bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reverse Phase Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Dexamethasone Acetate and
Cortisone Acetate in Bulk Drug Substances and Dosage Forms: Method Development
Authors: Ng Linda L
Published: February 2020

The determination of the steroid acetates was evaluated for ruggedness of the method by using an octyldecylsilane column, 254 nm detection, and acetonitrile-water as mobile phase. Mobile phase pH, oven temperature, and columns from various manufacturers had no dramatic effect on the chromatography. The method was then optimized for dexamethasone acetate and cortisone acetate bulk drug and dosage forms. For dexamethasone acetate, the bulk drug substance should be dried at 105°C before use, and the sample should be dissolved in 50% acetonitrile-buffer pH 6 for stability. Cortisone acetate, on the other hand, was found to be nonhygroscopic and hence could be used as received. For stability, the sample should be stored in 50% acetonitrile-buffer pH 4
Assisted Distillation Cleanup of Pesticide Residues in Animal Fats:
New Beadless Distillation Tube
Authors: Heath Andrew B , Black Robert R
Published: February 2020

A new assisted distillation tube has been developed which contains no glass beads or glass wool. The sample is injected into the top of the tube, and a septum is not required. Large ground-glass joints (10/ 19) are used at the gas inlet and at the Florisil trap connection for maximum strength. Existing assisted distillation apparatus was easily modified to accept the new tubes. Recoveries of 9 organochlorine pesticides from butter and cattle fat ranged from 87 to 104% at a tube temperature of 230°C and a nitrogen flow rate of 250 mL/min. No significant change occurred in recoveries of 8 of the 9 pesticides after 85 uses of the headless tube. Only the recovery of HCB from butter decreased, from 95 to 80%, after 51 runs. The new tube was compared with the Unitrex glass bead-packed concentric tube at flow rates of 230, 400, and 600 mL nitrogen/min. Recoveries from the Unitrex tube were similar to those of the headless tube for all pesticides except DDT which was significantly lower, indicating incomplete distillation at 250 mL/min and possible partial breakdown at 400 and 600 mL/min. A procedure is introduced for pressurized solvent washing of distillation tubes. This procedure is more efficient than vacuum washing
Gas Chromatographic Determination of Mecarbam and Its Metabolites Mecarboxon,
Diethoate, and Diethoxon in Cottonseeds
Authors: Greenberg Rachel S
Published: February 2020

A gas chromatographic method is described for determining residues of mecarbam and 3 of its metabolites, mecarboxon, diethoate, and diethoxon, in cottonseeds. For mecarbam analysis, following Soxhlet extraction with chloroform (after blending), the oily extract is partitioned with propylene carbonate and cleaned up on a silica gel column. Metabolites are extracted by the same method, followed by cleanup of mecarboxon on a silica gel column or diethoxon on an alumina column; cleanup of diethoate can be performed on either column. AH 4 compounds are determined using a flame photometric detector equipped with a phosphorus filter. Average recoveries for cottonseed samples fortified with 0.03-1.0 ppm mecarbam ranged from 80 to 88%. Average recoveries were 81-88% for mecarboxon and 90-92% for diethoate (alumina column) and diethoxon from samples fortified with 0.05-1.0 ppm. Average recovery of diethoate from samples cleaned up on the silica gel column were 84-88% in the range of 0.05-0.2 ppm. Values obtained for mecarbam residues in field-treated samples are also presented.
Simultaneous Ultrasonic Extraction and Silylation for Determination of Organic Acids,
Alcohol, and Phenols from Airborne Particulate Matter
Authors: Gholson Alexander R , Louis Robert H St , Hill Herbert H
Published: February 2020

Three methods for the extraction and derivatization of alcohols, carbox j lie acids, and phenols from airborne particulates were compared and evaluated. Derivatization of the sample during ultrasonic agitation to form trimethylsilyl derivatives increased the recovery of "reactive oxygenated hydrocarbons" compared to the standard method of extraction followed by derivatization. A single solvent, methylene chloride, with a strong and volatile silylating reagent, N,0- bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide, extracted a large number of reactive components with a minimum of interference. When the extraction/derivatization procedure was repeated 4 or more times for a total extraction time of at least 30 h, greater than 90% of the major mono- and difunctional group-containing components was recovered
Solvent Effects on Response Factors for Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons Determined by
Capillary Gas Chromatography Using Splitless Injections
Authors: Lee Hing-Biu , Szawiola Richard , Chau Alfred S Y
Published: February 2020

When standard solutions of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed by capillary column gas chromatography using splitless injections, response factors were observed to be dependent on the solvent used to prepare the standard. This report presents the response factors for 16 individual PAHs in 5 commonly used solvents: acetonitrile, methanol, toluene, isooctane, and cyclohexane. To minimize quantitation errors due to differences in transfer efficiency, samples and standards of PAHs should be prepared in the same solvent
Behavior of 78 Pesticides and Pesticide Metabolites on Four Different Ultra-Bond Gas Chromatographic Columns
Authors: Suprock John F , Vinopal Howard J
Published: February 2020

