bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Selective memory: Recalling relevant experience for long‐term visual localization
Authors: MacTavish Kirk , Paton Michael , Barfoot Timothy D.
Published: November 2018

Visual navigation is a key enabling technology for autonomous mobile vehicles. The ability to provide large‐scale, long‐term navigation using low‐cost, low‐power vision sensors is appealing for industrial applications. A crucial requirement for long‐term navigation systems is the ability to localize in environments whose appearance is constantly changing over time—due to lighting, weather, seasons, and physical changes. This paper presents a multiexperience localization (MEL) system that uses a powerful map representation—storing every visual experience in layers—that does not make assumptions about underlying appearance modalities and generators. Our localization system provides real‐time performance by selecting online, a subset of experiences against which to localize. We achieve this task through a novel experience‐triage algorithm based on collaborative filtering, which selects experiences relevant to the live view, outperforming competing techniques. Based on classical memory‐based recommender systems, this technique also enables landmark‐level recommendations, is entirely online, and requires no training data. We demonstrate the capabilities of the MEL system in the context of long‐term autonomous path following in unstructured outdoor environments with a challenging 100‐day field experiment through day, night, snow, spring, and summer. We furthermore provide offline analysis comparing our system to several state‐of‐the‐art alternatives. We show that the combination of the novel methods presented in this paper enable full use of incredibly rich multiexperience maps, opening the door to robust long‐term visual localization.
Glycerol Micellar Catalysis: An Efficient Multicomponent‐Tandem Green Synthetic Approach to Biologically Important 2, 4‐Disubstituted Thiazole Derivatives
Authors: Tiwari Jyoti , Singh Swastika , Tufail Fatima , Jaiswal Deepali , Singh Jaya , Singh Jagdamba
Published: November 2018

A convenient, eco‐friendly, one‐pot, multi‐component synthesis of new 2, 4‐disubstituted hydrazinyl ‐ thiazoles under mild reaction conditions has been disclosed. The use of micellar catalysis in glycerol is the key aspect of this methodology which possesses superiority compared to glycerol alone. The other significant aspect of our findings is the use of inexpensive reagents, recyclability, mild reaction conditions, bioorganic compound as solvent cum promoter, short reaction time, high yield, column chromatography free etc. The present work proposes the construction of a variety of biologically active 2, 4‐disubstituted thiazole derivatives using different carbonyl compounds, thiosemicarbazide and α‐bromocarbonyl compounds. Due to its operational simplicity, this green and unexplored protocol can be easily applied for designing novel biologically active compounds.
Synthesis and Characterization of Rod Like Nano‐sized Cobaltammine Complexes as Textile Dyeing Agents
Authors: Behal Jagriti , Kaur Varinder , Mrzygłód Jakub , Hoffmann Marcin , Janiak Agnieszka , Kaur Karanjeet , Khunt Ranjan
Published: November 2018

New nano‐sized cobalt(III) coordination complexes, [Co(NH3)5N3](4‐np)2.H2O (1 N) and [Co(NH3)5N3](3‐np) (2 N) {np= nitrophenolate}were synthesized by using sonochemical method. These complexes were compared with their bulk materials which were produced under identical conditions in the absence of ultrasounds. All complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, (IR and UV‐visible) spectroscopy. Morphology and particle size of nano‐sized complexes were determined by FESEM and zeta‐sizer. The single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction of complex‐1 revealed that the ions [Co(NH3)5N3]2+ and (4‐np)−1 form alternate organic‐inorganic layers in the crystals that are stabilized by the O‐H…O and N‐H…O hydrogen bonds. Furthermore, the coloring performance of nano‐sized cobalt(III) complexes has also been studied on silk and wool fabrics and result exposed efficient dyeing behavior.
Displaced vertex signatures of doubly charged scalars in the type-II seesaw and its left-right extensions
Authors: Bhupal Dev P. S. , Zhang Yongchao
Published: November 2018

Abstract

The type-II seesaw mechanism with an isospin-triplet scalar Δ
L
provides one of the most compelling explanations for the observed smallness of neutrino masses. The triplet contains a doubly-charged component

$$ {H}_{{}^L}^{\pm \pm } $$

H

L

±
±

, which dominantly decays to either same-sign dileptons or to a pair of W bosons, depending on the size of the triplet vacuum expectation value. However, there exists a range of Yukawa couplings f

L
of the triplet to the charged leptons, wherein a relatively light

$$ {H}_{{}^L}^{\pm \pm } $$

H

L

±
±

tends to be long-lived, giving rise to distinct displaced-vertex signatures at the high-energy colliders. We find that the displaced vertex signals from the leptonic decays

$$ {H}_{{}^L}^{\pm \pm}\to {\ell}_{\alpha}^{\pm }{\ell}_{{}^{\beta}}^{\pm } $$

H

L

±
±

→

ℓ
α
±

ℓ

β

±

could probe a broad parameter space with 10−10 ≲ |f

L
| ≲ 10−6 and

$$ 45.6\ GeV<{M}_{H_L^{\pm \pm }}\lesssim 200\ GeV $$

45.6

GeV
<

M

H
L

±
±

≲
200

GeV

at the high-luminosity LHC. Similar sensitivity can also be achieved at a future 1 TeV e
+
e
− collider. The mass reach can be extended to about 500GeV at a future 100TeV proton-proton collider. Similar conclusions apply for the right-handed triplet

$$ {H}_{{}^R}^{\pm \pm } $$

H

R

±
±

in the TeV-scale left-right symmetric models, which provide a natural embedding of the type-II seesaw. We show that the displaced vertex signals are largely complementary to the prompt same-sign dilepton pair searches at the LHC and the low-energy, high-intensity/precision measurements, such as neutrinoless double beta decay, charged lepton flavor violation, electron and muon anomalous magnetic moments, muonium-antimuonium oscillation and Møller scattering.
On the cutoff dependence of the quark mass parameter in angular ordered parton showers
Authors: Hoang André H. , Plätzer Simon , Samitz Daniel
Published: November 2018

