bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Controlled Unusual Stiffness of Mechanical Metamaterials
Authors: Lee Wooju , Kang Da-Young , Song Jihwan , Moon Jun Hyuk , Kim Dongchoul 
Published: February 2016

AbstractMechanical metamaterials that are engineered with sub-unit structures present unusual mechanical properties depending on the loading direction. Although they show promise, their practical utility has so far been somewhat limited because, to the best of our knowledge, no study about the potential of mechanical metamaterials made from sophisticatedly tailored sub-unit structures has been made. Here, we present a mechanical metamaterial whose mechanical properties can be systematically designed without changing its chemical composition or weight. We study the mechanical properties of triply periodic bicontinuous structures whose detailed sub-unit structure can be precisely fabricated using various sub-micron fabrication methods. Simulation results show that the effective wave velocity of the structures along with different directions can be designed to introduce the anisotropy of stiffness by changing a volume fraction and aspect ratio. The ratio of Young’s modulus to shear modulus can be increased by up to at least 100, which is a 3500% increase over that of isotropic material (2.8, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). Furthermore, Poisson’s ratio of the constituent material changes the ratio while Young’s modulus does not influence it. This study presents the promising potential of mechanical metamaterials for versatile industrial and biomedical applications.
Exploiting the CRISPR/Cas9 System for Targeted Genome Mutagenesis in Petunia
Authors: Zhang Bin , Yang Xia , Yang Chunping , Li Mingyang , Guo Yulong 
Published: February 2016

AbstractRecently, CRISPR/Cas9 technology has emerged as a powerful approach for targeted genome modification in eukaryotic organisms from yeast to human cell lines. Its successful application in several plant species promises enormous potential for basic and applied plant research. However, extensive studies are still needed to assess this system in other important plant species, to broaden its fields of application and to improve methods. Here we showed that the CRISPR/Cas9 system is efficient in petunia (Petunia hybrid), an important ornamental plant and a model for comparative research. When PDS was used as target gene, transgenic shoot lines with albino phenotype accounted for 55.6%–87.5% of the total regenerated T0 Basta-resistant lines. A homozygous deletion close to 1 kb in length can be readily generated and identified in the first generation. A sequential transformation strategy—introducing Cas9 and sgRNA expression cassettes sequentially into petunia—can be used to make targeted mutations with short indels or chromosomal fragment deletions. Our results present a new plant species amenable to CRIPR/Cas9 technology and provide an alternative procedure for its exploitation.
Preparation and application of conducting polymer/Ag/clay composite nanoparticles formed by in situ UV-induced dispersion polymerization
Authors: Zang Limin , Qiu Jianhui , Yang Chao , Sakai Eiichi 
Published: February 2016

AbstractIn this work, composite nanoparticles containing polypyrrole, silver and attapulgite (PPy/Ag/ATP) were prepared via UV-induced dispersion polymerization of pyrrole using ATP clay as a templet and silver nitrate as photoinitiator. The effects of ATP concentration on morphology, structure and electrical conductivity were studied. The obtained composite nanoparticles with an interesting beads-on-a-string morphology can be obtained in a short time (10 min), which indicates the preparation method is facile and feasible. To explore the potential applications of the prepared PPy/Ag/ATP composite nanoparticles, they were served as multifunctional filler and blended with poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) matrix to prepare biodegradable composite material. The distribution of fillers in polymer matrix and the interfacial interaction between fillers and PBS were confirmed by scanning electron microscope, elemental mapping and dynamic mechanical analysis. The well dispersed fillers in PBS matrix impart outstanding antibacterial property to the biodegradable composite material as well as enhanced storage modulus due to Ag nanoparticles and ATP clay. The biodegradable composite material also possesses modest surface resistivity (106 ~ 109 Ω/◻).
Internal structure of cesium-bearing radioactive microparticles released from Fukushima nuclear power plant
Authors: Yamaguchi Noriko , Mitome Masanori , Kotone Akiyama-Hasegawa , Asano Maki , Adachi Kouji , Kogure Toshihiro 
Published: February 2016

