bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Change of Judicial Power in China in the Era of Artificial Intelligence
Authors: JI Weidong
Published: February 2021

The singularity of artificial intelligence (AI), which transcends human intelligence to play the role of God, is imminent. In this context, the Chinese judicial system has gained some latecomer advantage, with the help of information technology, the Internet, big data, cloud computing, and AI to improve the efficiency and transparency of case handling. The trial process has undergone extensive and profound qualitative mutations. This represents a challenge to the institutional arrangements of the modern rule of law. At this stage, we should adopt a cautious and prudent attitude towards the design and application of legal-expert systems as well as machine learning. Especially from the aspect of computer sentencing, it is even more necessary to avoid a rush for quick results, and there is no need to completely exclude the judge’s discretion and free evaluation of the evidence through inner conviction. The finality of the judicial power is destined to choose a correct final solution through a debate on the survival of the fittest mechanism. In the face of such a modern rule-of-law system, big data, cloud computing, information technology, and AI are just auxiliary means to achieve legal justice. It is impossible to put the cart before the horses. This is a basic principle that we should always bear in mind.
Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy
Authors: Masson-Roy Josée , Breiner Ari , Warman-Chardon Jodi , Pringle Catherine E. , Allan David , Bredeson Christopher , Huebsch Lothar , Kekre Natasha , Kennah Michael Lee , Martin Lisa , McDiarmid Sheryl , Altouri Sultan , Atkins Harold , Bourque Pierre R.
Published: February 2021

Background:

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) refractory to conventional therapy can lead to marked disability and represents a therapeutic challenge.

Objective:

To report five cases of treatment-refractory disabling CIDP treated with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT).

Methods:

This was a retrospective cohort study from a tertiary care referral center for both neuromuscular disease and AHSCT. Patients with CIDP treated with AHSCT between 2008 and 2020 were included. All patients had major persistent and disabling neuropathic deficits despite combinations of intensive immunosuppressive therapy. The primary outcome measures were: Medical Research Council sum score, Overall Neuropathy Limitations Scale and requirement for ongoing CIDP immunotherapy after transplantation. We also analyzed safety outcomes by documenting all severe AHSCT-related complications.

Results:

Five patients with refractory CIDP underwent AHSCT. Three were classified as manifesting a typical syndrome, two were classified as the multifocal Lewis Sumner variant. The mean age at time of CIDP diagnosis was 33.4 years (range 24–46 years), with a median delay of 46 months (range 21–135 months) between diagnosis and AHSCT. The median follow-up period was 41 months. All five patients were able to wean off CIDP-related immunotherapy. Marked improvements in Medical Research Council scale and overall Neuropathy Limitations Scale were noted in 4/5 patients. One patient with longstanding neurogenic atrophy showed no improvement in disability scales. There were no treatment-related deaths or critical illnesses.

Conclusions:

AHSCT can achieve marked sustained clinical improvement of refractory CIDP and may allow for weaning off long-term complex immunotherapies.
The MIDAS Touch: Accurate and Scalable Missing-Data Imputation with Deep Learning
Authors: Lall Ranjit , Robinson Thomas
Published: February 2021

Principled methods for analyzing missing values, based chiefly on multiple imputation, have become increasingly popular yet can struggle to handle the kinds of large and complex data that are also becoming common. We propose an accurate, fast, and scalable approach to multiple imputation, which we call MIDAS (Multiple Imputation with Denoising Autoencoders). MIDAS employs a class of unsupervised neural networks known as denoising autoencoders, which are designed to reduce dimensionality by corrupting and attempting to reconstruct a subset of data. We repurpose denoising autoencoders for multiple imputation by treating missing values as an additional portion of corrupted data and drawing imputations from a model trained to minimize the reconstruction error on the originally observed portion. Systematic tests on simulated as well as real social science data, together with an applied example involving a large-scale electoral survey, illustrate MIDAS’s accuracy and efficiency across a range of settings. We provide open-source software for implementing MIDAS.
Chemosensory genes in the head of Spodoptera litura larvae
Authors: Li Lu-Lu , Xu Ji-Wei , Yao Wei-Chen , Yang Hui-Hui , Dewer Youssef , Zhang Fan , Zhu Xiu-Yun , Zhang Ya-Nan
Published: February 2021

The tobacco cutworm Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a polyphagous pest with a highly selective and sensitive chemosensory system involved in complex physiological behaviors such as searching for food sources, feeding, courtship, and oviposition. However, effective management strategies for controlling the insect pest populations under threshold levels are lacking. Therefore, there is an urgent need to formulate eco-friendly pest control strategies based on the disruption of the insect chemosensory system. In this study, we identified 158 putative chemosensory genes based on transcriptomic and genomic data for S. litura, including 45 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs, nine were new), 23 chemosensory proteins (CSPs), 60 odorant receptors (ORs, three were new), and 30 gustatory receptors (GRs, three were new), a number higher than those reported by previous transcriptome studies. Subsequently, we constructed phylogenetic trees based on these genes in moths and analyzed the dynamic expression of various genes in head capsules across larval instars using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Nine genes–SlitOBP8, SlitOBP9, SlitOBP25, SlitCSP1, SlitCSP7, SlitCSP18, SlitOR34, SlitGR240, and SlitGR242–were highly expressed in the heads of 3- to 5-day-old S. litura larvae. The genes differentially expressed in olfactory organs during larval development might play crucial roles in the chemosensory system of S. litura larvae. Our findings substantially expand the gene inventory for S. litura and present potential target genes for further studies on larval feeding in S. litura.
Gender Inequalities and Academic Journal Publishing: The View from the Journal of American Studies
Authors: JAMEELA MARYAM , MOYNIHAN SINÉAD , WITHAM NICK
Published: February 2021

