bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sex specific effects of pre-pubertal stress on hippocampal neurogenesis and behaviour
Authors: Brydges Nichola Marie , Moon Anna , Rule Lowenna , Watkin Holly , Thomas Kerrie L. , Hall Jeremy
Published: December 2018

Experience of traumatic events in childhood is linked to an elevated risk of developing psychiatric disorders in adulthood. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not fully understood. The limbic system, particularly the hippocampus, is significantly impacted by childhood trauma. In particular, it has been hypothesised that childhood stress may impact adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) and related behaviours, conferring increased risk for later mental illness. Stress in utero can lead to impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity, and stress in the first 2–3 weeks of life reduces AHN in animal models. Less is known about the effects of stress in the post-weaning, pre-pubertal phase, a developmental time-point more akin to human childhood. Therefore, we investigated persistent effects of pre-pubertal stress (PPS) on functional and molecular aspects of the hippocampus. AHN was altered following PPS in male rats only. Specifically males showed reduced production of new neurons following PPS, but increased survival in the ventral dentate gyrus. In adult males, but not females, pattern separation and trace fear conditioning, behaviours that rely heavily on AHN, were also impaired after PPS. PPS also increased the expression of parvalbumin-positive GABAergic interneurons in the ventral dentate gyrus and increased glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 expression in the ventral hilus, in males only. Our results demonstrate the lasting effects of PPS on the hippocampus in a sex- and time-dependent manner, provide a potential mechanistic link between PPS and later behavioural impairments, and highlight sex differences in vulnerability to neuropsychiatric conditions after early-life stress.
Pan-cancer analysis of transcriptional metabolic dysregulation using The Cancer Genome Atlas
Authors: Rosario S. R. , Long M. D. , Affronti H. C. , Rowsam A. M. , Eng K. H. , Smiraglia D. J.
Published: December 2018

Understanding metabolic dysregulation in different disease settings is vital for the safe and effective incorporation of metabolism-targeted therapeutics in the clinic. Here, using transcriptomic data for 10,704 tumor and normal samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas, across 26 disease sites, we present a novel bioinformatics pipeline that distinguishes tumor from normal tissues, based on differential gene expression for 114 metabolic pathways. We confirm pathway dysregulation in separate patient populations, demonstrating the robustness of our approach. Bootstrapping simulations were then applied to assess the biological significance of these alterations. We provide distinct examples of the types of analysis that can be accomplished with this tool to understand cancer specific metabolic dysregulation, highlighting novel pathways of interest, and patterns of metabolic flux, in both common and rare disease sites. Further, we show that Master Metabolic Transcriptional Regulators explain why metabolic differences exist, can segregate patient populations, and predict responders to different metabolism-targeted therapeutics.
Neuroinspired unsupervised learning and pruning with subquantum CBRAM arrays
Authors: Shi Yuhan , Nguyen Leon , Oh Sangheon , Liu Xin , Koushan Foroozan , Jameson John R. , Kuzum Duygu
Published: December 2018

Resistive RAM crossbar arrays offer an attractive solution to minimize off-chip data transfer and parallelize on-chip computations for neural networks. Here, we report a hardware/software co-design approach based on low energy subquantum conductive bridging RAM (CBRAM®) devices and a network pruning technique to reduce network level energy consumption. First, we demonstrate low energy subquantum CBRAM devices exhibiting gradual switching characteristics important for implementing weight updates in hardware during unsupervised learning. Then we develop a network pruning algorithm that can be employed during training, different from previous network pruning approaches applied for inference only. Using a 512 kbit subquantum CBRAM array, we experimentally demonstrate high recognition accuracy on the MNIST dataset for digital implementation of unsupervised learning. Our hardware/software co-design approach can pave the way towards resistive memory based neuro-inspired systems that can autonomously learn and process information in power-limited settings.
Click chemistry enables quantitative chiroptical sensing of chiral compounds in protic media and complex mixtures
Authors: Thanzeel F. Yushra , Balaraman Kaluvu , Wolf Christian
Published: December 2018

Click reactions have become powerful synthetic tools with unique applications in the health and materials sciences. Despite the progress with optical sensors that exploit the principles of dynamic covalent chemistry, metal coordination or supramolecular assemblies, quantitative analysis of complex mixtures remains challenging. Herein, we report the use of a readily available coumarin conjugate acceptor for chiroptical click chirality sensing of the absolute configuration, concentration and enantiomeric excess of several compound classes. This method has several attractive features, including wide scope, fast substrate fixation without by-product formation or complicate equilibria often encountered in reversible substrate binding, excellent solvent compatibility, and tolerance of air and water. The ruggedness and practicality of this approach are demonstrated by comprehensive analysis of nonracemic monoamine samples and crude asymmetric imine hydrogenation mixtures without work-up. Click chemosensing addresses increasingly important time efficiency, cost, labor and chemical sustainability aspects and streamlines asymmetric reaction development at the mg scale.
Identifying quasi-2D and 1D electrides in yttrium and scandium chlorides via geometrical identification
Authors: Wan Biao , Lu Yangfan , Xiao Zewen , Muraba Yoshinori , Kim Junghwan , Huang Dajian , Wu Lailei , Gou Huiyang , Zhang Jingwu , Gao Faming , Mao Ho-kwang , Hosono Hideo
Published: December 2018

