bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
New Insight on Promoted thermostability of poplar wood modified by MnFe2O4 nanoparticles through the pyrolysis behaviors and kinetic study
Authors: Wang Hanwei , Yao Qiufang , Wang Chao , Fan Bitao , Xiong Ye , Chen Yipeng , Sun Qingfeng , Jin Chunde , Ma Zhongqing 
Published: April 2017

AbstractIn this study, we employed pyrolysis behavior and kinetics by Flynn–Wall–Ozawa method and Friedman method to analysis the thermostability of the MnFe2O4 nanoparticles/poplar wood composite, and analyzed the change of different proportion of MnFe2O4 in these composites for the thermostability by contrasting activation energy between the different samples. The pyrolysis processes of these composites were comprehensively investigated at different heating rates (10, 20, 30 and 40 °C/min−1) and pyrolysis temperatures of 600 °C in N2 and air atmosphere. These results indicated the thermostability of composites improved as the proportion of the MnFe2O4 nanoparticles increased. And the structure analyses of these composites from the microscopic view point of nanoparticles were applied to analysis the reason of thermostability enhancement of the poplar wood after coating MnFe2O4 nanoparticles. Additionally, due to its high initial oxidative decomposition temperature under air atmosphere, this composite and its preparation method might have high application potential, such as flameresistant material and wood security storage. This method also could provide a reference for other biomass materials. Synthesized MnFe2O4/C composite under the guidance of pyrolysis behaviors and kinetic study in N2 atmosphere exhibited good adsorption capacity (84.18 mg/g) for removing methylene blue dye in aqueous solution and easy separation characteristic.
Capability of tip-growing plant cells to penetrate into extremely narrow gaps
Authors: Yanagisawa Naoki , Sugimoto Nagisa , Arata Hideyuki , Higashiyama Tetsuya , Sato Yoshikatsu 
Published: April 2017

AbstractPlant cells are covered with rigid cell walls, yet tip-growing cells can elongate by providing new cell wall material to their apical regions. Studies of the mechanical properties of tip-growing plant cells typically involve measurement of the turgor pressure and stiffness of the cells’ apical regions. These experiments, however, do not address how living tip-growing cells react when they encounter physical obstacles that are not substantially altered by turgor pressure. To investigate this issue, we constructed microfabricated platforms with a series of artificial gaps as small as 1 μm, and examined the capability of tip-growing plant cells, including pollen tubes, root hairs, and moss protonemata, to penetrate into these gaps. The cells were grown inside microfluidic chambers and guided towards the gaps using microdevices customized for each cell type. All types of tip-growing cells could grow through the microgaps with their organelles intact, even though the gaps were much smaller than the cylindrical cell diameter. Our findings reveal the dramatic physiological and developmental flexibility of tip-growing plant cells. The microfluidic platforms designed in this study provide novel tools for the elucidation of the mechanical properties of tip-growing plant cells in extremely small spaces.
Micro-Doppler measurement of insect wing-beat frequencies with W-band coherent radar
Authors: Wang Rui , Hu Cheng , Fu Xiaowei , Long Teng , Zeng Tao 
Published: April 2017

AbstractThe wingbeat frequency of insect migrant is regarded potentially valuable for species identification and has long drawn widespread attention in radar entomology. Principally, the radar echo signal can be used to extract wingbeat information, because both the signal amplitude and phase could be modulated by wing-beating. With respect to existing entomological radars, signal amplitude modulation has been used for wingbeat frequency measurement of large insects for many years, but the wingbeat frequency measurement of small insects remains a challenge. In our research, W-band and S-band coherent radars are used to measure the insect wingbeat frequency. The results show that the wingbeat-induced amplitude modulation of W-band radar is more intense than that of the S-band radar and the W-band radar could measure the wingbeat frequency of smaller insects. In addition, it is validated for the first time that the signal phase could also be used to measure the insect wingbeat frequency based on micro-Doppler effect. However, whether the wingbeat frequency measurement is based on the amplitude or phase modulation, it is found that the W-band coherent radar has better performance on both the measurement precision and the measurable minimum size of the insect.
Flagellar Hooks and Hook Protein FlgE Participate in Host Microbe Interactions at Immunological Level
Authors: Shen Ying , Chen Lin , Wang Meixiang , Lin Dandan , Liang Zhongjie , Song Peiqing , Yuan Qing , Tang Hua , Li Weihua , Duan Kangmin , Liu Baiyan , Zhao Ge , Wang Yiqiang 
Published: April 2017

