bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stereotactic body radiotherapy in patients with lung tumors composed of mainly ground-glass opacity
Authors: Onishi Hiroshi , Shioyama Yoshiyuki , Matsumoto Yasuo , Shibamoto Yuta , Miyakawa Akifumi , Suzuki Gen , Nishimura Yasumasa , Sasaki Ryohei , Miyawaki Daisuke , Kuriyama Kengo , Komiyama Takafumi , Marino Kan , Aoki Shinichi , Saito Ryo , Araya Masayuki , Maehata Yoshiyasu , Nonaka Hotaka , Tominaga Licht , Saito Masahide , Sano Naoki , Yamada Shogo
Published: March 2020

We retrospectively reviewed the effect of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in patients with stage I lung cancer whose lung tumor showed a nodular appearance of ground glass opacity, so-called ground glass nodule (GGN). A total of 84 patients (42 men, 42 women; mean age, 75 years) with stage I lung cancer with GGN accompanying a solid component <50% in diameter of the tumor and no metastases were studied. Concerning histology, 32 tumors were adenocarcinoma, 1 was squamous cell carcinoma, 2 were unclassified carcinoma and 49 cases were histology-unproven but increased in size or had a positive finding in 18F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET) examination. The median tumor size was 20 mm (range, 10–41 mm). All of the patients were treated with SBRT, and the total prescribed dose at the isocenter ranged between 48 Gy in four fractions and 84 Gy in ten fractions. Median follow-up duration was 33 months. No patient had local failure nor regional lymph node failure. The 3-year rate of distant failure was 2.6%. Two patients who experienced distant metastases had a past surgical history of initial lung cancer before SBRT. The rates of cause-specific and overall survival at 3 years were 98.2 and 94.6%, respectively. Treatment-related adverse events of ≥grade 4 were not reported. Although more cases and longer follow-ups are mandatory, SBRT may be one of the radical treatment options for patients with GGN.
A rare case of acute congestive ischaemic colitis related to combined superior and inferior mesenteric arteriovenous malformations
Authors: Stefanova Irena , Huddy Jeremy R , Richardson John
Published: March 2020

Visceral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are extremely rare with only a few cases described within the literature. To date, no cases of ischaemic colitis related to arteriovenous malformations affecting both superior and inferior mesenteric arteries have been reported. We report the first case of acute ischaemic colitis caused by venous congestion and reduced arterial flow due to combined AVMs in the territory of superior and inferior mesenteric arteries in a 51-year-old patient. After a multidisciplinary meeting, interventional radiology embolization was considered to be of unlikely benefit due to extensive varicosities; therefore, surgical treatment in the form of open subtotal colectomy and end ileostomy was performed. This case report demonstrates the severity and the complexity in the management of AVM-related ischaemic colitis, together with a review of the literature.
En bloc transdiaphragmatic lung resection for locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report
Authors: Lee Kit-fai , Wong Randolph H L , Leung Howard H W , Lo Eugene Y J , Chong Charing C N , Chan Anthony W H , Lai Paul B S
Published: March 2020

A 56-year-old man presented with an 11-cm hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at segment 7 of liver. To induce left liver hypertrophy, a sequential transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and portal vein embolization before right hepatectomy were adopted. However, the tumor further increased in size despite TACE and invaded through the diaphragm to the right lung base. Anterior approach right hepatectomy with en bloc wedge resection of the involved right lower lobe of lung by endovascular staplers via transdiaphragmatic approach was performed. The diaphragmatic defect was closed with Goretex mesh. Patient made an uneventful recovery. Pathology confirmed a 12.5 cm poorly differentiated HCC invading through diaphragm to lung. During follow-up, patient developed a 6 cm recurrence at left lung base 17 months after surgery for which he received sorafenib therapy. However, the lung mass further increased in size with new liver recurrence at segment 3 despite treatment. He succumbed 2 years and 3 months after surgery.
Nebular-line emission during the Epoch of Reionization
Authors: Wilkins Stephen M , Lovell Christopher C , Fairhurst Ciaran , Feng Yu , Matteo Tiziana Di , Croft Rupert , Kuusisto Jussi , Vijayan Aswin P , Thomas Peter
Published: March 2020

Nebular emission lines associated with galactic H ii regions carry information about both physical properties of the ionized gas and the source of ionizing photons as well as providing the opportunity of measuring accurate redshifts and thus distances once a cosmological model is assumed. While nebular-line emission has been extensively studied at lower redshift there are currently only few constraints within the epoch of reionization (EoR; z > 6), chiefly due to the lack of sensitive near-IR spectrographs. However, this will soon change with the arrival of the Webb Telescope providing sensitive near-IR spectroscopy covering the rest-frame UV and optical emission of galaxies in the EoR. In anticipation of Webb, we combine the large cosmological hydrodynamical simulation BlueTides with photoionization modelling to predict the nebular emission-line properties of galaxies at z = 8 → 13. We find good agreement with the, albeit limited, existing direct and indirect observational constraints on equivalent widths though poorer agreement with luminosity function constraints.
The rich lack close neighbours: the dependence of blue-straggler fraction on metallicity
Authors: Wyse Rosemary F G , Moe Maxwell , Kratter Kaitlin M
Published: March 2020

