bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On intrinsic and extrinsic rational approximation to Cantor sets
Authors: SCHLEISCHITZ JOHANNES
Published: February 2020

We establish various new results on a problem proposed by Mahler [Some suggestions for further research. Bull. Aust. Math. Soc.29 (1984), 101–108] concerning rational approximation to fractal sets by rational numbers inside and outside the set in question. Some of them provide a natural continuation and improvement of recent results of Broderick, Fishman and Reich, and Fishman and Simmons. A key feature is that many of our new results apply to more general, multi-dimensional fractal sets and require only mild assumptions on the iterated function system. Moreover, we provide a non-trivial lower bound for the distance of a rational number $p/q$ outside the Cantor middle-third set $C$ to the set $C$, in terms of the denominator $q$. We further discuss patterns of rational numbers in fractal sets. We highlight two of them: firstly, an upper bound for the number of rational (algebraic) numbers in a fractal set up to a given height (and degree) for a wide class of fractal sets; and secondly, we find properties of the denominator structure of rational points in ‘missing-digit’ Cantor sets, generalizing claims of Nagy and Bloshchitsyn.
Constitutional Identity in Europe: The Identity of the Constitution. A Regional Approach
Authors: Drinóczi Tímea
Published: February 2020

The issue of “constitutional identity” is a topic the relevance of which emerges in contemporary constitutional democracies in the context of constitutional changes. It has already attracted multilayered approaches, but its legal conceptualization is still underexposed. Based on regional European jurisprudence and doctrinal works, “constitutional identity” in a legal context is suggested to be viewed as the “identity of the constitution.” The identity of the constitution is found among provisions of constitutional texts and related jurisprudence that specifically and exclusively feature a status that was constituted during the constitution-making process and shaped by either formal or informal constitutional amendments. The legally applicable “identity of the constitution” comprises those articles that can be employed vis-à-vis EU law and unconstitutional amendments, and which are arguably intended to be applied in the face of international human rights obligations. It is posited that Germany and Hungary exemplify the “confrontational with EU law model,” while the model that emerged in the jurisprudence of the Italian Constitutional Court should be called the “cooperative model with embedded identity.” Today, it seems that the very content of the identity of the constitution of a particular Member State may be shaped and preserved through an active and cooperative dialogue between the supranational and national courts, if there is an inclination to find uniqueness in a community based on common legal traditions and values—Germany and Italy. Another way of determining the content of “constitutional identity” is to fiercely try to demonstrate that uniqueness. This is what Hungary seems to be engaged in, and that is why it may be proposed to call the Hungarian model a model of confrontational individualistic detachment.
LOSS AVERSION AND RISK-SEEKING IN KOREA–JAPAN RELATIONS
Authors: You Chaekwang , Kim Wonjae
Published: February 2020

Since Korea's transition to democracy in 1987, Korean leaders have become increasingly confrontational toward Japan, with such steps ranging from verbal threats filled with hawkish rhetoric to material threats, such as displays of military force and threats of actually using it. To explain South Korean leaders’ hawkish approach to Japan, we build a theory of “prospective diversion” by combining insights from the diversionary theory of international conflict and prospect theory. We argue that foreign policy leaders have a strong tendency to overvalue political losses relative to comparable gains in their approval ratings. As a result, they are inclined to take risk-seeking diplomatic actions toward foreign adversary to avoid further losses. By conducting statistical analyses and developing case studies of Korean leaders’ confrontational policy decisions regarding Japan, we present empirical findings consistent with our hypothesis that Korean leaders are inclined to engage in prospective diversion toward Japan when they suffer domestic losses. This article provides an enhanced understanding of the domestic political foundation of South Korean leaders’ increasingly contentious attitude toward Japan.
High sugar-sweetened beverage intake frequency is associated with smoking, irregular meal intake and higher serum uric acid in Taiwanese adolescents
Authors: Shih Y. H. , Chang H. Y. , Wu H. C. , Stanaway F. F , Pan W. H.
Published: February 2020

Types of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) can differ greatly between countries, with greater consumption of sweetened tea in Asia. This study aimed to understand changes in SSB consumption by adolescents in Taiwan over 18 years and their association with demographic characteristics and clinical outcome. This study used survey data from the 1993–1996 and 2010–2011 Nutrition and Health Surveys in Taiwan. Participants were high school students aged 13 to 18 years. Data were weighted and analysed using SUDAAN 11.0 and SAS 9.4. Participants were asked about intake frequencies of SSB and were grouped into four different SSB intake groups based on the combination of high or low frequency (including moderate frequency) of intake of sweetened tea and soda/sports/energy drinks. Results indicated over 99 % of teens reported having at least one SSB in the past week. Smoking status was significantly associated with SSB intake types with high tea intake (high tea and low soda (HL) group, OR 7·56, P < 0·001; high tea and high soda (HH) group, OR 9·96, P < 0·001). After adjustment for potential confounders, adolescents in the low tea and high soda (LH) group (β = 0·05, P = 0·034) had significantly higher mean serum uric acid values. In conclusion, sugary tea remains the SSB of choice for Taiwanese adolescents. Those with a frequent intake of soda/sports/energy drinks had a higher chance of being hyperuricaemic.
Disproportionality in media representations of campaign negativity
Authors: Nyhuis Dominic , Song Hyunjin , Boomgaarden Hajo
Published: February 2020