Abstract

We show that the presence of an infrared cutoff Q
0 in the parton shower (PS) evolution for massive quarks implies that the generator quark mass corresponds to a Q
0-dependent short-distance mass scheme and is therefore not the pole mass. Our analysis considers an angular ordered parton shower based on the coherent branching formalism for quasi-collinear stable heavy quarks and splitting functions at next-to-leading logarithmic (NLL) order, and it is based on the analysis of the peak of hemisphere jet mass distributions. We show that NLL shower evolution is sufficient to describe the peak jet mass at full next-to-leading order (NLO). We determine the relation of this short-distance mass to the pole mass at NLO. We also show that the shower cut Q
0 affects soft radiation in a universal way for massless and quasi-collinear massive quark production. The basis of our analysis is (i) an analytic solution of the PS evolution based on the coherent branching formalism, (ii) an implementation of the infrared cut Q
0 of the angular ordered shower into factorized analytic calculations in the framework of Soft-Collinear-Effective-Theory (SCET) and (iii) the dependence of the peak of the jet mass distribution on the shower cut. Numerical comparisons to simulations with the Herwig 7 event generator confirm our findings. Our analysis provides an important step towards a full understanding concerning the interpretation of top quark mass measurements based on direct reconstruction.
Production of methylparaben in Escherichia coli
Authors: Hagel Jillian M , Chen Xue , Facchini Peter J
Published: November 2018

Since the 1930s, parabens have been employed widely as preservatives in food, pharmaceutical, and personal care products. These alkyl esters of benzoic acid occur naturally in a broad range of plant species, where they are thought to enhance overall fitness through disease resistance and allelopathy. Current manufacture of parabens relies on chemical synthesis and the processing of 4-hydroxybenzoate as a precursor. A variety of bio-based production platforms have targeted 4-hydroxybenzoate for a greener alternative to chemical manufacturing, but parabens have yet to be made in microbes. Here, we deploy the plant enzyme benzoic acid carboxyl methyltransferase together with four additional recombinant enzymes to produce methylparaben in Escherichia coli. The feasibility of a tyrosine-dependent route to methylparaben is explored, establishing a framework for linking paraben production to emerging high-tyrosine E. coli strains. However, our use of a unique plant enzyme for bio-based methylparaben biosynthesis is potentially applicable to any microbial system engineered for the manufacture of 4-hydroxybenzoate.
Assessment of climate change and associated impact on selected sectors in Poland
Authors: Kundzewicz Zbigniew W. , Piniewski Mikołaj , Mezghani Abdelkader , Okruszko Tomasz , Pińskwar Iwona , Kardel Ignacy , Hov Øystein , Szcześniak Mateusz , Szwed Małgorzata , Benestad Rasmus E. , Marcinkowski Paweł , Graczyk Dariusz , Dobler Andreas , Førland Eirik J. , O’Keefe Joanna , Choryński Adam , Parding Kajsa M. , Haugen Jan Erik
Published: November 2018

The present paper offers a brief assessment of climate change and associated impact in Poland, based on selected results of the Polish–Norwegian CHASE-PL project. Impacts are examined in selected sectors, such as water resources, natural hazard risk reduction, environment, agriculture and health. Results of change detection in long time series of observed climate and climate impact variables in Poland are presented. Also, projections of climate variability and change are provided for time horizons of 2021–2050 and 2071–2100 for two emission scenarios, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 in comparison with control period, 1971–2000. Based on climate projections, examination of future impacts on sectors is also carried out. Selected uncertainty issues relevant to observations, understanding and projections are tackled as well.
Two levels of personality: Temperament and values and their effects on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being
Authors: Bojanowska Agnieszka , Piotrowski Konrad
Published: November 2018

According to McAdams and Pals, American Psychologist, 61(3), 204-217 (2006), personality is not only expressed through traits but also through characteristic adaptations, including values. In the present study we analyze how two aspects of personality - temperament traits (Strelau 2008) and values (Schwartz 2007) - are related to hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Earlier studies showed that temperament is linked to hedonic well-being, but the links between values and hedonic well-being are unclear. There is only little data on how traits and values are linked to eudaimonic well-being. We hypothesised that traits predict hedonic well-being, while values predict eudaimonic well-being because the roots of eudaimonia require the realization of one’s potential that may be achieved through realization of value related goals, while hedonic well-being is more closely linked to stable differences in emotionality. 130 adults reported on their temperament, values, hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. We conducted hierarchical regressions for each well-being component. All components of hedonic well-being (positive affect, negative affect and satisfaction) were predicted by temperament only, while eudaimonic well-being was predicted by temperament and by value dimensions: positively by Openness to change, Self-transcendence, Conservation and negatively by Self-enhancement. This shows that mechanisms governing the experience of well-being are attached to at least two levels of personality - one stable and partly linked to human biology and the other to a culturally determined set of individual values. It also shows that the experience of eudaimonia relies on culturally acquired values, while hedonia may be determined more by temperamental dimensions.
Abstracts najaarsvergadering NVU, 2 november 2018, Nieuwegein
Authors: Mulders P.F.A.
Published: November 2018