Blue-straggler stars (BSS) have been identified in star clusters and in field populations in our own Milky Way galaxy and in its satellite galaxies. They manifest as stars bluer and more luminous than the dominant old population, and usually have a spatial distribution that follows the old population. Their progenitors are likely to have been close binaries. We investigate trends of the BSS population in dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSph) and in the bulge of the Milky Way and find an anticorrelation between the relative frequency of BSS and the metallicity of the parent population. The rate of occurrence of BSS in the metal-poor dwarf galaxies is approximately twice that found in the solar-metallicity bulge population. This trend of decreasing relative population of BSS with increasing metallicity mirrors that found for the close-binary fraction in the field population of the Milky Way. We argue that the dominant mode of BSS formation in low-density environments is likely to be mass transfer in close-binary systems. It then follows that the similarity between the trends for BSS in the dSph and field stars in our Galaxy supports the proposal that the small-scale fragmentation during star formation is driven by the same dominant physical process, despite the diversity in environments, plausibly gravitational instability of proto-stellar discs.
Interarm islands in the Milky Way – the one near the Cygnus spiral arm
Authors: Vallée Jacques P
Published: March 2020

This study extends to the structure of the Galaxy. Our main goal is to focus on the first spiral arm beyond the Perseus arm, often called the Cygnus arm or the ‘Outer Norma’ arm, by appraising the distributions of the masers near the Cygnus arm. The method is to employ masers whose trigonometric distances were measured with accuracy. The maser data come from published literature – see column 8 in Table 1 here, having been obtained via the existing networks (US VLBA, the Japanese VERA, the European VLBI, and the Australian LBA). The new results for Cygnus are split in two groups: those located near a recent CO-fitted global model spiral arm and those congregating within an ‘interarm island’ located halfway between the Perseus arm and the Cygnus arm. Next, we compare this island with other similar interarm objects near other spiral arms. Thus, we delineate an interarm island (6 × 2 kpc) located between the two long spiral arms (Cygnus and Perseus arms); this is reminiscent of the small ‘Local Orion arm’ (4 × 2 kpc) found earlier between the Perseus and Sagittarius arms and of the old ‘Loop’ (2 × 0.5 kpc) found earlier between the Sagittarius and Scutum arms. Various arm models are compared, based on observational data (masers, H II regions, H I gas, young stars, CO 1–0 gas).
Kink instabilities in relativistic jets can drive quasi-periodic radiation signatures
Authors: Dong Lingyi , Zhang Haocheng , Giannios Dimitrios
Published: March 2020

Relativistic jets are highly collimated plasma outflows emerging from accreting black holes. They are launched with a significant amount of magnetic energy, which can be dissipated to accelerate non-thermal particles and give rise to electromagnetic radiation at larger scales. Kink instabilities can be an efficient mechanism to trigger dissipation of jet magnetic energy. While previous works have studied the conditions required for the growth of kink instabilities in relativistic jets, the radiation signatures of these instabilities have not been investigated in detail. In this paper, we aim to self-consistently study radiation and polarization signatures from kink instabilities in relativistic jets. We combine large-scale relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (RMHD) simulations with polarized radiation transfer of a magnetized jet, which emerges from the central engine and propagates through the surrounding medium. We observe that a localized region at the central spine of the jet exhibits the strongest kink instabilities, which we identify as the jet emission region. Very interestingly, we find quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) signatures in the light curve from the emission region. Additionally, the polarization degree appears to be anticorrelated to flares in the light curves. Our analyses show that these QPO signatures are intrinsically driven by kink instabilities, where the period of the QPOs is associated with the kink growth time-scale. The latter corresponds to weeks to months QPOs in blazars. The polarization signatures offer unique diagnostics for QPOs driven by kink instabilities.
Deconstructing double-barred galaxies in 2D and 3D – II. Two distinct groups of inner bars
Authors: de Lorenzo-Cáceres A , Méndez-Abreu J , Thorne B , Costantin L
Published: March 2020

The intrinsic photometric properties of inner and outer stellar bars within 17 double-barred galaxies are thoroughly studied through a photometric analysis consisting of (i) two-dimensional (2D) multicomponent photometric decompositions, and (ii) three-dimensional (3D) statistical deprojections for measuring the thickening of bars, thus retrieving their 3D shape. The results are compared with previous measurements obtained with the widely used analysis of integrated light. Large-scale bars in single- and double-barred systems show similar sizes, and inner bars may be longer than outer bars in different galaxies. We find two distinct groups of inner bars attending to their in-plane length and ellipticity, resulting in a bimodal behaviour for the inner/outer bar length ratio. Such bimodality is related neither to the properties of the host galaxy nor the dominant bulge, and it does not show a counterpart in the dimension off the disc plane. The group of long inner bars lays at the lower end of the outer bar length versus ellipticity correlation, whereas the short inner bars are out of that relation. We suggest that this behaviour could be due to either a different nature of the inner discs from which the inner bars are dynamically formed or a different assembly stage for the inner bars. This last possibility would imply that the dynamical assembly of inner bars is a slow process taking several Gyr to happen. We have also explored whether all large-scale bars are prone to develop an inner bar at some stage of their lives, possibility we cannot fully confirm or discard.
Tbx2aModulates Switching ofRH2andLWSOpsin Gene Expression
Authors: Sandkam Benjamin A , Campello Laura , O’Brien Conor , Nandamuri Sri Pratima , Gammerdinger William J , Conte Matthew A , Swaroop Anand , Carleton Karen L
Published: March 2020

