bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Use-dependent potentiation of voltage-gated calcium channels rescues neurotransmission in nerve terminals intoxicated by botulinum neurotoxin serotype A
Authors: Beske Phillip H. , Hoffman Katie M. , Machamer James B. , Eisen Margaret R. , McNutt Patrick M. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractBotulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are highly potent toxins that cleave neuronal SNARE proteins required for neurotransmission, causing flaccid paralysis and death by asphyxiation. Currently, there are no clinical treatments to delay or reverse BoNT-induced blockade of neuromuscular transmission. While aminopyridines have demonstrated varying efficacy in transiently reducing paralysis following BoNT poisoning, the precise mechanisms by which aminopyridines symptomatically treat botulism are not understood. Here we found that activity-dependent potentiation of presynaptic voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) underlies 3,4-diaminopyridine (3,4-DAP)-mediated rescue of neurotransmission in central nervous system synapses and mouse diaphragm neuromuscular junctions fully intoxicated by BoNT serotype A. Combinatorial treatments with 3,4-DAP and VGCC agonists proved synergistic in restoring suprathreshold endplate potentials in mouse diaphragms fully intoxicated by BoNT/A. In contrast, synapses fully intoxicated by BoNT serotypes D or E were refractory to synaptic rescue by any treatment. We interpret these data to propose that increasing the duration or extent of VGCC activation prolongs the opportunity for low-efficiency fusion by fusogenic complexes incorporating BoNT/A-cleaved SNAP-25. The identification of VGCC agonists that rescue neurotransmission in BoNT/A-intoxicated synapses provides compelling evidence for potential therapeutic utility in some cases of human botulism.
Relaxation oscillation of borosilicate glasses in supercooled liquid region
Authors: Liu W. D. , Zhang L. C. , Mylvaganam K. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractMost supercooled non-polymeric glass-forming melts exhibit a shear thinning phenomenon, i.e., viscosity decreases with increasing the strain rate. On compressing borosilicate glasses at high temperature, however, we discovered an interesting oscillatory viscous flow and identified it as a typical relaxation oscillation caused by the peculiar structure of borosilicate glass. Specifically, the micro-structure of borosilicate glass can be divided into borate network and silicate network. Under loading, deformation is mainly localized in the borate network via a transformation from the three coordinated planar boron to trigonal boron that could serve as a precursor for the subsequent formation of a BO4 tetrahedron, while the surrounding silicate network is acting as a stabilization/relaxation agent. The formation of stress oscillation was further described and explained by a new physics-based constitutive model.
Synchronization enhancement of indirectly coupled oscillators via periodic modulation in an optomechanical system
Authors: Du Lei , Fan Chu-Hui , Zhang Han-Xiao , Wu Jin-Hui 
Published: November 2017

