bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Synthetic Biology between Self-Regulation and Public Discourse: Ethical Issues and the Many Roles of the Ethicist
Authors: ARNASON GARDAR 
Published: March 2017

Abstract:This article discusses the roles of ethicists in the governance of synthetic biology. I am particularly concerned with the idea of self-regulation of bioscience and its relationship to public discourse about ethical issues in bioscience. I will look at the role of philosophical ethicists at different levels and loci, from the “embedded ethicist” in the laboratory or research project, to ethicists’ impact on policy and public discourse. In a democratic society, the development of governance frameworks for emerging technologies, such as synthetic biology, needs to be guided by a well-informed public discourse. In the case of synthetic biology, the public discourse has to go further than merely considering technical issues of biosafety and biosecurity, or risk management, to consider more philosophical issues concerning the meaning and value of “life” between the natural and the synthetic. I argue that ethicists have moral expertise to bring to the public arena, which consists not only in guiding the debate but also in evaluating arguments and moral positions and making normative judgments. When ethicists make normative claims or moral judgments, they must be transparent about their theoretical positions and basic moral standpoints.
Synthetic Biology: The Response of the Commission of the (Catholic) Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community
Authors: HEAVEY PATRICK 
Published: March 2017

Abstract:The Commission of the (Catholic) Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) has issued an opinion on the ethics of synthetic biology (synbio). Examining synbio from religious and more general ethical perspectives, it examines synbio’s potential pros and cons, as well as whether it is ethical in and of itself. Its conclusions mirror those of the ethical mainstream; namely, that synbio may present humanity with opportunities for both great advancement and great destruction. It suggests a prudent approach, and calls for regulation to be used to encourage positive outcomes while reducing the likelihood of negative ones.
Snubbing Seth Rogen: Does Celebrity Testimony Increase Congressional Hearing Attendance?
Authors: Atkinson Matthew D. , DeWitt Darin 
Published: March 2017

ABSTRACT
Academic and popular accounts hold that celebrity activists command the attention of political elites. One manifestation of this idea is that celebrities garner greater congressional attention at committee hearings than the substantive experts who typically serve as witnesses. This implies that Members of Congress do not value interaction with experts and are willing to forego those interactions to allocate time to activities with low opportunity costs—activities unimportant enough that they can be passed up for a celebrity encounter. To evaluate these claims, we examined hearing attendance during a 20-year period. We found that celebrity witnesses have little effect on member attendance rates, which suggests that celebrities are a less efficacious route to congressional attention than is commonly believed.
Gender in the Journals: Publication Patterns in Political Science
Authors: Teele Dawn Langan , Thelen Kathleen 
Published: March 2017

ABSTRACT
This article explores publication patterns across 10 prominent political science journals, documenting a significant gender gap in publication rates for men and women. We present three broad findings. First, we find no evidence that the low percentage of female authors simply mirrors an overall low share of women in the profession. Instead, we find continued underrepresentation of women in many of the discipline’s top journals. Second, we find that women are not benefiting equally in a broad trend across the discipline toward coauthorship. Most published collaborative research in these journals emerges from all-male teams. Third, it appears that the methodological proclivities of the top journals do not fully reflect the kind of work that female scholars are more likely than men to publish in these journals. The underrepresentation of qualitative work in many journals is associated as well with an underrepresentation of female authors.
The UCD Population of the Coma Cluster
Authors: Chiboucas Kristin , Ferguson Peter , Tully R. Brent , Carter David , Phillipps Steven , Peng Eric 
Published: March 2017

