bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Flat Band and Hole-induced Ferromagnetism in a Novel Carbon Monolayer
Authors: You Jing-Yang , Gu Bo , Su Gang 
Published: December 2019

AbstractIn recent experiments, superconductivity and correlated insulating states were observed in twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) with small magic angles, which highlights the importance of the flat bands near Fermi energy. However, the moiré pattern of TBG consists of more than ten thousand carbon atoms that is not easy to handle with conventional methods. By density functional theory calculations, we obtain a flat band at EF in a novel carbon monolayer coined as cyclicgraphdiyne with the unit cell of eighteen atoms. By doping holes into cyclicgraphdiyne to make the flat band partially occupied, we find that cyclicgraphdiyne with 1/8, 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 hole doping concentration shows ferromagnetism (half-metal) while the case without doping is nonmagnetic, indicating a hole-induced nonmagnetic-ferromagnetic transition. The calculated conductivity of cyclicgraphdiyne with 1/8, 1/4 and 3/8 hole doping concentration is much higher than that without doping or with 1/2 hole doping. These results make cyclicgraphdiyne really attractive. By studying several carbon monolayers, we find that a perfect flat band may occur in the lattices with both separated or corner-connected triangular motifs with only including nearest-neighboring hopping of electrons, and the dispersion of flat band can be tuned by next-nearest-neighboring hopping. Our results shed insightful light on the formation of flat band in TBG. The present study also poses an alternative way to manipulate magnetism through doping flat band in carbon materials.
Pathological and immunological analyses of Thelohanellus kitauei (Myxozoa:Myxosporea) infection in the scattered mirror carp, Cyprinus carpio
Authors: Liu Tao , Wei Wen-Yan , Wang Kai-Yu , Yang Qian , Wang Er-Long 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThelohanellus kitauei is a spore-forming myxosporean parasite prevalent in scattered mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio) that generates numerous cysts in the intestine and causes mass mortality in fish. To investigate the infection and mortality induced by T. kitauei in pond-reared farms in Luo-Jiang (104°51’N, 31°31’E), southwest China, morphological and molecular analyses of infected fish were conducted. Natural and specific immune indicators were further evaluated to determine the immunological effects of response to parasitic infection. The infectious parasite was identified as Thelohanellus kitauei based on morphological, 18S rDNA and infectious characteristics. Scattered mirror carp was determined as the specific intermediate host of the parasite. However, T. kitauei still caused considerable damage to the fish, in particular, injury and blockage of the intestines, resulting in malnutrition and even death. The mature spores of T. kitauei colonize the intestinal submucosa of carp and form cysts of various sizes that block the intestinal tract and release spores into the enteric cavity upon rupture, leading to the next phase of T. kitauei growth. Moreover, T. kitauei-infected carp showed weaker innate immunity. IgM is involved in the fight against parasitic infection while cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α, had an impact on infection processes. To our knowledge, this is the first report to show that T. kitauei infects and causes death in scattered mirror carp. Our collective findings from systematic pathology, morphology and immunology experiments provide a foundation for further research on infections by this type of parasite and development of effective treatment strategies.
Reversibly pH-responsive gold nanoparticles and their applications for photothermal cancer therapy
Authors: Park Sanghak , Lee Woo Jin , Park Sungmin , Choi Doowon , Kim Sungjee , Park Nokyoung 
Published: December 2019