Developing and understanding electron-rich electrides offers a promising opportunity for a variety of electronic and catalytic applications. Using a geometrical identification strategy, here we identify a new class of electride material, yttrium/scandium chlorides Y(Sc)xCly (y:x < 2). Anionic electrons are found in the metal octahedral framework topology. The diverse electronic dimensionality of these electrides is quantified explicitly by quasi-two-dimensional (2D) electrides for [YCl]+∙e− and [ScCl]+∙e− and one-dimensional (1D) electrides for [Y2Cl3]+∙e−, [Sc7Cl10]+∙e−, and [Sc5Cl8]2+∙2e− with divalent metal elements (Sc2+: 3d1 and Y2+: 4d1). The localized anionic electrons were confined within the inner-layer spaces, rather than inter-layer spaces that are observed in A2B-type 2D electrides, e.g. Ca2N. Moreover, when hydrogen atoms are introduced into the host structures to form YClH and Y2Cl3H, the generated phases transform to conventional ionic compounds but exhibited a surprising reduction of work function, arising from the increased Fermi level energy, contrary to the conventional electrides reported so far. Y2Cl3 was experimentally confirmed to be a semiconductor with a band gap of 1.14 eV. These results may help to promote the rational design and discovery of new electride materials for further technological applications.
Identification of the salusin-β receptor using proteoliposomes embedded with endogenous membrane proteins
Authors: Shichiri Masayoshi , Nonaka Daisuke , Lee Lyang-Ja , Tanaka Kenji
Published: December 2018

Although orphan G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have been used as targets to discover unidentified natural ligands, increasing numbers of non-GPCRs have been found to mediate important biological functions. Bioinformatics of genome and cDNA resources predict putative bioactive peptides, demanding an alternative approach to efficiently unravel cell surface targets. In silico analysis of a full-length cDNA library previously allowed us to identify salusin-β, a parasympathomimetic/pro-atherosclerotic peptide with unique physicochemical properties. Here, we show that the β-chain of ATP synthase is a cell surface receptor for salusin-β by utilizing artificial liposomes embedded with endogenous membrane proteins directly transferred from animal tissues while retaining the ligand-binding capability. Conventional techniques using detergents identified a β-actin-profilin complex as membrane-associated salusin-β-binding proteins, but failed to identify the cell surface receptor. Since the α-chain of ATP synthase is a principal cell surface target for angiostatin, a potent endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor, we investigated whether salusin-β modulates angiogenesis. Salusin-β inhibited cell surface ATP synthase activity and prevented sarcoma cell-induced angiogenesis in an in vivo mouse air sac model. Therefore, salusin-β binds to membrane-bound ATP synthase and acts as an angiogenesis inhibitor. The current methodology allows the identification of novel cell surface targets, irrespective of the receptor structure.
The novel EHEC gene asa overlaps the TEGT transporter gene in antisense and is regulated by NaCl and growth phase
Authors: Vanderhaeghen Sonja , Zehentner Barbara , Scherer Siegfried , Neuhaus Klaus , Ardern Zachary
Published: December 2018

Only a few overlapping gene pairs are known in the best-analyzed bacterial model organism Escherichia coli. Automatic annotation programs usually annotate only one out of six reading frames at a locus, allowing only small overlaps between protein-coding sequences. However, both RNAseq and RIBOseq show signals corresponding to non-trivially overlapping reading frames in antisense to annotated genes, which may constitute protein-coding genes. The transcription and translation of the novel 264 nt gene asa, which overlaps in antisense to a putative TEGT (Testis-Enhanced Gene Transfer) transporter gene is detected in pathogenic E. coli, but not in two apathogenic E. coli strains. The gene in E. coli O157:H7 (EHEC) was further analyzed. An overexpression phenotype was identified in two stress conditions, i.e. excess in salt or arginine. For this, EHEC overexpressing asa was grown competitively against EHEC with a translationally arrested asa mutant gene. RT-qPCR revealed conditional expression dependent on growth phase, sodium chloride, and arginine. Two potential promoters were computationally identified and experimentally verified by reporter gene expression and determination of the transcription start site. The protein Asa was verified by Western blot. Close homologues of asa have not been found in protein databases, but bioinformatic analyses showed that it may be membrane associated, having a largely disordered structure.
Trawl ban in a heavily exploited marine environment: Responses in population dynamics of four stomatopod species
Authors: Tao Lily S. R. , Lui Karen K. Y. , Lau Edward T. C. , Ho Kevin K. Y. , Mak Yanny K. Y. , Sadovy de Mitcheson Yvonne , Leung Kenneth M. Y.
Published: December 2018