Samenvatting

Biochemisch recidiverende prostaatkanker (BCR) is de belangrijkste indicatie voor het uitvoeren van prostaatspecifiek membraan antigeen PET/CT (PSMA PET/CT). Hoewel PSMA PET/CT een sensitief diagnosticum is, blijft het lokaliseren van BCR bij lage PSA-waarden problematisch.
Adoption rates of laparoscopic techniques for colorectal resections among Brazilian surgeons: limiting factors affecting incorporation into daily practice
Authors: Campos Fábio Guilherme , Bertoncini Alexandre Bruno , Martinez Carlos Augusto Real , Bustamante-Lopez Leonardo Alphonso , Morais Paula Gabriela Melo
Published: November 2018

Routine adoption of laparoscopy in clinical practice and Medical Residency has not been widely evaluated in Brazil so far.

Aim To take an overview on the adoption and limitations concerning the use of laparoscopic techniques among Brazilian colorectal surgeons.

Methods A questionnaire was sent to 1870 SBCP filiated members, containing personal and professional data such as sex, age, length and local of practice, SBCP filliation, number of procedures, treatment of cancer and laparoscopy limitations.

Results 418 members (22.4%) sent their response (80% men and 20% women). 110 members (26.3%) affirmed they don’t perform any laparoscopic procedure, while 308 (73.7%) have already adopted laparoscopy as a routine. An average number of 7.6 laparoscopic colorectal procedures were declared to be performed per month (1 to 40 procedures). Laparoscopic adoption rates were favourably influenced by young age members (46% vs. 28%) and affiliation to University hospitals (p = 0.01). Conversely, surgeons from private clinic showed a greater tendency of no adoption. Among the 308 responders, 106 (34.4%) have already surpassed more than 100 laparoscopic cases, and 167 (54.2%) reported an experience of more than 50 operated patients. The group of surgeons not using minimally invasive techniques incriminated lack of training (73.6%) and laparoscopic instruments availability (27.3%) as the main reasons for no adoption.

Conclusions Adoption rate of laparoscopic techniques to treat colorectal diseases is still low (at least 17%). Future efforts should focus on providing supervised training, proctorship during the initial experience and help instrumental acquisition in centers willing to change their routine and perspectives.
Efficacy of low residue enteral formula versus clear liquid diet during bowel preparation for colonoscopy: a randomised controlled pilot trial
Authors: Gee Tikfu , Lee Limi , Liew Ngoh Chin , Lim Shu Yu , Ghani Nur Suriyana Abd , Martindale Robert G.
Published: November 2018

Objectives Conventional bowel preparation for colonoscopy confines patient to clear liquid diet the day before and such non-nutritive dietary regimen often caused discomfort and hunger. The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of feeding patient with low-residue, lactose-free semi-elemental enteral formula (PEPTAMEN®) compare to conventional clear liquid diet during bowel preparation before colonoscopy.

Methods This was a randomised, endoscopist-blinded study. Patients were randomised into two groups, those receiving oral PEPTAMEN® and mechanical bowel preparation (A) and those receiving clear liquid while undergoing mechanical bowel preparation (B). Documentation was made with regard to the type of bowel cleansing agents used, completeness of the colonoscopy, cleanliness quality score, and hunger score.

Results A total of 97 patients were included in the study, A = 48 and B = 49. Eight patients, who were not compliant to the bowel-cleansing agent or had an incomplete colonoscopic examination, were excluded from the study. In terms of the overall cleanliness score, no statistical significant difference was seen (p = 0.25) between the two groups, A (fair or poor 37.5%, good or excellent 62.5%) and B (fair or poor 49%, good or excellent 51%) whereas the hunger score showed a significant difference (p = 0.016), A (no hunger 41.7%, slight hunger 12.5%, hungry 12.5%) and B (no hunger 24.5%, slight hunger 38.8%, hungry 36.7%).

Conclusions These data suggest that the addition of oral PEPTAMEN® as part of the bowel preparation regimen did not significantly alter the luminal cleanliness score during colonoscopy while alleviating hunger.
Local irrigation with silver nitrate, a non-surgical approach for persistent anal fistula
Authors: Placer-Galán Carlos , Aguirre-Allende Ignacio , Enriquez-Navascués José María
Published: November 2018

Purpose Treatment of persistent anal fistula implies a major challenge for surgeons, with risk of additional recurrence and potential continence impairment. We present a non-surgical treatment based on irrigation with silver nitrate 1% solution.

Methods This is a prospective study including patients with persistent anal fistula after surgery, who were treated with silver nitrate 1% solution irrigation from May 2015 to March 2017. Patients with evidence of abscess, presence of >1 external opening and those with bowel inflammatory disease were excluded. 3–5 cc of silver nitrate 1% solution were instilled through a catheter. The procedure was repeated on a weekly basis, conducting a maximum of 7 sessions per patient.

Results 18 patients (13 male, 72.2%) with a median age of 48 years old (IQR 41–55) were treated using silver nitrate 1% solution. A median of 5 sessions per patient was performed (IQR 3–6). The median follow-up period was 18 months (IQR 9–25). After the described period 8 patients’ (44.4%) presented complete resolution of the fistula, 2 patients’ (11.2%) were classified as partial healing and in 8 patients’ (44.4%) the treatment was considered to fail. 6 patients’ experienced self-limited pain during instillation, with persistence up to 24 h in 2 of them.

