bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fe-Rich Intermetallic Formation and Mechanical Properties of Recycled AA6111 Alloy Strips Produced by Melt Conditioning Twin Roll Casting
Authors: Al-Helal Kawther , Patel Jayesh B. , Fan Zhongyun
Published: August 2020

The impact of high shear melt conditioning on the morphology and distribution of Fe intermetallic compounds was investigated in the processing of recycled AA6111 alloy by the twin roll casting process.
The optical and scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrograph studies were carried out on twin roll casting (TRC) and melt conditioning twin roll casting (MC-TRC) samples. The microstructural analysis showed fine and uniformly distributed Fe-rich intermetallic phases for MC-TRC strips compared with the TRC strips. There was a significant improvement in the mechanical properties of MC-TRC strips after applying melt conditioning. The as-cast MC-TRC samples showed 18.7%, 19.2% and 9.8% increases in elongation, yield strength and ultimate tensile strength, respectively, in the longitudinal direction, while in the transverse section, the MC-TRC samples showed 32.3%, 2.2% and 3.8% increases in elongation, yield strength and ultimate tensile strength, respectively.
An Insight into the Ultrastructural and Physiochemical Characterization of Potato Starch: a Review
Authors: Jagadeesan Sreeshna , Govindaraju Indira , Mazumder Nirmal
Published: August 2020

Potatoes are highly consumed food around the world, usually following processing of some kind. Apart from its noteworthy presence in diets, potato starch has a multitude of industrial applications as a food additive and recently in novel domains such as nanotechnology and bioengineering. This review examines the microscopic and spectroscopic methods of characterizing potato starch and compares the different properties. The microscopic techniques such as optical microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) allow observation of structural elements of potato starch. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) delves into the thermal behavior of starch in presence of water, while Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analyze the behavior of various chemical bonds and crystallinity of starch. These characterizations are important from a dietary point of view for patients requiring a low-glycemic diet, as well as in facilitating research into a wider array of industrial applications.
Novel metal mesh filter using water-based regeneration for small-scale biomass boilers
Authors: Baumgarten Björn , Grammer Peter , Ehard Ferdinand , Winkel Oskar , Vogt Ulrich , Baumbach Günter , Scheffknecht Günter , Thorwarth Harald
Published: August 2020

Particulate matter emissions are a key issue of modern biomass boilers. A novel gas cleaning method using a metal mesh filter combined with water-based cleaning was developed and tested. The filter was tested batch-wise. Flue gas of a commercial 50-kW boiler was filtered until a pressure drop of 2000 Pa was reached. Afterwards, the filter was regenerated. The initial prototype used ultrasound in order to remove the filter cake from the filter candles. Regeneration was complete and, even after boiler malfunctions producing tar, the filter cake could still be removed. Given the good results, a second cleaning mode, flushing the filter candles with water, was tested. The results were as good as with ultrasonic cleaning. Peak mass collection efficiency was very high with 98 ± 2% (burning wood pellets). However, directly after cleaning, the first layer of filter cake has to be developed. In this initial phase, collection efficiency is low. Service time until maximum pressure drop was reached depended on the gas velocity. Using pellets as fuel, at a gas velocity of 66.6 m/h, 12-h service time was reached and 4.1 g dust was collected per square meter filter surface, while at 33.3 m/h, service time increased to 55 h and collected dust to 13.9 g/m2. Using low-quality wood chips, the raw gas dust loading was much higher but also the maximum loading of the filter was higher with 13.3 to 28.9 g dust separated per square meter. Still, the service time decreased to 3.4 respective 38 h. Peak collection efficiency increased to 99.5 ± 0.8%. The overall collection efficiency including the buildup of the filter cake depends on the gas velocity and fuel. It ranges from 74 ± 4 to 91 ± 1%. The feasibility of the filter concept could be proven, and further development towards a commercial application is in progress. Metal mesh filters with countercurrent cleaning showed a high potential given their simple and robust design, as well as high collection efficiency.
Is Becoming Born-Again a Transformative Experience? Results from Three Sets of Panel Data
Authors: Burge Ryan P.
Published: August 2020

