bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Corrosion of the International Simple Glass under acidic to hyperalkaline conditions
Authors: Backhouse Daniel J. , Fisher Adam J. , Neeway James J. , Corkhill Claire L. , Hyatt Neil C. , Hand Russell J. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractAssessment of glass dissolution kinetics, under disposal relevant temperature and pH environments, is required to credibly estimate radionuclide release rates from vitrified radioactive waste. Leaching of the International Simple Glass (ISG) under acidic to hyperalkaline conditions was examined. Forward rate measurements have been obtained using the dynamic leaching SPFT protocol and rate parameters for B, Na and Si in the basic regime; errors in rates predicted using these parameters at high pH and temperature are significant because the fitting uses logarithmic data. Longer term behaviour under hyperalkaline conditions, representative of some disposal environments, was investigated using the PCT and MCC-1 static leaching protocols with Ca(OH)2 solutions for up to 120 days (PCT) and 720 days (MCC-1). In hyperalkaline conditions dissolution was incongruent for all elements and the presence of alternating zirconia-rich and zirconia-poor alteration layers was observed on all leached monoliths, indicating the occurrence of a self-organisation phenomenon during leaching.
Optically-active metastable defects in volumetric nanoplasmonic composites
Authors: Gajc Marcin , Surma Hancza B. , Pawlak Dorota A. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractMetastable defects in semiconductor materials have been well known for decades, but have only recently started to attract attention for their potential applications in information technology. Here, we describe active and passive nanoplasmonic materials with optically active metastable defects that can be switched on or off by cooling with or without laser illumination, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of metastable defects in either passive or active nanoplasmonic materials, and, more generally, in non-semiconducting materials. The nanocomposites are made of a sodium-boron-phosphate glass matrix doped with silver nanoparticles (nAg) or co-doped with nAg and Er3+ ions by NanoParticle Direct Doping method. We further show that the different origins of the two types of defect-related luminescence behaviour are attributable to either a metal-glass defect (MG1) or a metal-glass-rare-earth ion defect (MGR1). Such materials could potentially be used for data writing and erasing using laser illumination with a ‘tight’ focus such as direct laser writing.
High HMGB1 levels in sputum are related to pneumococcal bacteraemia but not to disease severity in community-acquired pneumonia
Authors: Alpkvist Helena , Athlin Simon , Mölling Paula , Norrby-Teglund Anna , Strålin Kristoffer 
Published: September 2018

AbstractDuring bacterial infections, damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) activate immune cells. Here, we investigated whether plasma and sputum levels of High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1), a prototypic DAMP, are associated with disease severity and aetiology in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). In addition, in patients with pneumococcal CAP, the impact of the level of sputum lytA DNA load, a PAMP, was investigated. We studied patients hospitalised for bacterial CAP (n = 111), and samples were collected at admission. HMGB1 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and pneumococcal lytA DNA load was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Plasma and sputum HMGB1 levels did not correlate to disease severity (pneumonia severity index or presence of sepsis), but high sputum HMGB1 level was correlated to pneumococcal aetiology (p = 0.002). In pneumococcal pneumonia, high sputum lytA DNA load was associated with respiratory failure (low PaO2/FiO2 ratio; p = 0.019), and high sputum HMGB1 level was associated with bacteraemia (p = 0.006). To conclude, high sputum HMGB1 was not associated with severe disease, but with pneumococcal bacteraemia, indicating a potential role for HMGB1 in bacterial dissemination. High sputum lytA was associated with severe disease.
