bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Strong Fluorescence Film of Dicyano Oligo(P‐Phenylenevinylene) Supramolecular Gel for Aromatic Amine Vapors Detection
Authors: Xue Pengchong , Yao Boqi , Ding Jipeng , Shen Yanbin , Wang Panpan , Lu Ran , Zhao Xiaojun 
Published: March 2017

AbstractBased on quantum chemical calculation, two cyano groups were introduced to an oligo(p‐phenylenevinylene) unit to obtain a fluorophore with a low highest‐occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level and a strong emissive efficiency in an aggregate state. An alkyl‐substituted phenylalaninamide moiety was linked to this fluorophore to produce a new gelator as a sensing material for the detection of organic amine vapors. Results revealed that the wet gels and xerogel nanofiber film generated strong emission. The fluorescence of the xerogel film could be rapidly and efficiently quenched by aromatic amine vapors at low concentrations. The detection limits for aniline, N‐methylaniline, and N,N‐dimethylaniline were as low as 21, 5, and 11 ppb, respectively. By contrast, the xerogel film emission was poorly sensitive to aliphatic amines because the gelator fluorophore possessed an appropriate HOMO energy level located between aromatic amines and aliphatic amines. Consequently, the sensing film became highly selective for aromatic amines.
EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE, PHOTOPERIOD AND DEFOLIATION ON FLOWERING TIME OF LOTUS TENUIS (FABACEAE) IN BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
Authors: VIGNOLIO OSVALDO RAMÓN , PETIGROSSO LUCAS RICARDO , RODRÍGUEZ IGNACIO MARTÍN , MURILLO NATALIA LORENA 
Published: March 2017

SUMMARYThe phenological development of crops from emergence to flowering time is largely controlled by temperature and photoperiod. Flowering time is a critical phenological stage for subsequent reproductive phase. Lotus tenuis management in grasslands, pastures and seed production systems is through defoliation and sowing date; however, yet little is known about their effects on flowering time. The data presented in this study were obtained from experiments conducted with L. tenuis during the years 1989 to 2016 under field conditions. Our objectives were to determine if flowering time (a) is affected by sowing date; (b) can be predicted through equations using temperature and photoperiod and (c) is affected by defoliation applied at vegetative stage. Two defoliation intensities were applied, low (LDI) crop height reduced by 54% compared to pre-defoliation crop height and high (HDI), crop height reduced by 75%. The rate of progress from seedling emergence to flowering time (inverse of time from emergence to first flowering, 1/f) was modulated by temperature, photoperiod and photothermal functions. When L. tenuis sowing was delayed from autumn to spring, time from seedling emergence to first flowering decreased from 260 to 100 days. 1/f was linearly related to average temperature (R²=0.75) and photoperiod (R²=0.85) and both variables (R²=0.92). Defoliation retarded flowering time. Flower and pod growth periods were shorter under defoliation than in control one. Defoliation did not cause abortion of flowers and pods. Flower production was fitted to quadratic function of photoperiod. Flowering peak was approximately within 15.2 h. The prediction of flowering time using thermal, photoperiod and photothermal models can provide information about crop management decisions, such as optimal environmental regimes for crop growth through sowing date.
First report of neurotoxic effect of the cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii on the motility of trematode metacercariae
Authors: Lopes K.C. , Ferrão-Filho A.S. , Santos E.G.N. , Santos C.P. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractCylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Woloszynska) is a photosynthetic cyanobacterium that can produce cytotoxic (cylindrospermopsin) and neurotoxic cyanotoxins (saxitoxins). In Brazil the strains of C. raciborskii are reported to produce only saxitoxins (STX) and their effect on fish parasites has not been tested to date. The fish Poecilia vivipara Bloch and Schneider is a common host for the trematode Pygidiopsis macrostomum Travassos off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, and this fish–parasite interaction is a model for behavioural and ecotoxicological studies. The aim of this work was to evaluate the motility of metacercariae of P. macrostomum from P. vivipara exposed to 40 mg l−1 and 400 mg l−1 of crude lyophilized extract of the cyanobacterium C. raciborskii (CYRF-01) for 48 h. The fish were separated into groups of ten individuals and, after exposure, five fish from each group were dissected for counting and checking the motility of metacercariae. The other five fish were dissected after 48 h in clean water. The detection and quantification of STX in the solutions of cyanobacteria, and the gills and guts of fish, were performed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The crude extract of C. raciborskii caused temporary paralysis in metacercariae of P. macrostomum after exposure of fish to both concentrations, and the motility recovered after the fish were kept for 48 h in clean water. STX was detected in the guts and gills of all fish analysed, suggesting that this toxin is involved in the paralysis of metacercariae. This is the first report on the action of neurotoxins in metacercariae of fish.
Correlates of long-term land-cover change and protected area performance at priority conservation sites in Africa
Authors: BERESFORD ALISON E. , BUCHANAN GRAEME M. , PHALAN BEN , ESHIAMWATA GEORGE W. , BALMFORD ANDREW , BRINK ANDREAS B. , FISHPOOL LINCOLN D.C. , DONALD PAUL F. 
Published: March 2017