AbstractUCDs are super massive star clusters found largely in dense regions but have also been found around individual galaxies and in smaller groups. Their origin is still under debate but consensus is that they formed either during major galaxy mergers as mergers of super massive star clusters, are simply the high mass end of the globular cluster luminosity function and formed in the same way as globular clusters, or that they formed from the threshing of galaxies and are remnant nuclear star clusters, which themselves may have formed from the mergers of globular star clusters within galaxies. We are attempting to disentangle these competing formation scenarios with a large survey of UCDs in the Coma cluster. Using ACS two-passband imaging from the HST/ACS Coma Cluster Treasury Survey, we are using colors and sizes to identify the UCD cluster members. With a large sample within the core region of the Coma cluster, we will use the population size, properties, and spatial distribution, and comparison with the Coma globular cluster and nuclear star cluster populations to discriminate between the threshing and globular cluster scenarios. In particular, previously we have found a possible correlation of UCD colors with host galaxy and a possible excess of UCDs around a non-central giant galaxy with an unusually large globular cluster population, both suggestive of a globular cluster origin. With a larger sample size, we are investigating whether the color correlation with host persists and whether the UCD population is consistent with, or in excess of, the bright end of the GCLF. We present initial results from the survey.
From a star cluster ensemble to its formation history
Authors: Schulz Christine , Hilker Michael 
Published: March 2017

AbstractThe present-day sample of ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs) and globular clusters (GCs) around NGC 1399 is interpreted to be composed of individual star cluster (SC) populations. It is assumed that such an SC population forms at a constant star-formation rate (SFR), and its mass distribution is described by the embedded cluster mass function (ECMF) up to the upper limit Mmax. The GCs and UCDs probably formed in interactions of the progenitor galaxies during the assembly of the central Fornax galaxy cluster which is why we use them as tracers of those events. After some corrections, the overall GC/UCD mass function is decomposed into separate SC populations, each described by an ECMF. Mmax of each ECMF is converted to an SFR according to the SFR-Mmax relation, revealing the SFRs reached during the assembly of galaxies in the central Fornax galaxy cluster.
CHaMP: From Molecular Clouds to Massive Young Clusters
Authors: Barnes Peter J. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractI review the major science outcomes to date of the Galactic Census of High- and Medium-mass Protostars (CHaMP), and also report the latest observational results on this unbiased, uniform sample of massive, cluster-forming molecular clumps, based on new mm-wave and IR data. These clouds represent the vast, subthermally-excited population of clumps predicted by Narayanan et al. (2008) to dominate the molecular mass of disk galaxies. Besides confirming their existence, we have presented evidence that these massive clumps probably spend a large fraction (90–95%) of their long lives (possibly up to 100 Myr) in a mostly quiescent, low star formation rate (SFR) state. This is likely ended when a density or internal pressure threshold is crossed, after which vigorous, massive cluster formation consumes the densest gas with a high SFR, dispersing the embedding envelope. New results presented in two other posters at this Symposium include (1) the first analysis of HCN emission from the dense gas (Schap et al.2015), and (2) the first deep photometry of clusters in this sample based on NIR AAT & CTIO data, and on MIR Warm Spitzer IRAC data (Dallilar et al.2015).
Dynamical Evolution of Outer-Halo Globular Clusters
Authors: Küpper Andreas H. W. , Zonoozi Akram H. , Haghi Hosein , Lützgendorf Nora , Mieske Steffen , Frank Matthias , Baumgardt Holger , Kroupa Pavel 
Published: March 2017

AbstractOuter-halo globular clusters show large half-light radii and flat stellar mass functions, depleted in low-mass stars. Using N-body simulations of globular clusters on eccentric orbits within a Milky Way-like potential, we show how a cluster’s half-mass radius and its mass function develop over time. The slope of the central mass function flattens proportionally to the amount of mass a cluster has lost, and the half-mass radius grows to a size proportional to the average strength of the tidal field. The main driver of these processes is mass segregation of dark remnants. We conclude that the extended, depleted clusters observed in the Milky Way must have had small half-mass radii in the past, and that they expanded due to the weak tidal field they spend most of their lifetime in. Moreover, their mass functions must have been steeper in the past but flattened significantly as a cause of mass segregation and tidal mass loss.
The HST survey of Magellanic-Cloud clusters and of their stellar populations
Authors: Milone A. P. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractA large number of intermediate-age (~1-2-Gyr old) globular clusters (GCs) in the Large and the Small Magellanic Cloud (MC) exhibit either bimodal or extended main-sequence (MS) turn off and dual red clump (RC). Moreover, recent papers have shown that the MS of the young clusters NGC 1844 and NGC 1856 is either broadened or split. These features of the color-magnitude diagram (CMD) are not consistent with a single isochrone and suggest that star clusters in MCs have experienced a prolonged star formation, in close analogy with Milky-Way GCs with multiple stellar populations. As an alternative, stellar rotation or interacting binaries can be responsible of the CMD morphology. In the following I will summarize the observational scenario and provide constraints on the nature of the complex CMD of young and intermediate-age MC clusters from our ongoing photometric survey with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST).
Mapping out the origins of compact stellar systems
Authors: Romanowsky Aaron J. , Brodie Jean P. ,   the SAGES
Published: March 2017