The gas chromatographic (GC) elution order and relative retention time data (compared to aldrin) are presented for 78 pesticides and pesticide metabolites on 4 different types of commercially available 2 mm id ultra-Bond columns including ultra-Bond 20M (20M), Ultra-Bond 20SE (20SE), Ultra-Bond 20M coated with 1% OV-210 (OV-210), and ultra-Bond 20M coated with 0.5% OV-210 + 0.65% OV-17 (mixed phase). Relative retention time data (compared to parathion) are also represented for 19 organophosphorus insecticides on the 4 ultra-Bond columns evaluated. Corresponding 4 mm id Ultra-Bond columns were evaluated at the same time as the 2 mm id columns, and results and comparisons for these larger-diameter columns are discussed. These data indicate that, with aldrin as a reference peak, a complement of the mixed-phase column and either the 20M, the 20SE, or the OV-210 column represents a useful chromatographic tool for dual-column analysis of pesticide residues. The 2 mm id columns were more useful in chromatographing later-eluting pesticides whereas the corresponding 4 mm id columns were more useful in chromatographing earlier-eluting pesticides.
Anthocyanin Pigment, Nonvolatile Acid, and Sugar Composition of Red Raspberry Juice
Authors: Spanos George A , Wrolstad Ronald E
Published: February 2020

Liquid chromatographic methodology for determination of red raspberry anthocyanin pigments, nonvolatile acids, and sugars was developed and applied to authentic juices pressed in our pilot plant as well as to samples of European origin. Sugar analysis utilized an Aminex HPX-87C column; the mean contents of sucrose, glucose, and fructose were 0.17,2.59, and 2.97 g/100 mL, respectively. Citric, malic, and isocitric acids were best quantitated on two C-18 columns in series with refractive index detection; the mean content of citric, malic, and isocitric acids was 21.0 g/L, 872 mg/L, and 158 mg/L, respectively. Anthocyanins were resolved with high selectivity on a C-18 column using 15% acetic acid as organic modifier. The mean values for individual anthocyanins were: cyanidin-3-sophoroside, 74.2%; cyanidin-3-gIucoside, 12.2%; cyanidin-3-glucorutinoside, 8.6%; cyanidin-3-rutinoside, 1.7%; and pelargonidin-3-sophoroside, 2.9%. Anthocyanin pigment content ranged from 23.8 to 101.0 mg/100 mL. Carbon stable isotope ratios ranged from -23.2 to —24.7%o with a mean of -24.1%o. Additional data include color density, polymeric color, browning index, UV-visible spectra, pH, "Brix, tirratable acidity, and Hunter color parameters.
Residues of Insecticides, Fungicides, and Herbicides on Ontario-Grown Vegetables, 1980-1985
Authors: Frank Richard , Braun Heinz E , Ripley Brian D
Published: February 2020

Between 1980 and 1985, 354 composite vegetable samples representing 9 vegetable commodities were collected from farm deliveries to the market place in Ontario, Canada. All samples were analyzed for insecticides, 275 for fungicides, and 135 for herbicides. The analyses included organochlorine, organophosphorus, synthetic pyrethroid, and iV-methylcarbamate insecticides; dithiocarbamate, acylalanine, phthalimide, dicarboximide, and other fungicides; and, chlorophenoxy acid, chlorobenzoic acid, bipyridilium, phenylurea, carbamate, and other herbicides. The commodities tested included asparagus, beans, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, onions, potatoes, sweet corn, and tomatoes. In most samples, pesticide residues were below the detection limits (i.e., 0.005 to 0.1 mg/kg), and most of the positive findings were a fraction (i.e., <1 to 20%) of the maximum residue limit (MRL) permitted for each commodity under the Canadian Food and Drugs Act and Regulations. A small number of samples had residues that exceeded the MRL, and these involved aldicarb and linuron on potatoes and chlorobromuron on carrots.
Evaluation Of Precision Estimates For Fiber-Dimensional And Electrical Hygrometers For
Water Activity Determinations
Authors: Stroup William H , Peeler James T , Smith Kent
Published: February 2020

The precision of instruments used in 3 collaborative studies conducted within the Food and Drug Administration over a 4-year period (1981, 1982, 1984) for water activity (a„) determinations according to the official AOAC method is evaluated. Calibration responses of the instruments were tested for linearity over the a„ range from 0.75 to 0.97. Average absolute percent difference between predicted and assigned a, values for the linear model ranged from 0.3 to 0.7% for a fiber-dimensional hygrometer (Abbeon) and 3 electrical hygrometers (Beckman, Rotronics, and Weather Measure). The calibration responses for another electrical hygrometer (Hygrodynamics) were nonlinear. The fiber-dimensional hygrometer yielded mean a„ values and precision estimates that did not differ significantly from those obtained with the electrical hygrometers for (NH4)2S04 slush, KN03 slush, sweetened condensed milk, pancake syrup, and cheese spread. However, the mean a„ value for a soy sauce was 0.838 for the electrical hygrometers compared with 0.911 for the fiber-dimensional hygrometer. The fiber-dimensional hygrometer was affected by a volatile components) in the soy sauce that caused an erroneously high a„ value. Pooled estimates of reproducibility (5X) in the 3 studies were 0.008 for the fiber-dimensional hygrometer and 0.010 for the electrical hygrometers; these values were not significantly different from those reported in the study that verified the current official AOAC method.
Screening Cosmetic Products for /V-Nitroso Compounds by Chemiluminescent Determination
of Nitric Oxide
Authors: Chou Hardy J , Yates Ronald L , Wenninger John A
Published: February 2020

