bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dysregulation of cell–cell interactions in brain arteriovenous malformations: A quantitative proteomic study
Authors: Wang Xia , Hao Qiang , Zhao Yuanli , Guo Yi , Ge Wei
Published: January 2017

Purpose

Detailed and exact mechanisms underlying brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVM) are still clinically confusing. Understanding the quantitative changes in proteins and signaling pathways would provide useful information for clinicians to understand the formation and development of bAVM, guiding individualized treatment strategies. This study was performed to establish a large human bAVM proteome database using tandem mass tag labeling and to detect changes of protein expression and pathways in human bAVM.

Experimental design

This study used quantitative 6‐plex tandem mass tag labeling to profile protein changes in bAVM lesions. Integrated bioinformatics analysis was used to classify and identify the altered proteins and relating signaling pathways. Western blot analyzes were used to validate the proteomic data.

Results

Our work established the first human bAVM proteome databases to date. A total of 1264 proteins were identified, and the expression of 316 proteins was significantly differentially expressed, with 249 upregulated proteins. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that the altered proteins had close functional correlations, including integrin cell surface interactions, extracellular matrix organization, and smooth muscle contraction. Three signaling pathways (focal adhesions, tight junctions, and gap junctions), which represent an important arena of cell–cell interactions, were found to be activated in bAVM. The proteomics data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD003289.

Conclusion and clinical relevance

Cell–cell interactions, including focal adhesions, tight junctions, and gap junctions, were significantly influenced in human bAVM. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie bAVM would provide useful information for the development of future therapeutic approaches, guiding possible precise and individual treatment strategies.
Evaluation of photoluminescence quantum yield of monolayer WSe2 using reference dye of 3‐borylbithiophene derivative
Authors: Mohamed Nur Baizura , Wang Feijiu , Lim Hong En , Zhang Wenjin , Koirala Sandhaya , Mouri Shinichiro , Miyauchi Yuhei , Matsuda Kazunari
Published: January 2017

We studied an evaluation method of photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield of monolayer transition metal chalcogenides (TMDs) on a transparent substrate using a reference dye. A 3‐borylbithiophene derivative (C58H49BN2S4) reference dye shows a high PL quantum yield of 36% even in the solid form and the high quantum yield is kept in a Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix. Moreover, the photon energy of PL is similar to those of monolayer TMDs. These PL characteristics of the reference dye are useful for a evaluation of PL quantum yield in monolayer TMDs. The PL quantum yield of 0.18 ± 0.03% was evaluated for mechanically exfoliated monolayer WSe2 on glass substrate at room temperature.
Accounting for model error in strong‐constraint 4D‐Var data assimilation
Authors: Howes K. E. , Fowler A. M. , Lawless A. S.
Published: January 2017

The strong‐constraint formulation of four‐dimensional variational data assimilation (4D‐Var) assumes that the model used in the process perfectly describes the true dynamics of the system. However, this assumption often does not hold and the use of an erroneous model in strong‐constraint 4D‐Var can lead to a sub‐optimal estimation of the initial conditions. We show how the presence of model error can be correctly accounted for in strong constraint 4D‐Var by allowing for errors in both the observations and the model when considering the statistics of the innovation vector. We demonstrate that, when these combined model error and observation‐error statistics are used in place of the standard observation error statistics in the strong‐constraint formulation of 4D‐Var, a statistically more accurate estimate of the initial state is obtained.

The calculation of the combined model error and observation‐error statistics requires the specification of model error covariances, which in practice are often unknown. We present a method to estimate the combined statistics from innovation data that does not require explicit specification of the model error covariances. Numerical experiments using the linear advection equation and a simple nonlinear coupled model demonstrate the success of the new methods in reducing the error in the estimate of the initial state, even in the case when only the uncorrelated part of the model error is accounted for.
Space, female economies, and autonomy in the shotgun neighborhoods of Port‐au‐Prince, Haiti
Authors: Joos Vincent
Published: January 2017

This article argues that commercial practices, social relations, and moral obligations in downtown Port‐au‐Prince shape and are shaped by the vernacular buildings in which they take place. Women living in, and working from, shotgun houses—a structure with a small street facade that allows for both private and commercial life—use these houses to build moral economies woven around familial solidarity and egalitarian relations. Working in houses that formerly belonged to Haitian black middle classes implies inheritance of respectability values based around home caretaking, religious life, and intimacy. In their economic inventiveness, women who do not have access to formal employment mobilize the power and politics of these houses in a distinctive mode of work and entrepreneurship. Houses and acts of commerce, together, form a particular kind of Haitian respectability for women that offers visibility, social networking, and risk adversity. These domestic spaces that open up new political, social, and economic horizons are threatened by top‐down urban planning projects. Through the narration of the life history of Clomène Firmin, this article details female economic and moral practices and phases of urban planning that had for effect, since the devastating 2010 earthquake, to dismantle female economies in urban centers.
The semiotics of carbon: Atmospheric space, fungibility, and the production of scarcity
Authors: Machaqueiro Raquel
Published: January 2017

