bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of ammonia levels and dialysis on outcome in 202 patients with neonatal onset urea cycle disorders
Authors: Hediger Nina , Landolt Markus A. , Diez‐Fernandez Carmen , Huemer Martina , Häberle Johannes
Published: March 2018

Neonatal onset hyperammonemia in patients with urea cycle disorders (UCDs) is still associated with high morbidity and mortality. Current protocols consistently recommend emergency medical and dietary management. In case of increasing or persistent hyperammonemia, with continuous or progressive neurological signs, dialysis is performed, mostly as ultima ratio. It is presently unknown whether the currently defined ammonia threshold (e.g., at 500 μmol/L) to start dialysis is useful to improve clinical outcome. A systematic review of clinical and biochemical data from published neonatal onset UCD patients was performed to identify factors determining clinical outcome and to investigate in which clinical and biochemical setting dialysis was most effective. A total of 202 patients (118 proximal and 84 distal UCDs) described in 90 case reports or case series were included according to predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria. Median age at onset was three days and mean ammonia that triggered start of dialysis was 1199 μmol/L. Seventy‐one percent of all patients received any form of dialysis. Total mortality was 25% and only 20% of all patients had a “normal” outcome. In general, patients with higher ammonia levels were more likely to receive dialysis, but this had for most patients no influence on outcome. In conclusion, in severe neonatal onset hyperammonemia, the current practice of dialysis, which effectively clears ammonia, had no impact on outcome. It may be essential for improving outcome to initiate all available treatment options, including dialysis, as early as possible.
Energy-efficient chain-cluster based intelligent routing technique for wireless sensor networks
Authors: Ramluckun Natasha , Vandana Bassoo
Published: March 2018

With the increasing acclaim of Wireless Sensor Networks and its diverse applications, research has been directed into optimising and prolonging the network lifetime. Energy efficiency has been a critical factor due to the energy resource impediment of batteries in sensor nodes. The proposed routing algorithm therefore aims at extending lifetime of sensors by enhancing load distribution in the network. The scheme is based on the chain-based routing technique of the PEGASIS (Power Energy GAthering in Sensor Information Systems) protocol and uses Ant Colony Optimisation to obtain the optimal chain. The contribution of the proposed work is the integration of the clustering method to PEGASIS with Ant Colony Optimisation to reduce redundancy of data, neighbour nodes distance and transmission delay associated with long links, and the employment an appropriate cluster head selection method. Simulation results indicates proposed method’s superiority in terms of residual energy along with considerable improvement regarding network lifetime, and significant reduction in delay when compared with existing PEGASIS protocol and optimised PEG-ACO chain respectively.
Cladosporium species in indoor environments
Authors: Bensch K. , Groenewald J.Z. , Meijer M. , Dijksterhuis J. , Jurjević Ž. , Andersen B. , Houbraken J. , Crous P.W. , Samson R.A.
Published: March 2018

As part of a worldwide survey of the indoor mycobiota about 520 new Cladosporium isolates from indoor environments mainly collected in China, Europe, New Zealand, North America and South Africa were investigated by using a polyphasic approach to determine their species identity.
All Cladosporium species occurring in indoor environments are fully described and illustrated. Fourty-six Cladosporium species are treated of which 16 species are introduced as new. A key for the most common Cladosporium species isolated from indoor environments is provided.
Cladosporium halotolerans proved to be the most frequently isolated Cladosporium species indoors.
The Lives of Street Women and Children in Hawassa, Ethiopia
Authors: Nathan Martha A. , Fratkin Elliot
Published: March 2018

Despite gains in national income, Ethiopia’s cities have seen a steady increase of homeless women and children. This study focuses on the lives of twenty-five adult women and twenty-seven children living on the streets of Hawassa, Ethiopia. Nearly all were driven to the streets by poverty compounded by abuse and violence and/or loss of supporting family members, illness, and lack of social supports. The Ethiopian government offers a food-for-work program, but this is an inadequate social safety net. Recommendations include government provision of long-term shelter, food assistance, school supplies for children, legal and economic assistance, and access to medical care.
World War I in the Historical Imagination of W. E. B. Du Bois
Authors: Williams Chad
Published: March 2018

W. E. B. Du Bois stands as one of the most celebrated and studied African Americans in United States history. Nevertheless, Du Bois's substantial body of writings on World War I has received little scholarly attention. This article explores Du Bois's published and unpublished work, revealing the centrality of World War I to Du Bois's life and historical imagination. Du Bois devoted decades to writing about and grappling with the historical legacy of World War I for African Americans, broadly, and for himself, individually. His inability to find both collective and personal redemptive meaning in the war reflects his struggle to reconcile the tension between history and memory, as well as the still contested place of World War I in African American history.
Deadly elections: post-election violence in Nigeria
Authors: Angerbrandt Henrik
Published: March 2018

Two decades after the ‘third wave of democratization’, extensive violence continues to follow elections in sub-Saharan Africa. Whereas national processes connected to pre-election violence have received increased scholarly attention, little is known of local dynamics of violence after elections. This article examines the 2011 Nigerian post-election violence with regard to the ways in which national electoral processes interweave with local social and political disputes. The most affected state, Kaduna State, has a history of violent local relations connected to which group should control politics and the state. It is argued that electoral polarisation aggravated national ethno-religious divisions that corresponded to the dividing line of the conflict in Kaduna. A rapid escalation of violence was facilitated by local social networks nurtured by ethno-religious grievances.
Showing Mercy to the Ungodly and the Inversion of Invective in Jude
Authors: Robinson Alexandra , Llewelyn Stephen , Wassell Blake
Published: March 2018