Cosmetic products were screened for total A'-nitroso compounds by chemiluminescent measurement of nitric oxide liberated by the reductive cleavage of the A'-nitroso group. The cosmetic was first partitioned between methylene chloride and water to separate polar and nonpolar A'-nitroso compounds. Each extract was then examined for the presence of A'-nitroso compounds by adding the cleavage reagent and sweeping the nitric oxide formed into a chemiluminescent analyzer. Although the method is not intended to be quantitative, recovery studies were conducted to determine measurable levels. Recovery studies of polar A'-nitroso compounds were conducted by adding A'-nitrosodiethanolamine (NDELA) to a cream, a shampoo, and a lotion at 3 levels, i.e., 80, 320, and 960 ppb, and then determining NDELA by the method. Recoveries ranged from 48 to 83% (mean 68%; SD = 11.9). For recoveries of nonpolar A'-nitroso compounds, 100,200, and 500 ppb of A-nitrosometh) Itetradecjiamine were added to the 3 cosmetic products. Recoveries ranged from 58 to 70% (mean 63%; SD = 5.3).
Liquid Chromatographic Determination and Identification Tests for Dexamethasone in Bulk Drugs and Elixirs: Collaborative Study
Authors: Bunch Elaine A
Published: February 2020

A normal phase liquid chromatographic method for the determination of dexamethasone in bulk drugs and elixirs was collaboratively studied by 6 laboratories. The method uses a silica column, water-modified acetic acid-methanol-methylene chloride mobile phase, cortisone internal standard, and photometric detection at 254 nm. Collaborators were supplied blind duplicate samples of 3 bulk drugs, 2 commercial elixirs, and 1 authentic elixir. Dexamethasone elixir dosage level is 0.5 mg/5 tnL. Mean recovery of dexamethasone from the authentic elixir formulated to contain 0.471 mg/5 mL was 94.5%. (Authentic elixirs were found to stabilize about 6% below the theoretical concentration.) Mean recovery for the bulk drugs was between 97.1 and 100.1%. Mean coefficients of variation for bulk drug and elixir samples were less than 0.8% and 3.6%, respectively. Identification tests for dexamethasone by thin-layer chromatography, infrared spectroscopy, and relative LC retention times, as well as the gas chromatographic determination of alcohol in the elixirs were also collaboratively studied. Mean recovery of alcohol from the synthetic elixir was 98.6%. The mean coefficient of variation for alcohol for all samples analyzed was less than 1.4%. The LC method for dexamethasone in drug substance and elixirs, the identification tests, and the GC method for alcohol in dexamethasone elixirs have been adopted official first action.
Impact of milk and nutrient intake of piglets and sow milk composition on piglet growth and body composition at weaning
Authors: Hojgaard Camilla Kaae , Bruun Thomas Sønderby , Theil Peter Kappel
Published: February 2020

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of milk intake, milk composition, and nutrient intake on piglet growth in lactation and body composition at weaning. To evaluate the body composition of piglets, data from one experiment (44 Danish Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc piglets) were used to develop prediction equations for body pools of fat, protein, ash, and water based on live weight and deuterium dilution space (exp. 1). Furthermore, a total of 294 piglets (Danish Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc) from 21 sows of second parity were included in a second experiment (exp. 2). In exp. 2, piglet live weight was recorded on days 3, 10, 17, and 25 of lactation. On the same days, the milk intake and body composition were measured, using the deuterium oxide (D2O) dilution technique. Piglet weight gain was highly positively correlated with the intake of milk and the intake of milk constituents each week and on an overall basis having r values ranging from 0.65 to 0.93 (P < 0.001). When evaluating regressions for piglet growth, the milk intake in combination with the milk protein concentration explained 85% and 87% of the total variation in piglet gain in the second and third week of lactation, respectively, whereas milk intake was the only predictor of piglet gain in the first week of lactation explaining 81% of the variation. Fat, protein, and energy retention rates were all highly positively correlated with the daily intake of milk and intake of milk nutrients with r values ranging from 0.76 to 0.94 (P < 0.001). Piglet gain and retention rates were rather weakly correlated with the milk composition with r values ranging from 0.01 to 0.50 (being either negative or positive). Curvilinear response curves were fitted for live weight gain and body fat content at weaning in response to milk protein concentration, showing that live weight gain was slightly greater and body fat content was slightly lower at 4.9% milk protein, but it should be emphasized that the quadratic effects did not reach significance. Body fat content at weaning was positively related with the intake of milk (R2 = 0.44, P < 0.001) and milk fat (R2 = 0.46, P < 0.01). In conclusion, milk intake had a major impact on the piglet growth rate, and milk fat intake greatly influenced the body fat percentage at weaning, whereas milk composition per se only played a minor role for these traits.
Role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α on the synthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids in goat mammary epithelial cells
Authors: Tian Huibin , Luo Jun , Shi Hengbo , Chen Xiaoying , Wu Jiao , Liang Yusheng , Li Cong , Loor Juan J
Published: February 2020

