bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do spatial interactions fuel the climate-conflict vicious cycle? The case of the African continent
Authors: Cappelli Federica , Conigliani Caterina , Costantini Valeria , Lelo Keti , Markandya Anil , Paglialunga Elena , Sforna Giorgia
Published: November 2020

We propose an analysis of the multiple linkages between violent conflicts, weather-related variables and socio-economic conditions based on an original geo-referenced database covering the entire African continent with a grid resolution of 1° × 1° for the period 1990–2016. We implement a dynamic spatial panel Durbin model that allows us: (1) confirming well-known mechanisms in violent conflicts analysis; (2) assessing the relevance of persistency of violence over time; (3) adding new insights related to the role of spatial relations associated to contagion. In particular, the spatial specification allows us quantifying the contagious effect across space, that persists in a radius of more than 300 km. Weather-related variables seem to play a prominent role in shaping contagion with different strength depending on the temporal horizon adopted. The main implications we derive are twofold: (1) adaptation policies designed for reducing vulnerability of local communities to climate change must be integrated with direct actions for peacekeeping in order to break the persistency of violence over time that is responsible for failures of the adaptation actions themselves; (2) synergies from simultaneous actions developed for different local communities must drive geographical coordination of integrated policies in order to capture the positive elements of cooperation associated to geographical spillovers while breaking violence contagion across neighbours.
The Correspondence of Isaac Newton
Authors: Newton Isaac
Published: November 2020

As Newton had by now entered his eighth decade, it can be no surprise that the correspondence in this sixth volume shows a marked decline in his activity and intellectual vigour. While the number of extant letters written by him on other that Mint business is relatively small, the majority of them are devoted to his controversy with Leibniz - Newton's dominant interest during this period. The correspondence of Newton shades gradually into the correspondence of the Newtonians. Thus notably Keill, De Moivre, Chamberlayne, Brook Taylor, the Abbe Conti and Des Maizeaux interested themselves in the calculus dispute, all of them (except the first) having frequent opportunities for personal conversation with Newton.
Nuns as ‘Sponsae Christi’: The Legal Status of the Medieval Oblates of Tor de’ Specchi
Authors: MASKARINEC MAYA
Published: November 2020

This article examines the unusual history and legal status of the Tor de’ Specchi community, founded by Francesca Romana (d. 1440) in Rome, in the face of shifting expectations for religious women in Counter-Reformation Catholicism. It is argued that Francesca Romana had sought to carve out a religious path for women distinct from that of nuns as brides of Christ (‘sponsae Christi’). The article demonstrates the community's difficulties in maintaining this way of life in the face of Pope Pius V's 1566 bull Circa Pastoralis, which extended the Council of Trent's 1563 decrees on enclosure (clausura) to all nuns of every order.
Drastic decline in the endemic brown shrike subspecies Lanius cristatus superciliosus in Japan
Authors: KITAZAWA MUNEHIRO , SENZAKI MASAYUKI , MATSUMIYA HIROAKI , HARA SEIICHI , MIZUMURA HARUKA
Published: November 2020

The Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus breeds across a large portion of eastern Asia. One subspecies, L. c. superciliosus, is primarily endemic to Japan and was historically abundant throughout its breeding range. However, both local- and broad-scale studies documented a drastic population decline between the 1970s and 1990s, and the status of the taxon is currently unavailable in Japan. We conducted a nationwide survey to estimate the current population size and breeding range of this subspecies within Japan. We further compared our findings to the historical breeding ranges through a literature review. The total population size was estimated at 149 breeding pairs, and the current breeding range was estimated at 6,800 km2, indicating a 90.9% range contraction over the past century. Our study highlights the urgency of protecting remaining breeding habitats and establishing effective conservation strategies for L. c. superciliosus.
Aortic atresia with interrupted aortic arch and bilateral arterial ductus: a successful initial palliation
Authors: Rahmath Muhammed Riyas K. , Boudjemline Younes , Kamal Reema Y.
Published: November 2020

A combination of aortic valve atresia and an interrupted aortic arch is a unique disease in which perfusion to the brain and myocardium depends on coexisting lesions or type of interruption. We report a case of aortic valve atresia with type B interrupted arch, bilateral arterial ductus in a neonate who was successfully palliated using a hybrid approach by placing stents in both arterial ductus and banding of branch pulmonary arteries.
Opportunities for intervention and innovation in school food within UK schools
Authors: Woodside JV , Adamson A , Spence S , Baker T , McKinley MC
Published: November 2020

We have recently been funded by the UK Prevention Research Partnership (UKPRP) to develop a UK school food network. The overarching aim is to build a community working towards a more health-promoting food and nutrition system in UK schools (primary and secondary). Here we describe the current status of school food research, including a review of the literature supporting the health-promoting schools approach and outline the opportunities for intervention and innovation establishment of the network present. Key potential school food research themes are described, and their prioritisation within the network, as well as network activities that have been planned, with the ultimate ambition of reducing socio-economic diet-related inequalities, and, consequently, non-communicable disease risk.
The Resurrection Plate Is Dead, Long Live the Resurrection Plate
Authors: Fritts Rachel
Published: November 2020

Using a technique similar to taking a CT scan of Earth, researchers found the possible remnants of a long-debated “missing” tectonic plate.
Evolution of the Southwest Australian Rifted Continental Margin During Breakup of East Gondwana: Results From International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 369
Authors: Harry D. L. , Tejada M. L. G. , Lee E. Y. , Wolfgring E. , Wainman C. C. , Brumsack H.‐J. , Schnetger B. , Kimura J.‐I. , Riquier L. , Borissova I. , Hobbs R. W. , Jiang T. , Li Y‐X. , Maritati A. , Martinez M. , Richter C. , Tagliaro G. , White L. T.
Published: November 2020