Intensive trawling activities in Hong Kong waters have seriously depleted fishery resources and damaged marine benthic habitats over the last four decades. To minimize further destruction and rehabilitate fishery resources, the Hong Kong Government implemented a permanent territory-wide trawling closure on 31 December 2012. Such a trawl ban creates a unique opportunity to investigate recoveries in ecosystem structure and function following a major shift in disturbance regime by removing impacts from a major gear. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that dominant predatory mantis shrimps, including Harpiosquilla harpax, Miyakella nepa, Oratosquillina interrupta, and Oratosquilla oratoria would show signs of recovery following the trawl ban. Their population dynamics were investigated before and after the trawl ban. The results showed that their mean weight, mean carapace length and proportion of large-sized individuals increased significantly 3.5 years after the trawl ban, whilst their abundance, biomass and maximum length remained unchanged. This study suggests that the stomatopod assemblage in the human-dominated Hong Kong waters shows some initial signs of possible recovery following the trawl ban but also highlights the complexity of implementing fishery management and detecting changes resulted from management measures in a heavily urbanized seascape where many biotic and abiotic factors can influence their population dynamics.
Winged forelimbs of the small theropod dinosaur Caudipteryx could have generated small aerodynamic forces during rapid terrestrial locomotion
Authors: Talori Yaser Saffar , Liu Yun-Fei , Zhao Jing-Shan , Sullivan Corwin , O’Connor Jingmai K. , Li Zhi-Heng
Published: December 2018

Pennaceous feathers capable of forming aerodynamic surfaces are characteristic of Pennaraptora, the group comprising birds and their closest relatives among non-avian dinosaurs. However, members of the basal pennaraptoran lineage Oviraptorosauria were clearly flightless, and the function of pennaceous feathers on the forelimb in oviraptorosaurs is still uncertain. In the basal oviraptorosaur Caudipteryx both the skeleton and the plumage, which includes pennaceous feathers forming wing-like arrangements on the forelimbs, are well known. We used mathematical analyses, computer simulations and experiments on a robot Caudipteryx with realistic wing proportions to test whether the wings of Caudipteryx could have generated aerodynamic forces useful in rapid terrestrial locomotion. These various approaches show that, if both wings were held in a fixed and laterally extended position, they would have produced only small amounts of lift and drag. A partial simulation of flapping while running showed similarly limited aerodynamic force production. These results are consistent with the possibility that pennaceous feathers first evolved for a non-locomotor function such as display, but the effects of flapping and the possible contribution of the wings during manoeuvres such as braking and turning remain to be more fully investigated.
Gender-specific discrepancy in subjective global assessment for mortality in hemodialysis patients
Authors: Ko Ye Eun , Yun Taeyoung , Lee Hye Ah , Kim Seung-Jung , Kang Duk-Hee , Choi Kyu Bok , Kim Yon Su , Kim Yong-Lim , Oh Hyung Jung , Ryu Dong-Ryeol
Published: December 2018

Although subjective global assessment (SGA) is a widely used representative tool for nutritional investigations even among dialysis patients, no studies have examined gender-specific differences in the ability of SGA to predict mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. A total of 2,798 dialysis patients were enrolled from clinical research center for end-stage renal disease (CRC for ESRD) between 2009 and 2015. The cohort was divided into two groups based on nutritional status as evaluated by SGA: ‘good nutrition’ and ‘mild to severe malnutrition’. Multivariate Cox proportional regression analyses were performed to investigate gender-specific differences in SGA for mortality among incident and prevalent HD patients. ‘Mild to severe malnutrition’ was significantly correlated with increased mortality compared with ‘good nutrition’ for all HD, incident and prevalent HD patients. Compared with ‘good nutrition’, ‘mild to severe malnutrition’ was also more significantly associated with increased mortality in male patients in the incident and prevalent HD groups. However, no significant associations between nutritional status evaluated by SGA and mortality were observed for female patients. SGA of HD patients can be useful for predicting mortality, especially in male HD patients. However, SGA alone might not reflect adverse outcomes in female patients.
Sleep selectively stabilizes contextual aspects of negative memories
Authors: Cox Roy , van Bronkhorst Marthe L. V. , Bayda Mollie , Gomillion Herron , Cho Eileen , Parr Mittie E. , Manickas-Hill Olivia P. , Schapiro Anna C. , Stickgold Robert
Published: December 2018

Sleep and emotion are both powerful modulators of the long-term stability of episodic memories, but precisely how these factors interact remains unresolved. We assessed changes in item recognition, contextual memory, and affective tone for negative and neutral memories across a 12 h interval containing sleep or wakefulness in 71 human volunteers. Our data indicate a sleep-dependent stabilization of negative contextual memories, in a way not seen for neutral memories, item recognition, or across wakefulness. Furthermore, retention of contextual memories was positively associated with the proportion of time spent in non-rapid eye movement sleep in a valence-independent manner. Finally, while affective responses to previously seen negative stimuli and to both old and new neutral stimuli decreased across an interval of sleep, effects for memorized items did not differ reliably between sleep and wake. These results add to our understanding of the complex interrelations among sleep, memory, and emotion.
Temporal trend and spatial clustering of cholera epidemic in Kumasi-Ghana
Authors: Osei Frank Badu , Stein Alfred
Published: December 2018