A key member of the nuclear receptor superfamily is the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARA) isoform, which in nonruminants is closely associated with fatty acid oxidation. Whether PPARA plays a role in milk fatty acid synthesis in ruminants is unknown. The main objective of the present study was to use primary goat mammary epithelial cells (GMEC) to activate PPARA via the agonist WY-14643 (WY) or to silence it via transfection of small-interfering RNA (siRNA). Three copies of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor response element (PPRE) contained in a luciferase reporter vector were transfected into GMEC followed by incubation with WY at 0, 10, 20, 30, 50, or 100 µM. A dose of 50 µM WY was most effective at activating PPRE without influencing PPARA mRNA abundance. Transfecting siRNA targeting PPARA decreased its mRNA abundance to 20% and protein level to 50% of basal levels. Use of WY upregulated FASN, SCD1, ACSL1, DGAT1, FABP4, and CD36 (1.1-, 1.5-, 2-, 1.4-, 1.5-, and 5-fold, respectively), but downregulated DGAT2 and PGC1A (−20% and −40%, respectively) abundance. In contrast, triacylglycerol concentration decreased and the content and desaturation index of C16:1 and C18:1 increased. Thus, activation of PPARA via WY appeared to channel fatty acids away from esterification. Knockdown of PPARA via siRNA downregulated ACACA, SCD1, AGPAT6, CD36, HSL, and SREBF1 (−43%, −67%, −16%, −56%, −26%, and −29%, respectively), but upregulated ACSL1, DGAT2, FABP3, and PGC1A (2-, 1.4-, 1.3-, and 2.5-fold, respectively) mRNA abundance. A decrease in the content and desaturation index of C16:1 and C18:1 coupled with an increase in triacylglycerol content accompanied those effects at the mRNA level. Overall, data suggest that PPARA could promote the synthesis of MUFA in GMEC through its effects on mRNA abundance of genes related to fatty acid synthesis, oxidation, transport, and triacylglycerol synthesis.
The Channel Railway: Reverberations of a Fictional Line and Thomas Hardy’s A Laodicean (1881)
Authors: Kirkby Nicola
Published: February 2020

This article couples debates about building a Channel Railway between Britain and France in the 1880s with Thomas Hardy’s novel, A Laodicean (1881), to investigate how fiction interrogated the material and imagined limits of British railway infrastructure. By examining ‘reverberation’, that is, the unintended and noisy oscillation of the tracks, it teases out subtle yet significant links between technology, interpretation, and control that underpin Hardy’s novel, and the Channel Railway project more broadly. In doing so, it argues that imaginative writing provided a testing ground for exploring political and practical risks raised by the prospect of a railway connection between Britain and France in the late nineteenth century.
The dust effects on galaxy scaling relations
Authors: Pastrav Bogdan A
Published: February 2020

Accurate galaxy scaling relations are essential for a successful model of galaxy formation and evolution as they provide direct information about the physical mechanisms of galaxy assembly over cosmic time. We present here a detailed analysis of a sample of nearby spiral galaxies taken from the KINGFISH survey. The photometric parameters of the morphological components are obtained from bulge–disc decompositions using galfit data analysis algorithm, with surface photometry of the sample done beforehand. Dust opacities are determined using a previously discovered correlation between the central face-on dust opacity of the disc and the stellar mass surface density. The method and the library of numerical results previously obtained in Pastrav et al. (2013a,b) are used to correct the measured photometric and structural parameters for projection (inclination), dust, and decomposition effects in order to derive their intrinsic values. Galaxy disc scaling relations are then presented, both the measured (observed) and the intrinsic (corrected) ones, in the optical regime, to show the scale of the biases introduced by the aforementioned effects. The slopes of the size–luminosity relations and the dust versus stellar mass are in agreement with values found in other works. We derive mean dust optical depth and dust/stellar mass ratios of the sample, which we find to be consistent with previous studies of nearby spiral galaxies. While our sample is rather small, it is sufficient to quantify the influence of galaxy environment (dust, in this case) when deriving scaling relations.
Reliable photometric membership (RPM) of galaxies in clusters – I. A machine learning method and its performance in the local universe
Authors: Lopes Paulo A A , Ribeiro André L B
Published: February 2020

We introduce a new method to determine galaxy cluster membership based solely on photometric properties. We adopt a machine learning approach to recover a cluster membership probability from galaxy photometric parameters and finally derive a membership classification. After testing several machine learning techniques (such as stochastic gradient boosting, model averaged neural network and k-nearest neighbours), we found the support vector machine algorithm to perform better when applied to our data. Our training and validation data are from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey main sample. Hence, to be complete to $M_r^* + 3$, we limit our work to 30 clusters with $z$phot-cl ≤ 0.045. Masses (M200) are larger than $\sim 0.6\times 10^{14} \, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$ (most above $3\times 10^{14} \, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$). Our results are derived taking in account all galaxies in the line of sight of each cluster, with no photometric redshift cuts or background corrections. Our method is non-parametric, making no assumptions on the number density or luminosity profiles of galaxies in clusters. Our approach delivers extremely accurate results (completeness, C $\sim 92{\rm{ per\ cent}}$ and purity, P $\sim 87{\rm{ per\ cent}}$) within R200, so that we named our code reliable photometric membership. We discuss possible dependencies on magnitude, colour, and cluster mass. Finally, we present some applications of our method, stressing its impact to galaxy evolution and cosmological studies based on future large-scale surveys, such as eROSITA, EUCLID, and LSST.
Limiting effects in clusters of misaligned toroids orbiting static SMBHs
Authors: Pugliese D , Stuchlík Z
Published: February 2020