AbstractMicroparticles containing substantial amounts of radiocesium collected from the ground in Fukushima were investigated mainly by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray microanalysis with scanning TEM (STEM). Particles of around 2 μm in diameter are basically silicate glass containing Fe and Zn as transition metals, Cs, Rb and K as alkali ions and Sn as substantial elements. These elements are homogeneously distributed in the glass except Cs which has a concentration gradient, increasing from center to surface. Nano-sized crystallites such as copper- zinc- and molybdenum sulfide and silver telluride were found inside the microparticles, which probably resulted from the segregation of the silicate and sulfide (telluride) during molten-stage. An alkali-depleted layer of ca. 0.2 μm thick exists at the outer side of the particle collected from cedar leaves 8 months after the nuclear accident, suggesting gradual leaching of radiocesium from the microparticles in the natural environment.
Early Pleistocene climate in western arid central Asia inferred from loess-palaeosol sequences
Authors: Wang Xin , Wei Haitao , Taheri Mehdi , Khormali Farhad , Danukalova Guzel , Chen Fahu 
Published: February 2016

AbstractArid central Asia (ACA) is one of the most arid regions in the mid-latitudes and one of the main potential dust sources for the northern hemisphere. The lack of in situ early Pleistocene loess/dust records from ACA hinders our comprehensive understanding of the spatio-temporal record of aeolian loess accumulation and long term climatic changes in Asia as a whole. Here, we report the results of sedimentological, chronological and climatic studies of early Pleistocene loess-palaeosol sequences (LPS) from the northeastern Iranian Golestan Province (NIGP) in the western part of ACA. Our results reveal that: 1) Accumulation of loess on the NIGP commenced at ~2.4–1.8 Ma, making it the oldest loess known so far in western ACA; 2) the climate during the early Pleistocene in the NIGP was semi-arid, but wetter, warmer, and less windy than during the late Pleistocene and present interglacial; 3) orbital-scale palaeoclimatic changes in ACA during the early Pleistoceneare in-phase with those of monsoonal Asia, a relationship which was probably related to the growth and decay of northern hemisphere ice sheets.
A molecular mechanism realizing sequence-specific recognition of nucleic acids by TDP-43
Authors: Furukawa Yoshiaki , Suzuki Yoh , Fukuoka Mami , Nagasawa Kenichi , Nakagome Kenta , Shimizu Hideaki , Mukaiyama Atsushi , Akiyama Shuji 
Published: February 2016

AbstractTAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is a DNA/RNA-binding protein containing two consecutive RNA recognition motifs (RRM1 and RRM2) in tandem. Functional abnormality of TDP-43 has been proposed to cause neurodegeneration, but it remains obscure how the physiological functions of this protein are regulated. Here, we show distinct roles of RRM1 and RRM2 in the sequence-specific substrate recognition of TDP-43. RRM1 was found to bind a wide spectrum of ssDNA sequences, while no binding was observed between RRM2 and ssDNA. When two RRMs are fused in tandem as in native TDP-43, the fused construct almost exclusively binds ssDNA with a TG-repeat sequence. In contrast, such sequence-specificity was not observed in a simple mixture of RRM1 and RRM2. We thus propose that the spatial arrangement of multiple RRMs in DNA/RNA binding proteins provides steric effects on the substrate-binding site and thereby controls the specificity of its substrate nucleotide sequences.
Acetylcholinesterase immobilization and characterization, and comparison of the activity of the porous silicon-immobilized enzyme with its free counterpart
Authors: Saleem Muhammad , Rafiq Muhammad , Seo Sung-Yum , Lee Ki Hwan 
Published: February 2016