The present paper offers a new interpretation of the three-clause reading of Jude 22–23 and demonstrates how Jude carries on the Jesus tradition by inverting the norms of invective. It is demonstrated that this interpretation is especially surprising given that the epistle follows many conventions of Greco-Roman invective. Given the character of invective, one would expect the writer to instruct the beloved to expel the ungodly from the community. Instead, Jude commands the beloved to ‘show mercy’ to the very ones with whom they contend (Jude 22), a profound reflection of Jude's understanding of mercy and faith.
Ein exegetischer und theologischer Blick auf Röm 11.25–32
Authors: Wolter Michael
Published: March 2018

In this article it is argued that in Rom 11.25–32 Paul starts from the situation of Israel that he has described in Rom 11.1–10: Israel is torn into two parts – a Christian minority and a non-Christian majority which has rejected the Gospel because it has been hardened. In these verses Paul develops an expectation according to which it is God himself who will take away the hardening of the non-Christian majority of Israel by leading them to faith in Christ. It is God himself whom Paul identifies as the ‘deliverer who comes from Zion’ (v. 26), although he does not expect a theophany but uses the quotations from Isa 59.20–1 and 27.9 as metaphorical circumscriptions for God's intervention in favour of the non-Christian part of his people. Although Paul is fully convincedthatGod will intervene in favour of the non-Christian Jews, he has no ideahowthis could happen. This discrepancy between Paul's assurance of the ‘that’ and his cluelessness regarding the ‘how’ is the reason why he presents his solution of the Israel problem in an apocalyptic mode as a revelation of a ‘mystery’ (v. 25).
“I have to read it out loud”: Intertextuality in prison discipline
Authors: Labotka Lori
Published: March 2018

This article combines ethnographic and linguistic analysis to illuminate a critical aspect of the US criminal justice system—disciplinary hearings in prison. Focusing on one woman's (Cherry's) hearing, I consider the remaking of power through bureaucratic procedure. The scripted interaction requires the sergeant to read Cherry's ticket out loud in his performance of authority. I explore the intertextual relations motivated by this verbal animation for their ability to construct a unified front of the institution against which Cherry is tried. Cherry, however, manipulates these intertextual relationships, deploying verbal skills gained through her long entanglement with the criminal justice system to mitigate her punishment. The linguistic analysis of Cherry's hearing, positioned in her prison history, reveals the continual remaking of power in prison interactions that are framed by institutional regulations influencing the negotiation of officer authority and possibilities of inmate resistance. (Prisons, intertextuality, resistance, power, legal interactions)*
The Sound of Magic? Bells in Roman Britain
Authors: Eckardt Hella , Williams Sandie
Published: March 2018

Bells are recorded in many published excavation reports from Roman sites, but there has been no previous study of the British material. This paper explores the significance of bells in the Roman world from both a ritual and a functional perspective. We create a first typology of Romano-British bells, provide an understanding of their chronology and examine any spatial and social differences in their use. Special attention is paid to bells from funerary or ritual contexts in order to explore the symbolic significance of these small objects. Bells from other parts of the Roman world are considered to provide comparisons with those from Roman Britain. The paper demonstrates that small bells were used as protective charms and may have been preferentially placed into the graves of children and young women. The paper identifies a new, probably Roman type of bell that has no parallels within the Empire, although similar pieces occur in first- and second-century graves in the Black Sea region.
Heel-strike and toe-off motions optimization for humanoid robots equipped with active toe joints
Authors: Sadedel Majid , Yousefi-Koma Aghil , Khadiv Majid , Iranmanesh Faezeh
Published: March 2018

In this paper, a walking pattern optimization procedure is implemented to yield the optimal heel-strike and toe-off motions for different goal functions. To this end, first, a full dynamic model of a humanoid robot equipped with active toe joints is developed. This model consists of two parts: multi-body dynamics of the robot which is obtained by Lagrange and Kane methods and power transmission dynamic model which is developed using system identification approach. Then, a gait planning routine is presented and consistent parameters are specified. Several simulations and experimental tests are carried out on SURENA III humanoid robot which is designed and fabricated at the Center of Advanced Systems and Technologies located in the University of Tehran. Afterward, a genetic algorithm optimization is adopted to compute the optimal walking patterns for five different goal functions including energy consumption, stability margin, joint velocity, joint torque and required friction coefficient. Also, several parametric analyses are performed to characterize the effects of heel-strike and toe-off angle and toe link mass and length on these five goal functions. Finally, it is concluded that walking pattern without heel-strike and toe-off motions requires less friction coefficient than the pattern with heel-strike and toe-off motions. Also, heavier toe link lowers tip-over instability and slippage occurrence possibility, but requires more energy consumption and joint torque.
Climate exposure, vulnerability and environmental reliance: a cross-section analysis of structural and stochastic poverty
Authors: Angelsen Arild , Dokken Therese
Published: March 2018