AbstractHost-microbe interactions determine the outcome of host responses to commensal and pathogenic microbes. Previously, two epithelial cell-binding peptides were found to be homologues of two sites (B, aa168–174; F, aa303–309) in the flagellar hook protein FlgE of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Tertiary modeling predicted these sites at the interface of neighboring FlgE monomers in the fully formed hook. Recombinant FlgE protein stimulated proinflammatory cytokine production in a human cell line and in murine lung organoid culture as detected with real-time RT-PCR and ELISA assays. When administered to mice, FlgE induced lung inflammation and enhanced the Th2-biased humoral response to ovalbumin. A pull-down assay performed with FlgE-saturated resin identified caveolin-1 as an FlgE-binding protein, and caveolin-1 deficiency impaired FlgE-induced inflammation and downstream Erk1/2 pathway activation in lung organoids. Intact flagellar hooks from bacteria were also proinflammatory. Mutations to sites B and F impaired bacteria motility and proinflammatory potency of FlgE without altering adjuvanticity of FlgE. These findings suggest that the flagellar hook and FlgE are novel players in host-bacterial interactions at immunological level. Further studies along this direction would provide new opportunities for understanding and management of diseases related with bacterial infection.
Engineering of orbital angular momentum supermodes in coupled optical waveguides
Authors: Turpin A. , Pelegrí G. , Polo J. , Mompart J. , Ahufinger V. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractIn this work we demonstrate the existence of orbital angular momentum (OAM) bright and dark supermodes in a three-evanescently coupled cylindrical waveguides system. Bright and dark supermodes are characterized by their coupling and decoupling from one of the waveguides, respectively. In addition, we demonstrate that complex couplings between modes of different waveguides appear naturally due to the characteristic spiral phase-front of OAM modes in two-dimensional configurations where the waveguides are arranged forming a triangle. Finally, by adding dissipation to the waveguide uncoupled to the dark supermode, we are able to filter this supermode out, allowing for the design of OAM mode cloners and inverters.
Differences in peripheral sensory input to the olfactory bulb between male and female mice
Authors: Kass Marley D. , Czarnecki Lindsey A. , Moberly Andrew H. , McGann John P. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractFemale mammals generally have a superior sense of smell than males, but the biological basis of this difference is unknown. Here, we demonstrate sexually dimorphic neural coding of odorants by olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs), primary sensory neurons that physically contact odor molecules in the nose and provide the initial sensory input to the brain’s olfactory bulb. We performedin vivooptical neurophysiology to visualize odorant-evoked OSN synaptic output into olfactory bub glomeruli in unmanipulated (gonad-intact) adult mice from both sexes, and found that in females odorant presentation evoked more rapid OSN signaling over a broader range of OSNs than in males. These spatiotemporal differences enhanced the contrast between the neural representations of chemically related odorants in females compared to males during stimulus presentation. Removing circulating sex hormones makes these signals slower and less discriminable in females, while in males they become faster and more discriminable, suggesting opposite roles for gonadal hormones in influencing male and female olfactory function. These results demonstrate that the famous sex difference in olfactory abilities likely originates in the primary sensory neurons, and suggest that hormonal modulation of the peripheral olfactory system could underlie differences in how males and females experience the olfactory world.
Intestinal microbiota link lymphopenia to murine autoimmunity via PD-1+CXCR5−/dim B-helper T cell induction
Authors: Eri Toshiki , Kawahata Kimito , Kanzaki Takeyuki , Imamura Mitsuru , Michishita Kazuya , Akahira Lisa , Bannai Ei , Yoshikawa Noritada , Kimura Yasumasa , Satoh Takeshi , Uematsu Satoshi , Tanaka Hirotoshi , Yamamoto Kazuhiko 
Published: April 2017

AbstractT cell lymphopenia results in peripheral homeostatic expansion to maintain the T cell immune system, which is termed lymphopenia-induced proliferation (LIP). LIP is a potential risk for expanding autoreactive clones to become pathogenic in human and murine autoimmune diseases. However, the ontogeny of T cells that induce autoantibody production by autoreactive B cells in LIP remains unclear. Transfer of CD4+CD25−conventional T (Tc) cells into T-cell-deficient athymic nude mice has been previously reported as a LIP-induced autoimmune model which develops organ-specific autoimmune diseases and systemic antinuclear antibodies (ANAs). We show here that via LIP in this model, Tc cells proliferated and differentiated into PD-1+CXCR5−/dimB-helper T cells, which promoted splenic germinal center (GC) formation, provided help for autoantibody-producing B cells, and had distinctive features of follicular helper T (Tfh) cells except that they do not express high CXCR5. Intestinal microbiota were essential for their generation, since depletion of them in recipient mice by antibiotics resulted in a reduction of LIP-induced PD-1+CXCR5−/dimB-helper T cells and an amelioration of autoimmune responses. Our findings will contribute to the elucidation of the mechanism of lymphopenia-induced autoimmunity and autoantibody production, and will pave the way for microbiota-targeted novel therapeutic approaches to systemic autoimmune diseases.
The plant cell-wall enzyme AtXTH3 catalyses covalent cross-linking between cellulose and cello-oligosaccharide
Authors: Shinohara Naoki , Sunagawa Naoki , Tamura Satoru , Yokoyama Ryusuke , Ueda Minoru , Igarashi Kiyohiko , Nishitani Kazuhiko 
Published: April 2017

