bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coding of Luminance and Color Differences on Neurons in the Rabbit's Visual System
Authors: Evtikhin Dmitry V. , Polianskii Vladimir B. , Alymkulov Dzekshen E. , Sokolov† Evgenii N.
Published: April 2019

The neuronal activity in the rabbit's visual cortex, lateral geniculate nucleus and superior colliculus was investigated in responses to 8 color stimuli changes in pairs. This activity consisted of phasic responses (50-90 and 130-300 Ms after stimuli changes) and tonic response (after 300 Ms). The phasic responses used as a basis for the matrices (8 × 8) constructed for each neuron included the average of spikes/sec in responses to all stimuli changes. All matrices were treated by factor analysis and the basic axes of sensory spaces were revealed. Sensory spaces reconstructed from neuronal spike discharges had a two-dimensional (with brightness and darkness axes) or four-dimensional (with two color and two achromatic axes) structure. Thus it allowed us to split neurons into groups measuring only brightness differences and the measuring of color and brightness differences between stimuli. The tonic component of most of the neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus showed linear correlation with changes in intensities; therefore, these neurons could be characterized as pre-detectors for cortical selective detectors. The neuronal spaces demonstrated a coincidence with spaces revealed by other methods. This fact may reflect the general principle of vector coding (Sokolov, 2000) of sensory information in the visual system.
Comparative Analysis of the Perception of School Violence in Teachers, Pupils, and Families
Authors: Linares José Jesús Gázquez , Díaz Adolfo Javier Cangas , Fuentes María del Carmen Pérez , Acién Francisca Lucas
Published: April 2019

The main aim of the present study is to analyze the opinion of pupils, families and teachers in four European countries (Spain, Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic) on the prevalence of violent behavior and other problematic aspects related to coexistence in schools, and on the way in which individuals are personally affected by them. For this purpose, a single instrument was used. From the results obtained it emerges, first of all, that there are significant differences depending on who is analyzing the school problems. Generally, families perceive the problems analyzed as less common and feel less affected by them personally. Hungary was considered to be the country with the lowest levels of school violence. Pupils indicate their concern about the high levels of lack of motivation or boredom, whilst teachers are more preoccupied about the serious problems of coexistence, due in particular to the presence or use of weapons and drugs and to intercultural conflicts.
Lipreading in the Prelingually Deaf: What makes a Skilled Speechreader?
Authors: Ortiz Isabel de los Reyes Rodríguez
Published: April 2019

Lipreading proficiency was investigated in a group of hearing-impaired people, all of them knowing Spanish Sign Language (SSL). The aim of this study was to establish the relationships between lipreading and some other variables (gender, intelligence, audiological variables, participants' education, parents' education, communication practices, intelligibility, use of SSL). The 32 participants were between 14 and 47 years of age. They all had sensorineural hearing losses (from severe to profound). The lipreading procedures comprised identification of words in isolation. The words selected for presentation in isolation were spoken by the same talker. Identification of words required participants to select their responses from set of four pictures appropriately labelled. Lipreading was significantly correlated with intelligence and intelligibility. Multiple regression analyses were used to obtain a prediction equation for the lipreading measures. As a result of this procedure, it is concluded that proficient deaf lipreaders are more intelligent and their oral speech was more comprehensible for others.
Body-Image and Obesity in Adolescence: A Comparative Study of Social-Demographic, Psychological, and Behavioral Aspects
Authors: de Sousa Pedro Miguel Lopes
Published: April 2019

In current society, body and beauty's cult emerge as one of the main factors of adolescence. That leads adolescents to be dissatisfied with their own appearance, to psychological maladjustment, and nutritional disorders. This quantitative, exploratory, and cross-sectional research evaluates how adolescents perceive their weight and the prevalence of obesity in a sample of adolescents from the district of Viseu (Portugal). It also attempted to compare the relation of body-image and obesity with sociodemographic (school, sex, age, socioeconomic status, family functioning), psychological (self-concept, depression, school success) and behavioral aspects (physical inactivity). After data analyses, it was verified that the prevalence of obesity was 8.8% but 12.7% considered themselves obese. These adolescents had higher physical inactivity, poorer family functioning, a lower self-concept, and a higher depression index. The really obese adolescents were older and had poorer academic results. Obesity was higher in boys, but girls perceived themselves more as being obese. In conclusion, it is essential to evaluate weight perception in addition to body mass index (BMI), because the main problem could be related not only to being obese, but also to the perception of having a higher than ideal weight.
Structural Validity and Reliability of the Spanish Version of the White Bear Suppression Inventory (WBSI) in a Sample of the General Spanish Population
Authors: Rodríguez Manuel González , Delgado Pedro Avero , Rovella Anna Teresa , León Rosario Cubas
Published: April 2019

This paper introduces the validation of the Spanish adaptation of the White Bear Suppression Inventory (WBSI) by Wegner and Zanakos (1994). A sample of 833 people from the general population completed the WBSI along with other questionnaires. The exploratory factor analysis and the confirmatory factor analysis supported a two-factor solution accounting for 51.8% of the cumulative variance. This structure is comprised of the two following factors: unwanted intrusive thoughts (α = .87, r = .70) and actions of distraction and suppression of thoughts (α = .80, r = .60). Both internal consistency reliability (α = .89) and test-retest reliability (r = .71) showed adequate homogeneity, sound consistency, and stability over time. The results are discussed bearing in mind both isolated factors and the possible relationships of the suppression factor with automatic negative thoughts and insomnia.
Brazilian Version of the Protocole Montréal d'Évaluation de la Communication (Protocole MEC): Normative and Reliability Data
Authors: Fonseca Rochele Paz , Joanette Yves , Côté Hélène , Ska Bernadette , Giroux Francine , Fachel Jandyra Maria Guimarães , Ferreira Gabriela Damasceno , Parente Maria Alice de Mattos Pimenta
Published: April 2019