Knowledge of the temporal trends and spatial patterns will have significant implications for effective preparedness in future epidemics. Our objective was to investigate the temporal trends and the nature of the spatial interaction of cholera incidences, dwelling on an outbreak in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. We developed generalized nonparametric and segmented regression models to describe the epidemic curve. We used the pair correlation function to describe the nature of spatial clustering parameters such as the maximum scale of interaction and the scale of maximal interaction. The epidemic rose suddenly to a peak with 40% daily increments of incidences. The decay, however, was slower with 5% daily reductions. Spatial interaction occurred within 1 km radius. Maximal interaction occurred within 0.3 km, suggesting a household level of interactions. Significant clustering during the first week suggests secondary transmissions sparked the outbreak. The nonparametric and segmented regression models, together with the pair correlation function, contribute to understanding the transmission dynamics. The issue of underreporting remains a challenge we seek to address in future. These findings, however, will have innovative implications for developing preventive measures during future epidemics.
Connectivity of the Superficial Muscles of the Human Perineum: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging-Based Global Tractography Study
Authors: Zifan Ali , Reisert Marco , Sinha Shantanu , Ledgerwood-Lee Melissa , Cory Esther , Sah Robert , Mittal Ravinder K.
Published: December 2018

Despite the importance of pelvic floor muscles, significant controversy still exists about the true structural details of these muscles. We provide an objective analysis of the architecture and orientation of the superficial muscles of the perineum using a novel approach. Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Images (MR-DTI) were acquired in 10 healthy asymptomatic nulliparous women, and 4 healthy males. Global tractography was then used to generate the architecture of the muscles. Micro-CT imaging of a male cadaver was performed for validation of the fiber tracking results. Results show that muscles fibers of the external anal sphincter, from the right and left side, cross midline in the region of the perineal body to continue as transverse perinea and bulbospongiosus muscles of the opposite side. The morphology of the external anal sphincter resembles that of the number ‘8’ or a “purse string”. The crossing of muscle fascicles in the perineal body was supported by micro-CT imaging in the male subject. The superficial muscles of the perineum, and external anal sphincter are frequently damaged during child birth related injuries to the pelvic floor; we propose the use of MR-DTI based global tractography as a non-invasive imaging technique to assess damage to these muscles.
Novel Polyheteroarylene Membranes for Separation of Methanol‒Hexane Mixture by Pervaporation
Authors: Polotskaya G. , Pulyalina A. , Goikhman M. , Podeshvo I. , Rostovtseva V. , Shugurov S. , Gofman I. , Saprykina N. , Gulii N. , Loretsyan N. , Toikka A.
Published: December 2018

Polymer membranes with improved transport properties are required for effective separation of organic mixtures (such as methanol‒hexane system) by combination of pervaporation and azeotropic distillation. The present work is devoted to comparative study of two types of membranes based on poly(amidoimide acid) with 2,2′-biquinoline-6,6′ units in the backbone; the objects were prepared (i) from the initial polymer and (ii) from the polymer-metal complex (with Cu(I)). Thermo-mechanical and mass spectrometric investigations demonstrated good operational properties of the samples. Density measurements and SEM analysis revealed that the structure formed in polymer-metal complex is more compact as compared to that of the pure polymer membrane. Mass transfer processes of methanol and hexane through both kinds of membranes were studied by sorption, desorption and pervaporation tests. The values of equilibrium sorption degree, the Flory–Huggins parameter, and diffusion coefficient were determined for the obtained membranes. The pervaporation data allowed calculating permeability and selectivity of membranes in addition to the flux and the separation factor. The membrane based on polymer-Cu(I) complex allowed separating the methanol‒hexane azeotropic mixture with a separation factor of 980 and pervaporation separation index equal to 66.6; therefore, this process is significantly more effective than separation procedures involving other known membranes.
Comparison of three variant callers for human whole genome sequencing
Authors: Supernat Anna , Vidarsson Oskar Valdimar , Steen Vidar M. , Stokowy Tomasz
Published: December 2018

Testing of patients with genetics-related disorders is in progress of shifting from single gene assays to gene panel sequencing, whole-exome sequencing (WES) and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Since WGS is unquestionably becoming a new foundation for molecular analyses, we decided to compare three currently used tools for variant calling of human whole genome sequencing data. We tested DeepVariant, a new TensorFlow machine learning-based variant caller, and compared this tool to GATK 4.0 and SpeedSeq, using 30×, 15× and 10× WGS data of the well-known NA12878 DNA reference sample. According to our comparison, the performance on SNV calling was almost similar in 30× data, with all three variant callers reaching F-Scores (i.e. harmonic mean of recall and precision) equal to 0.98. In contrast, DeepVariant was more precise in indel calling than GATK and SpeedSeq, as demonstrated by F-Scores of 0.94, 0.90 and 0.84, respectively. We conclude that the DeepVariant tool has great potential and usefulness for analysis of WGS data in medical genetics.
Selective overexpression of cytoglobin in stellate cells attenuates thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis in mice
Authors: Thi Thanh Hai Nguyen , Thuy Le Thi Thanh , Shiota Akira , Kadono Chiho , Daikoku Atsuko , Hoang Dinh Viet , Dat Ninh Quoc , Sato-Matsubara Misako , Yoshizato Katsutoshi , Kawada Norifumi
Published: December 2018