AbstractWe study the synchronization behaviors of two indirectly coupled mechanical oscillators of different frequencies in a doublecavity optomechanical system. It is found that quantum synchronization is roughly vanishing though classical synchronization seems rather good when each cavity mode is driven by an external field in the absence of temporal modulations. By periodically modulating cavity detunings or driving amplitudes, however, it is possible to observe greatly enhanced quantum synchronization accompanied with nearly perfect classical synchronization. The level of quantum synchronization observed here is, in particular, much higher than that for two directly coupled mechanical oscillators. Note also that the modulation on cavity detunings is more appealing than that on driving amplitudes when the robustness of quantum synchronization is examined against the bath’s mean temperature or the oscillators’ frequency difference.
Recombinant Decorin Fusion Protein Attenuates Murine Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Formation and Rupture
Authors: Shen Yue , Russo Valerio , Zeglinski Matthew R. , Sellers Stephanie L. , Wu Zhengguo , Oram Cameron , Santacruz Stephanie , Merkulova Yulia , Turner Christopher , Tauh Keerit , Zhao Hongyan , Bozin Tatjana , Bohunek Lubos , Zeng Haishan , Seidman Michael A. , Bleackley R. Chris , McManus Bruce M. , Ruoslahti Erkki , Järvinen Tero A. H. , Granville David J. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractDecorin (DCN) is a small-leucine rich proteoglycan that mediates collagen fibrillogenesis, organization, and tensile strength. Adventitial DCN is reduced in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) resulting in vessel wall instability thereby predisposing the vessel to rupture. Recombinant DCN fusion protein CAR-DCN was engineered with an extended C-terminus comprised of CAR homing peptide that recognizes inflamed blood vessels and penetrates deep into the vessel wall. In the present study, the role of systemically-administered CAR-DCN in AAA progression and rupture was assessed in a murine model. Apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE-KO) mice were infused with angiotensin II (AngII) for 28 days to induce AAA formation. CAR-DCN or vehicle was administrated systemically until day 15. Mortality due to AAA rupture was significantly reduced in CAR-DCN-treated mice compared to controls. Although the prevalence of AAA was similar between vehicle and CAR-DCN groups, the severity of AAA in the CAR-DCN group was significantly reduced. Histological analysis revealed that CAR-DCN treatment significantly increased DCN and collagen levels within the aortic wall as compared to vehicle controls. Taken together, these results suggest that CAR-DCN treatment attenuates the formation and rupture of Ang II-induced AAA in mice by reinforcing the aortic wall.
Mechanisms underlying the antiproliferative effects of a series of quinoxaline-derived chalcones
Authors: Mielcke Tânia R. , Muradás Thaís C. , Filippi-Chiela Eduardo C. , Amaral Maria Eduarda A. , Kist Luiza W. , Bogo Maurício R. , Mascarello Alessandra , Neuenfeldt Patrícia D. , Nunes Ricardo J. , Campos Maria M. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe present study aimed to characterize the effects of quinoxaline-derived chalcones, designed on the basis of the selective PI3Kγ inhibitor AS605240, in oral cancer cells. Three lead compounds, namely N9, N17 and N23, were selected from a series of 20 quinoxaline-derived chalcones, based on an initial screening using human and rat squamous cell carcinoma lineages, representing compounds with at least one methoxy radical at the A-ring. The selected chalcones, mainly N9 and N17, displayed marked antiproliferative effects, via apoptosis and autophagy induction, with an increase of sub-G1 population and Akt inhibition. The three chalcones displayed markedin vitroantitumor effects in different protocols with standard chemotherapy drugs, with acceptable toxicity on normal cells. There was no growth retrieval, after exposure to chalcone N9 alone, in a long-term assay to determine the cumulative population doubling (CPD) of human oral cancer cells. A PCR array evaluating 168 genes related to cancer and inflammation, demonstrated striking actions for N9, which altered the expression of 74 genes. Altogether, our results point out quinoxalinic chalcones, mainly N9, as potential strategies for oral cancer treatment.
PSM control technique for primary‐side regulating fly‐back converters
Authors: Du Hanxiao , Huo Zongliang 
Published: November 2017

A pulse skipping modulation (PSM) strategy is introduced to the primary‐side regulating (PSR) fly‐back converters operating under light load. The discrete‐time state equations of the PSR fly‐back converter works in discontinuous conduction mode are discussed. Based on the iterative map, the stability of PSR fly‐back converter modulated by PSM scheme is analysed. A self‐adaptive modulation factor control technique is proposed in response to the primary side sampling characteristics of the PSR fly‐back converters. Theoretic analysis and simulation results show that by utilising the proposed PSM strategy, the power dissipation under light loads can be reduced, and that the modulation factor tolerance is 1.1% by maximum in comparison with its ideal value within 10–100% load range. By optimising the proposed technique, the output voltage ripple under light loads can also be well controlled to <1% (50 mV). The technique is realised by a 1 μm 5 V/40 V/700 V BCD process, and a 5 V/1 A PSR fly‐back AC–DC converter prototype is built. The experimental results match the theoretical analysis. The technique proposed is believed to help improving the efficiency for refined regulating method in PSR fly‐back converters under light loads.
Synthesis, characterisation and thermo‐physical investigations on magnesia nanoparticles dispersed in ethylene glycol–DI water (50:50)
Authors: Sasidharan Suseel Jai Krishnan , Parasumanna Krishnamurthy Nagarajan , Mamat Rizalman , Loganathan Vimala Devi , Sathyamurthy Ravishankar 
Published: November 2017