Coal with Carbon Capture and Sequestration is not as Land Use Efficient as Solar Photovoltaic Technology for Climate Neutral Electricity Production
Authors: Groesbeck James Gunnar , Pearce Joshua M. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractAvoiding climate destabilization caused by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, requires climate-neutral electricity sources. It has been proposed that the GHG emissions from coal-fired power plants can be offset by carbon capture and sequestration or bio-sequestration. However, solar photovoltaic (PV) technology has recently declined so far in costs it now offers both technical and economic potential to offset all of coal-fired electricity use. PV only emits GHGs during fabrication and not during use. To determine which technical solution to climate-neutral electricity generation should be preferred, this study aggregates and synthesizes life cycle analysis studies for exergy, GHG emissions and land transformation for climate-neutral electricity. The results show that because of lower exergy efficiencies coal plants emit 13–18 times more GHG and transform 5–13 times more land than PV. Optimal bio-sequestration of coal-fired GHG requires 62% of U.S. arable land or 89% of all U.S land with average forest cover. Carbon capture and storage and enhanced oil recovery can improve coal performance, but for all cases the results clearly show that PV is a far more effective use of land. Overall, for the first time this study found climate-neutral photovoltaic farms are a preferred solution to climate-neutral coal fired electricity generation.
Preliminary report: parasympathetic tone links to functional brain networks during the anticipation and experience of visceral pain
Authors: Ruffle James K. , Coen Steven J. , Giampietro Vincent , Williams Steven C. R. , Aziz Qasim , Farmer Adam D. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe mechanisms that underpin the anti-nociceptive effect of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) on visceral pain remain incompletely understood. We sought to describe the effect of resting parasympathetic tone on functional brain networks during the anticipation and experience of oesophageal pain. 21 healthy participants had their resting cardiac vagal tone (CVT), a validated measure of the PNS, quantified, and underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging during the anticipation and experience of painful oesophageal distention. The relationship between resting CVT and functional brain networks was examined using 11 hypothesis-driven nodes and network-based statistics. A network comprising all nodes was apparent in individuals with high resting CVT, compared to those with low CVT, during oesophageal pain (family wise error rate (FWER)-corrected p < 0.048). Functional connections included the thalamus-amygdala, thalamus-hypothalamus, hypothalamus-nucleus accumbens, amygdala-pallidum, pallidum-nucleus accumbens and insula-pallidum. A smaller network was seen during pain anticipation, comprising the amygdala, pallidum and anterior insula (FWER-corrected p < 0.049). These findings suggest that PNS tone is associated with functional brain networks during the anticipation and experience of visceral pain. Given the role of these subcortical regions in the descending inhibitory modulation of pain, these networks may represent a potential neurobiological explanation for the anti-nociceptive effect of the PNS.
Neuronal microRNA regulation in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Authors: Juźwik Camille A. , Drake Sienna , Lécuyer Marc-André , Johnson Radia Marie , Morquette Barbara , Zhang Yang , Charabati Marc , Sagan Selena M. , Bar-Or Amit , Prat Alexandre , Fournier Alyson E. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractMultiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune, neurodegenerative disease but the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative aspects of the disease are poorly understood. microRNAs (miRNAs) are powerful regulators of gene expression that regulate numerous mRNAs simultaneously and can thus regulate programs of gene expression. Here, we describe miRNA expression in neurons captured from mice subjected to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a model of central nervous system (CNS) inflammation. Lumbar motor neurons and retinal neurons were laser captured from EAE mice and miRNA expression was assessed by next-generation sequencing and validated by qPCR. We describe 14 miRNAs that are differentially regulated in both neuronal subtypes and determine putative mRNA targets though in silico analysis. Several upregulated neuronal miRNAs are predicted to target pathways that could mediate repair and regeneration during EAE. This work identifies miRNAs that are affected by inflammation and suggests novel candidates that may be targeted to improve neuroprotection in the context of pathological inflammation.