AbstractMicroenvironment responsive nanomaterials are attractive for therapeutic applications with regional specificity. Here we report pH responsive gold nanoparticles which are designed to aggregate in acidic condition similar to cancer environment and returned to its original disassembled states in a physiological pH. The pH responsive behavior of the particles is derived by change of electrostatic interaction among the particles where attraction and repulsion play a major role in low and high pH of the environment, respectively. Since different electrostatic interaction behavior of the particles in varied pH is induced not by irreversible chemical change but by simple protonation differences, the pH responsive process of assembly and disassembly is totally reversible. The low pH specific aggregation of gold nanoparticles resulted in red shift of plasmonic absorption peak and showed higher photothermal efficacy in acidic pH than in normal physiological pH. The low pH specific photothermal effect with long wave laser irradiation was directly applied to cancer specific photothermal therapy and resulted higher therapeutic effect for melanoma cancer cells than non-pH responsive gold nanoparticles.
Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Coals Subject to the Low Temperature-Impact Load Coupling Effect
Authors: Wang Yanbing , Yang Yang , Zhang Yuantong , Wang Jianguo 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThe effects of low temperature gradient on dynamic mechanical properties of coal were examined through Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) Dynamic Impact Experiment, the law of dynamic mechanical parameters of coal specimen changing from room temperature to negative temperature (25 °C, −5 °C, −10 °C, −15 °C, −20 °C, −30 °C, −40 °C) was analyzed, and the coal-rock stress-strain curve characteristics subject to the low temperature-impact load coupling effect was discussed. The law of the effects of different strain rates on the rock strength properties and the compressive deformation and failure was analyzed by studying the coal specimen at −15 °C. Moreover, the mechanical properties of coal specimen in saturated and dry conditions were compared, and the effects of water and water-ice phase transition on the strength properties of the corresponding coal specimen were analyzed.
The degradation of organic compounds impacts the crystallization of clay minerals and vice versa
Authors: Jacquemot Pierre , Viennet Jean-Christophe , Bernard Sylvain , Le Guillou Corentin , Rigaud Baptiste , Delbes Ludovic , Georgelin Thomas , Jaber Maguy 
Published: December 2019

AbstractExpanding our capabilities to unambiguously identify ancient traces of life in ancient rocks requires laboratory experiments to better constrain the evolution of biomolecules during advanced fossilization processes. Here, we submitted RNA to hydrothermal conditions in the presence of a gel of Al-smectite stoichiometry at 200 °C for 20 days. NMR and STXM-XANES investigations revealed that the organic fraction of the residues is no longer RNA, nor the quite homogeneous aromatic-rich residue obtained in the absence of clays, but rather consists of particles of various chemical composition including amide-rich compounds. Rather than the pure clays obtained in the absence of RNA, electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and diffraction (XRD) data showed that the mineralogy of the experimental residues includes amorphous silica and aluminosilicates mixed together with nanoscales phosphates and clay minerals. In addition to the influence of clay minerals on the degradation of organic compounds, these results evidence the influence of the presence of organic compounds on the nature of the mineral assemblage, highlighting the importance of fine-scale mineralogical investigations when discussing the nature/origin of organo-mineral microstructures found in ancient rocks.
Development of a biodegradable polycaprolactone film incorporated with an antimicrobial agent via an extrusion process
Authors: Lyu Ji Sou , Lee Jung-Soo , Han Jaejoon 
Published: December 2019

AbstractIn the present study, polycaprolactone (PCL) composite films incorporated with various concentrations of grapefruit seed extract (GSE) as an antimicrobial agent were prepared using a twin-screw extruder. Physical characteristics as well as antimicrobial properties of the PCL/GSE composite films were analyzed. The results showed that the surface color of the films gradually changed with increasing GSE concentration. Fourier transform infrared spectra indicated no significant structural changes such as chemical bond formation between PCL and GSE. Thermal properties were slightly affected due to GSE incorporation. Crystallinity of the composite films decreased as the amount of GSE increased. In vitro analysis indicated that the antimicrobial activity of the PCL/GSE composite films increased as the GSE concentration increased, with a 5% concentration showing the strongest inhibitory activity against Listeria monocytogenes, with 5.8-log reduction in bacterial count. Application testing of the films was carried out for cheese packaging, and biodegradation of the samples was assessed via soil burial testing. Our findings confirmed the potential use of PCL/GSE composite films as biodegradable food packaging material with antimicrobial activity.
Specific role of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor in elastin-derived VGVAPG peptide-dependent calcium homeostasis in mouse cortical astrocytes in vitro
Authors: Szychowski Konrad A. , Gmiński Jan 
Published: December 2019