The process of becoming a born-again Christian is one that has intrigued social scientists for decades but has never been studied in a large-scale way, using panel data. While sociologists have tried to conceptualize and operationalize how one converts to a new religious experience, many political scientists have used “having a born-again experience” as a way to classify evangelical Protestants. While there is a great deal of scholarship devoted to understanding how born-again Christians navigate the social and political world, the direct impact of adopting a born-again status has eluded scholars. Using panel surveys from three different polling organizations, this work analyzes how those who convert and de-convert to born-again Christianity change their political and religious behaviors in after the switch. Analysis indicates that conversion and deconversion is not uncommon among the population, occurring in approximately 1 in 10 survey respondents. Results indicate that women, younger Americans, and those with less educations are more likely to change their conversion status. Of those who do make a switch, few significantly change their partisanship, while shifts in church attendance are more common and this is confirmed through statistical modeling. These findings fill a gap in scholars’ previous understanding of the changes in behavior and political orientation following a shift in born-again status—something that was only studied at the aggregate level in prior work. This research offers an additional angle for scholars who are seeking to understand the caused by religious switching in the United States.
The insect-killing bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens has the lowest mutation rate among bacteria
Authors: Pan Jiao , Williams Emily , Sung Way , Lynch Michael , Long Hongan
Published: August 2020

Mutation is a primary source of genetic variation that is used to power evolution. Many studies, however, have shown that most mutations are deleterious and, as a result, extremely low mutation rates might be beneficial for survival. Using a mutation accumulation experiment, an unbiased method for mutation study, we found an extremely low base-substitution mutation rate of 5.94 × 10–11per nucleotide site per cell division (95% Poisson confidence intervals: 4.65 × 10–11, 7.48 × 10–11) and indel mutation rate of 8.25 × 10–12per site per cell division (95% confidence intervals: 3.96 × 10–12, 1.52 × 10–11) in the bacteriumPhotorhabdus luminescensATCC29999. The mutations are strongly A/T-biased with a mutation bias of 10.28 in the A/T direction. It has been hypothesized that the ability for selection to lower mutation rates is inversely proportional to the effective population size (drift-barrier hypothesis) and we found that the effective population size of this bacterium is significantly greater than most other bacteria. This finding further decreases the lower-bounds of bacterial mutation rates and provides evidence that extreme levels of replication fidelity can evolve within organisms that maintain large effective population sizes.
THE LIMITS OF LIBERAL INCLUSIVITY: HOW DEFINING ISLAMOPHOBIA NORMALIZES ANTI-MUSLIM RACISM
Authors: Gould Rebecca Ruth
Published: August 2020

Responding to recent calls made within the UK Parliament for a government-backed definition of Islamophobia, this article considers the unanticipated consequences of such proposals. I argue that, considered in the context of related efforts to regulate hate speech, the formulation and implementation of a government-sponsored definition will generate unforeseen harms for the Muslim community. To the extent that such a definition will fail to address the government's role in propagating Islamophobia through ill-considered legislation that conflates Islamist discourse with hate speech, the concept of a government-backed definition of Islamophobia appears hypocritical and untenable. Alongside opposing government attempts to define Islamophobia (and Islam), I argue that advocacy efforts should instead focus on disambiguating government counterterrorism initiatives from the government management of controversies within Islam. Instead of repeating the mistakes of the governmental adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)'s definition of antisemitism by promoting a new definition of Islamophobia, we ought to learn from the errors that were made. We should resist the gratuitous securitization of Muslim communities, rather than use such definitions to normalize compliance with the surveillance state.
The Influence of Interplanetary Magnetic Field Direction on Martian Crustal Magnetic Field Topology
Authors: Weber Tristan , Brain David , Xu Shaosui , Mitchell David , Espley Jared , Halekas Jasper , Mazelle Christian , Lillis Robert , DiBraccio Gina , Jakosky Bruce
Published: August 2020

Crustal magnetic fields influence a range of plasma processes at Mars, guiding the flow of energy from the solar wind into the planet's atmosphere at some locations while shielding the atmosphere at others. In this study we investigate how the topology of crustal fields varies with changes in the direction of the incoming interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). Using plasma measurements from Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) and Mars Global Surveyor (MGS), we identify magnetic topology throughout the Martian ionosphere and perform a statistical analysis of crustal magnetic field topology during different IMF configurations. We find that the topology of crustal field cusp regions is dependent on IMF direction and that cusps transition between open and closed topology regularly as they rotate through the nightside of Mars. Finally, we determine that cusps often become topologically closed due to reconnection with open magnetic fields in the Martian magnetotail, creating large closed loops that connect the dayside and nightside of Mars.
Seismic Evidence for Crustal Modification Beneath the Hartford Rift Basin in the Northeastern United States
Authors: Gao Haiying , Yang Xiaotao , Long Maureen D. , Aragon John C.
Published: August 2020