A successful prescription is presented for acetylcholinesterase physically adsorbed on to a mesoporous silicon surface, with a promising hydrolytic response towards acetylthiocholine iodide. The catalytic behaviour of the immobilized enzyme was assessed by spectrophotometric bioassay using neostigmine methyl sulfate as a standard acetycholinesterase inhibitor. The surface modification was studied through field emission SEM, Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, cathode luminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, photoluminescence measurement and spectrophotometric bioassay. The porous silicon-immobilized enzyme not only yielded greater enzyme stability, but also significantly improved the native photoluminescence at room temperature of the bare porous silicon architecture. The results indicated the promising catalytic behaviour of immobilized enzyme compared with that of its free counterpart, with a greater stability, and that it aided reusability and easy separation from the reaction mixture. The porous silicon-immobilized enzyme was found to retain 50% of its activity, promising thermal stability up to 90°C, reusability for up to three cycles, pH stability over a broad pH of 4–9 and a shelf-life of 44 days, with an optimal hydrolytic response towards acetylthiocholine iodide at variable drug concentrations. On the basis of these findings, it was believed that the porous silicon-immobilized enzyme could be exploited as a reusable biocatalyst and for screening of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors from crude plant extracts and synthesized organic compounds. Moreover, the immobilized enzyme could offer a great deal as a viable biocatalyst in bioprocessing for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, and bioremediation to enhance productivity and robustness.
Analytical determination of conduction power loss and investigation of switching power loss for modified flying capacitor multicell converters
Authors: Sadigh Arash Khoshkbar , Dargahi Vahid , Corzine Keith 
Published: February 2016

Considering advantages of modified flying capacitor multicell (MFCM) converter over conventional flying capacitor multicell converter, and noting that conduction loss investigation can be very advantageous in design phase of multilevel converters, this study presents an analytical approach to calculate and investigate conduction losses in MFCM converters. First, rms and average currents of insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) and anti‐parallel diodes are analytically calculated by considering the associated duty cycle of each IGBT/diode in terms of the converter modulation index, load current, and load power factor. Numerical results of derived closed‐form equations to calculate rms and average currents of IGBTs/diodes are compared with simulation results and experimental measurements. All simulation, analytic, and experimental results agree well with each other which validate derived closed‐form equations. Afterwards, derived equations for rms and average current computations are utilised to calculate the conduction power losses in a 12.4 MVA, 3.3 kV, nine‐level (line‐to‐line) MFCM converter. A 2.5 kV, 1.5 kA IGBT module from ABB is considered as a power switch in the performed case study for MFCM converter. In addition, switching power loss investigation is performed using numeric approach and curve‐fitting method for aforementioned MFCM converter. Comparative analysis and evaluation of conduction and switching losses are presented.
High‐power modular multilevel converter optimal design for DC/DC converter applications
Authors: Jamshidi Far Ali Akbar , Hajian Masood , Jovcic Dragan , Audichya Yash 
Published: February 2016

High power DC/DC converters and DC hubs are required to interconnect the high‐voltage direct current (HVDC) systems with different voltage levels. Low frequency 50/60 Hz modular multilevel converters (MMCs) are known to provide better power quality, higher reliability, and lower switching losses compared to conventional two‐level voltage source converters (VSCs). This study presents the optimal design of an MMC VSC for medium frequency applications suitable for DC/DC converters and DC hubs. The design aims at minimising the MMC total power loss, size, and weight as these are great importance for HVDC converters. The optimal values for the main MMC parameters including cell capacitance, arm inductance, number of cells, and operating frequency are determined using an in depth study carried out in Matlab and PSCAD. The effect of different voltage balancing methods on converter performance is also investigated. It is shown that a number of cells within the range of 20–56 with an operating frequency around 300 Hz/500 Hz for onshore/offshore applications give best trade‐off between converter total loss and overall size and weight.
Induction of de novo α-synuclein fibrillization in a neuronal model for Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Fares Mohamed-Bilal , Maco Bohumil , Oueslati Abid , Rockenstein Edward , Ninkina Natalia , Buchman Vladimir L. , Masliah Eliezer , Lashuel Hilal A. 
Published: February 2016

