bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Experimental investigation on the characteristics of supersonic fuel spray and configurations of induced shock waves
Authors: Wang Yong , Yu Yu-song , Li Guo-xiu , Jia Tao-ming 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe macro characteristics and configurations of induced shock waves of the supersonic sprays are investigated by experimental methods. Visualization study of spray shape is carried out with the high-speed camera. The macro characteristics including spray tip penetration, velocity of spray tip and spray angle are analyzed. The configurations of shock waves are investigated by Schlieren technique. For supersonic sprays, the concept of spray front angle is presented. Effects of Mach number of spray on the spray front angle are investigated. The results show that the shape of spray tip is similar to blunt body when fuel spray is at transonic region. If spray entered the supersonic region, the oblique shock waves are induced instead of normal shock wave. With the velocity of spray increasing, the spray front angle and shock wave angle are increased. The tip region of the supersonic fuel spray is commonly formed a cone. Mean droplet diameter of fuel spray is measured using Malvern’s Spraytec. Then the mean droplet diameter results are compared with three popular empirical models (Hiroyasu’s, Varde’s and Merrigton’s model). It is found that the Merrigton’s model shows a relative good correlation between models and experimental results. Finally, exponent of injection velocity in the Merrigton’s model is fitted with experimental results.
Salidroside promotes peripheral nerve regeneration based on tissue engineering strategy using Schwann cells and PLGA: in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Liu Hui , Lv Peizhen , Zhu Yongjia , Wu Huayu , Zhang Kun , Xu Fuben , Zheng Li , Zhao Jinmin 
Published: January 2017