Extensive Mesozoic rifting along the eastern North American margin formed a series of basins, including the Hartford basin in southern New England. Nearly contemporaneously, the geographically widespread Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) was emplaced. The Hartford basin provides an ideal place to investigate the roles of rifting and magmatism in crustal evolution, as the integration of the dense SEISConn array and other seismic networks provides excellent station coverage. Using full‐wave ambient noise tomography, we constructed a detailed crustal model, revealing a low‐velocity (Vs = 3.3–3.6 km/s) midcrust and a high‐velocity (Vs = 4.0–4.5 km/s) lower crust beneath the Hartford basin. The low‐velocity midcrust may correspond to a layer of radial anisotropy due to extension and crustal thinning during rifting. The high‐velocity crustal root likely represents the remnant of magmatic underplating resulting from the CAMP event. Our findings shed light on crustal modification associated with supercontinental breakup, rifting, extension, and magmatism.
Oscillations in Neutral Winds Observed by GOCE
Authors: Dhadly Manbharat S. , Emmert John T. , Jones McArthur , Doornbos Eelco , Zawdie Kate A. , Drob Douglas P. , Conde Mark G.
Published: August 2020

This study explores intra‐annual oscillations (IAOs) in upper thermospheric winds using GOCE cross‐track wind measurements between 70°S and 70°N. Due to the Sun‐synchronous dawn‐dusk orbit of GOCE, the cross‐contamination between seasonality and local time variations in winds is minimal, which makes it a unique space‐based data set to extract IAOs and study their latitudinal variation. Our analysis reveals that the annual (AO), semiannual (SAO), and terannual (TAO) oscillations are robust features in thermospheric winds. The AO is strongest at middle latitudes; SAO and TAO amplitudes increase with increasing latitude. The latitudinally averaged amplitudes of the AO, SAO, and TAO for dusk/dawn are 30.0/35.0, 8.5/11.3, and 6.0/6.6 m/s, respectively. The phase of AO reverses around the equator. SAO and TAO phases vary with latitude but do not reverse like the AO. For both the SAO and TAO, the average phase at dusk and dawn differs by ∼30 days.
Recent (1980 to 2015) Trends and Variability in Daily‐to‐Interannual Soluble Iron Deposition from Dust, Fire, and Anthropogenic Sources
Authors: Hamilton Douglas S. , Scanza Rachel A. , Rathod Sagar D. , Bond Tami C. , Kok Jasper F. , Li Longlei , Matsui Hitoshi , Mahowald Natalie M.
Published: August 2020

The iron cycle is a key component of the Earth system. Yet how variable the atmospheric flux of soluble (bioaccessible) iron into oceans is, and how this variability is modulated by human activity and a changing climate, is not well known. For the first time, we characterize Satellite Era (1980 to 2015) daily‐to‐interannual modeled soluble iron emission and deposition variability from both pyrogenic (fires and anthropogenic combustion) and dust sources. Statistically significant emission trends exist: dust iron decreases, fire iron slightly increases, and anthropogenic iron increases. A strong temporal variability in deposition to ocean basins is found, and, for most regions, dust iron dominates the absolute deposition magnitude, fire iron is an important contributor to temporal variability, and anthropogenic iron imposes a significant increasing trend. Quantifying soluble iron daily‐to‐interannual deposition variability from all major iron sources, not only dust, will advance quantification of changes in marine biogeochemistry in response to the continuing human perturbation to the Earth System.
The Global‐Mean Precipitation Response to CO2‐Induced Warming in CMIP6 Models
Authors: Pendergrass A. G.
Published: August 2020