The lack of standardized instruments to evaluate communication disorders related to the right hemisphere was verified. A new evaluation tool was developed: Protocole Montréal d'Évaluation de la Communication – Protocole MEC, adapted to Brazilian Portuguese – Bateria Montreal de Avaliação da Comunicação – Bateria MAC (Montreal Evaluation of Communication Battery). The purpose was to present stratified normative data by age and educational level, and to verify the reliability parameters of the MEC Battery. 300 individuals, between the ages of 19 and 75 years, and levels of formal education between 2 and 35 years, participated in this study. They were divided equally into six normative groups, according to three age categories (young adults, intermediary age, and seniors) and two educational levels (low and high). Two procedures were used to check reliability: Cronbach alpha and reliability between evaluators. Results were established at the 10th percentile, and an alert point per task for each normative group. Cronbach's alpha was, in general, between .70 and .90 and the average rate of agreement between evaluators varied from .62 to .94. Standards of age and education were established. The reliability of this instrument was verified. The psychometric legitimization of the MEC Battery will contribute to the diagnostic process for communicative disorders.
The – switch: an empirical account of the anglicisation of a Scots variant in Scotland during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
Authors: VAN EYNDHOVEN SARAH , CLARK LYNN
Published: April 2019

This article explores the anglicisation of the Scots language between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries, focusing on the variation between the orthographic clusters  and  found in relative and interrogative clause markers. Using modern statistical techniques, we provide the most comprehensive empirical analysis of this variation so far in theHelsinki Corpus of Older Scots(Meurman-Solin 1995). By combining the techniques of Variability-Based Neighbour Clustering (Gries & Hilpert 2008, 2010, 2012) with mixed-effects logistic regression modelling (Baayenet al.2008), we uncover a different trajectory of change than that which has previously been reported for this feature (Meurman-Solin 1993, 1997). We argue that by using modern methods of data reduction and statistical modelling, we can present a picture of language change in Scots that is more fine-grained than previous studies which use only descriptive statistics.
Language contact does not drive gesture transfer: Heritage speakers maintain language specific gesture patterns in each language
Authors: Azar Zeynep , Backus Ad , Özyürek Aslı
Published: April 2019

This paper investigates whether there are changes in gesture rate when speakers of two languages with different gesture rates (Turkish-high gesture; Dutch-low gesture) come into daily contact. We analyzed gestures produced by second-generation heritage speakers of Turkish in the Netherlands in each language, comparing them to monolingual baselines. We did not find differences between bilingual and monolingual speakers, possibly because bilinguals were proficient in both languages and used them frequently – in line with a usage-based approach to language. However, bilinguals produced more deictic gestures than monolinguals in both Turkish and Dutch, which we interpret as a bilingual strategy. Deictic gestures may help organize discourse by placing entities in gesture space and help reduce the cognitive load associated with being bilingual, e.g., inhibition cost. Therefore, gesture rate does not necessarily change in contact situations but might be modulated by frequency of language use, proficiency, and cognitive factors related to being bilingual.
CHARACTERIZATIONS OF QUASICONVEX AND PSEUDOCONVEX FUNCTIONS BY THEIR SECOND-ORDER REGULAR SUBDIFFERENTIALS
Authors: NADI MOHAMMAD TAGHI , ZAFARANI JAFAR
Published: April 2019

We present the second-order necessary and sufficient conditions for quasiconvex and pseudoconvex functions in terms of their second-order regular subdifferentials.
TH YAU NUMBER OF ISOLATED HYPERSURFACE SINGULARITIES AND AN INEQUALITY CONJECTURE
Authors: HUSSAIN NAVEED , YAU STEPHEN S.-T. , ZUO HUAIQING
Published: April 2019

Let $V$ be a hypersurface with an isolated singularity at the origin defined by the holomorphic function $f:(\mathbb{C}^{n},0)\rightarrow (\mathbb{C},0)$. The Yau algebra $L(V)$ is defined to be the Lie algebra of derivations of the moduli algebra $A(V):={\mathcal{O}}_{n}/(f,\unicode[STIX]{x2202}f/\unicode[STIX]{x2202}x_{1},\ldots ,\unicode[STIX]{x2202}f/\unicode[STIX]{x2202}x_{n})$, that is, $L(V)=\text{Der}(A(V),A(V))$. It is known that $L(V)$ is finite dimensional and its dimension $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}(V)$ is called the Yau number. We introduce a new series of Lie algebras, that is, $k$th Yau algebras $L^{k}(V)$, $k\geq 0$, which are a generalization of the Yau algebra. The algebra $L^{k}(V)$ is defined to be the Lie algebra of derivations of the $k$th moduli algebra $A^{k}(V):={\mathcal{O}}_{n}/(f,m^{k}J(f)),k\geq 0$, that is, $L^{k}(V)=\text{Der}(A^{k}(V),A^{k}(V))$, where $m$ is the maximal ideal of ${\mathcal{O}}_{n}$. The $k$th Yau number is the dimension of $L^{k}(V)$, which we denote by $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}^{k}(V)$. In particular, $L^{0}(V)$ is exactly the Yau algebra, that is, $L^{0}(V)=L(V),\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}^{0}(V)=\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}(V)$. These numbers $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}^{k}(V)$ are new numerical analytic invariants of singularities. In this paper we formulate a conjecture that $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}^{(k+1)}(V)>\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}^{k}(V),k\geq 0.$ We prove this conjecture for a large class of singularities.
A review of applications of principles of quantum physics in oncology: do quantum physics principles have any role in oncology research and applications?
Authors: Raghunandan Renata , Voll Meaghan , Osei Ernest , Darko Johnson , Laflamme Raymond
Published: April 2019