Cytoglobin (CYGB), discovered in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), is known to possess a radical scavenger function, but its pathophysiological roles remain unclear. Here, for the first time, we generated a new transgenic (TG) mouse line in which both Cygb and mCherry reporter gene expression were under the control of the native Cygb gene promoter. We demonstrated that the expression of Cygb-mCherry was related to endogenous Cygb in adult tissues by tracing mCherry fluorescence together with DNA, mRNA, and protein analyses. Administration of a single dose (50 mg/kg) of thioacetamide (TAA) in Cygb-TG mice resulted in lower levels of alanine transaminase and oxidative stress than those in WT mice. After 10 weeks of TAA administration, Cygb-TG livers exhibited reduced neutrophil accumulation, cytokine expression and fibrosis but high levels of quiescent HSCs. Primary HSCs isolated from Cygb-TG mice (HSCCygb-TG) exhibited significantly decreased mRNA levels of α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA), collagen 1α1, and transforming growth factor β-3 after 4 days in culture relative to WT cells. HSCsCygb-TG were resistant to H2O2-induced αSMA expression. Thus, cell-specific overexpression of Cygb attenuates HSC activation and protects mice against TAA-induced liver fibrosis presumably by maintaining HSC quiescence. Cygb is a potential new target for antifibrotic approaches.
Avian Toll-like receptor allelic diversity far exceeds human polymorphism: an insight from domestic chicken breeds
Authors: Świderská Zuzana , Šmídová Adéla , Buchtová Lucie , Bryjová Anna , Fabiánová Anežka , Munclinger Pavel , Vinkler Michal
Published: December 2018

Immune genes show remarkable levels of adaptive variation shaped by pathogen-mediated selection. Compared to humans, however, population polymorphism in animals has been understudied. To provide an insight into immunogenetic diversity in birds, we sequenced complete protein-coding regions of all Toll-like receptor (TLR) genes with direct orthology between mammals and birds (TLR3, TLR4, TLR5 and TLR7) in 110 domestic chickens from 25 breeds and compared their variability with a corresponding human dataset. Chicken TLRs (chTLRs) exhibit on average nine-times higher nucleotide diversity than human TLRs (hTLRs). Increased potentially functional non-synonymous variability is found in chTLR ligand-binding ectodomains. While we identified seven sites in chTLRs under positive selection and found evidence for convergence between alleles, no selection or convergence was detected in hTLRs. Up to six-times more alleles were identified in fowl (70 chTLR4 alleles vs. 11 hTLR4 alleles). In chTLRs, high numbers of alleles are shared between the breeds and the allelic frequencies are more equal than in hTLRs. These differences may have an important impact on infectious disease resistance and host-parasite co-evolution. Though adaptation through high genetic variation is typical for acquired immunity (e.g. MHC), our results show striking levels of intraspecific polymorphism also in poultry innate immune receptors.
Retention, savings and interlimb transfer of reactive gait adaptations in humans following unexpected perturbations
Authors: McCrum Christopher , Karamanidis Kiros , Willems Paul , Zijlstra Wiebren , Meijer Kenneth
Published: December 2018

Reactive locomotor adaptations are crucial for safe mobility, but remain relatively unexplored. Here we assess reactive gait adaptations, and their retention, savings and interlimb transfer. Using new methods to normalise walking speed and perturbation magnitude, we expose eighteen healthy adults to ten unexpected treadmill belt accelerations during walking (the first and last perturbing the right leg, the others perturbing the left leg) on two days, one month apart. Analysis of the margins of stability using kinematic data reveals that humans reactively adapt gait, improving stability and taking fewer recovery steps, and fully retain these adaptations over time. On re-exposure, retention and savings lead to further improvements in stability. Currently, the role of interlimb transfer is unclear. Our findings show that humans utilise retention and savings in reactive gait adaptations to benefit stability, but that interlimb transfer may not be exclusively responsible for improvements following perturbations to the untrained limb.
Chromatographic paper-based analytical devices using an oxidized paper substrate
Authors: Hashimoto Yuki , Kaneta Takashi
Published: December 2018

A novel detection scheme using chromatographic retention was proposed for paper-based analytical devices (PADs).
In vivotargeting of DNA vaccines to dendritic cells using functionalized gold nanoparticles
Authors: Gulla Suresh Kumar , Rao Bonda Rama , Moku Gopikrishna , Jinka Sudhakar , Nimmu Narendra Varma , Khalid Sara , Patra Chitta Ranjan , Chaudhuri Arabinda
Published: December 2018

Gold nanoparticles functionalized with a thiol ligand containing both mannose mimicking shikimoyl- and transfection enhancing guanidinyl-functionalities forin vivodelivery of DNA vaccines to dendritic cells.
Designer aromatic peptide amphiphiles for self-assembly and enzymatic display of proteins with morphology control
Authors: Wakabayashi Rie , Suehiro Ayumi , Goto Masahiro , Kamiya Noriho
Published: December 2018

Aromatic peptide amphiphiles self-assembled into fibrous materials with varied morphologies and enzymatic post-modification of the materials with proteins was achieved.
Facile synthesis of chiral [2,3]-fused hydrobenzofuran via asymmetric Cu(i)-catalyzed dearomative 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition
Authors: Liang Lei , Niu Hong-Ying , Wang Dong-Chao , Yang Xin-He , Qu Gui-Rong , Guo Hai-Ming
Published: December 2018

An intermolecular catalytic asymmetric dearomatization (CADA) reaction has been developed for the synthesis of chiral [2,3]-fused hydrobenzofurans.
Origin of high thermoelectric performance with a wide range of compositions for BixSb2−xTe3 single quintuple layers
Authors: Li Zhen , Han Siyu , Pan Yuanchun , Miao Naihua , Zhou Jian , Xu Huibin , Sun Zhimei
Published: December 2018