AbstractCellulose is an economically important material, but routes of its industrial processing have not been fully explored. The plant cell wall – the major source of cellulose – harbours enzymes of the xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) family. This class of enzymes is unique in that it is capable of elongating polysaccharide chains without the requirement for activated nucleotide sugars (e.g., UDP-glucose) and in seamlessly splitting and reconnecting chains of xyloglucan, a naturally occurring soluble analogue of cellulose. Here, we show that a recombinant version of AtXTH3, a thus far uncharacterized member of the Arabidopsis XTH family, catalysed the transglycosylation between cellulose and cello-oligosaccharide, between cellulose and xyloglucan-oligosaccharide, and between xyloglucan and xyloglucan-oligosaccharide, with the highest reaction rate observed for the latter reaction. In addition, this enzyme formed cellulose-like insoluble material from a soluble cello-oligosaccharide in the absence of additional substrates. This newly found activity (designated “cellulose endotransglucosylase,” or CET) can potentially be involved in the formation of covalent linkages between cellulose microfibrils in the plant cell wall. It can also comprise a new route of industrial cellulose functionalization.
On the dynamics and control of mechanical properties of hierarchical rotating rigid unit auxetics
Authors: Dudek Krzysztof K. , Gatt Ruben , Mizzi Luke , Dudek Mirosław R. , Attard Daphne , Evans Kenneth E. , Grima Joseph N. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractIn this work, we investigate the deformation mechanism of auxetic hierarchical rotating square systems through a dynamics approach. We show how their deformation behaviour, hence their mechanical properties and final configuration for a given applied load, can be manipulated solely by altering the resistance to rotational motion of the hinges within the system. This provides enhanced tunability without necessarily changing the geometry of the system, a phenomenon which is not typically observed in other non-hierarchical unimode auxetic systems. This gives this hierarchical system increased versatility and tunability thus making it more amenable to be employed in practical application which may range from smart filtration to smart dressings.
Mild MPP+ exposure-induced glucose starvation enhances autophagosome synthesis and impairs its degradation
Authors: Sakamoto Shuichiro , Miyara Masatsugu , Sanoh Seigo , Ohta Shigeru , Kotake Yaichiro 
Published: April 2017

AbstractParkinson’s disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, mainly characterised by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons. MPP+ has been widely used as a PD-related neurotoxin, and their reports suggested the several hypotheses for neuronal cell death. However, most of these hypotheses come from the studies about the acute MPP+ exposure. We previously revealed that mild MPP+ exposure (10 and 200 μM), which induces gradual cell death, impairs autophagosome degradation at 48 h. In the present study, we further investigated the specific events of mild MPP+ exposure and revealed that mild MPP+ exposure causes the cell death through glucose starvation, but not acute toxic model (2.5 and 5 mM). At 36 h after mild MPP+ exposure, autophagosome synthesis was enhanced owing to glucose starvation and continued to enhance until 48 h, despite impaired autophagosome degradation. Inhibition of autophagosome synthesis reduced mild MPP+-induced cell death. In conclusion, we clarified that glucose starvation-enhanced autophagosome synthesis occurs at an earlier stage than impaired autophagosome degradation and is important in mild MPP+ toxicity.
Identifying and modeling the structural discontinuities of human interactions
Authors: Grauwin Sebastian , Szell Michael , Sobolevsky Stanislav , Hövel Philipp , Simini Filippo , Vanhoof Maarten , Smoreda Zbigniew , Barabási Albert-László , Ratti Carlo 
Published: April 2017