This virtual special issue is the outcome of a project entitled Women and JAS, which was launched by the coeditors of the Journal of American Studies in October 2019 to document the involvement of women in the journal's day-to-day business from its inception in 1956 as the Bulletin of the British Association for American Studies. The project arises out of – and will hopefully contribute to – larger conversations about the progression of women scholars in academia. While the UK and US higher-education contexts (the contexts most pertinent to this discussion) differ, there are notable similarities in terms of the relationship between gender and career advancement. Both witness attrition of women from academia as they progress from undergraduate studies to PhD and beyond; both see disproportionate numbers of women scholars employed in precarious, part-time and/or teaching-only roles; both see a very low proportion of women in senior professorial roles; fewer women in both locations apply for (and are, therefore, awarded) major grants. In the UK, specifically, recent conversations around gender inequality in higher education have revolved around issues (and initiatives) such as the gender pay gap, Athena SWAN, sexual harassment and the effects of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs), caring responsibilities and affective labour.
Predicting suicidal ideation in a nationally representative sample of young adults: a 12-month prospective study
Authors: Wetherall Karen , Cleare Seonaid , Eschle Sarah , Ferguson Eamonn , O'Connor Daryl B. , O'Carroll Ronan E. , O'Connor Rory C.
Published: February 2021

Background

Evidence-based theoretical models outlining the pathways to the development of suicidal ideation may inform treatment. The current research draws from the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPT) and the Integrated Motivational-Volitional (IMV) Model of suicidal behaviour and aims to test the interaction between perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness as proposed by the IPT model, and the defeat-entrapment pathway as proposed by the IMV model, in the prediction of suicidal ideation at 12-month follow-up.

Methods

The Scottish Wellbeing Study is a nationally representative prospective study of young people aged 18–34 years (n = 3508) from across Scotland, who completed a baseline interview and a 12-month follow-up (n = 2420). The core factors from both the IPT (perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness) and the IMV model (defeat, internal and external entrapment) were measured alongside demographics, depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation at baseline. At 12-month follow-up, suicidal ideation was assessed again.

Results

In multiple regression analysis perceived burdensomeness and internal entrapment, with baseline suicidal ideation, predicted 12-month suicidal ideation. No support for the interaction between perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness in predicting 12-month suicidal ideation was found. However, there was evidence that internal, but not external, entrapment mediated the relationship between defeat and 12-month suicidal ideation, but no support was found for the moderation of burdensomeness and belongingness on the entrapment to suicidal ideation pathway.

Conclusions

The current findings highlight the importance of targeting perceived burdensomeness and internal entrapment to reduce the likelihood that suicidal ideation emerges in at risk individuals.
Choice, needs or equality? Discursive struggles about defining home care for older people in Sweden
Authors: Peterson Elin , Brodin Helene
Published: February 2021

Focusing on Swedish home care for older people, this article explores the discursive (re)production of home care as an institution. Equality and universal service provision have been described as defining features of the Nordic care regime. At the same time, Nordic research has highlighted a shift in social care policy, from a focus on universalism and egalitarian ideals towards a focus on freedom of choice, diversity and individualised services. This article takes as a starting point that home care for older people is formed by different and potentially conflicting ideas. We understand home care as a contested formation and define institutional change in terms of ongoing discursive struggles. The analysis draws on qualitative semi-structured interviews with key informants, including politicians, local authority officials and representatives of interest organisations. Informants were engaged in policy making, implementation or advocacy related to care for older people. We examine the meanings attached to home care for older people and the analysis reveals three different discourses – on choice, needs and equality. By comparing and contrasting discourses, we reveal silences, conflicts and tensions, and highlight the politics involved in (re)creating home care as an institution.
The role of Hofstede's cultural dimensions in the design of user interface: the case of Arabic
Authors: Alsswey Ahmed , Al-Samarraie Hosam
Published: February 2021

A user interface (UI) design that meets the preferences, differences, and needs of the group of users can potentially increase the usability of a system. Users, in general, feel more familiar with the context that reflects their cultural values and practices. The Arabic culture plays a significant role in how Arab users interact and communicate with technologies. The customs, artifacts, and traditions of the Arab world are different in nature from the Western cultures. Thus, it is essential to consider these differences when designing the UI prototype. This study investigated the role of certain cultural preferences in the design of UI for Arab users. A think-aloud approach and Hofstede's cultural dimensions were used on 23 Arab users to generate the necessary design guidelines for the UI of mobile health application. Then, 78 participants were recruited to evaluate the proposed UI design. The usability results showed high satisfaction among Arab users about the role of culture in the design of the UI. Findings from this study can be used by designers and developers to aid their design of UI for group-specific cultural preferences and values.
Rethinking Southern Europe: Society, Networks and Politics
Authors: Granadino Alan , Karamouzi Eirini , Kullaa Rinna
Published: February 2021