Conclusions Treatment with silver nitrate 1% solution is a minimally invasive procedure, with a favourable safety profile, that can be performed in an outpatients’ basis achieving a complete healing rate of 44.4%. Therefore, this method should be considered for the treatment of recurrent or persistent anal fistula.
Additive manufacturing of titanium components: An up-date
Authors: Froes F.H. (Sam)
Published: November 2018

This paper is an up-date of a paper published in Metal Powder Report almost two years ago (Dutta and (Sam) Froes, 2017). The present paper presents the various methods which have been developed for the production of AM components, emphasizing those which have been used for titanium parts. This is followed by a presentation of recently developed processes for the production of spherical powder feed-stock for Additive Manufacturing including an innovative low cost non-melt approach. Consideration is then given to the effects of surface roughness and defects of AM parts. A summary of some of the titanium parts which have been fabricated by AM in the past few years in a variety of segments of the economy is then discussed.
The Turnout Gap
Authors: Fraga Bernard L.
Published: November 2018

In The Turnout Gap, Bernard L. Fraga offers the most comprehensive analysis to date of the causes and consequences of racial and ethnic disparities in voter turnout. Examining voting for Whites, African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans from the 1800s to the present, Fraga documents persistent gaps in turnout and shows that elections are increasingly unrepresentative of the wishes of all Americans. These gaps persist not because of socioeconomics or voter suppression, but because minority voters have limited influence in shaping election outcomes. As Fraga demonstrates, voters turn out at higher rates when their votes matter; despite demographic change, in most elections and most places, minorities are less electorally relevant than Whites. The Turnout Gap shows that when politicians engage the minority electorate, the power of the vote can win. However, demography is not destiny. It is up to politicians, parties, and citizens themselves to mobilize the potential of all Americans.
Abu Zubaydah v. Lithuania (Eur. Ct. H.R.)
Authors: Cerna Christina M.
Published: November 2018

Following the events of September 11, 2001, the CIA established “the High-Value Detainee Program,” also known as the Rendition Detention Interrogation Program. On December 14, 2014, the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence released a heavily redacted 500-page Executive Summary of the Committee's “Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program.” The full Committee Study is more than 6,700 pages long and remains classified. The release of the Executive Summary, however, disclosed new facts and provided a significant amount of new information to the European Court of Human Rights—mostly based on CIA classified documents—about the CIA extraordinary rendition and secret detention operations; their foreign partners or cooperators; as well as the plight of certain detainees, including Abu-Zubaydah. Abu Zubaydah v. Lithuania is the European Court's first judgment to have taken advantage of the information provided in the Senate Committee's Executive Summary of its Study.
Large eddy simulation investigation of the canonical shock–turbulence interaction
Authors: Braun N. O. , Pullin D. I. , Meiron D. I.
Published: November 2018

High resolution large eddy simulations (LES) are performed to study the interaction of a stationary shock with fully developed turbulent flow. Turbulent statistics downstream of the interaction are provided for a range of weakly compressible upstream turbulent Mach numbers $M_{t}=0.03{-}0.18$, shock Mach numbers $M_{s}=1.2{-}3.0$ and Taylor-based Reynolds numbers $Re_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}}=20{-}2500$. The LES displays minimal Reynolds number effects once an inertial range has developed for $Re_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}}>100$. The inertial range scales of the turbulence are shown to quickly return to isotropy, and downstream of sufficiently strong shocks this process generates a net transfer of energy from transverse into streamwise velocity fluctuations. The streamwise shock displacements are shown to approximately follow a $k^{-11/3}$ decay with wavenumber as predicted by linear analysis. In conjunction with other statistics this suggests that the instantaneous interaction of the shock with the upstream turbulence proceeds in an approximately linear manner, but nonlinear effects immediately downstream of the shock significantly modify the flow even at the lowest considered turbulent Mach numbers.
Dive into Stunning Sea-Inspired Art
Authors: Duncombe Jenessa
Published: November 2018

Every year, children from around the world craft unique pieces of art showcasing species found in Massachusetts’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Take a dip underwater with these marine masterpieces.
Evolution of the Southern Segment of the Philippine Trench: Constraints From Seismic Tomography
Authors: Fan Jianke , Zhao Dapeng
Published: November 2018

A high‐resolution model of three‐dimensional P wave tomography of the crust and upper mantle beneath the southern part of the Philippine Trench is determined by inverting 22,960 arrival times of 2,789 local earthquakes and 4,660 traveltime residuals of 751 teleseismic events simultaneously. The tomographic method TOMOG3D is used to obtain the tomographic model that has a lateral resolution of 0.6° or better, as shown by extensive checkerboard resolution tests. A model‐recovery synthetic test is also performed, which indicates that main features of our tomographic images are quite robust. Our results show that the Philippine Sea slab has subducted down to depths of 450–600 km with an overturned dip angle along the southern segment of the Philippine Trench, indicating that the subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate along the southern segment of the Philippine Trench initiated at 20–25 Ma, contemporaneous with the Sangihe Trench. The subduction initiation of the Philippine Sea Plate at the central Philippine Trench resulted from the collision between the Philippines and the Palawan block at ~10 Ma. The subduction completion of the Molucca Sea slab propagated from the south to the north at ~5 Ma, which presumably resulted in the subduction reorganization of the Philippine Sea Plate along the southern segment of the Philippine Trench and subduction initiation of the Philippine Sea Plate along the northern segment of the Philippine Trench.
VLF Transmitters as Tools for Monitoring the Plasmasphere
Authors: Koronczay Dávid , Lichtenberger János , Juhász Lilla , Steinbach Péter , Hospodarsky George
Published: November 2018