Sensory systems are tuned by selection to maximize organismal fitness in particular environments. This tuning has implications for intraspecies communication, the maintenance of species boundaries, and speciation. Tuning of color vision largely depends on the sequence of the expressed opsin proteins. To improve tuning of visual sensitivities to shifts in habitat or foraging ecology over the course of development, many organisms change which opsins are expressed. Changes in this developmental sequence (heterochronic shifts) can create differences in visual sensitivity among closely related species. The genetic mechanisms by which these developmental shifts occur are poorly understood. Here, we use quantitative trait locus analyses, genome sequencing, and gene expression studies in African cichlid fishes to identify a role for the transcription factor Tbx2a in driving a switch between long wavelength sensitive (LWS) and Rhodopsin-like (RH2) opsin expression. We identify binding sites for Tbx2a in the LWS promoter and the highly conserved locus control region of RH2 which concurrently promote LWS expression while repressing RH2 expression. We also present evidence that a single change in Tbx2a regulatory sequence has led to a species difference in visual tuning, providing the first mechanistic model for the evolution of rapid switches in sensory tuning. This difference in visual tuning likely has important roles in evolution as it corresponds to differences in diet, microhabitat choice, and male nuptial coloration.
Relative Model Fit Does Not Predict Topological Accuracy in Single-Gene Protein Phylogenetics
Authors: Spielman Stephanie J
Published: March 2020

It is regarded as best practice in phylogenetic reconstruction to perform relative model selection to determine an appropriate evolutionary model for the data. This procedure ranks a set of candidate models according to their goodness of fit to the data, commonly using an information theoretic criterion. Users then specify the best-ranking model for inference. Although it is often assumed that better-fitting models translate to increase accuracy, recent studies have shown that the specific model employed may not substantially affect inferences. We examine whether there is a systematic relationship between relative model fit and topological inference accuracy in protein phylogenetics, using simulations and real sequences. Simulations employed site-heterogeneous mechanistic codon models that are distinct from protein-level phylogenetic inference models, allowing us to investigate how protein models performs when they are misspecified to the data, as will be the case for any real sequence analysis. We broadly find that phylogenies inferred across models with vastly different fits to the data produce highly consistent topologies. We additionally find that all models infer similar proportions of false-positive splits, raising the possibility that all available models of protein evolution are similarly misspecified. Moreover, we find that the parameter-rich GTR (general time reversible) model, whose amino acid exchangeabilities are free parameters, performs similarly to models with fixed exchangeabilities, although the inference precision associated with GTR models was not examined. We conclude that, although relative model selection may not hinder phylogenetic analysis on protein data, it may not offer specific predictable improvements and is not a reliable proxy for accuracy.
Dynamic Evolution of Euchromatic Satellites on the X Chromosome in Drosophila melanogaster and the simulans Clade
Authors: Sproul John S , Khost Danielle E , Eickbush Danna G , Negm Sherif , Wei Xiaolu , Wong Isaac , Larracuente Amanda M
Published: March 2020

Satellite DNAs (satDNAs) are among the most dynamically evolving components of eukaryotic genomes and play important roles in genome regulation, genome evolution, and speciation. Despite their abundance and functional impact, we know little about the evolutionary dynamics and molecular mechanisms that shape satDNA distributions in genomes. Here, we use high-quality genome assemblies to study the evolutionary dynamics of two complex satDNAs, Rsp-like and 1.688 g/cm3, in Drosophila melanogaster and its three nearest relatives in the simulans clade. We show that large blocks of these repeats are highly dynamic in the heterochromatin, where their genomic location varies across species. We discovered that small blocks of satDNA that are abundant in X chromosome euchromatin are similarly dynamic, with repeats changing in abundance, location, and composition among species. We detail the proliferation of a rare satellite (Rsp-like) across the X chromosome in D. simulans and D. mauritiana. Rsp-like spread by inserting into existing clusters of the older, more abundant 1.688 satellite, in events likely facilitated by microhomology-mediated repair pathways. We show that Rsp-like is abundant on extrachromosomal circular DNA in D. simulans, which may have contributed to its dynamic evolution. Intralocus satDNA expansions via unequal exchange and the movement of higher order repeats also contribute to the fluidity of the repeat landscape. We find evidence that euchromatic satDNA repeats experience cycles of proliferation and diversification somewhat analogous to bursts of transposable element proliferation. Our study lays a foundation for mechanistic studies of satDNA proliferation and the functional and evolutionary consequences of satDNA movement.
Alterations of endometrial epithelial–mesenchymal transition and MAPK signalling components in women with PCOS are partially modulated by metformin in vitro
Authors: Hu Min , Zhang Yuehui , Li Xin , Cui Peng , Li Juan , Brännström Mats , Shao Linus R , Billig Håkan
Published: March 2020

