bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Photothermal Therapy Generates a Thermal Window of Immunogenic Cell Death in Neuroblastoma
Authors: Sweeney Elizabeth E. , Cano‐Mejia Juliana , Fernandes Rohan 
Published: April 2018

AbstractA thermal “window” of immunogenic cell death (ICD) elicited by nanoparticle‐based photothermal therapy (PTT) in an animal model of neuroblastoma is described. In studies using Prussian blue nanoparticles to administer photothermal therapy (PBNP‐PTT) to established localized tumors in the neuroblastoma model, it is observed that PBNP‐PTT conforms to the “more is better” paradigm, wherein higher doses of PBNP‐PTT generates higher cell/local heating and thereby more cell death, and consequently improved animal survival. However, in vitro analysis of the biochemical correlates of ICD (ATP, high‐motility group box 1, and calreticulin) elicited by PBNP‐PTT demonstrates that PBNP‐PTT triggers a thermal window of ICD. ICD markers are highly expressed within an optimal temperature (thermal dose) window of PBNP‐PTT (63.3–66.4 °C) as compared with higher (83.0–83.5 °C) and lower PBNP‐PTT (50.7–52.7 °C) temperatures, which both yield lower expression. Subsequent vaccination studies in the neuroblastoma model confirm the in vitro findings, wherein PBNP‐PTT administered within the optimal temperature window results in long‐term survival (33.3% at 100 d) compared with PBNP‐PTT administered within the higher (0%) and lower (20%) temperature ranges, and controls (0%). The findings demonstrate a tunable immune response to heat generated by PBNP‐PTT, which should be critically engaged in the administration of PTT for maximizing its therapeutic benefits.
Concise Review: The Effect of Low-Dose Ionizing Radiation on Stem Cell Biology: A Contribution to Radiation Risk
Authors: Squillaro Tiziana , Galano Giovanni , De Rosa Roberto , Peluso Gianfranco , Galderisi Umberto 
Published: April 2018

Abstract
Exposure to high levels of ionizing radiation (IR) (&gt;0.5 Gy) negatively affects health, but less is known about the effects of low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR). Recent evidence suggests that it may have profound effects on cellular functions. People are commonly exposed to LDIR over natural background levels from numerous sources, including LDIR from medical diagnosis and therapy, air travel, illegal IR waste dumpsites, and occupational exposures in the nuclear and medical sectors. Stem cells reside for long periods of time in our bodies, and this increases the possibility that they may accumulate genotoxic damage derived from extrinsic LDIR or intrinsic sources (such as DNA replication). In this review, we provide an overview of LDIR effects on the biology of stem cell compartments. The principal findings and issues reported in the scientific literature are discussed in order to present the current understanding of the LDIR exposure risk and assess whether it may impact human health. We first consider the general biological consequences of LDIR exposure. Following this, we discuss the effects of LDIR on stem cells as discovered through in vitro and in vivo studies.
Influence of infill configurations on seismic responses of steel self‐centering moment resisting frames
Authors: Huang Xiaogang , Zhou Zhen , Hua Kun , Guo Congming , Zhu Dongping , Xia Tianyang 
Published: April 2018

SummarySteel self‐centering moment resisting frames (SC‐MRFs) have been validated experimentally as resilient structural systems, mainly highlighting the minimized residual drift responses but are prone to suffering high‐mode effects. In this paper, the influence of infill configurations on seismic responses of steel SC‐MRFs was first analyzed. A comparison of the previous experimental results was conducted to investigate the effect of infills on the residual drift of steel frames. In the numerical simulation, the infills were modeled as the equivalent strut diagonals, and the force–displacement of the infills was modeled using the combination of Elastic‐No Tension Material and Hysteretic Material offered by the OpenSees program. The seismic analyses of 3‐ and 9‐story SC‐MRFs with and without infills were carried out to analyze the effects of infills on the residual drift responses and high‐mode contribution under the selected ground motions. Finally, the different infill types and infill irregularities on the seismic responses were investigated to obtain general conclusions. The plastic deformations of columns and infills are also compared in the different cases of infill configurations. The results reveal that all infilled cases experience reduced peak‐story drift and force demands at the upper stories.
Brane SUSY breaking and the gravitino mass
Authors: Kitazawa Noriaki 
Published: April 2018