In the present work, magnesia nanoparticles (17 nm) were synthesised by solution combustion and characterised using X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Nanofluid prepared by magnesia dispersion in ethylene glycol and deionised water (50:50) is characterised using Fourier transform infrared, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and Zeta potential measurement. The ‐41 mV zeta potential confirms nanofluid stability. The average particle size in the nanofluid obtained by the DLS method is 33 nm, whereas the crystallite size is 17 nm as per the Scherrer relation. The nanofluid properties were determined under varying volume concentration (0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2%) and temperature (25–60°C). The viscosity measured by using a rotational viscometer decreases with increase in the temperature, whereas the thermal conductivity and specific heat, measured by using a KD2 Pro analyser and a differential scanning calorimeter, respectively, increases. With the increase in volume concentration, thermal conductivity, and viscosity increases, whereas specific heat decreases. The maximum thermal conductivity enhancement and specific heat diminution was 15.6 and 20.5%, respectively, for 0.2% concentration and the minimum viscosity was 2.2% for 0.025% concentration at 60°C. Based on the measured data, new correlations have been proposed.
Inner and outer star forming regions over the disks of spiral galaxies
Authors: Rodríguez-Baras M. , Díaz A. I. , Rosales-Ortega F. F. , Sánchez S. F. 
Published: November 2017

Context. The knowledge of abundance distributions is central to understanding the formation and evolution of galaxies. Most of the relations employed for the derivation of gas abundances have so far been derived from observations of outer disk H ii regions, despite the known differences between inner and outer regions.
Aims. Using integral field spectroscopy (IFS) observations we aim to perform a systematic study and comparison of two inner and outer H ii regions samples. The spatial resolution of the IFS, the number of objects and the homogeneity and coherence of the observations allow a complete characterization of the main observational properties and differences of the regions.
Methods. We analyzed a sample of 725 inner H ii regions and a sample of 671 outer H ii regions, all of them detected and extracted from the observations of a sample of 263 nearby, isolated, spiral galaxies observed by the CALIFA survey.
Results. We find that inner H ii regions show smaller equivalent widths, greater extinction and luminosities, along with greater values of [N ii] λ6583/Hα and [O ii] λ3727/[O iii] λ5007 emission-line ratios, indicating higher metallicities and lower ionization parameters. Inner regions have also redder colors and higher photometric and ionizing masses, although Mion/Mphot is slighty higher for the outer regions.
Conclusions. This work shows important observational differences between inner and outer H ii regions in star forming galaxies not previously studied in detail. These differences indicate that inner regions have more evolved stellar populations and are in a later evolution state with respect to outer regions, which goes in line with the inside-out galaxy formation paradigm.
A temperate exo-Earth around a quiet M dwarf at 3.4 parsec
Authors: Bonfils X. , Astudillo-Defru N. , Díaz R. , Almenara J.-M. , Forveille T. , Bouchy F. , Delfosse X. , Lovis C. , Mayor M. , Murgas F. , Pepe F. , Santos N. C. , Ségransan D. , Udry S. , Wünsche A. 
Published: November 2017

The combination of high-contrast imaging and high-dispersion spectroscopy, which has successfully been use to detect the atmosphere of a giant planet, is one of the most promising potential probes of the atmosphere of Earth-size worlds. The forthcoming generation of extremely large telescopes (ELTs) may obtain sufficient contrast with this technique to detect O2 in the atmosphere of those worlds that orbit low-mass M dwarfs. This is strong motivation to carry out a census of planets around cool stars for which habitable zones can be resolved by ELTs, i.e. for M dwarfs within ~5 parsec. Our HARPS survey has been a major contributor to that sample of nearby planets. Here we report on our radial velocity observations of Ross 128 (Proxima Virginis, GJ447, HIP 57548), an M4 dwarf just 3.4 parsec away from our Sun. This source hosts an exo-Earth with a projected mass m sini = 1.35 M⊕ and an orbital period of 9.9 days. Ross 128 b receives less than 1.5 times as much flux as Earth from the Sun and its equilibrium ranges in temperature between 269 K for an Earth-like albedo and 213 K for a Venus-like albedo. Recent studies place it close to the inner edge of the conventional habitable zone. An 80-day long light curve from K2 campaign C01 demonstrates that Ross 128 b does not transit. Together with the All Sky Automated Survey (ASAS) photometry and spectroscopic activity indices, the K2 photometry shows that Ross 128 rotates slowly and has weak magnetic activity. In a habitability context, this makes survival of its atmosphere against erosion more likely. Ross 128 b is the second closest known exo-Earth, after Proxima Centauri b (1.3 parsec), and the closest temperate planet known around a quiet star. The 15 mas planet-star angular separation at maximum elongation will be resolved by ELTs (>3λ∕D) in the optical bands of O2.
Multiple positive solutions for a class of p-Laplacian Neumann problems without growth conditions
Authors: Boscaggin Alberto , Colasuonno Francesca , Noris Benedetta 
Published: November 2017

