bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spindle and Round Cell Sarcoma With EWSR1-PATZ1 Gene Fusion
Authors: Chougule Abhijit , Taylor Martin S. , Nardi Valentina , Chebib Ivan , Cote Gregory M. , Choy Edwin , Nielsen G. Petur , Deshpande Vikram
Published: October 2018

The evolving classification of round cell sarcomas is driven by molecular alterations. EWSR1-PATZ1 fusion positive spindle and round cell sarcoma is one such new tumor entity. Herein, we report 2 EWSR1-PATZ1 fusion positive spindle and round cell sarcomas with overlapping histologic features and polyphenotypic differentiation. The intra-abdominal tumors affected female patients, 31-and 53-year old. Both tumors showed sheets and nests of round to spindle cells, fine chromatin, tiny conspicuous nucleoli, moderate cytoplasm, and thick bands of intratumoral fibrosis. On immunohistochemistry, both tumors showed positivity for CD99, desmin, myogenin, MyoD1, S100, Sox10, CD34, and GFAP and were negative for keratin. Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed rearrangement at EWSR1 locus. Next-generation sequencing–based RNA fusion assay revealed EWSR1-PATZ1 fusion in both cases. EWSR1-PATZ1 fusion positive spindle and round cell sarcomas show abundant intratumoral fibrosis and polyphenotypic differentiation, thus mimicking a range of tumors including desmoplastic small round cell tumor. The precise classification of this spindle and round cell sarcoma and its relationship to the Ewing sarcoma family of tumors remains to be determined.
Hypothalamic Vasopressin-Producing Tumors
Authors: Asa Sylvia L. , Ezzat Shereen , Kelly Daniel F. , Cohan Pejman , Takasumi Yuki , Barkhoudarian Garni , Heaney Anthony P. , Ridout Rowena , Chik Constance L. , Thompson Lester D.R. , Gentili Fred , Mete Ozgur
Published: October 2018

Tumors of hypothalamic neurons that produce vasopressin are rare. We retrieved all cases of vasopressin-positive tumors in the sellar region from the database of the Department of Pathology. Five cases fulfilled the selection criteria, representing the first series of such tumors. Clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features were reviewed. Four tumors classified as neurocytomas were identified in 3 females and 1 male patient; the ages at onset of symptoms ranged from 17 to 40 years. All were large sellar masses with suprasellar extension and/or invasion of the parasellar sinuses. Three patients had the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis; in one of these, a 6-year history was initially considered to be idiopathic. One patient died of progressive disease; 3 had incomplete resections and are being followed. In contrast to these patients with neurocytoma, a 65-year-old woman had Cushing disease and a 0.8 cm mass that was completely resected at transsphenoidal surgery; this tumor was a gangliocytoma producing vasopressin associated with corticotroph hyperplasia. We postulate that the small amount of vasopressin secreted by this mature gangliocytic tumor was locally bound to corticotrophs, resulting in hyperplasia and Cushing disease, without sufficient overproduction to cause systemic effects of vasopressin excess. Hypothalamic neurocytoma is a tumor that can mimic pituitary neuroendocrine tumors and olfactory neuroblastoma but is distinguished by positivity for neurofilaments, NeuN, and TTF-1 and negative staining for adenohypophysial biomarkers. Our cases illustrate that neurocytoma and gangliocytoma are 2 variants of tumors of hypothalamic neurons that can produce vasopressin. The morphologic and proliferative features of these 2 tumor types represent 2 ends of a spectrum; their function also can result in divergent clinical manifestations, one characterized by reduced urine output and the other by the more insidious features of glucocorticoid excess.
Endoscopic Approach to Remove a Dental Implant With Simultaneous Laser-Cystectomy
Authors: Engelke Wilfried , Beltrán Víctor
Published: October 2018

Background:

Removal of dental implants from the maxillary sinus may require surgical treatment of comorbidities.

Method:

Canine fossa endoscopy with an additional laterobasal access originally has been used for flapless sinus floor augmentation. The combined technique is presented to remove a titanium screw from the maxillary sinus. The same portals served for dissection of a mucocele using a diode laser.

Conclusions:

The combination of canine fossa endoscopy and laterobasal access allows an appropriate instrumentation and triangulation of the scope for the endoscopically assisted implant removal and dissection of the mucocele.
Utilizing Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to Enhance Laparoscopic Technical Skills Training: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Cox Morgan L. , Deng Zhi-De , Palmer Hannah , Watts Amanda , Beynel Lysianne , Young Jonathan R. , Lisanby Sarah H. , Migaly John , Appelbaum Lawrence G.
Published: October 2018