We consider agglomerates of misaligned, pressure supported tori orbiting a Schwarzschild black hole. A leading function is introduced, regulating the toroids distribution around the central static attractor – it enables us to model the misaligned tori aggregate as a single orbiting (macro-)configuration. We first analyse the leading function for purely hydrodynamical perfect fluid toroids. Later, the function is modified for presence of a toroidal magnetic field. We study the constraints on the tori collision emergence and the instability of the agglomerates of misaligned tori with general relative inclination angles. We discuss the possibility that the twin peak high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (HF-QPOs) could be related to the agglomerate inner ringed structure. The discrete geometry of the system is related to HF-QPOs considering several oscillation geodesic models associated to the toroids inner edges. We also study possible effect of the tori geometrical thickness on the oscillatory phenomena.
On the orbital evolution of 2020 AV2, the first asteroid ever observed to go around the Sun inside the orbit of Venus
Authors: de la Fuente Marcos C , de la Fuente Marcos R
Published: February 2020

The innermost section of the Solar system has not been extensively studied because minor bodies moving inside Earth’s orbit tend to spend most of their sidereal orbital periods at very low solar elongation, well away from the areas more frequently observed by programs searching for near-Earth objects. The survey carried out from the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) is the first one that has been able to detect multiple asteroids well detached from the direct gravitational perturbation of the Earth–Moon system. ZTF discoveries include 2019 AQ3 and 2019 LF6, two Atiras with the shortest periods among known asteroids. Here, we perform an assessment of the orbital evolution of 2020 AV2, an Atira found by ZTF with a similarly short period but following a path contained entirely within the orbit of Venus. This property makes it the first known member of the elusive Vatira population. Genuine Vatiras, those long-term dynamically stable, are thought to be subjected to the so-called von Zeipel–Lidov–Kozai oscillation that protects them against close encounters with both Mercury and Venus. However, 2020 AV2 appears to be a former Atira that entered the Vatira orbital domain relatively recently. It displays an anticoupled oscillation of the values of eccentricity and inclination, but the value of the argument of perihelion may circulate. Simulations show that 2020 AV2 might reach a 3:2 resonant orbit with Venus in the future, activating the von Zeipel–Lidov–Kozai mechanism, which in turn opens the possibility to the existence of a long-term stable population of Vatiras trapped in this configuration.
xGASS: passive discs do not host unexpectedly large reservoirs of cold atomic hydrogen
Authors: Cortese L , Catinella B , Cook R H W , Janowiecki S
Published: February 2020

We use the extended GALEX Arecibo SDSS Survey (xGASS) to quantify the relationship between atomic hydrogen (H i) reservoir and current star formation rate (SFR) for central disc galaxies. This is primarily motivated by recent claims for the existence, in this sample, of a large population of passive discs harbouring H i reservoirs as large as those observed in main-sequence galaxies. Across the stellar mass range 109 < M*/M⊙ < 1011, we practically find no passive (≳2σ below the star forming main sequence) disc galaxies with H i reservoirs comparable to those typical of star-forming systems. Even including H i non-detections at their upper limits, passive discs typically have ≥0.5 dex less H i than their active counterparts. We show that previous claims are due to the use of aperture-corrected SFR estimates from the MPA/JHU SDSS DR7 catalogue, which do not provide a fair representation of the global SFR of H i-rich galaxies with extended star-forming discs. Our findings confirm that the bulk of the passive disc population in the local Universe is H i-poor. These also imply that the reduction of star formation, even in central disc galaxies, has to be accompanied by a reduction in their H i reservoir.
The apparent anticorrelation between the mass opacity of interstellar dust and the surface density of interstellar gas
Authors: Priestley F D , Whitworth A P
Published: February 2020

Recent analyses of Herschel observations suggest that in nearby disc galaxies the dust mass opacity at $500 \, {\rm \mu m}$, κ500, decreases with increasing gas surface density, ΣISM. This apparent anticorrelation between κ500 and ΣISM is opposite to the behaviour expected from theoretical dust evolution models; in such models, dust in denser, cooler regions (i.e. regions of increased ΣISM) tends to grow and therefore to have increased κ500. We show, using a toy model, that the presence of a range of dust temperatures along the line of sight can lead to spuriously low estimated values of κ500. If in regions of higher ΣISM the range of dust temperatures extends to lower values (as seems likely), the magnitude of this effect may be sufficient to explain the apparent anticorrelation between κ500 and ΣISM. Therefore there may not be any need for spatial variation in the intrinsic dust properties that run counter to theoretical expectations.
Functional analysis reveals G/U pairs critical for replication and trafficking of an infectious non-coding viroid RNA
Authors: Wu Jian , Zhou Cuiji , Li James , Li Chun , Tao Xiaorong , Leontis Neocles B , Zirbel Craig L , Bisaro David M , Ding Biao
Published: February 2020