International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 369 drilled four sites on the southwestern Australian continental margin, in the deep water Mentelle Basin (MB) and on the neighboring Naturaliste Plateau (NP). The drillsites are located on continental crust that continued rifting after seafloor spreading began further north on the Perth Abyssal Plain (PAP) between magnetochrons M11r and M11n (133–132 Ma), ending when spreading began west of the NP between chrons M5n and M3n (126–124 Ma). Drilling recovered the first in situ samples of basalt flows overlying the breakup unconformity on the NP, establishing a magnetostratigraphically constrained eruption age of >131–133 Ma, and confirming a minimal late Valanginian age for the breakup unconformity (coeval with the onset of PAP seafloor spreading). Petrogenetic modeling indicates the basalts were generated by 25% melting at 1.5 GPa and a potential temperature of 1380°C–1410°C, consistent with proximity of the Kerguelen plume during breakup. Benthic foraminiferal fossils indicate that the NP remained at upper bathyal or shallower depths during the last 6 Myr of rifting and for 3–5 Myr after breakup between India and Australia. The limited subsidence is attributed to heat from the nearby Kerguelen plume and PAP spreading ridge. The margin subsided to middle bathyal depths by Albian time and to lower bathyal (NP) or greater (MB) depths by late Paleogene time. Periods of rapid sedimentation accompanied a westward jump of the PAP spreading ridge (108 Ma), rifting on the southern margin (100–84 Ma), and opening of the southern seaway between Australia and Antarctica (60–47 Ma).
Two‐Point Mixing, Buoyancy Sorting, and Updraft Dilution in the RACORO Campaign
Authors: Wei Xin , Chan Pak Wah , Kuang Zhiming
Published: November 2020

Aircraft measurements of shallow cumulus cases from the Routine Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Aerial Facility (AAF) Clouds with Low Optical Water Depths (CLOWD) Optical Radiative Observations (RACORO) campaign are studied in a transformed Paluch diagram. Previous studies have interpreted samples in Paluch diagrams in terms of two‐point mixing and buoyancy sorting. The two‐point mixing behavior is frequently seen in the RACORO observations and can be unambiguously distinguished from buoyancy sorting. The latter is not found in the RACORO observations and is also rare in a large‐eddy simulation (LES) of a RACORO case. As opposed to often assumed gradual dilution of updrafts, around half of the instances of two‐point mixing show no clear evidence of updraft dilution. We also find substantial spread in the properties of parcels that have adjusted to their level of neutral buoyancy and that a LES with horizontally homogeneous surface underestimates this spread. The inclusion of surface heterogeneity in the LES improves the agreement of its horizontal moisture variations with the aircraft measurements.
SABER Observations of Gravity Wave Responses to the Madden‐Julian Oscillation From the Stratosphere to the Lower Thermosphere in Tropics and Extratropics
Authors: Li Jintai , Lu Xian
Published: November 2020

The 17‐year SABER‐observed gravity wave (GW) temperature variances reveal significant responses of GWs to the Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO) over the middle atmosphere (30–100 km) in tropics and extratropics (45°S to 45°N) for boreal winter. The responses vary significantly with latitude but barely with altitude. From 20°S to 45°N, strong positive anomalies are found for MJO Phases 3–5, while negative anomalies for Phases 7–8. From 45–20°S, these patterns are reversed. The peak‐to‐peak differences (positive‐to‐negative anomalies) are ~6–16% relative to the seasonal mean. Comparison with MJO modulations on tropical convection and polar vortex suggests that GW responses in tropics may result from the modulation of GW source, while responses in northern extratropics may result from the modulation of polar vortex, which in turn modulates GW activities. These results highlight the importance of GWs to imprint the tropical MJO signals vertically to the middle atmosphere and horizontally to extratropical regions.
Benchmark Calculations of Radiative Forcing by Greenhouse Gases
Authors: Pincus Robert , Buehler Stefan A. , Brath Manfred , Crevoisier Cyril , Jamil Omar , Franklin Evans K. , Manners James , Menzel Raymond L. , Mlawer Eli J. , Paynter David , Pernak Rick L. , Tellier Yoann
Published: November 2020

Changes in concentrations of greenhouse gases lead to changes in radiative fluxes throughout the atmosphere. The value of this change, the instantaneous radiative forcing, varies across climate models, due partly to differences in the distribution of clouds, humidity, and temperature across models and partly due to errors introduced by approximate treatments of radiative transfer. This paper describes an experiment within the Radiative Forcing Model Intercomparision Project that uses benchmark calculations made with line‐by‐line models to identify parameterization error in the representation of absorption and emission by greenhouse gases. Clear‐sky instantaneous forcing by greenhouse gases is computed using a set of 100 profiles, selected from a reanalysis of present‐day conditions, that represent the global annual mean forcing from preindustrial times to the present day with sampling errors of less than 0.01 W m−2. Six contributing line‐by‐line models agree in their estimate of this forcing to within 0.025 W m−2 while even recently developed parameterizations have typical errors 4 or more times larger, suggesting both that the samples reveal true differences among line‐by‐line models and that parameterization error will be readily identifiable. Agreement among line‐by‐line models is better in the longwave than in the shortwave where differing treatments of the water vapor continuum affect estimates of forcing by carbon dioxide and methane. The impacts of clouds on instantaneous radiative forcing are estimated from climate model simulations, and the adjustment due to stratospheric temperature changes estimated by assuming fixed dynamical heating. Adjustments are large only for ozone and for carbon dioxide, for which stratospheric cooling introduces modest nonlinearity.
Sensing the allosteric force
Authors: Bozovic Olga , Jankovic Brankica , Hamm Peter
Published: November 2020