We analyze links between exposure to climate extremes and shocks, vulnerability and coping strategies, environmental reliance and poverty among 7,300 households in forest adjacent communities in 24 developing countries. We combine observed income with predicted income to create four categories of households:income & asset poor(structurally poor),income rich & asset poor(stochastically non-poor),income poor & asset rich(stochastically poor) andincome & asset rich(structurally non-poor), and assess exposure and vulnerability across these groups. The income poor are more exposed to extreme climate conditions. They tend to live in dryer (and hotter) villages in the dry forest zones, in wetter villages in the wet zones, and experience larger rainfall fluctuations. Among the income-generating coping strategies, extracting more environmental resources ranks second to seeking wage labor. The poorest in dry regions also experience the highest forest loss, undermining the opportunities to cope with future climate shocks.
“All of a sudden, a lot less still makes it worthwhile to be alive:” Palliative care patients’ views on life
Authors: Romotzky Vanessa , Strupp Julia , Hayn Alexander , Rüffer Jens Ulrich , Grümmer Judith , Voltz Raymond
Published: March 2018

Objective

We aimed to elucidate the views on life as narrated by patients in palliative care (PC) to find out what patients deem to be essential in their life, whether something has changed concerning their view of life in light of the disease, and whether interviewees would like to give others something to take with them.

Method

Data were collected from narrative audio and video interviews with 18 inpatients in a specialized PC unit. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim and analyzed using qualitative content analysis applying MAXQDA software. CDs and DVDs with recorded interviews were provided to patients.

Result

Eighteen interviews were analyzed: 11 audio and 7 video recordings. The age range was 41–80 years. Patients reported on changes in their views on life. Despite it being a complex and painful process, patients still gave examples of benefits experienced during their illness trajectory. Patients identified resources and coping strategies such as meaningful contacts with close others and mindfulness. Shifts have occurred in terms of taking more time for themselves, enjoying the moment, being more calm, and spending more time with family and friends. What patients wanted to pass on to others was to pay attention to the needs of both the self and the others, shape your life individually, confront yourself early with issues of death and dying, and care for your fellow human beings. Patients and relatives valued the opportunity to keep their interview as a CD/DVD.

Significance of results

Results support the idea that many people facing terminal illness continue to focus on living and remain within their biographies and the contexts of their lives, even if their functional status declines. Patients and relatives appreciated that interviews were provided as kind of a legacy. Yet, more robust research is needed to decide whether such interviews yield any therapeutic effect.
Sanctuary and the Limits of Public Reason: A Deweyan Corrective
Authors: Steinmetz Alicia
Published: March 2018

This article contributes to the debate over the appropriate place of religion in public reason by showing the limits of this framework for understanding and evaluating the real-world religious political activism of social movements. Using the 1980s Sanctuary Movement as a central case study, I show how public reason fails to appreciate the complex religious dynamics of this movement, the reasons actors employ religious reasoning, and, as a result, the very meaning of these acts. In response, I argue that a Deweyan perspective on the tasks and challenges of the democratic public offers a richer, more contextualized approach to evaluating the status of religion in the public sphere as well as other emerging publics whose modes of engagement defy prevailing notions of reasonableness and civility.
How Sexual Objectification Generates Dehumanization in Western and Eastern Cultures
Authors: Wollast Robin , Puvia Elisa , Bernard Philippe , Tevichapong Passagorn , Klein Olivier
Published: March 2018

Abstract. Ever since Fredrickson and Roberts (1997) proposed objectification theory, research on self-objectification and – by extension – other-objectification has experienced a considerable expansion. However, most of the studies on sexual objectification have been conducted solely in Western populations. This study investigates whether the effect of target sexualization on social perception differs as a function of culture (Western vs. Eastern). Specifically, we asked a Western sample (Belgian, N = 62) and a Southeast Asian sample (Thai, N = 98) to rate sexualized versus nonsexualized targets. We found that sexual objectification results in dehumanization in both Western (Belgium) and Eastern (Thailand) cultures. Specifically, participants from both countries attributed less competence and less agency to sexualized than to nonsexualized targets, and they reported that they would administer more intense pain to sexualized than to nonsexualized targets. Thus, building on past research, this study suggests that the effect of target sexualization on dehumanization is a more general rather than a culture-specific phenomenon.
„Komm her, ich zeig Dir, wie es weitergehen könnte“
Authors: Gödecke Simon , Herschel Alexander
Published: March 2018

Zusammenfassung. Poster begegnen uns auch im Berufsleben oder in der Welt der medizinischen Versorgung immer häufiger. Da denke man beispielsweise an einen Besuch in der Arztpraxis, wo über Allergien aufgeklärt oder für Impfstoffe in bunten Farben geworben wird. Oder an den Eingang einer Klinik, in dem das Leitbild für den Kunden sichtbar dargestellt oder über Behandlungsmethoden informiert wird. Poster haben den Vorteil, dass sie die Blicke auf sich ziehen können. Poster erregen schnell unsere Aufmerksamkeit.
Der ist nicht verrückt, der will nur spielen
Authors: Holtbernd Thomas
Published: March 2018

Zusammenfassung. Ausgehend vom Phänomen Spiel und der phänomenologischen Betrachtung des Spiels wird im Folgenden herausgearbeitet, was das Spielerische ist und wie dieses als Teil einer professionellen Haltung sowohl den in der Psychiatrie beruflich Tätigen als auch den Psychiatrie-Erfahrenen hilfreich sein kann.
Predicting the spatiotemporal diversity of seizure propagation and termination in human focal epilepsy
Authors: Proix Timothée , Jirsa Viktor K. , Bartolomei Fabrice , Guye Maxime , Truccolo Wilson
Published: March 2018

