bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Label-free thermoacoustic imaging of human blood vessels in vivo
Authors: Zheng Zhu , Huang Lin , Jiang Huabei
Published: December 2018

Here, we demonstrate that thermoacoustic imaging (TAI) is able to image human blood vessels in vivo without the use of any contrast agent. By optimizing the polarization direction of the antenna used, the microwave energy deposition in blood vessels is significantly enhanced, allowing the in vivo acquisition of thermoacoustic vascular images. Specifically, the fore arms of two adult male volunteers were imaged, and the blood vessels 5.5 mm below the skin in the forearm were recovered by TAI in both cross- and sagittal sections. Ultrasound imaging was used to cross-validate the images of blood vessels thermoacoustically imaged. The results obtained suggest that TAI may have the potential to become a new tool for examining vascular diseases.
Development of a dual beamlet monitor system for negative ion beam measurements
Authors: Haba Y. , Nagaoka K. , Tsumori K. , Kisaki M. , Nakano H. , Ikeda K. , Fujiwara Y. , Kamio S. , Yoshimura S. , Osakabe M.
Published: December 2018

To evaluate negative ion beam properties, a dual beamlet monitor system has been developed. The dual beamlet monitor system has two diagnostics in one hexagonal box. One diagnostic is a “fast beamlet monitor” for measuring the time evolution of beamlet current profiles with the time resolution of up to 25 MHz. The other diagnostic is a “pepper-pot-type phase space analyzer,” which is applied for the evaluation of a phase space structure of the negative ion beamlet. The dual beamlet monitor system is applied to the measurement of the beamlet in the Neutral Beam Test Stand at National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS-NBTS), in which the beam accelerator is almost identical to those of working beam injectors in the large helical device. It is demonstrated that the overlapping components from the neighboring beamlet can be eliminated, and the phase space structure can be obtained for the single beamlet.
Low temperature preparation of HfO2/SiO2 stack structure for interface dipole modulation
Authors: Miyata Noriyuki
Published: December 2018

In this study, we found that stable interface dipole modulation (IDM) is possible for HfO2/1-monolayer TiO2/SiO2 stack structures prepared by using a low temperature annealing process of about 300 °C. We investigated in detail the impact of thermal annealing on IDM characteristics. Even samples fabricated by post metallization annealing (PMA) below 200 °C exhibit the switching, and their width increases until the PMA temperature exceeds 300 °C. This temperature dependence shows a good correlation with a reduction in the sub-oxide component of interfacial Ti oxide caused by thermal annealing, suggesting that the formation of Ti-O bonds at the HfO2/SiO2 interface contributes to IDM. The experimental results observed in this study support the IDM mechanism based on the Ti-O bond breakage/repair process.
Wavelet methods for studying the onset of strong plasma turbulence
Authors: Le A. , Roytershteyn V. , Karimabadi H. , Stanier A. , Chacon L. , Schneider K.
Published: December 2018

Recent simulations have demonstrated that coherent current sheets dominate the kinetic-scale energy dissipation in strong turbulence of magnetized plasma. Wavelet basis functions are a natural tool for analyzing turbulent flows containing localized coherent structures of different spatial scales. Here, wavelets are used to study the onset and subsequent transition to fully developed turbulence from a laminar state. Originally applied to neutral fluid turbulence, an iterative wavelet technique decomposes the field into coherent and incoherent contributions. In contrast to Fourier power spectra, finite time Lyapunov exponents, and simple measures of intermittency such as non-Gaussian statistics of field increments, the wavelet technique is found to provide a quantitative measure for the onset of turbulence and to track the transition to fully developed turbulence. The wavelet method makes no assumptions about the structure of the coherent current sheets or the underlying plasma model. Temporal evolution of the coherent and incoherent wavelet fluctuations is found to be highly correlated (a Pearson correlation coefficient of >0.9) with the magnetic field energy and plasma thermal energy, respectively. The onset of turbulence is identified with the rapid growth of a background of incoherent fluctuations spreading across a range of scales and a corresponding drop in the coherent components. This is suggestive of the interpretation of the coherent and incoherent wavelet fluctuations as measures of coherent structures (e.g., current sheets) and dissipation, respectively. The ratio of the incoherent to coherent fluctuations Ric is found to be fairly uniform in the turbulent state across different plasma models and provides an empirical threshold of ∼0.1 for turbulence onset. The utility of this technique is illustrated through examples. First, it is applied to the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability from different simulation models including fully kinetic, hybrid (kinetic ion/fluid electron), and Hall MHD simulations. Second, the wavelet diagnostic is applied to the development of turbulence downstream of the bowshock in a global magnetosphere simulation. Finally, the wavelet technique is also shown to be useful as a de-noising method for particle simulations.
Universality of Poisson-driven plasma fluctuations in the Alcator C-Mod scrape-off layer
Authors: Theodorsen A. , Garcia O. E. , Kube R. , LaBombard B. , Terry J. L.
Published: December 2018