Allosteric regulation is an innate control in most metabolic and signalling cascades that enables living organisms to adapt to the changing environment by tuning the affinity and regulating the activity of target proteins. For a microscopic understanding of this process, a protein system has been designed in such a way that allosteric communication between the binding and allosteric site can be observed in both directions. To that end, an azobenzene-derived photoswitch has been linked to the α3-helix of the PDZ3 domain, arguably the smallest allosteric protein with a clearly identifiable binding and allosteric site. Photo-induced trans-to-cis isomerisation of the photoswitch increases the binding affinity of a small peptide ligand to the protein up to 120-fold, depending on temperature. At the same time, ligand binding speeds up the thermal cis-to-trans back-isomerisation rate of the photoswitch. Based on the energetics of the four states of the system (cis vs trans and ligand-bound vs free), the concept of an allosteric force is introduced, which can be used to drive chemical reactions.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: The association between early career informal mentorship in academic collaborations and junior author performance
Authors: AlShebli Bedoor , Makovi Kinga , Rahwan Talal
Published: November 2020

We study mentorship in scientific collaborations, where a junior scientist is supported by potentially multiple senior collaborators, without them necessarily having formal supervisory roles. We identify 3 million mentor–protégé pairs and survey a random sample, verifying that their relationship involved some form of mentorship. We find that mentorship quality predicts the scientific impact of the papers written by protégés post mentorship without their mentors. We also find that increasing the proportion of female mentors is associated not only with a reduction in post-mentorship impact of female protégés, but also a reduction in the gain of female mentors. While current diversity policies encourage same-gender mentorships to retain women in academia, our findings raise the possibility that opposite-gender mentorship may actually increase the impact of women who pursue a scientific career. These findings add a new perspective to the policy debate on how to best elevate the status of women in science.
Involvement of neutrophils in machineries underlying the rupture of intracranial aneurysms in rats
Authors: Kushamae Mika , Miyata Haruka , Shirai Manabu , Shimizu Kampei , Oka Mieko , Koseki Hirokazu , Abekura Yu , Ono Isao , Nozaki Kazuhiko , Mizutani Tohru , Aoki Tomohiro
Published: November 2020

Subarachnoid hemorrhage due to rupture of an intracranial aneurysm has a quite poor prognosis after the onset of symptoms, despite the modern technical advances. Thus, the mechanisms underlying the rupture of lesions should be clarified. To this end, we obtained gene expression profile data and identified the neutrophil-related enriched terms in rupture-prone lesions using Gene Ontology analysis. Next, to validate the role of neutrophils in the rupture of lesions, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) was administered to a rat model, in which more than half of induced lesions spontaneously ruptured, leading to subarachnoid hemorrhage. As a result, G-CSF treatment not only increased the number of infiltrating neutrophils, but also significantly facilitated the rupture of lesions. To clarify the mechanisms of how neutrophils facilitate this rupture, we used HL-60 cell line and found an enhanced collagenolytic activity, corresponding to matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), upon inflammatory stimuli. The immunohistochemical analyses revealed the accumulation of neutrophils around the site of rupture and the production of MMP9 from these cells in situ. Consistently, the collagenolytic activity of MMP9 could be detected in the lysate of ruptured lesions. These results suggest the crucial role of neutrophils to the rupture of intracranial aneurysms; implying neutrophils as a therapeutic or diagnostic target candidate.
Novel TMEM98, MFRP, PRSS56 variants in a large United States high hyperopia and nanophthalmos cohort
Authors: Prasov Lev , Guan Bin , Ullah Ehsan , Archer Steven M. , Ayres Bernadete M. , Besirli Cagri G. , Wiinikka-Buesser Laurel , Comer Grant M. , Del Monte Monte A. , Elner Susan G. , Garnai Sarah J. , Huryn Laryssa A. , Johnson Kayla , Kamat Shivani S. , Lieu Philip , Mian Shahzad I. , Rygiel Christine A. , Serpen Jasmine Y. , Pawar Hemant S. , Brooks Brian P. , Moroi Sayoko E. , Richards Julia E. , Hufnagel Robert B.
Published: November 2020

Nanophthalmos is a rare condition defined by a small, structurally normal eye with resultant high hyperopia. While six genes have been implicated in this hereditary condition (MFRP, PRSS56, MYRF, TMEM98, CRB1,VMD2/BEST1), the relative contribution of these to nanophthalmos or to less severe high hyperopia (≥ + 5.50 spherical equivalent) has not been fully elucidated. We collected probands and families (n = 56) with high hyperopia or nanophthalmos (≤ 21.0 mm axial length). Of 53 families that passed quality control, plausible genetic diagnoses were identified in 10/53 (18.8%) by high-throughput panel or pooled exome sequencing. These include 1 TMEM98 family (1.9%), 5 MFRP families (9.4%), and 4 PRSS56 families (7.5%), with 4 additional families having single allelic hits in MFRP or PRSS56 (7.5%). A novel deleterious TMEM98 variant (NM_015544.3, c.602G>C, p.(Arg201Pro)) segregated with disease in 4 affected members of a family. Multiple novel missense and frameshift variants in MFRP and PRSS56 were identified. PRSS56 families were more likely to have choroidal folds than other solved families, while MFRP families were more likely to have retinal degeneration. Together, this study defines the prevalence of nanophthalmos gene variants in high hyperopia and nanophthalmos and indicates that a large fraction of cases remain outside of single gene coding sequences.
Strip width ratio expansion with lowered N fertilizer rate enhances N complementary use between intercropped pea and maize
Authors: Hu Falong , Tan Yan , Yu Aizhong , Zhao Cai , Fan Zhilong , Yin Wen , Chai Qiang , Cao Weidong
Published: November 2020