Recent studies have shown that seizures can spread and terminate across brain areas via a rich diversity of spatiotemporal patterns. In particular, while the location of the seizure onset area is usually invariant across seizures in an individual patient, the source of traveling (2–3 Hz) spike-and-wave discharges during seizures can either move with the slower propagating ictal wavefront or remain stationary at the seizure onset area. Furthermore, although many focal seizures terminate synchronously across brain areas, some evolve into distinct ictal clusters and terminate asynchronously. Here, we introduce a unifying perspective based on a new neural field model of epileptic seizure dynamics. Two main mechanisms, the co-existence of wave propagation in excitable media and coupled-oscillator dynamics, together with the interaction of multiple time scales, account for the reported diversity. We confirm our predictions in seizures and tractography data obtained from patients with pharmacologically resistant epilepsy. Our results contribute toward patient-specific seizure modeling.
Surface passivation engineering strategy to fully-inorganic cubic CsPbI3 perovskites for high-performance solar cells
Authors: Li Bo , Zhang Yanan , Fu Lin , Yu Tong , Zhou Shujie , Zhang Luyuan , Yin Longwei
Published: March 2018

Owing to inevitable thermal/moisture instability for organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites, pure inorganic perovskite cesium lead halides with both inherent stability and prominent photovoltaic performance have become research hotspots as a promising candidate for commercial perovskite solar cells. However, it is still a serious challenge to synthesize desired cubic cesium lead iodides (CsPbI3) with superior photovoltaic performance for its thermodynamically metastable characteristics. Herein, polymer poly-vinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-induced surface passivation engineering is reported to synthesize extra-long-term stable cubic CsPbI3. It is revealed that acylamino groups of PVP induce electron cloud density enhancement on the surface of CsPbI3, thus lowering surface energy, conducive to stabilize cubic CsPbI3 even in micrometer scale. The cubic-CsPbI3 PSCs exhibit extra-long carrier diffusion length (over 1.5 μm), highest power conversion efficiency of 10.74% and excellent thermal/moisture stability. This result provides important progress towards understanding of phase stability in realization of large-scale preparations of efficient and stable inorganic PSCs.
A non-conserved amino acid variant regulates differential signalling between human and mouse CD28
Authors: Porciello Nicla , Grazioli Paola , Campese Antonio F. , Kunkl Martina , Caristi Silvana , Mastrogiovanni Marta , Muscolini Michela , Spadaro Francesca , Favre Cédric , Nunès Jacques A. , Borroto Aldo , Alarcon Balbino , Screpanti Isabella , Tuosto Loretta
Published: March 2018

CD28 superagonistic antibodies (CD28SAb) can preferentially activate and expand immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (Treg) in mice. However, pre-clinical trials assessing CD28SAbs for the therapy of autoimmune diseases reveal severe systemic inflammatory response syndrome in humans, thereby implying the existence of distinct signalling abilities between human and mouse CD28. Here, we show that a single amino acid variant within the C-terminal proline-rich motif of human and mouse CD28 (P212in human vs. A210in mouse) regulates CD28-induced NF-κB activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression. Moreover, this Y209APP212sequence in humans is crucial for the association of CD28 with the Nck adaptor protein for actin cytoskeleton reorganisation events necessary for CD28 autonomous signalling. This study thus unveils different outcomes between human and mouse CD28 signalling to underscore the importance of species difference when transferring results from preclinical models to the bedside.
Author Correction: Protein-peptide association kinetics beyond the seconds timescale from atomistic simulations
Authors: Paul Fabian , Wehmeyer Christoph , Abualrous Esam T. , Wu Hao , Crabtree Michael D. , Schöneberg Johannes , Clarke Jane , Freund Christian , Weikl Thomas R. , Noé Frank
Published: March 2018

In the original version of this Article, the Acknowledgement section omitted financial support from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft grant SFB 958/A4. This error has now been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.
Thyroid Dysfunction, Neurological Disorder and Immunosuppression as the Consequences of Long-term Combined Stress
Authors: Zhang Jingping , Huang Jingjing , Aximujiang Kasimujiang , Xu Chenbo , Ahemaiti Abulaiti , Wu Guixia , Zhong Li , Yunusi Kurexi
Published: March 2018

Stress is a powerful modulator of neuroendocrine, behavioral, and immunological functions. So far, the molecular mechanisms of response to stressors still remain elusive. In the current study, after 10 days of repeated chronic stress (hot-dry environment and electric foot-shock), a murine model of combined-stress (CS) was created in the SPF Wistar rats. Meanwhile, we established an ulcerative-colitis (UC) rat model induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)/ethanol enema according to previous studies. The blood, hypothalamus, and colon tissues of these rats from CS, normal control (NC), UC and sham (SH) groups, were collected for further investigations. Comparing to the NC group, the serum levels of T3, T4, fT3 and fT4 were obviously decreased in the CS group after chronic stress, indicating that thyroid dysfunction was induced by long-term combined stress. Moreover, the application of RNA-seq and subsequent analyses revealed that neurological disorder and immunosuppression were also caused in the hypothalamus and colon tissues, respectively. Comparing with SH group, besides the induced colon inflammation, thyroid dysfuntion and neurological disorder were also produced in the UC group, suggesting that hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis and gastrointestinal system might not function in isolation, but rather, have intricate crosstalks.
Mutant Best1 Expression and Impaired Phagocytosis in an iPSC Model of Autosomal Recessive Bestrophinopathy
Authors: Marmorstein Alan D. , Johnson Adiv A. , Bachman Lori A. , Andrews-Pfannkoch Cynthia , Knudsen Travis , Gilles Benjamin J. , Hill Matthew , Gandhi Jarel K. , Marmorstein Lihua Y. , Pulido Jose S.
Published: March 2018

Autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy (ARB) is caused by mutations in the gene BEST1 which encodes bestrophin 1 (Best1), an anion channel expressed in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. It has been hypothesized that ARB represents the human null phenotype for BEST1 and that this occurs due to nonsense mediated decay (NMD). To test this hypothesis, we generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from a patient with ARB and her parents. After differentiation to retinal pigment epithelial (iPSC-RPE) cells, both BEST1 mRNA and Best1 protein expression were compared to controls. BEST1 mRNA expression levels, determined by quantitative PCR, were similar in ARB iPSC-RPE, parental cells, and genetically unrelated controls. Western blotting revealed that CRALBP and RPE65 were expressed within the range delineated by unrelated controls in iPSC-RPE from the ARB donor and her parents. Best1 protein was detected in different clones of ARB iPSC-RPE, but at reduced levels compared to all controls. When tested for the ability to phagocytose photoreceptor outer segments, ARB iPSC-RPE exhibited impaired internalization. These data suggest that impaired phagocytosis is a trait common to the bestrophinopathies. Furthermore, ARB is not universally the result of NMD and ARB, in this patient, is not due to the absence of Best1.
Neonatal nephron loss during active nephrogenesis – detrimental impact with long-term renal consequences
Authors: Menendez-Castro Carlos , Nitz Dörte , Cordasic Nada , Jordan Jutta , Bäuerle Tobias , Fahlbusch Fabian B. , Rascher Wolfgang , Hilgers Karl F. , Hartner Andrea
Published: March 2018

Neonatal nephron loss may follow hypoxic-ischemic events or nephrotoxic medications. Its long-term effects on the kidney are still unclear. Unlike term infants, preterm neonates less than 36 weeks gestational age show ongoing nephrogenesis. We hypothesized that nephron loss during nephrogenesis leads to more severe renal sequelae than nephron loss shortly after the completion of nephrogenesis. Rats show nephrogenesis until day 10 of life resembling the situation of preterm infants. Animals were uninephrectomized at day 1 (UNX d1) resulting in nephron reduction during nephrogenesis and at day 14 of life (UNX d14) inducing nephron loss after the completion of nephrogenesis. 28 days after uninephrectomy the compensatory renal growth was higher in UNX d1 compared to UNX d14. Nephrin was reduced and collagen deposition increased in UNX d1. At 1 year of age, glomerulosclerosis and markers of tubulointerstitial damage were most prevalent in UNX d1. Moreover, the number of desmin-positive podocytes was higher and nephrin was reduced in UNX d1 indicating podocyte damage. Infiltration of inflammatory cells was heightened after UNX d1. Uninephrectomized animals showed no arterial hypertension. We conclude that neonatal nephron loss during active nephrogenesis leads to more severe glomerular and tubulointerstitial damage, which is not a consequence of compensatory arterial hypertension.
Recent high-resolution Antarctic ice velocity maps reveal increased mass loss in Wilkes Land, East Antarctica
Authors: Shen Qiang , Wang Hansheng , Shum C. K. , Jiang Liming , Hsu Hou Tse , Dong Jinglong
Published: March 2018

We constructed Antarctic ice velocity maps from Landsat 8 images for the years 2014 and 2015 at a high spatial resolution (100 m). These maps were assembled from 10,690 scenes of displacement vectors inferred from more than 10,000 optical images acquired from December 2013 through March 2016. We estimated the mass discharge of the Antarctic ice sheet in 2008, 2014, and 2015 using the Landsat ice velocity maps, interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR)-derived ice velocity maps (~2008) available from prior studies, and ice thickness data. An increased mass discharge (53 ± 14 Gt yr−1) was found in the East Indian Ocean sector since 2008 due to unexpected widespread glacial acceleration in Wilkes Land, East Antarctica, while the other five oceanic sectors did not exhibit significant changes. However, present-day increased mass loss was found by previous studies predominantly in west Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula. The newly discovered increased mass loss in Wilkes Land suggests that the ocean heat flux may already be influencing ice dynamics in the marine-based sector of the East Antarctic ice sheet (EAIS). The marine-based sector could be adversely impacted by ongoing warming in the Southern Ocean, and this process may be conducive to destabilization.
Effect of tillage and crop residue on soil temperature following planting for a Black soil in Northeast China
Authors: Shen Yan , McLaughlin Neil , Zhang Xiaoping , Xu Minggang , Liang Aizhen
Published: March 2018