We explore mediated representations of parties' campaign interactions in multi-party systems. Actors in multi-party systems can engage with different actors on multiple issues. One crucial aspect of such engagement is the element of negativity—voicing criticisms of other actors' actions and policy proposals. This contribution argues that the media systematically exaggerate patterns of negativity based on issue ownership structures, such that attacks originating from or targeting issue owners are significantly more likely to be covered. We analyze a broad sample of news content from the 2013 Austrian national election campaign with generalized exponential random graph models to capture the complexities of mediated campaign negativity in a multi-party system while controlling for non-mediated campaign negativity. The results show that issue owners are more likely to be featured as attackers and targets in owned policy domains, suggesting a violation of the normative ideal of a fair representation of campaign interactions.
Assessment of anthelmintic efficacy against cattle gastrointestinal nematodes in western France and southern Italy
Authors: Chartier C. , Ravinet N. , Bosco A. , Dufourd E. , Gadanho M. , Chauvin A. , Charlier J. , Maurelli M.P. , Cringoli G. , Rinaldi L.
Published: February 2020

Our objective was to measure the efficacy of ivermectin (IVM) and benzimidazoles (BZ, i.e. fenbendazole and albendazole) in 15 cattle farms in western France and southern Italy. A total of 11 groups were treated with IVM and 11 with BZ. Efficacy was assessed by calculating the percentage of faecal egg count reduction (%FECR) using the pre- and post-treatment arithmetic means. Anthelmintic resistance was considered to be present when the %FECR was <95% and the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval <90%. For IVM, the percentages of FECR ranged from 73% to 100%. Lack of efficacy to IVM was detected in two farms out of four in France, but was not detected in any of the seven farms in Italy. For BZ, the percentages of FECR ranged from 95% to 100%. No case of BZ resistance was detected in the five farms in France and the six farms in Italy.
SELF-OWNERSHIP AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HUMAN BODY
Authors: Carter Ian
Published: February 2020

In this essay I attempt to vindicate the “asymmetry thesis,” according to which ownership of one’s own body is intrinsically different from ownership of other objects, and the view that self-ownership, as libertarians normally understand the concept, enjoys a special “fact-insensitive” status as a fundamental right. In particular, I argue in favor of the following claims. First, the right of self-ownership is most plausibly understood as based on the more fundamental notion of respect for persons, where the concept of a person is in turn understood, along the lines set out by P. F. Strawson and P. M. S. Hacker, as referring to an entire biological organism with a certain set of mental and corporeal characteristics. If we restrict our attention to human persons, we can say on this basis that there is a special moral status attaching to the entire human body, and to no more than the human body. Second, self-ownership is not, as critics have sometimes supposed, based on a more fundamental right to equal freedom or autonomy. Criticisms of self-ownership as insufficiently justified on the basis of such rights are therefore off target. Rather, equal freedom and self-ownership are each based directly on the more fundamental notion of respect for persons. For left-libertarians, the asymmetry thesis serves to give priority to self-ownership when delineating a set of original property rights, given that there are many alternative ways of realizing equal freedom not all of which involve fully respecting people’s property rights in themselves.
SELF-OWNERSHIP AND DESPOTISM: LOCKE ON PROPERTY IN THE PERSON, DIVINE DOMINIUM OF HUMAN LIFE, AND RIGHTS-FORFEITURE
Authors: Olsthoorn Johan
Published: February 2020

This essay explores the meaning and normative significance of Locke’s depiction of individuals as proprietors of their own person. I begin by reconsidering the long-standing puzzle concerning Locke’s simultaneous endorsement of divine proprietorship and self-ownership. Befuddlement vanishes, I contend, once we reject concurrent ownership in the same object: while God fully owns our lives, humans are initially sole proprietors of their own person. (Our property rights in our life and body are restricted to possession, use, and usufruct.) Locke employs two conceptions of “personhood”: as expressing legal independence vis-à-vis humans and moral accountability vis-à-vis God. Humans own their person in the first sense. As original proprietors of their own person, individuals are entitled to subject themselves to self-chosen authorities, thereby incurring obligations of obedience. But they may not choose just any authority. Divine ownership of human life delimits personal self-ownership by restricting the ways in which humans can dispose of their persons: we cannot possibly consensually subject ourselves to absolute and arbitrary power. Locke’s rights-forfeiture theory for crime makes slavery and despotism nonetheless potentially rightful conditions. I argue that, paradoxically, divine dominium of human life underpins both the impermissibility of voluntary enslavement and the justifiability of penal slavery. My analysis helps explain why modern Lockean theories of self-ownership that reject Locke’s theological premises have adopted an ambiguous stance toward despotic rule.
Crystal structure of 1-propanethiol–Co2(dobdc) from laboratory X-ray powder diffraction data
Authors: Lefton Jonathan B. , Pekar Kyle B. , Sethio Daniel , Kraka Elfi , Runčevski Tomče
Published: February 2020