For 1 < p < ∞, we consider the following problem
−Δpu = f(u), u > 0 in Ω, ∂νu = 0 on ∂Ω,
where Ω ⊂ ℝN is either a ball or an annulus. The nonlinearity f is possibly supercritical in the sense of Sobolev embeddings; in particular our assumptions allow to include the prototype nonlinearity f(s) = −sp−1 + sq−1 for every q > p. We use the shooting method to get existence and multiplicity of non-constant radial solutions. With the same technique, we also detect the oscillatory behavior of the solutions around the constant solution u ≡ 1. In particular, we prove a conjecture proposed in [D. Bonheure, B. Noris and T. Weth, Ann. Inst. Henri Poincaré Anal. Non Linéaire 29 (2012) 573−588], that is to say, if p = 2 and f′ (1) > λradk + 1, with λradk + 1 the (k + 1)-th radial eigenvalue of the Neumann Laplacian, there exists a radial solution of the problem having exactly k intersections with u ≡ 1, for a large class of nonlinearities.
Thymus Growth and Fetal Immune Responses in Diabetic Pregnancies
Authors: Warncke Katharina , Lickert Ramona , Eitel Stephanie , Gloning Karl-Philipp , Bonifacio Ezio , Sedlmeier Eva-Maria , Becker Petra , Knoop Jan , Beyerlein Andreas , Ziegler Anette-Gabriele 
Published: November 2017

AbstractType 1 diabetes (T1D) during pregnancy possibly affects the development of the thymus and the maturation of the immune system in the offspring. The aim of the ImmunDiabRisk study was to investigate thymus growth and maternal and fetal immune responses in pregnancies with and without T1D. The thymus circumferences of the fetuses of pregnant women with T1D (n=49) and without diabetes (n=59) were measured using ultrasound around the 29th gestational week and standardized for gestational age. Simultaneously, the frequencies and total numbers of cell markers were analyzed by flow cytometry in maternal peripheral blood, and at birth in umbilical cord blood. The standardized circumference of the thymus was similar in fetuses of mothers with and without T1D (p=0.26). We observed higher numbers of FOXP3 Tregs, memory Tregs, erythrocytes, and lymphocytes in the cord blood from T1D pregnancies (p=0.01, p=0.002, p=0.002 and p=0.02, respectively). The frequencies of CD4+/CD8+ T cells correlated positively in maternal blood and umbilical cord blood of mother-child pairs, as did the levels of neutrophils (Spearman’s correlation coefficient r=0.43, p=0.02 for CD4+/CD8+ cells; r=0.46, p=0.03 for neutrophils), while no significant correlations were observed between thymus circumference and any cell markers in the child. Parts of the prenatal immune system seem to develop differently in the offspring of mothers with and without T1D. The correlation of Tregs between maternal blood and cord blood may indicate a significant cross-talk between the maternal and fetal immune system.
Frequent nonallelic gene conversion on the human lineage and its effect on the divergence of gene duplicates
Authors: Harpak Arbel , Lan Xun , Gao Ziyue , Pritchard Jonathan K. 
Published: November 2017

Significance
Nonallelic gene conversion (NAGC) is a driver of more than 20 diseases. It is also thought to drive the “concerted evolution” of gene duplicates because it acts to eliminate any differences that accumulate between them. Despite its importance, the parameters that govern NAGC are not well characterized. We developed statistical tools to study NAGC and its consequences for human gene duplicates. We find that the baseline rate of NAGC in humans is 20 times faster than the point mutation rate. Despite this high rate, NAGC has a surprisingly small effect on the average sequence divergence of human duplicates—and concerted evolution is not as pervasive as previously thought.
Dual function for Tango1 in secretion of bulky cargo and in ER-Golgi morphology
Authors: Ríos-Barrera L. D. , Sigurbjörnsdóttir S. , Baer M. , Leptin M. 
Published: November 2017