Writing and researching Southern Europe as a symbiotic area has always presented a challenging task. Historians and political scientists such as Stanley Payne, Edward Malefakis, Giulio Sapelli, and Roberto Aliboni have studied the concept of Southern Europe and its difficult paths to modernity. They have been joined by sociologists and anthropologists who have debated the existence of a Southern European paradigm in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and the arduous transformation of the region's welfare systems, economic development, education and family structures. These scholarly attempts to understand the specificities of Southern Europe date back to the concerns of Western European Cold War strategists in the 1970s, many of whom were worried about the status quo of the region in the aftermath of the fall of the dictatorships. But this geographical and geopolitical definition of the area did not necessarily follow existing cultural, political and economic patterns. Once the Eurozone crisis hit in the 2000s these questions came back with renewed force but with even less conceptual clarity, as journalists and pundits frequently gestured towards vague notions of what they considered to be ‘Southern Europe’.
Another pre-Sasanian Middle Persian inscription
Authors: SIMS-WILLIAMS NICHOLAS
Published: February 2021

A pre-Sasanian Middle Persian inscription on a silver bowl is published here for the first time and compared with a similar inscription published by P. O. Skjærvø in 2000 and identified by him as naming members of the dynasty which ruled Persis (Fārs) in the 1st century bce. The commentary concentrates on the word šʾtḥw, apparently a name for this type of bowl, and on the importance of these inscriptions for the history of the Pahlavi script.
Association between hourly wages and dietary intake after the first phase of implementation of the Minneapolis minimum wage ordinance
Authors: Chapman Leah Elizabeth , Berkowitz Seth A , Ammerman Alice , De Marco Molly , Ng Shu Wen , Zimmer Catherine , Caspi Caitlin E
Published: February 2021

Objective:

In 2018, Minneapolis began phased implementation of an ordinance to increase the local minimum wage to $15/h. We sought to determine whether the first phase of implementation was associated with changes in frequency of consumption of fruits and vegetables (F&V), whole-grain-rich foods, and foods high in added sugars among low-wage workers.

Design:

Natural experiment.

Setting:

The Wages Study is a prospective cohort study of 974 low-wage workers followed throughout the phased implementation of the ordinance (2018–2022). We used difference-in-difference analysis to compare outcomes among workers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to those in a comparison city (Raleigh, North Carolina). We assessed wages using participants’ pay stubs and dietary intake using the National Cancer Institute Dietary Screener Questionnaire.

Participants:

Analyses use the first two waves of Wages data (2018 (baseline), 2019) and includes 267 and 336 low-wage workers in Minneapolis and Raleigh, respectively.

Results:

After the first phase of implementation, wages increased in both cities, but the increase was $0·84 greater in Minneapolis (P = 0·02). However, the first phase of the policy’s implementation was not associated with changes in daily frequency of consumption of F&V (IRR = 1·03, 95 % CI: 0·86, 1·24, P = 0·73), whole-grain-rich foods (IRR = 1·23, 95 % CI: 0·89, 1·70, P = 0·20), or foods high in added sugars (IRR = 1·13, 95 % CI: 0·86, 1·47, P = 0·38) among workers in Minneapolis compared to Raleigh.

Conclusions:

The first phase of implementation of the Minneapolis minimum wage policy was associated with increased wages, but not with changes in dietary intake. Future research should examine whether full implementation is associated dietary changes.
Improved nutrition and resilience will make conservation agriculture more attractive for Zambian smallholder farmers
Authors: Mhlanga Blessing , Mwila Mulundu , Thierfelder Christian
Published: February 2021

Food and nutrition insecurity in southern Africa call for improvements in traditional agriculture systems. Conservation Agriculture (CA) based on minimum soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and crop diversification has been implemented as a strategy to maintain yields while safeguarding the environment. However, less focus has been placed on potential synergistic benefits on nutrition security. Maize-based systems may increase household income through selling but may not lead to proportionate reduction in malnutrition. Crop diversification in CA systems can have a direct impact on the nutritional status of farm households due to improved dietary diversity. Here we assess how the integration of grain legumes, cowpeas and soybeans, in maize-based CA systems either as intercrops or rotational crops affects maize grain yield and stability, total energy yield, protein yield and surplus calories after satisfying the daily requirement per household. The experiments were carried out from 2012 to 2020 (nine consecutive cropping seasons) in six eastern Zambian on-farm communities using 966 observations. Results show that intercropping compromises maize yields with marginal yield penalties of −5% compared to no-till monocropping. However, intercropped yields were more stable across environments. Total system caloric energy and protein yield were highest in intercropping systems due to higher productivity per unit land area owing to the additive contribution of both maize and legumes. Total system caloric energy and protein yield reached yearly averages of 60 GJ ha−1 and 517 kg ha−1, respectively, for the intercropping system as compared to 48 GJ ha−1 and 263 kg ha−1 in monocropped maize systems. Tillage-based monocrop resulted in the least stable yields. Our results suggest that intercropping maize with grain legumes in CA systems is a promising option for smallholder farming households to improve dietary diversity, dietary quality and stability of yields thus contributing to sustainable agriculture intensification while maintaining food and nutrition security.
A Just Energy Transition and Functional Federalism: The Case of South Africa
Authors: Field Tracy-Lynn
Published: February 2021