This study aimed to test the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) during laparoscopic skill training to determine if it has the capacity to accelerate technical skill acquisition. tDCS is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that delivers constant, low electrical current resulting in changes to cortical excitability and prior work suggests it may enhance motor learning. We evaluate for the first time the potential of tDCS, coupled with motor skill training, to accelerate the development of laparoscopic technical skills. In this pre-registered, double-blinded and sham-controlled study, 60 healthy subjects were randomized into sham or active tDCS in either bilateral primary motor cortex (bM1) or supplementary motor area (SMA) electrode configurations. All subjects practiced the Fundamental of Laparoscopic Surgery Peg Transfer Task during a pre-test, six 20-minute training sessions, and a post-test. The primary outcome was change in laparoscopic skill performance over time, quantified by improvement in performance according to a seconds-per-object calculated score accounting for errors. Sixty participants were randomized equally into the three training cohorts (active bM1, active SMA, sham). The active groups had significantly greater improvement in performance from pre-test to post-test compared to the sham groups (108 vs 76 seconds, p = 0.018). Both bM1 and SMA active cohorts had significantly greater improvement in learning (p < 0.01), achieving the same skill level in 4 sessions compared to the 6 sessions required of the sham cohort. The SMA cohort had more variability in performance compared to the bM1 and control cohorts. Laparoscopic skill training with active, bM1 or SMA, tDCS exhibited significantly greater learning relative to training with sham tDCS. The potential for tDCS to enhance the training of surgical skills merits further investigation to determine if these preliminary results may be replicated.
Generation and characterization of iPSCs from human embryonic dermal fibroblasts of a healthy donor from Siberian population
Authors: Grigor’eva Elena V. , Malankhanova Tuyana B. , Surumbayeva Aizhan , Minina Julia M. , Kizilova Elena A. , Lebedev Igor N. , Malakhova Anastasia A. , Zakian Suren M.
Published: October 2018

Technology of reprogramming of somatic cells to a pluripotent state allows generating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and carrying out a broad range of studies. iPSCs can be obtained from patients suffering from inherited diseases to model the diseases and to study their pathological mechanisms at the molecular level after iPSC differentiation in relevant cell types. Another approach to model and study inherited diseases is using iPSCs from healthy donors and genome editing tools. The approach allows generating a panel of isogenic lines, which gives new opportunities in drug screening and toxicological testing. Moreover, iPSCs and their derivatives can be further used for substitutive cell therapy and transplantology.

In this study, we generated iPSCs from human embryonic fibroblasts using episomal vectors. The lines obtained expressed pluripotency markers, had a stable karyotype – 46:XY, and did not contain episome integrations into genome. The cell lines gave rise to derivatives of three germ layers during spontaneous differentiation in vitro and in vivo.
CSTDB: A Crop Stress-tolerance Gene and Protein Database Integrated by Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Zhang Di , Yue Yi , Zhao Yang , Wang Chao , Cheng Xi , Wu Ying , Fan Guohua , Wu Panrong , Gao Yujia , Zhang Youhua , Wu Yunzhi
Published: October 2018

Numerous studies have shown that many genes and proteins in plants are involved in the regulation of plant resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses. The researches on the stress tolerance of crops are also the focus of many researchers. To provides a reliable platform for collecting and retrieving genetic and protein information related to stress tolerance found in crops, we constructed CSTDB(Crops Stress-tolerance Database), an integrated database that includes stress-tolerance genes and proteins for many crop species. The database was developed based on convolutional neural network technology. It is a web-accessible database that contains detailed information on the stress-tolerance genes and proteins of major crop species. Currently, the database records four major crops containing 1,371 abiotic stress-tolerance genes or proteins, and 207 genes or proteins associated with biotic stress. Each gene and protein has detailed functional information and sequence information, such as stress types, Genbank ID, Pubmed ID, Protein ID, 3D model picture and FASTA files. As a user-friendly browsing tool, this database provides search functions, BALST functions and file download functions. CSTDB can be a valuable resource, which is designed to meet the broad needs of researchers working on crops stress-tolerance experiments. Database URL:http://pcsb.ahau.edu.cn:8080/CSTDB
A transgenic zebrafish line for in vivo visualisation of neutrophil myeloperoxidase
Authors: Buchan Kyle D. , Prajsnar Tomasz K. , Ogryzko Nikolay V. , de Jong Nienke W.M. , van Gent Michiel , Kolata Julia , Foster Simon J. , van Strijp Jos A.G. , Renshaw Stephen A.
Published: October 2018

The neutrophil enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a major enzyme made by neutrophils to generate antimicrobial and immunomodulatory compounds, notably hypochlorous acid (HOCl), amplifying their capacity for destroying pathogens and regulating inflammation. Despite its roles in innate immunity, the importance of MPO in preventing infection is unclear, as individuals with MPO deficiency are asymptomatic with the exception of an increased risk of candidiasis. Dysregulation of MPO activity is also linked with inflammatory conditions such as atherosclerosis, emphasising a need to understand the roles of the enzyme in greater detail. Consequently, new tools for investigating granular dynamicsin vivocan provide useful insights into how MPO localises within neutrophils, aiding understanding of its role in preventing and exacerbating disease. The zebrafish is a powerful model for investigating the immune systemin vivo, as it is genetically tractable, and optically transparent.