Continuous burst mode very low frequency (VLF) measurements were recorded on the Van Allen Probes satellites and are analyzed to detect pulses from the Russian Alpha (RSDN‐20) ground‐based navigational system between January and March 2016. Based on the wave characteristics of these pulses and on the position of the spacecraft, the signals propagated mostly in ducted mode in the plasmasphere. Knowledge of the propagation path allowed us to carry out a monochromatic wave propagation inversion to obtain plasmaspheric electron densities. We compared the obtained densities with independent in situ measurements on the spacecraft. The results show good agreement, validating our inversion process. This contributes to validating the field‐aligned density profile model routinely used in the inversion of whistlers detected on the ground. Furthermore, our method can provide electron densities at regimes where no alternative measurements are available on the spacecraft. This raises the possibility of using this method as an additional tool to measure and monitor plasmaspheric electron densities.
Water Resources Assessment of China's Transboundary River Basins Using a Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Yan Jiabao , Jia Shaofeng , Lv Aifeng , Zhu Wenbin
Published: November 2018

A comprehensive and reliable assessment of the water resources in China's transboundary river basins is vital for water resources management and peaceful development. In this study, we built machine learning (random forest, gradient boosting, and stacking) and traditional linear models to identify the relation between the runoff coefficient and its influencing factors, including topography, climate, land cover, and soil. The cross‐validation results show that the machine learning models greatly outperform the traditional linear model in predicting runoff coefficient. High‐resolution (0.1°) runoff coefficient and runoff maps for the China's transboundary river basins riparian countries were produced and compared with other estimates at the country level. The best water resources estimates achieved from the machine learning model are consistent with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations AQUASTAT database (root‐mean‐square error  = 76.97 km3/year, normalized root‐mean‐square error = 12%) at the country level. This outperformed two currently available runoff products: the UNH/GRDC Global Composite Runoff Fields and the Global Streamflow Characteristics Dataset. The study also demonstrated that accurate precipitation data can improve runoff and water resources estimation accuracy and that climate and topographic factors have a controlling role in prediction, whereas the influences of land cover and soils are weak. Finally, China's transboundary water resources were calculated and thoroughly assessed at basin and country levels.
Deformation twinning and grain partitioning in a hexagonal close-packed magnesium alloy
Authors: Arul Kumar M. , Clausen B. , Capolungo L. , McCabe R. J. , Liu W. , Tischler J. Z. , Tomé C. N.
Published: November 2018

Pervasive deformation twinning in magnesium greatly affects its strength and formability. The local stress fields associated with twinning play a key role on deformation behavior and fracture but are extremely difficult to characterize experimentally. In this study, we perform synchrotron experiments with differential-aperture X-ray microscopy to measure the 3D stress fields in the vicinity of a twin with a spatial resolution of 0.5 micrometer. The measured local stress field aids to identify the sequence of events involved with twinning. We find that the selected grain deforms elastically before twinning, and the twin formation splits the grain into two non-interacting domains. Under further straining one domain of the grain continued to deform elastically, whereas the other domain deforms plastically by prismatic slip. This heterogeneous deformation behavior may be mediated by the surrounding medium and it is likely to lead to asymmetric twin growth.
Pressure shock fronts formed by ultra-fast shear cracks in viscoelastic materials
Authors: Gori M. , Rubino V. , Rosakis A. J. , Lapusta N.
Published: November 2018

Spontaneously propagating cracks in solids emit both pressure and shear waves. When a shear crack propagates faster than the shear wave speed of the material, the coalescence of the shear wavelets emitted by the near-crack-tip region forms a shock front that significantly concentrates particle motion. Such a shock front should not be possible for pressure waves, because cracks should not be able to exceed the pressure wave speed in isotropic linear-elastic solids. In this study, we present full-field experimental measurements of dynamic shear cracks in viscoelastic polymers that result in the formation of a pressure shock front, in addition to the shear one. The apparent violation of classic theories is explained by the strain-rate-dependent material behavior of polymers, where the crack speed remains below the highest pressure wave speed prevailing locally around the crack tip. These findings have important implications for the physics and dynamics of shear cracks such as earthquakes.
Calcium stabilizes the strongest protein fold
Authors: Milles Lukas F. , Unterauer Eduard M. , Nicolaus Thomas , Gaub Hermann E.
Published: November 2018

Staphylococcal pathogens adhere to their human targets with exceptional resilience to mechanical stress, some propagating force to the bacterium via small, Ig-like folds called B domains. We examine the mechanical stability of these folds using atomic force microscopy-based single-molecule force spectroscopy. The force required to unfold a single B domain is larger than 2 nN – the highest mechanostability of a protein to date by a large margin. B domains coordinate three calcium ions, which we identify as crucial for their extreme mechanical strength. When calcium is removed through chelation, unfolding forces drop by a factor of four. Through systematic mutations in the calcium coordination sites we can tune the unfolding forces from over 2 nN to 0.15 nN, and dissect the contribution of each ion to B domain mechanostability. Their extraordinary strength, rapid refolding and calcium-tunable force response make B domains interesting protein design targets.
Downregulation of VEGFR3 signaling alters cardiac lymphatic vessel organization and leads to a higher mortality after acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Vuorio Taina , Ylä-Herttuala Elias , Laakkonen Johanna P. , Laidinen Svetlana , Liimatainen Timo , Ylä-Herttuala Seppo
Published: November 2018