Maize (Zea mays L.)/pea (Pisum sativum L.) strip intercropping is considered a promising cropping system to boost crop productivity. The 3-year (2009–2011) field experiment was conducted at Wuwei, northwest China, with two maize to pea strip width ratios (80:80 cm and 120:80 cm), each under three N fertilizer rates (0, 90 and 135 kg N ha−1 for pea, and 0, 300, and 450 kg N ha−1 for maize). The results showed that expanding maize to pea strip width ratio from 80:80 cm to 120:80 cm coupled with a reduction of N fertilizer rate intensified N competition and improved N compensation. The apparent N recovery and N utilization efficiency of intercropped pea with strip width ratio of 120:80 cm were increased by 8.0% and 8.9% compared to strip width ratio of 80:80 cm. Compared to high N rate, the two indicators of intercropped pea with lowered N rate were increased by 10.0% and 6.0%. For intercropped maize, the two indicators were increased by 6.8% and 5.1%, with strip width ratio of 120:80 cm compared to 80:80 cm. Also, they were improved by 9.7% and 11.5%, with lowered N rate compared to high N rate. Consequently, the grain yield of pea and maize in the 120:80 cm pattern was improved by 11.9% and 7.7% compared to 80:80 cm. We concluded that expanding maize to pea strip ratio coupled with N fertilizer reduction can optimize N complementary use.
Convolutional neuronal networks combined with X-ray phase-contrast imaging for a fast and observer-independent discrimination of cartilage and liver diseases stages
Authors: Stroebel Johannes , Horng Annie , Armbruster Marco , Mittone Alberto , Reiser Maximilian , Bravin Alberto , Coan Paola
Published: November 2020

We applied transfer learning using Convolutional Neuronal Networks to high resolution X-ray phase contrast computed tomography datasets and tested the potential of the systems to accurately classify Computed Tomography images of different stages of two diseases, i.e. osteoarthritis and liver fibrosis. The purpose is to identify a time-effective and observer-independent methodology to identify pathological conditions. Propagation-based X-ray phase contrast imaging WAS used with polychromatic X-rays to obtain a 3D visualization of 4 human cartilage plugs and 6 rat liver samples with a voxel size of 0.7 × 0.7 × 0.7 µm3 and 2.2 × 2.2 × 2.2 µm3, respectively. Images with a size of 224 × 224 pixels are used to train three pre-trained convolutional neuronal networks for data classification, which are the VGG16, the Inception V3, and the Xception networks. We evaluated the performance of the three systems in terms of classification accuracy and studied the effect of the variation of the number of inputs, training images and of iterations. The VGG16 network provides the highest classification accuracy when the training and the validation-test of the network are performed using data from the same samples for both the cartilage (99.8%) and the liver (95.5%) datasets. The Inception V3 and Xception networks achieve an accuracy of 84.7% (43.1%) and of 72.6% (53.7%), respectively, for the cartilage (liver) images. By using data from different samples for the training and validation-test processes, the Xception network provided the highest test accuracy for the cartilage dataset (75.7%), while for the liver dataset the VGG16 network gave the best results (75.4%). By using convolutional neuronal networks we show that it is possible to classify large datasets of biomedical images in less than 25 min on a 8 CPU processor machine providing a precise, robust, fast and observer-independent method for the discrimination/classification of different stages of osteoarthritis and liver diseases.
Extraction of flavanones from immature Citrus unshiu pomace: process optimization and antioxidant evaluation
Authors: Kim Dong-Shin , Lim Sang-Bin
Published: November 2020

Dietary guidelines recommend the consumption of flavonoid-rich extracts for several health benefits. Although immature Citrus unshiu pomace (ICUP) contains high levels of flavanone glycosides, many studies have concentrated on the optimization of flavonoid extraction from mature citrus peels. Therefore, we developed an optimized extraction method for hesperidin and narirutin from ICUP, and evaluated their antioxidant activities using ten different assay methods. The extraction conditions for the highest flavonoid yields based on a response surface methodology were 80.3 °C, 58.4% (ethanol concentration), 40 mL/g (solvent/feed), and 30 min, where the hesperidin and narirutin yields were 66.6% and 82.3%, respectively. The number of extractions was also optimized as two extraction steps, where the hesperidin and narirutin yields were 92.1% and 97.2%, respectively. Ethanol was more effective than methanol and acetone. The ethanol extract showed high scavenging activities against reactive oxygen species but relatively low scavenging activities for nitrogen radicals and reactive nitrogen species. The antioxidant activities showed a higher correlation with hesperidin content than narirutin content in the extracts. This study confirms the potential of an optimized method for producing antioxidant-rich extracts for the functional food and nutraceutical industries.
In-situ spatial and temporal electrical characterization of ZnO thin films deposited by atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition on flexible polymer substrates
Authors: Jones Alexander , Mistry Kissan , Kao Manfred , Shahin Ahmed , Yavuz Mustafa , Musselman Kevin P.
Published: November 2020