AbstractUnder physiological and pathological conditions, elastin is degraded to produce elastin-derived peptides (EDPs). EDPs are detected in the healthy human brain, and its concentration significantly increases after ischemic stroke. Both elastin and EDPs contains replications of the soluble VGVAPG hexapeptide, which has a broad range of biological activities. Effects of VGVAPG action are mainly mediated by elastin-binding protein (EBP), which is alternatively spliced, enzymatically inactive form of the GLB1 gene. This study was conducted to elucidate the activation and role of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) in elastin-derived VGVAPG peptide-dependent calcium homeostasis in mouse cortical astrocytes in vitro. Cells were exposed to 10 nM VGVAPG peptide and co-treated with MK-801, nifedipine, verapamil, or Src kinase inhibitor I. After cell stimulation, we measured Ca2+ level, ROS production, and mRNA expression. Moreover, the Glb1 and NMDAR subunits (GluN1, GluN2A, and GluN2B) siRNA gene knockdown were applied. We found the VGVAPG peptide causes Ca2+ influx through the NMDA receptor in mouse astrocytes in vitro. Silencing of the Glb1, GluN1, GluN2A, and GluN2B gene prevented VGVAPG peptide-induced increase in Ca2+. Nifedipine does not completely reduce VGVAPG peptide-activated ROS production, whereas MK-801, verapamil, and Src inhibitor reduce VGVAPG peptide-activated Ca2+ influx and ROS production. These data suggest the role of Src kinase signal transduction from EBP to NMDAR. Moreover, the VGVAPG peptide affects the expression of NMDA receptor subunits.
Nonreciprocal terahertz beam steering based on magneto-optic metagratings
Authors: Tan Zhiyu , Fan Fei , Dong Xipu , Cheng Jierong , Chang Shengjiang 
Published: December 2019

AbstractIn this work, an active nonreciprocal THz beam steering has been proposed based on a transversely magnetized metal/InSb metagrating. The nonreciprocal dispersion relation and phase shift characteristics of the metal/InSb waveguide are investigated in details. A metagrating structure with gradient phase shift has been designed based on the metal/InSb waveguide. Under the external magnetic field (EMF), the THz beam can be changed among 0, +1st, and −1st order of the metagrating. Due to the nonreciprocity of the metal/InSb metagrating, the deflection angle can be controlled by changing the positive and negative directions of the EMF, to realize bilateral symmetric scanning from −67.8° to 67.8° with over 70% diffraction efficiency, and this device also exhibits the nonreciprocal one-way transmission as an isolator with the isolation of 13 dB. This low-loss, large deflection degree, nonreciprocal beam scanner has a great potential application in the THz regime.
Fetal androgen exposure is a determinant of adult male metabolic health
Authors: Siemienowicz Katarzyna J. , Filis Panagiotis , Shaw Sophie , Douglas Alex , Thomas Jennifer , Mulroy Sally , Howie Forbes , Fowler Paul A. , Duncan W. Colin , Rae Mick T. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractAndrogen signalling is a critical driver of male development. Fetal steroid signalling can be dysregulated by a range of environmental insults and clinical conditions. We hypothesised that poor adult male health was partially attributable to aberrant androgen exposure during development. Testosterone was directly administered to developing male ovine fetuses to model excess prenatal androgenic overexposure associated with conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Suchin uteroandrogen excess recreated the dyslipidaemia and hormonal profile observed in sons of PCOS patients. 1,084 of 15,134 and 408 of 2,766 quantifiable genes and proteins respectively, were altered in the liver during adolescence, attributable to fetal androgen excess. Furthermore, prenatal androgen excess predisposed to adolescent development of an intrahepatic cholestasis-like condition with attendant hypercholesterolaemia and an emergent pro-fibrotic, pro-oxidative stress gene and protein expression profile evident in both liver and circulation. We conclude that prenatal androgen excess is a previously unrecognised determinant of lifelong male metabolic health.
Amorphous TaxMnyOz Layer as a Diffusion Barrier for Advanced Copper Interconnects
Authors: An Byeong-Seon , Kwon Yena , Oh Jin-Su , Lee Miji , Pae Sangwoo , Yang Cheol-Woong 
Published: December 2019