Background:

Research in the applications of the principles of quantum physics in oncology has progressed significantly over the past decades; and several research groups with professionals from diverse scientific background, including electrical engineers, mathematicians, biologists, atomic physicists, computer programmers, and biochemists, are working collaboratively in an unprecedented and pioneering economic, organisational and human effort searching for a wider and more effective, potentially definitive, understanding of the cancers. It is hypothesised that the principles of quantum physics could open new and broader understanding of the cancers and the development of new effective, targeted, accurate, personalised and possibly definitive cancer treatment.

Materials and methods:

This paper reports on a review of recent studies in the field of the applications of the principles of quantum physics in biology, chemistry, biochemistry and quantum physics in cancer research, including quantum physics principles and cancer, quantum modelling techniques, quantum dots and its applications in oncology, quantum cascade laser histopathology and quantum computing applications.

Conclusions:

The applications of the principles of quantum physics in oncology, chemistry and biology are providing new perspectives and greater insights into a long-studied disease, which could result in a greater understanding of the cancers and the potential for personalised and definitive treatment methods.
Spanish Musical Responses to Moroccan Immigration and the Cultural Memory of al-Andalus
Authors: MACHIN-AUTENRIETH MATTHEW
Published: April 2019

The notion of a shared history across the Mediterranean is central to a number of Spanish-Moroccan musical collaborations, which draw on the notion ofconvivencia: the alleged peaceful coexistence between Christians, Jews, and Muslims in medieval Spain. In this article, I explore the relationship between a ‘musical’convivenciaand Moroccan immigration in Spain, focusing on two prominent case studies:Macama jonda(1983) andInmigración(2003). Spanning a twenty-year period, I argue that these two productions illustrate shifting responses to Moroccan immigration at distinct historical moments: the post-Franco era and post-9/11. These two productions illustrate the malleability of theconvivenciamyth, employing it for distinct social and political purposes. I argue thatMacama jondaandInmigraciónshould be read as products of shifting political and cultural relations between Spain and Morocco, and Spain's negotiation of its Muslim past.
Once Misjudged and Banned: Promoting the Musical Heritage in the GDR and Discourse Surrounding the 1959 Felix Mendelssohn Festwoche
Authors: SNYDER BETH
Published: April 2019

In February 1959 East Germany fêted the legacy of Felix Mendelssohn with a week-long celebration. Like earlier festivals honouring composers such as Handel, these festivities provided a site for working out in practical terms abstract theories of the ethico-political value of the Germanic cultural heritage to a socialist German state. Yet, discourse surrounding the Festwoche indicates a unique approach to such negotiations. Debates surrounding the festival are analysed, including publications in journals and newspapers as well as speeches, in order to demonstrate that the circumstances surrounding the Mendelssohn festivities fomented remarkably diverse responses to issues pertaining to the value of the musical heritage and to Mendelssohn's place within that heritage. Further, the problems Mendelssohn's life and work presented led one of the most important musicologists in the GDR – Georg Knepler – to embrace a radically Marxian (rather than Marxist–Leninist) account of the significance of the composer's music to East German audiences.
Transcriptome assembly and polymorphism detection in Silene ciliata (Caryophyllaceae)
Authors: Sacristán-Bajo Sandra , García-Fernández Alfredo , Iriondo Jose M. , Lara-Romero Carlos
Published: April 2019

Silene ciliata (Caryophyllaceae) is a key species to test evolutionary hypotheses in a global warming context. The recent advances in Next Generation Sequencing technologies can help in providing clues about climate-mediated local adaptation. In the present study, we analysed the full transcriptome of six individuals of S. ciliata from Central Spain, by aligning it with the transcriptome of S. latifolia. We aimed (a) to identify Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in the transcriptome of the species, (b) to describe the biological function of the polymorphic genes expressed and (c) to identify loci that may be involved in local adaptation processes at optimal and marginal populations of the species. We identified a total of 147,118 SNPs distributed throughout 12,688 sequences. The number of polymorphic sequences annotated was 8023. One hundred thirty sequences containing polymorphisms strongly associated with optimal and marginal conditions were selected. Gene ontology searches were successful for 118, and many of these were related to responses to stress (n = 19) and abiotic stimulus (n = 16). Genomic data generated provide a starting point for further research on the identification of candidate genes related to local adaptation and other processes in the species.
Ulcus cruris: Die häufigen, makrovaskulären Ursachen
Authors: Hafner Jürg , Buset Caroline , Anzengruber Florian , Barysch-Bonderer Marjam , Läuchli Severin , Müller Heiko , Oleg Meier Thomas , Ulmer Nathalie , Reutter Daniela , Kucher Nils , Rancic Zoran , Kopp Reinhard , Hofmann Michael , Mayer Dieter , Berli Martin , Böni Thomas , Frueh Florian S. , Besmens Inga , Calcagni Maurizio , Kockaert Michael
Published: April 2019