Large-amplitude, intermittent fluctuations are ubiquitous in the boundary region of magnetically confined plasmas and lead to detrimental plasma-wall interactions in next-generation, high duty cycle fusion power experiments. Using gas puff imaging data time series from the scrape-off layer in the Alcator C-Mod device, it is here demonstrated that the large-amplitude fluctuations can be described as a super-position of pulses with a fixed shape and a constant duration. By applying a new deconvolution algorithm on the data time series with a two-sided exponential pulse function, the arrival times and amplitudes of the pulses can be estimated, and the measurement time series can be reconstructed with high accuracy. The pulse amplitudes are shown to follow an exponential distribution. The waiting times between pulses are uncorrelated, their distribution has an exponential tail, and the number of arrivals is a linear function of time. This demonstrates that pulse arrivals follow a homogeneous Poisson process. Identical statistical properties apply to both ohmic and high confinement mode plasmas, clearly demonstrating the universality of the fluctuation statistics in the boundary region of Alcator C-Mod.
Improved thermoelectric property of Ti0.75HfMo0.25CrGe by doping Ti2CrGe Heusler alloy with Hf and Mo: Confirmation of entropy “gene” in thermoelectric materials design
Authors: Ma Hongran , Li Jia , Yang Guang , Yang Yanmin , Mao Xiujuan , Li Congcong , Yin Fuxing
Published: December 2018

The electronic structure, thermoelectric properties, and thermodynamic entropy of Ti2CrGe-doped Ti0.75HfMo0.25CrGe were investigated using first-principles calculations in combination with the semi-classical Boltzmann transport theory and a common thermodynamic formalism. The band structure was half-metallic with a narrow gap of 0.02 eV in the spin-down channel and metallic character in the spin-up channel. The calculated thermoelectric transport properties revealed that Ti0.75HfMo0.25CrGe exhibited a larger thermoelectric figure of merit ZT with a lower lattice thermal conductivity than its prototype alloy Ti2CrGe. In particular, the entropy of Ti0.75HfMo0.25CrGe was larger than that of Ti2CrGe in the temperature range of 0–1000 K. These results indicate that increasing the entropy is an effective approach for the design of high-performance thermoelectric materials and confirm the entropy “gene” in thermoelectric materials.
ZnO grown on graphene gives off greater ultraviolet emission
Authors: Patrick Chris
Published: December 2018

The high crystallinity of ZnO along with surface plasmon activity of graphene enhances photoluminescence emission of zinc oxide nanorods grown on graphene.
Metformin inhibits human spermatozoa motility and signalling pathways mediated by protein kinase A and tyrosine phosphorylation without affecting mitochondrial function
Authors: Calle-Guisado V. , Gonzalez-Fernandez L. , Martin-Hidalgo D. , Garcia-Marin L. J. , Bragado M. J.
Published: December 2018

Metformin is a leading antidiabetic drug that is used worldwide in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. This biguanide exerts metabolic and pleiotropic effects in somatic cells, although its invitro actions on human spermatozoa remain unknown. The present study investigated the effects of metformin on human sperm function. Human spermatozoa were incubated in the presence or absence of 10mM metformin for 8 or 20h, and motility was measured by computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA); other parameters were evaluated by flow cytometry. Metformin significantly reduced the percentage of motile, progressive and rapid spermatozoa and significantly decreased sperm velocity. Metformin did not affect viability, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) or mitochondrial superoxide anion generation of human spermatozoa at any time studied. However, metformin clearly inhibited the protein kinase (PK) A pathway and protein tyrosine phosphorylation at 8 and 20h, key regulatory pathways for correct sperm function. In summary, metformin treatment of human spermatozoa had a detrimental effect on motility and inhibited essential sperm signalling pathways, namely PKA and protein tyrosine phosphorylation, without affecting physiological parameters (viability, MMP, mitochondrial superoxide anion generation). Given the growing clinical use of metformin in different pathologies in addition to diabetes, this study highlights an adverse effect of metformin on spermatozoa and its relevance in terms of human fertility in patients who potentially could be treated with metformin in the future.
Optical signatures of Dirac nodal lines in NbAs
2
Authors: Shao Yinming , Sun Zhiyuan , Wang Ying , Xu Chenchao , Sankar Raman , Breindel Alexander J. , Cao Chao , Fogler Michael M. , Millis Andrew J. , Chou Fangcheng , Li Zhiqiang , Timusk Thomas , Maple M. Brian , Basov D. N.
Published: December 2018

Significance

The 3D nodal points in Dirac and/or Weyl semimetals are in the vanguard of quantum materials research. A hallmark of these systems is the linear band dispersion. This latter electronic stricture gives rise to unconventional transport and optical phenomena. Here, we demonstrate that solids with dispersive nodal lines in the electronic structure share many common aspects with the response of 3D nodal-points systems. We investigated

N
b
A
s

2

using a combination of optical and magneto-optical techniques and have identified electromagnetic signature of dispersive nodal lines. This particular compound has allowed us to inquire the impact of spin-orbit coupling on the universal characteristic of nodal metals.
TP53INP1 deficiency maintains murine B lymphopoiesis in aged bone marrow through redox-controlled IL-7R/STAT5 signaling
Authors: Zidi Bochra , Vincent-Fabert Christelle , Pouyet Laurent , Seillier Marion , Vandevelde Amelle , N’guessan Prudence , Poplineau Mathilde , Guittard Geoffrey , Mancini Stéphane J. C. , Duprez Estelle , Carrier Alice
Published: December 2018