SUMMARYThe loss of natural habitats is a major threat to biodiversity, and protected area designation is one of the standard responses to this threat. However, greater understanding of the drivers of habitat loss and of the circumstances under which protected areas succeed or fail is still needed. We use visual assessment of satellite images to quantify land-cover change over periods of up to 30 years in and around a matched sample of protected and unprotected Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) in Africa. We modelled the annual survival of forests and other natural land covers as a function of a range of environmental and anthropic predictors of plausible drivers. The best-supported model indicated that survival rates of natural land cover were highest in steeper areas, at higher altitudes, in areas with lower human population densities and in areas where the cover of natural habitats was already higher at the start of the period. Survival rates of natural land cover in protected areas were, on average, around twice those in unprotected areas, but the differences between them varied along different environmental gradients. The overall survival rates of both protected and unprotected forests were significantly lower than those of other natural land-cover types, but the net benefit of protection, in terms of the absolute difference in rates of loss between protected and unprotected sites, was higher in forests. Interaction terms indicated that as slope and altitude increased, the natural protection offered by topography increasingly nullified the additional benefits of legislative protection. Furthermore, protected area designation offered reduced additional benefits to the survival of natural land cover in areas where rates of conversion were higher at the start of the observation period. Variation in the impacts of protected area status along different environmental gradients indicates that targets to improve the world's protected area network, such as Aichi Target 11 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, need to look beyond simple area-based metrics. Our methods and results contribute to the development of a protocol for prioritizing places where protection is likely to have the greatest effect.
Dust outpaces bedrock in nutrient supply to montane forest ecosystems
Authors: Aciego S. M. , Riebe C. S. , Hart S. C. , Blakowski M. A. , Carey C. J. , Aarons S. M. , Dove N. C. , Botthoff J. K. , Sims K. W. W. , Aronson E. L. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractDust provides ecosystem-sustaining nutrients to landscapes underlain by intensively weathered soils. Here we show that dust may also be crucial in montane forest ecosystems, dominating nutrient budgets despite continuous replacement of depleted soils with fresh bedrock via erosion. Strontium and neodymium isotopes in modern dust show that Asian sources contribute 18–45% of dust deposition across our Sierra Nevada, California study sites. The remaining dust originates regionally from the nearby Central Valley. Measured dust fluxes are greater than or equal to modern erosional outputs from hillslopes to channels, and account for 10–20% of estimated millennial-average inputs of bedrock P. Our results demonstrate that exogenic dust can drive the evolution of nutrient budgets in montane ecosystems, with implications for predicting forest response to changes in climate and land use.
One-step fabrication of crystalline metal nanostructures by direct nanoimprinting below melting temperatures
Authors: Liu Ze 
Published: March 2017