AbstractThe idea of a hierarchical spatial organization of society lies at the core of seminal theories in human geography that have strongly influenced our understanding of social organization. Along the same line, the recent availability of large-scale human mobility and communication data has offered novel quantitative insights hinting at a strong geographical confinement of human interactions within neighboring regions, extending to local levels within countries. However, models of human interaction largely ignore this effect. Here, we analyze several country-wide networks of telephone calls - both, mobile and landline - and in either case uncover a systematic decrease of communication induced by borders which we identify as the missing variable in state-of-the-art models. Using this empirical evidence, we propose an alternative modeling framework that naturally stylizes the damping effect of borders. We show that this new notion substantially improves the predictive power of widely used interaction models. This increases our ability to understand, model and predict social activities and to plan the development of infrastructures across multiple scales.
Dynamically unpolarized single-photon source in diamond with intrinsic randomness
Authors: Abe Naofumi , Mitsumori Yasuyoshi , Sadgrove Mark , Edamatsu Keiichi 
Published: April 2017

AbstractPolarization is one of the fundamental properties of light, providing numerous applications in science and technology. While ‘dynamically unpolarized’ single-photon sources are demanded for various quantum applications, such sources have never been explored. Here we demonstrate dynamically unpolarized single-photon emission from a single [111]-oriented nitrogen- vacancy centre in diamond, in which the single-photon stream is unpolarized, exhibiting intrinsic randomness with vanishing polarization correlation between time adjacent photons. These properties not only allow true random number generation, but may also enable fundamental tests in quantum physics.
Array Characterization of Prenatally Diagnosed 15q26 Microdeletion and 2q37.1 Duplication: Report of a New Case with Multicystic Kidneys and Review of the Literature
Authors: Kammoun Molka , Slimani Wafa , Hannachi Hanene , Bibi Mohamed , Saad Ali , Mougou-Zerelli Soumaya 
Published: April 2017

AbstractWe report on a molecular cytogenetic characterization of 15q26 deletion and 2q37.1 duplication in a fetus presenting with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), diaphragmatic hernia, multicystic kidneys, left kidney pyelectasis, and clubfeet. A terminal 15q26 deletion and a terminal 2q duplication of at least 10 and 9 Mb, respectively, derived from a maternal translocation, were found. The 15q26 deletion represents a contiguous gene deletion syndrome mainly characterized by IUGR, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and less frequently kidney defects. This deletion encompasses the IGF1R and COUPTF2 genes, known to lead to fetal growth retardation syndrome. However, kidney malformations are less well known in such conditions, and to the best of our knowledge, no candidate gene has been proposed to date. Here, we review the literature of the 15q26 deletion syndrome and suggest that hypoplastic and multicystic kidneys, the most commonly observed anomalies in this condition, should be considered in the prenatal diagnosis setting. Based on COUPTF2 protein function, we hypothesize that its haploinsufficiency might be responsible for the renal pathology.
Influence of Contrast Media on Bone Mineral Density (BMD) Measurements from Routine Contrast-Enhanced MDCT Datasets using a Phantom-less BMD Measurement Tool
Authors: Toelly Andrea , Bardach Constanze , Weber Michael , Gong Rui , Lai Yanbo , Wang Pei , Guo Yulin , Kirschke Jan , Baum Thomas , Gruber Michael 
Published: April 2017

Aim To evaluate the differences in phantom-less bone mineral density (BMD) measurements in contrast-enhanced routine MDCT scans at different contrast phases, and to develop an algorithm for calculating a reliable BMD value.
Materials and Methods 112 postmenopausal women from the age of 40 to 77 years (mean age: 57.31 years; SD 9.61) who underwent a clinically indicated MDCT scan, consisting of an unenhanced, an arterial, and a venous phase, were included. A retrospective analysis of the BMD values of the Th12 to L4 vertebrae in each phase was performed using a commercially available phantom-less measurement tool.
Results The mean BMD value in the unenhanced MDCT scans was 79.76 mg/cm³ (SD 31.20), in the arterial phase it was 85.09 mg/cm³ (SD 31.61), and in the venous phase it was 86.18 mg/cm³ (SD 31.30). A significant difference (p < 0.001) was found between BMD values on unenhanced and contrast-enhanced MDCT scans. There was no significant difference between BMD values in the arterial and venous phases (p = 0.228). The following conversion formulas were calculated using linear regression: unenhanced BMD = -2.287 + 0.964 * [arterial BMD value] and -4.517 + 0.978 * [venous BMD value]. The intrarater agreement of BMD measurements was calculated with an intraclass correlation (ICC) of 0.984 and the interobserver reliability was calculated with an ICC of 0.991.
Conclusion Phantom-less BMD measurements in contrast-enhanced MDCT scans result in increased mean BMD values, but, with the formulas applied in our study, a reliable BMD value can be calculated. However, the mean BMD values did not differ significantly between the arterial and venous phases.
Key points
Citation Format
Unterscheiden sich männliche und weibliche Skifahrer mit einer VKB-Verletzung hinsichtlich der auf die Körpergröße und das Körpergewicht relativierten Skilänge, der Skitaillierung und des Abnützungsgrades der Skischuhsohle?
Authors: Posch Markus , Ruedl Gerhard , Tecklenburg Katja , Helle Kenneth , Schranz Alois , Burtscher Martin 
Published: April 2017