The high power factor of a p-type BST single QL is ensured by the robust multi-valley character of valence bands.
Dissection of the multichannel reaction of acetylene with atomic oxygen: from the global potential energy surface to rate coefficients and branching dynamics
Authors: Zuo Junxiang , Chen Qixin , Hu Xixi , Guo Hua , Xie Daiqian
Published: December 2018

A global potential energy surface for the O(3P) + C2H2reaction is developed and the quasi-classical trajectory study on the potential energy surface reproduce the rate coefficient and product branching ratio.
A manganese hydride molecular sieve for practical hydrogen storage under ambient conditions
Authors: Morris Leah , Hales James J. , Trudeau Michel L. , Georgiev Peter , Embs Jan Peter , Eckert Juergen , Kaltsoyannis Nikolas , Antonelli David M.
Published: December 2018

An amorphous manganese hydride molecular sieve that reversibly absorbs 10.5 wt% and 197 kgH2m−3hydrogen at room temperature using the Kubas interaction.
A combination of monoacylglycerol crystalline network and hydrophilic antioxidants synergistically enhances the oxidative stability of gelled algae oil
Authors: Wang Qiang , Decker Eric Andrew , Rao Jiajia , Chen Bingcan
Published: December 2018

In this study, base algae oil was gelled through the formation of a crystal network using food-grade monoacylglycerol (MAG).
Advanced microscopic evaluation of parallel type I and type II cell deaths induced by multi-functionalized gold nanocages in breast cancer
Authors: Raveendran Sreejith , Sen Anindito , Ito-Tanaka Hiromi , Kato Kazunori , Maekawa Toru , Kumar D. Sakthi
Published: December 2018

This work evaluates the potential of type I and type II cell deaths in parallel killing of breast cancer cells to mitigate the induced chemoresistance caused.
Progress in self-assembly of TTF derivatives at HOPG interface
Authors: Zu Xiaoyi , Li Jianqiao , Qian Yuxin , Duan Wubiao , Zeng Qingdao
Published: December 2018

Self-assembled structures of TTF derivatives can be observed according to different substituents.
Visible-light-promoted oxidation/condensation of benzyl alcohols with dialkylacetamides to cinnamides
Authors: Yang Tianlong , Lu Maojian , Lin Zhaowei , Huang Mingqiang , Cai Shunyou
Published: December 2018

An oxidative cross-coupling reaction of benzyl alcohols with dialkylacetamides was developed to construct cinnamides under visible-light-enabled photocatalytic conditions.
One-step heat treatment to process semi-coke powders as an anode material with superior rate performance for Li-ion batteries
Authors: Shi Ming , Chen Yuanzhen , Wen Hua , Liu Yongning
Published: December 2018

The processed SC can deliver a capacity of 314.3 mA h g−1 after 300 cycles at 1C with a decline rate of 2.4%.
Highly functionalized pyrrolidine analogues: stereoselective synthesis and caspase-dependent apoptotic activity
Authors: Kumar Raju Suresh , Almansour Abdulrahman I. , Arumugam Natarajan , Mohammad Faruq , Alshahrani Waleed Shihan , D Kotresha , Altaf Mohammad , Azam Mohammad , Menéndez J. Carlos
Published: December 2018

Spiropyrrolidines were synthesized employing a new class of azomethine ylide for the first time and were tested for their anticancer activity, where the cell death mechanism revealed that it is occurring through the caspase-3 dependent pathway.
Unmodified kraft lignin isolated at room temperature from aqueous solution for preparation of highly flexible transparent polyurethane coatings
Authors: Klein Stephanie Elisabeth , Rumpf Jessica , Kusch Peter , Albach Rolf , Rehahn Matthias , Witzleben Steffen , Schulze Margit
Published: December 2018

Polyurethane (PU) coatings were successfully produced using unmodified kraft lignin (KL) as an environmentally benign component in contents of up to 80 wt%.
Performance, process kinetics and functional microbial community of biocatalyzed electrolysis-assisted anaerobic baffled reactor treating carbohydrate-containing wastewater
Authors: Wang Tao , Li Chunxing , Zhu Gefu
Published: December 2018

The microbial electrolysis cell and dynamic model have been applied to improve methane production and achieve the optimal regulation of a thermophilic ABR system; the effective performance was due to a synergy effect of functional microbes.
Insights into the excited state dynamics of Fe(ii) polypyridyl complexes from variable-temperature ultrafast spectroscopy
Authors: Carey Monica C. , Adelman Sara L. , McCusker James K.
Published: December 2018

In order to better define the nature of the nuclear coordinate associated with excited state dynamics in first-row transition metal chromophores, variable-temperature ultrafast time-resolved absorption spectroscopy has been used to determine activation parameters associated with ground state recovery in a series of low-spin Fe(ii) polypyridyl complexes.
A nonaqueous potassium-ion hybrid capacitor enabled by two-dimensional diffusion pathways of dipotassium terephthalate
Authors: Luo Yuwen , Liu Luojia , Lei Kaixiang , Shi Jifu , Xu Gang , Li Fujun , Chen Jun
Published: December 2018