Significance
Although it has been established for over 100 years that Lewy bodies (LBs) represent the major pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD), we still do not know why these fibrillar intraneuronal inclusions of α-synuclein (α-Syn) protein form, or how they contribute to disease progression. One of the major causes underlying this gap in knowledge is the lack of animal models that reproduce the formation of fibrillar LB-like inclusions. In this study, we show that the absence of human α-Syn (hα-Syn) fibrillization into LBs in mice can be attributed to interactions between hα-Syn and its endogenously expressed mouse α-Syn homologue. Moreover, we provide well-characterized primary neuronal and in vivo models that recapitulate the main molecular feature of PD, bona fide α-Syn fibrillization.
Axons provide the secretory machinery for trafficking of voltage-gated sodium channels in peripheral nerve
Authors: González Carolina , Cánovas José , Fresno Javiera , Couve Eduardo , Court Felipe A. , Couve Andrés 
Published: February 2016

Significance
Regulation of the axonal protein content is fundamental to maintain neural function. The transport of ready-made proteins by fast and slow mechanisms has been extensively studied, but local synthesis may also define the composition of the axon, in particular during adaptation or recovery. Accumulated evidence suggests that a proportion of cytosolic proteins are locally translated, but very little is known about membrane proteins. Our findings show the distribution of the endoplasmic reticulum and secretory organelles in peripheral axons and demonstrate for the first time, to our knowledge, an autonomous capacity of the axonal biosynthetic system in delivering membrane proteins, namely sodium channels, to the plasma membrane. These results contribute to our understanding of axonal trafficking and may be relevant for axonal regeneration.
Foreign Language Translation by a Translator and a Language Learner
Authors: Kim Ryonhee 
Published: February 2016

Cette étude porte sur le processus de traduction de L1 en L2(Coréen-Anglais) réalisée par un traducteur professionnel et un étudiant en utilisant la méthode think-aloud.
Il s’agit de mettre en évidence les différences dans l’approche et le processus de traduction entre un professionnel et un non-professionnel. Ils énoncent leurs idées au cours de la traduction qui est enregistrée et analysée. L’analyse révèle des différences importantes entre le traducteur professionnel et l’apprenant en langue étrangère concernant l’unité et la stratégie de traduction.
Le premier traduit spontanément au niveau des phrases. Elle utilise des statégies variées telles que regroupements, paraphrase, réduction de sens, omission, jeu de mot, recherche dans le dictionnaire...etc. Au contraire, l’apprenant a tendance à traduire mot à mot et sa traduction s’approchait davantage du mot à mot. Sa stratégie se limite à une recherche dans le dictionnaire. Le texte produit par le traducteur professionnel est succinct et naturel alors que celui de l’apprenant est plus long, parfois inapproprié et artificiel.
Le résultat final a été examiné en relation avec le processus observé. Il semble qu’ travail médiocre dépendant du dictionnaire produit une traduction trop littérale. Les résultats de cette étude peuvent être utilisés dans l’enseignement de la traduction. La traduction du sens doit être encouragée en amenant les étudiants à traduire à un niveau plus élaboré qu’un simple mot à mot, au moins par groupes de mots, tout en utilisant le dictionnaire de manière plus sélective. Des stratégies variées doivent être requises. Avant tout la confiance en soi semble être la clé du développement de la traduction.
Doing a Double Take on Note-Taking
Authors: Lim Hyang-Ok 
Published: February 2016