AbstractControlled fabrication of metallic nanostructures plays a central role in much of modern science and technology, because changing the dimensions of a nanocrystal enables tailoring of its mechanical, electronic, optical, catalytic and antibacterial properties. Here we show direct superplastic nanoimprinting (SPNI) of crystalline metals well below their melting temperatures, generating ordered nanowire arrays with aspect ratios up to ∼2,000 and imprinting features as small as 8 nm. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra reveal strongly enhanced electromagnetic signals from the prepared nanorod arrays with sizes up to ∼100 nm, which indicates that our technique can provide an ideal way to fabricate robust SERS substrates. SPNI, as a one-step, controlled and reproducible nanofabrication method, could facilitate the applications of metal nanostructures in bio-sensing, diagnostic imaging, catalysis, food industry and environmental conservation.
Global site-specific N-glycosylation analysis of HIV envelope glycoprotein
Authors: Cao Liwei , Diedrich Jolene K. , Kulp Daniel W. , Pauthner Matthias , He Lin , Park Sung-Kyu Robin , Sok Devin , Su Ching Yao , Delahunty Claire M. , Menis Sergey , Andrabi Raiees , Guenaga Javier , Georgeson Erik , Kubitz Michael , Adachi Yumiko , Burton Dennis R. , Schief William R. , Yates III John R. , Paulson James C. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractHIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) is the sole target for broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) and the focus for design of an antibody-based HIV vaccine. The Env trimer is covered by ∼90N-linked glycans, which shield the underlying protein from immune surveillance. bNAbs to HIV develop during infection, with many showing dependence on glycans for binding to Env. The ability to routinely assess the glycan type at each glycosylation site may facilitate design of improved vaccine candidates. Here we present a general mass spectrometry-based proteomics strategy that uses specific endoglycosidases to introduce mass signatures that distinguish peptide glycosites that are unoccupied or occupied by high-mannose/hybrid or complex-type glycans. The method yields >95% sequence coverage for Env, provides semi-quantitative analysis of the glycosylation status at each glycosite. We find that most glycosites in recombinant Env trimers are fully occupied by glycans, varying in the proportion of high-mannose/hybrid and complex-type glycans.
A high-fat diet impairs reproduction by decreasing the IL1β level in mice treated at immature stage
Authors: Zhang Jie , Li kai , Yuan Miao , Zhang Jie , Huang Guizen , Ao Jie , Tan Haoze , Li Yanyan , Gong Di , Li Jun , Kang lei , An Nini , Li Fei , Lin Ping , Huang Lugang 
Published: March 2017

AbstractObesity causes low-grade inflammation that is involved in male infertility. Interleukin 1 beta (IL1β) plays an important role in this process. A high-fat diet (HFD) is the most common cause of obesity. However, the effect of a HFD on IL1β and its consequence in reproduction remain unclear. We established a HFD model in mice treated at immature stage (mice-TIS) and mice treated at mature stage (mice-TMS). Surprisingly, we found that a HFD decreased IL1β levels and was accompanied by an increase in testosterone in mice-TIS, while the reverse results were observed in mice-TMS. In addition, a HFD caused a reduction in testis macrophages and in the expression of inflammasome-related genes and proteins in mice-TIS. Furthermore, we found that IL1β inhibited testosterone secretion through down-regulating the gene expression of P450SCC and P450c17. However, the influence on mice-TIS that were induced by a HFD was recovered by stopping the HFD. In this study, we are the first to report that a HFD impairs the reproductive system by decreasing IL1β and enhancing testosterone levels in mice-TIS, which are different from the effects in mice-TMS. This provides new ideas for the treatment of obesity-induced infertility.
Occupational eye dose in interventional cardiology procedures
Authors: Haga Yoshihiro , Chida Koichi , Kaga Yuji , Sota Masahiro , Meguro Taiichiro , Zuguchi Masayuki 
Published: March 2017