Growing evidence suggests that epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and its regulator mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) contribute to endometria-related reproductive disorders. However, the regulation of EMT and MAPK signalling components in the endometrium from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients has not been systematically investigated and remains elusive. In humans, how metformin induces molecular alterations in the endometrial tissues under PCOS conditions is not completely clear. Here, we recruited 7 non-PCOS patients during the proliferative phase (nPCOS), 7 non-PCOS patients with endometrial hyperplasia (nPCOSEH), 14 PCOS patients during the proliferative phase (PCOS) and 3 PCOS patients with endometrial hyperplasia (PCOSEH). Our studies demonstrated that compared with nPCOS, PCOS patients showed decreased Claudin 1 and increased Vimentin and Slug proteins. Similar to increased Slug protein, nPCOSEH and PCOSEH patients showed increased N-cadherin protein. Western blot and immunostaining revealed increased epithelial phosphorylated Cytokeratin 8 (p-CK 8) expression and an increased p-CK 8:CK 8 ratio in PCOS, nPCOSEH and PCOSEH patients compared to nPCOS patients. Although nPCOSEH and PCOSEH patients showed increased p-ERK1/2 and/or p38 protein levels, the significant increase in p-ERK1/2 expression and p-ERK1/2:ERK1/2 ratio was only found in PCOS patients compared to nPCOS patients. A significant induction of the membrane ERβ immunostaining was observed in the epithelial cells of PCOS and PCOSEH patients compared to nPCOS and nPCOSEH patients. While in vitro treatment with metformin alone increased Snail and decreased Claudin 1, N-cadherin and α-SMA proteins, concomitant treatment with metformin and E2 increased the expression of CK 8 and Snail proteins and decreased the expression of Claudin 1, ZO-1, Slug and α-SMA proteins. Our findings suggest that the EMT contributes to the switch from a healthy state to a PCOS state in the endometrium, which might subsequently drive endometrial injury and dysfunction. We also provide evidence that metformin differentially modulates EMT protein expression in PCOS patients depending on oestrogenic stimulation.
Mechanistic insights from structure of Mycobacterium smegmatis topoisomerase I with ssDNA bound to both N- and C-terminal domains
Authors: Cao Nan , Tan Kemin , Zuo Xiaobing , Annamalai Thirunavukkarasu , Tse-Dinh Yuk-Ching
Published: March 2020

Type IA topoisomerases interact with G-strand and T-strand ssDNA to regulate DNA topology. However, simultaneous binding of two ssDNA segments to a type IA topoisomerase has not been observed previously. We report here the crystal structure of a type IA topoisomerase with ssDNA segments bound in opposite polarity to the N- and C-terminal domains. Titration of small ssDNA oligonucleotides to Mycobacterium smegmatis topoisomerase I with progressive C-terminal deletions showed that the C-terminal region has higher affinity for ssDNA than the N-terminal active site. This allows the C-terminal domains to capture one strand of underwound negatively supercoiled DNA substrate first and position the N-terminal domains to bind and cleave the opposite strand in the relaxation reaction. Efficiency of negative supercoiling relaxation increases with the number of domains that bind ssDNA primarily with conserved aromatic residues and possibly with assistance from polar/basic residues. A comparison of bacterial topoisomerase I structures showed that a conserved transesterification unit (N-terminal toroid structure) for cutting and rejoining of a ssDNA strand can be combined with two different types of C-terminal ssDNA binding domains to form diverse bacterial topoisomerase I enzymes that are highly efficient in their physiological role of preventing excess negative supercoiling in the genome.
Rapid and assured genetic engineering methods applied to Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1 genome streamlining
Authors: Suárez Gabriel A , Dugan Kyle R , Renda Brian A , Leonard Sean P , Gangavarapu Lakshmi Suryateja , Barrick Jeffrey E
Published: March 2020

One goal of synthetic biology is to improve the efficiency and predictability of living cells by removing extraneous genes from their genomes. We demonstrate improved methods for engineering the genome of the metabolically versatile and naturally transformable bacterium Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1 and apply them to a genome streamlining project. In Golden Transformation, linear DNA fragments constructed by Golden Gate Assembly are directly added to cells to create targeted deletions, edits, or additions to the chromosome. We tested the dispensability of 55 regions of the ADP1 chromosome using Golden Transformation. The 18 successful multiple-gene deletions ranged in size from 21 to 183 kb and collectively accounted for 23.4% of its genome. The success of each multiple-gene deletion attempt could only be partially predicted on the basis of an existing collection of viable ADP1 single-gene deletion strains and a new transposon insertion sequencing (Tn-Seq) dataset that we generated. We further show that ADP1’s native CRISPR/Cas locus is active and can be retargeted using Golden Transformation. We reprogrammed it to create a CRISPR-Lock, which validates that a gene has been successfully removed from the chromosome and prevents it from being reacquired. These methods can be used together to implement combinatorial routes to further genome streamlining and for more rapid and assured metabolic engineering of this versatile chassis organism.
Chronic hypoxia exacerbates diabetic glomerulosclerosis through mesangiolysis and podocyte injury in db/db mice
Authors: Takahashi Naoki , Yoshida Haruyoshi , Kimura Hideki , Kamiyama Kazuko , Kurose Tomomi , Sugimoto Hidehiro , Imura Toshio , Yokoi Seiji , Mikami Daisuke , Kasuno Kenji , Kurosawa Hiroyuki , Hirayama Yoshiaki , Naiki Hironobu , Hara Masanori , Iwano Masayuki
Published: March 2020

Background

Chronic hypoxia may play a pivotal role in the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the precise mechanisms underlying progressive hypoxia-induced glomerular injury remain unclear.

Methods

We housed db/db mice in a hypoxia chamber (12% O2) for up to 16 weeks beginning at 8 weeks of age. Various urine, serum and kidney abnormalities and glomerular messenger RNA (mRNA) expression were compared with those in age-matched db/db mice housed under normoxia.