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, greenhouse gases are responsible for climate change, and for this reason, the reduction of these gases' emissions has become one of the main tenets of international climate change policy. Against this backdrop, parties at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change decided that emissions trading would be one of the main instruments to reduce emissions. Through the critical examination of several documents about carbon markets, this article argues that the codification of carbon dioxide as a commodity constitutes a semiotic process that transforms atmospheric space into a more tangible product, providing it with several levels of fungibility. Within this semiotic process, carbon is also fetishized, acquiring a mystic power. While identifying dissonances between the belief in markets' efficiency to solve the problem of climate change and demands for governments to address the problem of excessive supply, this article asserts that carbon's fetishization results in a tautology sustaining carbon markets' existence; that is, the existence of carbon markets becomes an end in itself, independent of their efficiency in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
A space for secondhand goods: Trading the remnants of material life in Hong Kong
Authors: Ta Trang X.
Published: January 2017

Hong Kong is a convergence site for commodities and people from across the globe. The culture of mass consumption and disposability of consumer goods epitomized in this cosmopolitan center fuels the secondhand street markets located in the interstices of the city. During the marginal hours of the late evening and early morning in one of the poorest districts of Hong Kong, Sham Shui Po in Kowloon, a mix of regular and itinerant vendors consisting of locals and immigrants sells salvaged, secondhand goods. The market attracts elderly local residents, foreign domestic workers, African merchants, scrap recyclers, collectors, bargain hunters, and various customers looking to buy for personal use, for resale elsewhere, for refurbishing, or for further recycling. The mutual work of rehabilitating and revalorizing the remnants of material life characterizes this localized but highly global streetscape. These informal spaces of exchange, however marginalized and even criminalized, make possible the redemption of things discarded and abandoned. Trading salvaged goods offers a means to make ends meet for the urban poor. Especially in an area where the poor suffer from cramped living conditions, the street offers an open communal space for residents to conduct the business of life. Hawkers and street merchants have long been a cornerstone of street life in Hong Kong, but this heterogeneity is diminishing as the government moves to sanitize the streets and regulate the use of public spaces. Under threat is the unique density of social life on the streets of Sham Shui Po as gentrification through urban renewal ushers in sanitized residential complexes and corporate shopping centers. The locals who participate in the secondhand markets are asserting a claim on public space and attempting to create entrepreneurial opportunities for themselves in a global economy that discounts their participation and an urban landscape that discourages their presence.
Building Partnerships to Enhance Student Well‐Being and Strategic Enrollment Management
Authors: Stanton Alisa , Black Tara , Dhaliwal Rosie , Hutchinson Crystal
Published: January 2017

This article explores how partnership building can be used as a strategic tool in the creation of campus conditions that positively contribute to both student well‐being and student retention. Synergies between strategic enrollment management literature and student well‐being theories are discussed, and an example of how a partnership approach has been advanced to create conditions for well‐being in learning environments at Simon Fraser University is shared. The processes undertaken and lessons learned are discussed, to provide insight for others interested in advancing a similar approach.
Gold Deposited Plant Leaves for SERS: Role of Surface Morphology, Wettability and Deposition Technique in Determining the Enhancement Factor and Sensitivity of Detection
Authors: Sharma Vipul , Kumar Suneel , Jaiswal Amit , Krishnan Venkata
Published: January 2017

Fabrication of eco‐friendly, low cost, sensitive and reproducible surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates is of utmost importance for chemical and biological analysis. In this regard, we fabricated plant leaf based substrates by depositing gold nanoparticles onto the leaf surfaces of different plants. The naturally occurring micro/nanostructures on the surface of the plant leaves influences the deposition of Au nanoparticles and leads to the formation of electromagnetic hot spots. The fabricated leaf based substrates were compared for its performance with the substrates where the leaf surfaces were sputter coated with Au plasma. It was observed that the surface morphologies of different leaf surfaces tend to influence the performance of the substrates. Upon comparison of the enhancement factors obtained from the different substrates, a qualitative correlation between the surface morphology and wettability of the leaf surface with performance can be established. In the drop casted samples, the Au nanoparticles got clustered nicely in three‐dimensional nanofold structures present on the leaf surfaces and the obtained SERS intensity could be directly correlated to the wettability (hydrophobicity) of the leaf substrates. Further, we demonstrated that the designed substrate can be used for sensitive analysis of a Raman active analyte up to sub nanomolar concentrations.
Amberlite IR 120H+ Catalyzed N‐C/C‐N Coupled Cylization Strategy to Give Imidazoles: Design and Fabrication of Organic Nanomaterial with AFM Imaging
Authors: Chakraborty Mithun , Deb Barnali , Dey Bapi , Hussain Syed Arshad , Maiti Dilip K. , Majumdar Swapan
Published: January 2017

Sustainable and highly efficient one‐pot multicomponent syntheses of functionalized imidazole derivatives were described using benzil, aldehydes, ammonium acetate/or amines in the presence of Amberlite IR 120H+. The products were obtained in the short period of time with high yields through the chromatography‐free procedure. The catalyst could be recycled due to its insolubility in most of the solvents and reused without any noticeable decrease in its catalytic activity. The novel strategy was exploited for synthesis of a designed substituted imidazole, fabrication of its nanostructured materials on LB films and AFM imaging.
Electron Delocalization in Electron‐Deficient Alkenes and Push‐Pull Alkenes
Authors: Džambaski Zdravko , Baranac‐Stojanović Marija
Published: January 2017