AbstractSalidriside (SDS), a phenylpropanoid glycoside derived from Rhodiola rosea L, has been shown to be neuroprotective in many studies, which may be promising in nerve recovery. In this study, the neuroprotective effects of SDS on engineered nerve constructed by Schwann cells (SCs) and Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) were studied in vitro. We further investigated the effect of combinational therapy of SDS and PLGA/SCs based tissue engineering on peripheral nerve regeneration based on the rat model of nerve injury by sciatic transection. The results showed that SDS dramatically enhanced the proliferation and function of SCs. The underlying mechanism may be that SDS affects SCs growth through the modulation of neurotrophic factors (BDNF, GDNF and CNTF). 12 weeks after implantation with a 12 mm gap of sciatic nerve injury, SDS-PLGA/SCs achieved satisfying outcomes of nerve regeneration, as evidenced by morphological and functional improvements upon therapy by SDS, PLGA/SCs or direct suture group assessed by sciatic function index, nerve conduction assay, HE staining and immunohistochemical analysis. Our results demonstrated the significant role of introducing SDS into neural tissue engineering to promote nerve regeneration.
Relationship between structural order and water-like anomalies in metastable liquid silicon: Ab initio molecular dynamics
Authors: Zhao G. , Yan J. L. , Yu Y. J. , Ding M. C. , Zhao X. G. , Wang H. Y. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe relationship between structural order and water-like anomalies in tetrahedral liquids is still open. Here, first-principle molecular dynamics are performed to study it in metastable liquid Si. It is found that in T-P phase diagram, there indeed exists a structural anomaly region, which encloses density anomaly but not diffusivity anomaly. This is consistent with that of SW Si and BKS SiO2 but different from that of SPC/E water. Two-body excess entropy anomaly can neither capture the diffusivity, structural, and density anomalies, as it can in a two-scale potential fluid. In structural anomaly region, tetrahedrality order qtetra (measuring the extent to which an atom and its four nearest neighbours adopt tetrahedral arrangement) and translational order ttrans (measuring the tendency of two atoms to adopt preferential separation) are not perfectly correlated, which is different from that in SW Si and renders it impossible to use the isotaxis line to quantify the degree of structural order needed for water-like anomalies to occur. Along the isotherm of critical temperature Tc, ttrans/qtetra is approximately linear with pressure. With decreasing pressure along the isotherm below Tc, ttrans/qtetra departs downward from the line, while it is the opposite case above Tc.
Yersinia pestis halotolerance illuminates plague reservoirs
Authors: Malek Maliya Alia , Bitam Idir , Levasseur Anthony , Terras Jérôme , Gaudart Jean , Azza Said , Flaudrops Christophe , Robert Catherine , Raoult Didier , Drancourt Michel 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe plague agent Yersinia pestis persists for years in the soil. Two millennia after swiping over Europe and North Africa, plague established permanent foci in North Africa but not in neighboring Europe. Mapping human plague foci reported in North Africa for 70 years indicated a significant location at <3 kilometers from the Mediterranean seashore or the edge of salted lakes named chotts. In Algeria, culturing 352 environmental specimens naturally containing 0.5 to 70 g/L NaCl yielded one Y. pestis Orientalis biotype isolate in a 40 g/L NaCl chott soil specimen. Core genome SNP analysis placed this isolate within the Y. pestis branch 1, Orientalis biovar. Culturing Y. pestis in broth steadily enriched in NaCl indicated survival up to 150 g/L NaCl as L-form variants exhibiting a distinctive matrix assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry peptide profile. Further transcriptomic analyses found the upregulation of several outer-membrane proteins including TolC efflux pump and OmpF porin implied in osmotic pressure regulation. Salt tolerance of Y. pestis L-form may play a role in the maintenance of natural plague foci in North Africa and beyond, as these geographical correlations could be extended to 31 plague foci in the northern hemisphere (from 15°N to 50°N).
Functional analysis of the ABCs of eye color in Helicoverpa armigera with CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutations
Authors: Khan Sher Afzal , Reichelt Michael , Heckel David G. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractMany insect pigments are localized in subcellular pigment granules, and transport of pigment precursors from the cytoplasm is accomplished by ABC proteins. Drosophila melanogaster has three half-transporter genes (white, scarlet, and brown, all affecting eye pigments) and Bombyx mori has a fourth (ok). The White, Brown, Scarlet and Ok proteins each have one transmembrane and one cytoplasmic domain and they heterodimerize to form functional transporters with different substrate specificities. We used CRISPR/Cas9 to create somatic and germ-line knockout mutations of these four genes in the noctuid moth Helicoverpa armigera. Somatic knockouts of white block pigmentation of the egg, first instar larva and adult eye, but germ-line knockouts of white are recessive lethal in the embryo. Knockouts of scarlet are viable and produce pigmentless first instar larvae and yellow adult eyes lacking xanthommatin. Knockouts of brown show no phenotypic effects on viability or pigmentation. Knockouts of ok are viable and produce translucent larval cuticle and black eyes. CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutations are a useful tool for analyzing how essential and non-essential genes interact to produce the diversity of insect pigmentation patterns found in nature.
Deviation from power law of the global seismic moment distribution
Authors: Serra Isabel , Corral Álvaro 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe distribution of seismic moment is of capital interest to evaluate earthquake hazard, in particular regarding the most extreme events. We make use of likelihood-ratio tests to compare the simple Gutenberg-Richter power-law (PL) distribution with two statistical models that incorporate an exponential tail, the so-called tapered Gutenberg-Richter (Tap) and the truncated gamma, when fitted to the global CMT earthquake catalog. Although the Tap distribution does not introduce any significant improvement of fit respect the PL, the truncated gamma does. Simulated samples of this distribution, with parameters β = 0.68 and mc = 9.15 and reshuffled in order to mimic the time occurrence of the order statistics of the empirical data, are able to explain the temporal heterogeneity of global seismicity both before and after the great Sumatra-Andaman earthquake of 2004.
Stochastic kinetics reveal imperative role of anisotropic interfacial tension to determine morphology and evolution of nucleated droplets in nematogenic films
Authors: Bhattacharjee Amit Kumar 
Published: January 2017

AbstractFor isotropic fluids, classical nucleation theory predicts the nucleation rate, barrier height and critical droplet size by ac- counting for the competition between bulk energy and interfacial tension. The nucleation process in liquid crystals is less understood. We numerically investigate nucleation in monolayered nematogenic films using a mesoscopic framework, in par- ticular, we study the morphology and kinetic pathway in spontaneous formation and growth of droplets of the stable phase in the metastable background. The parameterκthat quantifies the anisotropic elastic energy plays a central role in determining the geometric structure of the droplets. Noncircular nematic droplets with homogeneous director orientation are nucleated in a background of supercooled isotropic phase for smallκ. For largeκ, noncircular droplets with integer topological charge, accompanied by a biaxial ring at the outer surface, are nucleated. The isotropic droplet shape in a superheated nematic background is found to depend onκin a similar way. Identical growth laws are found in the two cases, although an unusual two-stage mechanism is observed in the nucleation of isotropic droplets. Temporal distributions of successive events indi- cate the relevance of long-ranged elasticity-mediated interactions within the isotropic domains. Implications for a theoretical description of nucleation in anisotropic fluids are discussed.
Quorum-quenching limits quorum-sensing exploitation by signal-negative invaders
Authors: Tannières Mélanie , Lang Julien , Barnier Claudie , Shykoff Jacqui A. , Faure Denis 
Published: January 2017