The traditional concern of federalism literature has been both descriptive and prescriptive. How do federalist systems allocate powers among central, regional, and even local governments? How can these powers be divided in a manner that allows for unity and diversity in policymaking and law? These questions are given greater pertinence by the seriousness of climate change and the need for a just transition to lower-carbon economies. Classical federalism, public choice theory, and dynamic energy federalism all have something to offer in the field of clean energy federalism. This article situates the ‘functional federalism’ that arises from South Africa's multi-sphere system of government within these debates. The article explains the system of functional federalism in South Africa and details the tripartite structure (physical, market, and regulatory) of the South African electricity sector. By delineating the complex interactions that have unfolded between governmental and non-governmental actors in the electricity sector in recent times, the article demonstrates that the South African case will be of continuing interest to scholars of federalism.
Refractivity‐From‐Clutter Capable, Software‐Defined, Coherent‐on‐Receive Marine Radar
Authors: Compaleo Joshua , Yardim Caglar , Xu Luyao
Published: February 2021

Refractivity‐from‐clutter (RFC) is a technique for remote sensing of the lowest portion of vertical atmospheric refractivity profile, particularly evaporation and surface‐based ducts. It uses the sea‐surface backscattered radar signal to estimate the ducting conditions. The Lower Atmospheric Propagation (LATPROP) radar is a software‐defined, coherent‐on‐receive remote sensing system built on a low‐cost, commercial off‐the‐shelf marine radar platform operating at 9.41 GHz. The system is designed to specifically operate as a RFC‐capable platform sensitive to low clutter power returns from the sea surface. This paper examines the appropriate radar design, system modifications, and radar signal processing steps, and provides a comparison with existing RFC‐capable systems. The LATPROP system was deployed during the Coupled Air‐Sea Processes and electromagnetic Ducting Research West Campaign that took place off of the coast of Southern California during October 2017 and was shown to accurately capture the effects of the ducting conditions.
Differentiating the effect of antipsychotic medication and illness on brain volume reductions in first-episode psychosis: A Longitudinal, Randomised, Triple-blind, Placebo-controlled MRI Study
Authors: Chopra Sidhant , Fornito Alex , Francey Shona M. , O’Donoghue Brian , Cropley Vanessa , Nelson Barnaby , Graham Jessica , Baldwin Lara , Tahtalian Steven , Yuen Hok Pan , Allott Kelly , Alvarez-Jimenez Mario , Harrigan Susy , Sabaroedin Kristina , Pantelis Christos , Wood Stephen J. , McGorry Patrick
Published: February 2021

Changes in brain volume are a common finding in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies of people with psychosis and numerous longitudinal studies suggest that volume deficits progress with illness duration. However, a major unresolved question concerns whether these changes are driven by the underlying illness or represent iatrogenic effects of antipsychotic medication. In this study, 62 antipsychotic-naïve patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) received either a second-generation antipsychotic (risperidone or paliperidone) or a placebo pill over a treatment period of 6 months. Both FEP groups received intensive psychosocial therapy. A healthy control group (n = 27) was also recruited. Structural MRI scans were obtained at baseline, 3 months and 12 months. Our primary aim was to differentiate illness-related brain volume changes from medication-related changes within the first 3 months of treatment. We secondarily investigated long-term effects at the 12-month timepoint. From baseline to 3 months, we observed a significant group x time interaction in the pallidum (p < 0.05 FWE-corrected), such that patients receiving antipsychotic medication showed increased volume, patients on placebo showed decreased volume, and healthy controls showed no change. Across the entire patient sample, a greater increase in pallidal grey matter volume over 3 months was associated with a greater reduction in symptom severity. Our findings indicate that psychotic illness and antipsychotic exposure exert distinct and spatially distributed effects on brain volume. Our results align with prior work in suggesting that the therapeutic efficacy of antipsychotic medications may be primarily mediated through their effects on the basal ganglia.
The clinical effectiveness of using a predictive algorithm to guide antidepressant treatment in primary care (PReDicT): an open-label, randomised controlled trial
Authors: Browning Michael , Bilderbeck Amy C. , Dias Rebecca , Dourish Colin T. , Kingslake Jonathan , Deckert Jürgen , Goodwin Guy M. , Gorwood Philip , Guo Boliang , Harmer Catherine J. , Morriss Richard , Reif Andreas , Ruhe Henricus G. , van Schaik Anneke , Simon Judit , Sola Victor Perez , Veltman Dick J. , Elices Matilde , Lever Anne G. , Menke Andreas , Scanferla Elisabetta , Stäblein Michael , Dawson Gerard R.
Published: February 2021