A technique is presented for collecting data on both the spatial and temporal variations in the electrical properties of a film as it is deposited on a flexible substrate. A flexible printed circuit board substrate with parallel electrodes distributed across its surface was designed. Zinc oxide films were then deposited on the flexible substrate at different temperatures via atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition (AP-CVD) using a spatial atomic layer deposition system. AP-CVD is a promising high-throughput thin film deposition technique with applications in flexible electronics. Collecting data on the film properties in-situ allows us to directly observe how deposition conditions affect the evolution of those properties in real-time. The spatial uniformity of the growing film was monitored, and the various stages of film nucleation and growth on the polymer substrate were observed. The measured resistance of the films was observed to be very high until a critical amount of material has been deposited, consistent with Volmer–Weber growth. Furthermore, monitoring the film resistance during post-deposition cooling enabled immediate identification of metallic or semiconducting behaviour within the conductive ZnO films. This technique allows for a more complete understanding of metal chalcogen film growth and properties, and the high volume of data generated will be useful for future implementations of machine-learning directed materials science.
Post-hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial on the impact of pre-transplant use of probiotics on outcomes after liver transplantation
Authors: Grąt M. , Grąt K. , Krawczyk M. , Lewandowski Z. , Krasnodębski M. , Masior Ł. , Patkowski W. , Zieniewicz K.
Published: November 2020

Perioperative use of probiotics serves as efficient prophylaxis against postoperative infections after liver transplantation, yet data on long-term effects of pre-transplant probiotic intake is lacking.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of pre-transplant probiotic administration on long-term results of liver transplantation. This was secondary analysis of a randomized trial. Patients were randomized to receive either 4-strain probiotic or placebo before liver transplantation. Five year graft survival was set as the primary end-point. Secondary end-points comprised serum bilirubin and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration, international normalized ratio (INR), serum transaminases and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity. Study group comprised 44 patients, of whom 21 received probiotics and 23 received placebo with 5-year graft survival of 81.0% and 87.0%, respectively (p = 0.591). Patients in the probiotic arm exhibited lower INR (p = 0.001) and CRP (p = 0.030) over the first 6 post-transplant months. In the absence of hepatitis B or C virus infection, pre-transplant administration of probiotics also reduced aspartate transaminase activity (p = 0.032). In the intervention arm, patients receiving probiotics for under and over 30 days had 5-year graft survival rates of 100% and 66.7%, respectively (p = 0.061). Duration of probiotic intake > 30 days was additionally associated with increased INR (p = 0.031), GGT (p = 0.032) and a tendency towards increased bilirubin (p = 0.074) over first 6 post-transplant months. Pre-transplant administration of probiotics has mild positive influence on 6-month allograft function, yet should not exceed 30 days due to potential negative effects on long-term outcomes. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01735591).
Agriculture increases the bioavailability of silicon, a beneficial element for crop, in temperate soils
Authors: Caubet M. , Cornu S. , Saby N. P. A. , Meunier J.-D.
Published: November 2020

Crops may take benefits from silicon (Si) uptake in soil. Plant available Si (PAS) can be affected by natural weathering processes or by anthropogenic forces such as agriculture. The soil parameters that control the pool of PAS are still poorly documented, particularly in temperate climates. In this study, we documented PAS in France, based on statistical analysis of Si extracted by CaCl2 (SiCaCl2) and topsoil characteristics from an extensive dataset. We showed that cultivation increased SiCaCl2 for soils developed on sediments, that cover 73% of France. This increase is due to liming for non-carbonated soils on sediments that are slightly acidic to acidic when non-cultivated. The analysis performed on non-cultivated soils confirmed that SiCaCl2 increased with the < 2 µm fraction and pH but only for soils with a < 2 µm fraction ranging from 50 to 325 g kg−1. This increase may be explained by the < 2 µm fraction mineralogy, i.e. nature of the clay minerals and iron oxide content. Finally, we suggest that 4% of French soils used for wheat cultivation could be deficient in SiCaCl2.
Minimally invasive system to reliably characterize ventricular electrophysiology from living donors
Authors: Oliván-Viguera Aida , Pérez-Zabalza María , García-Mendívil Laura , Mountris Konstantinos A. , Orós-Rodrigo Sofía , Ramos-Marquès Estel , Vallejo-Gil José María , Fresneda-Roldán Pedro Carlos , Fañanás-Mastral Javier , Vázquez-Sancho Manuel , Matamala-Adell Marta , Sorribas-Berjón Fernando , Bellido-Morales Javier André , Mancebón-Sierra Francisco Javier , Vaca-Núñez Alexánder Sebastián , Ballester-Cuenca Carlos , Marigil Miguel Ángel , Pastor Cristina , Ordovás Laura , Köhler Ralf , Diez Emiliano , Pueyo Esther
Published: November 2020