AbstractSupergravity models with spontaneously broken supersymmetry have been widely investigated over the years, together with some notable non-linear limits. Although in these models the gravitino becomes naturally massive absorbing the degrees of freedom of a Nambu-Goldstone fermion, there are cases in which the naive counting of degrees of freedom does not apply, in particular because of the absence of explicit gravitino mass terms in unitary gauge. The corresponding models require non-trivial de Sitter-like backgrounds, and it becomes of interest to clarify the fate of their Nambu-Goldstone modes. We elaborate on the fact that these non-trivial backgrounds can accommodate, consistently, gravitino fields carrying a number of degrees of freedom that is intermediate between those of massless and massive fields in a flat spacetime. For instance, in a simple supergravity model of this type with de Sitter background, the overall degrees of freedom of gravitino are as many as for a massive spin-3/2 field in flat spacetime, while the gravitino remains massless in the sense that it undergoes null-cone propagation in the stereographic picture. On the other hand, in the ten-dimensional USp(32) Type I Sugimoto model with “brane SUSY breaking”, which requires a more complicated background, the degrees of freedom of gravitino are half as many of those of a massive one, and yet it somehow behaves again as a massless one.
The asymptotic response of soil water holding capacity along restoration duration of artificial grasslands from degraded alpine meadows in the Three River Sources, Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, China
Authors: He Huidan , Li Hongqin , Zhu Jingbin , Wei Yaxi , Zhang Fawei , Yang Yongsheng , Li Yingnian 
Published: April 2018

AbstractThe artificial grassland is one of the most important practices to restore degraded alpine meadow. However, it is still not clear how the water conservation capacity respond along the restoration duration. We conducted the experiment for soil water holding capacity along the restoration duration of 0 year (extremely degradation, CK), 2 years (2Y), 4 years (4Y), 6 years (6Y) and 12 years (12Y), as well as light degradation (CK1). Along the restoration duration, aboveground biomass, soil porosity, soil organic carbon, and total nitrogen increased while soil bulk density decreased. The saturated soil water holding capacity increased and plateaued at 6Y restoration duration. The total porosity and soil bulk density played a predominated role in the soil water‐holding capacity variations. Our results revealed that the asymptotic response of soil water‐holding capacity to restoration duration in artificial grasslands and indicated that 6‐year restoration would be appropriate in rehabilitating water conservation for extremely degraded alpine meadow.
Species‐specific detection of the endangered piscivorous cyprinid fish Opsariichthys uncirostris uncirostris, three‐lips, using environmental DNA analysis
Authors: Yamanaka Hiroki , Takao Daiki , Maruyama Atsushi , Imamura Akio 
Published: April 2018

AbstractOpsariichthys uncirostris uncirostris is a subspecies of Amur three‐lips Opsariichthys uncirostris (Temminck and Schlegel, 1846) and endemic to Japan. This only piscivorous fish among Cyprinidae in Japan, hereafter three‐lips, is in a unique ecological situation, that is, the species is endangered in the native habitats such as Lake Biwa water system and Lake Mikata, but on the other hand, three‐lips is threatening the other native species as an intra‐nation invasive species in introduced habitats. In this study, a species‐specific primer–probe set was developed for detecting three‐lips using environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis for monitoring the species distribution. Ten out of 11 sites in Futatsugawa River system, Kyusyu, and 15 out of 28 sites in Lake Biwa tested positive. In the Futatsugawa, three‐lips was confirmed to occupy both of the lotic sites in the main stem of the river and the lentic sites in the inner part of small ditches. In Lake Biwa, positives were biased to the sites in north basin of the lake than smaller south basin. The PCR amplicons in the positive samples were confirmed to have DNA sequences of the target species, suggesting the accuracy of this species‐specific analysis. The eDNA detection system developed in this study will contribute to future follow‐up monitoring by providing a cost‐effective and less labor‐intensive method for determining the distribution of three‐lips with dual identities as a threatened and invasive species.
The development of HIV vaccines targeting gp41 membrane-proximal external region (MPER): challenges and prospects
Authors: Liu Huan , Su Xiaojie , Si Lulu , Lu Lu , Jiang Shibo 
Published: April 2018