Depressed patients often do not respond to the first antidepressant prescribed, resulting in sequential trials of different medications. Personalised medicine offers a means of reducing this delay; however, the clinical effectiveness of personalised approaches to antidepressant treatment has not previously been tested. We assessed the clinical effectiveness of using a predictive algorithm, based on behavioural tests of affective cognition and subjective symptoms, to guide antidepressant treatment. We conducted a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial in 913 medication-free depressed patients. Patients were randomly assigned to have their antidepressant treatment guided by a predictive algorithm or treatment as usual (TaU). The primary outcome was the response of depression symptoms, defined as a 50% or greater reduction in baseline score of the QIDS-SR-16 scale, at week 8. Additional prespecified outcomes included symptoms of anxiety at week 8, and symptoms of depression and functional outcome at weeks 8, 24 and 48. The response rate of depressive symptoms at week 8 in the PReDicT (55.9%) and TaU (51.8%) arms did not differ significantly (odds ratio: 1.18 (95% CI: 0.89–1.56), P = 0.25). However, there was a significantly greater reduction of anxiety in week 8 and a greater improvement in functional outcome at week 24 in the PReDicT arm. Use of the PReDicT test did not increase the rate of response to antidepressant treatment estimated by depressive symptoms but did improve symptoms of anxiety at week 8 and functional outcome at week 24. Our findings indicate that personalisation of antidepressant treatment may improve outcomes in depressed patients.
PIWIL1 governs the crosstalk of cancer cell metabolism and immunosuppressive microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Wang Ning , Tan Hor-Yue , Lu Yuanjun , Chan Yau-Tuen , Wang Di , Guo Wei , Xu Yu , Zhang Cheng , Chen Feiyu , Tang Guoyi , Feng Yibin
Published: February 2021

Altered energy metabolism of cancer cells shapes the immune cell response in the tumor microenvironment that facilitates tumor progression. Herein, we reported the novel of tumor cell-expressed Piwi Like RNA-Mediated Gene Silencing 1 (PIWIL1) in mediating the crosstalk of fatty acid metabolism and immune response of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PIWIL1 expression in HCC was increased compared to normal hepatic tissues and was positively correlated with the proliferation rate of HCC cell lines. PIWIL1 overexpression accelerated in vitro proliferation and in vivo growth of HCC tumors, while PIWIL1 knockdown showed opposite effects. PIWIL1 increased oxygen consumption and energy production via fatty acid metabolism without altering aerobic glycolysis. Inhibition of fatty acid metabolism abolished PIWIL1-induced HCC proliferation and growth. RNA-seq analysis revealed that immune system regulation might be involved, which was echoed by the experimental observation that PIWIL1-overexpressing HCC cells attracted myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) into the tumor microenvironment. MDSCs depletion reduced the proliferation and growth of PIWIL1-overexpressing HCC tumors. Complement C3, whose secretion was induced by PIWIL1 in HCC cells, mediates the interaction of HCC cells with MDSCs by activated p38 MAPK signaling in MDSCs, which in turn initiated expression of immunosuppressive cytokine IL10. Neutralizing IL10 secretion reduced the immunosuppressive activity of MDSCs in the microenvironment of PIWIL1-overexpressing HCC. Taken together, our study unraveled the critical role of PIWIL1 in initiating the interaction of cancer cell metabolism and immune cell response in HCC. Tumor cells-expressed PIWIL1 may be a potential target for the development of novel HCC treatment.
Correction: Tumor microenvironment: an evil nexus promoting aggressive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and avenue for targeted therapy
Authors: Bhat Ajaz A. , Yousuf Parvaiz , Wani Nissar A. , Rizwan Arshi , Chauhan Shyam S. , Siddiqi Mushtaq A. , Bedognetti Davide , El-Rifai Wael , Frenneaux Michael P. , Batra Surinder K. , Haris Mohammad , Macha Muzafar A.
Published: February 2021

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-021-00503-9
Long non-coding RNA Lnc-LALC facilitates colorectal cancer liver metastasis via epigenetically silencing LZTS1
Authors: Zhang Chuan , Wang Lu , Jin Chi , Zhou Jiahui , Peng Chaofan , Wang Yong , Xu Ziwei , Zhang Dongsheng , Huang Yuanjian , Zhang Yue , Ji Dongjian , Peng Wen , Jin Kangpeng , Tang Junwei , Feng Yifei , Sun Yueming
Published: February 2021