Cardiac tissue slices preserve the heterogeneous structure and multicellularity of the myocardium and allow its functional characterization. However, access to human ventricular samples is scarce. We aim to demonstrate that slices from small transmural core biopsies collected from living donors during routine cardiac surgery preserve structural and functional properties of larger myocardial specimens, allowing accurate electrophysiological characterization. In pigs, we compared left ventricular transmural core biopsies with transmural tissue blocks from the same ventricular region. In humans, we analyzed transmural biopsies and papillary muscles from living donors. All tissues were vibratome-sliced. By histological analysis of the transmural biopsies, we showed that tissue architecture and cellular organization were preserved. Enzymatic and vital staining methods verified viability. Optically mapped transmembrane potentials confirmed that action potential duration and morphology were similar in pig biopsies and tissue blocks. Action potential morphology and duration in human biopsies and papillary muscles agreed with published ranges. In both pigs and humans, responses to increasing pacing frequencies and β-adrenergic stimulation were similar in transmural biopsies and larger tissues. We show that it is possible to successfully collect and characterize tissue slices from human myocardial biopsies routinely extracted from living donors, whose behavior mimics that of larger myocardial preparations both structurally and electrophysiologically.
Designed ferritin nanocages displaying trimeric TRAIL and tumor-targeting peptides confer superior anti-tumor efficacy
Authors: Yoo Jae Do , Bae Sang Mun , Seo Junyoung , Jeon In Seon , Vadevoo Sri Murugan Poongkavithai , Kim Sang-Yeob , Kim In-San , Lee Byungheon , Kim Soyoun
Published: November 2020

TRAIL is considered a promising target for cancer therapy because it mediates activation of the extrinsic apoptosis pathway in a tumor-specific manner by binding to and trimerizing its functional receptors, DR4 or DR5. Although recombinant human TRAIL has shown high potency and specificity for killing cancer cells in preclinical studies, it has failed in multiple clinical trials for several reasons, including a very short half-life mainly caused by instability of the monomeric form of TRAIL and rapid renal clearance of the off-targeted TRAIL. To overcome such obstacles, we developed a TRAIL-active trimer nanocage (TRAIL-ATNC) that presents the TRAIL ligand in its trimer-like conformation by connecting it to a triple helix sequence that links to the threefold axis of the ferritin nanocage. We also ligated the tumor-targeting peptide, IL4rP, to TRAIL-ATNC to enhance tumor targeting. The developed TRAIL-ATNCIL4rP showed enhanced agonistic activity compared with monomeric TRAIL. The in vivo serum half-life of TRAIL-ATNCIL4rP was ~ 16-times longer than that of native TRAIL. As a consequence of these properties, TRAIL-ATNCIL4rP exhibited efficacy as an anti-tumor agent in vivo against xenograft breast cancer as well as orthotopic pancreatic cancer models, highlighting the promise of this system for development as novel therapeutics against cancer.
Effects of topographical guidance cues on osteoblast cell migration
Authors: Refaaq F. M. , Chen X. , Pang S. W.
Published: November 2020

Cell migration is a fundamental process that is crucial for many biological functions in the body such as immune responses and tissue regeneration. Dysregulation of this process is associated with cancer metastasis. In this study, polydimethylsiloxane platforms with various topographical features were engineered to explore the influence of guiding patterns on MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cell migration. Focusing on the guiding effects of grating patterns, variations such as etch depth, pattern discontinuity, and bending angles were investigated. In all experiments, MC3T3-E1 cells on patterned surfaces demonstrated a higher migration speed and alignment when compared to flat surfaces. The study revealed that an increase in etch depth from 150 nm to 4.5 μm enhanced cell alignment and elongation along the grating patterns. In the presence of discontinuous elements, cell migration speed was accelerated when compared to gratings of the same etch depth. These results indicated that cell directionality preference was influenced by a high level of pattern discontinuity. On patterns with bends, cells were more inclined to reverse on 45° bends, with 69% of cells reversing at least once, compared to 54% on 135° bends. These results are attributed to cell morphology and motility mechanisms that are associated with surface topography, where actin filament structures such as filopodia and lamellipodia are essential in sensing the surrounding environment and controlling cell displacement. Knowledge of geometric guidance cues could provide a better understanding on how cell migration is influenced by extracellular matrix topography in vivo.
Multiplexed quantitative proteomics provides mechanistic cues for malaria severity and complexity
Authors: Kumar Vipin , Ray Sandipan , Aggarwal Shalini , Biswas Deeptarup , Jadhav Manali , Yadav Radha , Sabnis Sanjeev V. , Banerjee Soumaditya , Talukdar Arunansu , Kochar Sanjay K. , Shetty Suvin , Sehgal Kunal , Patankar Swati , Srivastava Sanjeeva
Published: November 2020

Management of severe malaria remains a critical global challenge. In this study, using a multiplexed quantitative proteomics pipeline we systematically investigated the plasma proteome alterations in non-severe and severe malaria patients. We identified a few parasite proteins in severe malaria patients, which could be promising from a diagnostic perspective. Further, from host proteome analysis we observed substantial modulations in many crucial physiological pathways, including lipid metabolism, cytokine signaling, complement, and coagulation cascades in severe malaria. We propose that severe manifestations of malaria are possibly underpinned by modulations of the host physiology and defense machinery, which is evidently reflected in the plasma proteome alterations. Importantly, we identified multiple blood markers that can effectively define different complications of severe falciparum malaria, including cerebral syndromes and severe anemia. The ability of our identified blood markers to distinguish different severe complications of malaria may aid in developing new clinical tests for monitoring malaria severity.
Probing the structure of nanodiscs using surface-induced dissociation mass spectrometry
Authors: Harvey Sophie R. , VanAernum Zachary L. , Kostelic Marius M. , Marty Michael T. , Wysocki Vicki H.
Published: November 2020