AbstractA human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) vaccine which is able to effectively prevent infection would be the most powerful method of extinguishing pandemic of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Yet, achieving such vaccine remains great challenges. The membrane-proximal external region (MPER) is a highly conserved region of the envelope glycoprotein (Env) gp41 subunit near the viral envelope surface, and it plays a key role in membrane fusion. It is also the target of some reported broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). Thus, MPER is deemed to be one of the most attractive vaccine targets. However, no one can induce these bNAbs by immunization with immunogens containing the MPER sequence(s). The few attempts at developing a vaccine have only resulted in the induction of neutralizing antibodies with quite low potency and limited breadth. Thus far, vaccine failure can be attributed to various characteristics of MPER, such as those involving structure and immunology; therefore, we will focus on these and review the recent progress in the field from the following perspectives: (1) MPER structure and its role in membrane fusion, (2) the epitopes and neutralization mechanisms of MPER-specific bNAbs, as well as the limitations in eliciting neutralizing antibodies, and (3) different strategies for MPER vaccine design and current harvests.
Sex differences in behavioral and psychological expression of grief during adolescence: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Shulla Rachel M. , Toomey Russell B. 
Published: April 2018

ABSTRACTThis meta‐analysis synthesizes the results of 14 independent studies conducted in the U.S. (N = 6979 participants) that examined sex differences in internalized, externalized, and PTSD symptoms associated with grief during adolescence. The mean age of participants was 12.22 years (SD = 2.31) with 50% male and 50% female sex assigned at birth. While no mean‐level differences were found between adolescent females and males in externalizing behaviors associated with grief (d = 0.03), on average, females reported higher levels of internalized grief responses (d = 0.18) and higher levels of PTSD symptoms (d = 0.36) than their male counterparts. Findings suggest the need for additional, more nuanced research to investigate possible sex differences in externalized behaviors relating to grief. In addition, research should examine whether tailored therapeutic and intervention measures and resources are needed for adolescents experiencing internalized grief and PTSD symptoms given sex differences in these reactions.
Effects of postnatal handling on adult behavior and brain mRNA expression of serotonin receptor, brain‐derived neurotrophic factor and GABA‐A receptor subunit
Authors: Li Haiyan , Ishikawa Chihiro , Shiga Takashi 
Published: April 2018

AbstractDevelopment of brain and behavior is influenced by the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Postnatal handling, a manipulation that briefly separates mouse offspring from their mother during the postnatal period, has been reported to yield beneficial effects on the behavior of adult offspring. However, brain mechanisms underlying the effects on the behavior have not been well understood. Here we first examined effects of postnatal handling on the behavior of adult male BALB/c mice. Offspring were separated for 15 min every day between postnatal day 1 (P1) and P14 and then various behaviors were tested in the adulthood. Postnatal handling reduced anxiety‐like behavior in elevated plus maze and improved spatial learning and memory in Morris water maze without effects on depression‐like behavior in forced swim test. Next, to elucidate mechanisms underlying the behavioral effects, we evaluated mRNA expression of the serotonin 1A (5‐HT1A) receptor, brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and GABA‐A receptor subunits in the medial prefrontal cortex, amygdala, dorsal and ventral hippocampi, and dorsal raphe nucleus by quantitative RT‐PCR, since these genes and brain regions have been shown to be involved in cognition and emotion. Postnatal handling up‐regulated mRNA expression of the 5‐HT1A receptor in the dorsal raphe nucleus and down‐regulated 5‐HT1A receptor mRNA expression in the amygdala on P15 and P71. In adulthood, mRNA expression of BDNF was up‐regulated in the amygdala and dorsal hippocampus and down‐regulated in the dorsal raphe nucleus, whereas that of GABA‐A receptor α2 subunit was down‐regulated in the amygdala. Taken together, the present study suggests that postnatal handling reduced anxiety‐like behavior and improved learning and memory, which were accompanied by changes in mRNA expression of 5‐HT1A receptor, BDNF and GABA‐A receptor α2 subunit in the amygdala, 5‐HT1A receptor in the dorsal raphe nucleus and BDNF in the dorsal hippocampus.
The genetics and molecular biology of fever-associated seizures or epilepsy
Authors: Deng Hao , Zheng Wen , Song Zhi 
Published: April 2018