Results

Levels of urinary albumin and podocalyxin (PCX) were significantly higher in hypoxic mice early during hypoxia. Ultracentrifugation of urine samples revealed that podocytes in the hypoxic mice shed PCX-positive microparticles into the urine. After 16 weeks of hypoxia, the mice also had higher hematocrits with lower serum glucose and various degrees of mesangiolytic glomerulosclerosis with microaneurysms and the infrequent occurrence of nodular lesions. Immunohistologically, hypoxic mice showed significantly decreased endothelial cell densities early during hypoxia and decreased podocyte densities later. In both hypoxic and normoxic mice, glomerular macrophage and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) staining significantly increased with aging, without changes in vascular endothelial growth factor or endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). Glomerular mRNA expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, eNOS and TGF-β1 was significantly enhanced in the hypoxic mice.

Conclusions

These results indicate that chronic hypoxia induces advanced glomerulosclerosis with accelerated albuminuria triggered by mesangiolysis and podocyte injury in a murine model of DN.
Effects of bariatric surgery on kidney diseases, cardiovascular diseases, mortality and severe hypoglycaemia among patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Wong Carlos K H , Wu Tingting , Wong Simon K H , Law Betty T T , Grieve Eleanor , Ng Enders K W , Wu Olivia , Lam Cindy L K
Published: March 2020

Background

Bariatric surgery has been widely indicated for the management of obesity and related comorbidities. However, there are uncertainties pertaining to the risks of post-bariatric severe hypoglycaemia (SH), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), end-stage kidney diseases (ESKDs) and all-cause mortality in obese patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), especially among Asian populations.

Methods

A retrospective population-based cohort of 1702 obese T2DM patients who were free of CVD and ESKD were assembled based on the 2006–17 Hospital Authority database. One-to-five propensity-score matching was used to balance baseline covariates between patients in bariatric surgery and control groups. Incidence rates (IRs) of SH, CVD, Stage 4/5 chronic kidney diseases (CKD), ESKD and all-cause mortality events for two groups were calculated. Hazard ratios (HR) for SH, CVD and Stage 4/5 CKD events were assessed using Cox-proportional hazard models. Changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin–creatinine ratio (UACR) were measured up to 60 months.

Results

Over a mean follow-up period of 32 months with 5725 person-years, cumulative incidences of mortality, CVD, Stage 4/5 CKD, ESKD and SH were 0, 0.036, 0.050, 0.017 and 0.020, respectively. The surgery group had a significant reduction in risk of CVD events (HR = 0.464, P = 0.015) and no occurrence of mortality events. However, there were no significant differences in risks of SH [HR = 0.469, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.204–1.081], Stage 4/5 CKD (HR =0.896, 95% CI: 0.519–1.545) and ESKD (HR = 0.666, 95% CI: 0.264–1.683) between two groups, although IRs were lower in the surgery group. Surgical patients had significantly higher eGFR within 12 months and had significantly lower UACR until 48 months.

Conclusions

Among obese T2DM patients, bariatric surgery lowered the risk of CVD and mortality, and was beneficial towards the kidney outcomes.
Deep-learning-based information mining from ocean remote-sensing imagery
Authors: Li Xiaofeng , Liu Bin , Zheng Gang , Ren Yibin , Zhang Shuangshang , Liu Yingjie , Gao Le , Liu Yuhai , Zhang Bin , Wang Fan
Published: March 2020

With the continuous development of space and sensor technologies during the last 40 years, ocean remote sensing has entered into the big-data era with typical five-V (volume, variety, value, velocity and veracity) characteristics. Ocean remote-sensing data archives reach several tens of petabytes and massive satellite data are acquired worldwide daily. To precisely, efficiently and intelligently mine the useful information submerged in such ocean remote-sensing data sets is a big challenge. Deep learning—a powerful technology recently emerging in the machine-learning field—has demonstrated its more significant superiority over traditional physical- or statistical-based algorithms for image-information extraction in many industrial-field applications and starts to draw interest in ocean remote-sensing applications. In this review paper, we first systematically reviewed two deep-learning frameworks that carry out ocean remote-sensing-image classifications and then presented eight typical applications in ocean internal-wave/eddy/oil-spill/coastal-inundation/sea-ice/green-algae/ship/coral-reef mapping from different types of ocean remote-sensing imagery to show how effective these deep-learning frameworks are. Researchers can also readily modify these existing frameworks for information mining of other kinds of remote-sensing imagery.
Classification–coordination–collaboration: a systems approach for advancing Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Fu Bojie , Zhang Junze , Wang Shuai , Zhao Wenwu
Published: March 2020

It is an urgent task to advance Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on different scales in the world. We propose a systems approach to combat this issue, namely `classification–coordination–collaboration'. This approach allows SDGs to realize key breakthroughs over the short-term while achieving sweeping progress over the long run.
For whom and under what circumstances do nutrition-education cooking interventions work: a realist synthesis
Authors: Maugeri Isabella P , Brimblecombe Julie , Choi Tammie S T , Kleve Sue , Palermo Claire
Published: March 2020

Objective

To explore for whom and under what circumstances nutrition-education cooking interventions affect nutrition outcomes in adults.