Barcoding of Chrysomelidae of Euro-Mediterranean area: efficiency and problematic species
Authors: Magoga Giulia , Sahin Didem Coral , Fontaneto Diego , Montagna Matteo 
Published: September 2018

AbstractLeaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), with more than 37,000 species worldwide and about 2,300 in the Euro-Mediterranean region, are an ecological and economical relevant family, making their molecular identification of interest also in agriculture. This study, part of the Mediterranean Chrysomelidae Barcoding project (www.c-bar.org), aims to: (i) develop a reference Cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) library for the molecular identification of the Euro-Mediterranean Chrysomelidae; (ii) test the efficiency of DNA barcoding for leaf beetles identification; (iii) develop and compare optimal thresholds for distance-based identifications estimated at family and subfamily level, minimizing false positives and false negatives. Within this study, 889 COI nucleotide sequences of 261 species were provided; after the inclusion of information from other sources, a dataset of 7,237 sequences (542 species) was analysed. The average intra-interspecific distances were in the range of those recorded for Coleoptera: 1.6–24%. The estimated barcoding efficiency (~94%) confirmed the usefulness of this tool for Chrysomelidae identification. The few cases of failure were recorded for closely related species (e.g.,Cryptocephalus marginellussuperspecies,Cryptocephalus violaceus - Cryptocephalus duplicatusand someAlticaspecies), even with morphologically different species sharing the same COI haplotype. Different optimal thresholds were achieved for the tested taxonomic levels, confirming that group-specific thresholds significantly improve molecular identifications.
Biosorption optimization, characterization, immobilization and application of Gelidium amansii biomass for complete Pb2+ removal from aqueous solutions
Authors: El-Naggar Noura El-Ahmady , Hamouda Ragaa A. , Mousa Ibrahim E. , Abdel-Hamid Marwa S. , Rabei Nashwa H. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractLead (Pb2+) is among the most toxic heavy metals even in low concentration and cause toxicity to human’s health and other forms of life. It is released into the environment through different industrial activities. The biosorption of Pb2+from aqueous solutions by biomass of commonly available, marine algaGelidium amansiiwas studied. The effects of different variables on Pb2+removal were estimated by a two-level Plackett–Burman factorial design to determine the most significant variables affecting Pb2+removal % from aqueous solutions. Initial pH, Pb2+concentration and temperature were the most significant factors affecting Pb2+removal chosen for further optimization using rotatable central composite design. The maximum removal percentage (100%) of Pb2+from aqueous solution byGelidium amansiibiomass was found under the optimum conditions: initial Pb2+concentration of 200 mg/L, temperature 45 °C, pH 4.5,Gelidium amansiibiomass of 1 g/L and contact time of 60 minutes at static condition. FTIR analysis of algal biomass revealed the presence of carbonyl, methylene, phosphate, carbonate and phenolic groups, which are involved in the Pb2+ions biosorption process. SEM analysis demonstrates the ability ofGelidium amansiibiomass to adsorb and removes Pb2+from aqueous solution. EDS analysis shows the additional optical absorption peak corresponding to the Pb2+which confirms the involvement ofGelidium amansiibiomass in the adsorption of Pb2+ions from aqueous solution. ImmobilizedGelidium amansiibiomass was effective in Pb2+removal(100%)from aqueous solution at an initial concentration of 200 mg/L for 3 h. In conclusion, it is demonstrated that the red marine algaGelidium amansiibiomass is a promising, efficient, ecofriendly, cost-effective and biodegradable biosorbent for the removal of Pb2+from the environment and wastewater effluents.
Multi-scale interplays of biotic and abiotic drivers shape mammalian sub-continental diversity over millions of years
Authors: Cantalapiedra Juan L. , Domingo M. Soledad , Domingo Laura 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe reconstruction of deep-time diversity trends is key to understanding current and future species richness. Studies that statistically evaluate potential factors affecting paleodiversity have focused on continental and global, clade-wide datasets, and thus we ignore how community species richness build-up to generate large-scale patterns over geological timescales. If community diversity is shaped by biotic interactions and continental and global diversities are governed by abiotic events, which are the modulators of diversity in subcontinental regions? To address this question, we model Iberian mammalian species richness over 13 million years (15 to 2 Ma) using exhaustive fossil evidence for subcontinental species’ ecomorphology, environmental context, and biogeographic affinities, and quantitatively evaluate their impact on species richness. We find that the diversity of large Iberian mammals has been limited over time, with species richness showing marked fluctuations, undergoing substantial depletions as diversity surpasses a critical limit where a significant part of the niches is unviable. The strength of such diversity-dependence has also shifted. Large faunal dispersals and environmental heterogeneity increased the system’s critical diversity limit. Diversity growth rate (net migration and diversification) also oscillated, mainly modulated by functional saturation, patchiness of canopy cover, and local temperature and aridity. Our study provides quantitative support for subcontinental species pools being complex and dynamic systems where diversity is perpetually imbalanced over geological timescales. Subcontinental diversity-dependence dynamics are mainly modulated by a multi-scale interplay of biotic and abiotic factors, with abiotic factors playing a more relevant role.