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers around the world and endangers human health seriously. Liver metastasis is an important factor affecting the long-term prognosis of CRC and the specific mechanism of CRLM (colorectal cancer with liver metastasis) is not fully understood. LZTS1 has been found dysregulated in many cancers, especially in CRC. Theories suggested that hypermethylation of the promoter regions of LZTS1 was responsible for LZTS1 abnormal expression in multiple malignant tumors. Although the role of LZTS1 in CRC cell proliferation has been reported, its role in CRLM remains unclear. Numerous studies reported Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) could regulate the gene expression level by regulating gene methylation status in many tumors. However, whether there were lncRNAs could change the methylation status of LZTS1 or not in CRLM was unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether there are lncRNAs can regulate the expression of LZTS1 through affecting DNA methylation in CRLM. We found that upregulated Lnc-LALC in CRC was negatively correlated with LZTS1 expression, and Lnc-LALC could regulate LZTS1 expression in both mRNA and protein level in our study. Functionally, Lnc-LALC enhanced the CRC cells metastasis ability in vitro and vivo through inhibiting the expression of LZTS1. Furthermore, the precise mechanisms exploration showed that lnc-LALC could recruit DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) to the LZTS1 promoter by combining with Enhancer of zeste homolog 2(EZH2) and then altered the expression of LZTS1 via DNMTs-mediated DNA methylation. Collectively, our data demonstrated the important role of Lnc-LALC/ LZTS1 axis in CRLM development.
The crosstalk between HIFs and mitochondrial dysfunctions in cancer development
Authors: Bao Xingting , Zhang Jinhua , Huang Guomin , Yan Junfang , Xu Caipeng , Dou Zhihui , Sun Chao , Zhang Hong
Published: February 2021

Mitochondria are essential cellular organelles that are involved in regulating cellular energy, metabolism, survival, and proliferation. To some extent, cancer is a genetic and metabolic disease that is closely associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), which are major molecules that respond to hypoxia, play important roles in cancer development by participating in multiple processes, such as metabolism, proliferation, and angiogenesis. The Warburg phenomenon reflects a pseudo-hypoxic state that activates HIF-1α. In addition, a product of the Warburg effect, lactate, also induces HIF-1α. However, Warburg proposed that aerobic glycolysis occurs due to a defect in mitochondria. Moreover, both HIFs and mitochondrial dysfunction can lead to complex reprogramming of energy metabolism, including reduced mitochondrial oxidative metabolism, increased glucose uptake, and enhanced anaerobic glycolysis. Thus, there may be a connection between HIFs and mitochondrial dysfunction. In this review, we systematically discuss the crosstalk between HIFs and mitochondrial dysfunctions in cancer development. Above all, the stability and activity of HIFs are closely influenced by mitochondrial dysfunction related to tricarboxylic acid cycle, electron transport chain components, mitochondrial respiration, and mitochondrial-related proteins. Furthermore, activation of HIFs can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction by affecting multiple mitochondrial functions, including mitochondrial oxidative capacity, biogenesis, apoptosis, fission, and autophagy. In general, the regulation of tumorigenesis and development by HIFs and mitochondrial dysfunction are part of an extensive and cooperative network.
Gab2 deficiency suppresses high-fat diet-induced obesity by reducing adipose tissue inflammation and increasing brown adipose function in mice
Authors: Wang Xinhui , Zhao Yinan , Zhou Dekun , Tian Yingpu , Feng Gensheng , Lu Zhongxian
Published: February 2021

Obesity is caused by a long-term imbalance between energy intake and consumption and is regulated by multiple signals. This study investigated the effect of signaling scaffolding protein Gab2 on obesity and its relevant regulation mechanism. Gab2 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice were fed with a standard diet (SD) or high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks. The results showed that the a high-fat diet-induced Gab2 expression in adipose tissues, but deletion of Gab2 attenuated weight gain and improved glucose tolerance in mice fed with a high-fat diet. White adipose tissue and systemic inflammations were reduced in HFD-fed Gab2 deficiency mice. Gab2 deficiency increased the expression of Ucp1 and other thermogenic genes in brown adipose tissue. Furthermore, the regulation of Gab2 on the mature differentiation and function of adipocytes was investigated in vitro using primary or immortalized brown preadipocytes. The expression of brown fat-selective genes was found to be elevated in differentiated adipocytes without Gab2. The mechanism of Gab2 regulating Ucp1 expression in brown adipocytes involved with its downstream PI3K (p85)-Akt-FoxO1 signaling pathway. Our research suggests that deletion of Gab2 suppresses diet-induced obesity by multiple pathways and Gab2 may be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of obesity and associated complications.
Facile synthesis of nickel cobaltite quasi-hexagonal nanosheets for multilevel resistive switching and synaptic learning applications
Authors: Dongale Tukaram D. , Khot Atul C. , Takaloo Ashkan Vakilipour , Kim Tae Geun
Published: February 2021

High-density memory devices are essential to sustain growth in information technology (IT). Furthermore, brain-inspired computing devices are the future of IT businesses such as artificial intelligence, deep learning, and big data. Herein, we propose a facile and hierarchical nickel cobaltite (NCO) quasi-hexagonal nanosheet-based memristive device for multilevel resistive switching (RS) and synaptic learning applications. Electrical measurements of the Pt/NCO/Pt device show the electroforming free pinched hysteresis loops at different voltages, suggesting the multilevel RS capability of the device. The detailed memristive properties of the device were calculated using the time-dependent current–voltage data. The two-valued charge-flux properties indicate the memristive and multilevel RS characteristics of the device. Interestingly, the Pt/NCO/Pt memristive device shows a compliance current (CC)-dependent RS property; compliance-free RS was observed from 10−2 to 10−4 A, and the compliance effect dominated in the range of 10−5–10−6 A. In CC control mode, the device demonstrated three resistance states during endurance and retention measurements. In addition, the device was successful in mimicking biological synaptic properties such as potentiation-depression- and spike-timing-dependent plasticity rules. The results of the present investigation demonstrated that solution-processable NCO nanosheets are potential switching materials for high-density memory and brain-inspired computing applications.
A computational reward learning account of social media engagement
Authors: Lindström Björn , Bellander Martin , Schultner David T. , Chang Allen , Tobler Philippe N. , Amodio David M.
Published: February 2021