While G/U pairs are present in many RNAs, the lack of molecular studies to characterize the roles of multiple G/U pairs within a single RNA limits our understanding of their biological significance. From known RNA 3D structures, we observed that the probability a G/U will form a Watson–Crick (WC) base pair depends on sequence context. We analyzed 17 G/U pairs in the 359-nucleotide genome of Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd), a circular non-coding RNA that replicates and spreads systemically in host plants. Most putative G/U base pairs were experimentally supported by selective 2′-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE). Deep sequencing PSTVd genomes from plants inoculated with a cloned master sequence revealed naturally occurring variants, and showed that G/U pairs are maintained to the same extent as canonical WC base pairs. Comprehensive mutational analysis demonstrated that nearly all G/U pairs are critical for replication and/or systemic spread. Two selected G/U pairs were found to be required for PSTVd entry into, but not for exit from, the host vascular system. This study identifies critical roles for G/U pairs in the survival of an infectious RNA, and increases understanding of structure-based regulation of replication and trafficking of pathogen and cellular RNAs.
The fungal CCAAT-binding complex and HapX display highly variable but evolutionary conserved synergetic promoter-specific DNA recognition
Authors: Furukawa Takanori , Scheven Mareike Thea , Misslinger Matthias , Zhao Can , Hoefgen Sandra , Gsaller Fabio , Lau Jeffrey , Jöchl Christoph , Donaldson Ian , Valiante Vito , Brakhage Axel A , Bromley Michael J , Haas Hubertus , Hortschansky Peter
Published: February 2020

To sustain iron homeostasis, microorganisms have evolved fine-tuned mechanisms for uptake, storage and detoxification of the essential metal iron. In the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus, the fungal-specific bZIP-type transcription factor HapX coordinates adaption to both iron starvation and iron excess and is thereby crucial for virulence. Previous studies indicated that a HapX homodimer interacts with the CCAAT-binding complex (CBC) to cooperatively bind bipartite DNA motifs; however, the mode of HapX-DNA recognition had not been resolved. Here, combination of in vivo (genetics and ChIP-seq), in vitro (surface plasmon resonance) and phylogenetic analyses identified an astonishing plasticity of CBC:HapX:DNA interaction. DNA motifs recognized by the CBC:HapX protein complex comprise a bipartite DNA binding site 5′-CSAATN12RWT-3′ and an additional 5′-TKAN-3′ motif positioned 11–23 bp downstream of the CCAAT motif, i.e. occasionally overlapping the 3′-end of the bipartite binding site. Phylogenetic comparison taking advantage of 20 resolved Aspergillus species genomes revealed that DNA recognition by the CBC:HapX complex shows promoter-specific cross-species conservation rather than regulon-specific conservation. Moreover, we show that CBC:HapX interaction is absolutely required for all known functions of HapX. The plasticity of the CBC:HapX:DNA interaction permits fine tuning of CBC:HapX binding specificities that could support adaptation of pathogens to their host niches.
Functional effects of variation in transcription factor binding highlight long-range gene regulation by epromoters
Authors: Mitchelmore Joanna , Grinberg Nastasiya F , Wallace Chris , Spivakov Mikhail
Published: February 2020

Identifying DNA cis-regulatory modules (CRMs) that control the expression of specific genes is crucial for deciphering the logic of transcriptional control. Natural genetic variation can point to the possible gene regulatory function of specific sequences through their allelic associations with gene expression. However, comprehensive identification of causal regulatory sequences in brute-force association testing without incorporating prior knowledge is challenging due to limited statistical power and effects of linkage disequilibrium. Sequence variants affecting transcription factor (TF) binding at CRMs have a strong potential to influence gene regulatory function, which provides a motivation for prioritizing such variants in association testing. Here, we generate an atlas of CRMs showing predicted allelic variation in TF binding affinity in human lymphoblastoid cell lines and test their association with the expression of their putative target genes inferred from Promoter Capture Hi-C and immediate linear proximity. We reveal >1300 CRM TF-binding variants associated with target gene expression, the majority of them undetected with standard association testing. A large proportion of CRMs showing associations with the expression of genes they contact in 3D localize to the promoter regions of other genes, supporting the notion of ‘epromoters’: dual-action CRMs with promoter and distal enhancer activity.
Splitting aptamers and nucleic acid enzymes for the development of advanced biosensors
Authors: Debiais Mégane , Lelievre Amandine , Smietana Michael , Müller Sabine
Published: February 2020

In analogy to split-protein systems, which rely on the appropriate fragmentation of protein domains, split aptamers made of two or more short nucleic acid strands have emerged as novel tools in biosensor set-ups. The concept relies on dissecting an aptamer into a series of two or more independent fragments, able to assemble in the presence of a specific target. The stability of the assembled structure can further be enhanced by functionalities that upon folding would lead to covalent end-joining of the fragments. To date, only a few aptamers have been split successfully, and application of split aptamers in biosensing approaches remains as promising as it is challenging. Further improving the stability of split aptamer target complexes and with that the sensitivity as well as efficient working modes are important tasks. Here we review functional nucleic acid assemblies that are derived from aptamers and ribozymes/DNAzymes. We focus on the thrombin, the adenosine/ATP and the cocaine split aptamers as the three most studied DNA split systems and on split DNAzyme assemblies. Furthermore, we extend the subject into split light up RNA aptamers used as mimics of the green fluorescent protein (GFP), and split ribozymes.
Long-term activity of Comet C/2007 N3 (Lulin) as monitored by the SLT at the Lulin Observatory
Authors: Lin Zhong-Yi
Published: February 2020