We examine the response of globally averaged precipitation to global warming—the hydrologic sensitivity (HS)—in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) multi‐model ensemble. Multi‐model mean HS is 2.5% K−1 (ranging from 2.1–3.1% K−1 across models), a modest decrease compared to CMIP5 (where it was 2.6% K−1). This new set of simulations is used as an out‐of‐sample test for observational constraints on HS proposed based on CMIP5. The constraint based on clear‐sky shortwave absorption sensitivity to water vapor has weakened, and it is argued that a proposed constraint based on surface low cloud longwave radiative effects does not apply to HS. Finally, while a previously proposed mechanism connecting HS and climate sensitivity via low clouds is present in the CMIP6 ensemble, it is not an important factor for variations in HS. This explains why HS is uncorrelated with climate sensitivity across the CMIP5 and CMIP6 ensembles.
ULF Wave Activity Observed in the Nighttime Ionosphere Above and Some Hours Before Strong Earthquakes
Authors: Ouyang X. Y. , Parrot M. , Bortnik J.
Published: August 2020

We examine the relationship between earthquakes and ultralow frequency (ULF) wave activity in the nighttime ionosphere based on the electric field data in the direct current/ULF range observed by the DEMETER satellite over a ~5.5 year period from May 2005 to November 2010. ULF wave activity is identified by an automatic detection algorithm and those which occur on the geomagnetic disturbed days (Kp > 3 at any time intervals) are discarded. Only the earthquakes with depth ≤70 km and occurring in the region of |MLat| < 40° are selected. A superposed epoch analysis is performed to study the statistical association between ULF wave activity and the selected earthquakes. The results show that (1) there are clearly temporal and spatial correlations between ULF wave activity and earthquakes whose catalog magnitudes are both ≥4.8 and ≥5.0, and (2) enhanced ULF wave occurrence rate happens ~1 day and 1 week before the earthquakes and at less than 200 km distance from the epicenters.
Statistical Study of the Midlatitude Mesospheric Vertical Winds Observed by the Wuhan and Beijing MST Radars in China
Authors: Zhang Weifan , Chen Gang , Zhang Shaodong , Gong Wanlin , Chen Feilong , He Zhiqiu , Huang Kaiming , Wang Zhihua , Li Yaxian
Published: August 2020

Based on the long‐term observations of the Wuhan and Beijing Mesosphere‐Stratosphere‐Troposphere (MST) radars, the statistic characteristics of the mesospheric vertical winds at midlatitudes are investigated for the first time. The vertical wind data come from the Wuhan MST radar (29.51°N, 114.13°E) during 2012–2017 and from the Beijing MST radar (39.75°N, 116.96°E) during 2012–2014. The subdaily, seasonal, and annual variations of the mesospheric vertical winds at Wuhan and Beijing are presented. No obvious subdaily and seasonal variations are found and the annual variations of the mean vertical winds are downward in most of time. The mean vertical winds at Wuhan become smaller in summer and turn to upward at some heights, while those of Beijing only become smaller in summer. The difference of summer vertical winds over Wuhan and Beijing is closely related to the gravity wave activity. The Wuhan MST radar is located to the east side of the Qinghai‐Tibet plateau and also in the East Asian monsoon region, thus the mesospheric winds over Wuhan may experience more influence of gravity waves compared with those over Beijing. The possible bias sources in the vertical wind measurement of the two MST radars are carefully analyzed and the presented wind velocities are proved to be credible. The measured velocity magnitude is similar to other Very High Frequency radar observations, but much larger than that of the WACCM simulation. The Stokes drift, multicellular circulation structures, the wave influence on the radar echoes are raised as the potential sources for this discrepancy.
Seasonal Variation of the Quasi‐Biennial Oscillation Descent
Authors: Coy L. , Newman P. A. , Strahan S. , Pawson S.
Published: August 2020

This study examines variations through the year in the rate of descent of the quasi‐biennial oscillation (QBO) wind in the tropical lower stratosphere. The work is based on the Modern‐Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA‐2) multiyear global reanalysis. A 10‐member ensemble of free‐running atmospheric simulations using the Global Earth Observing System (GEOS) atmospheric general circulation model is also examined. The QBO winds are decomposed into two orthogonal modes that describe amplitude and phase propagation. This reveals a semiannual signal in descent rate, with slow descent at times of large middle‐latitude planetary wave activity, suggesting that this wave activity influences equatorial vertical velocity. This result also explains the suppression of QBO wind transitions during active wave times. Results also show a variation in descent speed when plotted against QBO phase. These results provide a baseline of QBO behavior for future QBO modeling.
Cortical thickness abnormalities in long-term remitted Cushing’s disease
Authors: Bauduin S. E. E. C. , van der Pal Z. , Pereira A. M. , Meijer O. C. , Giltay E. J. , van der Wee N. J. A. , van der Werff S. J. A.
Published: August 2020