AbstractWe present a suite of extragalactic explorations of the origins and nature of globular clusters (GCs) and ultra-compact dwarfs (UCDs), and the connections between them. An example of GC metallicity bimodality is shown to reflect underlying, distinct metal-poor and metal-rich stellar halo populations. Metallicity-matching methods are used to trace the birth sites and epochs of GCs in giant E/S0s, pointing to clumpy disk galaxies at z ~ 3 for the metal-rich GCs, and to a combination of accreted and in-situ formation modes at z ~ 5–6 for the metal-poor GCs. An increasingly diverse zoo of compact stellar systems is being discovered, including objects that bridge the gaps between UCDs and faint fuzzies, and between UCDs and compact ellipticals. Many of these have properties pointing to origins as the stripped nuclei of larger galaxies, and a smoking-gun example is presented of an ω Cen-like star cluster embedded in a tidal stream.
Exploring the UV excess in star clusters of different mass
Authors: Hernández-Pérez Fabiola , Bruzual Gustavo , Gladis Magris C. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractWe compute the expected spectral energy distribution of stellar populations of mass characteristic of star clusters taking into account stochastic fluctuations in the number of stars populating the IMF, and the presence of interacting binary stars in the cluster population. We evaluate under what circumstances the UV excess phenomenon is expected to appear in star clusters of different mass, and which is its most likely source: the stochastic fluctuations, the result of binary interactions, or a mixture of both.
Clusters of high-mass protostars: From extreme clouds to mini-bursts of star formation
Authors: Motte Frédérique , Louvet Fabien , Nguyễn Lu'o'ng Quang 
Published: March 2017

AbstractHerschel revealed high-density cloud filaments of several pc3, which are forming clusters of OB-type stars. Counting Herschel protostars gives a direct measure of the mass of stars forming in a period of ~105 yrs, the “instantaneous” star formation activity. Given their activity, these so-called mini-starburst cloud ridges could be seen as “miniature and instant models” of starburst galaxies. Their characteristics could shed light on the origin of massive clusters.
Fundamental Properties of a Large, Unbiased Sample of Massive, Young, Embedded Star Clusters in the Milky Way
Authors: Dallilar Yigit , Barnes Peter , Lada Elizabeth , Ryder Stuart 
Published: March 2017

AbstractIn this project, we focus on the analysis of infrared observations of the clumps defined with the Galactic Census of High- and Medium-mass Protostars (ChaMP) (Barneset al.2011). We derive line of sight infrared extinction values, star counts and protostar candidates around the molecular gas emission obtained with the Mopra telescope. Then, we examine the correlation between radio and infrared properties of the clumps. For this stage of the project, we use the Vela-Carina and 2MASS catalogs to obtain a preliminary understanding of the final results. For the later stages, we will extract infrared photometry from our deep AAT near-IR andSpitzer3.6 and 4.5 μm images. With the final deep photometry results, we will compile the properties of individual clusters.
Chirality in microbial biofilms is mediated by close interactions between the cell surface and the substratum
Authors: Jauffred Liselotte , Munk Vejborg Rebecca , Korolev Kirill S , Brown Stanley , Oddershede Lene B 
Published: March 2017