Un des éléments clés de l'interprétation consécutive est la prise de notes. Les étudiants interprètes éprouvent souvent des difficultés à se trouver un style qui leur convienne et qui leur réussisse. Les instructeurs donnent généralement des lignes directrices, mais ne dispensent pas d' « enseignement » propre à la prise de notes. Le but de cet article est d'examiner deux séries de notes prises par les mêmes étudiants sur la base d'un même texte, lu à l'occasion des examens de mi-session et finaux du semestre. Les notes seront examinées et analysées pour voir s'il y a eu des changements ou des évolutions dans le style de prise de notes des étudiants. En outre, afin de les aider dans l'analyse de leurs notes, le même texte a été lu à cinq interprètes expérimentés et leurs notes ont été comparées à celles des étudiants.
En outre, afin de les aider dans l'analyse de leurs notes, le même texte a été lu à cinq interprètes expérimentés et leurs notes ont été comparées à celles des étudiants.
Efficiency of Two-Way Weirs and Prepositioned Electrofishing for Sampling Potamodromous Fish Migrations
Authors: Favrot Scott D. , Kwak Thomas J. 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
Potamodromy (i.e., migration entirely in freshwater) is a common life history strategy of North American lotic fishes, and efficient sampling methods for potamodromous fishes are needed to formulate conservation and management decisions. Many potamodromous fishes inhabit medium-sized rivers and are mobile during spawning migrations, which complicates sampling with conventional gears (e.g., nets and electrofishing). We compared the efficiency of a passive migration technique (resistance board weirs) and an active technique (prepositioned areal electrofishers; [PAEs]) for sampling migrating potamodromous fishes in Valley River, a southern Appalachian Mountain river, from March through July 2006 and 2007. A total of 35 fish species from 10 families were collected, 32 species by PAE and 19 species by weir. Species richness and diversity were higher for PAE catch, and species dominance (i.e., proportion of assemblage composed of the three most abundant species) was higher for weir catch. Prepositioned areal electrofisher catch by number was considerably higher than weir catch, but biomass was lower for PAE catch. Weir catch decreased following the spawning migration, while PAEs continued to collect fish. Sampling bias associated with water velocity was detected for PAEs, but not weirs, and neither gear demonstrated depth bias in wadeable reaches. Mean fish mortality from PAEs was five times greater than that from weirs. Catch efficiency and composition comparisons indicated that weirs were effective at documenting migration chronology, sampling nocturnal migration, and yielding samples unbiased by water velocity or habitat, with low mortality. Prepositioned areal electrofishers are an appropriate sampling technique for seasonal fish occupancy objectives, while weirs are more suitable for quantitatively describing spawning migrations. Our comparative results may guide fisheries scientists in selecting an appropriate sampling gear and regime for research, monitoring, conservation, and management of potamodromous fishes.
The inhibitory effect of soybean and soybean isoflavone diets on 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced contact hypersensitivity in mice
Authors: Nagano Takao , Wu Woruna , Tsumura Kazunobu , Yonemoto-Yano Hiroko , Kamada Tomoari , Haruma Ken 
Published: February 2016

AbstractMurine contact hypersensitivity (CHS) is one of the most frequently used animal models of human allergic contact dermatitis. We investigated the inhibitory effects of soybean and soy isoflavone (SI) diets on 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene- (DNFB) induced CHS in mice. The DNFB-induced ear swelling was inhibited in the soy- and SI-treated groups. Histopathological investigations revealed that oral feeding of soybean and SI attenuated ear tissue edema and reduced the number of Gr-1+ cell infiltrations into ear tissues. DNA microarray analysis showed that the expression of Ccl24, Xcl1, Ifng, and Ccl17 in the ear tissues was lower in the soy-treated mice than in the positive controls. In addition, CCL24 mRNA and protein expression in the ear tissues were more highly suppressed in the soy- and SI-treated groups. These results suggest that soybean and SI consumption downregulated the gene and protein expression of CCL24, thereby affording protection against CHS in mice.
Host-derived glycans serve as selected nutrients for the gut microbe: human milk oligosaccharides and bifidobacteria†
Authors: Katayama Takane 
Published: February 2016

AbstractLactation is a common feeding strategy of eutherian mammals, but its functions go beyond feeding the neonates. Ever since Tissier isolated bifidobacteria from the stool of breast-fed infants, human milk has been postulated to contain compounds that selectively stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria in intestines. However, until relatively recently, there have been no reports to link human milk compound(s) with bifidobacterial physiology. Over the past decade, successive studies have demonstrated that infant-gut-associated bifidobacteria are equipped with genetic and enzymatic toolsets dedicated to assimilation of host-derived glycans, especially human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). Among gut microbes, the presence of enzymes required for degrading HMOs with type-1 chains is essentially limited to infant-gut-associated bifidobacteria, suggesting HMOs serve as selected nutrients for the bacteria. In this study, I shortly discuss the research on bifidobacteria and HMOs from a historical perspective and summarize the roles of bifidobacterial enzymes in the assimilation of HMOs with type-1 chains. Based on this overview, I suggest the co-evolution between bifidobacteria and human beings mediated by HMOs.