AbstractSome bacteria produce and perceive quorum-sensing (QS) signals that coordinate several behaviours, including the costly processes that are exoenzyme production and plasmid transfer. In the case of plasmid transfer, the emergence of QS signal-altered invaders and their policing are poorly documented. In Agrobacterium tumefaciens, the virulence Ti-plasmid encodes both synthesis and sensing of QS-signals, which promote its transfer from a donor to a recipient cell. Here, we reported that QS-altered A. tumefaciens mutants arose during experimental evolution. All showed improved growth compared to their ancestor. Genome sequencing revealed that, though some had lost the Ti-plasmid, most were defective for QS-signal synthesis and Ti-plasmid conjugation (traR mutations) and one exhibited a QS-signal exploitation behaviour, using signal produced by other cells to enhance its own Ti-plasmid transfer. We explored mechanisms that can limit this QS-hijacking. We showed that the A. tumefaciens capacity to inactivate QS-signals by expressing QS-degrading enzyme could attenuate dissemination of the QS signal-negative Ti-plasmids. This work shows that enzymatic QS-disruption whether encoded by the QS-producing Ti-plasmid itself, by a companion plasmid in the same donor cells, or by one in the recipient cells, in all cases can serve as a mechanism for controlling QS exploitation by QS signal-negative mutants.
An efficient analog Hamming distance comparator realized with a unipolar memristor array: a showcase of physical computing
Authors: Ge Ning , Yoon Jung Ho , Hu Miao , Merced-Grafals E. J. , Davila Noraica , Strachan John Paul , Li Zhiyong , Holder Helen , Xia Qiangfei , Williams R. Stanley , Zhou Xing , Yang J. Joshua 
Published: January 2017

AbstractWe propose and demonstrate a novel physical computing paradigm based on an engineered unipolar memristor that exhibits symmetric SET switching with respect to voltage polarity. A one-dimensional array of these devices was sufficient to demonstrate an efficient Hamming distance comparator for two strings of analog states represented by voltages from the physical world. The comparator first simultaneously applies the two sets of voltages to the array of memristors, each of which is initially in its high resistance state and switches to its low resistance state only if the two voltages applied on that memristor differ by more than the switching threshold. An accurate analog representation of the Hamming distance is then obtained by applying a reading voltage to the memristors and summing all the resultant currents. The comparator with a small footprint can directly process analog signals and store computation results without power, representing a promising application for analog computing based on memristor crossbar arrays.
Characterization of a model of systemic inflammation in humans in vivo elicited by continuous infusion of endotoxin
Authors: Kiers D. , Koch R. M. , Hamers L. , Gerretsen J. , Thijs E. J. M. , van Ede L. , Riksen N. P. , Kox M. , Pickkers P. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractInvestigating the systemic inflammatory response in patients with critical illness such as sepsis, trauma and burns is complicated due to uncertainties about the onset, duration and severity of the insult. Therefore, in vivo models of inflammation are essential to study the pathophysiology and to evaluate immunomodulatory therapies. Intravenous bolus administration of endotoxin to healthy volunteers is a well-established model of a short-lived systemic inflammatory response, characterized by increased plasma cytokine levels, flu-like symptoms and fever. In contrast, patients suffering from systemic inflammation are often exposed to inflammatory stimuli for an extended period of time. Therefore, continuous infusion of endotoxin may better reflect the kinetics of the inflammatory response encountered in these patients. Herein, we characterize a novel model of systemic inflammation elicited by a bolus infusion of 1 ng/kg, followed by a 3hr continuous infusion of 1 ng/kg/h of endotoxin in healthy volunteers, and compared it with models of bolus administrations of 1 and 2 ng/kg of endotoxin. The novel model was well-tolerated and resulted in a more pronounced increase in plasma cytokine levels with different kinetics and more prolonged symptoms and fever compared with the bolus-only models. Therefore, the continuous endotoxin infusion model provides novel insights into kinetics of the inflammatory response during continuous inflammatory stimuli and accommodates a larger time window to evaluate immunomodulating therapies.
Fabrication of enzyme-based coatings on intact multi-walled carbon nanotubes as highly effective electrodes in biofuel cells
Authors: Kim Byoung Chan , Lee Inseon , Kwon Seok-Joon , Wee Youngho , Kwon Ki Young , Jeon Chulmin , An Hyo Jin , Jung Hee-Tae , Ha Su , Dordick Jonathan S. , Kim Jungbae 
Published: January 2017