Methods

A realist synthesis was undertaken. The CINAHL, Ovid Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched for literature published between 1980 and 2019, using the terms “cook” and “intervention” and their synonyms; 5759 articles were identified. Grey literature was sourced for further additional program context. A total of 23 articles (n = 11 programs) met inclusion criteria for analysis. Program data were coded in duplicate for context, outcome, and mechanism configurations, and used to build a refined program theory.

Results

Nutrition-education cooking interventions targeted at low-socioeconomic-status and marginalized populations produced a range of positive nutrition outcomes. Outcomes were observed when the program involved hands-on cooking and a skilled facilitator coupled with individual self-efficacy, knowledge gain, family support, and an expectation of positive health outcomes.

Conclusion

These findings highlight key program components to achieve improvements in nutrition and important recommendations for nutrition-education cooking interventions.
Genetic Manipulation of Transcriptional Regulators Alters Nicotine Biosynthesis in Tobacco
Authors: Hayashi Shunya , Watanabe Mutsumi , Kobayashi Makoto , Tohge Takayuki , Hashimoto Takashi , Shoji Tsubasa
Published: March 2020

The toxic alkaloid nicotine is produced in the roots of Nicotiana species and primarily accumulates in leaves as a specialized metabolite. A series of metabolic and transport genes involved in the nicotine pathway are coordinately upregulated by a pair of jasmonate-responsive AP2/ERF-family transcription factors, NtERF189 and NtERF199, in the roots of Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco). In this study, we explored the potential of manipulating the expression of these transcriptional regulators to alter nicotine biosynthesis in tobacco. The transient overexpression of NtERF189 led to alkaloid production in the leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana and Nicotiana alata. This ectopic production was further enhanced by co-overexpressing a gene encoding a basic helix-loop-helix-family MYC2 transcription factor. Constitutive and leaf-specific overexpression of NtERF189 increased the accumulation of foliar alkaloids in transgenic tobacco plants but negatively affected plant growth. By contrast, in a knockout mutant of NtERF189 and NtERF199 obtained through CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing, alkaloid levels were drastically reduced without causing major growth defects. Metabolite profiling revealed the impact of manipulating the nicotine pathway on a wide range of nitrogen- and carbon-containing metabolites. Our findings provide insights into the biotechnological applications of engineering metabolic pathways by targeting transcription factors.
Negligible risk of the COVID-19 resurgence caused by work resuming in China (outside Hubei): a statistical probability study
Authors: Zhao Kedong , Long Cheng , Wang Yan , Zeng Tieyong , Fu Xinmiao
Published: March 2020

The COVID-19 outbreak in China appears to reach the late stage since late March 2020, and a stepwise restoration of economic operations is implemented. Risk assessment for such economic restoration is of significance. Here, we estimated the probability of COVID-19 resurgence caused by work resuming in typical provinces/cities and found that such probability is very limited (<5% for all the regions except Beijing). Our work may inform provincial governments to make risk level-based, differentiated control measures.
Circular RNA sequencing indicates circ-IQGAP2 and circ-ZC3H6 as noninvasive biomarkers of primary Sjögren’s syndrome
Authors: Li Fengxia , Liu Zhenwei , Zhang Bing , Jiang Shan , Wang Qiongdan , Du Lifeng , Xue Huangqi , Zhang Yu , Jin Mengmeng , Zhu Xiaochun , Brown Matthew A , Wu Jinyu , Wang Xiaobing
Published: March 2020

Objectives

This study aims to characterize the expression profiles of circRNAs in primary Sjogren’s Syndrome (pSS) and examine the potential of noninvasive circular RNAs (circRNAs) as biomarkers of pSS.

Methods

We performed RNA sequencing of minor salivary gland (MSG) biopsies from four pSS and four non-pSS individuals (subjects undergoing MSG biopsies but not meeting 2012 or 2016 ACR classification criteria for SS). Differentially expressed circRNAs were identified by DESeq2, and confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR in the MSGs as well as in plasma exosomes in 37 pSS and 14 non-pSS subjects. Discriminatory capacity testing using receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to evaluate the performance of circRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers for pSS.

Results

Circ-IQGAP2 and circ-ZC3H6 had significantly upregulated expression in the MSGs of pSS patients, and this elevated expression was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR of plasma exosome RNA. The expression of these circRNAs also showed significant correlation with both clinical features, serum IgG level and MSG focus scores. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the indices comprised of both the two circRNAs and clinical features were better able to distinguish pSS from non-pSS subjects with high mean areas under the curve of 0.93 in the MSGs and 0.92 in the plasma exosomes.

Conclusion

This study indicated the potential roles of circ-IQGAP2 and circ-ZC3H6 as noninvasive biomarkers for the diagnosis of pSS.
Enabling Pathways for Students from Refugee and Asylum-Seeker Backgrounds in Higher Education: Aspirations About Progression to Postgraduate Studies
Authors: Clark Catherine , Lenette Caroline
Published: March 2020