AbstractFever-associated seizures or epilepsy (FASE) is primarily characterised by the occurrence of a seizure or epilepsy usually accompanied by a fever. It is common in infants and children, and generally includes febrile seizures (FS), febrile seizures plus (FS+), Dravet syndrome (DS) and genetic epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFSP). The aetiology of FASE is unclear. Genetic factors may play crucial roles in FASE. Mutations in certain genes may cause a wide spectrum of phenotypical overlap ranging from isolated FS, FS+ and GEFSP to DS. Synapse-associated proteins, postsynaptic GABAAreceptor, and sodium channels play important roles in synaptic transmission. Mutations in these genes may involve in the pathogenesis of FASE. Elevated temperature promotes synaptic vesicle (SV) recycling and enlarges SV size, which may enhance synaptic transmission and contribute to FASE occurring. This review provides an overview of the loci, genes, underlying pathogenesis and the fever-inducing effect of FASE. It may provide a more comprehensive understanding of pathogenesis and contribute to the clinical diagnosis of FASE.
Making Sense of Competitive Authoritarianism: Lessons from the Andes
Authors: Cameron Maxwell A. 
Published: April 2018

AbstractScholarly attention has increasingly shifted from diminished subtypes of democracy to hybrid regimes, particularly competitive authoritarianism. Such regimes retain democracy’s formal features while failing to meet its minimum standards. When properties of distinct concepts like democracy and authoritarianism are combined, however, confusion, inaccuracy, and mischaracterization of cases may occur. By disaggregating political systems into electoral institutions, surrounding rights and freedoms, constitutionalism, and the rule of law, this article complicates the binary distinction between a midrange definition of democracy and competitive authoritarianism. A number of Andean cases are found to fall on the spectrum of defective democracies between these categories. Defective democracies break down when rulers violate the conditions necessary for institutionalized alternation in power by means of public participation and loyal opposition in an electoral regime. Given leaders’ reliance on electoral legitimacy, however, even defective democracies may prove surprisingly resilient.
Is the Parti Québécois Bound to Disappear? A Study of the Current Generational Dynamics of Electoral Behaviour in Quebec
Authors: Mahéo Valérie-Anne , Bélanger Éric 
Published: April 2018

AbstractIn Quebec, the setback of the Parti Québécois (PQ) in the last 2014 provincial election testifies of a continuous decline of the party since the 1995 referendum defeat. With now only 25 per cent of vote shares, the question arises: Is the PQ bound to disappear? This article examines the support for the PQ across different generations, and tests explanations for these varying levels of support. The results show that the attitudinal profile of millennials is particularly distinct from that of baby boomers on several dimensions, but that generation X is not so different from the boomers. We demonstrate that the decline of the PQ in 2014 was mostly concentrated among millennials, who were less inclined to see the project of sovereignty as a priority and less likely to support the incumbent PQ government's controversial proposal to adopt a Charter of Quebec Values. We conclude by examining how the results of the study can shed light on the PQ's future prospects.
Patterns of changing residential preferences during late adulthood
Authors: ANDERSSON EVA K. , ABRAMSSON MARIANNE , MALMBERG BO 
Published: April 2018