Heart has a wide lymphatic network but the importance of cardiac lymphatic system in heart diseases has remained unclear. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 3 (VEGFR3) is a key molecule in the development and maintenance of cardiac lymphatic vessels. Here we characterized the role of VEGFR3 in healthy hearts and after myocardial infarction (MI) by using sVEGFR3 transgenic mice expressing a soluble decoy VEGFR3 under K14 promoter and Chy mice which have an inactivating mutation in the VEGFR3 gene. Cardiac lymphatic vessels were significantly dilated in the healthy hearts of sVEGFR3 mice when compared to controls. Lymphatic vessels formed large sheet-like structures in Chy mice. Attenuated VEGFR3 signaling led to a more severe MI predisposing to a significantly higher mortality in sVEGFR3 mice than in control mice. sVEGFR3 mice displayed intramyocardial hemorrhages in the infarcted area indicating hyperpermeability of the vasculature. Furthermore, novel MRI methods TRAFF2 and TRAFF4 and histological analysis revealed a modified structure of the fibrotic infarcted area in sVEGFR3 mice. In conclusion, the downregulation of VEGFR3 signaling modifies the structure of cardiac lymphatic network and causes vascular leakiness and increased mortality after MI.
Design and effectiveness evaluation of mirror myoelectric interfaces: a novel method to restore movement in hemiplegic patients
Authors: Sarasola-Sanz Andrea , Irastorza-Landa Nerea , López-Larraz Eduardo , Shiman Farid , Spüler Martin , Birbaumer Niels , Ramos-Murguialday Ander
Published: November 2018

The motor impairment occurring after a stroke is characterized by pathological muscle activation patterns or synergies. However, while robot-aided myoelectric interfaces have been proposed for stroke rehabilitation, they do not address this issue, which might result in inefficient interventions. Here, we present a novel paradigm that relies on the correction of the pathological muscle activity as a way to elicit rehabilitation, even in patients with complete paralysis. Previous studies demonstrated that there are no substantial inter-limb differences in the muscle synergy organization of healthy individuals. We propose building a subject-specific model of muscle activity from the healthy limb and mirroring it to use it as a learning tool for the patient to reproduce the same healthy myoelectric patterns on the paretic limb during functional task training. Here, we aim at understanding how this myoelectric model, which translates muscle activity into continuous movements of a 7-degree of freedom upper limb exoskeleton, could transfer between sessions, arms and tasks. The experiments with 8 healthy individuals and 2 chronic stroke patients proved the feasibility and effectiveness of such myoelectric interface. We anticipate the proposed method to become an efficient strategy for the correction of maladaptive muscle activity and the rehabilitation of stroke patients.
Crystallographic and kinetic analyses of human IPMK reveal disordered domains modulate ATP binding and kinase activity
Authors: Seacrist Corey D. , Blind Raymond D.
Published: November 2018

Inositol polyphosphate multikinase (IPMK) is a member of the IPK-superfamily of kinases, catalyzing phosphorylation of several soluble inositols and the signaling phospholipid PI(4,5)P2 (PIP2). IPMK also has critical non-catalytic roles in p53, mTOR/Raptor, TRAF6 and AMPK signaling mediated partly by two disordered domains. Although IPMK non-catalytic functions are well established, it is less clear if the disordered domains are important for IPMK kinase activity or ATP binding. Here, kinetic and structural analyses of an engineered human IPMK lacking all disordered domains (ΔIPMK) are presented. Although the KM for PIP2 is identical between ΔIPMK and wild type, ΔIPMK has a 1.8-fold increase in kcat for PIP2, indicating the native IPMK disordered domains decrease IPMK activity in vitro. The 2.5 Å crystal structure of ΔIPMK is reported, confirming the conserved ATP-grasp fold. A comparison with other IPK-superfamily structures revealed a putative “ATP-clamp” in the disordered N-terminus, we predicted would stabilize ATP binding. Consistent with this observation, removal of the ATP clamp sequence increases the KM for ATP 4.9-fold, indicating the N-terminus enhances ATP binding to IPMK. Together, these structural and kinetic studies suggest in addition to mediating protein-protein interactions, the disordered domains of IPMK impart modulatory capacity to IPMK kinase activity through multiple kinetic mechanisms.
Identification of DKK-1 as a novel mediator of statin effects in human endothelial cells
Authors: Pontremoli Marta , Brioschi Maura , Baetta Roberta , Ghilardi Stefania , Banfi Cristina
Published: November 2018

This study shows that DKK-1, a member of the Dickkopf family and a regulator of the Wnt pathways, represents a novel target of statins which, through the inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase and of non-steroidal isoprenoid intermediates, exert extra-beneficial effect in preventing atherosclerosis beyond their effect on the lipid profile. We found that atorvastatin downregulates DKK-1 protein (−88.3 ± 4.1%) and mRNA expression (−90 ± 4.2%) through the inhibition of Cdc42, Rho and Rac geranylgeranylated proteins. Further, a combined approach based on the integration of label-free quantitative mass spectrometry based-proteomics and gene silencing allowed us to demonstrate that DKK-1 itself mediates, at least in part, statin effects on human endothelial cells. Indeed, DKK-1 is responsible for the regulation of the 21% of the statin-modulated proteins, which include, among others, clusterin/apoJ, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1), myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate (MARCKS), and pentraxin 3 (PTX3). The Gene Ontology enrichment annotation revealed that DKK-1 is also a potential mediator of the extracellular matrix organization, platelet activation and response to wounding processes induced by statin. Finally, we found that plasma level of DKK-1 from cholesterol-fed rabbits treated with atorvastatin (2.5 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks) was lower (−42 ± 23%) than that of control animals. Thus, DKK-1 is not only a target of statin but it directly regulates the expression of molecules involved in a plethora of biological functions, thus expanding its role, which has been so far restricted mainly to cancer.
Enabling precision medicine in neonatology, an integrated repository for preterm birth research
Authors: Sirota Marina , Thomas Cristel G. , Liu Rebecca , Zuhl Maya , Banerjee Payal , Wong Ronald J. , Quaintance Cecele C. , Leite Rita , Chubiz Jessica , Anderson Rebecca , Chappell Joanne , Kim Mara , Grobman William , Zhang Ge , Rokas Antonis , Muglia Louis J. , Ober Carol , England Sarah K. , Macones George , Driscoll Deborah , Parry Samuel , Shaw Gary M. , Stevenson David K. , Simpson Joe Leigh , Thomson Elizabeth , Butte Atul J. ,   March of Dimes Prematurity Research Centers, Driscoll Deborah , Macones George , Muglia Louis J , Ober Carole , Stevenson David K.
Published: November 2018