Social media has become a modern arena for human life, with billions of daily users worldwide. The intense popularity of social media is often attributed to a psychological need for social rewards (likes), portraying the online world as a Skinner Box for the modern human. Yet despite such portrayals, empirical evidence for social media engagement as reward-based behavior remains scant. Here, we apply a computational approach to directly test whether reward learning mechanisms contribute to social media behavior. We analyze over one million posts from over 4000 individuals on multiple social media platforms, using computational models based on reinforcement learning theory. Our results consistently show that human behavior on social media conforms qualitatively and quantitatively to the principles of reward learning. Specifically, social media users spaced their posts to maximize the average rate of accrued social rewards, in a manner subject to both the effort cost of posting and the opportunity cost of inaction. Results further reveal meaningful individual difference profiles in social reward learning on social media. Finally, an online experiment (n = 176), mimicking key aspects of social media, verifies that social rewards causally influence behavior as posited by our computational account. Together, these findings support a reward learning account of social media engagement and offer new insights into this emergent mode of modern human behavior.
The contribution of water radiolysis to marine sedimentary life
Authors: Sauvage Justine F. , Flinders Ashton , Spivack Arthur J. , Pockalny Robert , Dunlea Ann G. , Anderson Chloe H. , Smith David C. , Murray Richard W. , D’Hondt Steven
Published: February 2021

Water radiolysis continuously produces H2and oxidized chemicals in wet sediment and rock. Radiolytic H2has been identified as the primary electron donor (food) for microorganisms in continental aquifers kilometers below Earth’s surface. Radiolytic products may also be significant for sustaining life in subseafloor sediment and subsurface environments of other planets. However, the extent to which most subsurface ecosystems rely on radiolytic products has been poorly constrained, due to incomplete understanding of radiolytic chemical yields in natural environments. Here we show that all common marine sediment types catalyse radiolytic H2production, amplifying yields by up to 27X relative to pure water. In electron equivalents, the global rate of radiolytic H2production in marine sediment appears to be 1-2% of the global organic flux to the seafloor. However, most organic matter is consumed at or near the seafloor, whereas radiolytic H2is produced at all sediment depths. Comparison of radiolytic H2consumption rates to organic oxidation rates suggests that water radiolysis is the principal source of biologically accessible energy for microbial communities in marine sediment older than a few million years. Where water permeates similarly catalytic material on other worlds, life may also be sustained by water radiolysis.
A tailored multi-functional catalyst for ultra-efficient styrene production under a cyclic redox scheme
Authors: Zhu Xing , Gao Yunfei , Wang Xijun , Haribal Vasudev , Liu Junchen , Neal Luke M. , Bao Zhenghong , Wu Zili , Wang Hua , Li Fanxing
Published: February 2021

Styrene is an important commodity chemical that is highly energy and CO2 intensive to produce. We report a redox oxidative dehydrogenation (redox-ODH) strategy to efficiently produce styrene. Facilitated by a multifunctional (Ca/Mn)1−xO@KFeO2 core-shell redox catalyst which acts as (i) a heterogeneous catalyst, (ii) an oxygen separation agent, and (iii) a selective hydrogen combustion material, redox-ODH auto-thermally converts ethylbenzene to styrene with up to 97% single-pass conversion and >94% selectivity. This represents a 72% yield increase compared to commercial dehydrogenation on a relative basis, leading to 82% energy savings and 79% CO2 emission reduction. The redox catalyst is composed of a catalytically active KFeO2 shell and a (Ca/Mn)1−xO core for reversible lattice oxygen storage and donation. The lattice oxygen donation from (Ca/Mn)1−xO sacrificially stabilizes Fe3+ in the shell to maintain high catalytic activity and coke resistance. From a practical standpoint, the redox catalyst exhibits excellent long-term performance under industrially compatible conditions.
The TUTase URT1 connects decapping activators and prevents the accumulation of excessively deadenylated mRNAs to avoid siRNA biogenesis
Authors: Scheer Hélène , de Almeida Caroline , Ferrier Emilie , Simonnot Quentin , Poirier Laure , Pflieger David , Sement François M. , Koechler Sandrine , Piermaria Christina , Krawczyk Paweł , Mroczek Seweryn , Chicher Johana , Kuhn Lauriane , Dziembowski Andrzej , Hammann Philippe , Zuber Hélène , Gagliardi Dominique
Published: February 2021