We have studied π electron delocalization in electron‐deficient alkenes and push‐pull alkenes by means of natural bond orbital analysis at the B3LYP/6‐311+G(d,p) level. The study revealed that the rarely mentioned π electron donation from an electron‐accepting group (Acc) toward the C=C double bond in push‐pull alkenes and electron‐deficient alkenes can provide up to 10 % of total π electron stabilizing energy of a push‐pull system and as much as 45 % in a strongly electron‐deficient tetracyanoethene. The Acc → C=C bond π electron donation is more intense in s‐trans than in s‐cis conformational arrangement, but is less dependent on Z/E isomerism in push‐pull alkenes, being slightly more pronounced in Z isomers. Among different Acc substituents, CN and COO‐ groups contribute the largest percent of stabilizing energy and NO2 the smallest. Increase in the number of Acc groups increases percentage contribution of Acc → C=C bond π electron delocalization to a system stabilization. A difference in π*C=C orbital occupancy between isomers can be related with their chemical reactivity.
Rare Examples of Biomimicking Molybdenum(VI) Catalysed Peroxidative Bromination of the Organic Substrates that Coordinate to the Oxido‐Diperoxido Mo(VI) Centre
Authors: Patra Swarup , Mukherjea Kalyan K.
Published: January 2017

The two novel oxido‐diperoxido molybdate(VI) complexes [MoO(O2)2{BHPPM]. PPh4 (1) [BHPPM=5‐bromo‐2‐hydroxyphenyl(phenyl)methanone] and [MoO(O2)2 {DBHPPM}]. PPh4 (2) [DBHPPM=3,5‐dibromo‐2‐hydroxyphenyl(phenyl)methanone] with 2‐hydroxyphenyl(phenyl)methanone and 2‐hydroxyphenyl(phenyl)methanoneoximato ligands have been synthesized by adding methanolic solution of the ligand to the pale yellow solution obtained by dissolving molybdic acid in hydrogen peroxide and precipitating the complexes using tetraphenylphosphonium bromide. The complexes were characterized by IR, UV‐vis, Mass, CHN, molar conductance, magnetic moment, mass and 1H NMR spectro‐ scopic methods. Molecular structure of oxido‐diperoxidomolybdate(VI) (1) and (2) were established by X‐ray crystallography. The ligand first coordinates to the molybdenum(VI) in presence of hydrogen peroxide, thereafter, molybdate(VI) catalysed peroxidative bromination of the ligand takes place during the synthesis of the oxido‐diperoxidomolybdate(VI) complexes with the above in situ generated brominated ligands.
Elevating Repositioning Costs: Strategy Dynamics and Competitive Interactions
Authors: Menon Anoop R. , Yao Dennis A.
Published: January 2017

Research summary: This article proposes an approach for modeling competitive interactions that incorporates the costs to firms of changing strategy. The costs associated with strategy modifications, which we term “repositioning costs,” are particularly relevant to competitive interactions involving major changes to business strategies. Repositioning costs can critically affect competitive dynamics and, consequently, the implications of strategic interaction for strategic choice. While the literature broadly recognizes the importance of such costs, game‐theoretic treatments of major strategic change, with very limited exceptions, have not addressed them meaningfully. We advocate greater recognition of repositioning costs and illustrate with two simple models how repositioning costs may facilitate differentiation and affect the value of a firm's capability to reduce repositioning costs through investments in flexibility.

Managerial summary: This article illustrates how the decision to make a strategic change is affected by both the cost to the firm of making the various strategy modifications, as well as the cost to its rivals of changing their strategies in response. These “repositioning costs” are important because they shape the responses each competitor would likely make to a move by the other competitor, and should be anticipated when considering an initial change to one's own strategy. The paper shows how repositioning costs can be used strategically to facilitate differentiation, and to assess the value of potential investments in flexibility. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Two‐Dimensional Metal Halide Perovskites: Theory, Synthesis, and Optoelectronics
Authors: Huo Chengxue , Cai Bo , Yuan Zhao , Ma Biwu , Zeng Haibo
Published: January 2017

Two‐dimensional (2D) materials attract great attention due to their unique and novel properties in optics, electronics, magnetics, etc. Various 2D materials have been developed since the discovery of graphene, including hexagonal boron nitrides (h‐BNs), transition‐metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), black phosphorus, and so on. Meanwhile, metal halide perovskites are also of great interest because of their high absorbance, high quantum yield, color tunability in the visible‐light range, and high color purity with narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM). Thus, what happens if 2D materials and metal halide perovskites combine? Here work on 2D metal halide perovskites, a class of new 2D materials, is introduced. Besides the advantages of metal halide perovskites, such as high quantum yield, high color purity, and so on, 2D materials are suitable for flexible and wearable devices, giving 2D metal halide perovskites a more and more important role in energy, information displays, illumination, and many other applications.
Nanocrystallization: An Effective Approach to Enhance the Performance of Organic Molecules
Authors: Fateminia S. M. Ali , Wang Ziqiao , Liu Bin
Published: January 2017