Preterm birth, or the delivery of an infant prior to 37 weeks of gestation, is a significant cause of infant morbidity and mortality. In the last decade, the advent and continued development of molecular profiling technologies has enabled researchers to generate vast amount of ‘omics’ data, which together with integrative computational approaches, can help refine the current knowledge about disease mechanisms, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Here we describe the March of Dimes’ Database for Preterm Birth Research (http://www.immport.org/resources/mod), a unique resource that contains a variety of ‘omics’ datasets related to preterm birth. The database is open publicly, and as of January 2018, links 13 molecular studies with data across tens of thousands of patients from 6 measurement modalities. The data in the repository are highly diverse and include genomic, transcriptomic, immunological, and microbiome data. Relevant datasets are augmented with additional molecular characterizations of almost 25,000 biological samples from public databases. We believe our data-sharing efforts will lead to enhanced research collaborations and coordination accelerating the overall pace of discovery in preterm birth research.
X-ray computed microtomography of Megachirella wachtleri
Authors: Simões Tiago R. , Caldwell Michael W. , Tałanda Mateusz , Bernardi Massimo , Palci Alessandro , Vernygora Oksana , Bernardini Federico , Mancini Lucia , Nydam Randall L.
Published: November 2018

Understanding the origin and early evolution of squamates has been a considerable challenge given the extremely scarce fossil record of early squamates and their poor degree of preservation. In order to overcome those limitations, we conducted high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (CT) studies on the fossil reptile Megachirella wachtleri (Middle Triassic, northern Italy), which revealed an important set of features indicating this is the oldest known fossil squamate in the world, predating the previous oldest record by ca. 75 million years. We also compiled a new phylogenetic data set comprising a large sample of diapsid reptiles (including morphological and molecular data) to investigate the phylogenetic relationships of early squamates and other reptile groups along with the divergence time of those lineages. The re-description of Megachirella and a new phylogenetic hypothesis of diapsid relationships are presented in a separate study. Here we present the data descriptors for the tomographic scans of Megachirella, which holds fundamental information to our understanding on the early evolution of one of the largest vertebrate groups on Earth today.
A pyrrole-containing hydrazone and its Cu2+ complex: an easily accessible optical chemosensor system for the successive detection of Zn2+/Cu2+ and pyrophosphate
Authors: Wang Yang , Hou Xufeng , Li Zhensheng , Zhou Qihang , Lei Mengmeng , Hu Shanshan , Wu Xiaopei , Li Chenming , Xu Zhihong , Wang Yuan
Published: November 2018

A simple chemosensor, namely, ethyl 5-(isonicotinoylimino)methyl-2,4-dimethyl-pyrrole-3-carboxylate (1), was synthesized and characterized.
Heavy metal ion discrimination based on distinct interaction between single-stranded DNA and methylene blue
Authors: Li Li , Liu Bing , Chen Zhengbo
Published: November 2018

In this work, we developed a facile and extensible colorimetric sensor array based on different interactions between methylene blue (MB) and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) for the discrimination of heavy metal ions.
Structure stabilization effect of configuration entropy in cubic WN
Authors: Xing Wandong , Zhang Yang , Meng Fanyan , Wang Changchun , Tao Qiang , Zhu Pinwen , Zhu Jing , Yu Rong
Published: November 2018

The microscopic structure of cubic WN has been studied combining scanning transmission electron microscopy and first-principles calculations.
Theoretical studies on key factors in DNA sequencing using atomically thin molybdenum disulfide nanopores
Authors: Liang Lijun , Liu Fei , Kong Zhe , Shen Jia-Wei , Wang Hongbo , Wang Haodong , Li Lihua
Published: November 2018

Applied voltage and MoS2 nanopore diameter affect the resolution of MoS2 nanopore-based DNA sequencing.
Copper based coordination polymers based on metalloligands: utilization as heterogeneous oxidation catalysts
Authors: Kumar Gulshan , Hussain Firasat , Gupta Rajeev
Published: November 2018

This work presents two copper-based coordination polymers and their utilization as stable, reusable and heterogeneous catalysts for the epoxidation of olefins using O2 and for peroxide-mediated oxidation of benzyl alcohols under solvent-free conditions.
Quasi single cobalt sites in nanopores for superior catalytic oxidation of organic pollutants
Authors: Yin Yu , Wu Hong , Shi Lei , Zhang Jinqiang , Xu Xinyuan , Zhang Huayang , Wang Shaobin , Sillanpääd Mika , Sun Hongqi
Published: November 2018