Significance

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a role in signaling in immune cells, in particular in B cell activation and terminal differentiation in secondary lymphoid organs. Nevertheless, their role in B cell development in the bone marrow (BM) still remains poorly explored. TP53INP1 is a target of the tumor suppressor p53, which mediates its antioxidant activity. We report the surprising observation that chronic oxidative stress in TP53INP1-deficient mice rescues B lymphopoiesis in the BM during aging. ROS sustain IL-7R signaling in aged TP53INP1-deficient BM through maintenance of active STAT5 transcription factor, driving the expression of the B lineage Pax5 transcription factor. This work suggests that antioxidants cannot be in favor of antibody-producing cell development.
Plasma kallikrein modulates immune cell trafficking during neuroinflammation via PAR2 and bradykinin release
Authors: Göbel Kerstin , Asaridou Chloi-Magdalini , Merker Monika , Eichler Susann , Herrmann Alexander M. , Geuß Eva , Ruck Tobias , Schüngel Lisa , Groeneweg Linda , Narayanan Venu , Schneider-Hohendorf Tilman , Gross Catharina C. , Wiendl Heinz , Kehrel Beate E. , Kleinschnitz Christoph , Meuth Sven G.
Published: December 2018

Significance

Transendothelial trafficking of immune cells into the central nervous system (CNS) is a pathophysiological hallmark of neuroinflammatory disorders like multiple sclerosis (MS). Recent evidence suggests that the coagulation and kallikrein-kinin cascade might participate in this process. Here, we identify plasma kallikrein (KK) as a direct modulator of blood–brain barrier function in a protease-activated receptor-2–dependent manner, amplifying leukocyte trafficking into the CNS. Consequently, a deficiency of plasma prekallikrein (PK), the precursor of KK, renders mice less susceptible to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (model of MS). Furthermore, PK levels were markedly enhanced in CNS lesions of MS patients. In summary, our study indicates that KK inhibition can decrease cell invasion during neuroinflammation and may offer a strategy to combat MS.
Bax inhibitor 1 is a γ-secretase–independent presenilin-binding protein
Authors: Wu Shenjie , Song Wenqi , Wong Catherine C. L. , Shi Yigong
Published: December 2018

Significance

β-amyloid is regarded by some scientists to be the cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). One of the strongest arguments against this hypothesis is the presence of hundreds of AD-causing mutations in presenilin, but none in the other three components of γ-secretase. This observation implies a γ-secretase–independent function of presenilin. To understand such a putative function, discovery of presenilin-binding proteins represents an important first step. In this study, we report the identification of Bax-inhibitor 1 (BI1) as a stable interacting partner of presenilin 1 (PS1), but not the intact γ-secretase. Our results link PS1 to BI1, a protein thought to play a role in apoptosis and calcium channel regulation. This finding opens a range of possibilities for the investigation of PS1 function and AD genesis.
Structural and thermodynamic limits of layer thickness in 2D halide perovskites
Authors: Soe Chan Myae Myae , Nagabhushana G. P. , Shivaramaiah Radha , Tsai Hsinhan , Nie Wanyi , Blancon Jean-Christophe , Melkonyan Ferdinand , Cao Duyen H. , Traoré Boubacar , Pedesseau Laurent , Kepenekian Mikaël , Katan Claudine , Even Jacky , Marks Tobin J. , Navrotsky Alexandra , Mohite Aditya D. , Stoumpos Constantinos C. , Kanatzidis Mercouri G.
Published: December 2018

Significance

Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites are exciting new solar cell materials. In 2D perovskites, the 3D structure is spatially interrupted by a layer of intercalated ions, which may alter both stability and functionality. A major question concerns the limit to which the 2D architecture can be maintained as the thickness of the layers increases. A combination of synthetic chemistry, crystallography, and spectroscopy was used to obtain and identify the thickest 2D halide perovskite characterized to date, having seven layers. Experimentally measured enthalpies of formation as a function of layer thickness show systematic behavior and that higher homologues are energetically unstable, placing a limit on the number of layers possible in a single-phase 2D perovskite. Their application in photovoltaics is discussed.
Catalytic activation of glycosyl phosphates for stereoselective coupling reactions
Authors: Levi Samuel M. , Li Qiuhan , Rötheli Andreas R. , Jacobsen Eric N.
Published: December 2018

Significance

Despite their dominant role as electrophiles in biosynthetic pathways promoted by enzymes, organic phosphates are rarely employed in laboratory synthesis, because phosphates are generally very poor leaving groups. Here we report that a bis-thiourea catalyst promotes β-selective glycosylation reactions of phosphate donors under mild, neutral conditions. The catalytic method enables glycosylation of peptides, complex natural products, and pharmaceutical agents bearing a variety of reactive functionalities, thereby representing an important step toward enabling convenient access to glycosylated chemical matter of interest to synthetic chemists and chemical biologists.
Trends and patterns in the contributions to cumulative radiative forcing from different regions of the world
Authors: Murphy D. M. , Ravishankara A. R.
Published: December 2018