AbstractAn amorphous TaxMnyOz layer with 1.0 nm thickness was studied as an alternative Cu diffusion barrier for advanced interconnect. The thermal and electrical stabilities of the 1.0-nm-thick TaxMnyOz barrier were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and current density–electric field (J–E) and capacitance–voltage (C–V) measurements after annealing at 400 °C for 10 h. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the chemical characteristics of the TaxMnyOz layer, and a tape peeling test showed that the TaxMnyOz barrier between the Cu and SiO2 layers provided better adhesion compared to the sample without the barrier. TEM observation and line profiling measurements in energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy after thermal annealing revealed that Cu diffusion was prevented by the TaxMnyOz barrier. Also, the J–E and C–V measurements of the fabricated metal-oxide-semiconductor sample showed that the TaxMnyOz barrier significantly improved the electrical stability of the Cu interconnect. Our results indicate that the 1.0-nm-thick TaxMnyOz barrier efficiently prevented Cu diffusion into the SiO2 layer and enhanced the thermal and electrical stability of the Cu interconnect. The improved performance of the TaxMnyOz barrier can be attributed to the microstructural stability achieved by forming ternary Ta-Mn-O film with controlled Ta/Mn atomic ratio. The chemical composition can affect the atomic configuration and density of the Ta-Mn-O film, which are closely related to the diffusion behavior. Therefore, the 1.0-nm-thick amorphous TaxMnyOz barrier is a promising Cu diffusion barrier for advanced interconnect technology.
Modified connectivity of vulnerable brain nodes in multiple sclerosis, their impact on cognition and their discriminative value
Authors: Solana Elisabeth , Martinez-Heras Eloy , Casas-Roma Jordi , Calvet Laura , Lopez-Soley Elisabet , Sepulveda Maria , Sola-Valls Nuria , Montejo Carmen , Blanco Yolanda , Pulido-Valdeolivas Irene , Andorra Magi , Saiz Albert , Prados Ferran , Llufriu Sara 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBrain structural network modifications in multiple sclerosis (MS) seem to be clinically relevant. The discriminative ability of those changes to identify MS patients or their cognitive status remains unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate connectivity changes in MS patients related to their cognitive status, and to define an automatic classification method to classify subjects as patients and healthy volunteers (HV) or as cognitively preserved (CP) and impaired (CI) patients. We analysed structural brain connectivity in 45 HV and 188 MS patients (104 CP and 84 CI). A support vector machine with k-fold cross-validation was built using the graph metrics features that best differentiate the groups (p < 0.05). Local efficiency (LE) and node strength (NS) network properties showed the largest differences: 100% and 69.7% of nodes had reduced LE and NS in CP patients compared to HV. Moreover, 55.3% and 57.9% of nodes had decreased LE and NS in CI compared to CP patients, in associative multimodal areas. The classification method achieved an accuracy of 74.8–77.2% to differentiate patients from HV, and 59.9–60.8% to discriminate CI from CP patients. Structural network integrity is widely reduced and worsens as cognitive function declines. Central network properties of vulnerable nodes can be useful to classify MS patients.
Expression response of chalcone synthase gene to inducing conditions and its effect on flavonoids accumulation in two medicinal species of Anoectochilus
Authors: Yang Lin , Zhang Jun Cheng , Qu Jing Tao , He Gang , Yu Hao Qiang , Li Wan Chen , Fu Feng Ling 
Published: December 2019

AbstractAnoectochilus roxburghii and Anoectochilus formasanus are the major species of genus Anoectochilus used in traditional Chinese medicine for their abundant content of flavonoids and some other medicinal constituents. In recent years, their wild resources are gradually exhausted due to over-collection and ecological deterioration. Artificial cultivation and tissue culture are employed to increase production. In this study, the open reading frame, promoter and genomic sequences of the chalcone synthase (CHS) gene were cloned from these two species according to their transcriptome information, and used for expression analysis in response to the induction of phenylalanine, ultraviolet light and NaCl, and its effect investigation on accumulation of flavonoids. The results showed that the expression of the CHS genes was upregulated in response to these inductions and resulted in increasing accumulation of total flavonoids. However, the increased flavonoids induced by phenylalanine and ultraviolet light were mainly allocated into the anthocyanidin branch of flavonoids biosynthesis. Not only did it improved the medicinal value, but might have inhibitory effect on plant growth because of the increased malondialdehyde accumulation. Under the induction of appropriate concentration of NaCl, the medicinal constituents of flavonoids were increased without inhibition to plant growth.
High CD3 and ICOS and low TIM-3 expression predict favourable survival in resected oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Hong Min Hee , Shin Su-Jin , Shin Sung Kwan , Kim Dae Joon , Zo Jae Ill , Shim Young Mog , Lee Seung Eun , Cho Byoung Chul , Park Seong Yong , Choi Yoon-La , Kim Hye Ryun 
Published: December 2019