Zusammenfassung. Vier Pathologien bilden zusammen die makrovaskulären Ursachen des Ulcus cruris: Venöse Ulzera (50 %), gemischte venös-arterielle Ulzera (20 %), arterielle Ulzera (5 %) und das Ulcus hypertonicum Martorell (5 %). Die übrigen 20 % verteilen sich auf sehr viele weitere Ursachen. Jedes Ulcus cruris erfordert eine vaskuläre (arterielle und venöse) Abklärung, gegebenenfalls ergänzt durch Biopsie, Mikrobiologie, und eine vertiefte internistische Diagnostik. Venöse Ulzera werden zunächst durch Kompression therapiert. Insuffiziente Stammvenen und deren Seitenäste werden saniert, sofern das tiefe Venensystem durchgängig ist. Okkludierte Beckenvenen werden nach Möglichkeit rekanalisiert und gestentet. Refraktäre venöse Ulzera werden je nach Fläche mit Spalthaut oder Punch Grafts gedeckt. Je nach Ausdehnung der Dermatolipofasziosklerose kann zuvor die Fibrose mit der «Shave-Therapie» oder Fasziektomie abgetragen werden. Mit der Unterdruck-Wundtherapie können tiefere oder kritisch kolonisierte Wunden konditioniert werden. Hautersatzverfahren sind eine Alternative zur Behandlung oberflächlicher venöser Ulzera ohne Epithelisierungstendenz. Für alle weiteren Indikationen muss ihr Stellenwert noch näher untersucht werden. In der chirurgischen Behandlung komplexer chronischer Wunden führt der Aufbau einer Neo-Dermis vor einer Hautverpflanzung zu einer stabileren Narbe. Gemischte venös-arterielle Ulzera (Ulcus cruris mixtum) heilen langsamer und rezidivieren häufiger. Die Kompressionstherapie muss reduziert werden. Bei ausbleibendem Therapieerfolg wird eine arterielle Revaskularisation angestrebt, womit das gemischte in ein venöses Ulcus cruris umgewandelt wird. Arterielle Ulzera (Ulcus cruris arteriosum) benötigen in aller Regel eine arterielle Revaskularisation und danach eine Spalthautverpflanzung. Das Ulcus hypertonicum Martorell ist noch vielerorts unbekannt und wird oft mit dem Pyoderma gangraenosum verwechselt, was die Therapie in eine falsche Richtung lenkt. Wundchirurgie in kleinerer oder grösserer Form, Antibiotika-Therapie bei klinisch relevanter Superinfektion, und Hautverpflanzungen, oft mehrfach wiederholt, führen in aller Regel zur Abheilung dieser äusserst schmerzhaften und bei falscher Behandlung potenziell lebensgefährlichen Wunden.
Tissue Changes in the Development of Fatty Liver by Chronic Ingestion of Sucrose Associated with Obesity and Dyslipidemia in Rats
Authors: Solano-Silva Mildred , Bazán-de Santillana Iván , Soto-Rodríguez Ida , Bautista-Piña Christian , Alexander-Aguilera Alfonso
Published: April 2019

Abstract. A diet high in sucrose, which is a common food constituent, induces obesity and non- alcoholic fatty liver (NFLD) caused by high caloric intake; however, it is important to investigate those sequential changes in the hepatic parenchyma related to sugar consumption which are associated to obesity and dyslipidemia. We analyzed the effects of long-term sucrose intake on fatty liver development, by the administration of 30% sucrose in drinking water in healthy Wistar rats during 30 weeks. Serum variables, body fat index, caloric intake and microscopic examination of liver tissue were monitored. In the first week, grade 1 steatosis was observed with ballooned hepatocytes, with a caloric intake of 125 ± 1.90 kcal / day / 100 g of body weight; together with a gain of 71% in abdominal fat with respect to the control group and dyslipidemia. During the 10 to 20 weeks period, steatosis grade 2 with noticeable inflammation (steatohepatitis), polymorphic cells and ballooned hepatocytes were evident. After 10 weeks, the caloric intake was 72.9 ± 5.99 kcal / day / 100 g of body weight with 199% of gain in abdominal fat in SUC groups with respect control group (p < 0.01) and moderate dyslipidemia; while after 20 weeks, the caloric intake was 61.6 ± 4.65 kcal / day / 100 g of body weight with 208% of gain in abdominal fat and also moderate dyslipidemia. After 30 weeks steatosis grade 3 with marked inflammation (steatohepatitis), periportal fibrosis, globose and fat-filled hepatocytes were observed, with a caloric intake of 52.3 ± 3.05 kcal / day / 100 g of body weight and 232% of gain in abdominal fat that was related to severe dyslipidemia. In conclusion, the sequential changes in the development of NAFLD were associated with the ingestion of sucrose and obesity since the first week of administration.
Short sleep duration is related to kidney-related biomarkers, but not lipid profile and diet quality in diabetic nephropathy patients
Authors: Onvani Shokouh , Mortazavi Najafabadi Mojgan , Haghighatdoost Fahimeh , Larijani Bagher , Azadbakht Leila
Published: April 2019