The green comet C/2007 N3 (Lulin) is a new Oort cloud comet that has a retrograde orbit (inclination of $178^{\circ }$). It reached its perihelion on 2009 January 10, and its closest distance to Earth was 0.411 astronomical units (au) on February 24. Soon after its discovery on 2007 July 11, the coma activity of Comet Lulin was monitored closely by an Super Light Telescope 41 cm telescope until 2009 April. After long-term monitoring of Comet Lulin, the dust production rate [A(θ)fρ] was estimated. An unexpected increase in the ${A(0)f\rho}$ near the perigee appears to indicate an opposition effect. By investigating the surface brightness profiles, dust-to-gas ratios, and magnitudes, we ruled out the influences of gas and ion contamination and the outburst phenomenon. We discovered the anti-tail in late December 2008 but were unsure of the composition. We found that this abnormal tail lasted for a considerable time because of the effect of the orbital geometry. We also found that the jet activity coincided with the peak ${A(\theta)f\rho}$ values, and this clue helped us realize what was happening in the dust coma of Comet Lulin.
Fair Trade and the Political Economy of Brandy Smuggling in Early Eighteenth-Century Britain*
Authors: Smith David Chan
Published: February 2020

Thomas Ellis, merchant of London, never expected he would be prosecuted for participating in one of the largest commercial frauds of his time. So when the Customs seized his brandy in 1731 he fought back. His case would influence parliamentary decision-making and reveal the extensive involvement of merchants in illicit trade. Ellis’s argument that he was merely a ‘fair trader’ also illuminates the moral debate over smuggling during the period as governments sought to legitimize and enforce their trading rules and tariffs. Pressured by competition from professional smugglers and the revenue demands of the state, merchants responded by developing their own rules by which they could fairly compete. Ellis’s story, and the ‘Flemish scheme’ it exposed, thereby shed light on the moral economy of early modern capitalism, the history of smuggling, and the dynamic of market ordering by increasingly assertive states.
Recommended psychological crisis intervention response to the 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak in China: a model of West China Hospital
Authors: Zhang Jun , Wu Weili , Zhao Xin , Zhang Wei
Published: February 2020

The novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) epidemic has brought serious social psychological impact to the Chinese people, especially those quarantined and thus with limited access to face-to-face communication and traditional social psychological interventions. To better deal with the urgent psychological problems of people involved in the COVID-19 epidemic, we developed a new psychological crisis intervention model by utilizing internet technology. This new model, one of West China Hospital, integrates physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers into Internet platforms to carry out psychological intervention to patients, their families and medical staff. We hope this model will make a sound basis for developing a more comprehensive psychological crisis intervention response system that is applicable for urgent social and psychological problems.
Exploring the Duration of Police–Citizen Encounters
Authors: Dai Mengyan , Hu Xiaochen
Published: February 2020

Modern policing policy and practices emphasize the philosophy of community-oriented policing and the principles of procedural justice to improve police–community relations. Using this theoretical framework, this study examines the duration of police–citizen encounters involving domestic and non-domestic conflicts. A sample of 262 encounters from the systematic social observations in Cincinnati was analysed. The multivariate models show that officers spent less time interacting with the citizens in the lower social class and spent more time on the encounters involving assaults. Community policing specialists spent more time interacting with citizens. Considering citizens’ voice is also associated with longer duration. Policy implications of these findings are discussed.
Lepton-flavor-violating decays of the SM-like Higgs boson $h\rightarrow e_ie_j$, and $e_i \rightarrow e_j\, \gamma $ in a flipped 3-3-1 model
Authors: Hong T T , Hung H T , Phuong H H , Phuong L T T , Hue L T
Published: February 2020

In the framework of the flipped 3-3-1 model introduced recently [R. M. Fonseca and M. Hirsch, J. High Energy Phys. 1608, 003 (2016)], the lepton-flavor-violating (LFV) decay $\mu \rightarrow 3e$ was predicted to have a large branching ratio (Br) close to the recent experimental limit. We will show that the Br of LFV decays of the standard-model-like (SM-like) Higgs boson decays (LFVHD) Br$(h\rightarrow e_ae_b)$ may also be large. Namely, Br$(h\rightarrow \mu\tau,e\tau)$ can reach values of $\mathcal{O}(10^{-4}){-}\mathcal{O}(10^{-5})$, which will reach the upcoming experimental sensitivities. On the other hand, for LFV decays of charged leptons (cLFV) $(e_b\rightarrow e_a\gamma)$, the branching ratios are well below experimental bounds.
Differences in growth and physiological and metabolic responses among Canadian native and hybrid willows (Salix spp.) under salinity stress
Authors: Huang Xinyi , Soolanayakanahally Raju Y , Guy Robert D , Shunmugam Arun S K , Mansfield Shawn D
Published: February 2020