Abstract
From microbial biofilms to human migrations, spatial competition is central to the evolutionary history of many species. The boundary between expanding populations is the focal point of competition for space and resources and is of particular interest in ecology. For all Escherichia coli strains studied here, these boundaries move in a counterclockwise direction even when the competing strains have the same fitness. We find that chiral growth of bacterial colonies is strongly suppressed by the expression of extracellular features such as adhesive structures and pili. Experiments with other microbial species show that chiral growth is found in other bacteria and exclude cell wall biosynthesis and anisotropic shape as the primary causes of chirality. Instead, intimate contact with the substratum is necessary for chirality. Our results demonstrate that through a handful of surface molecules cells can fundamentally reorganize their migration patterns, which might affect intra- and interspecific competitions through colony morphology or other mechanisms.
Prokaryote genome fluidity is dependent on effective population size
Authors: Andreani Nadia Andrea , Hesse Elze , Vos Michiel 
Published: March 2017

Abstract
Many prokaryote species are known to have fluid genomes, with different strains varying markedly in accessory gene content through the combined action of gene loss, gene gain via lateral transfer, as well as gene duplication. However, the evolutionary forces determining genome fluidity are not yet well understood. We here for the first time systematically analyse the degree to which this distinctive genomic feature differs between bacterial species. We find that genome fluidity is positively correlated with synonymous nucleotide diversity of the core genome, a measure of effective population size Ne. No effects of genome size, phylogeny or homologous recombination rate on genome fluidity were found. Our findings are consistent with a scenario where accessory gene content turnover is for a large part dictated by neutral evolution.
PABPN1 gene therapy for oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy
Authors: Malerba A. , Klein P. , Bachtarzi H. , Jarmin S. A. , Cordova G. , Ferry A. , Strings V. , Espinoza M. Polay , Mamchaoui K. , Blumen S. C. , St Guily J. Lacau , Mouly V. , Graham M. , Butler-Browne G. , Suhy D. A. , Trollet C. , Dickson G. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractOculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) is an autosomal dominant, late-onset muscle disorder characterized by ptosis, swallowing difficulties, proximal limb weakness and nuclear aggregates in skeletal muscles. OPMD is caused by a trinucleotide repeat expansion in the PABPN1 gene that results in an N-terminal expanded polyalanine tract in polyA-binding protein nuclear 1 (PABPN1). Here we show that the treatment of a mouse model of OPMD with an adeno-associated virus-based gene therapy combining complete knockdown of endogenous PABPN1 and its replacement by a wild-type PABPN1 substantially reduces the amount of insoluble aggregates, decreases muscle fibrosis, reverts muscle strength to the level of healthy muscles and normalizes the muscle transcriptome. The efficacy of the combined treatment is further confirmed in cells derived from OPMD patients. These results pave the way towards a gene replacement approach for OPMD treatment.
Role for formin-like 1-dependent acto-myosin assembly in lipid droplet dynamics and lipid storage
Authors: Pfisterer Simon G. , Gateva Gergana , Horvath Peter , Pirhonen Juho , Salo Veijo T. , Karhinen Leena , Varjosalo Markku , Ryhänen Samppa J. , Lappalainen Pekka , Ikonen Elina 
Published: March 2017

AbstractLipid droplets (LDs) are cellular organelles specialized in triacylglycerol (TG) storage undergoing homotypic clustering and fusion. In non-adipocytic cells with numerous LDs this is balanced by poorly understood droplet dissociation mechanisms. We identify non-muscle myosin IIa (NMIIa/MYH-9) and formin-like 1 (FMNL1) in the LD proteome. NMIIa and actin filaments concentrate around LDs, and form transient foci between dissociating LDs. NMIIa depletion results in decreased LD dissociations, enlarged LDs, decreased hydrolysis and increased storage of TGs. FMNL1 is required for actin assembly on LDs in vitro and for NMIIa recruitment to LDs in cells. We propose a novel acto-myosin structure regulating lipid storage: FMNL1-dependent assembly of myosin II-functionalized actin filaments on LDs facilitates their dissociation, thereby affecting LD surface-to-volume ratio and enzyme accessibility to TGs. In neutrophilic leucocytes from MYH9-related disease patients NMIIa inclusions are accompanied by increased lipid storage in droplets, suggesting that NMIIa dysfunction may contribute to lipid imbalance in man.
Rapid electron transfer by the carbon matrix in natural pyrogenic carbon
Authors: Sun Tianran , Levin Barnaby D. A. , Guzman Juan J. L. , Enders Akio , Muller David A. , Angenent Largus T. , Lehmann Johannes 
Published: March 2017