AbstractCNTs need to be dispersed in aqueous solution for their successful use, and most methods to disperse CNTs rely on tedious and time-consuming acid-based oxidation. Here, we report the simple dispersion of intact multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by adding them directly into an aqueous solution of glucose oxidase (GOx), resulting in simultaneous CNT dispersion and facile enzyme immobilization through sequential enzyme adsorption, precipitation, and crosslinking (EAPC). The EAPC achieved high enzyme loading and stability because of crosslinked enzyme coatings on intact CNTs, while obviating the chemical pretreatment that can seriously damage the electron conductivity of CNTs. EAPC-driven GOx activity was 4.5- and 11-times higher than those of covalently-attached GOx (CA) on acid-treated CNTs and simply-adsorbed GOx (ADS) on intact CNTs, respectively. EAPC showed no decrease of GOx activity for 270 days. EAPC was employed to prepare the enzyme anodes for biofuel cells, and the EAPC anode produced 7.5-times higher power output than the CA anode. Even with a higher amount of bound non-conductive enzymes, the EAPC anode showed 1.7-fold higher electron transfer rate than the CA anode. The EAPC on intact CNTs can improve enzyme loading and stability with key routes of improved electron transfer in various biosensing and bioelectronics devices.
Unique local bone tissue characteristics in iliac crest bone biopsy from adolescent idiopathic scoliosis with severe spinal deformity
Authors: Wang Zhiwei , Chen Huanxiong , Yu Y. Eric , Zhang Jiajun , Cheuk Ka-Yee , Ng Bobby K. W. , Qiu Yong , Guo X. Edward , Cheng Jack C. Y. , Lee Wayne Y. W. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractAdolescent idiopathic scoliosis is a complex disease with unclear etiopathogenesis. Systemic and persistent low bone mineral density is an independent prognostic factor for curve progression. The fundamental question of how bone quality is affected in AIS remains controversy because there is lack of site-matched control for detailed analysis on bone-related parameters. In this case-control study, trabecular bone biopsies from iliac crest were collected intra-operatively from 28 severe AIS patients and 10 matched controls with similar skeletal and sexual maturity, anthropometry and femoral neck BMD Z-score to control confounding effects. In addition to static histomorphometry, micro-computed tomography (μCT) and real time-PCR (qPCR) analyses, individual trabecula segmentation (ITS)-based analysis, finite element analysis (FEA), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were conducted to provide advanced analysis of structural, mechanical and mineralization features. μCT and histomorphometry showed consistently reduced trabecular number and connectivity. ITS revealed predominant change in trabecular rods, and EDX confirmed less mineralization. The structural and mineralization abnormality led to slight reduction in apparent modulus, which could be attributed to differential down-regulation ofRunx2, and up-regulation ofSpp1andTRAP. In conclusion, this is the first comprehensive study providing direct evidence of undefined unique pathological changes at different bone hierarchical levels in AIS.
The Interaction of Lexical Characteristics and Speech Production in Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Chiu Yi-Fang , Forrest Karen 
Published: January 2017

PurposeThis study sought to investigate the interaction of speech movement execution with higher order lexical parameters. The authors examined how lexical characteristics affect speech output in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) and healthy control (HC) speakers.MethodTwenty speakers with PD and 12 healthy speakers read sentences with target words that varied in word frequency and neighborhood density. The formant transitions (F2 slopes) of the diphthongs in the target words were compared across lexical categories between PD and HC groups.ResultsBoth groups of speakers produced steeper F2 slopes for the diphthongs in less frequent words and words from sparse neighborhoods. The magnitude of the increase in F2 slopes was significantly less in the PD than HC group. The lexical effect on the F2 slope differed among the diphthongs and between the 2 groups.ConclusionsPD and healthy speakers varied their acoustic output on the basis of word frequency and neighborhood density. F2 slope variations can be traced to higher level lexical differences. This lexical effect on articulation, however, appears to be constrained by PD.
Dual-specificity phosphatase 5 controls the localized inhibition, propagation, and transforming potential of ERK signaling
Authors: Kidger Andrew M. , Rushworth Linda K. , Stellzig Julia , Davidson Jane , Bryant Christopher J. , Bayley Cassidy , Caddye Edward , Rogers Tim , Keyse Stephen M. , Caunt Christopher J. 
Published: January 2017