Organic nanocrystals have attracted great research interest in recent years due to their superior physical and chemical properties as compared to their amorphous counterparts. Higher photoluminescence intensity, steadier dissolution, and greater structural stability are a few examples of these properties, making nanocrystals an excellent choice for a wide range of applications, like electronics, bioimaging, and pharmaceuticals. Here, the principles of the most important nanocrystallization methods for organic compounds are elaborated. The discussion comprises the most important top‐down and bottom‐up approaches reported so far, explaining their advantages and limitations. To address the limitations of these methods, a new bottom‐up concept of stress‐induced seed‐assisted nanocrystallization is proved to be universally applicable to different organic molecules. To close, the future perspectives in the field are discussed.
Kennwerte neuer und abgenutzter Kranschienen für die Bemessung von Kranbahnträgern
Authors: Kraus Matthias , Mämpel Silvio
Published: January 2017

Abhängig von der konstruktiven Durchbildung kann bei der Bemessung von Kranbahnträgern die statische Wirkung der Kranschiene in Ansatz gebracht werden. Dabei ist gemäß DIN EN 1993‐6 (Eurocode 3, Teil 6) im Grenzzustand der Tragfähigkeit eine Abnutzung des Schienenkopfes von 25 % und im Zusammenhang mit Ermüdungsnachweisen ein Verschleiß von 12,5 % zu berücksichtigen. In der Literatur finden sich verschiedene Angaben bezüglich der Querschnittswerte neuer und abgenutzter Kranschienen, die teilweise mit gewissen Abweichungen voneinander verbunden sind. Mit diesem Beitrag soll eine Klarstellung sowie erstmalig eine Zusammenstellung sämtlicher Werte erfolgen, die bei der Anwendung von DIN EN 1993‐6 hilfreich sein können. Ein Bedarf hierzu konnte durch eine verstärkte Nachfrage sowohl aus der Baupraxis als auch aus dem wissenschaftlichen Bereich festgestellt werden.
Pre‐eclampsia: an important risk factor for asymptomatic heart failure
Authors: Ghossein‐Doha C. , van Neer J. , Wissink B. , Breetveld N. M. , de Windt L. J. , van Dijk A. P. J. , van der Vlugt M. J. , Janssen M. C. H. , Heidema W. M. , Scholten R. R. , Spaanderman M. E. A.
Published: January 2017

Objectives

Pre‐eclampsia (PE) is associated with both postpartum structural asymptomatic heart disease (i.e. heart failure Stage B (HF‐B)) and conventional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors. We aimed to evaluate the extent to which PE, adjusted for conventional CV risk factors, is associated independently with asymptomatic cardiac abnormalities postpartum.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional cohort study, 107 formerly pre‐eclamptic women and 41 women with uneventful previous pregnancy (controls) were invited for CV risk assessment 4–10 years postpartum. This included cardiac ultrasound, blood pressure (BP) measurement and evaluation of metabolic syndrome determinants. Asymptomatic structural and functional cardiac abnormalities were classified as HF‐B, according to the American Heart Association guidelines. Prehypertension was defined as systolic BP of 120–139 mmHg and/or diastolic BP of 80–89 mmHg. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to calculate associations of PE and conventional risk factors with HF‐B.

Results

The prevalence of asymptomatic HF‐B was approximately 3.5‐fold higher in the PE group compared with controls (25% vs 7%, P < 0.01); 67% of this group had concentric remodeling and 22% had mildly impaired ejection fraction. After adjustment for postpartum interval, hypertension and high‐density lipoprotein, PE was significantly associated with HF‐B (adjusted odds ratio, 4.4 (95% CI, 1.0–19.1)). Moreover, in the formerly pre‐eclamptic group, prehypertension was associated significantly with HF‐B (odds ratio, 4.3 (95% CI, 1.4–12.7)), while metabolic syndrome determinants were not.

Conclusion

PE is associated with a four‐fold increased female‐specific risk of asymptomatic cardiac abnormalities. Prehypertension apparently increases this risk significantly, while metabolic syndrome determinants do not. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Public Sector Employment Inequality in the United States and the Great Recession
Authors: Laird Jennifer
Published: January 2017

Historically in the United States, the public sector has served as an equalizing institution through the expansion of job opportunities for minority workers. This study examines whether the public sector continues to serve as an equalizing institution in the aftermath of the Great Recession. Using data from the Current Population Survey, I investigate changes in public sector employment between 2003 and 2013. My results point to a post-recession double disadvantage for black public sector workers: they are concentrated in a shrinking sector of the economy, and they are more likely than white and Hispanic public sector workers to experience job loss. These two trends are a historical break for the public sector labor market. I find that race and ethnicity gaps in public sector employment cannot be explained by differences in education, occupation, or any of the other measurable factors that are typically associated with employment. Among unemployed workers who most recently worked for the public sector, black women are the least likely to transition into private sector employment.
Enhancing Clinical Research Professionals’ Training and Qualifications (ECRPTQ): Recommendations for Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training for investigators and study coordinators
Authors: Shanley Thomas P. , Calvin-Naylor Nancy A. , Divecha Ruthvick , Wartak Michelle M. , Blackwell Karen , Davis Jonathan M. , Ellerbeck Edward F. , Kieburtz Karl , Koziel Margaret J. , Luzuriaga Katherine , Maddox Jennifer , Needler Nancy A. , Murphy Susan , Pemberton Kieran , Radovich Catherine , Rubinstein Eric P. , Selker Harry P. , Tenaerts Pamela , Unsworth Kelly , Wilson Kay , Wright Jonelle E. , Barohn Richard
Published: January 2017

Introduction

The translation of discoveries to drugs, devices, and behavioral interventions requires well-prepared study teams. Execution of clinical trials remains suboptimal due to varied quality in design, execution, analysis, and reporting. A critical impediment is inconsistent, or even absent, competency-based training for clinical trial personnel.