University students from refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds (SRABs) have unique resettlement experiences related to disrupted education, family expectations, financial pressures, and visa uncertainty. These arduous experiences often translate into a strong determination to access education and persevere with tertiary studies. Supportive educational trajectories are crucial to increase social cohesion and help redress the personal and social disadvantages SRABs face. Yet, there is virtually no attention paid to aspirations about progression to postgraduate studies despite the diverse aspirations and talents of many. This article reports on a qualitative study that explored the perspectives of six SRABs and two academics at an Australian university on aspirations to postgraduate studies. Participants identified several obstacles and opportunities at personal, institutional, community, and policy levels. Many existing recommendations in the enabling pathways literature focus on what universities could do differently, but we argue for a whole-of-person approach that considers institutional as well as personal issues, to increase prospects of SRABs progressing to postgraduate studies. Universities can assist with better institutional support structures, mentoring, raising staff awareness about SRABs, and financial aid. While institutions might not be able to directly address financial, visa, and personal concerns, universities can implement simple strategies to minimise their impact.
Neonatal exposure to chlordecone alters female social behaviors and central estrogen alpha receptor expression in socially monogamous mandarin voles
Authors: Lian Ting , Zhang Xudong , Wang Xiye , Wang Rong , Gao Huan , Tai Fadao , Yu Qi
Published: March 2020

Chlordecone (CD) is one of the common persistent organic pollutants in nature and has a profound impact on the environment and on public health. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that neonatal exposure of CD influences adult physiology and behavior due to its estrogenic properties. Using socially monogamous mandarin voles as an experimental animal model, the present study aimed to evaluate the impact of neonatal exposure to CD on female social behaviors and central estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) expression in adulthood. After receiving a single subcutaneous injection with sesame seed oil (female control group), 17 beta-estradiol (E2 group), or CD group on postnatal Day 1, the social behaviors of adult animals and ERα expression in specific brain regions were assessed. The data indicated that CD or E2-treated female animals displayed increased affiliative behaviors and decreased aggressive behaviors with regard to the unfamiliar females in the social interaction test. In addition, CD or E2-treated female voles exhibited significant preferences to females over males in the sexual preference test. Moreover, CD-treated female animals exhibited higher levels of ERα expression in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, the central amygdala, the medial amygdala and the medial preoptic area compared with those of the control voles. The results suggested that neonatal exposure to CD may masculinize female social behaviors, possibly via CD-induced changes in the ERα expression of relevant brain regions.
In silico prediction of chemical neurotoxicity using machine learning
Authors: Jiang Changsheng , Zhao Piaopiao , Li Weihua , Tang Yun , Liu Guixia
Published: March 2020

Neurotoxicity is one of the main causes of drug withdrawal, and the biological experimental methods of detecting neurotoxic toxicity are time-consuming and laborious. In addition, the existing computational prediction models of neurotoxicity still have some shortcomings. In response to these shortcomings, we collected a large number of data set of neurotoxicity and used PyBioMed molecular descriptors and eight machine learning algorithms to construct regression prediction models of chemical neurotoxicity. Through the cross-validation and test set validation of the models, it was found that the extra-trees regressor model had the best predictive effect on neurotoxicity (${q}_{\mathrm{test}}^2$ = 0.784). In addition, we get the applicability domain of the models by calculating the standard deviation distance and the lever distance of the training set. We also found that some molecular descriptors are closely related to neurotoxicity by calculating the contribution of the molecular descriptors to the models. Considering the accuracy of the regression models, we recommend using the extra-trees regressor model to predict the chemical autonomic neurotoxicity.
Canadian Cannabis Consumption and Patterns of Congenital Anomalies: An Ecological Geospatial Analysis
Authors: Reece Albert Stuart , Hulse Gary Kenneth
Published: March 2020

Objectives:

Cannabis is a known teratogen. Data availability addressing both major congenital anomalies and cannabis use allowed us to explore their geospatial relationships.

Methods:

Data for the years 1998 to 2009 from Canada Health and Statistics Canada was analyzed in R. Maps have been drawn and odds ratios, principal component analysis, correlation matrices, least squares regression and geospatial regression analyses have been conducted using the R packages base, dplyr, epiR, psych, ggplot2, colorplaner and the spml and spreml functions from package splm.

Results:

Mapping showed cannabis use was more common in the northern Territories of Canada in the Second National Survey of Cannabis Use 2018. Total congenital anomalies, all cardiovascular defects, orofacial clefts, Downs syndrome and gastroschisis were all found to be more common in these same regions and rose as a function of cannabis exposure. When Canada was dichotomized into high and low cannabis use zones by Provinces v Territories the Territories had a higher rate of total congenital anomalies 450.026 v 390.413 (O.R. = 1.16 95%C.I. 1.08-1.25, P = 0.000058; attributable fraction in exposed 13.25%, 95%C.I. 7.04–19.04%). In geospatial analysis in a spreml spatial error model cannabis was significant both alone as a main effect (P < 2.0 × 10−16) and in all its first and second order interactions with both tobacco and opioids from P < 2.0 × 10−16.

Conclusion:

These results show that the northern Territories of Canada share a higher rate of cannabis use together with elevated rates of total congenital anomalies, all cardiovascular defects, Down's syndrome and gastroschisis. This is the second report of a significant association between cannabis use and both total defects and all cardiovascular anomalies and the fourth published report of a link with Downs syndrome and thereby direct major genotoxicity. The correlative relationships described in this paper are confounded by many features of social disadvantage in Canada's northern territories. However, in the context of a similar broad spectrum of defects described both in animals and in epidemiological reports from Hawaii, Colorado, USA and Australia they are cause for particular concern and indicate further research.
Therapeutic Impact of Traction Release After C5 Nerve Root Motor Evoked Potential (MEP) Alerts in Cervical Spine Surgery
Authors: Wilent William B. , Rhee John M. , Harrop James S. , Epplin-Zapf Thomas , Bose Mitali , Tesdahl Eric A. , Cohen Jeffrey , Sestokas Anthony K.
Published: March 2020

Study design:

A retrospective review of 40,919 cervical spine surgeries monitored with motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from a multi-institutional intraoperative neuromonitoring database.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to determine the clinical impact of interventions prompted by C5 spinal nerve root MEP alerts.

