxic vein marker, and graft storage in buffered PlasmaLyte solution in limiting metabolic decompensation due to graft preparation. Deficits in vasomotor function and metabolic signature observed in AP-PSV could be largely mitigated with the OP procedure. These findings suggest that simple strategies aimed at reducing injury during graft harvest and preparation represents a straightforward and viable strategy to preserve conduit function and possibly improve graft patency.
Sex differences in light sensitivity impact on brightness perception, vigilant attention and sleep in humans
Authors: Chellappa Sarah L. , Steiner Roland , Oelhafen Peter , Cajochen Christian
Published: October 2017

Artificial light endows a “round-the-clock”, 24-h/7-d society. Chronic exposure to light at night contributes to health hazards for humans, including disorders of sleep. Yet the influence of inter-individual traits, such as sex-differences, on light sensitivity remains to be established. Here we investigated potential sex-differences to evening light exposure of 40 lx at 6500 K (blue-enriched) or at 2500 K (non-blue-enriched), and their impact on brightness perception, vigilant attention and sleep physiology. In contrast to women, men had higher brightness perception and faster reaction times in a sustained attention task during blue-enriched light than non-blue-enriched. After blue-enriched light exposure, men had significantly higher all-night frontal NREM sleep slow-wave activity (SWA: 2–4 Hz), than women, particularly during the beginning of the sleep episode. Furthermore, brightness perception during blue-enriched light significantly predicted men’s improved sustained attention performance and increased frontal NREM SWA. Our data indicate that, in contrast to women, men show a stronger response to blue-enriched light in the late evening even at very low light levels (40lux), as indexed by increased vigilant attention and sleep EEG hallmarks. Collectively, the data indicate that sex differences in light sensitivity might play a key role for ensuring the success of individually-targeted light interventions.
Exercise-dependent formation of new junctions that promote STIM1-Orai1 assembly in skeletal muscle
Authors: Boncompagni Simona , Michelucci Antonio , Pietrangelo Laura , Dirksen Robert T. , Protasi Feliciano
Published: October 2017

Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE), a ubiquitous mechanism that allows recovery of Ca2+ ions from the extracellular space, has been proposed to limit fatigue during repetitive skeletal muscle activity. However, the subcellular location for SOCE in muscle fibers has not been unequivocally identified. Here we show that exercise drives a significant remodeling of the sarcotubular system to form previously unidentified junctions between the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and transverse-tubules (TTs). We also demonstrate that these new SR-TT junctions contain the molecular machinery that mediate SOCE: stromal interaction molecule-1 (STIM1), which functions as the SR Ca2+ sensor, and Orai1, the Ca2+-permeable channel in the TT. In addition, EDL muscles isolated from exercised mice exhibit an increased capability of maintaining contractile force during repetitive stimulation in the presence of 2.5 mM extracellular Ca2+, compared to muscles from control mice. This functional difference is significantly reduced by either replacement of extracellular Ca2+ with Mg2+ or the addition of SOCE inhibitors (BTP-2 and 2-APB). We propose that the new SR-TT junctions formed during exercise, and that contain STIM1 and Orai1, function as Ca2+Entry Units (CEUs), structures that provide a pathway to rapidly recover Ca2+ ions from the extracellular space during repetitive muscle activity.
Seed defense biopriming with bacterial cyclodipeptides triggers immunity in cucumber and pepper
Authors: Song Geun Cheol , Choi Hye Kyung , Kim Young Sook , Choi Jung Sup , Ryu Choong-Min
Published: October 2017

Seed priming is to expose seeds to specific compounds to enhance seed germination. Few studies of plant immune activation through seed priming have been conducted. Here, we introduce an emerging technology that combines seed priming with elicitation of plant immunity using biologically active compounds. This technology is named ‘seed defense biopriming’ (SDB). We prepared heat-stable metabolites from 1,825 root-associated Bacillus spp. isolated from the rhizosphere in South Korea. These preparations were tested for their ability to induce SDB in cucumber and pepper seeds and trigger plant immunity. SDB with heat-stable metabolites of the selected Bacillus gaemokensis strain PB69 significantly reduced subsequent bacterial diseases under in vitro and field conditions and increased fruit yield. Transcriptional analysis of induced resistance marker genes confirmed the upregulation of salicylic acid, ethylene, and jasmonic acid signaling. Mortality of the insect pest Spodoptera litura increased when larvae fed on SDB-treated cucumber tissues. Analysis of the causative bacterial metabolites identified a leucine-proline cyclodipeptide and a commercially obtained leucine-proline cyclodipeptide induced similar results as treatment with the bacterial preparation. Our results indicate that SDB treatment with the heat-stable bacterial metabolite effectively elicited immunity and controlled disease in seedlings to whole plants, thereby increasing yield even under field conditions.
Promoter DNA methylation analysis reveals a novel diagnostic CpG-based biomarker and RAB25 hypermethylation in clear cell renel cell carcinoma
Authors: Gu Yinmin , Zou Yi Ming , Lei Danqing , Huang Yuanjie , Li Weidong , Mo Zengnan , Hu Yanling
Published: October 2017

Clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a common aggressive urinary malignant tumor that cannot be easily diagnosed at an early stage. The DNA methylation occurs within promoter before precancerous lesion plays a pivotal role that could help us in diagnosing and understanding ccRCC. In this study, based on a whole-genome promoter DNA methylation profiling, we used shrunken centroids classifier method to identify a CpG-based biomarker that is capable of differentiating between ccRCC tumor and adjacent tissues. The biomarker was validated in 19 ccRCCs and three public datasets. We found that both CYP4B1 and RAB25 are downregulated with promoter hypermethylation and CA9 is upregulated with promoter hypomethylation, and we validated their mRNA differential expressions in 19 ccRCCs and 10 GEO datasets. We further confirmed that hypermethylated RAB25 is inversely correlated with its mRNA level. Log-rank test showed that ccRCC patients with low levels of CA9 promoter methylation had a higher survival rate. This reveals clinically a potential biomarker for use in early detection for ccRCC, and provides a better understanding of carcinogenesis.
Manure amendment increases the content of nanomineral allophane in an acid arable soil
Authors: Zhang Jianchao , Xiao Jian , Li Siliang , Ran Wei
Published: October 2017

Natural nanoparticles are of central importance in the environment, e.g. sorption of soil organic carbon (SOC) and contaminants. A large number of study have focused on the metal binding, transport and ecotoxicity of nanoparticles. Fertilizer amendments are routinely applied to arable soils and induce changes in soil chemical, physical and biological properties. However, the effects of fertilizer amendments on natural nanoparticles are still unknown. In this study, soil nanoparticles were separated from acid red soil (Ferralic Cambisol) including long-term (26 years) treatments of unfertilized control (CK), chemical nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers (NPK) and raw pig manure (M). The results from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and Fourier-transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated that nanoparticles in red soil were heterogeneous organo-mineral associations with irregular shapes, regardless of fertilization history. In addition, kaolinite and allophane occurred in the soil nanoparticles. Intriguingly, we found the content of allophane under M treatment (0.64 g kg−1) was much higher than under CK and NPK treatments. However, the CK (0.27 g kg−1) and NPK (0.21 g kg−1) had similar allophane concentrations. Our study may indicate long-term organic manure amendment initializes positive feedback loop for further SOC sequestration. However, the mechanisms for the enhancement of nanomineral allophane by manure amendment deserve further investigation.
Self-folding Structural Design Using Multiscale Analysis on the Light-absorption Folding Behaviour of Polystyrene Sheet
Authors: Lee Yonghee , Moon Junghwan , Choi Joonmyung , Cho Maenghyo
Published: October 2017

Concentrated light-absorption on specific areas of polystyrene (PS) sheet induces self-folding behaviour. Such localized light-absorption control is easily realized by black-coloured line pattern printing. As the temperature in the line patterns of PS sheet increases differently due to the transparencies in each line pattern, localized thermal contraction generates folding deformation of the PS sheet. The light-activated folding technique is caused by the shape memory effect of PS sheet. The shape memory creation procedure (SMCP) is described by using molecular dynamic (MD) simulation, and the constitutive model of PS sheet is identified. This study employs the shell/cohesive line element for the folding deformation of PS sheet, and utilizes the constitutive model obtained from the MD simulation. Based on the continuum-model analysis of the PS sheet folding deformation activated by light, various self-folding structures are designed and manufactured.
Physio-biochemical and molecular mechanism underlying the enhanced heavy metal tolerance in highland barley seedlings pre-treated with low-dose gamma irradiation
Authors: Wang Xiaojie , Ma Ruonan , Cui Dongjie , Cao Qing , Shan Zhe , Jiao Zhen
Published: October 2017