Methods

In 2014, the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS) funded the project, Enhancing Clinical Research Professionals’ Training and Qualifications (ECRPTQ), aimed at addressing this deficit. The goal was to ensure all personnel are competent to execute clinical trials. A phased structure was utilized.

Results

This paper focuses on training recommendations in Good Clinical Practice (GCP). Leveraging input from all Clinical and Translational Science Award hubs, the following was recommended to NCATS: all investigators and study coordinators executing a clinical trial should understand GCP principles and undergo training every 3 years, with the training method meeting the minimum criteria identified by the International Conference on Harmonisation GCP.

Conclusions

We anticipate that industry sponsors will acknowledge such training, eliminating redundant training requests. We proposed metrics to be tracked that required further study. A separate task force was composed to define recommendations for metrics to be reported to NCATS.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Shah Maully
Published: January 2017

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a common, inherited heart disease with a heterogeneous clinical presentation and natural history. Recently, advances in diagnosis and treatment options have been instrumental in decreasing the frequency of adverse clinical events; however, complete elimination of sudden cardiac death still remains an elusive gain. This article discusses several aspects of this condition in the young: epidemiology, clinical phenotypes, risk factors, prevention of sudden cardiac death, and risks of athletic participation.
How to develop and execute a public health agenda: From grass roots to legislation
Authors: Berger Stuart
Published: January 2017

Recent experiences with lay public cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use of ambulatory external defibrillators have been demonstrated to improve survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests from an abysmal 10% or less to as high as 30%. Though rare, sudden cardiac arrest in presumably healthy young people have been highly publicised over the last 25 years and have motivated the institution of school- and community-based programmes that facilitate first-responder resuscitation, including defibrillation. These efforts often begin at a grass roots level (usually parent-inspired advocacy groups) and through collaborative activities involving the schools, local businesses, and local administrative agencies are now having a meaningful impact in selected communities. The current focus of these activities is on school- and sports venue-based ambulatory external defibrillator programmes and formal cardiopulmonary resuscitation education in high schools. The extension of these programmes to the level of state mandates has been slower, and even when enacted, public funding has usually not been approved.
Behavioural and emotional implications of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in the young and in athletes
Authors: Dechert Brynn E.
Published: January 2017

Despite the life-saving capabilities of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, they may have implications on behavioural and emotional well-being and have been shown to negatively affect patients’ psychosocial functioning. Children and CHD patients with these devices are at higher risk for complications, and therefore may have higher risk of psychosocial dysfunction including depression, anxiety, and a decrease in overall quality of life. In addition, these patients may be restricted from activities, which may also contribute to psychosocial dysfunction. Recommendations published in 2015 support a more liberal approach to athletic participation in this patient population compared with previous guidelines. Approaches to limit psychosocial dysfunction include education, minimisation of shocks, and psychosocial therapy. Psychosocial dysfunction should be assessed at each clinic visit, and information regarding intervention should be provided to patients and their families as needed. Psychosocial dysfunction may be debilitating, and healthcare providers should facilitate and support normal psychosocial function by offering resources as needed.
Effect of Sequential Applications of Protoporphyrinogen Oxidase-Inhibiting Herbicides on Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) Control and Peanut Response
Authors: Sperry Benjamin P. , Ferrell Jason A. , Smith Hunter C. , Fernandez Venancio J. , Leon Ramon G. , Smith Clyde A.
Published: January 2017

Two experiments were conducted in 2013 and 2014 in Florida to evaluate the effects of protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)-inhibiting herbicides and single versus sequential applications on Palmer amaranth control and peanut injury. Protoporphyrinogen oxidase-inhibiting herbicides are among the last available herbicides for the POST control of acetolactate synthase (ALS)-resistant Palmer amaranth in peanut. Lactofen (219 g ai ha–1) applied 5 d after the initial application provided the highest level of Palmer amaranth control 7 and 14 d after initial application (DAIT). Delaying sequential applications of lactofen to 15 d resulted in the highest level of Palmer amaranth control 21 and 28 DAIT. Similar to Palmer amaranth control, foliar injury to peanut was often highest from lactofen applications, and by 28 DAIT lactofen treatments were the only treatments that caused foliar injury. Although no statistical difference was observed between yields of plots treated with acifluorfen (280 g ai ha–1), bentazon (560 g ai ha–1), 2,4-DB (280 g ae ha–1) alone or in combination with each other, plots treated with sequential applications of lactofen 5 or 15 DAIT produced the lowest yields. Sequential applications of lactofen applied 15 DAIT controlled Palmer amaranth more effectively than any other treatment but also caused the highest level of peanut injury. The use of sequential applications of lactofen was the most effective method for control of Palmer amaranth in this study, but did reduce peanut yield.
Short-Term Test-Retest Reliability of Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) in Young Adults
Authors: Borges Christina , Mathewson Karen J. , Schmidt Louis A.
Published: January 2017