Uridylation is a widespread modification destabilizing eukaryotic mRNAs. Yet, molecular mechanisms underlying TUTase-mediated mRNA degradation remain mostly unresolved. Here, we report that the Arabidopsis TUTase URT1 participates in a molecular network connecting several translational repressors/decapping activators. URT1 directly interacts with DECAPPING 5 (DCP5), the Arabidopsis ortholog of human LSM14 and yeast Scd6, and this interaction connects URT1 to additional decay factors like DDX6/Dhh1-like RNA helicases. Nanopore direct RNA sequencing reveals a global role of URT1 in shaping poly(A) tail length, notably by preventing the accumulation of excessively deadenylated mRNAs. Based on in vitro and in planta data, we propose a model that explains how URT1 could reduce the accumulation of oligo(A)-tailed mRNAs both by favoring their degradation and because 3’ terminal uridines intrinsically hinder deadenylation. Importantly, preventing the accumulation of excessively deadenylated mRNAs avoids the biogenesis of illegitimate siRNAs that silence endogenous mRNAs and perturb Arabidopsis growth and development.
Combinatorial CRISPR screen identifies fitness effects of gene paralogues
Authors: Thompson Nicola A. , Ranzani Marco , van der Weyden Louise , Iyer Vivek , Offord Victoria , Droop Alastair , Behan Fiona , Gonçalves Emanuel , Speak Anneliese , Iorio Francesco , Hewinson James , Harle Victoria , Robertson Holly , Anderson Elizabeth , Fu Beiyuan , Yang Fengtang , Zagnoli-Vieira Guido , Chapman Phil , Del Castillo Velasco-Herrera Martin , Garnett Mathew J. , Jackson Stephen P. , Adams David J.
Published: February 2021

Genetic redundancy has evolved as a way for human cells to survive the loss of genes that are single copy and essential in other organisms, but also allows tumours to survive despite having highly rearranged genomes. In this study we CRISPR screen 1191 gene pairs, including paralogues and known and predicted synthetic lethal interactions to identify 105 gene combinations whose co-disruption results in a loss of cellular fitness. 27 pairs influence fitness across multiple cell lines including the paralogues FAM50A/FAM50B, two genes of unknown function. Silencing of FAM50B occurs across a range of tumour types and in this context disruption of FAM50A reduces cellular fitness whilst promoting micronucleus formation and extensive perturbation of transcriptional programmes. Our studies reveal the fitness effects of FAM50A/FAM50B in cancer cells.
Improved protein structure refinement guided by deep learning based accuracy estimation
Authors: Hiranuma Naozumi , Park Hahnbeom , Baek Minkyung , Anishchenko Ivan , Dauparas Justas , Baker David
Published: February 2021

We develop a deep learning framework (DeepAccNet) that estimates per-residue accuracy and residue-residue distance signed error in protein models and uses these predictions to guide Rosetta protein structure refinement. The network uses 3D convolutions to evaluate local atomic environments followed by 2D convolutions to provide their global contexts and outperforms other methods that similarly predict the accuracy of protein structure models. Overall accuracy predictions for X-ray and cryoEM structures in the PDB correlate with their resolution, and the network should be broadly useful for assessing the accuracy of both predicted structure models and experimentally determined structures and identifying specific regions likely to be in error. Incorporation of the accuracy predictions at multiple stages in the Rosetta refinement protocol considerably increased the accuracy of the resulting protein structure models, illustrating how deep learning can improve search for global energy minima of biomolecules.
Boosting photocatalytic hydrogen production from water by photothermally induced biphase systems
Authors: Guo Shaohui , Li Xuanhua , Li Ju , Wei Bingqing
Published: February 2021

Solar-driven hydrogen production from water using particulate photocatalysts is considered the most economical and effective approach to produce hydrogen fuel with little environmental concern. However, the efficiency of hydrogen production from water in particulate photocatalysis systems is still low. Here, we propose an efficient biphase photocatalytic system composed of integrated photothermal–photocatalytic materials that use charred wood substrates to convert liquid water to water steam, simultaneously splitting hydrogen under light illumination without additional energy. The photothermal–photocatalytic system exhibits biphase interfaces of photothermally-generated steam/photocatalyst/hydrogen, which significantly reduce the interface barrier and drastically lower the transport resistance of the hydrogen gas by nearly two orders of magnitude. In this work, an impressive hydrogen production rate up to 220.74 μmol h−1 cm−2 in the particulate photocatalytic systems has been achieved based on the wood/CoO system, demonstrating that the photothermal–photocatalytic biphase system is cost-effective and greatly advantageous for practical applications.
Chromatin information content landscapes inform transcription factor and DNA interactions
Authors: D’Oliveira Albanus Ricardo , Kyono Yasuhiro , Hensley John , Varshney Arushi , Orchard Peter , Kitzman Jacob O. , Parker Stephen C. J.
Published: February 2021

Interactions between transcription factors and chromatin are fundamental to genome organization and regulation and, ultimately, cell state. Here, we use information theory to measure signatures of organized chromatin resulting from transcription factor-chromatin interactions encoded in the patterns of the accessible genome, which we term chromatin information enrichment (CIE). We calculate CIE for hundreds of transcription factor motifs across human samples and identify two classes: low and high CIE. The 10–20% of common and tissue-specific high CIE transcription factor motifs, associate with higher protein–DNA residence time, including different binding site subclasses of the same transcription factor, increased nucleosome phasing, specific protein domains, and the genetic control of both chromatin accessibility and gene expression. These results show that variations in the information encoded in chromatin architecture reflect functional biological variation, with implications for cell state dynamics and memory.