Abstract. Objectives: Diabetic nephropathy may adversely influence on sleep duration. The quality of diet may also be affected by both sleep duration and diabetes nephropathy. Therefore, lower diet quality in short sleepers-diabetic nephropathy patients might be related to higher metabolic abnormalities. In the present study, we investigated if sleep duration is related to diet quality indices and biochemical markers in diabetic nephropathy patients. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 237 diabetic nephropathy patients, randomly selected from patients attending in the Alzahra University Hospital, Isfahan, Iran. Usual dietary intake was assessed using validated food frequency questionnaire. Diet quality indices (including diet diversity score, dietary energy density, mean adequacy ratio, and nutrient adequacy ratio) were calculated based on standard definitions. Sleep duration was estimated using self-reported nocturnal hours of sleep. Results: Short sleepers (5–6 h) had higher blood urea nitrogen and creatinine compared with those who slept more than 7.5 h (20.26 + 0.23 mg/dl vs. 17.61 + 0.30 mg/dl, P < 0.0001, and 1.98 + 0.27 mg/dl vs. 1.90 + 0.24 mg/dl, P = 0.03, respectively). Serum triglyceride levels were positively correlated with sleep duration (P = 0.02). Diet quality indices were not significantly associated with sleep duration. Conclusion: Higher sleep duration is significantly related to lower kidney-related biomarkers in diabetic nephropathy patients. Diet quality indices were not associated with sleep duration in diabetic nephropathy patients. More longitudinal studies are required to evaluate the associations of sleep duration, diet quality and biochemical markers in diabetic nephropathy patients.
Disappearing World Heritage Glaciers as a Keystone of Nature Conservation in a Changing Climate
Authors: Bosson J.‐B. , Huss M. , Osipova E.
Published: April 2019

Since 1972, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Convention aims to identify and protect sites of Outstanding Universal Value for future generations. However, growing impacts of climate change are of the utmost concern for the integrity of many sites. Here, we inventory the glaciers present in natural World Heritage sites for the first time. We found 19,000 glaciers in 46 sites located all over the world. We analyze their recent evolution, current state, and project their mass change over the 21st century. Our results are based on a comprehensive review of the literature as well as a state‐of‐the‐art glaciological model for computing glacier responses up to 2100. Illustrating the strong influence of CO2 emission scenarios and human actions on future ice loss magnitude, we project the wastage of 33% to 60% of the 2017 cumulative ice volume of 12,000 km3 of World Heritage glaciers by 2100. Furthermore, we expect complete glacier extinction in 8 to 21 of the investigated World Heritage sites until the end of the century, depending on the climate scenario. We suggest that World Heritage glaciers should be considered as analogs to endangered umbrella, keystone, and flagship species, whose conservation would secure wider environmental and social benefits at global scale.
A Satellite Assessment of Environmental Controls of Phytoplankton Community Size Structure
Authors: Mouw Colleen B. , Ciochetto Audrey B. , Yoder James A.
Published: April 2019

Phytoplankton play a key role as the base of the marine food web and a crucial component in the Earth's carbon cycle. There have been a few regional studies that have utilized satellite‐estimated phytoplankton functional type products in conjunction with other environmental metrics. Here we expand to a global perspective and ask, what are the physical drivers of phytoplankton composition variability? Using a variety of satellite‐observed ocean color products and physical properties spanning 1997–2015, we characterize spatial and temporal variability in phytoplankton community size structure in relation to satellite‐based physical drivers. We consider the relationships globally and by major thermal regimes (cold and warm), dominant size distribution, and chlorophyll concentration variability. Globally, euphotic depth is the most important parameter driving phytoplankton size variability and also over the majority of the high‐latitude ocean and the central gyres. In all other regions, size variability is driven by a balance of light and mode of nutrient delivery. We investigated the relationship between size composition and chlorophyll concentration and the physical drivers through correlation analysis. Changes in size composition over time are regionally varying and explained by temporal shifts in the varying physical conditions. These changes in phytoplankton size composition and the varying underlying physical drivers will ultimately impact carbon export and food web processes in our changing ocean.
Slow Slip Event Detection in Cascadia Using Vertical Derivatives of Horizontal Stress Rates
Authors: Haines John , Wallace Laura M. , Dimitrova Lada
Published: April 2019

We present a new approach assuming elastic behavior at the Earth's surface to invert continuous GPS time series for Vertical Derivatives of Horizontal Stress rates. This approach enables detection of transient slow slip events at the Cascadia subduction zone. Vertical Derivatives of Horizontal Stress rates are the most spatially compact expression of surface deformation due to subsurface deformation sources (compared to GPS displacement/velocity fields, and strain rates), and enable identification of transient slip events and temporal evolution of locking on the interface throughout the slow slip cycle. Slow slip events (SSEs) identified by our method coincide spatially and temporally with tremor episodes, and agree well with SSEs identified by previous geodetic studies. We present daily slip models that fit the Vertical Derivatives of Horizontal Stress rates, showing phases of locking, unlocking, and SSEs on the subduction interface for the 2009–2015 period. Similar to previous studies, our results highlight along‐strike variations in SSEs and locking behavior from northern Cascadia to southern Cascadia. Between events, the SSE source zone in northern Cascadia appears to be completely locked. In contrast, we suggest that some fraction of plate motion in the SSE zone in central and southern Cascadia is accommodated by steady creep (or very small, frequent SSEs) between large SSE events. We observe rapid relocking of the interface (within weeks) following the end of most SSEs, with implications for the time scales of fault healing following deformation events. Our results present a promising approach to transient deformation detection, with a fine temporal and spatial resolution of the surface expression of deformation.
An Overview of Global Leaf Area Index (LAI): Methods, Products, Validation, and Applications
Authors: Fang Hongliang , Baret Frédéric , Plummer Stephen , Schaepman‐Strub Gabriela
Published: April 2019