Long-term remitted Cushing’s disease (LTRCD) patients commonly continue to present persistent psychological and cognitive deficits, and alterations in brain function and structure. Although previous studies have conducted gray matter volume analyses, assessing cortical thickness and surface area of LTRCD patients may offer further insight into the neuroanatomical substrates of Cushing’s disease. Structural 3T magnetic resonance images were obtained from 25 LTRCD patients, and 25 age-, gender-, and education-matched healthy controls (HCs). T1-weighted images were segmented using FreeSurfer software to extract mean cortical thickness and surface area values of 68 cortical gray matter regions and two whole hemispheres. Paired samplettests explored differences between the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC; region of interest), and the whole brain. Validated scales assessed psychiatric symptomatology, self-reported cognitive functioning, and disease severity. After correction for multiple comparisons, ROI analyses indicated that LTRCD-patients showed reduced cortical thickness of the left caudal ACC and the right rostral ACC compared to HCs. Whole-brain analyses indicated thinner cortices of the left caudal ACC, left cuneus, left posterior cingulate cortex, right rostral ACC, and bilateral precuneus compared to HCs. No cortical surface area differences were identified. Cortical thickness of the left caudal ACC and left cuneus were inversely associated with anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and disease duration, although certain associations did not persist after correction for multiple testing. In six of 68 regions examined, LTRCD patients had reduced cortical thickness in comparison to HCs. Cortical thickness of the left caudal ACC was inversely associated with disease duration. This suggests that prolonged and excessive exposure to glucocorticoids may be related to cortical thinning of brain structures involved in emotional and cognitive processing.
Shared and distinct roles of T peripheral helper and T follicular helper cells in human diseases
Authors: Yoshitomi Hiroyuki , Ueno Hideki
Published: August 2020

The interactions of CD4+T cells and B cells are fundamental for the generation of protective antibody responses, as well as for the development of harmful autoimmune diseases. Recent studies of human tissues and blood samples have established a new subset of CD4+B helper T cells named peripheral helper T (Tph) cells. Unlike T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, which interact with B cells within lymphoid organs, Tph cells provide help to B cells within inflamed tissues. Tph cells share many B helper-associated functions with Tfh cells and induce B cell differentiation toward antibody-producing cells. The differentiation mechanism is also partly shared between Tph and Tfh cells in humans, and both Tfh and Tph cells can be found within the same tissues, including cancer tissues. However, Tph cells display features distinct from those of Tfh cells, such as the expression of chemokine receptors associated with Tph cell localization within inflamed tissues and a low Bcl-6/Blimp1 ratio. Unlike that of Tfh cells, current evidence shows that the target of Tph cells is limited to memory B cells. In this review, we first summarize recent findings on human Tph cells and discuss how Tph and Tfh cells play shared and distinct roles in human diseases.
Single-neuron representation of learned complex sounds in the auditory cortex
Authors: Wang Meng , Liao Xiang , Li Ruijie , Liang Shanshan , Ding Ran , Li Jingcheng , Zhang Jianxiong , He Wenjing , Liu Ke , Pan Junxia , Zhao Zhikai , Li Tong , Zhang Kuan , Li Xingyi , Lyu Jing , Zhou Zhenqiao , Varga Zsuzsanna , Mi Yuanyuan , Zhou Yi , Yan Junan , Zeng Shaoqun , Liu Jian K. , Konnerth Arthur , Nelken Israel , Jia Hongbo , Chen Xiaowei
Published: August 2020

The sensory responses of cortical neuronal populations following training have been extensively studied. However, the spike firing properties of individual cortical neurons following training remain unknown. Here, we have combined two-photon Ca2+ imaging and single-cell electrophysiology in awake behaving mice following auditory associative training. We find a sparse set (~5%) of layer 2/3 neurons in the primary auditory cortex, each of which reliably exhibits high-rate prolonged burst firing responses to the trained sound. Such bursts are largely absent in the auditory cortex of untrained mice. Strikingly, in mice trained with different multitone chords, we discover distinct subsets of neurons that exhibit bursting responses specifically to a chord but neither to any constituent tone nor to the other chord. Thus, our results demonstrate an integrated representation of learned complex sounds in a small subset of cortical neurons.
Efficacy of methotrexate and etanercept biosimilar rhTNFR:Fc in Chinese patients with active rheumatoid arthritis: A controlled, randomized and multicenter study
Authors: Wu Qingjun , Zhao Yan , Xu Dong , Zhang Zhuoli , Li Zhenbin
Published: August 2020