Laboratory X-ray powder diffraction was used to solve and refine the crystal structures of appended guest molecules within the pores of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). Herein, we report the crystal structure of 1-propanethiol adsorbed in the pores of Co2(dobdc) (dobdc4– = 2,5-dioxido-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate, MOF-74). Soaking the activated MOF in neat 1-propanethiol resulted in the formation of 1-propanethiol–Co2(dobdc). The thiol appendant MOF maintained the crystal symmetry, with a rhombohedral space group R-3 and unit-cell parameters a = 25.9597(9) Å, c = 6.8623(5) Å, and V = 4005.0(4) Å3. As expected, the thiol sulfur formed a bond with the open cobalt metal site. The alkane chain was directed toward the center of the pore, participating in numerous van der Waals weak interactions with neighboring molecules. For the final Rietveld refinement, soft restrains were applied using bond distances obtained by periodic density functional theory (DFT) geometry optimization.
Ventricular tachycardia recorded in a competitive swimmer using Confirm Rx™ loop recorder
Authors: Yoon Justin G. , Snyder Christopher S. , Hoyt Walter J.
Published: February 2020

Conventional ambulatory heart rhythm monitoring is limited in its ability to provide rapid diagnosis of arrhythmias in athletes participating in water or high-intensity sports. This case report is of a 17-year-old female competitive swimmer who underwent loop recorder implantation with Confirm Rx™ ICM 3500 (Abbott, Minneapolis, MN) to monitor for arrhythmias during swimming. The purpose of this case report is to describe the utility of implantable loop recorders in arrhythmia diagnosis and symptom evaluation in water sport athletes.
TECHNOLOGICAL ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY AND DEVELOPMENT STAGE: DISENTANGLING BARRIERS TO RICHES
Authors: Fuentes J. Rodrigo , Mies Verónica
Published: February 2020

Adoption of better technologies is a crucial way for developing countries to close productivity gaps with leading economies. However, the possibility of growing through technological adoption depends decisively on the country’s absorptive capacity. We build a theoretical model of technology adoption that focuses on four factors that shape the countries’ technological absorptive capacity, namely: (i) years of education; (ii) quality of the educational system; (iii) barriers that impede the entry and exit of firms; and (iv) the institutions that enhance or impede the diffusion of new technologies. We calibrate the model for a sample of 86 economies. The USA is our benchmark leading economy. We disentangle the relative weight of each development factor in explaining per capita income differences and study patterns in relationships between the type of development barrier and the level of development. Our results show that in relative terms, years of education and education system quality along with high barriers to opening new firms are the main impediments that middle- to high-income economies face in closing the gap with the USA. Education as a whole (quality plus years of education) explains 50% of the gap between high-income countries (HICs) and the USA, while the entry costs account for nearly 25% of this gap. A remarkable result is the small effect that individual reforms have on steady-state productivity in low-income countries (LICs). Outside of institutional framework, the remaining three factors are individually responsible for less than 15% of the gap. This result is explained by poor global absorptive capacity that reduces the effect of each factor when implemented individually. In fact, there are significant nonlinearities between development level and the effects of individual reforms, which are due to the strong complementarities between the different development factors.
Connexin 43 Knockdown Induces Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Affects Early Developmental Competence in Porcine Embryos
Authors: Shin Kyung-Tae , Nie Zheng-Wen , Zhou Wenjun , Zhou Dongjie , Kim Ju-Yeon , Ock Sun A. , Niu Ying-Jie , Cui Xiang-Shun
Published: February 2020

Connexin 43 (CX43) is a component of gap junctions. The lack of functional CX43 induces oxidative stress, autophagy, and apoptosis in somatic cells. However, the role of CX43 in the early development of porcine embryos is still unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of CX43, and its underlying molecular mechanisms, on the developmental competence of early porcine embryos. We performedCX43knockdown by microinjecting dsRNA into parthenogenetically activated porcine parthenotes. The blastocyst development rate and the total number of cells in the blastocysts were significantly reduced byCX43knockdown. Results from FITC-dextran assays showed thatCX43knockdown significantly increased membrane permeability. ZO-1 protein was obliterated inCX43knockdown blastocysts. Mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP production were significantly reduced followingCX43knockdown. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were significantly increased in theCX43knockdown group compared to those in control embryos. Moreover,CX43knockdown induced autophagy and apoptosis. Our findings indicate thatCX43is essential for the development and preimplantation of porcine embryos and maintains mitochondrial function, cell junction structure, and cell homeostasis by regulating membrane permeability, ROS generation, autophagy, and apoptosis in early embryos.
Immigration policy and perception impacts on SNAP access and eligibility: a view from the field
Authors: Pino Lisa J.
Published: February 2020

The former Deputy Administrator of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) nutrition assistance program summarizes her experiences as the lead policy official for the program during the Great Recession under President Obama, specifying observations on how immigration impacts SNAP access for SNAP-eligible clients.
Defending the Faith? Assessing the Impact of State Religious Exclusivity on Territorial MID Initiation
Authors: Zellman Ariel , Fox Jonathan
Published: February 2020

Interstate conflicts involving religion are commonly argued to be more severe and more protracted than other forms of conflict. Although various arguments have sought to explain religion's apparent contributions to global violence, few consider the foreign policy goals over which religious actors actually fight. This article does so by examining whether religiously-exclusive states tend to militarize interstate territorial disputes (MIDs) over issues of strategic material or identity salience. Insofar as religiously-exclusive states seek to “defend the faith” against internal and external challengers, identity-salient disputes should be a particularly attractive target for militarization. We however find the opposite. Although religiously-exclusive states do initiate territorial MIDs more frequently than their secular counterparts, they are significantly more likely to do so owing to disputed territories' strategic rather than symbolic value. These results challenge accepted wisdom regarding religion's influence on international conflict and suggest critical new avenues for research.
Environment influences sugarbeet tolerance to S-metolachlor
Authors: Lueck Andrew B. , Peters Thomas J. , Lystad Alexa L.
Published: February 2020