Leaf area index (LAI) is a critical vegetation structural variable and is essential in the feedback of vegetation to the climate system. The advancement of the global Earth Observation has enabled the development of global LAI products and boosted global Earth system modeling studies. This overview provides a comprehensive analysis of LAI field measurements and remote sensing estimation methods, the product validation methods and product uncertainties, and the application of LAI in global studies. First, the paper clarifies some definitions related to LAI and introduces methods to determine LAI from field measurements and remote sensing observations. After introducing some major global LAI products, progresses made in temporal compositing and prospects for future LAI estimation are analyzed. Subsequently, the overview discusses various LAI product validation schemes, uncertainties in global moderate resolution LAI products, and high resolution reference data. Finally, applications of LAI in global vegetation change, land surface modeling, and agricultural studies are presented. It is recommended that (1) continued efforts are taken to advance LAI estimation algorithms and provide high temporal and spatial resolution products from current and forthcoming missions; (2) further validation studies be conducted to address the inadequacy of current validation studies, especially for underrepresented regions and seasons; and (3) new research frontiers, such as machine learning algorithms, light detection and ranging technology, and unmanned aerial vehicles be pursued to broaden the production and application of LAI.
On the Relationship Between Aerosol and Boundary Layer Height in Summer in China Under Different Thermodynamic Conditions
Authors: Lou Mengyun , Guo Jianping , Wang Lingling , Xu Hui , Chen Dandan , Miao Yucong , Lv Yanmin , Li Yuan , Guo Xiaoran , Ma Shuangliang , Li Jian
Published: April 2019

The observed relationships between boundary layer height (BLH) and PM2.5 on a national scale remain unclear due to the dearth of observations. Here we investigated this relationship from a unique perspective of thermodynamic stability in the planetary boundary layer (PBL), using summertime (June–August) soundings from China for the period from 2014 to 2017. For all three times of soundings (0800, 1400, and 2000 Beijing time [BJT]), positive (negative) PM2.5 concentrations anomalies were found to correlate with negative (positive) BLHs anomalies relative to daily means. The negative correlation was strongest at 1400 BJT, followed by 2000 BJT and 0800 BJT. Overall, the PM2.5 was found to nonuniformly anticorrelate with BLH across China at 0800 and 2000 BJT. The strongest anticorrelation occurred in the North China Plain at 1400 BJT, in sharp contrast to the much weaker correlation in other regions characterized by much less polluted regions. The averaged PM2.5 in neutral boundary layers was higher than that in convective boundary layers (CBLs). The CBL, where the anticorrelation was the strongest, was conducive to dissipating more aerosol in the heavily polluted area in China than neutral boundary layer. The higher CBL formed under low cloud cover, low surface humidity, and strong wind speed was favorable for the dispersion of aerosol, in contrast to the stable boundary layers that happen under the highest cloud cover. Also, positive correlation was seen between stable boundary layer and PM2.5. The findings call for attention that the thermodynamical condition of PBL should be considered when examining the aerosol‐PBL interactions.
PTPRB promotes metastasis of colorectal carcinoma via inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition
Authors: Weng Xingyue , Chen Wei , Hu Wangxiong , Xu Kailun , Qi Lina , Chen Jiani , Lu Demin , Shao Yinkuan , Zheng Xi , Ye Chenyang , Zheng Shu
Published: April 2019

Dysregulation of protein tyrosine phosphatase, receptor type B (PTPRB) correlates with the development of a variety of tumors. Here we show that PTPRB promotes metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells via inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We find that PTPRB is expressed at significantly higher levels in CRC tissues compared to adjacent nontumor tissues and in CRC cell lines with high invasion. PTPRB knockdown decreased the number of invasive CRC cells in an in vitro wound healing model, and also reduced tumor metastasis in vivo. Conversely, PTPRB overexpression promoted CRC cell invasion in vitro and metastasis in vivo. PTPRB overexpression decreased vimentin expression and promoted E-cadherin expression, consistent with promotion of EMT, while PTPRB knockdown had the opposite effect. Hypoxic conditions induced EMT and promoted invasion in CRC cells, but these effects were eliminated by PTPRB knockdown. EMT blockade via TWIST1 knockdown inhibited the migration and invasiveness of CRC cells, and even increased PTPRB expression could not reverse this effect. Altogether, these data support the conclusion that PTPRB promotes invasion and metastasis of CRC cells via inducing EMT, and that PTPRB would be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of CRC.
Crowd oil not crude oil
Authors: Dittmeyer Roland , Klumpp Michael , Kant Paul , Ozin Geoffrey
Published: April 2019

Climate change represents an existential, global threat to humanity, yet its delocalized nature complicates climate action. Here, the authors propose retrofitting air conditioning units as integrated, scalable, and renewable-powered devices capable of decentralized CO2 conversion and energy democratization.
Publisher Correction: Unusual substrate and halide versatility of phenolic halogenase PltM
Authors: Mori Shogo , Pang Allan H. , Chandrika Nishad Thamban , Garneau-Tsodikova Sylvie , Tsodikov Oleg V.
Published: April 2019