Crop residue return is imperative to maintain soil health and productivity but some farmers resist adopting conservation tillage systems with residue return fearing reduced soil temperature following planting and crop yield. Soil temperatures were measured at 10 cm depth for one month following planting from 2004 to 2007 in a field experiment in Northeast China. Tillage treatments included mouldboard plough (MP), no till (NT), and ridge till (RT) with maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max Merr.) crops. Tillage had significant effects on soil temperature in 10 of 15 weekly periods. Weekly average NT soil temperature was 0–1.5 °C lower than MP, but the difference was significant (P < 0.05) only in 2007 when residue was not returned in MP the previous autumn. RT showed no clear advantage over NT in increasing soil temperature. Higher residue coverage caused lower soil temperature; the effect was greater for maize than soybean residue. Residue type had significant effect on soil temperature in 9 of 15 weekly periods with 0–1.9 °C lower soil temperature under maize than soybean residue. Both tillage and residue had small but inconsistent effect on soil temperature following planting in Northeast China representative of a cool to temperate zone.
Genetic variations in the fusion protein of respiratory syncytial virus isolated from children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia in China
Authors: Chen Xiangpeng , Xu Baoping , Guo Jiayun , Li Changchong , An Shuhua , Zhou Yunlian , Chen Aihuan , Deng Li , Fu Zhou , Zhu Yun , Liu Chunyan , Xu Lili , Wang Wei , Shen Kunling , Xie Zhengde
Published: March 2018

To identify the variations in fusion (F) protein gene of RSV in China, a molecular epidemiological study was conducted. A total of 553 RSV positive specimens were collected from 2338 pediatric patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia during a multi-center study conducted during 2014–2016. A total of 252 samples (183 RSV A, 69 RSV B) were selected for F gene sequencing, and analyzed together with 142 F gene sequences downloaded from GenBank. The result showed that all the Chinese RSV A and RSV B strains could be divided respectively into three branches. Compared with RSV A/B prototype sequences respectively, there were significant amino acid (AA) mutations at multiple antigenic sites. For RSV A, changes were found at AA residues 122, 124, 125, 276 and 384, and for RSV B at AA residues 45, 116, 125, 172, 173 and 202. Variations in human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen-restricted CTL epitopes were also observed. In total, 56 amino acid differences for the complete F protein were found between the RSV A and B groups in China, while several mutations were only found in the RSV B strains during 2015–2016. The RSV F gene is relatively conserved in China, however, limited mutations are still occurring with time.
Sexual transmission of Zika virus enhances in utero transmission in a mouse model
Authors: Duggal Nisha K. , McDonald Erin M. , Ritter Jana M. , Brault Aaron C.
Published: March 2018

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that can cause ZIKV congenital syndrome when a pregnant woman is infected. Sexual transmission has also been described for ZIKV, though the relationship between sexual transmission and vertical transmission has not been investigated. Here, viral dissemination to the female reproductive tract and fetuses was assessed in immunodeficient (AG129) female mice that were exposed to ZIKV by subcutaneous (s.c.) inoculation, intravaginal (ivag.) inoculation, or sexual transmission from infected male AG129 mice. Pregnant females had significantly increased ZIKV dissemination to the female reproductive tract compared to non-pregnant females when exposed by s.c. or ivag. inoculation. Sexual transmission resulted in significantly greater morbidity and mortality in females and higher ZIKV titers in the female reproductive tract than s.c. or ivag. inoculation. Ovaries from females infected sexually contained ZIKV RNA within the ovarian follicles. Furthermore, ZIKV titers were significantly higher in fetuses from dams exposed sexually compared to fetuses from dams exposed by s.c. or ivag. inoculation. These results demonstrate that sexual transmission enhances dissemination of ZIKV to the female reproductive tract and developing fetuses in a mouse model.
Performing radiosynthesis in microvolumes to maximize molar activity of tracers for positron emission tomography
Authors: Sergeev Maxim , Lazari Mark , Morgia Federica , Collins Jeffrey , Javed Muhammad Rashed , Sergeeva Olga , Jones Jason , Phelps Michael E. , Lee Jason T. , Keng Pei Yuin , van Dam R. Michael
Published: March 2018

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a molecular diagnostic imaging technology to quantitatively visualize biological processes in vivo. For many applications, including imaging of low-tissue density targets (e.g., neuroreceptors), imaging in small animals, and evaluation of novel tracers, the injected PET tracer must be produced with high molar activity to ensure low occupancy of biological targets and avoid pharmacologic effects. Additionally, high molar activity is essential for tracers with lengthy syntheses or tracers transported to distant imaging sites. Here we show that radiosynthesis of PET tracers in microliter volumes instead of conventional milliliter volumes results in substantially increased molar activity, and we identify the most relevant variables affecting this parameter. Furthermore, using the PET tracer [18F]fallypride, we illustrate that molar activity can have a significant impact on biodistribution. With full automation, microdroplet platforms could provide a means for radiochemists to routinely, conveniently, and safely produce PET tracers with high molar activity.
Hyperthermostable cube-shaped assembly in water
Authors: Zhan Yi-Yang , Ogata Kazuho , Kojima Tatsuo , Koide Takuya , Ishii Kentaro , Mashiko Takako , Tachikawa Masanori , Uchiyama Susumu , Hiraoka Shuichi
Published: March 2018