Herbicides used in sugarbeet are commonly adapted from other row crops and may cause injury and yield loss often associated with environmental and edaphic factors. Glyphosate-resistant waterhemp in sugarbeet requires a PRE herbicide, such as S-metolachlor, for its control. The objectives of this research were to evaluate sugarbeet tolerance to PRE S-metolachlor, including air temperature and soil water content interactions with soil series in field and growth chamber experiments. Results from field experiments conducted in 12 environments in 2015, 2016, and 2017 indicated 2.16 or 4.32 kg ai ha−1S-metolachlor applied PRE reduced sugarbeet density and stature but did not reduce root yield, sucrose content, or recoverable sucrose compared with the untreated control in environments with soils with less than 3.5% organic matter (OM) and receiving greater than 40-mm cumulative rainfall within 14 d after planting. In the growth chamber, sugarbeet density and shoot fresh weight following S-metolachlor application was influenced by soil moisture content, air temperature, and soil series but not by S-metolachlor rate. Sugarbeet density and shoot fresh weight were reduced 15% and 106%, respectively, when S-metolachlor was applied to a Glyndon sandy loam (2.6% OM, 9.5% clay) at 100% field capacity (FC) and 14 C compared with S-metolachlor application to a Fargo silty clay (7.7% OM and 54% clay) at 100% FC and 21 C. It is concluded that field selection, rather than herbicide rate, is an important criterion for managing sugarbeet tolerance with S-metolachlor.
Response of soybean and corn to halauxifen-methyl
Authors: Quinn Jessica , Soltani Nader , Ashigh Jamshid , Hooker David C. , Robinson Darren E. , Sikkema Peter H.
Published: February 2020

Preplant (PP) herbicide applications are an important tool within an integrated weed management system, specifically in no-till production. An understanding of crop tolerance regarding PP applications is important for effectively integrating a new herbicide into no-till cropping systems. Twelve field trials (six in corn and six in soybean) were conducted over a 2-yr period (2018 and 2019) near Exeter and Ridgetown, ON. The purpose of these studies was to evaluate the tolerance of soybean and corn to halauxifen-methyl applied PP, PRE, or POST at the registered rate (5 g a.i. ha−1) and twice the registered rate (10 g a.i. ha−1), hereafter referred to as the 1× and 2× rate, respectively. All trials were kept weed-free throughout the growing season to remove the confounding effect of weed interference. Halauxifen-methyl applied 14 d preplant (DPP), 7 DPP, 1 DPP, and 5 d after seeding (DAS) at the 1× and 2× rates caused ≤10% visible soybean injury. In contrast, halauxifen-methyl applied POST (cotyledon–unifoliate stage, VE-VC) caused 67% to 87% visible soybean injury, a 50% to 53% reduction in height, 65% to 81% decrease in population, 56% to 67% lower biomass, and 53% to 63% decline in yield. Halauxifen-methyl applied 10 DPP, 5 DPP, 1 DPP, 5 DAS, and POST (spike–one leaf stage, VE-V1) at the 1× and 2× rate caused ≤3% visible corn injury and caused no effect on corn height or biomass. Halauxifen-methyl applied at VE-V1 at the 2× rate reduced corn yield 10%. Based on these studies, the current application restriction of 7 DPP in soybean and 5 DPP in corn is conservative and could be expanded. Expanding the application window of halauxifen-methyl would increase the utility of this herbicide for producers.
Multiscale MHD‐Kinetic PIC Study of Energy Fluxes Caused by Reconnection
Authors: Lapenta Giovanni , El Alaoui Mostafa , Berchem Jean , Walker Raymond
Published: February 2020

We present an analysis of the energy partitioning in the magnetotail during a substorm at 03:58:00 UT on 7 February 2009. The analysis employs a multiscale approach where we use a state from a global magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) model to spawn a kinetic particle‐in‐cell (PIC) simulation of a large portion of the tail. We directly investigate the energy fluxes resulting from magnetic reconnection. The kinetic run provides information on the additional processes absent in the MHD description. The ion bulk energy and enthalpy fluxes carry the greatest energy, but the Poynting flux and electron enthalpy flux also carry a significant portion. The other fluxes (e.g., heat flux) are relatively small but are especially important because they allow us to identify the extra processes present only in the kinetic description. The energy fluxes present in the MHD approximation (Poynting flux, enthalpy flux, and bulk energy flux) are quantitatively accurate, and the kinetic correction does not greatly alter the MHD picture. However, there are two unique effects resulting from the kinetic physics. First, the formation of a rarefaction of the plasma flow into the reconnection site leads to a progressive decline in time of the particle energy fluxes with respect to the Poynting flux. Second, we observe that the instabilities developing in the kinetic reconnection outflows form structures absent from the MHD description. These structures reveal themselves as fluctuations within the energy fluxes. Especially notable are regions of inverted heat flux, where the heat flux is in the opposite direction to the total energy and mass flow.
Development, Productivity, and Seasonality of Living Planktonic Foraminiferal Faunas and Limacina helicina in an Area of Intense Methane Seepage in the Barents Sea
Authors: Ofstad Siri , Meilland Julie , Zamelczyk Katarzyna , Chierici Melissa , Fransson Agneta , Gründger Friederike , Rasmussen Tine L.
Published: February 2020