Preparation of nickel/PA12 composite particles by defect-induced electroless plating for use in SLS processing
Authors: Gui Chengmei , Chen Zhenming , Yao Chenguang , Yang Guisheng 
Published: September 2018

AbstractIn this work, Ni particles/PA12 powders (Ni/PA12) and graphite oxide (GO)-encapsulated Ni particles/PA12 powders (GO-Ni/PA12) composite powders were prepared by defect-included electroless plating technique, and its laser sintered behaviour was investigated. Results showed that a lot of defects could formed on the surface of CH3COOH etched PA12 powders. The defects would induce Ni and GO-Ni particles independently plated on the PA12 surface. Adding GO in the plating solution would facilitate the deposition of Ni particles, GO, and NiO on the PA 12 surface, but inhibit the growth and the crystallinity of the Ni particles. The SLS process involved the contact of PA12 powders, the formation of sintering neck, the growth of sintering neck and the formation of fused solid. Sintering process could facilitate the re-arrangement of Ni particles due to surface tension and the growth of sintering neck. The Ni particles had well wettability, and the interfaces between Ni particles and PA 12 were contacted soundly. The tensile strength and bending strength of the 10 W-sintered Ni/PA12 specimen were 50 MPa and 60 MPa. But SLS process caused the serious aggregation of GO-Ni particles due to higher concentration, activity and surface area of GO-Ni particles.
Selective Deletion of Heparan Sulfotransferase Enzyme, Ndst1, in Donor Endothelial and Myeloid Precursor Cells Significantly Decreases Acute Allograft Rejection
Authors: Chen Hao , Ambadapadi Sriram , Wakefield Dara , Bartee Meeyong , Yaron Jordan R. , Zhang Liqiang , Archer-Hartmann Stephanie A. , Azadi Parastoo , Burgin Michelle , Borges Chad , Zheng Donghang , Ergle Kevin , Muppala Vishnu , Morshed Sufi , Rand Kenneth , Clapp William , Proudfoot Amanda , Lucas Alexandra 
Published: September 2018

AbstractEarly damage to transplanted organs initiates excess inflammation that can cause ongoing injury, a leading cause for late graft loss. The endothelial glycocalyx modulates immune reactions and chemokine-mediated haptotaxis, potentially driving graft loss. In prior work, conditional deficiency of the glycocalyx-modifying enzyme N-deacetylase-N-sulfotransferase-1 (Ndst1f/f TekCre+) reduced aortic allograft inflammation. Here we investigated modification of heparan sulfate (HS) and chemokine interactions in whole-organ renal allografts. Conditional donor allograft Ndst1 deficiency (Ndst1−/−; C57Bl/6 background) was compared to systemic treatment with M-T7, a broad-spectrum chemokine-glycosaminoglycan (GAG) inhibitor. Early rejection was significantly reduced in Ndst1−/− kidneys engrafted into wildtype BALB/c mice (Ndst1+/+) and comparable to M-T7 treatment in C57Bl/6 allografts (P < 0.0081). M-T7 lost activity in Ndst1−/− allografts, while M-T7 point mutants with modified GAG-chemokine binding displayed a range of anti-rejection activity. CD3+ T cells (P < 0.0001), HS (P < 0.005) and CXC chemokine staining (P < 0.012), gene expression in NFκB and JAK/STAT pathways, and HS and CS disaccharide content were significantly altered with reduced rejection. Transplant of donor allografts with conditional Ndst1 deficiency exhibit significantly reduced acute rejection, comparable to systemic chemokine-GAG inhibition. Modified disaccharides in engrafted organs correlate with reduced rejection. Altered disaccharides in engrafted organs provide markers for rejection with potential to guide new therapeutic approaches in allograft rejection.