AbstractWith the increasing oncological potential of immunotherapy, several immune checkpoint modulators are being investigated. The value of immune markers, including programmed cell death ligand-1, programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), inducible co-stimulator (ICOS), lymphocyte activation gene-3, T-cell immunoglobulin, and mucin-dominant containing-3 (TIM-3), is not well known. Using tissue microarrays of 396 patients who underwent surgery for oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), infiltrated T-cell subsets (CD3, CD8, and Foxp3) and checkpoint protein expression were scored. With a median follow-up of 24.8 months, CD3+ TIL subsets (50.0%) had longer median recurrence-free survival (RFS, 55.0 vs 21.4 months) and overall survival (OS, 77.7 vs 35.8 months). Patients with high ICOS expression (46.5%) had longer median RFS (53.9 vs 25.3 months) and OS (88.8 vs 36.9 months). For PD-1, RFS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.67) and OS (HR 0.66) were significantly longer in the high-expression group (45.2%). In the multivariate analysis, high TIM-3 expression (50.8%) had a significant relationship with shorter RFS (HR = 1.52) and OS (HR = 1.60). High CD3+ TIL and T-cell ICOS expression were associated with favourable prognosis, whereas high TIM-3 expression suggested a poor prognosis. Our findings may confer new insights to improve ESCC outcomes beyond the application of PD-1 blockade.
Morphological Characteristics of Posterior Wall Fragments Associated with Acetabular Both-column Fracture
Authors: Tian Siyu , Chen Yajie , Yin Yingchao , Zhang Ruipeng , Hou Zhiyong , Zhang Yingze 
Published: December 2019

AbstractTreatment of both-column fractures with posterior wall involvement is still a controversial topic. This type of posterior wall fracture is different from isolated acetabular posterior wall fracture (AO/OTA62-A1). The aim of this study is to compare the morphology of the posterior wall fragments of these two fracture patterns using computed tomography (CT) scans. All measured data were compared, and the differences between the groups (acetabular both-column fractures with posterior wall involvement were included in group A, and acetabular isolated posterior wall fractures were included in group B) were significant (P ≤ 0.05), including the direction angle, displacement, articular surface-posterior cortex ratio and articular surface area of the fracture fragment. The intraclass correlation coefficient of the measurements included inter-observer (ICC = 0.860) and intra-observer (ICC = 0.853). The morphology of the posterior wall fragments associated with both-column fractures is significantly different from that in isolated acetabular posterior wall fractures, and the treatment of the posterior wall fragment involved in both-column fractures of the acetabulum should be different from that of isolated acetabular posterior wall fractures.
Low prevalence of Borna disease virus 1 (BoDV-1) IgG antibodies in humans from areas endemic for animal Borna disease of Southern Germany
Authors: Tappe Dennis , Frank Christina , Offergeld Ruth , Wagner-Wiening Christiane , Stark Klaus , Rubbenstroth Dennis , Giese Sebastian , Lattwein Erik , Schwemmle Martin , Beer Martin , Schmidt-Chanasit Jonas , Wilking Hendrik 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBorna disease virus-1 (BoDV-1) was recently discovered as cause of severe and often fatal encephalitis in humans. BoDV-1 is known to cause neurological disease in horses and sheep mainly in South and Central Germany. The virus is maintained in bicolored white-toothed shrews (Crocidura leucodon). The incidence of infection and risk factors in humans are completely unresolved. Veterinarians may be disproportionally BoDV-1-exposed through contact to animals not recognized to be BoDV-1 infected. We conducted three serosurveys predominantly in endemic areas of South Germany for the presence of BoDV-1-reactive antibodies. Anonymized residual samples from two serosurveys of veterinarians (n = 736) with interview data on exposures and one serosurvey among blood donors (n = 373) were screened with an indirect immunofluorescence antibody test, followed by a newly developed immunoblot as confirmatory assay. One serum from a 55–59-year-old veterinarian who worked in an animal practice and as a meat inspector but none from blood donors tested positive by the screening and confirmatory assays. We show that seropositive individuals are rare even in areas with highest zoonotic risk and in a group with potentially elevated exposure risk. In light of the low seroprevalence demonstrated here, the high case-fatality rate in clinically observed human BoDV-1 infections is even more impressive.