Heavy metal pollution, as a consequence of rapid industrialization and urbanization, poses a threat to highland barley grown in Tibet. This study investigates the effect of different doses of gamma irradiation (50–300 Gy) on the physio-biochemical and molecular mechanism of highland barley under heavy metal stress. Growth data showed that 50-Gy gamma irradiation had the maximal beneficial effects on the highland barley seedlings under lead/cadmium stress. The results of oxidative parameters demonstrated that 50-Gy gamma-irradiated seedlings had lower hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde contents under lead/cadmium stress compared to non-irradiated seedlings. Moreover, the activities of antioxidant enzyme and proline levels in 50-Gy gamma-irradiated seedlings were drastically higher than those in non-irradiated seedlings under lead/cadmium stress. Additionally, transmission electron microscopy results revealed that the 50-Gy gamma-irradiated seedlings exhibited improved chloroplasts ultrastructure compared with non-irradiated seedlings exposed to lead/cadmium stress. Notably, transcriptional expression analysis showed that 50-Gy gamma irradiation could significantly affect the expression of genes related to heavy metal transport and abscisic acid metabolism under lead/cadmium stress. Collectively, these results provide insights into the physio-biochemical and molecular mechanisms of low-dose-gamma-irradiation-enhanced heavy metal tolerance in highland barley seedlings, thus proposing gamma irradiation as a potential technology to mitigate heavy metal toxicity in crops.
Transition of colistin dependence into colistin resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Lee Ji-Young , Chung Eun Seon , Ko Kwan Soo
Published: October 2017

We recently demonstrated a high rate of colistin dependence in Acinetobacter baumannii isolates exposed to colistin in vitro. In the present study, we obtained a colistin-resistant (H08-391R) and colistin-dependent mutant (H08-391D) from a colistin-susceptible parental strain (H08-391). We found that the colistin-dependent mutant converted into a stable colistin-resistant mutant (H08-391D-R) in vitro after four serial passages without colistin. H08-391D and H08-391D-R were both found to harbor defective lipid A, as indicated by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry analysis. Additionally, both contained an ISAba1 insertion in lpxC, which encodes a lipid A biosynthetic enzyme. Further, membrane potential measurements using the fluorescent dye 3,3′-diethyloxacarbocyanine iodide (DiOC2[3]) showed that the membrane potential of H08-391D and H08-391D-R was significantly decreased as compared to that of the parental strain, H08-391. Moreover, these mutant strains exhibited increased susceptibilities to antibiotics other than colistin, which may be attributed to their outer membrane fragility. Such phenomena were identified in other A. baumannii strains (H06-855 and its derivatives). Taken together, our study reveals that the colistin-dependent phenotype is a transient phenotype that allows A. baumannii to survive under colistin pressure, and can transition to the extremely resistant phenotype, even in an antibiotic-free environment.
Behaviorally-determined sleep phenotypes are robustly associated with adaptive functioning in individuals with low functioning autism
Authors: Cohen Simonne , Fulcher Ben D. , Rajaratnam Shantha M. W. , Conduit Russell , Sullivan Jason P. , Hilaire Melissa A. St , Phillips Andrew J. , Loddenkemper Tobias , Kothare Sanjeev V. , McConnell Kelly , Ahearn William , Braga-Kenyon Paula , Shlesinger Andrew , Potter Jacqueline , Bird Frank , Cornish Kim M. , Lockley Steven W.
Published: October 2017

Despite sleep disturbance being a common complaint in individuals with autism, specific sleep phenotypes and their relationship to adaptive functioning have yet to be identified. This study used cluster analysis to find distinct sleep patterns and relate them to independent measures of adaptive functioning in individuals with autism. Approximately 50,000 nights of care-giver sleep/wake logs were collected on school-days for 106 individuals with low functioning autism (87 boys, 14.77 ± 3.11 years) for 0.5–6 years (2.2 ± 1.5 years) from two residential schools. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, performed on summary statistics of each individual across their recording duration, two clusters of individuals with clearly distinguishable sleep phenotypes were found. The groups were summarized as ‘unstable’ sleepers (cluster 1, n = 41) and ‘stable’ sleepers (cluster 2, n = 65), with the former exhibiting reduced sleep duration, earlier sleep offset, and less stability in sleep timing. The sleep clusters displayed significant differences in properties that were not used for clustering, such as intellectual functioning, communication, and socialization, demonstrating that sleep phenotypes are associated with symptom severity in individuals with autism. This study provides foundational evidence for profiling and targeting sleep as a standard part of therapeutic intervention in individuals with autism.
miR156 switches on vegetative phase change under the regulation of redox signals in apple seedlings
Authors: Jia Xiao Lin , Chen Ya Kun , Xu Xiao Zhao , Shen Fei , Zheng Qing Bo , Du Zhen , Wang Yi , Wu Ting , Xu Xue Feng , Han Zhen Hai , Zhang Xin Zhong
Published: October 2017