Abstract. Despite the burgeoning use of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), heart period (HP), and blood pressure (BP) to study individual differences in autonomic regulatory processes in young adults, few studies have examined the short-term reliability of such autonomic measures in emerging adulthood. If resting autonomic measures indeed reflect “trait-like” individual differences, they should have acceptable levels of test-retest reliability. We examined the 1-month test-retest reliability of resting measures of RSA as well as HP, systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in a sample of 41 healthy young adults. Test-retest reliability of all four measures was good-to-excellent across the 1-month period. However, uncontrolled mean RSA declined from Time 1 to Time 2, suggesting that while individual differences in RSA were stable, mean RSA appeared to be sensitive to condition effects. Even with random variation, all of these measures were stable across one month, demonstrating acceptable short-term test-retest reliability in emerging adulthood.
Shift in fungal communities and associated enzyme activities along an age gradient of managed Pinus sylvestris stands
Authors: Kyaschenko Julia , Clemmensen Karina E , Hagenbo Andreas , Karltun Erik , Lindahl Björn D
Published: January 2017

Forestry reshapes ecosystems with respect to tree age structure, soil properties and vegetation composition. These changes are likely to be paralleled by shifts in microbial community composition with potential feedbacks on ecosystem functioning. Here, we assessed fungal communities across a chronosequence of managed Pinus sylvestris stands and investigated correlations between taxonomic composition and extracellular enzyme activities. Not surprisingly, clear-cutting had a negative effect on ectomycorrhizal fungal abundance and diversity. In contrast, clear-cutting favoured proliferation of saprotrophic fungi correlated with enzymes involved in holocellulose decomposition. During stand development, the re-establishing ectomycorrhizal fungal community shifted in composition from dominance by Atheliaceae in younger stands to Cortinarius and Russula species in older stands. Late successional ectomycorrhizal taxa correlated with enzymes involved in mobilisation of nutrients from organic matter, indicating intensified nutrient limitation. Our results suggest that maintenance of functional diversity in the ectomycorrhizal fungal community may sustain long-term forest production by retaining a capacity for symbiosis-driven recycling of organic nutrient pools.
Resilient cooperators stabilize long-run cooperation in the finitely repeated Prisoner’s Dilemma
Authors: Mao Andrew , Dworkin Lili , Suri Siddharth , Watts Duncan J.
Published: January 2017

Learning in finitely repeated games of cooperation remains poorly understood in part because their dynamics play out over a timescale exceeding that of traditional lab experiments. Here, we report results of a virtual lab experiment in which 94 subjects play up to 400 ten-round games of Prisoner’s Dilemma over the course of twenty consecutive weekdays. Consistent with previous work, the typical round of first defection moves earlier for several days; however, this unravelling process stabilizes after roughly one week. Analysing individual strategies, we find that approximately 40% of players behave as resilient cooperators who avoid unravelling even at significant cost to themselves. Finally, using a standard learning model we predict that a sufficiently large minority of resilient cooperators can permanently stabilize unravelling among a majority of rational players. These results shed hopeful light on the long-term dynamics of cooperation, and demonstrate the importance of long-run experiments.
Contractile forces at tricellular contacts modulate epithelial organization and monolayer integrity
Authors: Salomon Julie , Gaston Cécile , Magescas Jérémy , Duvauchelle Boris , Canioni Danielle , Sengmanivong Lucie , Mayeux Adeline , Michaux Grégoire , Campeotto Florence , Lemale Julie , Viala Jérôme , Poirier Françoise , Minc Nicolas , Schmitz Jacques , Brousse Nicole , Ladoux Benoit , Goulet Olivier , Delacour Delphine
Published: January 2017

Monolayered epithelia are composed of tight cell assemblies that ensure polarized exchanges. EpCAM, an unconventional epithelial-specific cell adhesion molecule, is assumed to modulate epithelial morphogenesis in animal models, but little is known regarding its cellular functions. Inspired by the characterization of cellular defects in a rare EpCAM-related human intestinal disease, we find that the absence of EpCAM in enterocytes results in an aberrant apical domain. In the course of this pathological state, apical translocation towards tricellular contacts (TCs) occurs with striking tight junction belt displacement. These unusual cell organization and intestinal tissue defects are driven by the loss of actomyosin network homoeostasis and contractile activity clustering at TCs, yet is reversed by myosin-II inhibitor treatment. This study reveals that adequate distribution of cortical tension is crucial for individual cell organization, but also for epithelial monolayer maintenance. Our data suggest that EpCAM modulation protects against epithelial dysplasia and stabilizes human tissue architecture.
K48-linked KLF4 ubiquitination by E3 ligase Mule controls T-cell proliferation and cell cycle progression
Authors: Hao Zhenyue , Sheng Yi , Duncan Gordon S. , Li Wanda Y. , Dominguez Carmen , Sylvester Jennifer , Su Yu-Wen , Lin Gloria H.Y. , Snow Bryan E. , Brenner Dirk , You-Ten Annick , Haight Jillian , Inoue Satoshi , Wakeham Andrew , Elford Alisha , Hamilton Sara , Liang Yi , Zúñiga-Pflücker Juan C. , He Housheng Hansen , Ohashi Pamela S. , Mak Tak W.
Published: January 2017