Although the plankton communities in the Barents Sea have been intensely studied for decades, little is known about the living planktonic foraminiferal (LPF) and pteropod faunas, especially those found at methane seep sites. Along a repeated transect in the “crater area” (northern Barents Sea, 74.9°N, 27.7°E) in spring and summer 2016 the flux of LPF and of the pteropod species Limacina helicina showed a high degree of variability. The LPF had low concentration (0–6 individuals m−3) and small tests (x̄ = 103.3 μm) in spring and a 53‐fold increase (43–436 individuals m−3) and larger tests (x̄ = 188.6 μm) in summer. Similarly, the concentration of L. helicina showed a tenfold increase between spring and summer. The LPF species composition remained stable with the exception of the appearance of subtropical species in summer. No relationship was observed between the spatial distribution of LPF, L. helicina, and methane concentrations in the area. The methane plumes in April coincided with elevated dissolved inorganic carbon, low pH, and calcium carbonate saturation states, and the methane concentration seemed to be controlled by lateral advection. The δ13C and δ18O of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma and Turborotalita quinqueloba are comparable to previous observations in the Arctic and do not show any influence of methane in the isotopic signals of the shells. Although no evidence of direct impact of high methane concentrations on the LPF (size and concentration) were found, we speculate that methane could indirectly enhance primary productivity, and thus biomass, through several potential pathways.
On-chip parallel Fourier transform spectrometer for broadband selective infrared spectral sensing
Authors: Fathy Alaa , Sabry Yasser M. , Nazeer Sébastien , Bourouina Tarik , Khalil Diaa A.
Published: February 2020

Optical spectrometers enable contactless chemical analysis. However, decreasing both their size and cost appears to be a prerequisite to their widespread deployment. Chip-scale implementation of optical spectrometers still requires tackling two main challenges. First, operation over a broad spectral range extending to the infrared is required to enable covering the molecular absorption spectrum of a broad variety of materials. This is addressed in our work with an Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)-based Fourier transform infrared spectrometer with an embedded movable micro-mirror on a silicon chip. Second, fine spectral resolution Δλ is also required to facilitate screening over several chemicals. A fundamental limit states that Δλ is inversely proportional to the mirror motion range, which cannot exceed the chip size. To boost the spectral resolution beyond this limit, we propose the concept of parallel (or multi-core) FTIR, where multiple interferometers provide complementary optical paths using the same actuator and within the same chip. The concept scalability is validated with 4 interferometers, leading to approximately 3 times better spectral resolution. After the atmospheric contents of a greenhouse gas are monitored, the methane absorption bands are successfully measured and discriminated using the presented device.
An aptamer-based shear horizontal surface acoustic wave biosensor with a CVD-grown single-layered graphene film for high-sensitivity detection of a label-free endotoxin
Authors: Ji Junwang , Pang Yiquan , Li Dongxiao , Huang Zheng , Zhang Zuwei , Xue Ning , Xu Yi , Mu Xiaojing
Published: February 2020

The thickness of the sensitive layer has an important influence on the sensitivity of a shear horizontal surface acoustic wave (SH-SAW) biosensor with a delay-line structure and lower layer numbers of graphene produce better sensitivity for biological detection. Therefore, a label-free and highly sensitive SH-SAW biosensor with chemical vapor deposition (CVD-)-grown single-layered graphene (SLG) for endotoxin detection was developed in this study. With this methodology, SH-SAW biosensors were fabricated on a 36° Y-90° X quartz substrate with a base frequency of 246.2 MHz, and an effective detection cell was fabricated using acrylic material. To increase the surface hydrophilicity, chitosan was applied to the surface of the SLG film. Additionally, the aptamer was immobilized on the surface of the SLG film by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde. Finally, the sensitivity was verified by endotoxin detection with a linear detection ranging from 0 to 100 ng/mL, and the detection limit (LOD) was as low as 3.53 ng/mL. In addition, the stability of this type of SH-SAW biosensor from the air phase to the liquid phase proved to be excellent and the specificity was tested and verified by detecting the endotoxin obtained from Escherichia coli (E. coli), the endotoxin obtained from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), and aflatoxin. Therefore, this type of SH-SAW biosensor with a CVD-grown SLG film may offer a promising approach to endotoxin detection, and it may have great potential in clinical applications.
Crenigacestat, a selective NOTCH1 inhibitor, reduces intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma progression by blocking VEGFA/DLL4/MMP13 axis
Authors: Mancarella Serena , Serino Grazia , Dituri Francesco , Cigliano Antonio , Ribback Silvia , Wang Jingxiao , Chen Xin , Calvisi Diego F. , Giannelli Gianluigi
Published: February 2020