Proteins in hyperthermophiles exhibit extremely high thermal stability unlike general proteins. These thermostable proteins are stabilized by weak molecular interactions such as hydrogen bonding, charge interactions and van der Waals (vdW) interactions, along with the hydrophobic effect. An in-depth understanding of the stabilization mechanisms will enable us to rationally design artificial molecules with very high thermal stability. Here we show thermally stable supramolecular assemblies composed of six identical amphiphilic molecules having an indented hydrophobic surface, held together by weak intermolecular interactions (vdW and cation-π interactions) and the hydrophobic effect in water. The disassembly temperature of one of the assemblies is over 150 °C, which is higher than that of the most hyperthermophilic protein reported to date (PhCutA1). Study of the relationship between the structure of the components and the stability of the assemblies indicates that the hyperthermostability is achieved only if all the weak interactions and the hydrophobic effect work cooperatively.
Versatile bimetallic lanthanide metal-organic frameworks for tunable emission and efficient fluorescence sensing
Authors: Su Yan , Yu Junhong , Li Youbing , Phua Soo Fiona Zeng , Liu Guofeng , Lim Wei Qi , Yang Xiaozhan , Ganguly Rakesh , Dang Cuong , Yang Chaolong , Zhao Yanli
Published: March 2018

Developing novel lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) to rapidly and reliably differentiate both metal ions in solution and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in vapor is highly challenging. Here, we describe versatile Eu3+/Tb3+-MOFs based on a flexible ligand. It is noteworthy that the film fabricated using bimetallic Eu0.47Tb0.63-MOF and polyvinyl alcohol could serve as an easy and convenient luminescent platform for distinguishing different metal ions and VOCs. The luminescent film exhibits notable fingerprint correlation between the metal ions/VOCs and the emission intensity ratio of Eu3+/Tb3+ ions in Ln-MOFs. As a result, the bimetallic Ln-MOFs show fast recognition of Fe3+ ion with a response time of <10 s, and can effectively probe styrene vapor within 4 min. Since the developed Ln-MOF film is stable and reliable, this work presents a promising strategy to explore luminescent platforms capable of effectively sensing different metal ions and VOCs.
Interfacial Inhibitors
Authors: Kiselev Evgeny , Pommier Yves
Published: March 2018

Interfacial inhibition is a widespread molecular mechanism by which natural products, such as toxins, inactivate macromolecular complexes by trapping normally transient conformational intermediates. This mechanism is effectively harnessed for therapeutic purposes, primarily in the case of antibacterial and chemotherapeutic anticancer drugs. This chapter provides case studies for drugs targeting protein–DNA interfaces, such as topoisomerase inhibitors and HIV integrase inhibitors. Examples of interfacial inhibitors for protein–protein interfaces are also provided for gyrase, STING and Arp2–3 inhibitors. Interfacial inhibition offers prospects for targeting previously ‘undruggable’ targets, including transcription, replication and chromatin-remodelling complexes. From a discovery viewpoint, the interfacial inhibition principle establishes the value of natural-product screening, the importance of non-competitive inhibitors and the value of high-throughput assays based on enhancement of macromolecular complex formation rather than disruption.
Parsing the Enthalpy–Entropy Compensation Phenomenon of General DNA–Ligand Interactions by a ‘Gradient Determinant’ Approach
Authors: Yang Robin C. K. , Kao Karen L. , Yao Wen-Chen , Chen Yu-Ling , Hung Chia-Chun , Li Yu-Ting , Wu Jia-Rong , Hung Wei-Kang , Waring Michael J. , Sheh Leung
Published: March 2018

The enthalpy–entropy compensation (EEC) phenomenon commonly arises in DNA binding processes, including DNA–peptide interactions, where a rather narrowly defined ΔG value is preserved. Indeed, molecules as large as proteins can share the EEC phenomenon with small ligands, like drugs, despite variations in temperature or salt concentration. For a given series of similar reactions, strict compensation between ΔH and TΔS provides a thermodynamic mechanism which maintains a favourable value of negative ΔG that dominates the binding process. The EEC phenomenon can be categorized into four major types, expressed by the gradient determinant ke of ΔH−TΔS energy compensation. For a given series of ligands, it is their chemical structure and DNA sequence-selectivity which seem to determine the type of energy compensation, manifested by ke, sustaining a favourable negative free energy change within a narrow range that assures successful complex formation.
Therapeutic Potential of DNA Gene Targeting using Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA)
Authors: Nielsen Peter E.
Published: March 2018

Peptide nucleic acids (PNA) were introduced in 1991 as a new class of pseudo-peptide DNA mimics conceived as ligands that recognize double-stranded DNA sequences specifically in the major groove. The present chapter outlines the different modes subsequently discovered for sequence-directed dsDNA targeting by PNA oligomers. This includes triple helix formation, triplex, duplex and double duplex invasion, and primarily focuses on efforts and progress made towards exploiting PNA for DNA-targeted control of gene expression in drug discovery approaches. In particular, recent in vivo animal studies are discussed.
Molecular Recognition of DNA by Py–Im Polyamides: From Discovery to Oncology
Authors: Dervan Peter B. , Kurmis Alexis A. , Finn Paul B.
Published: March 2018

The development of Py–Im polyamides as potential therapeutic agents is an example of the application of fundamental science at all levels from initial concept, based on purely chemical considerations of DNA–binding, through refinement of the design process to improvements in synthesis, critical analysis of DNA–binding properties, solving problems of cell uptake and distribution, pharmacokinetics and whole–animal studies leading up to clinical trials. This chapter will document the story with particular regard to the development of drugs aimed at treating one of the most prevalent cancers that beset patients today, therapy-resistant prostate cancer.
Synthetic Peptides for DNA Recognition Inspired by Transcription Factors
Authors: Iyer Abhishek , Garcia Yara Ruiz , Madder Annemieke
Published: March 2018