The original version of this Article contained an error in Fig. 1, in which the labels ‘NADP+’ and ‘NADPH + H+’ were incorrectly given as ‘NADPH’ and ‘NADPH+ + H+’, respectively. This has been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.
Uncertainty in near-term global surface warming linked to tropical Pacific climate variability
Authors: Bordbar Mohammad Hadi , England Matthew H. , Sen Gupta Alex , Santoso Agus , Taschetto Andréa S. , Martin Thomas , Park Wonsun , Latif Mojib
Published: April 2019

Climate models generally simulate a long-term slowdown of the Pacific Walker Circulation in a warming world. However, despite increasing greenhouse forcing, there was an unprecedented intensification of the Pacific Trade Winds during 1992–2011, that co-occurred with a temporary slowdown in global surface warming. Using ensemble simulations from three different climate models starting from different initial conditions, we find a large spread in projected 20-year globally averaged surface air temperature trends that can be linked to differences in Pacific climate variability. This implies diminished predictive skill for global surface air temperature trends over decadal timescales, to a large extent due to intrinsic Pacific Ocean variability. We show, however, that this uncertainty can be considerably reduced when the initial oceanic state is known and well represented in the model. In this case, the spatial patterns of 20-year surface air temperature trends depend largely on the initial state of the Pacific Ocean.
ZnO composite nanolayer with mobility edge quantization for multi-value logic transistors
Authors: Lee Lynn , Hwang Jeongwoon , Jung Jin Won , Kim Jongchan , Lee Ho-In , Heo Sunwoo , Yoon Minho , Choi Sungju , Van Long Nguyen , Park Jinseon , Jeong Jae Won , Kim Jiyoung , Kim Kyung Rok , Kim Dae Hwan , Im Seongil , Lee Byoung Hun , Cho Kyeongjae , Sung Myung Mo
Published: April 2019

A quantum confined transport based on a zinc oxide composite nanolayer that has conducting states with mobility edge quantization is proposed and was applied to develop multi-value logic transistors with stable intermediate states. A composite nanolayer with zinc oxide quantum dots embedded in amorphous zinc oxide domains generated quantized conducting states at the mobility edge, which we refer to as “mobility edge quantization”. The unique quantized conducting state effectively restricted the occupied number of carriers due to its low density of states, which enable current saturation. Multi-value logic transistors were realized by applying a hybrid superlattice consisting of zinc oxide composite nanolayers and organic barriers as channels in the transistor. The superlattice channels produced multiple states due to current saturation of the quantized conducting state in the composite nanolayers. Our multi-value transistors exhibited excellent performance characteristics, stable and reliable operation with no current fluctuation, and adjustable multi-level states.
A binding cooperativity switch driven by synergistic structural swelling of an osmo-regulatory protein pair
Authors: Narayan Abhishek , Gopi Soundhararajan , Fushman David , Naganathan Athi N.
Published: April 2019

Uropathogenic E. coli experience a wide range of osmolarity conditions before and after successful infection. Stress-responsive regulatory proteins in bacteria, particularly proteins of the Hha family and H-NS, a transcription repressor, sense such osmolarity changes and regulate transcription through unknown mechanisms. Here we use an array of experimental probes complemented by molecular simulations to show that Cnu, a member of the Hha protein family, acts as an exquisite molecular sensor of solvent ionic strength. The osmosensory behavior of Cnu involves a fine-tuned modulation of disorder in the fourth helix and the three-dimensional structure in a graded manner. Order-disorder transitions in H-NS act synergistically with molecular swelling of Cnu contributing to a salt-driven switch in binding cooperativity. Thus, sensitivity to ambient conditions can be imprinted at the molecular level by tuning not just the degree of order in the protein conformational ensemble but also through population redistributions of higher-order molecular complexes.
I-BEAT: Ultrasonic method for online measurement of the energy distribution of a single ion bunch
Authors: Haffa Daniel , Yang Rong , Bin Jianhui , Lehrack Sebastian , Brack Florian-Emanuel , Ding Hao , Englbrecht Franz S. , Gao Ying , Gebhard Johannes , Gilljohann Max , Götzfried Johannes , Hartmann Jens , Herr Sebastian , Hilz Peter , Kraft Stephan D. , Kreuzer Christian , Kroll Florian , Lindner Florian H. , Metzkes-Ng Josefine , Ostermayr Tobias M. , Ridente Enrico , Rösch Thomas F. , Schilling Gregor , Schlenvoigt Hans-Peter , Speicher Martin , Taray Derya , Würl Matthias , Zeil Karl , Schramm Ulrich , Karsch Stefan , Parodi Katia , Bolton Paul R. , Assmann Walter , Schreiber Jörg
Published: April 2019

The shape of a wave carries all information about the spatial and temporal structure of its source, given that the medium and its properties are known. Most modern imaging methods seek to utilize this nature of waves originating from Huygens’ principle. We discuss the retrieval of the complete kinetic energy distribution from the acoustic trace that is recorded when a short ion bunch deposits its energy in water. This novel method, which we refer to as Ion-Bunch Energy Acoustic Tracing (I-BEAT), is a refinement of the ionoacoustic approach. With its capability of completely monitoring a single, focused proton bunch with prompt readout and high repetition rate, I-BEAT is a promising approach to meet future requirements of experiments and applications in the field of laser-based ion acceleration. We demonstrate its functionality at two laser-driven ion sources for quantitative online determination of the kinetic energy distribution in the focus of single proton bunches.
Short range biaxial strain relief mechanism within epitaxially grown BiFeO3
Authors: Bae In-Tae , Yasui Shintaro , Ichinose Tomohiro , Itoh Mitsuru , Shiraishi Takahisa , Kiguchi Takanori , Naganuma Hiroshi
Published: April 2019