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a deadly disease with rising incidence and few treatment options. An altered expression and/or activation of NOTCH1–3 receptors has been shown to play a role in iCCA development and progression. In this study, we established a new CCA patient-derived xenograft model, which was validated by immunohistochemistry and transcriptomic analysis. The effects of Notch pathway suppression by the Crenigacestat (LY3039478)-specific inhibitor were evaluated in human iCCA cell lines and the PDX model. In vitro, LY3039478 significantly reduced Notch pathway components, including NICD1 and HES1, but not the other Notch receptors, in a panel of five different iCCA cell lines. In the PDX model, LY3039478 significantly inhibited the Notch pathway and tumor growth to the same extent as gemcitabine. Furthermore, gene expression analysis of iCCA mouse tissues treated with LY3039478 revealed a downregulation of VEGFA, HES1, and MMP13 genes. In the same tissues, DLL4 and CD31 co-localized, and their expression was significantly inhibited in the treated mice, as it happened in the case of MMP13. In an in vitro angiogenesis model, LY3039478 inhibited vessel formation, which was restored by the addition of MMP13. Finally, RNA-sequencing expression data of iCCA patients and matched surrounding normal liver tissues downloaded from the GEO database demonstrated that NOTCH1, HES1, MMP13, DLL4, and VEGFA genes were significantly upregulated in tumors compared with adjacent nontumorous tissues. These data were confirmed by our group, using an independent cohort of iCCA specimens. Conclusion: We have developed and validated a new iCCA PDX model to test in vivo the activity of LY3039478, demonstrating its inhibitory role in Notch-dependent angiogenesis. Thus, the present data provide new knowledge on Notch signaling in iCCA, and support the inhibition of the Notch cascade as a promising strategy for the treatment of this disease.
Correction to: Clinical and genetic characteristics of 14 patients from 13 Japanese families with RPGR-associated retinal disorder: report of eight novel variants
Authors: Mawatari Go , Fujinami Kaoru , Liu Xiao , Yang Lizhu , Fujinami-Yokokawa Yu , Komori Shiori , Ueno Shinji , Terasaki Hiroko , Katagiri Satoshi , Hayashi Takaaki , Kuniyoshi Kazuki , Miyake Yozo , Tsunoda Kazushige , Yoshitake Kazutoshi , Iwata Takeshi , Nao-i Nobuhisa ,   on behalf of the JEGC study group
Published: February 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
A novel nonsense mutation of ERCC2 in a Vietnamese family with xeroderma pigmentosum syndrome group D
Authors: Bui Chi-Bao , Duong Thao Thi Phuong , Tran Vien The , Pham Thuy Thanh T. , Vu Tung , Chau Gia Cac , Vo Thanh-Niem Van , Nguyen Vinh , Trinh Dieu-Thuong Thi , Hoang Minh Van
Published: February 2020

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) group D, a severe disease often typified by extreme sun sensitivity, can be caused by ERCC2 mutations. ERCC2 encodes an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent DNA helicase, namely XP group D protein (XPD). The XPD, one of ten subunits of the transcription factor TFIIH, plays a critical role in the nucleotide-excision repair (NER) pathway. Mutations in XPD that affect the NER pathway can lead to neurological degeneration and skin cancer, which are the most common causes of death in XP patients. Here, we present detailed phenotypic information on a Vietnamese family in which four members were affected by XP with extreme sun sensitivity. Genomic analysis revealed a compound heterozygous mutation of ERCC2 that affected family members and single heterozygous mutations in unaffected family members. We identified a novel, nonsense mutation in one allele of ERCC2 (c.1354C > T, p.Q452X) and a known missense mutation in the other allele (c.2048G > A, p.R683Q). Fibroblasts isolated from the compound heterozygous subject also failed to recover from UV-driven DNA damage, thus recapitulating aspects of XP syndrome in vitro. We describe a novel ERCC2 variant that leads to the breakdown of the NER pathway across generations of a family presenting with severe XP.
The hornwort genome and early land plant evolution
Authors: Zhang Jian , Fu Xin-Xing , Li Rui-Qi , Zhao Xiang , Liu Yang , Li Ming-He , Zwaenepoel Arthur , Ma Hong , Goffinet Bernard , Guan Yan-Long , Xue Jia-Yu , Liao Yi-Ying , Wang Qing-Feng , Wang Qing-Hua , Wang Jie-Yu , Zhang Guo-Qiang , Wang Zhi-Wen , Jia Yu , Wang Mei-Zhi , Dong Shan-Shan , Yang Jian-Fen , Jiao Yuan-Nian , Guo Ya-Long , Kong Hong-Zhi , Lu An-Ming , Yang Huan-Ming , Zhang Shou-Zhou , Van de Peer Yves , Liu Zhong-Jian , Chen Zhi-Duan
Published: February 2020

Hornworts, liverworts and mosses are three early diverging clades of land plants, and together comprise the bryophytes. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of the hornwort Anthoceros angustus. Phylogenomic inferences confirm the monophyly of bryophytes, with hornworts sister to liverworts and mosses. The simple morphology of hornworts correlates with low genetic redundancy in plant body plan, while the basic transcriptional regulation toolkit for plant development has already been established in this early land plant lineage. Although the Anthoceros genome is small and characterized by minimal redundancy, expansions are observed in gene families related to RNA editing, UV protection and desiccation tolerance. The genome of A. angustus bears the signatures of horizontally transferred genes from bacteria and fungi, in particular of genes operating in stress-response and metabolic pathways. Our study provides insight into the unique features of hornworts and their molecular adaptations to live on land.
Survey data on factors that influence the adoption of soil carbon enhancing practices in Western Kenya
Authors: Kanyenji George Magambo , Ng’ang’a Stanley Karanja , Girvetz Evan Hartunian
Published: February 2020