Potassium-ion hybrid capacitor is enabled by fast diffusion, facile reaction kinetics and small volume change of dipotassium terephthalate and its comparability to the non-faradaic capacitive kinetics of activated carbon, and hence shows high power and energy density.
Twist renormalization in molecular crystals driven by geometric frustration
Authors: Haddad Asaf , Aharoni Hillel , Sharon Eran , Shtukenberg Alexander G. , Kahr Bart , Efrati Efi
Published: December 2018

Geometric frustration provides a path for conveying twist across length scales and for producing size dependent twist in macroscopic assemblies, thus shining a light on the formation of twisted molecular crystals.
Phase transitions in tantalum-modified silver niobate ceramics for high power energy storage
Authors: Tian Ye , Jin Li , Hu Qingyuan , Yu Kun , Zhuang Yongyong , Viola Giuseppe , Abrahams Isaac , Xu Zhuo , Wei Xiaoyong , Yan Haixue
Published: December 2018

Ag(Nb0.8Ta0.2)O3 is used here as a model system to shed light on the nature of the low temperature phase behavior of the unsubstituted parent compound AgNbO3, which is an important material for high-power energy storage applications.
The Effect of Memory Span and Manual Dexterity on Hearing Aid Handling Skills in New and Experienced Hearing Aid Users
Authors: Desjardins Jamie L. , Alicea Carly A. , Doherty Karen A.
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of memory function and manual dexterity on new and experienced hearing aid users' abilities to use and care for their hearing aids.

Method

New and experienced hearing aid users were administered the Practical Hearing Aid Skills Test–Revised (PHAST-R;
Doherty & Desjardins, 2012
), a measure of a hearing aid user's ability to use and care for their hearing aids. The test was administered during their 30-day hearing aid check or yearly hearing evaluation appointment. Participants were also administered the Digit Span Test of memory function (
Wechsler, 1997
) and the Nine-Hole Peg Test of manual dexterity (
Mathiowetz, Weber, Kashman, & Volland,1985
).

Results

Participants with poorer memory span function performed significantly poorer on the PHAST-R than participants with better memory span. However, no significant relationship between manual dexterity and PHAST-R performance was observed. Experienced hearing aid users who were recently reoriented on how to use and care for their hearing aids performed significantly better on the PHAST-R compared to new hearing aid users and experienced hearing aid users who had not received a hearing aid orientation within the last year. Cleaning the hearing aid and telephone use were the 2 PHAST-R tasks that all hearing aid clients needed the most recounseling on.

Conclusion

Memory span is significantly related to an individual's ability to correctly use and care for their hearing aids regardless of whether they are new or experienced hearing aid users.
Simulations of light curves and spectra for superluminous Type Ic supernovae powered by magnetars
Authors: Dessart Luc
Published: December 2018

Numerous superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) of Type Ic have been discovered and monitored in the last decade. The favored mechanism at their origin is a sustained power injection from a magnetar. This study presents non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) time-dependent radiative transfer simulations of various single carbon-rich Wolf–Rayet star explosions influenced by magnetars of diverse properties and covering from a few days to one or two years after explosion. Nonthermal processes are treated; the magnetar-power deposition profile is prescribed; dynamical effects are ignored. In this context, the main influence of the magnetar power is to boost the internal energy of the ejecta on week-long time scales, enhancing the ejecta temperature and ionization, shifting the spectral energy distribution to the near-UV (even for the adopted solar metallicity), creating blue optical colors. Varying the ejecta and magnetar properties introduces various stretches and shifts to the light curve (rise time, peak or nebular luminosity, light curve width). At maximum, all models show the presence of O II and C II lines in the optical, and more rarely O III and C III lines. Non-thermal effects are found to be negligible during the high-brightness phase. After maximum, higher energy explosions are hotter and more ionized, and produce spectra that are optically bluer. Clumping is a source of spectral diversity after maximum. Clumping is essential to trigger ejecta recombination and yield the presence of O I, Ca II, and Fe II lines from a few weeks after maximum until nebular times. The UV and optical spectrum of Gaia16apd at maximum or the nebular spectrum of LSQ14an at +410 d are compatible with some models that assume no clumping. However, most observed SLSNe Ic seem to require clumping from early post-maximum to nebular times (e.g., SN 2007bi at +46 and +367 d; Gaia16apd at +43 d).
Air quality health indices - review
Authors: Gayer Anna , Adamkiewicz Łukasz , Mucha Dominika , Badyda Artur
Published: December 2018

Many studies have shown associations between exposure to air pollutants and negative health effects such as increased number of Hospital Admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases or even increased daily mortality due to those causes. To assess air quality in ambient air continuous monitoring is run in many cities worldwide. Data which is collected at these points should represent exposure of the population and is used to monitor medium and long-term trends. To provide an information for citizens about the impact of air quality on their health several governmental and municipal agencies developed air quality health indices These tools are based on environmental epidemiology models and on-line air quality data. The health risk is assessed differently for each index. In this paper review of Canadian, American, Hong Kong’s Air Quality Health Index.
Analysis of sorption of vehicle liquids with sand that appear after car accidents reproduced in laboratory scale
Authors: Polanczyk Andrzej , Ciuka-Witrylak Małgorzata , Synelnikov Oleksandr , Loik Vasil
Published: December 2018