Significance
Exporting bulky molecules poses challenges for cells, since the membrane vesicles that transport normal-sized molecules may not be sufficiently large. The protein Tango1 allows transport vesicles to grow much larger to accommodate bulky cargo. It has been puzzling why many smaller cargos also fail to be transported when Tango1 is absent. We show that this is because bulky cargos “clog up” the transport system, resulting in a general traffic jam. Once the blocking, large cargo is removed, the jam resulting from missing Tango1 is resolved, and other cellular stress signals also subside. However, structural defects in the transport system remain, showing that these are due to a direct requirement for Tango1, independent of its function in transport as such.
Germline Cas9 expression yields highly efficient genome engineering in a major worldwide disease vector,Aedes aegypti
Authors: Li Ming , Bui Michelle , Yang Ting , Bowman Christian S. , White Bradley J. , Akbari Omar S. 
Published: November 2017

SignificanceAedes aegyptiis the principal vector of multiple arboviruses that significantly affect human health, including dengue, chikungunya, and zika. Development of tools for efficient genome engineering in this mosquito will not only lay the foundation for the application of genetic control strategies, but will also accelerate basic research on key biological processes involved in disease transmission. Here, we report the development of a transgenic CRISPR approach for rapid gene disruption in this organism. Given their high editing efficiencies, the Cas9 strains we developed can be used to quickly generate genome modifications, allowing for high-throughput gene targeting, and can possibly facilitate the development of gene drives, thereby accelerating comprehensive functional annotation and development of innovative population control strategies.
Intrusion and extrusion of water in hydrophobic nanopores
Authors: Tinti Antonio , Giacomello Alberto , Grosu Yaroslav , Casciola Carlo Massimo 
Published: November 2017

Significance
Molecular springs, constituted by nanoporous materials immersed in a nonwetting liquid, are compact, economical, and efficient means of storing energy, owing to their enormous surface area. Surface energy is accumulated during liquid intrusion inside the pores and released by decreasing liquid pressure and thus triggering confined cavitation. State-of-the-art atomistic simulations shed light on the intrusion and extrusion of water in hydrophobic nanopores, revealing conspicuous deviations from macroscopic theories, which include accelerated cavitation, increased intrusion pressure, and reversible intrusion and extrusion processes. Understanding these nanoscale phenomena is the key to a better design of molecular springs as it allows relating the characteristics of the materials to the overall properties of the devices, e.g., their operational pressure and efficiency.
Neurons in the Human Left Amygdala Automatically Encode Subjective Value Irrespective of Task
Authors: Mormann F , Bausch M , Knieling S , Fried I 
Published: November 2017

Abstract
The amygdala plays an important role in the computation of internal reward signals. In animals it has been shown to enable a stimulus to indicate the current value of a reinforcer. However, the exact nature of the current value representations in humans remains unknown. Specifically, do neurons of the human amygdala represent current value signals only in tasks requiring valuation? We recorded from 406 neurons in the amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, parahippocampal cortex, entorhinal cortex, and hippocampus of 6 neurosurgical patients while subjects repeatedly viewed 40 different pictures of sweet or salty “junk food” items in 2 different tasks. Neural activity during stimulus inspection in a valuation task reflected food preferences in the amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, hippocampus, and entorhinal cortex. Notably, only left amygdala activity represented these food preferences even in a sweet–salty classification task. Valuation signals of the left amygdala thus appear to be stimulus-, not-task driven.
On Borel–de Siebenthal Representations
Authors: Huang Jing-Song , Luan Yongzhi , Sun Binyong 
Published: November 2017

AbstractHolomorphic representations are lowest weight representations for simple Lie groups of Hermitian type and have been studied extensively. Inspired by the work of Kobayashi on discrete series for indefinite Stiefel manifolds, Gross–Wallach on quaternonic discrete series and their analytic continuation, and Ørsted–Wolf on Borel–de Siebenthal discrete series, we define and study Borel–de Siebenthal representations (also called quasi-holomorphic representations) associated with Borel–de Siebenthal root systems for simple Lie groups of non-Hermitian type.