T-cell proliferation is regulated by ubiquitination but the underlying molecular mechanism remains obscure. Here we report that Lys-48-linked ubiquitination of the transcription factor KLF4 mediated by the E3 ligase Mule promotes T-cell entry into S phase. Mule is elevated in T cells upon TCR engagement, and Mule deficiency in T cells blocks proliferation because KLF4 accumulates and drives upregulation of its transcriptional targets E2F2 and the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21 and p27. T-cell-specific Mule knockout (TMKO) mice develop exacerbated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), show impaired generation of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells with reduced cytokine production, and fail to clear LCMV infections. Thus, Mule-mediated ubiquitination of the novel substrate KLF4 regulates T-cell proliferation, autoimmunity and antiviral immune responses in vivo.
Structural basis for the recognition and degradation of host TRIM proteins by Salmonella effector SopA
Authors: Fiskin Evgenij , Bhogaraju Sagar , Herhaus Lina , Kalayil Sissy , Hahn Marcel , Dikic Ivan
Published: January 2017

The hallmark of Salmonella Typhimurium infection is an acute intestinal inflammatory response, which is mediated through the action of secreted bacterial effector proteins. The pro-inflammatory Salmonella effector SopA is a HECT-like E3 ligase, which was previously proposed to activate host RING ligases TRIM56 and TRIM65. Here we elucidate an inhibitory mechanism of TRIM56 and TRIM65 targeting by SopA. We present the crystal structure of SopA in complex with the RING domain of human TRIM56, revealing the atomic details of their interaction and the basis for SopA selectivity towards TRIM56 and TRIM65. Structure-guided biochemical analysis shows that SopA inhibits TRIM56 E3 ligase activity by occluding the E2-interacting surface of TRIM56. We further demonstrate that SopA ubiquitinates TRIM56 and TRIM65, resulting in their proteasomal degradation during infection. Our results provide the basis for how a bacterial HECT ligase blocks host RING ligases and exemplifies the multivalent power of bacterial effectors during infection.
Topological frustration of artificial spin ice
Authors: Drisko Jasper , Marsh Thomas , Cumings John
Published: January 2017

Frustrated systems, typically characterized by competing interactions that cannot all be simultaneously satisfied, display rich behaviours not found elsewhere in nature. Artificial spin ice takes a materials-by-design approach to studying frustration, where lithographically patterned bar magnets mimic the frustrated interactions in real materials but are also amenable to direct characterization. Here, we introduce controlled topological defects into square artificial spin ice lattices in the form of lattice edge dislocations and directly observe the resulting spin configurations. We find the presence of a topological defect produces extended frustration within the system caused by a domain wall with indeterminate configuration. Away from the dislocation, the magnets are locally unfrustrated, but frustration of the lattice persists due to its topology. Our results demonstrate the non-trivial nature of topological defects in a new context, with implications for many real systems in which a typical density of dislocations could fully frustrate a canonically unfrustrated system.
TNFα drives pulmonary arterial hypertension by suppressing the BMP type-II receptor and altering NOTCH signalling
Authors: Hurst Liam A. , Dunmore Benjamin J. , Long Lu , Crosby Alexi , Al-Lamki Rafia , Deighton John , Southwood Mark , Yang Xudong , Nikolic Marko Z. , Herrera Blanca , Inman Gareth J. , Bradley John R. , Rana Amer A. , Upton Paul D. , Morrell Nicholas W.
Published: January 2017

Heterozygous germ-line mutations in the bone morphogenetic protein type-II receptor (BMPR-II) gene underlie heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension (HPAH). Although inflammation promotes PAH, the mechanisms by which inflammation and BMPR-II dysfunction conspire to cause disease remain unknown. Here we identify that tumour necrosis factor-α (TNFα) selectively reduces BMPR-II transcription and mediates post-translational BMPR-II cleavage via the sheddases, ADAM10 and ADAM17 in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). TNFα-mediated suppression of BMPR-II subverts BMP signalling, leading to BMP6-mediated PASMC proliferation via preferential activation of an ALK2/ACTR-IIA signalling axis. Furthermore, TNFα, via SRC family kinases, increases pro-proliferative NOTCH2 signalling in HPAH PASMCs with reduced BMPR-II expression. We confirm this signalling switch in rodent models of PAH and demonstrate that anti-TNFα immunotherapy reverses disease progression, restoring normal BMP/NOTCH signalling. Collectively, these findings identify mechanisms by which BMP and TNFα signalling contribute to disease, and suggest a tractable approach for therapeutic intervention in PAH.
Hydrogenation of iron in the early stage of Earth’s evolution
Authors: Iizuka-Oku Riko , Yagi Takehiko , Gotou Hirotada , Okuchi Takuo , Hattori Takanori , Sano-Furukawa Asami
Published: January 2017