To visualise MPO activity within zebrafish neutrophils, we created a genetic construct that expresses human MPO as a fusion protein with a C-terminal fluorescent tag, driven by the neutrophil-specific promoterlyz. After introducing the construct into the zebrafish genome by Tol2 transgenesis, we established theTg(lyz:Hsa.MPO-mEmerald,cmlc2:EGFP)sh496line, and confirmed transgene expression in zebrafish neutrophils. We observed localisation of MPO-mEmerald within a subcellular location resembling neutrophil granules, mirroring MPO in human neutrophils. In Spotless (mpxNL144) larvae - which express a non-functional zebrafish myeloperoxidase - the MPO-mEmerald transgene does not disrupt neutrophil migration to sites of infection or inflammation, suggesting that it is a suitable line for the study of neutrophil granule function.

We present a new transgenic line that can be used to investigate neutrophil granule dynamicsin vivowithout disrupting neutrophil behaviour, with potential applications in studying processing and maturation of MPO during development.
An infant mouse model of influenza virus transmission demonstrates the role of virus-specific shedding, humoral immunity, and sialidase expression by colonizingStreptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Ortigoza Mila Brum , Blaser Simone , Zafar M. Ammar , Hammond Alexandria , Weiser Jeffrey N.
Published: October 2018

The pandemic potential of influenza A viruses (IAV) depends on the infectivity of the host, transmissibility of the virus, and susceptibility of the recipient. While virus traits supporting IAV transmission have been studied in detail using ferret and guinea pig models, there is limited understanding of host traits determining transmissibility and susceptibility because current animal models of transmission are not sufficiently tractable. Although mice remain the primary model to study IAV immunity and pathogenesis, the efficiency of IAV transmission in adult mice has been inconsistent. Here we describe an infant mouse model which support efficient transmission of IAV. We demonstrate that transmission in this model requires young age, close contact, shedding of virus particles from the upper respiratory tract (URT) of infected pups, the use of a transmissible virus strain, and a susceptible recipient. We characterize shedding as a marker of infectiousness that predicts the efficiency of transmission among different influenza virus strains. We also demonstrate that transmissibility and susceptibility to IAV can be inhibited by humoral immunity via maternal-infant transfer of IAV-specific immunoglobulins, and modifications to the URT milieu, via sialidase activity of colonizingStreptococcus pneumoniae(Spn). Due to its simplicity and efficiency, this model can be used to dissect the host’s contribution to IAV transmission and explore new methods to limit contagion.

IMPORTANCE

This study provides insight into the role of the virus strain, age, immunity, and URT flora on IAV shedding and transmission efficiency. Using the infant mouse model, we found that: (a) differences in viral shedding of various IAV strains is dependent on specific hemagglutinin (HA) and/or neuraminidase (NA) proteins; (b) host age plays a key role in the efficiency of IAV transmission; (c) levels of IAV-specific immunoglobulins are necessary to limit infectiousness, transmission, and susceptibility to IAV; and (d) expression of sialidases by colonizing Spn antagonize transmission by limiting the acquisition of IAV in recipient hosts. Our findings highlight the need for strategies that limit IAV shedding, and the importance of understanding the function of the URT bacterial composition in IAV transmission. This work reinforces the significance of a tractable animal model to study both viral and host traits affecting IAV contagion, and its potential for optimizing vaccines and therapeutics that target disease spread.
Loss of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) impairs sperm function and male reproductive advantage inC. elegans
Authors: Yen Chia-An , Ruter Dana L. , Turner Christian D. , Pang Shanshan , Curran Sean P.
Published: October 2018

Exposure to environmental stress is clinically established to influence male reproductive health, but the impact of normal cellular metabolism on sperm quality is less well-defined. Here we show that impaired mitochondrial proline catabolism, reduces energy-storing flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) levels, alters mitochondrial dynamics toward fusion, and leads to age-related loss of sperm quality (size and activity), which reduces competitive fitness. Loss of the 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase enzymealh-6that catalyzes the second step in mitochondrial proline catabolism, leads to premature male reproductive senescence. Reducing the expression of the proline catabolism enzymealh-6or FAD biosynthesis pathway genes in the germline is sufficient to recapitulate the sperm-related phenotypes observed inalh-6loss-of-function mutants. These sperm-specific defects are suppressed by feeding diets that restore FAD levels. Our results define a cell autonomous role for mitochondrial proline catabolism and FAD homeostasis on sperm function and specify strategies to pharmacologically reverse these defects.
Resolving structural diversity of Carbapenemase-producing gram-negative bacteria using single molecule sequencing
Authors: Noll Nicholas , Urich Eric , Wüthrich Daniel , Hinic Vladimira , Egli Adrian , Neher Richard A.
Published: October 2018