AbstractIt is important to measure the radiation dose [3-mm dose equivalent, Hp(3)] in the eye. This study was to determine the current occupational radiation eye dose of staff conducting interventional cardiology procedures, using a novel direct eye dosimeter. We measured the occupational eye dose [Hp(3)] in physicians and nurses in a catheterization laboratory for 6-months. The eye doses [Hp(3)] of 12 physicians (9 with Pb glasses, 3 without), and 11 nurses were recorded using a novel direct eye dosimeter, the DOSIRISTM. We placed dosimeters above and under the glasses. We also estimated the eye dose [0.07-mm dose equivalent] using a neck personal dosimeter. The eye doses among interventional staff ranked in the following order: physicians without Pb glasses > physicians with Pb glasses > nurses. The shielding effect of the glasses (0.07-mm Pb) in a clinical setting was approximately 60%. In physicians who do not wear Pb glasses, the eye dose may exceed the new regulatory limit for IR staff. We found good correlations between the neck dosimeter dose and eye dosimeter dose (inside or outside glasses, R2 = 0.93 and R2 = 0.86, respectively) in physicians. We recommend that interventional physicians use an eye dosimeter for correct evaluation of the lens dose.
Single Pd Atoms on θ-Al2O3 (010) Surface do not Catalyze NO Oxidation
Authors: Narula Chaitanya K. , Allard Lawrence F. , Moses-DeBusk Melanie , Stocks G. Malcom , Wu Zili 
Published: March 2017

AbstractNew convenient wet-chemistry synthetic routes have made it possible to explore catalytic activities of a variety of single supported atoms, however, the single supported atoms on inert substrates (e.g. alumina) are limited to adatoms and cations of Pt, Pd, and Ru. Previously, we have found that single supported Pt atoms are remarkable NO oxidation catalysts. In contrast, we report that Pd single atoms are completely inactive for NO oxidation. The diffuse reflectance infra-red spectroscopy (DRIFTS) results show the absence of nitrate formation on catalyst. To explain these results, we explored modified Langmuir-Hinshelwood type pathways that have been proposed for oxidation reactions on single supported atom. In the first pathway, we find that there is energy barrier for the release of NO2 which prevent NO oxidation. In the second pathway, our results show that there is no driving force for the formation of O=N-O-O intermediate or nitrate on single supported Pd atoms. The decomposition of nitrate, if formed, is an endothermic event.
Association between High-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol Levels and the Prevalence of Asymptomatic Intracranial Arterial Stenosis
Authors: Li Xin , Wang Anxin , Wang Jing , Wu Jianwei , Wang Dandan , Gao Xiang , Wu Shouling , Zhao Xingquan 
Published: March 2017

AbstractIntracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) is a common cause of ischemic stroke, and a low level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is also considered to be a predictor for stroke. However, the association between the HDL-C level and asymptomatic ICAS is uncertain. From 2010 to 2011, a random sample of 5,351 participants were enrolled in the Asymptomatic Polyvascular Abnormalities Community (APAC) study. The recruited participants were then separated into 5 roughly uniform-sized factions with varying HDL-C levels. Multivariate logistic regression was implemented to assess the connection of the HDL-C levels and the prevalence of asymptomatic ICAS. The prevalence of asymptomatic ICAS showed no gradual decrease with the increase of HDL-C levels. After adjustment for conventional risk factors, HDL-C levels still showed no significant association with asymptomatic ICAS. The odds ratios (OR) of the prevalence of asymptomatic ICAS between the first group and the other 4 groups were 0.98, 1.00, 0.92, and 0.87 with 95% confidence intervals (CI) being 0.76–1.27, 0.78–1.29, 0.71–1.19, and 0.66–1.13, respectively. The study showed little correlation between HDL-C levels and asymptomatic ICAS. Normal levels of HDL-C are not an independent risk factor for asymptomatic ICAS.
Simulated microgravity triggers epithelial mesenchymal transition in human keratinocytes
Authors: Ranieri Danilo , Proietti Sara , Dinicola Simona , Masiello Maria Grazia , Rosato Benedetta , Ricci Giulia , Cucina Alessandra , Catizone Angela , Bizzarri Mariano , Torrisi Maria Rosaria 
Published: March 2017