Significance
The RAF-ERK kinase pathway drives cell proliferation and cancer growth. ERK kinase activity is terminated by dual-specificity MAPK phosphatases (MKP/DUSPs), which are often assumed to be tumor suppressors. We demonstrate that the MKP DUSP5 terminates nuclear ERK signaling but, surprisingly, promotes ERK activation in the cytoplasm by relieving feedback inhibition of upstream kinases. Cancer-causing RAF kinase mutations, which occur in ∼8% of tumors and are refractory to feedback inhibition, reprogram DUSP5 to become a cell-wide attenuator of ERK signaling that prevents cellular senescence and promotes oncogenic transformation. Our results establish that interactions between feedback loops in the ERK cascade control localized signal promotion or suppression, which in turn govern cell proliferation and transformation.
Convergence almost everywhere of multiple Fourier series over cubes
Authors: Mastyło Mieczysław , Rodríguez-Piazza Luis 
Published: January 2017

We study convergence almost everywhere of multiple trigonometric Fourier series over cubes defined on the

d
d

-dimensional torus

T

d

\mathbb {T}^d

. We provide a new approach which allows us to prove the novel interpolation estimates for the Carleson maximal operators generated by the partial sums of the multiple Fourier series and all its conjugate series. Combining these estimates we show that these operators are bounded from a variant of the Arias-de-Reyna space

Q

A
d

Q\!A^d

to the weak

L
1

L^1

-space on

T

d

\mathbb {T}^d

. This implies that the multiple Fourier series of every function

f
∈
Q

A
d

f\in Q\!A^d

and all its conjugate series converge over cubes almost everywhere. By a close analysis of the space

Q

A
d

Q\!A^d

we prove that it contains a Lorentz space that strictly contains the Orlicz space

L
(
log

L

)

d

log
⁡
log
⁡
log

L
(

T

d

)

L(\log \,L)^{d} \log \log \log \,L(\mathbb {T}^d)

. This yields a significant improvement of a deep theorem proved by Antonov which was the best known result on the convergence of multiple Fourier series over cubes.
BRIDG: a domain information model for translational and clinical protocol-driven research
Authors: Becnel Lauren B , Hastak Smita , Ver Hoef Wendy , Milius Robert P , Slack MaryAnn , Wold Diane , Glickman Michael L , Brodsky Boris , Jaffe Charles , Kush Rebecca , Helton Edward 
Published: January 2017

Abstract
Background: It is critical to integrate and analyze data from biological, translational, and clinical studies with data from health systems; however, electronic artifacts are stored in thousands of disparate systems that are often unable to readily exchange data.
Objective: To facilitate meaningful data exchange, a model that presents a common understanding of biomedical research concepts and their relationships with health care semantics is required. The Biomedical Research Integrated Domain Group (BRIDG) domain information model fulfills this need. Software systems created from BRIDG have shared meaning “baked in,” enabling interoperability among disparate systems. For nearly 10 years, the Clinical Data Standards Interchange Consortium, the National Cancer Institute, the US Food and Drug Administration, and Health Level 7 International have been key stakeholders in developing BRIDG.
Methods: BRIDG is an open-source Unified Modeling Language–class model developed through use cases and harmonization with other models.
Results: With its 4+ releases, BRIDG includes clinical and now translational research concepts in its Common, Protocol Representation, Study Conduct, Adverse Events, Regulatory, Statistical Analysis, Experiment, Biospecimen, and Molecular Biology subdomains.
Interpretation: The model is a Clinical Data Standards Interchange Consortium, Health Level 7 International, and International Standards Organization standard that has been utilized in national and international standards-based software development projects. It will continue to mature and evolve in the areas of clinical imaging, pathology, ontology, and vocabulary support. BRIDG 4.1.1 and prior releases are freely available at https://bridgmodel.nci.nih.gov.