Carbapenemase-producing bacteria are resistant against almost all commonly used betalactam and cephalosporin antibiotics and represent a growing public health crisis. Carbapenemases reside predominantly in mobile genetic elements and rapidly spread across genetic backgrounds and species boundaries. Here, we report more than one hundred finished, high quality genomes of carbapenemase producing enterobacteriaceae, P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii sequenced with Oxford Nanopore and Illumina technologies. We developed a number of high-throughput criteria to assess the quality of fully assembled genomes for which curated references do not exist. Using this diverse collection of closed genomes and plasmids, we demonstrate rapid movement of carbapenemase between genomic neighborhoods, sequence types, and across species boundaries with distinct patterns for different carbapenemases. Lastly, we present evidence of multiple ancestral recombination events between different Enterobacteriaceae MLSTs. Taken together, our samples suggest a hierarchical picture of genomic variation produced by the evolution of carbapenemase producing bacteria that will require new models to adequately understand and track.
Sub-millimeter fMRI reveals multiple topographical digit representations that form action maps in human motor cortex
Authors: Huber Laurentius , Finn Emily S. , Handwerker Daniel A. , Bönstrup Marlene , Glen Daniel , Kashyap Sriranga , Ivanov Dimo , Petridou Natalia , Marrett Sean , Goense Jozien , Poser Benedikt A. , Bandettini Peter A.
Published: October 2018

The human brain coordinates a wide variety of motor activities. On a large scale, the cortical motor system is topographically organized such that neighboring body parts are represented by neighboring brain areas. This homunculus-like somatotopic organization along the central sulcus has been observed using neuroimaging for large body parts such as the face, hands and feet. However, on a finer scale, invasive electrical stimulation studies show deviations from this somatotopic organization that suggest an organizing principle based on motor actions rather than body part moved. It has not been clear how the action-map organization principle of the motor cortex in the mesoscopic (sub-millimeter) regime integrates into a body map organization principle on a macroscopic scale (cm). Here we developed and applied advanced mesoscopic (sub-millimeter) fMRI and analysis methodology to non-invasively investigate the functional organization topography across columnar and laminar structures in humans. We find that individual fingers have multiple mirrored representations in the primary motor cortex depending on the movements they are involved in. We find that individual digits have cortical representations up to 3 mm apart from each other arranged in a column-like fashion. These representations are differentially engaged depending on whether the digits’ muscles are used for different motor actions such as flexion movements like grasping a ball or retraction movements like releasing a ball. This research provides a starting point for noninvasive investigation of mesoscale topography across layers and columns of the human cortex and bridges the gap between invasive electrophysiological investigations and large coverage non-invasive neuroimaging.
Gaussian curvature and the budding kinetics of enveloped viruses
Authors: Dharmavaram Sanjay , She Baochen , Lázaro Guillermo , Hagan Michael F. , Bruinsma Robijn
Published: October 2018

The formation of a membrane-enveloped virus such as HIV-1 starts with the assembly of a curved layer of capsid proteins lining the interior of the plasma membrane (PM) of the host cell. This layer grows into a spherical shell enveloped by a lipid membrane that is connected to the PM via a curved neck (“budding”). For many enveloped viruses the scission of this neck is not spontaneous. Instead, the elaborate “ESCRT” cell machinery needs to be recruited to carry out that task. It is not clear why this is necessary since scission is spontaneous for much simpler systems, such as vesiculation driven by phase-separation inside lipid bilayers. Recently, Brownian dynamics simulations of enveloped virus budding reproduced protracted pausing and stalling after formation of the neck [1], which suggest that the origin of pausing/stalling is to be found in the physics of the budding process. Here, we show that the pausing/stalling observed in the simulations can be understood as a purely kinetic phenomenon associated with a “geometrical” energy barrier that must be overcome by capsid proteins diffusing along the membrane prior to incorporation into the viral capsid. This geometrical energy barrier is generated by the conflict between the positive Gauss curvature of the capsid and the large negative Gauss curvature of the neck region. The theory is compared with the Brownian simulations of the budding of enveloped viruses.