In higher plants, miR156 regulates the vegetative phase change via the target SBP/SPL genes. The regulation of miR156 during ontogenetic processes is not fully understood. In the apple genome, of 31 putative MdMIR156 genes that encode pre-miR156, seven were dominantly expressed. However, the transcript levels of only MdMIR156a5 and MdMIR156a12 decreased significantly during the vegetative phase change, which was consistent with the mature miR156 level, indicating that miR156 is under transcriptional regulation. Leaf H2O2 content was higher in the adult phase than in the juvenile phase because of excess H2O2 accumulation in chloroplasts. When in vitro shoots were treated with menadione, diphenyleneiodonium, L-2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid or buthionine sulphoximine, the expressions of MdMIR156a5, MdMIR156a12, and as well miR156 were coordinated with reduced glutathione (GSH) contents and glutathione/glutathione disulfide ratio but not H2O2 contents. Alteration of miR156 expression level by MdMIR156a6-overexpressing or miR156-mimetic transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana did not cause a corresponding change in reactive oxygen species or GSH status. Collectively, the results indicate that the vegetative phase change in apple is controlled by the MdMIR156a5 and MdMIR156a12 transcriptional regulatory network in response to the plastid–nucleus redox signals, such as GSH.
Compact wideband plasmonic filter with flat-top transmission response based on corrugated metal-insulator-metal ring resonator
Authors: Yang Liu , Zhou Yong Jin , Zhang Chao , Xiao Qian Xun
Published: October 2017

Abstarct

We demonstrate a novel route to control the filtering of spoof localized surface plasmons (LSPs) on the corrugated metal-insulator-metal (MIM) ring resonator. The spoof LSPs resonance modes can be effectively tuned to achieve broad passband (covering the quadrupole mode and the hexapole mode) by selecting proper lengths in the input and output coupling area. The mutual coupling between the input and output lines produces the flat-top transmission response and sharp out-of-band rejection. Compared with the wideband bandpass filters based on spoof plasmonic waveguides, the proposed filter is ultra-compact and only 0.35λ*0.35λ. In order to further improve the property of the bandpass plasmonic filter, all the out-of-band frequencies (the dipole mode and the octopole mode) have been rejected by introducing a shunt stepped-impedance resonator and double C-shaped rings on the back of the substrate of the filter. Simulated results are confirmed via experiment, showing good rejection and wideband filtering performance with low insertion loss, flat-top transmission response and sharp out-of-band suppression. The proposed filter can find more applications in the highly integrated plasmonic circuits and systems in both terahertz and microwave regimes.
Triblock peptide–oligonucleotide chimeras (POCs): programmable biomolecules for the assembly of morphologically tunable and responsive hybrid materials
Authors: Merg Andrea D. , Thaner Ryan V. , Mokashi-Punekar Soumitra , Nguyen SonBinh T. , Rosi Nathaniel L.
Published: October 2017

Peptide–oligonucleotide chimeras (POCs) assemble into morphologically tunable materials. Design rules for POC assembly are used to predict and alter assembly morphology.
Impact of iron coordination isomerism on pyoverdine recognition by the FpvA membrane transporter of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Bouvier Benjamin , Cézard Christine
Published: October 2017

The chirality of Fe3+binding by bacterial iron scavengers underpins their recognition by membrane transporters and could help design novel antibiotics.
The mobility of proton carriers in phosphate glasses depends on polymerization of the phosphate framework
Authors: Yamaguchi Takuya , Kataoka Takuya , Tsukuda Satoshi , Ishiyama Tomohiro , Nishii Junji , Yamashita Toshiharu , Kawazoe Hiroshi , Omata Takahisa
Published: October 2017

Proton mobility increases with shorter (PO3−)n chain length and decreases as the P2O74− ion content increases in the framework.
The molecular mechanism of Nystatin action is dependent on the membrane biophysical properties and lipid composition
Authors: dos Santos A. G. , Marquês J. T. , Carreira A. C. , Castro I. R. , Viana A. S. , Mingeot-Leclercq M.-P. , de Almeida R. F. M. , Silva L. C.
Published: October 2017