Significance

The cumulative radiative forcing (CRF), an integral of radiative forcing over a given time, is used to calculate the contribution to the global mean net radiative forcing due to greenhouse gases and aerosols from various regions. For every region, the commitment to future radiative forcing from emissions already in the atmosphere is larger than that to date. For individual regions, the CRF is near zero during rapid industrialization and it increases when air-quality regulations come in and/or exponential growth ceases, a pattern repeated by North America, Europe, and China. The relative contributions from regions depends more on when the contributions are compared (e.g., now or 2100) and development scenarios than the metric used (i.e., CRF, ocean heat content, or temperature).
Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived MGE cell grafting after status epilepticus attenuates chronic epilepsy and comorbidities via synaptic integration
Authors: Upadhya Dinesh , Hattiangady Bharathi , Castro Olagide W. , Shuai Bing , Kodali Maheedhar , Attaluri Sahithi , Bates Adrian , Dong Yi , Zhang Su-Chun , Prockop Darwin J. , Shetty Ashok K.
Published: December 2018

Significance

This study provides evidence that human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) cell grafting into the hippocampus after status epilepticus can greatly reduce the frequency of spontaneous seizures in the chronic phase through both antiepileptogenic and antiepileptic effects. The antiepileptogenic changes comprised reductions in host interneuron loss, abnormal neurogenesis, and aberrant mossy fiber sprouting, whereas the antiepileptic effects were evident from an increased occurrence of seizures after silencing of graft-derived interneurons. Additional curative impacts of grafting comprised improved cognitive and mood function. The results support the application of autologous human MGE cell therapy for temporal lobe epilepsy. Autologous cell therapy is advantageous as such a paradigm can avoid immune suppression and promote enduring graft–host integration.
Diversity partitioning in Phanerozoic benthic marine communities
Authors: Hofmann Richard , Tietje Melanie , Aberhan Martin
Published: December 2018

Biotic interactions such as competition, predation, and niche construction are fundamental drivers of biodiversity at the local scale, yet their long-term effect during earth history remains controversial. To test their role and explore potential limits to biodiversity, we determine within-habitat (alpha), between-habitat (beta), and overall (gamma) diversity of benthic marine invertebrates for Phanerozoic geological formations. We show that an increase in gamma diversity is consistently generated by an increase in alpha diversity throughout the Phanerozoic. Beta diversity drives gamma diversity only at early stages of diversification but remains stationary once a certain gamma level is reached. This mode is prevalent during early- to mid-Paleozoic periods, whereas coupling of beta and gamma diversity becomes increasingly weak toward the recent. Generally, increases in overall biodiversity were accomplished by adding more species to local habitats, and apparently this process never reached saturation during the Phanerozoic. Our results provide general support for an ecological model in which diversification occurs in successive phases of progressing levels of biotic interactions.
Activity-dependent brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling is required for the antidepressant actions of (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine
Authors: Fukumoto Kenichi , Fogaça Manoela V. , Liu Rong-Jian , Duman Catharine , Kato Taro , Li Xiao-Yuan , Duman Ronald S.
Published: December 2018

Significance

A metabolite of ketamine, (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine [(2R,6R)-HNK], produces rapid and sustained antidepressant effects in animal models but without the side effects of ketamine. Notably, (2R,6R)-HNK does not block the NMDA receptor, the primary target of ketamine. Here, we demonstrate that the antidepressant effects of (2R,6R)-HNK require activity dependent release of BDNF that is mediated by stimulation of voltage-dependent Ca2+channels. Importantly, increased BDNF release leads to activation of downstream TrkB and mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 signaling that increases synaptic function of pyramidal neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex. Stimulation of BDNF release and increased synaptic function block or reverse the detrimental effects of stress and depression and thereby underlie the antidepressant actions of (2R,6R)-HNK.
Disparate impact on CD4 T cell count by two distinct HIV-1 phylogenetic clusters from the same clade
Authors: Song Hongshuo , Ou Weidong , Feng Yi , Zhang Junli , Li Fan , Hu Jing , Peng Hong , Xing Hui , Ma Liying , Tan Qiuxiang , Li Dongliang , Wang Lijuan , Wu Beili , Shao Yiming
Published: December 2018

HIV-1 evolved into various genetic subtypes and circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) in the global epidemic. The same subtype or CRF is usually considered to have similar phenotype. Being one of the world’s major CRFs, CRF01_AE infection was reported to associate with higher prevalence of CXCR4 (X4) viruses and faster CD4 decline. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We identified eight phylogenetic clusters of CRF01_AE in China and hypothesized that they may have different phenotypes. In the National HIV Molecular Epidemiology Survey, we discovered that people infected by CRF01_AE cluster 4 had significantly lower CD4 counts (391 vs. 470,
P
< 0.0001) and higher prevalence of X4-using viruses (17.1% vs. 4.4%,
P
< 0.0001) compared with those infected by cluster 5. In an MSM cohort, X4-using viruses were only isolated from seroconvertors in cluster 4, which was associated with low a CD4 count within the first year of infection (141 vs. 440,
P
= 0.003). Using a coreceptor binding model, we identified unique V3 signatures in cluster 4 that favor CXCR4 use. We demonstrate that the HIV-1 phenotype and pathogenicity can be determined at the phylogenetic cluster level in the same subtype. Since its initial spread to humans from chimpanzees, estimated to be the first half of the 20th century, HIV-1 continues to undergo rapid evolution in larger and more diverse populations. The divergent phenotype evolution of two major CRF01_AE clusters highlights the importance of monitoring the genetic evolution and phenotypic shift of HIV-1 to provide early warning of the appearance of more pathogenic strains.
Dorsal striatal dopamine D1 receptor availability predicts an instrumental bias in action learning
Authors: de Boer Lieke , Axelsson Jan , Chowdhury Rumana , Riklund Katrine , Dolan Raymond J. , Nyberg Lars , Bäckman Lars , Guitart-Masip Marc
Published: December 2018