Author summary

Despite intense study, the life-cycle of the HIV-1 virus continues to pose mysteries. One of these concerns the assembly of the HIV-1 virus inside infected host cells: it is interrupted at the very last moment. During the subsequent pause, HIV-1 recruits a complex cell machinery, the so-called “ESCRT pathway”. The ESCRT proteins pinch-off the “viral bud” from the host cell. In this paper, we propose that the reason for the stalling emerges from the fundamental physics of the lipid membrane that surrounds the virus. The membrane mostly follows the spherical geometry of the virus, but in the pinch-off region the geometry is radically different: it resembles a neck. By combining numerical and analytical methods, we demonstrate that a neck geometry creates a barrier to protein entry, thus blocking proteins required to complete viral assembly. This “geometrical barrier” mechanism is general: such a barrier should form during assembly of all membrane-enveloped viruses – including the Ebola and Herpes viruses. Indeed many families of enveloped viruses also recruit the ESCRT machinery for pinch-off. A fundamental understanding of the budding process could enable a new strategy to combat enveloped viruses, based on selective stabilization of membrane neck geometries.
Eigenvector-based community detection for identifying information hubs in neuronal networks
Authors: Clark Ruaridh , Macdonald Malcolm
Published: October 2018

Eigenvectors of networked systems are known to reveal central, well-connected, network vertices. Here we expand upon the known applications of eigenvectors to define well-connected communities where each is associated with a prominent vertex. This form of community detection provides an analytical approach for analysing the dynamics of information flow in a network. When applied to the neuronal network of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, known circuitry can be identified as separate eigenvector-based communities. For the macaque’s neuronal network, community detection can expose the hippocampus as an information hub; this result contradicts current thinking that the analysis of static graphs cannot reveal such insights. The application of community detection on a large scale human connectome (~1.8 million vertices) reveals the most prominent information carrying pathways present during a magnetic resonance imaging scan. We demonstrate that these pathways can act as an effective unique identifier for a subject’s brain by assessing the number of matching pathways present in any two connectomes.

Author summary

The dynamic response of a network to stimulus can be understood by investigating that system’s eigenvectors. The eigenvectors highlight the most prominent nodes; those that are either a major source or destination for information in the network. Moreover by defining a coordinate system based on multiple eigenvectors, the most prominent communities can be detected with the most prominent node detected alongside those in the community that funnel information towards it. These methods are applied to a variety of brain networks to highlight the circuitry present in a flatworm (Caenorhabditis elegans), the macaque and human subjects. Static graphs representing the connectomes are analysed to provide insights that were previously believed to only be detectable by numerically modelling information flow. Finally, we discovered that brain networks created for human subjects at different times can be identified as belonging to the same subject by investigating the similarity of the prominent communities.
How biological agents can couple neural task modules for dealing with the stability-plasticity dilemma
Authors: Verbeke Pieter , Verguts Tom
Published: October 2018

We provide a novel computational framework on how biological and artificial agents can learn to flexibly couple and decouple neural task modules for cognitive processing. In this way, they can address the stability-plasticity dilemma. For this purpose, we combine two prominent computational neuroscience principles, namely Binding by Synchrony and Reinforcement Learning. The model learns to synchronize task-relevant modules, while also learning to desynchronize currently task-irrelevant modules. As a result, old (but currently task-irrelevant) information is protected from overwriting (stability) while new information can be learned quickly in currently task-relevant modules (plasticity). We combine learning to synchronize with several classical learning algorithms (backpropagation, Boltzmann machines, Rescorla-Wagner). For each case, we demonstrate that our combined model has significant computational advantages over the original network in both stability and plasticity. Importantly, the resulting models’ processing dynamics are also consistent with empirical data and provide empirically testable hypotheses for future MEG/EEG studies.

Author summary

Artificial and biological agents alike face a critical trade-off between being sufficiently adaptive to acquiring novel information (plasticity) and retaining older information (stability); this is known as the stability-plasticity dilemma. Previous work on this dilemma has focused either on computationally efficient solutions for artificial agents or on biologically plausible frameworks for biological agents. What is lacking is a solution that combines computational efficiency with biological plausibility. Therefore, the current work proposes a computational framework on the stability-plasticity dilemma that provides empirically testable hypotheses on both neural and behavioral levels. In this framework, neural task modules can be flexibly coupled and decoupled depending on the task at hand. Testing this framework will allow us to gain more insight in how biological agents deal with the stability-plasticity dilemma.
SNP2SIM: A modular workflow for standardizing molecular simulation and functional analysis of protein variants
Authors: McCoy Matthew D. , Shivakumar Vikram , Nimmagadda Sridhar , Jafri Mohsin Saleet , Madhavan Subha
Published: October 2018

Molecular simulations are used to provide insight into protein structure and function, and have the potential to provide important context when predicting the impact of sequence variation on protein function. In addition to understanding molecular mechanisms and interactions on the atomic scale, translational applications of those approaches include drug screening, development of novel molecular therapies, and treatment planning when selecting targeted therapies. Supporting the continued development of these applications, we have developed the SNP2SIM workflow generates reproducible molecular dynamics and molecular docking simulations for downstream functional variant analysis. Three modules execute molecular dynamics simulations of solvated protein variant structures, analyze the resulting trajectories for unique structural conformations, and bind small molecule ligands to representative variant scaffolds. In addition to availability as a command line workflow, SNP2SIM modules are also available as individual apps on the Seven Bridges Cancer Genomics Cloud.
CCA1 and ATAF2 differentially suppress cytochrome P450-mediated brassinosteroid inactivation in Arabidopsis
Authors: Peng Hao , Neff Michael M.
Published: October 2018