AbstractSurface functional groups constitute major electroactive components in pyrogenic carbon. However, the electrochemical properties of pyrogenic carbon matrices and the kinetic preference of functional groups or carbon matrices for electron transfer remain unknown. Here we show that environmentally relevant pyrogenic carbon with average H/C and O/C ratios of less than 0.35 and 0.09 can directly transfer electrons more than three times faster than the charging and discharging cycles of surface functional groups and have a 1.5 V potential range for biogeochemical reactions that invoke electron transfer processes. Surface functional groups contribute to the overall electron flux of pyrogenic carbon to a lesser extent with greater pyrolysis temperature due to lower charging and discharging capacities, although the charging and discharging kinetics remain unchanged. This study could spur the development of a new generation of biogeochemical electron flux models that focus on the bacteria–carbon–mineral conductive network.
TIMP-1 is upregulated, but not essential in hepatic fibrogenesis and carcinogenesis in mice
Authors: Thiele Nina D. , Wirth Jan W. , Steins David , Koop Anja C. , Ittrich Harald , Lohse Ansgar W. , Kluwe Johannes 
Published: March 2017

AbstractTissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) is upregulated during hepatic fibrogenesis and considered to promote fibrosis in the injured liver by inhibition of matrix metalloproteases (MMP) and degradation of extracellular matrix. Moreover, TIMP-1 displays anti-apoptotic properties, in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) TIMP-1 serum levels are elevated and high TIMP-1 expression levels in HCC are associated with a poor prognosis. Therefore, TIMP-1 could functionally link fibrogenesis and carcinogenesis in the liver. The aim of our study was to characterize the role of TIMP-1 in hepatic fibrogenesis and carcinogenesis. Experimental hepatic fibrogenesis as well as diethylnitrosamine (DEN) -induced hepatocarcinogenesis were studied in TIMP-1-deficient mice and wild type littermates. Hepatic TIMP-1 expression was upregulated following induction of liver fibrosis by bile duct ligation (BDL) or by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Unexpectedly, in comparison to wild type littermates, TIMP-1-deficient mice were not protected from liver fibrosis induced by BDL or CCl4. TIMP-1 expression was significantly higher in HCC nodules than in surrounding liver tissue. However, experimental hepatic carcinogenesis was similar in TIMP-1-deficient mice and wild type littermates following DEN-treatment or combined treatment with DEN and CCl4. Therefore we concluded that TIMP-1 is not essential for hepatic fibrogenesis and carcinogenesis in mice.
Identification of leader and self-organizing communities in complex networks
Authors: Fu Jingcheng , Zhang Weixiong , Wu Jianliang 
Published: March 2017

AbstractCommunity or module structure is a natural property of complex networks. Leader communities and self-organizing communities have been introduced recently to characterize networks and understand how communities arise in complex networks. However, identification of leader and self-organizing communities is technically challenging since no adequate quantification has been developed to properly separate the two types of communities. We introduced a new measure, called ratio of node degree variances, to distinguish leader communities from self-organizing communities, and developed a statistical model to quantitatively characterize the two types of communities. We experimentally studied the power and robustness of the new method on several real-world networks in combination of some of the existing community identification methods. Our results revealed that social networks and citation networks contain more leader communities whereas technological networks such as power grid network have more self-organizing communities. Moreover, our results also indicated that self-organizing communities tend to be smaller than leader communities. The results shed new lights on community formation and module structures in complex systems.