Introduction: Increasing number of vehicles corelates with an increase in car accidents’ risk which pose a threat of environment contamination. Therefore, this study was undertaken to analyze the sorption process for two vehicle fluids contacted with sand. Methods and findings: Sorption process was analyzed with the use of dedicated experimental set-up in the laboratory scale. Contact of sand (50cm3) with 100cm3 of two sorbates (brake fluid-BF and diesel-D) with the following properties: pure BF, pure D, 0.75-BF and 0.25-D, 0.5-BF and 0.5-D, 0.25-BF and 0.75-D were investigated. Finally, non-linear regression for the mathematical description of sorption process was prepared. The results indicated that the higher amount of D in mixture the higher absorption of sorbate by sand. Moreover, the highest sorption was recorded for pure BF and the lowest for the mixture of equal amount of BF and D. Furthermore, analysis of absorbed mixtures volume indicated that for the composition of 0.25-BF and 0.75-D, 29ml of liquid was absorbed. While, for the equal amount of brake fluid and diesel 30ml of liquid was absorbed. Finally, for the composition of 0.75-BF and 0.25-D, 27ml of liquid was absorbed.
Analysis of the load-bearing capacity of timber members exposed to fire
Authors: Kmiecik Kamil , Domański Tomasz
Published: December 2018

Members of building structures are often made of wood. There are many advantages of using timber, such as quick erection time, good environmental influence and high energy efficiency. But the fire safety requirement is one of the most important issues concerning the design of timber structures. Safe use in structures depends on a proper knowledge and modelling of the chemical and physical reactions related to the increase of temperature inside the timber members. This paper presents a summary of results from numerical studies on the heat transfer through timber members exposed to fire from different sides. The finite element software SAFIR was used to make two-dimensional thermal models of the timber elements. Then the FE models were used to analyze the heat flow within the members under standard ISO-fire exposure interacting from different sides. On the basis of the 300 °C isotherms, residual cross-sections were determined. Then, the load-bearing capacity of the elements exposed to fire from different sides was determined. The obtained results showed that the location of construction members against the fire has a significant impact of the temperature distribution in the cross-section and, as a result, on the load-bearing capacity of the timber members.
Best practices for selection and application of firefighting foam
Authors: Rakowska Joanna
Published: December 2018

The article provides studies concerning the selection for the usage of firefighting foam in the aspect of human, property, environmental safety and sustainable development. Foam concentrates are products of the chemical industry, which, due to the type of raw materials, technology, usage method and waste disposal involved, are an important element of the industrial and environmental safety. Considering the range of extinguishing concentrates available on the market, with their different scope and performance effectiveness, it is necessary to responsibly plan purchases of required extinguishing agents. For testing all types of firefighting foam agent: synthetic, aqueous film forming, protein, fluoroprotein and fluoroprotein film forming concentrates were used. The standard test method ISO 7203-1:2011 for low-expansion foams used for the control, extinction and inhibition of reignition of fires of water-immiscible liquids was applied. The use of an appropriately selected and properly concentrated firefighting foam to extinguish a fire allows decreasing the duration of the fire and its consequences for the environment. The amount of used extinguishing agents will be substantially smaller. In the article the impact of considered use of firefighting foams on their effectiveness and potential dangers resulting from an inappropriate choice was shown.
Determination of fire parameters in a passenger car fire test using thermovision
Authors: Rybiński Janusz , Szajewska Anna
Published: December 2018

The article presents results of research on the dynamics of passenger car fire development that was made at SGSP. To collect data, a fire test was conducted on a passenger car from segment A. The experiment was made in an open terrain in natural conditions. During the test basic fire parameters were determined and presented compared to other results obtained in similar tests made also at SGSP, and compared to literature data. In the test, the fire gases temperature was measured with thermocouples and the surface temperature of the car body with thermocouples and a thermal imaging camera. Events related to fire development were recorded: falling out of windows, bursts of tires, explosions of actuators and elements of the braking system that could pose a threat to third parties or firemen. Moreover, difficulties associated with temperature measurements of a burning car were presented using a thermal imaging camera, and those are closely related to the incorrect emissivity coefficient. The benefits of the thermal imaging camera in measurements of the surface temperature of the object under the fire test were shown.
Experimental studies on changes in mechanical properties of polymer composites under impact of thermal load determined based on compression testing
Authors: Walczak Agata , Naworol Ireneusz , Pieniak Daniel , Pasierbiewicz Kamil , Dzień Grzegorz
Published: December 2018

The objective of the study was to carry out an analysis of changes in mechanical properties of polymer composites in conditions of thermal load. Such an analysis may allow an initial verification of possibilities of deploying new composites in production of fire helmet shells. The reference material chosen for testing was the Ultramid composite, which is currently used for the production of fire helmet shells. In addition three different materials were selected that contained reinforcement by glass fibres bearing the trade name of Tarnamid, which are not used in manufacturing of shells. Testing was conducted in conditions of quasi-static load, during which compressive tests were performed. Mechanical loads were applied at different levels of thermal exposure, which was to simulate presence in fire conditions. Results of tests indicated that the Tarnamid composites are characterised by better compressive strength and rigidity determined on the basis of the Young module value than Ultramid PA66 GF25 used in the production of head protective shells. It has also been proven that thermal loads contribute to significant degradation in strength and rigidity of tested materials, which affects adversely protective properties of the helmet.