Density of the Earth’s core is lower than that of pure iron and the light element(s) in the core is a long-standing problem. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the solar system and thus one of the important candidates. However, the dissolution process of hydrogen into iron remained unclear. Here we carry out high-pressure and high-temperature in situ neutron diffraction experiments and clarify that when the mixture of iron and hydrous minerals are heated, iron is hydrogenized soon after the hydrous mineral is dehydrated. This implies that early in the Earth’s evolution, as the accumulated primordial material became hotter, the dissolution of hydrogen into iron occurred before any other materials melted. This suggests that hydrogen is likely the first light element dissolved into iron during the Earth’s evolution and it may affect the behaviour of the other light elements in the later processes.
Effects of childhood and adolescence physical activity patterns on psychosis risk—a general population cohort study
Authors: Sormunen Elina , Saarinen Maiju M. , Salokangas Raimo K. R. , Telama Risto , Hutri-Kähönen Nina , Tammelin Tuija , Viikari Jorma , Raitakari Olli , Hietala Jarmo
Published: January 2017

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders are associated with high morbidity and mortality in somatic diseases. The risk factors of this excess mortality include, e.g., obesity, dietary factors, and physical inactivity, especially after the onset of psychosis, but there are limited early developmental data on these factors in individuals who later develop psychosis. A population-based cohort study “Cardiovascular Risk of Young Finns” started in 1980 with 3596 children and adolescents from six different age groups (3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 years). Cardiovascular health parameters, including questionnaire of physical activity before first hospitalization (≤18 years), were studied in 1980, 1983, and 1986. All psychiatric diagnoses of the participants were derived from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register up to the year 2012. We identified diagnostic groups of non-affective psychosis (n = 68, including a schizophrenia subgroup, n = 41), personality disorders (n = 43), affective disorders (n = 111), and substance-related disorders (n = 49), based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Ed﻿ition (DSM-IV). Groups were compared with controls with no psychiatric diagnoses (n = 3325). Sex, age, body mass index, birth weight, non-preterm birth, and mother’s mental disorders were included in the statistical model. Low physical activity in childhood and adolescence (9–18 years) independently predicted later development of non-affective psychosis. Lower physical activity index (relative risk 1.26 [1.1–1.5]), lower level of common activity during leisure time (relative risk 1.71 [1.2–2.5]), and non-participation in sports competitions (relative risk 2.58 [1.3–5.3]) were associated with a higher risk for later non-affective psychosis (expressed as increase in relative risk per physical activity unit). The findings were even stronger for schizophrenia, but no such link was observed for other diagnoses. The cause of low physical activity in premorbid/prodromal phase is likely to be multifactorial, including deviant motor and cognitive development. The results provide a rationale for including exercise and physical activity interventions as a part of psychosis prevention programs.
Significantly improved photovoltaic performance in polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells with graphene oxide /PEDOT:PSS double decked hole transport layer
Authors: Rafique Saqib , Abdullah Shahino Mah , Shahid Muhammad Mehmood , Ansari Mohammad Omaish , Sulaiman Khaulah
Published: January 2017

This work demonstrates the high performance graphene oxide (GO)/PEDOT:PSS doubled decked hole transport layer (HTL) in the PCDTBT:PC71BM based bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic device. The devices were tested on merits of their power conversion efficiency (PCE), reproducibility, stability and further compared with the devices with individual GO or PEDOT:PSS HTLs. Solar cells employing GO/PEDOT:PSS HTL yielded a PCE of 4.28% as compared to either of individual GO or PEDOT:PSS HTLs where they demonstrated PCEs of 2.77 and 3.57%, respectively. In case of single GO HTL, an inhomogeneous coating of ITO caused the poor performance whereas PEDOT:PSS is known to be hygroscopic and acidic which upon direct contact with ITO reduced the device performance. The improvement in the photovoltaic performance is mainly ascribed to the increased charge carriers mobility, short circuit current, open circuit voltage, fill factor, and decreased series resistance. The well matched work function of GO and PEDOT:PSS is likely to facilitate the charge transportation and an overall reduction in the series resistance. Moreover, GO could effectively block the electrons due to its large band-gap of ~3.6 eV, leading to an increased shunt resistance. In addition, we also observed the improvement in the reproducibility and stability.
Optimum Leaf Removal Increases Nitrogen Accumulation in Kernels of Maize Grown at High Density
Authors: Liu Tiening , Huang Rundong , Cai Tie , Han Qingfang , Dong Shuting
Published: January 2017

Increasing plant density is one of the main approaches of achieving higher yields for modern maize crop. However, there exists leaf redundancy for high-density maize, and leaves of the upper canopy shade more competent leaves at the middle strata. In a two-year field experiments, Jinhai5, a semi-compact corn cultivar, was grown at a density of 105,000 plants ha−1 grown until 3 days after silking (3DAS), when plants were subjected to removal of the uppermost two leaves (S2), four leaves (S4) or six leaves (S6), with no leaf removal as control (S0). We evaluated the effects of leaf removal on N remobilization, photosynthetic capacity of the remaining leaves for N uptake, and N accumulation in kernels. Our present results concluded that, under high plant density, excising the uppermost two leaves promoted N remobilization from vegetative organs to kernels and enhanced photosynthetic capacity for N uptake, leading to an increased N accumulation in kernels (19.6% higher than control). However, four or six uppermost leaves removal reduced N remobilization from stem and photosynthesis for poor N uptake, resulting in 37.5 and 50.2% significantly reduced N accumulation in kernels, respectively.