Summary of Background Data:

MEPs have been shown to diagnose acute C5 palsies, but additional data are needed regarding the clinical impact of interventions in response to C5 MEP alerts.

Materials and Methods:

Procedures with isolated C5 MEP alerts were categorized as fully resolved, partially resolved, or unresolved based on the status of signals at closure. Clinical outcomes were based on neurological assessment in the immediate postoperative period. The sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, and odds ratios (ORs) of C5 MEP alerts for acute C5 palsies were calculated.

Results:

The odds of an acute C5 palsy greatly increased if there was a C5 MEP alert [OR=340.9; 95% confidence (CI): 173.0, 671.6; P<0.0001], and increased further if the alert persisted through closure (OR=820.8; 95% CI: 398.1, 1692.0; P<0.0001). Relative to procedures with unresolved C5 MEP alerts, the risk of an acute C5 palsy significantly decreased if a C5 MEP alert was fully resolved by closure (OR=0.07; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.25; P<0.0001). For alerts resolved during positioning or exposure, 90.9% were resolved with the release of positional traction, and for resolved alerts that occurred after exposure, 36.3% involved just traction release, 14.1% involved both traction release and surgical action, and 30.3% involved just surgical action. The sensitivity of C5 MEP alerts for acute C5 palsies was anesthetic dependent: 89.7% (26/29) in the total intravenous regimen cohort but just 50.0% (10/20) in the inhalational anesthesia cohort.

Conclusions:

The timely release of positional traction is an effective intervention for resolving C5 MEP alerts and reducing the odds of an acute postoperative C5 palsy. Surgical maneuvers, such as the release of distraction or graft adjustment, should be attempted in conjunction with traction release depending on the surgical context of the alert.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV.
Modulation of oxidative stress/antioxidative defence in human serum treated by four different tyrosine kinase inhibitors
Authors: Mihajlovic Marija , Ivkovic Branka , Jancic-Stojanovic Biljana , Zeljkovic Aleksandra , Spasojevic-Kalimanovska Vesna , Kotur-Stevuljevic Jelena , Vujanovic Dragana
Published: March 2020

Recent findings implied the significance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a part of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) pharmacological activity. Evidences also suggested that toxic effects of TKIs were related to ROS production. The results regarding benefits of vitamin E usage alongside with prescribed TKIs therapy are ambiguous. We aimed to examine oxidative stress and antioxidative defense in human serum treated with four different TKIs and their possible interactions with hydrosoluble vitamin E analog (Trolox). An in-vitro experiment with serum pool as a substitute model was performed. Different parameters of oxidative stress and antioxidative defense were measured in serum pool with and without addition of TKIs (axitinib, crizotinib, nilotinib, and imatinib), before and after addition of Trolox. Z score statistic was used for calculation of Prooxidative and Antioxidative scores. The highest oxidative potential was recorded for samples incubated with imatinib and nilotinib, while the lowest damaging scores were observed for crizotinib and axitinib (nilotinib vs. imatinib, P < 0.05; axitinib vs. imatinib, P < 0.01; crizotinib vs. imatinib, P < 0.001). The best capability for antioxidative protection was seen in samples with nilotinib, then with imatinib, while the lowest level was obtained in samples with crizotinib and axitinib (imatinib and axitinib vs. nilotinib, P < 0.05 for both; crizotinib vs. nilotinib, P < 0.01; axitinib vs. imatinib, P < 0.05, crizotinib vs. imatinib, P < 0.01). Our results demonstrated the opposite effects of Trolox in combination with imatinib and nilotinib. Usage of antioxidant in combination with TKIs should be carefully evaluated in each specific case.
Antitumor activity of a novel Aurora A/B kinases inhibitor TY-011 against gastric cancer by inducing DNA damage
Authors: Jiang Tongtong , Liu Wang , Lu Yu , Fang Yanfen , Chen Rui , Zhang Wanli , Liu Xuan , Zhang Xiongwen
Published: March 2020

TY-011, a novel Aurora A/B kinases inhibitor, was found in our previous study to exhibit prominent inhibitory effects on growth of gastric cancer, both in vitro and in vivo. To clarify the mechanisms of TY-011 in inhibiting proliferation of gastric cancer cells, the effects of TY-011 on mitosis, cell cycle, apoptosis and cellular DNA were checked in the present study. Our results showed that TY-011 treatment induced aberrant mitosis, G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis. Importantly, TY-011 induced evident DNA damage in MGC-803 and MKN-45 human gastric cancer cells, which was further characterized as DNA double-strand break. Furthermore, cells treated with TY-011 appeared to generate multiple spindle fibers emanating from several spindle poles, leading to poly-merotelic kinetochore. These results suggested that TY-011 induced abnormal microtubule-kinetochores attachment and thus DNA damage, apoptosis and finally inhibition of cell proliferation of human gastric cancer cells.