AbstractThe microgravitational environment is known to affect the cellular behaviour inducing modulation of gene expression and enzymatic activities, epigenetic modifications and alterations of the structural organization. Simulated microgravity, obtained in the laboratory setting through the use of a Random Positioning Machine (RPM), represents a well recognized and useful tool for the experimental studies of the cellular adaptations and molecular changes in response to weightlessness. Short exposure of cultured human keratinocytes to the RPM microgravity influences the cellular circadian clock oscillation. Therefore, here we searched for changes on the regenerative ability and response to tissue damage of human epidermal cells through the analysis of the effects of the simulated microgravity on the re-epithelialization phase of the repair and wound healing process. Combining morphological, biochemical and molecular approaches, we found that the simulated microgravity exposure of human keratinocytes promotes a migratory behavior and triggers the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through expression of the typical EMT transcription factors and markers, such as Snail1, Snail2 and ZEB2, metalloproteases, mesenchymal adhesion molecules and cytoskeletal components.
Effect of water-DNA interactions on elastic properties of DNA self-assembled monolayers
Authors: Domínguez Carmen M. , Ramos Daniel , Mendieta-Moreno Jesús I. , Fierro José L. G. , Mendieta Jesús , Tamayo Javier , Calleja Montserrat 
Published: March 2017

AbstractDNA-water interactions have revealed as very important actor in DNA mechanics, from the molecular to the macroscopic scale. Given the particularly useful properties of DNA molecules to engineer novel materials through self-assembly and by bridging organic and inorganic materials, the interest in understanding DNA elasticity has crossed the boundaries of life science to reach also materials science and engineering. Here we show that thin films of DNA constructed through the self-assembly of sulfur tethered ssDNA strands demonstrate a Young’s modulus tuning range of about 10 GPa by simply varying the environment relative humidity from 0% up to 70%. We observe that the highest tuning range occurs for ssDNA grafting densities of about 3.5 × 1013molecules/cm2, where the distance between the molecules maximizes the water mediated interactions between the strands. Upon hybridization with the complementary strand, the DNA self-assembled monolayers significantly soften by one order of magnitude and their Young’s modulus dependency on the hydration state drastically decreases. The experimental observations are in agreement with molecular dynamics simulations.
Strategic Motives Drive Proposers to Offer Fairly in Ultimatum Games: An fMRI Study
Authors: Chen Yin-Hua , Chen Ying-Chun , Kuo Wen-Jui , Kan Kamhon , Yang C. C. , Yen Nai-Shing 
Published: March 2017

AbstractThe hypothesis of strategic motives postulates that offering fairly in the Ultimatum Game (UG) is to avoid rejection and receive money. In this fMRI study, we used a modified UG to elucidate how proposers reached decisions of offering fairly and to what extent they considered offering selfishly with different stakes. We had proposers choose between a fair and a selfish offer with different degrees of selfishness and stake sizes. Proposers were less likely and spent more time choosing the fair offer over a slightly-selfish offer than a very selfish offer independent of stakes. Such choices evoked greater activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortices that typically involve in allocation of cognitive control for cost/benefit decision making. Choosing a fair offer in higher stakes evoked greater activation in the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACCg) and the areas that previously have been implicated in reward and theory of mind. Furthermore, choosing a slightly selfish offer over a fair offer evoked greater activation in the anterior cingulate sulcus, ACCg, ventral tegmental area (or substantia nigra) and anterior insular cortex signalling the higher gain and implying higher rejection risk. In conclusion, our findings favoured the hypothesis that proposers offer fairly based on the strategic motives.
A small change in neuronal network topology can induce explosive synchronization transition and activity propagation in the entire network
Authors: Wang Zhenhua , Tian Changhai , Dhamala Mukesh , Liu Zonghua 
Published: March 2017

AbstractWe here study explosive synchronization transitions and network activity propagation in networks of coupled neurons to provide a new understanding of the relationship between network topology and explosive dynamical transitions as in epileptic seizures and their propagations in the brain. We model local network motifs and configurations of coupled neurons and analyze the activity propagations between a group of active neurons to their inactive neuron neighbors in a variety of network configurations. We find that neuronal activity propagation is limited to local regions when network is highly clustered with modular structures as in the normal brain networks. When the network cluster structure is slightly changed, the activity propagates to the entire network, which is reminiscent of epileptic seizure propagation in the brain. Finally, we analyze intracranial electroencephalography (IEEG) recordings of a seizure episode from a epilepsy patient and uncover that explosive synchronization-like transition occurs around the clinically defined onset of seizure. These findings may provide a possible mechanism for the recurrence of epileptic seizures, which are known to be the results of aberrant neuronal network structure and/or function in the brain.