Lattice mismatch-induced biaxial strain effect on the crystal structure and growth mechanism is investigated for the BiFeO3 films grown on La0.6Sr0.4MnO3/SrTiO3 and YAlO3 substrates. Nano-beam electron diffraction, structure factor calculation and x-ray reciprocal space mapping unambiguously confirm that the crystal structure within both of the BiFeO3 thin films is rhombohedral by showing the rhombohedral signature Bragg’s reflections. Further investigation with atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals that while the ~1.0% of the lattice mismatch found in the BiFeO3 grown on La0.6Sr0.4MnO3/SrTiO3 is exerted as biaxial in-plane compressive strain with atomistically coherent interface, the ~6.8% of the lattice mismatch found in the BiFeO3 grown on YAlO3 is relaxed at the interface by introducing dislocations. The present result demonstrates the importance of: (1) identification of the epitaxial relationship between BFO and its substrate material to quantitatively evaluate the amount of the lattice strain within BFO film and (2) the atomistically coherent BFO/substrate interface for the lattice mismatch to exert the lattice strain.
N-Doped Carbon NanoWalls for Power Sources
Authors: Evlashin Stanislav A. , Maksimov Yurii M. , Dyakonov Pavel V. , Pilevsky Andrey A. , Maslakov Konstantin I. , Mankelevich Yuri A. , Voronina Ekaterina N. , Vavilov Sergei V. , Pavlov Alexander A. , Zenova Elena V. , Akhatov Iskander S. , Suetin Nikolay V.
Published: April 2019

Cycling stability and specific capacitance are the most critical features of energy sources. Nitrogen incorporation in crystalline carbon lattice allows to increase the capacitance without increasing the mass of electrodes. Despite the fact that many studies demonstrate the increase in the capacitance of energy sources after nitrogen incorporation, the mechanism capacitance increase is still unclear. Herein, we demonstrate the simple approach of plasma treatment of carbon structures, which leads to incorporation of 3 at.% nitrogen into Carbon NanoWalls. These structures have huge specific surface area and can be used for supercapacitor fabrication. After plasma treatment, the specific capacitance of Carbon NanoWalls increased and reached 600 F g−1. Moreover, we made a novel DFT simulation which explains the mechanism of nitrogen incorporation into the carbon lattice. This work paves the way to develop flexible thin film supercapacitors based on carbon nanowalls.
Single molecule super-resolution imaging of bacterial cell pole proteins with high-throughput quantitative analysis pipeline
Authors: Altinoglu Ipek , Merrifield Christien J. , Yamaichi Yoshiharu
Published: April 2019

Bacteria show sophisticated control of their cellular organization, and many bacteria deploy different polar landmark proteins to organize the cell pole. Super-resolution microscopy, such as Photo-Activated Localization Microscopy (PALM), provides the nanoscale localization of molecules and is crucial for better understanding of organization and dynamics in single-molecule. However, analytical tools are not fully available yet, in particular for bacterial cell biology. For example, quantitative and statistical analyses of subcellular localization with multiple cells from multiple fields of view are lacking. Furthermore, brightfield images are not sufficient to get accurate contours of small and low contrast bacterial cells, compared to subpixel presentation of target molecules. Here we describe a novel analytic tool for PALM which integrates precisely drawn cell outlines, of either inner membrane or periplasm, labelled by PALM-compatible fluorescent protein fusions, with molecule data for >10,000 molecules from >100 cells by fitting each cell into an oval arc. In the vibrioid bacterium Vibrio cholerae, the polar anchor HubP constitutes a big polar complex which includes multiple proteins involved in chemotaxis and the flagellum. With this pipeline, HubP is shown to be slightly skewed towards the inner curvature side of the cell, while its interaction partners showed rather loose polar localization.
Identification and characterization of pineapple leaf lncRNAs in crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) photosynthesis pathway
Authors: Bai Youhuang , Dai Xiaozhuan , Li Yi , Wang Lulu , Li Weimin , Liu Yanhui , Cheng Yan , Qin Yuan
Published: April 2019

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified in many mammals and plants and are known to play crucial roles in multiple biological processes. Pineapple is an important tropical fruit and a good model for studying the plant evolutionary adaptation to the dry environment and the crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) photosynthesis strategy; however, the lncRNAs involved in CAM pathway remain poorly characterized. Here, we analyzed the available RNA-seq data sets derived from 26 pineapple leaf samples at 13 time points and identified 2,888 leaf lncRNAs, including 2,046 long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) and 842 long noncoding natural antisense transcripts (lncNATs). Pineapple leaf lncRNAs are expressed in a highly tissue-specific manner. Co-expression analysis of leaf lncRNA and mRNA revealed that leaf lncRNAs are preferentially associated with photosynthesis genes. We further identified leaf lncRNAs that potentially function as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) of two CAM photosynthesis pathway genes, PPCK and PEPC, and revealed their diurnal expression pattern in leaves. Moreover, we found that 48% of lncRNAs exhibit diurnal expression patterns in leaves, suggesting their important roles in CAM. This study conducted a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of leaf lncRNAs and identified their role in gene expression regulation of the CAM photosynthesis pathway in pineapple.