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a group of steroid hormones regulating plant growth and development. Since BRs do not undergo transport among plant tissues, their metabolism is tightly regulated by transcription factors (TFs) and feedback loops. BAS1 (CYP734A1, formerly CYP72B1) and SOB7 (CYP72C1) are two BR-inactivating cytochrome P450s identified in Arabidopsis thaliana. We previously found that a TF ATAF2 (ANAC081) suppresses BAS1 and SOB7 expression by binding to the Evening Element (EE) and CCA1-binding sites (CBS) on their promoters. Both EE and CBS are known binding targets of the core circadian clock regulatory protein CCA1. Here, we confirm that CCA1 binds the EE and CBS motifs on BAS1 and SOB7 promoters, respectively. Elevated accumulations of BAS1 and SOB7 transcripts in the CCA1 null mutant cca1-1 indicate that CCA1 is a repressor of their expression. When compared to either cca1-1 or the ATAF2 null mutant ataf2-2, the cca1-1 ataf2-2 double mutant shows higher SOB7 transcript accumulations and stronger BR-insensitive phenotype of hypocotyl elongation in white light. CCA1 interacts with ATAF2 at both DNA-protein and protein-protein levels. ATAF2, BAS1 and SOB7 are all circadian-regulated with distinct expression patterns. These results demonstrate that CCA1 and ATAF2 differentially suppress BAS1- and SOB7-mediated BR inactivation.

Highlight

The core circadian regulator CCA1 is a direct repressor of brassinosteroid inactivating genes BAS1 and SOB7, and interact with another repressor, ATAF2. Their differential suppressing effects are regulated by light.

Abbreviations

3-aminotriazole (3-AT), brassinolide (BL), brassinosteroid (BR), CCA1-binding site (CBS), cytochrome P450 (P450), Evening Element (EE), transcription factor (TF), yeast one-hybrid (Y1H), yeast two-hybrid (Y2H)
The major innovations of Chinese economic development theories in the new era
Authors: Hong Yinxing
Published: October 2018

Purpose

At present, the Chinese economy has entered the “new normal” phase with the transformation of development stages from the low-income to the middle-income ones. Accordingly, there appear a series of innovations in development theories. Innovations involve creative destructions. Therefore, innovative development theories at the present stage either deny the prevailing principles of development economics, or deny the theories that once effectively guided development at the low-income stage, or even sublate some of the development polices which were propelled and proved effective at the beginning of the reform and opening-up. The fundamental reason is that, as the development stages evolve, there occur new development tasks, new periodical characteristics and new laws of development. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Any development theory from abroad will find it difficult to correctly guide and clarify development problems in a socialist country, such as the huge population and the extreme imbalance between the urban and the rural and among regional developments.

Findings

In conclusion, China, as a large world economy, has made innovations in its economic development theory, which indicates that it intends to perfect itself rather than seek hegemony. As the world’s second largest economy, China should adapt to the transformation and further free people’s minds instead of adhering to the old patterns of thinking. It should think over the path of development for a great world economy from the historical starting point of a large world economy and find development strategies to transform itself from a large economy to a great economy, so as to realize the dream of the Chinese nation to build a powerful country.

Originality/value

Only political economy studies both the relations of production and the productive forces, and only a theory combining both can correctly guide China’s economic development, which especially needs to be promoted by taking advantage of socialist economic system. Therefore, the first and foremost principle for a socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics is to insist on liberating and developing productive forces.
High-order quasi-conforming triangular Reissner-Mindlin plate element
Authors: Wang Changsheng , Sun Xiaoxiao , Zhang Xiangkui , Hu Ping
Published: October 2018

Purpose

A higher-order Reissner-Mindlin plate element method is presented based on the framework of assumed stress quasi-conforming method and Hellinger-Reissner variational principle. A novel six-node triangular plate element is proposed by utilizing this method for the static and free vibration analysis of Reissner-Mindlin plates.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the initial assumed stress field is derived by using the fundamental analytical solutions which satisfy all governing equations. Then the stress matrix is treated as the weighted function to weaken the strain-displacement equations after the strains are derived by using the constitutive equations. Finally, the arbitrary order Timoshenko beam function is adopted as the string-net functions along each side of the element for strain integration.

Findings

The proposed element can pass patch test and is free from shear locking and spurious zero energy modes. Numerical tests show that the element can give high-accurate solutions, good convergence and is a good competitor to other models.