Significance

The brain’s dopaminergic pathways are crucially important for adaptive behavior. They are thought to enable us to approach rewards and stay away from punishments. During learning, dopaminergic reward prediction errors are thought to reinforce previously rewarded actions, so they become easier to repeat. This dopaminergic activity could lead to a systematic bias by which rewarded actions are more readily learned than rewarded inactions. We present two findings. First, dopamine receptors in cortex, dorsal striatum, and nucleus accumbens provide distinct sources of variance in the human brain. Second, the boost in an individual’s learning rate from previously rewarded actions is dependent on the dopamine receptor density in dorsal striatum, a central structure in the dopaminergic circuit.
LncRNA FOXC2-AS1 protects cardiomyocytes from doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity through activation of WNT1-inducible signaling pathway protein-1
Authors: Zhang Shenwei , Yuan Yiqiang , Zhang Zheng , Guo Jing , Li Jing , Zhao Kui , Qin Yanping , Qiu Chunguang
Published: December 2018

Doxorubicin (Dox) is an anthracycline antibiotic that has been used to treat different cancers. Dox-induced cardiotoxicity is common in clinical practice, while its mechanism is unknown. It has been proved that lncRNA FOXC2-AS1 may promote doxorubicin resistance and WNT1-inducible signaling pathway protein-1 (WISP1) blocks doxorubicin-induced cardiomyocyte death. Our study aimed to investigate the involvement of lncRNA FOXC2-AS1 and WISP1 in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity and to explore their interactions. In our study we observed that FOXC2-AS1 and WISP1 mRNA were downregulated in heart tissues of mice with Dox-induced cardiotoxicity. FOXC2-AS1 and WISP1 mRNA expression were positively correlated in mice with Dox-induced cardiotoxicity but not in healthy mice. Overexpression of FOXC2-AS1 promoted to viability of mice cardiomyocytes under Dox treatment and also increased the expression level of WISP1. In contrast, WISP1 overexpression showed no significant effect on FOXC2-AS1. We therefore conclude that lncRNA FOXC2-AS1 may upregulate WISP1 to protect cardiomyocytes from doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.
City Reputation Indicators (CRIs): measuring inhabitants’ city representation / Indicadores de Reputación Urbana: midiendo la representación de una ciudad en sus habitantes
Authors: Bonaiuto Marino , Ariccio Silvia , De Dominicis Stefano , Fornara Ferdinando , Molinario Erica , Troffa Renato , Wang Haoxing
Published: December 2018

Reputation is a socially mediated form of knowledge. In social psychology it has been studied with reference to different social actors (individuals, brands, cities, etc). However, the social-psychological conceptualization of city reputation lacks a consensual definition. This research aims to operationally define city reputation, via the construction and validation of the City Reputation Indicators (CRIs). The first and preliminary study ( N = 62) defines the underlying dimensions via six focus groups held in two Italian cities that differ in terms of their political/administrative and socio-demographic features. The second study ( N = 362) tests the properties of CRIs via a survey administered in Rome. Results show a first validation of the 12 CRIs’ scales, which represent a basic tool for the assessment of people’s perception of a city. Theoretical and applied implications are discussed, as well as development perspectives for improvements.
Asymmetric division through a reduction of microtubule centering forces
Authors: Sallé Jérémy , Xie Jing , Ershov Dmitry , Lacassin Milan , Dmitrieff Serge , Minc Nicolas
Published: December 2018

Asymmetric divisions are essential for the generation of cell fate and size diversity. They implicate cortical domains where minus end–directed motors, such as dynein, are activated to pull on microtubules to decenter asters attached to centrosomes, nuclei, or spindles. In asymmetrically dividing cells, aster decentration typically follows a centering phase, suggesting a time-dependent regulation in the competition between microtubule centering and decentering forces. Using symmetrically dividing sea urchin zygotes, we generated cortical domains of magnetic particles that spontaneously cluster endogenous dynein activity. These domains efficiently attract asters and nuclei, yielding marked asymmetric divisions. Remarkably, aster decentration only occurred after asters had first reached the cell center. Using intracellular force measurement and models, we demonstrate that this time-regulated imbalance results from a global reduction of centering forces rather than a local maturation of dynein activity at the domain. Those findings define a novel paradigm for the regulation of division asymmetry.
Unlocking the gating mechanism of Kv2.1 using guangxitoxin
Authors: Navarro Marco A. , Milescu Lorin S. , Milescu Mirela
Published: December 2018

Navarro et al discuss new work using the gating-modifier toxin GxTx to investigate the molecular mechanism of Kv2.1 channel gating.
Agricultural Productivity and Forest Conservation: Evidence from the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Koch Nicolas , zu Ermgassen Erasmus K.H.J. , Wehkamp Johanna , Oliveira Filho Francisco J.B. , Schwerhoff Gregor
Published: December 2018