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease which could lead to severe joint damage and disability. This study was performed to determine the efficacy and safety of methotrexate (MTX) therapy combined with maintenance or discontinuation of etanercept biosimilar rhTNFR:Fc in active rheumatoid arthritis patients in Chinese patients. In this controlled, randomized and open-label study, 89 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis were enrolled at 7 institutions in China between September 2010 and May 2011. In a period of 52 weeks, patients were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: MTX plus rhTNFR:Fc for 52 weeks, MTX plus rhTNFR:Fc for 24 weeks, or MTX monotherapy. The primary endpoint was the joint damage evaluated by change from baseline (CFB) of van de Heijde modified Total Sharp Score (mTSS). Intention-to-treat population were used for analysis. A total of 89 enrolled patients were eligible for this study, of whom 32 were assigned to MTX plus rhTNFR:Fc52 group, 31 to MTX plus rhTNFR:Fc24, and 26 to MTX monotherapy. Only one patient was lost to follow up in the MTX plus rhTNFR:Fc24 group. The mTSS CFB was lower in the rhTNFR:Fc pooled group (combination of data in the MTX plus rhTNFR:Fc52 group and MTX plus rhTNFR:Fc24 group) comparing with MTX monotherapy at week 24 and 52 (P = 0.03 and P < 0.01). Additionally, ACR50 and ACR70 response rates were both higher in the rhTNFR:Fc pooled group than MTX monotherapy (P < 0.05). Combination of MTX and rhTNFR:Fc in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis could effectively inhibit joint structure damage.
Single-cell RNA sequencing uncovers heterogenous transcriptional signatures in macrophages during efferocytosis
Authors: Lantz Connor , Radmanesh Behram , Liu Esther , Thorp Edward B. , Lin Jennie
Published: August 2020

Efferocytosis triggers cellular reprogramming, including the induction of mRNA transcripts which encode anti-inflammatory cytokines that promote inflammation resolution. Our current understanding of this transcriptional response is largely informed from analysis of bulk phagocyte populations; however, this precludes the resolution of heterogeneity between individual macrophages and macrophage subsets. Moreover, phagocytes may contain so called “passenger” transcripts that originate from engulfed apoptotic bodies, thus obscuring the true transcriptional reprogramming of the phagocyte. To define the transcriptional diversity during efferocytosis, we utilized single-cell mRNA sequencing after co-cultivating macrophages with apoptotic cells. Importantly, transcriptomic analyses were performed after validating the disappearance of apoptotic cell-derived RNA sequences. Our findings reveal new heterogeneity of the efferocytic response at a single-cell resolution, particularly evident between F4/80+ MHCIILO and F4/80− MHCIIHI macrophage sub-populations. After exposure to apoptotic cells, the F4/80+ MHCIILO subset significantly induced pathways associated with tissue and cellular homeostasis, while the F4/80− MHCIIHI subset downregulated these putative signaling axes. Ablation of a canonical efferocytosis receptor, MerTK, blunted efferocytic signatures and led to the escalation of cell death-associated transcriptional signatures in F4/80+ MHCIILO macrophages. Taken together, our results newly elucidate the heterogenous transcriptional response of single-cell peritoneal macrophages after exposure to apoptotic cells.
Chromatin and transcriptome changes in human myoblasts show spatio-temporal correlations and demonstrate DPP4 inhibition in differentiated myotubes
Authors: Kolanowski Tomasz J. , Rozwadowska Natalia , Zimna Agnieszka , Nowaczyk Magdalena , Siatkowski Marcin , Łabędź Wojciech , Wiland Ewa , Gapiński Jacek , Jurga Stefan , Kurpisz Maciej
Published: August 2020