Prevalence and Possible Factors of Myopia in Norwegian Adolescents
Authors: Hagen Lene A. , Gjelle Jon V. B. , Arnegard Solveig , Pedersen Hilde R. , Gilson Stuart J. , Baraas Rigmor C. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractEast Asia has experienced an excessive increase in myopia in the past decades with more than 80% of the younger generation now affected. Environmental and genetic factors are both assumed to contribute in the development of refractive errors, but the etiology is unknown. The environmental factor argued to be of greatest importance in preventing myopia is high levels of daylight exposure. If true, myopia prevalence would be higher in adolescents living in high latitude countries with fewer daylight hours in the autumn-winter. We examined the prevalence of refractive errors in a representative sample of 16–19-year-old Norwegian Caucasians (n = 393, 41.2% males) in a representative region of Norway (60° latitude North). At this latitude, autumn-winter is 50 days longer than summer. Using gold-standard methods of cycloplegic autorefraction and ocular biometry, the overall prevalence of myopia [spherical equivalent refraction (SER) ≤−0.50 D] was 13%, considerably lower than in East Asians. Hyperopia (SER ≥ + 0.50 D), astigmatism (≥1.00 DC) and anisometropia (≥1.00 D) were found in 57%, 9% and 4%. Norwegian adolescents seem to defy the world-wide trend of increasing myopia. This suggests that there is a need to explore why daylight exposure during a relatively short summer outweighs that of the longer autumn-winter.
Theoretical investigation of heterogeneous wettability in porous media using NMR
Authors: Wang Jie , Xiao Lizhi , Liao Guangzhi , Zhang Yan , Guo Long , Arns Christoph H. , Sun Zhe 
Published: September 2018

AbstractIt is highly important to understand the heterogeneous wettability properties of porous media for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). However, wettability measurements are still challenging in directly investigating the wettability of porous media. In this paper, we propose a multidimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method and the concept of apparent contact angles to characterize the heterogeneous wettability of porous media. The apparent contact angle, which is determined by both the wetting surface coverage and the local wettability (wetting contact angles of each homogeneous wetting regions or wetting patches), is first introduced as an indicator of the heterogeneous wettability of porous media using the NMR method. For homogeneously wetting patches, the relaxation time ratio T1/T2 is employed to probe the local wettabiity of wetting patches. The T2 − D is introduced to obtain the wetting surface coverage using the effective relaxivity. Numerical simulations are conducted to validate this method.
The Arabidopsis RNA Polymerase II Carboxyl Terminal Domain (CTD) Phosphatase-Like1 (CPL1) is a biotic stress susceptibility gene
Authors: Thatcher Louise F. , Foley Rhonda , Casarotto Hayley J. , Gao Ling-Ling , Kamphuis Lars G. , Melser Su , Singh Karam B. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractCrop breeding for improved disease resistance may be achieved through the manipulation of host susceptibility genes. Previously we identified multiple Arabidopsis mutants known as enhanced stress response1 (esr1) that have defects in a KH-domain RNA-binding protein and conferred increased resistance to the root fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum. Here, screening the same mutagenized population we discovered two further enhanced stress response mutants that also conferred enhanced resistance to F. oxysporum. These mutants also have enhanced resistance to a leaf fungal pathogen (Alternaria brassicicola) and an aphid pest (Myzus persicae), but not to the bacterial leaf pathogen Pseudomonas syringae. The causal alleles in these mutants were found to have defects in the ESR1 interacting protein partner RNA Polymerase II Carboxyl Terminal Domain (CTD) Phosphatase-Like1 (CPL1) and subsequently given the allele symbols cpl1-7 and cpl1-8. These results define a new role for CPL1 as a pathogen and pest susceptibility gene. Global transcriptome analysis and oxidative stress assays showed these cpl1 mutants have increased tolerance to oxidative stress. In particular, components of biotic stress responsive pathways were enriched in cpl1 over wild-type up-regulated gene expression datasets including genes related to defence, heat shock proteins and oxidative stress/redox state processes.