A mix of public policy and market interventions in the mid‐2000s led to historic reductions in deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. The collateral impact of these forest conservation policies on agricultural production is still poorly understood, though evidence is sorely needed given the economic importance of agriculture in Brazil and many other forest‐rich countries. We construct a ten‐year panel dataset for agriculture and deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon (2004–2014), and use two complementary difference‐in‐difference strategies to estimate the causal effect of one of Brazil's flagship anti‐deforestation strategies, the Priority List (Municípios Prioritários), on agricultural production and productivity in three sectors: beef, dairy, and crop production. We find no evidence for trade‐offs between agriculture and forest conservation. Rather, reductions in deforestation in priority municipalities were paired with increases in cattle production and productivity (cattle/hectare), consistent with a model where policy‐induced decreases in the value of clearing new land cause credit‐constrained farmers to shift investments from deforestation to capital investments in farming. The policy had no consistent effect on dairy or crop production. Our results suggest that in regions with large yield gaps and where technologies for increasing yields are readily available, efforts to constrain agricultural expansion through improved forest conservation policies may induce intensification.
Arabidopsis species deploy distinct strategies to cope with drought stress
Authors: Bouzid M , He F , Schmitz G , Häusler R E , Weber A P M , Mettler-Altmann T , De Meaux J
Published: December 2018

Background and Aims

Water limitation is an important determinant of the distribution, abundance and diversity of plant species. Yet, little is known about how the response to limiting water supply changes among closely related plant species with distinct ecological preferences. Comparison of the model annual species Arabidopsis thaliana with its close perennial relatives A. lyrata and A. halleri, can help disentangle the molecular and physiological changes contributing to tolerance and avoidance mechanisms, because these species must maintain tolerance and avoidance mechanisms to increase long-term survival, but they are exposed to different levels of water stress and competition in their natural habitat.

Methods

A dry-down experiment was conducted to mimic a period of missing precipitation. The covariation of a progressive decrease in soil water content (SWC) with various physiological and morphological plant traits across a set of representative genotypes in A. thaliana, A. lyrata and A. halleri was quantified. Transcriptome changes to soil dry-down were further monitored.

Key Results

The analysis of trait covariation demonstrates that the three species differ in the strategies they deploy to respond to drought stress. Arabidopsis thaliana showed a drought avoidance reaction but failed to survive wilting. Arabidopsis lyrata efficiently combined avoidance and tolerance mechanisms. In contrast, A. halleri showed some degree of tolerance to wilting but it did not seem to protect itself from the stress imposed by drought. Transcriptome data collected just before plant wilting and after recovery corroborated the phenotypic analysis, with A. lyrata and A. halleri showing a stronger activation of recovery- and stress-related genes, respectively.

Conclusions

The response of the three Arabidopsis species to soil dry-down reveals that they have evolved distinct strategies to face drought stress. These strategic differences are in agreement with the distinct ecological priorities of the stress-tolerant A. lyrata, the competitive A. halleri and the ruderal A. thaliana.
Overcoming Suicidal Persons’ Resistance Using Productive Communicative Challenges during Police Crisis Negotiations
Authors: Sikveland Rein Ove , Kevoe-Feldman Heidi , Stokoe Elizabeth
Published: December 2018

This paper reveals how negotiators, from the police and emergency call centres, overcome resistance towards the negotiation from suicidal persons in crisis. Communication guidance to hostage and crisis negotiators recommends against challenging the person in crisis, focusing instead on a softer, rapportful approach. Using conversation analysis, we investigate how negotiators deal with resistance, turn by turn, in encounters collected from British police negotiators’ field recordings, and American police 9-1-1 dispatch telephone calls. In contrast to existing communication guidance, we show that and how challenges can be productive for bringing about positive shifts in suicidal persons’ behaviour. We demonstrate how negotiators challenge the reasoning in their interlocutors’ resistant responses and leverage these challenges productively in the next turn. By studying real (rather than hypothetical or simulated) negotiations, the study reveals the tacit expertise of negotiators and the communicative practices that optimize negotiation outcomes. These research findings have significant implications for existing communication guidance showing how negotiations are managed locally through the linguistic design of turns of talk.
KinVis: a visualization tool to detect cryptic relatedness in genetic datasets
Authors: Ullah Ehsan , Aupetit Michaël , Das Arun , Patil Abhishek , Al Muftah Noora , Rawi Reda , Saad Mohamad , Bensmail Halima
Published: December 2018

Motivation

It is important to characterize individual relatedness in terms of familial relationships and underlying population structure in genome-wide association studies for correct downstream analysis. The characterization of individual relatedness becomes vital if the cohort is to be used as reference panel in other studies for association tests and for identifying ethnic diversities. In this paper, we propose a kinship visualization tool to detect cryptic relatedness between subjects. We utilize multi-dimensional scaling, bar charts, heat maps and node-link visualizations to enable analysis of relatedness information.

Availability and implementation

Available online as well as can be downloaded at http://shiny-vis.qcri.org/public/kinvis/.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
DNABarcodeCompatibility: an R-package for optimizing DNA-barcode combinations in multiplex sequencing experiments
Authors: Trébeau Céline , Boutet de Monvel Jacques , Wong Jun Tai Fabienne , Petit Christine , Etournay Raphaël
Published: December 2018

Using adequate DNA barcodes is essential to unambiguously identify each DNA library within a multiplexed set of libraries sequenced using next-generation sequencers. We introduce DNABarcodeCompatibility, an R-package that allows one to design single or dual-barcoding multiplex experiments by imposing desired constraints on the barcodes (including sequencer chemistry, barcode pairwise minimal distance and nucleotide content), while optimizing barcode frequency usage, thereby allowing one to both facilitate the demultiplexing step and spare expensive library-preparation kits. The package comes with a user-friendly interface and a web app developed in Java and Shiny (https://dnabarcodecompatibility.pasteur.fr), respectively, with the aim to help bridge the expertise of core facilities with the experimental needs of non-experienced users.