Although less attention was paid to understanding physical localization changes in cell nuclei recently, depicting chromatin interaction maps is a topic of high interest. Here, we focused on defining extensive physical changes in chromatin organization in the process of skeletal myoblast differentiation. Based on RNA profiling data and 3D imaging of myogenic (NCAM1, DES, MYOG, ACTN3, MYF5, MYF6, ACTN2, and MYH2) and other selected genes (HPRT1, CDH15, DPP4 and VCAM1), we observed correlations between the following: (1) expression change and localization, (2) a gene and its genomic neighbourhood expression and (3) intra-chromosome and microscopical locus-centromere distances. In particular, we demonstrated the negative regulation of DPP4 mRNA (p < 0.001) and protein (p < 0.05) in differentiated myotubes, which coincided with a localization change of the DPP4 locus towards the nuclear lamina (p < 0.001) and chromosome 2 centromere (p < 0.001). Furthermore, we discuss the possible role of DPP4 in myoblasts (supported by an inhibition assay). We also provide positive regulation examples (VCAM1 and MYH2). Overall, we describe for the first time existing mechanisms of spatial gene expression regulation in myoblasts that might explain the issue of heterogenic responses observed during muscle regenerative therapies.
Females of the red damselfly Mnesarete pudica are attracted to more ornamented males and attract rival males
Authors: Pena-Firme Paloma , Guillermo-Ferreira Rhainer
Published: August 2020

Male calopterygid damselflies often exhibit colourful wings used during aggressive contests and courtship displays. Evidence suggests that male wing coloration is a secondary sexual character assessed by males and females to identify male quality. In some species, males adopt a lekking strategy, where females visit exhibition arenas and choose the best mate. Here, we addressed whether the behaviour ofMnesarete pudicamales is influenced by female visitation when gathering in leks. We hypothesized that female visitation would increase male investment in courtship and fighting, while reducing patrolling flights and harassment attempts. Moreover, we tested the hypothesis that more ornamented males attract more females to the territory, following the hotshot model of lek evolution. Our results suggest that, indeed, males with more pigmented wings attract more visiting females, independently of male size. Our results also show that the number of females in a territory attracts more males and elicits male contest behaviour, reducing male harassment. We conclude that male ornament and male clustering is a good predictor of female visitation rates, suggesting that females may exert mate choice.
Plasma β-III tubulin, neurofilament light chain and glial fibrillary acidic protein are associated with neurodegeneration and progression in schizophrenia
Authors: Rodrigues-Amorim Daniela , Rivera-Baltanás Tania , del Carmen Vallejo-Curto María , Rodriguez-Jamardo Cynthia , de las Heras Elena , Barreiro-Villar Carolina , Blanco-Formoso María , Fernández-Palleiro Patricia , Álvarez-Ariza María , López Marta , García-Caballero Alejandro , Olivares José Manuel , Spuch Carlos
Published: August 2020

Schizophrenia is a progressive disorder characterized by multiple psychotic relapses. After every relapse, patients may not fully recover, and this may lead to a progressive loss of functionality. Pharmacological treatment represents a key factor to minimize the biological, psychological and psychosocial impact of the disorder. The number of relapses and the duration of psychotic episodes induce a potential neuronal damage and subsequently, neurodegenerative processes. Thus, a comparative study was performed, including forty healthy controls and forty-two SZ patients divided into first-episode psychosis (FEP) and chronic SZ (CSZ) subgroups, where the CSZ sub group was subdivided by antipsychotic treatment. In order to measure the potential neuronal damage, plasma levels of β-III tubulin, neurofilament light chain (Nf-L), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were performed. The results revealed that the levels of these proteins were increased in the SZ group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, multiple comparison analysis showed highly significant levels of β-III tubulin (P = 0.0002), Nf-L (P = 0.0403) and GFAP (P < 0.015) in the subgroup of CSZ clozapine-treated. In conclusion, β-III tubulin, Nf-L and GFAP proteins may be potential biomarkers of neurodegeneration and progression in SZ.
The bHLH transcription factor VfTT8 underlies zt2, the locus determining zero tannin content in faba bean (Vicia faba L.)
Authors: Gutierrez Natalia , Avila Carmen M. , Torres Ana M.
Published: August 2020