Quasi single cobalt sites are fabricated using the confined space, and show enhanced catalytic performances compared with aggregated Co3O4.
Expression enhancement in brown adipose tissue of genes related to thermogenesis and mitochondrial dynamics after administration of pepsin egg white hydrolysate
Authors: Moreno-Fernández S. , Garcés-Rimón M. , Uranga J. A. , Astier J. , Landrier J. F. , Miguel M.
Published: November 2018

Pepsin egg white hydrolysate enhanced mitochondria proliferation on brown adipose tissue and thermogenesis. Reduced body weight and adiposity were observed.
Anti-fatigue and anti-oxidant activities of oyster (Ostrea rivularis) hydrolysate prepared by compound protease
Authors: Miao Jianyin , Liao Wanwen , Kang Meng , Jia Yingmin , Wang Qiang , Duan Shan , Xiao Suyao , Cao Yong , Ji Hongwu
Published: November 2018

Oyster, which is rich in protein and widely used as a marine traditional Chinese medicine, was believed to have good curative effects in health care and on chronic diseases.
Visible light thiocyanation of N-bearing aromatic and heteroaromatic compounds using Ag/TiO2 nanotube photocatalyst
Authors: Hosseini-Sarvari Mona , Hosseinpour Zeinab , Koohgard Mehdi
Published: November 2018

In this study, Ag/TiO2 nanotubes (Ag/TNT) were synthesized via simple hydrothermal process, and this photocatalyst was successfully exploited in thiocyanation reactions at room temperature under visible light irradiation.
Engineering the carrier dynamics of g-C3N4 by rolling up planar sheets into nanotubes via ultrasonic cavitation
Authors: Gan Zhixing , Liu Lizhe , Pan Pengfei , Lin Yawen , Shen Jiancang , Jia Baohua
Published: November 2018

A simple and clean ultrasonic method is developed to curve 2D g-C3N4 sheets into 1D nanotubes.
DNA flower-encapsulated horseradish peroxidase with enhanced biocatalytic activity synthesized by an isothermal one-pot method based on rolling circle amplification
Authors: Yan Yongcun , Li Juan , Li Wenhui , Wang Ye , Song Weiling , Bi Sai
Published: November 2018

A one-pot method was developed to directly encapsulate horseradish peroxidase in DNA flowers during rolling circle amplification, which demonstrated enhanced biocatalytic activity and was applied to colorimetric and visual analysis.
Charge-governed phase manipulation of few-layer tellurium
Authors: Wang Cong , Zhou Xieyu , Qiao Jingsi , Zhou Linwei , Kong Xianghua , Pan Yuhao , Cheng Zhihai , Chai Yang , Ji Wei
Published: November 2018

Te few-layer allotropes could be selectively stabilized and be reversibly transformed using charge doping. Among them, a novel chiral metallic phase emerges in a Te trilayer under electron doping.
A dynamic stretchable and self-healable supercapacitor with a CNT/graphene/PANI composite film
Authors: Liang Xiao , Zhao Lei , Wang Qiufan , Ma Yun , Zhang Daohong
Published: November 2018

A novel dynamic stretchable and self-healable supercapacitor based on a CNT@graphene@PANI composite film was fabricated. The supercapacitor can operate under different static bending angles and dynamic bending conditions with different bending frequencies, with the capacitance barely affected.
A removable functional group strategy for regiodivergent Wittig rearrangement products
Authors: Alam Md Nirshad , K. M. Lakshmi , Maity Pradip
Published: November 2018

Controlling anionic pericyclic [2,3] Wittig and bis-radical [1,2] Wittig reactions for unprecedented regiodivergency via a single removable functional group.
Synthesis of functionalized cyclopentenes through allenic ketone-based multicomponent reactions
Authors: Wang Qiang , Zhang Tao , Fan Yunchang , Fan Xuesen
Published: November 2018

A novel synthesis of cyclopentene and methylenecyclopentane derivatives through the cascade reactions of 4-chloroacetoacetate with malononitrile/cyanoacetate and allenic ketones is presented.
Asymmetric Michael addition between kojic acid derivatives and unsaturated ketoesters promoted by C2-symmetric organocatalysts
Authors: Kostenko Alexey A. , Kucherenko Alexander S. , Komogortsev Andrey N. , Lichitsky Boris V. , Zlotin Sergei G.
Published: November 2018

An efficient C2-symmetric bifunctional tertiary amine–squaramide organocatalyst for the asymmetric Michael addition/hemiketalization domino reaction of kojic acid derivatives with β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters has been designed.
Creation of micropores by RAFT copolymerization of conjugated multi-vinyl cross-linkers
Authors: Satheeshkumar Chinnadurai , Seo Myungeun
Published: November 2018

Copolymerization of conjugated multi-vinyl cross-linkers with styrene creates a fluorescent and microporous cross-linked network, useful for the synthesis of hierarchically porous polymers.
Development of a WS2/MoTe2 heterostructure as a counter electrode for the improved performance in dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Hussain Sajjad , Patil Supriya A. , Memon Anam Ali , Vikraman Dhanasekaran , Abbas Hafiz Ghulam , Jeong Sung Hoon , Kim Hyun-Seok , Kim Hak-Sung , Jung Jongwan
Published: November 2018

A facile large-area synthesis of a WS2/MoTe2 heterostructure via a sputtering–CVD approach on conductive glass substrates was demonstrated and, for the first time, it was used as a counter electrode (CE) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).