Availability and implementation

DNABarcodeCompatibility can be easily extended to fulfil specific project needs. The source codes of the R-package and its user interfaces are publicly available along with documentation at [https://github.com/comoto-pasteur-fr] under the GPL-2 licence.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Idealism and the Harmony of Thought and Reality
Authors: Hofweber Thomas
Published: December 2018

Although idealism was widely defended in the history of philosophy, it is nowadays almost universally considered a non-starter. This holds in particular for a strong form of idealism, which asserts that not just minds or the mental in general, but our human minds in particular are metaphysically central to reality. Such a view seems to be excessively anthropocentric and contrary to what we by now know about our place in the universe. Nonetheless, there is reason to think that such a strong form of idealism is indeed correct. In this paper, I will present an argument for idealism of this kind through considerations about a harmony between our thought and reality. The central argument in favour of idealism will come from a possibly unexpected source: we can see that a strong form of idealism is true simply from considerations about our language alone. I shall argue that thinking about how we represent reality allows us to conclude that idealism is true, and thus that reality must be a certain way. But no argument of this kind seems to allow for a metaphysical conclusion like idealism, since considerations about our language alone only show how we represent reality, not how reality is. And thus idealism can’t possibly follow, since it concerns how reality is, not just how we represent it to be. A good part of the second half of the paper is devoted to showing how such an argument is possible after all, and that it really does establish idealism.
RW Doradus: A solar-type shallow contact binary with a new orbital period investigation
Authors: Sarotsakulchai Thawicharat , Qian Sheng-Bang , Soonthornthum Boonrucksar , Fernández Lajús Eduardo , Liu Nian-Ping , Zhou Xiao , Zhang Jia , Liao Wen-Ping , Reichart Daniel E , Haislip Joshua B , Kouprianov Vladimir V , Poshyachinda Saran
Published: December 2018

New CCD photometric light curves of the short-period (P = 0.285 d) eclipsing binary RW Dor are presented. The observations were performed with the PROMPT-8 robotic telescope at CTIO in Chile between 2015 March and 2017 March. Other eclipse timings were obtained from the 2.15 m JS telescope at CASLEO, San Juan, Argentina in 2011 December. Based on a light curve analysis, it is found that RW Dor is a W-type shallow contact binary with a fill-out factor f ∼ 11% and a high mass ratio q ∼ 1.587 (1/q = 0.63), where the hotter component is the less massive one (M1 ∼ 0.52 M⊙ and M2 ∼ 0.82 M⊙). For orbital-period investigation, 15 new eclipse times and those previously published were compiled. O − C analysis with very weak evidence suggests that a long-term decrease in period with a rate of dP/dt = −9.61 × 10−9 d yr−1 is superimposed on a cyclic variation (A3 = 0.0054 d and P3 = 49.9 yr). The long-term decrease can be interpreted as mass transfer from the more massive component to the less massive one, or combined with angular momentum loss via magnetic braking. In addition, the marginal contact phase, high mass ratio (1/q > 0.4), and long-term decrease in period all suggest that RW Dor is a newly formed contact binary via Case A mass transfer, and it will evolve into a deeper normal contact binary. If the cyclic change is correct, the light travel-time effect via the presence of a cool third body will be a more plausible explanation for this.
Augustan Allusion: Quotation and Self-Quotation in Pope’s Odyssey
Authors: Calvert Ian
Published: December 2018

The status of Pope’s Homer as a text which engages with numerous seventeenth-century poems and translations of classical epics is well established. Much of the criticism on this topic has so far focused on Pope’s use of Paradise Lost and Dryden’s Works of Virgil. This article contends that Pope’s use of other writers in the translation, including Denham and Waller, has been under-appreciated. I examine some previously unacknowledged borrowings from Denham and Waller in Pope’s Odyssey and relate them to Pope’s use of Milton and Dryden. I suggest that, within the context of direct quotation of whole verse-lines, Pope was himself responsible for privileging the presence of certain seventeenth-century authors in his Homer translations over others. The quotations of complete lines from Milton and Dryden are designed as ‘outward-looking’, but those from Denham and Waller are more ‘inward-looking’ and represent moments where he is reflecting privately on the main characteristics of their allusive strategies. Pope acknowledges that where Denham’s primary intertextual relationship was with Waller, the key source for Waller himself was his own early poetry. Waller’s early poems had, in turn, frequently drawn on works by other poets, and I outline how, in his Homer translations, Pope too repeats certain quotations frequently enough that they begin to function as self-quotations. I subsequently connect this technique to Pope’s readiness to repeat lines across his Iliad and Odyssey that are (largely) of his own invention to suggest that, in general, Pope’s allusive poetics follow Waller’s intertextual practice more closely than those of his other antecedents.
The Elasticity of Intergenerational Substitution, Parental Altruism, and Fertility Choice
Authors: Carlos Córdoba Juan , Ripoll Marla
Published: December 2018