Nystatin-induced membrane permeabilization is related to its effects on membrane properties and organization.
Ultrafast excited-state dynamics of 2,4-dimethylpyrrole
Authors: Yang Dongyuan , Chen Zhichao , He Zhigang , Wang Hengding , Min Yanjun , Yuan Kaijun , Dai Dongxu , Wu Guorong , Yang Xueming
Published: October 2017

Ultrafast excited-state dynamics of 2,4-dimethylpyrrole are studied in detail following deep UV excitation.
Correction: Core-excited and shape resonances of uracil
Authors: Fennimore Mark A. , Matsika Spiridoula
Published: October 2017

Correction for ‘Core-excited and shape resonances of uracil’ by Mark A. Fennimore et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016, 18, 30536–30545.
Bimetallic metal–organic framework derived Co3O4–CoFe2O4composites with different Fe/Co molar ratios as anode materials for lithium ion batteries
Authors: Zhong Ming , Yang Dong-Hui , Kong Ling-Jun , Shuang Wei , Zhang Ying-Hui , Bu Xian-He
Published: October 2017

The morphology and electrochemical performance of the as-prepared Co3O4–CoFe2O4composites from bimetallic metal–organic framework precursors depend greatly on the initial Fe3+/Co2+molar ratio.
Organically templated inorganic–organic hybrid metal (Zn and Cd) Sulfite–oxalates with layered and three-dimensional structures
Authors: Tiwari Ranjay K. , Kumar Jitendra , Behera J. N.
Published: October 2017

Single crystal X-ray investigations of three d10 metal based oxalate–sulfite inorganic–organic hybrid open framework materials which show layered and three dimensional structures with different organic templates.
Synthesis, structure and cytotoxicity of cyclic (alkyl)(amino) carbene and acyclic carbene complexes of group 11 metals
Authors: Bertrand Benoît , Romanov Alexander S. , Brooks Mark , Davis Josh , Schmidt Claudia , Ott Ingo , O'Connell Maria , Bochmann Manfred
Published: October 2017

Synthesis of group 11 metal CAAC and acyclic carbene complexes with low micromolar cytotoxicity towards human cancer cells.
Massive hydration-driven swelling of layered perovskite niobate crystals in aqueous solutions of organo-ammonium bases
Authors: Song Yeji , Iyi Nobuo , Hoshide Tatsumasa , Ozawa Tadashi C. , Ebina Yasuo , Ma Renzhi , Yamamoto Shinya , Miyamoto Nobuyoshi , Sasaki Takayoshi
Published: October 2017

A systematic understanding on the osmotic swelling of layered niobate crystals using various amines is reported.
Topological transformation of a trefoil knot into a [2]catenane
Authors: Prakasam Thirumurugan , Bilbeisi Rana A. , El-Khoury Roberto , Charbonnière Loïc J. , Elhabiri Mourad , Esposito Gennaro , Olsen John-Carl , Trabolsi Ali
Published: October 2017

Kinetic and thermodynamic investigation of topological transformation of a trefoil knot into a [2]catenane in water.
Small biomolecule sensors based on an innovative MoS2–rGO heterostructure modified electrode platform: a binder-free approach
Authors: Saraf Mohit , Natarajan Kaushik , Saini Anoop Kumar , Mobin Shaikh M.
Published: October 2017

Hydrothermally synthesized MoS2–rGO nanoflowers can simultaneously sense ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) with good separating peak-to-peak potentials.
Frontiers in radionuclide imaging and therapy, a chemical journey from naturally radioactive elements to targeted theranostic agents
Authors: Casini Angela , Orvig Chris , Correia João D. G.
Published: October 2017

Welcome to this themed issue of Dalton Transactions entitled: ‘Frontiers in Radionuclide Imaging and Therapy; A chemical journey from naturally radioactive elements to targeted theranostic agents’.
A regioselective one-pot aza-Friedel–Crafts reaction for primary, secondary and tertiary anilines using a heterogeneous catalyst
Authors: Bosica Giovanna , Abdilla Roderick
Published: October 2017

An environmentally friendly one-pot multicomponent synthesis of 3-substituted indoles, catalysed by silicotungstic acid on Amberlyst 15 under green, neat conditions.