Nanodiscs have emerged as a promising membrane mimetic, and have been utilized in native mass spectrometry studies. Here we use surface-induced dissociation to study the structure of nanodiscs in the gas-phase.
An efficient and ultrastable single-Rh-site catalyst on a porous organic polymer for heterogeneous hydrocarboxylation of olefins
Authors: Yuan Qiao , Song Xiangen , Feng Siquan , Jiang Miao , Yan Li , Li Jingwei , Ding Yunjie
Published: November 2020

A heterogeneous hydrocarboxylation process of olefins to carboxylic acids catalyzed by a superbly stable single-Rh-site catalyst is first reported.
Computational and experimental investigation of Co and S-doped Ni2P as an efficient electrocatalyst for acid mediated proton exchange membrane hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Ghadge Shrinath Dattatray , Velikokhatnyi Oleg I. , Datta Moni K. , Shanthi Pavithra M. , Kumta Prashant N.
Published: November 2020

DFT study illuminating modification of the electronic structure and corresponding experimental validation of the enhanced acid mediated HER activity of Co and S doped Ni2P.
Poly-anthraquinone sulfide isomers as electrode materials for extended operating temperature organic batteries
Authors: Flamme Benjamin , Jismy Badr , Abarbri Mohamed , Anouti Mérièm
Published: November 2020

Three polyanthraquinone sulfide (PAQS) isomers were synthesized, characterized and included in a comparative study of electrochemical performances as organic material cathodes.
Organocatalytic ring-opening polymerization of cyclotrisiloxanes using silanols as initiators for the precise synthesis of asymmetric linear polysiloxanes
Authors: Fuchise Keita , Kobayashi Toshiaki , Sato Kazuhiko , Igarashi Masayasu
Published: November 2020

Organocatalytic controlled/living ring-opening polymerization of cyclotrisiloxanes using silanol initiators and guanidine catalysts produced various asymmetric linear polysiloxanes with controlled structures.
Chemo-enzymatic synthesis of a levoglucosenone-derived bi-functional monomer and its ring-opening metathesis polymerization in the green solvent Cyrene™
Authors: Fadlallah Sami , Peru Aurélien A. M. , Longé Lionel , Allais Florent
Published: November 2020

The levoglucosenone-based norbornenes family was extended to include a new bi-functional methacrylate monomer that, upon ROMP in Cyrene™, leads to polymers with pendent methacrylate moieties which can be modified by post-polymerization reactions.
Synthesis of a palladium based MOF via an effective post-synthetic modification approach and its catalytic activity towards Heck type coupling reactions
Authors: Parshamoni Srinivasulu , Nasani Rajendar , Paul Abhik , Konar Sanjit
Published: November 2020

The complete exchange of metal nodes in a MOF with the Pd(ii) ions was done without losing the structural integrity. The new MOF turned out to be an excellent catalyst for the C–C bond formation via un-reacted cleavage C–N bond of arylhydrazines.
Ruthenium catalyzed α-methylation of sulfones with methanol as a sustainable C1 source
Authors: Song Dingguo , Chen Linlin , Li Yujin , Liu Tao , Yi Xiao , Liu Lei , Ling Fei , Zhong Weihui
Published: November 2020

Methylation of sulfones bearing an α-CH bond can be easily achieved via a one-step, Ru(ii) catalyzed redox neutral reaction using methanol as a sustainable C1 building block.
Synthesis of C3-alkylated benzofurans via palladium-catalyzed regiocontrolled hydro-furanization of unactivated alkenes
Authors: Zhu Chi-Fan , Gao Cong-Hui , Hao Wen-Juan , Zhu Yi-Long , Tu Shu-Jiang , Wang De-Cai , Jiang Bo
Published: November 2020

A new chelation-controlled hydrofuranization of unactivated olefins with α-alkynyl arylols is reported for the first time, and used to produce a wide range of C3-alkylated benzofurans with generally good yields under mild conditions.
Cooperative nanoparticle self-assembly and photothermal heating in a flexible plasmonic metamaterial
Authors: Phan Anh D. , Lam Vu D. , Wakabayashi Katsunori
Published: November 2020

We theoretically investigate equilibrium behaviors and photothermal effects of a flexible plasmonic metamaterial composed of aramid nanofibers and gold nanoparticles.
Facile and low-cost synthesis of a novel dopant-free hole transporting material that rivals Spiro-OMeTAD for high efficiency perovskite solar cells
Authors: Abdellah Islam M. , Chowdhury Towhid H. , Lee Jae-Joon , Islam Ashraful , Nazeeruddin Mohamad K. , Gräetzel Michael , El-Shafei Ahmed
Published: November 2020

A Spiro fluorene-based dopant-free hole-transporting material named Spiro-IA has been designed and developed as an alternative to commercial Spiro-OMeTAD for more effective perovskite solar cells (PSCs).
The effect of cation size on hydride-ion conduction in LnSrLiH2O2 (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd) oxyhydrides
Authors: Matsui Naoki , Hinuma Yoyo , Iwasaki Yuki , Suzuki Kota , Guangzhong Jiang , Nawaz Haq , Imai Yumiko , Yonemura Masao , Hirayama Masaaki , Kobayashi Genki , Kanno Ryoji
Published: November 2020