The data described in this paper were collected in Western Kenya, specifically in Kakamega and Vihiga Counties. The data were collected from 334 households with the aim of assessing factors that facilitate or constrain the adoption of practices that enhance the sequestration of soil carbon. The data were collected through a structured questionnaire that was designed in SurveyCTO. The data were later downloaded from SurveyCTO servers and exported to STATA version 14 for cleaning and analysis. This data can be used by researchers to assess the probability and extent of adoption of specific soil carbon enhancing practices in the two counties of Western Kenya. Additionally, it can be utilized to access the impact of adopting soil carbon enhancing practices on maize and beans yield at both the plot and the farm level.
Gaze, visual, myoelectric, and inertial data of grasps for intelligent prosthetics
Authors: Cognolato Matteo , Gijsberts Arjan , Gregori Valentina , Saetta Gianluca , Giacomino Katia , Hager Anne-Gabrielle Mittaz , Gigli Andrea , Faccio Diego , Tiengo Cesare , Bassetto Franco , Caputo Barbara , Brugger Peter , Atzori Manfredo , Müller Henning
Published: February 2020

A hand amputation is a highly disabling event, having severe physical and psychological repercussions on a person’s life. Despite extensive efforts devoted to restoring the missing functionality via dexterous myoelectric hand prostheses, natural and robust control usable in everyday life is still challenging. Novel techniques have been proposed to overcome the current limitations, among them the fusion of surface electromyography with other sources of contextual information. We present a dataset to investigate the inclusion of eye tracking and first person video to provide more stable intent recognition for prosthetic control. This multimodal dataset contains surface electromyography and accelerometry of the forearm, and gaze, first person video, and inertial measurements of the head recorded from 15 transradial amputees and 30 able-bodied subjects performing grasping tasks. Besides the intended application for upper-limb prosthetics, we also foresee uses for this dataset to study eye-hand coordination in the context of psychophysics, neuroscience, and assistive robotics.
Nuclear Translocation of Glutaminase GLS2 in Human Cancer Cells Associates with Proliferation Arrest and Differentiation
Authors: López de la Oliva Amada R. , Campos-Sandoval José A. , Gómez-García María C. , Cardona Carolina , Martín-Rufián Mercedes , Sialana Fernando J. , Castilla Laura , Bae Narkhyun , Lobo Carolina , Peñalver Ana , García-Frutos Marina , Carro David , Enrique Victoria , Paz José C. , Mirmira Raghavendra G. , Gutiérrez Antonia , Alonso Francisco J. , Segura Juan A. , Matés José M. , Lubec Gert , Márquez Javier
Published: February 2020

Glutaminase (GA) catalyzes the first step in mitochondrial glutaminolysis playing a key role in cancer metabolic reprogramming. Humans express two types of GA isoforms: GLS and GLS2. GLS isozymes have been consistently related to cell proliferation, but the role of GLS2 in cancer remains poorly understood. GLS2 is repressed in many tumor cells and a better understanding of its function in tumorigenesis may further the development of new therapeutic approaches. We analyzed GLS2 expression in HCC, GBM and neuroblastoma cells, as well as in monkey COS-7 cells. We studied GLS2 expression after induction of differentiation with phorbol ester (PMA) and transduction with the full-length cDNA of GLS2. In parallel, we investigated cell cycle progression and levels of p53, p21 and c-Myc proteins. Using the baculovirus system, human GLS2 protein was overexpressed, purified and analyzed for posttranslational modifications employing a proteomics LC-MS/MS platform. We have demonstrated a dual targeting of GLS2 in human cancer cells. Immunocytochemistry and subcellular fractionation gave consistent results demonstrating nuclear and mitochondrial locations, with the latter being predominant. Nuclear targeting was confirmed in cancer cells overexpressing c-Myc- and GFP-tagged GLS2 proteins. We assessed the subnuclear location finding a widespread distribution of GLS2 in the nucleoplasm without clear overlapping with specific nuclear substructures. GLS2 expression and nuclear accrual notably increased by treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with PMA and it correlated with cell cycle arrest at G2/M, upregulation of tumor suppressor p53 and p21 protein. A similar response was obtained by overexpression of GLS2 in T98G glioma cells, including downregulation of oncogene c-Myc. Furthermore, human GLS2 was identified as being hypusinated by MS analysis, a posttranslational modification which may be relevant for its nuclear targeting and/or function. Our studies provide evidence for a tumor suppressor role of GLS2 in certain types of cancer. The data imply that GLS2 can be regarded as a highly mobile and multilocalizing protein translocated to both mitochondria and nuclei. Upregulation of GLS2 in cancer cells induced an antiproliferative response with cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase.
Theoretical Model of Helium Bubble Growth and Density in Plasma-Facing Metals
Authors: Hammond Karl D. , Maroudas Dimitrios , Wirth Brian D.
Published: February 2020