Globally, soil salinization is becoming increasingly prevalent, due to local hydrogeologic phenomena, climate change and anthropogenic activities. This has significantly curtailed current world food production and limits future production potential. In the prairie region of North America, sulfate salts, rather than sodium chloride, are often the predominant cause of soil degradation. In order to amend soil quality, revegetate salt-affected sites and recover economic loss associated with soil salinization, the establishment of short-rotation coppice plantations with willows (Salix spp.) has been suggested as a possible solution. To screen for the best candidates for such an application, 20 hybrid and 16 native willow genotypes were treated with three different salt conditions for 3 months. The treatments were designed to reflect the salt composition and concentrations on North American prairies. Under moderate salinity treatment (7 dS m−1), hybrid willows had better growth, as they established quickly while managing salt transport and mineral nutrition balance. However, native willows showed higher potential for long-term survival under severe salinity treatment (14 dS m−1), showing a lower sodium:potassium ratio in roots and better photosynthetic performance. Two native willow genotypes with high osmotic and salinity tolerance indices, specifically LAR-10 and MJW-9, are expected to show superior potential for remediating salt-affected sites. In addition, we observed significantly higher sulfate/sulfur concentrations in both leaf and root tissues in response to the severe salinity treatment, shedding light on the effect of sulfate salinity on sulfate uptake, and potentially sulfur metabolism in plants.
The PalERF109 transcription factor positively regulates salt tolerance via PalHKT1;2 in Populus alba var. pyramidalis
Authors: Chen Ningning , Tong Shaofei , Tang Hu , Zhang Zhiyang , Liu Bao , Lou Shangling , Liu Jianquan , Liu Huanhuan , Ma Tao , Jiang Yuanzhong
Published: February 2020

Salinity restricts the growth of trees to varying extents, but the regulatory mechanisms involved in their varying salt tolerance are largely unknown. In an effort to elucidate these mechanisms, we identified a total of 99 genes in the Ethylene Responsive Factor (ERF) family of transcription factors and examined their expression patterns under salt stress in Populus alba var. pyramidalis. We found that a B4 group gene, PalERF109, was rapidly induced by salt treatment and preferentially expressed in stems and petioles, where it is probably involved in transport of ions and water in xylem. Overexpression of PalERF109 enhanced the salt tolerance of the poplar, and further analysis showed that it directly upregulated a high-affinity K+transporter (HKT) gene, PalHKT1;2. The results clearly indicate that PalERF109 enhances salt tolerance at least partially through direct activation of PalHKT1;2 and extends understanding of the roles of ERF genes in tree stress responses.
Mycoplasma anserisalpingitidis sp. nov., isolated from European domestic geese (Anser anser domesticus) with reproductive pathology
Authors: Volokhov Dmitriy V. , Grózner Dénes , Gyuranecz Miklós , Ferguson-Noel Naola , Gao Yamei , Bradbury Janet M. , Whittaker Paul , Chizhikov Vladimir E. , Szathmary Susan , Stipkovits Laszlo
Published: February 2020

In 1983,Mycoplasmasp. strain 1220 was isolated in Hungary from the phallus lymph of a gander with phallus inflammation. Between 1983 and 2017,Mycoplasmasp. 1220 was also identified and isolated from the respiratory tract, liver, ovary, testis, peritoneum and cloaca of diseased geese in several countries. Seventeen studied strains produced acid from glucose and fructose but did not hydrolyse arginine or urea, and all grew under aerobic, microaerophilic and anaerobic conditions at 35 to 37 ˚C in either SP4 or pleuropneumonia-like organism medium supplemented with glucose and serum. Colonies on agar showed a typical fried-egg appearance and transmission electron microscopy revealed a typical mycoplasma cellular morphology. Molecular characterization included analysis of the following genetic loci: 16S rRNA, 23S rRNA, 16S–23S rRNA ITS,rpoB,rpoC,rpoD,uvrA,parC,topA,dnaE,fusAandpyk. The genome was sequenced for type strain 1220T. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of studied strains ofMycoplasmasp. 1220 shared 99.02–99.19 % nucleotide similarity withM. anatisstrains but demonstrated ≤95.00–96.70 % nucleotide similarity to the 16S rRNA genes of other species of the genusMycoplasma. Phylogenetic, average nucleotide and amino acid identity analyses revealed that the novel species was most closely related toMycoplasma anatis. Based on the genetic data, we propose a novel species of the genusMycoplasma, for which the nameMycoplasma anserisalpingitidissp. nov. is proposed with the type strain 1220T(=ATCC BAA-2147T=NCTC 13513T=DSM 23982T). The G+C content is 26.70 mol%, genome size is 959110 bp.
Reclassification of Clostridium diolis Biebl and Spröer 2003 as a later heterotypic synonym of Clostridium beijerinckii Donker 1926 (Approved Lists 1980) emend. Keis et al. 2001
Authors: Kobayashi Hisami , Tanizawa Yasuhiro , Sakamoto Mitsuo , Nakamura Yasukazu , Ohkuma Moriya , Tohno Masanori
Published: February 2020

Clostridium diolis

shares high similarity based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and fatty acid composition with

Clostridium beijerinckii

. In this study, the taxonomic status of

C. diolis

was clarified using genomic and phenotypic approaches. High similarity was detected among

C. diolis

DSM 15410T,

C. beijerinckii

DSM 791T and NCTC 13035T, showing average nucleotide identity on blast and in silico DNA–DNA hybridization values over 97 and 85 %, respectively. Results of investigations for substrate utilization and enzyme activity displayed no striking differences between

C. diolis

DSM 15410T and

C. beijerinckii

JCM 1390T. Based on the results, we propose the reclassification of

Clostridium diolis

as a later heterotypic synonym of

Clostridium beijerinckii

. The type strain is ATCC 25752T (=CIP 104308T=DSM 791T=JCM 1390T=LMG 5716T=NCTC 13035T).