Dynastic models common in macroeconomics use a single parameter to control the willingness of individuals to substitute consumption both intertemporally, or across periods, and intergenerationally, or across parents and their children. This article defines the concept of elasticity of intergenerational substitution (EGS), and extends a standard dynastic model in order to disentangle the EGS from the EIS, or elasticity of intertemporal substitution. A calibrated version of the model lends strong support to the notion that the EGS is significantly larger than one. In contrast, estimates of the EIS suggests that it is at most one. What disciplines the identification is the need to match empirically plausible fertility rates for the U.S. We illustrate the potential role of the EGS in macroeconomics.
S VALUES FOR NEUROIMAGING PROCEDURES ON KOREAN PEDIATRIC AND ADULT HEAD COMPUTATIONAL PHANTOMS
Authors: Villoing Daphnée , Lee Ae-Kyoung , Choi Hyung-do , Lee Choonsik
Published: December 2018

Over the past decades, the application of single-photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography in neuroimaging has markedly increased. In the current study, we used a series of Korean computational head phantoms with detailed cranial structures for 6-, 9-, 12-, 15-y-old children and adult and a Monte Carlo transport code, MCNPX, to calculate age-dependent specific absorbed fraction (SAF) for mono-energetic electrons ranging from 0.01 to 4 MeV and S values for seven radionuclides widely used in nuclear medicine neuroimaging for the combination of ten source and target regions. Compared to the adult phantom, the 6-y phantom showed up to 1.7-fold greater SAF (cerebellum < cerebellum) and up to 1.4-fold greater S values (vitreous body < lens) for 123I. The electron SAF data, combined with our previous photon SAF data, will facilitate absorbed dose calculations for various cranial structures in patients undergoing neuroimaging procedures.
Physiologic colonic fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake may predict response to immunotherapy in patients with metastatic melanoma
Authors: Boursi Ben , Werner Thomas J. , Gholami Saeid , Margalit Ofer , Baruch Erez , Markel Gal , Eshet Yael , Houshmand Sina , Shacham-Shmueli Einat , Mitchell Tara C. , Mamtani Ronac , Alavi Abass , Yang Yu-Xiao
Published: December 2018

The gut microbiota impacts response to immunotherapy in cancer patients. We sought to evaluate the role of physiologic colonic fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) uptake, a test that was recently shown to reflect colonic bacterial load, as a possible predictor for response to immunotherapy. We carried out a retrospective study in metastatic melanoma patients who received the immune checkpoint inhibitor ipilimumab as first-line therapy. All patients underwent an 18F-FDG PET scan before treatment initiation. The primary outcome was defined as response to treatment according to the RECIST criteria. Regions of interest were drawn on each transaxial slice around the outer boundaries of the colon. Uptake was measured using maximum and mean standardized uptake value (SUV). A nonparametric test was used to compare SUV between response groups. The study included 14 melanoma patients, of whom two (14.3%) achieved a complete response (CR) following treatment, eight (57.1%) achieved a partial response (PR), and four (28.6%) developed progressive disease (PD). The mean SUVmax was 1.33±0.04, 2.2±0.46, and 3.33±2.67 for individuals with CR, PR, and PD, respectively. The difference between individuals with CR and those without CR (PR or PD) in total colonic SUVmax was statistically significant (P=0.03). Thus, physiologic colonic 18F-FDG uptake may predict CR to immunotherapy in metastatic melanoma patients.
Premature Desquamation of the Inner Root Sheath in Noninflamed Hair Follicles as a Specific Marker for Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia
Authors: Tan Timothy , Guitart Joan , Gerami Pedram , Yazdan Pedram
Published: December 2018

Background:

Premature desquamation of the inner root sheath (PDIRS) is considered one of the distinctive features in central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA). However, PDIRS can be seen in other alopecia subtypes, and its utility in the diagnosis of CCCA has been debated. We aimed to examine a large cohort of alopecia cases for the presence of PDIRS in association with and without inflammation to determine whether PDIRS in noninflamed follicles can be used as a specific marker of CCCA.

Methods:

Retrospective analysis was performed on 501 histologically unambiguous cases of alopecia (111 of CCCA, 102 of lichen planopilaris, 62 of discoid lupus erythematosus, 16 of acne keloidalis nuchae, 27 of folliculitis decalvans, 80 of androgenetic alopecia, 97 of alopecia areata, and 6 of psoriatic alopecia). The frequency of PDIRS, including cases with and without inflammation, was determined.

Results:

PDIRS was identified in all alopecia subtypes evaluated. When PDIRS was identified in lichen planopilaris, discoid lupus erythematosus, acne keloidalis nuchae, and alopecia areata, 100% of cases were in inflamed follicles. PDIRS in noninflamed follicles occurred in 73% (81/111) of CCCA, 33% (2/6) of psoriatic alopecia, 11% (3/27) of folliculitis decalvans, and 1% (1/97) of androgenetic alopecia. The presence of PDIRS in at least one noninflamed hair follicle correlated with a diagnosis of CCCA with a sensitivity of 73% and a specificity of 98% (P-value <0.0001).

Conclusion:

Identifying PDIRS in noninflamed hair follicles is a useful histologic feature in the evaluation of scalp biopsies and seems to be relatively specific for CCCA.