We present a theoretically-motivated model of helium bubble density as a function of volume for high-pressure helium bubbles in plasma-facing tungsten. The model is a good match to the empirical correlation we published previously [Hammond et al., Acta Mater. 144, 561–578 (2018)] for small bubbles, but the current model uses no adjustable parameters. The model is likely applicable to significantly larger bubbles than the ones examined here, and its assumptions can be extended trivially to other metals and gases. We expect the model to be broadly applicable and useful in coarse-grained models of gas transport in metals.
Temperature dependence of afterglow in zirconia and its optically-stimulated luminescence by bone-through irradiation for biological temperature probe
Authors: Ohashi Masaharu , Takahashi Yoshihiro , Terakado Nobuaki , Onoue Noriko , Shinozaki Tsuyoshi , Fujiwara Takumi
Published: February 2020

Development of minimally invasive and site-selective biological temperature sensing is quite important in medical field. This study presents a novel temperature sensing technique based on afterglow and optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL). The dependence of afterglow photoluminescent intensity on the environmental temperature of zirconia (ZrO2) phosphor is examined to validate its use as a sensing probe. In addition, assuming the measurement in deep-part of human body, we have applied the information gathered from our validation to observe OSL from the ZrO2 by irradiation with near-infrared laser through a bone sample. This study demonstrates an alternative medical application of phosphor, and introduces an elemental-technology for the temperature sensing.
Determination of the concentration of impurities in GaN from photoluminescence and secondary-ion mass spectrometry
Authors: Reshchikov M. A. , Vorobiov M. , Andrieiev O. , Ding K. , Izyumskaya N. , Avrutin V. , Usikov A. , Helava H. , Makarov Yu.
Published: February 2020

Photoluminescence (PL) was used to estimate the concentration of carbon in GaN grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). The PL data were compared with profiles of the impurities obtained from secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) measurements. Comparison of PL and SIMS data has revealed that apparently high concentrations of C and O at depths up to 1 µm in SIMS profiles do not represent depth distributions of these species in the GaN matrix but are rather caused by post-growth surface contamination and knocking-in impurity species from the surface. In particular, PL analysis supplemented by reactive ion etching up to the depth of 400 nm indicates that the concentration of carbon in nitrogen sites is below 2–5 × 1015 cm−3 at any depth of GaN samples grown by HVPE. We demonstrate that PL is a very sensitive and reliable tool to determine the concentrations of impurities in the GaN matrix.
Dipeptide tyrosyl-leucine exhibits antidepressant-like activity in mice
Authors: Mizushige Takafumi , Uchida Tomoki , Ohinata Kousaku
Published: February 2020

Depression is a worldwide health problem. In the present study, we found that a dipeptide, tyrosyl leucine (Tyr-Leu, YL), administered orally, intracerebroventricularly, or intraperitoneally exhibited a potent antidepressant-like activity in the forced swim and tail suspension tests in naïve mice. YL increased the amount of cells expressing c-Fos, a marker for neuronal activity, in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. YL increased bromo-2′-deoxyuridine-positive cells and doublecortin expression in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, suggesting that YL enhanced the proliferation of hippocampal progenitor cells in vivo and in vitro. YL did not affect hippocampal mRNA and protein expression of BDNF, which is a regulatory factor of both neurogenesis and depression-like behavior. Intriguingly, YL suppressed activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis by forced swim stress. Moreover, other aromatic amino acid-leucines, Phe-Leu and Trp-Leu, also exhibited antidepressant-like activities, suggesting that the structure of aromatic amino acid-leucine may be important for antidepressant activity. In addition, bovine milk casein-derived peptide, Tyr-Leu-Gly (YLG), an anxiolytic peptide, exhibited an antidepressant-like activity. Our findings demonstrate that YL exhibits an antidepressant-like effect, moderates the stress response, and induces hippocampal neuronal proliferation through a signal pathway independent of BDNF.
Effect of Serum 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D Level on Isotretinoin-Induced Musculoskeletal Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Mülkoğlu Cevriye , Karaosmanoğlu Nermin
Published: February 2020

Isotretinoin (ISO) is a drug which is used for the treatment of severe and refractory acne vulgaris (AV), over the last few decades. The drug has various musculoskeletal side effects. The aim of this study was to investigate relationship between serum 25 hydroxy (OH) vitamin D levels and the ISO-induced musculoskeletal side effects in patients with AV. We included 87 patients receiving ISO and had musculoskeletal symptoms as adverse effect (AE) group. Another 90 patients receiving ISO for AV and had any musculoskeletal complaints were recruited as control (C) group. Locomotor system examination of the patients was performed by the same clinician. Serum 25 OH vitamin D levels of the all participants were measured. Patients in the AE group were divided into three subgroups by serum 25 OH vitamin D levels. Patients with serum 25 OH vitamin D level lower than 10 ng/ml was classified as Group I, the ones between 10–20 ng/ml as Group II and those higher than 20 ng/ml were classified as Group III. AE and C groups were similar in terms of age and sex (p > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the mean serum vitamin D levels between two groups (p = 0.17). Also, there was no significant difference in number of arthralgia (p = 0.30), myalgia (p = 0.29), low back pain (p = 0.10) and sacroiliitis (p = 0.17) between three subgroups in AE group. In addition, we found no statistically significant correlation between the serum vitamin D levels and age, cumulative dose of ISO, arthralgia, myalgia and sacroiliitis parameters in AE group (p > 0.05). Serum 25 OH vitamin D levels between the AE and C groups were similar. We also found that no significant difference in musculoskeletal adverse events between AE subgroups. Therefore, it can be concluded that vitamin D deficiency has no effect on the musculoskeletal adverse events in patients receiving ISO.