Zusammenfassung
Hintergrund Frauen verletzen sich beim Skifahren am Kniegelenk doppelt so häufig wie Männer und das Risiko einer Verletzung des vorderen Kreuzbandes (VKB) ist bei weiblichen Skifahrern dreimal so hoch wie bei männlichen Skifahrern. Das geschlechtsspezifische VKB Verletzungsrisiko ist sowohl von internalen (z. B. Alter, Können, Fitness) als auch externalen (z. B. Pisten- und Wetterbedingungen, Skiausrüstung) Risikofaktoren abhängig. Allerdings ist unklar, ob sich männliche und weibliche Freizeitskifahrer mit einer VKB-Verletzung hinsichtlich der Skitaillierung und der Skischuhsohlenabnützung unterscheiden.
Methodik In den Wintersaisonen 2014/15 und 2015/16 wurden Daten von VKB-verletzten Skifahrern an einer österreichischen Skiklinik anhand eines Fragebogens erhoben. Der Fragebogen beinhaltete neben demografischen Angaben auch Fragen zum Skikönnen, Sturzmechanismus, Bindungsauslösung sowie die Verletzungsdiagnose. Zusätzlich wurde die Skilänge und der Taillierungsradius am Ski abgelesen sowie die Höhe der Skischuhsohlen am Zehen- und Fersenteil des Skischuhs mittels Schieblehre gemessen.
Ergebnisse Insgesamt wurden 164 VKB-verletzte Skifahrer (67 % Frauen) mit einem Durchschnittsalter von 41,7 ± 11,5 Jahren erfasst. Männer wiesen eine signifikant größere absolute Skilänge (168,3 ± 6,6 vs. 157,5 ± 5,9 cm, p < 0,001) als Frauen auf, jedoch zeigte sich hinsichtlich der auf die Körpergröße relativierten Skilänge (94,0 ± 3,4 vs. 94,1 ± 3,3 %) kein signifikanter Unterschied. Hinsichtlich der auf das Körpergewicht relativierten Skilänge unterscheiden sich Frauen und Männer signifikant (2,5 ± 0,3 vs. 2,0 ± 0,2 cm/kg). Der Skiradius (13,5 ± 1,4 vs. 15,6 ± 2,6 m, p < 0,001) war bei Frauen mit einer VKB-Verletzung signifikant geringer. Geschlechtsspezifisch unterschied sich die absolut gemessene Skischuhsohlenabnützung weder am Zehen- (5,4 ± 1,2 vs. 5,5 ± 1,1 mm) noch am Fersenteil (6,0 ± 1,7 vs. 6,0 ± 1,6 mm) signifikant zwischen Frauen und Männern. Der häufigste Sturzmechanismus war mit rund 59 % bei beiden Geschlechtern der Vorwärtssturz mit Körperdrehung. Frauen gaben ein Nichtauslösen der Skibindung signifikant häufiger an als Männer (86 vs. 44 %, p < 0,001).
Schlussfolgerung Männer und Frauen mit einer VKB Verletzung unterscheiden sich hinsichtlich der Skitaillierung, der auf das Körpergewicht relativierten Skilänge und bezüglich der Häufigkeit von Nichtauslösungen der Skibindung. Obwohl keine geschlechtsspezifischen Unterschiede bei der Abnützung der Skischuhsohlen vorhanden sind, liegt diese jedoch außerhalb der entsprechenden ISO Norm.
Objectivity and reliability
Authors: Clarke-Doane Justin 
Published: April 2017

AbstractScanlon’sBeing Realistic about Reasonsis a beautiful book – sleek, sophisticated, and programmatic. One of its key aims is to demystify knowledge of normative and mathematical truths, realistically construed – i.e. construed, roughly, as being true relevantly independent of minds and languages, when interpreted at face-value. In this article, I develop an epistemological problem that Scanlon fails to explicitly address. I argue that his ‘metaphysical pluralism’ can be understood as a response to that problem. However, it resolves the problem only if it undercuts the objectivity of normative and mathematical inquiry.