Larger lanthanide ions result in a greater barrier to H− migration in LnSrLiH2O2 because a large ξ requires a greater deviation from the optimum Li–H distance at the saddle point.
N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone-promoted crystallization of MEL zeolite and its acceleration mechanism
Authors: Yang Chuanyu , Zhao Dongpu , Chu Weifeng , Wang Yanan , Li Xiujie , Xie Sujuan , Xin Wenjie , Zhu Xiangxue , Liu Shenglin , Xu Longya
Published: November 2020

NMP can break the hydration layer around TBA+ and aluminosilicate and reduce the apparent nucleation activation energy, thus accelerating nucleation.
Fruit-battery-inspired self-powered stretchable hydrogel-based ionic skin that works effectively in extreme environments
Authors: Wang Qinhua , Pan Xiaofeng , Zhang Hui , Cao Shilin , Ma Xiaojuan , Huang Liulian , Chen Lihui , Ni Yonghao
Published: November 2020

Self-powered stretchable hydrogel-based ionic skin inspired by fruit batteries is shown to work effectively in extreme environments.
Unveiling hot carrier relaxation and carrier transport mechanisms in quasi-two-dimensional layered perovskites
Authors: Lin Dabin , Ma Lin , Ni Wenjun , Wang Cheng , Zhang Fangteng , Dong Huafeng , Gurzadyan Gagik G. , Nie Zhaogang
Published: November 2020

Ultrafast sub-ps hot carrier relaxation followed by subsequent ps carrier transport from layered 2D to 3D-like perovskite phases is demonstrated.
The metal halide structure and the extent of distortion control the photo-physical properties of luminescent zero dimensional organic-antimony(iii) halide hybrids
Authors: Biswas Anupam , Bakthavatsalam Rangarajan , Mali Bhupendra P. , Bahadur Vir , Biswas Chinmoy , Raavi Sai Santosh Kumar , Gonnade Rajesh G. , Kundu Janardan
Published: November 2020

The structural tunability of 0D Sb Cl based hybrid perovskites and the underlying structural distortion mechanism affecting their emissive properties (PL emission energy, PLQY, Stokes shift) are demonstrated here.
Grain size control for high-performance formamidinium-based perovskite solar cells via suppressing heterogenous nucleation
Authors: Xu Xiaoxiao , Sun Yuhai , He Dingchao , Liang Zheng , Liu Guozhen , Xu Shendong , Li Zhaoqian , Zhu Liangzheng , Pan Xu
Published: November 2020

By introducing ED and TAP into precursor solution, homogeneous nucleation is encouraged to occur and films with large grain size and lower defect density were obtained.
Water content control during solution-based polymerization: a key to reach extremely high conductivity in PEDOT thin films
Authors: Schultheiss Amélie , Carella Alexandre , Pouget Stéphanie , Faure-Vincent Jérôme , Demadrille Renaud , Revaux Amélie , Simonato Jean-Pierre
Published: November 2020

A careful control of the water content during PEDOT polymerization allow to reach extremely high electrical conductivity.
Zum Beitrag Heudorf et al.
Die Schuleingangsuntersuchung:
Versuch einer Evaluation
durch Befragung von
Eltern, Kinderärzten und
Schulen. Das Gesundheitswesen
2020; DOI:
10.1055/a-1205–0948
Authors: Weigl Josef A.I. , König Christina , Fischenbeck Anke
Published: November 2020

Zu allererst gilt Heudorf et al. Dank für die Versachlichung der nicht immer
professionell geführten Diskussion rund um die SEU. Die SEU als
Eingangspforte für Forschung ist nicht nur theoretisch möglich,
sondern wurde im Rahmen des epidemiologischen Forschungsnetzwerkes zu
Atemwegsinfektionen bei Kindern, PIDARI.net (1999–2005 vom BMBF
gefördert) bereits belegt 1. In
Zusammenarbeit zwischen dem Forschungsnetzwerk, Standort Kiel, und dem KJGD
Schleswig-Holstein wurden zwischen 1999 und 2002 drei Einschulungskohorten in
Schleswig-Holstein zur ambulant-erworbenen Pneumonie erforscht. Die Publikation von
Weigl et al. 2003 ist Resultat und Beispiel einer möglichen, fruchtbaren
Zusammenarbeit zwischen universitärer Forschung und dem ÖGD und bis
heute eine der umfassendsten Arbeiten zum Thema 2.
Extensions of the worm-like-chain model to tethered active filaments under tension
Authors: Liao Xinyu , Purohit Prashant K. , Gopinath Arvind
Published: November 2020

Intracellular elastic filaments such as microtubules are subject to thermal Brownian noise and active noise generated by molecular motors that convert chemical energy into mechanical work. Similarly, polymers in living fluids such as bacterial suspensions and swarms suffer bending deformations as they interact with single bacteria or with cell clusters. Often, these filaments perform mechanical functions and interact with their networked environment through cross-links or have other similar constraints placed on them. Here, we examine the mechanical properties—under tension—of such constrained active filaments under canonical boundary conditions motivated by experiments. Fluctuations in the filament shape are a consequence of two types of random forces—thermal Brownian forces and activity derived forces with specified time and space correlation functions. We derive force-extension relationships and expressions for the mean square deflections for tethered filaments under various boundary conditions including hinged and clamped constraints. The expressions for hinged–hinged boundary conditions are reminiscent of the worm-like-chain model and feature effective bending moduli and mode-dependent non-thermodynamic effective temperatures controlled by the imposed force and by the activity. Our results provide methods to estimate the activity by measurements of the force-extension relation of the filaments or their mean square deflections, which can be routinely performed using optical traps, tethered particle experiments, or other single molecule techniques.