ABSTRACTEarlier research on residential mobility has demonstrated a tendency for the young old of the 55+ population to prefer peripheral locations, whereas older age groups choose central locations. Here, we present survey results indicating that such late-adulthood differences in preferences are supported by age-related shifts corresponding to differences in housing preferences expressed by individuals in peripheral as well as central locations in Sweden. A sample of 2,400 individuals aged 55 years and over was asked to select the seven most important characteristics of a dwelling from a list of 21 alternatives (Survey of Housing Intentions among the ELDerly in Sweden (SHIELD), 2013). The preferences expressed were used as dependent variables in logistic regressions to determine to what extent the housing preferences of older people are linked to age, gender, socio-economic status and type of geographical area. The results demonstrated a close link between neighbourhood characteristics and housing preferences. Owning the dwelling, having a garden and access to nature were stressed as important by individuals living in non-metropolitan middle-class areas and in suburban elite areas. The youngest cohort expressed similar preferences. Older age groups instead stressed the importance of an elevator, single-storey housing and a good design for independent living; preferences that have similarities to those expressed by individuals living in large cities and smaller urban centres where such housing is more readily available.
Isotopic composition of leaf carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) of deciduous and evergreen understorey trees in two tropical Brazilian Atlantic forests
Authors: Vitória Angela Pierre , Ávila-Lovera Eleinis , de Oliveira Vieira Tatiane , do Couto-Santos Ana Paula Lima , Pereira Tiago José , Funch Ligia Silveira , Freitas Leandro , de Miranda Lia d'Afonseca Pedreira , Rodrigues Pablo J. F. Pena , Rezende Carlos Eduardo , Santiago Louis S. 
Published: April 2018

Abstract:Isotopic composition of leaf carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) is determined by biotic and abiotic factors. In order to determine the influence of leaf habit and site on leaf δ13C and δ15N in the understorey of two Atlantic forests in Brazil that differ in annual precipitation (1200 and 1900 mm), we measured these isotopes in the shaded understorey of 38 tropical tree species (20 in the 1200-mm site and 18 in the 1900-mm site). Mean site values for δ15N were significantly lower at the 1200-mm site (−1.4‰) compared with the 1900-mm site (+3.0‰), and δ13C was significantly greater in the 1200-mm site (−30.4‰) than in the 1900-mm site (−31.6‰). Leaf C concentration was greater and leaf N concentration was lower at 1200-mm than at 1900-mm. Leaf δ15N was negatively correlated with δ13C across the two sites. Leaf δ13C and δ15N of evergreen and deciduous species were not significantly different within a site. No significant phylogenetic signal for any traits among the study species was found. Overall, site differences were the main factor distinguishing traits among species, suggesting strong functional convergence to local climate and soils within each site for individuals in the shaded understorey.
GaN-based single-chip frontend for next-generation X-band AESA systems
Authors: Schuh Patrick , Sledzik Hardy , Reber Rolf 
Published: April 2018

AbstractA next generation of active electronically scanned array (AESA) antennas will be challenged with the need for lower size, weight, power, and cost. This leads to enhanced demands especially with regard to the integration density of the radio frequency-part inside aT/Rmodule. The semiconductor material GaN has proven its capacity for high-power amplifiers (HPA), robust receive components as well as switch components for separation of transmit and receive mode. This paper will describe the design and measurement results of a GaN-based single-chipT/Rmodule frontend (HPA, low noise anplifier, and single-pole double-throw (SPDT)) using UMS GH25 technology and covering the frequency range from 8 GHz to 12 GHz. The key performance parameters of the frontend are 13 W minimum transmit (TX) output power over the whole frequency range with peak power up to 17 W. The frontend in receive (RX) mode has a noise figure below 3.2 dB over the whole frequency range, and can survive more than 5 W input power. The large signal insertion loss of the used SPDT is below 0.9 dB at 43 dBm input power level.
Interaction of Nonideal, Multicomponent Solid Solutions With Water: A Simple Algorithm to Estimate Final Equilibrium States
Authors: Rodríguez‐Galán R. M. , Prieto M. 
Published: April 2018

AbstractInteraction of minerals with water frequently yields a dissolution‐coprecipitation process in which foreign ions incorporate into the solid structure substituting for the major ion. Coprecipitation often controls the transport and fate of harmful ions in the environment. Geochemical modeling and experimental studies of these aqueous‐solid solution (AQ‐SS) processes are typically performed using pure minerals. However, the host minerals could be binary solid solutions and the study of their interaction with a third dissolved ion would require considering ternary solid solutions (TSS). Here we present a simple algorithm (AQ‐TSS) implemented in PHREEQC to estimate equilibrium in AQ‐SS systems involving nonideal ternary solid solutions. The three binary joints are considered separately. Nonregular solid solutions are treated by combining regular models defined for specific ranges of composition. The algorithm has been tested successfully by comparing the results obtained by AQ‐TSS with those obtained using PHREEQC with the same binary nonideal solid solutions.