Originality/value

This work gives new formulations to develop high-order Reissner-Mindlin plate element, and the new strategy exhibits advantages of both analytical and discrete methods.
Towards personalized medicine: the evolution of imperceptible health-care technologies
Authors: Tasnim Farita , Sadraei Atieh , Datta Bianca , Khan Mina , Choi Kyung Yun , Sahasrabudhe Atharva , Vega Gálvez Tomás Alfonso , Wicaksono Irmandy , Rosello Oscar , Nunez-Lopez Carlos , Dagdeviren Canan
Published: October 2018

Purpose

When wearable and implantable devices first arose in the 1970s, they were rigid and clashed dramatically with our soft, pliable skin and organs. The past two decades have witnessed a major upheaval in these devices. Traditional electronics are six orders of magnitude stiffer than soft tissue. As a result, when rigid electronics are integrated with the human body, severe challenges in both mechanical and geometrical form mismatch occur. This mismatch creates an uneven contact at the interface of soft-tissue, leading to noisy and unreliable data gathering of the body’s vital signs. This paper aims to predict the role that discreet, seamless medical devices will play in personalized health care by discussing novel solutions for alleviating this interface mismatch and exploring the challenges in developing and commercializing such devices.

Design methodology/approach

Since the form factors of biology cannot be changed to match those of rigid devices, conformable devices that mimic the shape and mechanical properties of soft body tissue must be designed and fabricated. These conformable devices play the role of imperceptible medical interfaces. Such interfaces can help scientists and medical practitioners to gain further insights into the body by providing an accurate and reliable instrument that can conform closely to the target areas of interest for continuous, long-term monitoring of the human body, while improving user experience.

Findings

The authors have highlighted current attempts of mechanically adaptive devices for health care, and the authors forecast key aspects for the future of these conformable biomedical devices and the ways in which these devices will revolutionize how health care is administered or obtained.

Originality/value

The authors conclude this paper with the perspective on the challenges of implementing this technology for practical use, including device packaging, environmental life cycle, data privacy, industry partnership and collaboration.
Natural convective cooling of electronics contained in tilted hemispherical enclosure filled with a porous medium saturated by water-copper nanofluid
Authors: Baïri Abderrahmane , Bauzin Jean-Gabriel , Martín-Garín Alexander , Alilat Nacim , Millán-García José Antonio
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine the thermal behavior of a hemispherical electronic device contained in a concentric hemispherical enclosure, cooled by means of free convection through a porous medium saturated with a water–copper nanofluid. Influence of various parameters on the thermal state of this device is processed in this work. The high power generated by the dome leads to a Rayleigh number varying in the 5.2 × 107-7.29 × 1010 range. The volume fraction of the monophasic nanofluid varies between 0 (pure water) and 10 per cent while the base of the hemispherical cavity (disc) is inclined between 0° (horizontal disc with dome facing upward) and 180° (horizontal disc with dome facing downward).

Design/methodology/approach

The three-dimensional numerical approach is carried out by means of the volume control method associated to the SIMPLE algorithm.

Findings

The work shows that the average temperature of the active component increases with the Rayleigh number according to a conventional law of the power type. The increase in the angle of inclination also goes with a systematic rise in the average temperature. However, increasing the ratio of the solid–fluid thermal conductivities decreases the average temperature of the component, given the respective contributions of the conductive and natural convective phenomena occurring through the nanofluid saturated porous media. The values of this ratio vary in this work between 0 (interstice between the two hemispheres without porous medium) and 70.

Originality/value

The correlation proposed in this work allows to calculate the temperature of the active electronic component for all the combinations of the four influence parameters which vary in wide ranges.
Study on enzyme washing process of hemp organic cotton blended fabric
Authors: Guo Ya , Sun Zhenhua , Guo Xiaoqing , Zhou Yanfen , Jiang Liang , Chen Shaojuan , Ma Jianwei
Published: October 2018

Purpose

At present, the enzyme washing process is widely used in hemp garment in the industry. However, it has many disadvantages. First, it is inefficient and labor-intensive, which can only be produced in small quantities and will take much time for workers to check. Second, its cost is high. The strength loss of the garment is up to 20 percent, with a bad damage. Presently, the enzyme washing process of the gray fabric is not industrialized. The purpose of this paper is to obtain a stable and efficient process for the enzyme washing of the gray fabric.

Design/methodology/approach

The whiteness, weight loss rate, strength, dyeing property and fabric style of enzyme washed gray fabrics were studied.

Findings

The results showed that the enzyme treated fabric has soft handle, smooth surface, good elasticity and high levelness, as well as low strength reduction rate under the optimized condition of bath ratio of 1:12, cellulase dosage of 0.3 percent, pectinase dosage of 1 g/L, treatment temperature of 55°C, treatment time of 80 min and pH of 6.

Originality/value

First, the process is environment friendly, green and sustainable and, second, it will make the industrialization of the enzyme washing process of gray fabrics, with a high commercial value.
Older migrants’ access to healthcare: a thematic synthesis
Authors: Arora Sanjana , Bergland Astrid , Straiton Melanie , Rechel Bernd , Debesay Jonas
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to synthesise data from the existent literature on the experiences of non-western older migrants in Europe in accessing and using healthcare services.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 1,606 records were reviewed and 12 studies were selected. A thematic synthesis using Thomas and Harden’s approach was conducted.