Transcription Factors (TFs) are key players in the conversion of the information held in mRNA into a ’language’ that the body can understand. This they achieve by specifically recognising and binding to short regulatory DNA sequences which control the gene. These interactions between DNA and proteins are extremely specific and of very high affinity. Consequently, much effort has been devoted to elucidating TF structures and their modes of binding to DNA. It is therefore not surprising that TFs have been the main role models for the design and synthesis of DNA-binding peptides. The current chapter, after giving an overview of known TF structures, describes the different peptide-based DNA binding systems that have been conceived and studied, ranging from replacement of the TF dimerization domain by non-peptide scaffolds, through the connection of major-groove-recognising entities to minor-groove binders, to the further miniaturisation of the systems towards monomeric peptide sequences still capable of binding to nucleic acid duplexes. Thanks to these miniaturisation efforts, the systems have finally reached a stage where therapeutic applications can be envisaged.
Antidiabetic effects and erythrocyte stabilization by red cabbage extract in streptozotocin-treated rats
Authors: Buko Vyacheslav , Zavodnik Ilya , Kanuka Olena , Belonovskaya Elena , Naruta Elena , Lukivskaya Oxana , Kirko Siargej , Budryn Grazyna , Żyżelewicz Danuta , Oracz Joanna , Sybirna Natalia
Published: March 2018

The red cabbage extract showed a potent antidiabetic activity and effectively corrected the structural and quantitative changes in erythrocytes of diabetic rats.
Three-dimensional carbon network confined antimony nanoparticle anodes for high-capacity K-ion batteries
Authors: Han Chunhua , Han Kang , Wang Xuanpeng , Wang Chenyang , Li Qi , Meng Jiashen , Xu Xiaoming , He Qiu , Luo Wen , Wu Liming , Mai Liqiang
Published: March 2018

The novel 3D carbon framework confined Sb nanoparticle anode exhibits both high capacity and cycling stability.
Sub-diffractional waveguiding by mid-infrared plasmonic resonators in semiconductor nanowires
Authors: Tervo Eric J. , Boyuk Dmitriy S. , Cola Baratunde A. , Zhang Zhuomin M. , Filler Michael A.
Published: March 2018

An anisotropic nanowire environment around repeated plasmonic resonators improves waveguide performance by up to an order of magnitude.
Simple surface-assisted formation of palladium nanoparticles on polystyrene microspheres and their application in catalysis
Authors: Zhao Yaqian , Feng Jie , Hong Liu , Li Yunxing , Wang Chuanxi , Ye Sunjie
Published: March 2018

Herein we develop a facile and green method for assembling palladium nanoparticles on polystyrene microsphere with excellent catalytic performance.
De novodesign of D–σ–A molecules as universal hosts for monochrome and white phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes
Authors: Chen Wen-Cheng , Yuan Yi , Zhu Ze-Lin , Jiang Zuo-Quan , Su Shi-Jian , Liao Liang-Sheng , Lee Chun-Sing
Published: March 2018

Novel D–σ–A molecules were developed as single hosts to achieve high performances in monochrome and white organic light-emitting diodes.
Wide‐band signal‐interference duplexer with contiguous single/dual‐band channels and its application to quasi‐absorptive bandpass filters
Authors: Gómez‐García Roberto , Muñoz‐Ferreras José‐María , Feng Wenjie , Psychogiou Dimitra
Published: March 2018

A type of wide‐band signal‐interference planar duplexer with single‐ and dual‐band channels is presented. It exploits transversal‐signal‐interference‐section‐based channels with contiguous single‐ and dual‐passband filtering transfer functions. Furthermore, by ending the dual‐band channel in a reference‐impedance resistor, a wide‐band bandpass filter (BPF) with quasi‐absorptive stopbands is realised. As experimental validation, microstrip prototypes of a duplexer and a two‐stage quasi‐absorptive BPF that operate in the 1.6–4.4 GHz range are built and tested.
Vector control implementation in field programmable gate array for 200 kHz GaN‐based motor drive systems
Authors: Luo Zhiwen , Li Yongdong , Zhang Xinyan , Wang Kui
Published: March 2018

GaN devices used to drive a three‐phase inverter drive motor can greatly improve the switching frequency and increase the power density. However, the traditional microcontroller unit (MCU) controller cannot achieve high switching frequency single‐cycle control. This paper describes the use of GaN devices in the design of a three‐phase motor drive system to drive a permanent magnet synchronous motor and vector control algorithm, that is completely implemented in a field programmable gate array. The system achieves 200‐kHz switching frequency single‐cycle precise control, as verified by the experimental results.
A Review of the Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry and Biological Activities of the Genus Santolina
Authors: Tundis Rosa , Loizzo Monica
Published: March 2018

The genus Santolina is a taxonomically complex group of plant species widely distributed in the Mediterranean flora and used in traditional medicine since ancient times for their biological properties, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, digestive, and analgesic activities. Phytochemical investigations of Santolina species have revealed the presence of terpenoids as the main bioactive constituents of the genus. Coumarins and flavonoids were also identified. This review deals, for the first time, with information on the traditional uses, chemical profile, and biological properties of plants of the genus Santolina in order to provide input for future research prospects.