Findings

The findings resulted in the three overarching themes: traditional discourses under new circumstances; predisposed vulnerabilities of older migrants and the healthcare system; and the conceptualization of health and the roles of healthcare professionals. The authors found that older migrants’ experience of accessing healthcare is influenced by many factors, such as health literacy, differences in healthcare beliefs and language barriers, and is not limited to cultural and traditional discourses of care. Findings reveal that there is a limited body of knowledge on barriers experienced by older migrant women.

Research limitations/implications

The geographical scope of the study and subsequent type of healthcare systems should be taken into account while understanding barriers to care. Another limitation is that although we studied different migrant groups, the authors synthesised barriers experienced by all. Future research could study migrants as separate groups to better understand how previous experiences with healthcare in their home country and specific social, cultural and economic circumstances shape them.

Originality/value

This paper provides a synthesis of the experiences of migrants from non-western countries who moved to a host country with a very different language, culture and healthcare system.
Migration policy uncertainty and stock market investor sentiment
Authors: Ordu-Akkaya Beyza Mina
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the volatility transmission between migration policy uncertainty indices (MI) of France, Germany, UK and the USA, and respective stock markets of these countries. Therefore, the author’s major intention is to understand whether MI is a critical factor affecting company valuations and investor sentiment.

Design/methodology/approach

The author proxies volatility via EGARCH (1,1) for all series and employs Diebold–Yilmaz (2012) methodology to test the spillover, which is a simple yet very intuitive procedure. This method allows one to analyze the numerical amount of spillover, as well as the direction.

Findings

Findings propose that volatility transmission is from migration index to stock markets for the UK and US markets, but similar findings are not applicable for France and Germany. However, when cross-market transmissions are analyzed, it is observed that migration policy uncertainty of US spills significant volatility to all European stock markets. Hence, the findings underline the central role of US markets.

Originality/value

Given the increasing worries about migration across the USA and Europe, the author tries to cast light on whether investor sentiment alters by migration policies. The literature is recently building and best of the author’s knowledge; the paper is the first to investigate the cross-country spillover between MIs, which has not been performed before.
An empirical examination of moral hazards and adverse selection on PPP projects
Authors: Owusu-Manu De-Graft , Edwards David John , Kukah A.S. , Parn Erika Anneli , El-Gohary Hatem , Hosseini M. Reza
Published: October 2018

Purpose

Failures of public–private partnership (PPP) projects are often ascribed to the agency problem, which arise under conditions of inadequate and asymmetric information when a principal (the client) hires an agent (the contractor). This paper aims to identify the causes and effects of moral hazard and adverse selection on PPP construction projects using a synthesis of extant literature (to determine key variables) and analysis of survey questionnaire data collected.

Design/methodology/approach

Mean score ranking was used to rank the causes and effects of moral hazard and adverse selection problems in PPP construction projects. One sample t-test was conducted to establish the relative significance of these variables.

Findings

Effort dimensions (which are not verifiable), low transfer of risk, lack of accurate information about project conditions, wrong party chosen to execute project and renegotiation of contracts were the most significant causes of moral hazard and adverse selection problems in PPP construction projects. In addition, reduction of competition, high transaction costs, consequences on profitability of project, siphoning of funds and negative implications on enforceability of contract were the most significant effects of moral hazard and adverse selection problems in PPP construction projects.

Practical implications

Application of these findings will help mitigating moral hazard and adverse selection problems occurring when undertaking PPP construction projects.

Originality/value

Research findings provide guidance to construction stakeholders in the PPP sector on the different causes and effects of adverse selection and moral hazard. This pioneering study is the first to conduct an empirical assessment of the causes and effects of moral hazard and adverse selection of PPP construction projects in a developing country.
Linear analysis of a three-dimensional multistorey steel-frame structure under varying temperatures
Authors: N. Parthasarathi , K.S. Satyanarayanan , V. Thamilarau , M. Prakash
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is progressive collapse behavior in buildings. It occurs due to removal/damage of a column by fire, blast or vehicle impact.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study investigates the comparative behavior of 3D four-storey moment resisting steel frame using ABAQUS to predict the sensitivity of the structure in progressive collapse because of fire loads. Columns at different levels were given different temperature with reduced material properties and yield strength. Progressive collapse load combination was adopted as per General Service Administration guidelines. Corner, middle, intermediate, multiple corner and multiple intermediate columns were subjected to fire load separately.

Findings

The results for displacement, stress, shear force and axial force were captured and discussed.

Originality/value

The study covers linear analysis of steel frame because of different temperature. In linear analysis. columns were subjected to different temperature and their results were studied. Effect of temperature in the structure were captured because of different fire conditions.