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is an important protein-rich fodder crop, which is widely cultivated in temperate areas. However, antinutritional compounds such as condensed tannins, limit the use of this protein source in monogastric feed formulations. Previous studies demonstrated that two recessive and complementary genes, zt1 and zt2, control absence of tannin and white flower colour in faba bean. An ortholog of the Medicago WD40 transcription factor TTG1 was reported to encode the zt1 phenotype, but the responsible gene for zt2 is still unknown. Here we used a candidate gene approach combined with linkage mapping, comparative genomics and gene expression to fine map the zt2 genomic region and to identify the regulatory gene controlling both traits. Seventy-two genes, including 23 MYB and bHLH regulatory genes predicted to be associated with anthocyanin expression together with WRKY proteins, were screened and genotyped in three mapping populations. The linkage groups constructed identified the regulatory gene, TRANSPARENT TESTA8 (TT8), encoding a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor, as the candidate for zt2. This finding was supported by qPCR analysis and further validated in different genetic backgrounds. Accordingly, VfTT8 was downregulated in white flowered types while showing high levels of expression in wild genotypes. Our results provide new insights on the regulatory mechanisms of tannin biosynthesis in faba bean and will facilitate the development of an ultimate zt2 diagnostic marker for the fast generation of new value-added cultivars free of tannins and with improved nutritional value.
CXCR4hi effector neutrophils in sickle cell anemia: potential role for elevated circulating serotonin (5-HT) in CXCR4hi neutrophil polarization
Authors: Garcia Flavia , Mendonça Rafaela , Miguel Lediana I. , Dominical Venina M. , Saad Sara T. O. , Costa Fernando F. , Conran Nicola
Published: August 2020

Leukocyte recruitment and heterocellular aggregate formation drive the inflammatory vaso-occlusive processes associated with sickle cell anemia (SCA). We characterized neutrophils in a population of patients with SCA and investigated whether platelet-derived molecules can induce phenotypic alterations in this cell type. Imaging flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that the frequency of circulating CXCR4hi neutrophils was significantly higher in steady-state SCA individuals than in healthy control individuals and that these cells presented increased CD11b activation and toll-like receptor-4 expression. SCA neutrophils display increased neutrophil-platelet aggregation, and CXCR4hi neutrophils demonstrated augmented neutrophil-platelet aggregate frequency with a higher mean number of platelets adhered per neutrophil. Importantly, incubation of neutrophils with platelets significantly elevated their CXCR4 expression, while SCA plasma was found to induce CXCR4hi neutrophil polarization significantly more than control plasma. SCA individuals had significantly increased plasma levels of serotonin (5-HT), and serotonin molecule and SCA plasma induced neutrophil CXCR4 expression in a serotonin-receptor-dependent manner. Thus, the augmented CXCR4hi neutrophil population may contribute to mechanisms that promote vaso-occlusion in SCA; furthermore, circulating serotonin, derived from platelet activation, may play a role in the polarization of neutrophils, suggesting that serotonin-receptor antagonists or serotonin reuptake inhibitors could represent therapeutic approaches to reduce neutrophil activation in SCA.
A novel epitope tagging system to visualize and monitor antigens in live cells with chromobodies
Authors: Traenkle Bjoern , Segan Sören , Fagbadebo Funmilayo O. , Kaiser Philipp D. , Rothbauer Ulrich
Published: August 2020

Epitope tagging is a versatile approach to study different proteins using a well-defined and established methodology. To date, most epitope tags such as myc, HA, V5 and FLAG tags are recognized by antibodies, which limits their use to fixed cells, tissues or protein samples. Here we introduce a broadly applicable tagging strategy utilizing a short peptide tag (PepTag) which is specifically recognized by a nanobody (PepNB). We demonstrated that the PepNB can be easily functionalized for immunoprecipitation or direct immunofluorescence staining of Pep-tagged proteins in vitro. For in cellulo studies we converted the PepNB into a fluorescently labeled Pep-chromobody (PepCB) which is functionally expressed in living cells. The addition of the small PepTag does not interfere with the examined structures in different cellular compartments and its detection with the PepCB enables optical antigen tracing in real time. By employing the phenomenon of antigen-mediated chromobody stabilization (AMCBS) using a turnover-accelerated PepCB we demonstrated that the system is suitable to visualize and quantify changes in Pep-tagged antigen concentration by quantitative live-cell imaging. We expect that this novel tagging strategy offers new opportunities to study the dynamic regulation of proteins, e.g. during cellular signaling, cell differentiation, or upon drug action.
Akkermansia muciniphila uses human milk oligosaccharides to thrive in the early life conditions in vitro
Authors: Kostopoulos Ioannis , Elzinga Janneke , Ottman Noora , Klievink Jay T. , Blijenberg Bernadet , Aalvink Steven , Boeren Sjef , Mank Marko , Knol Jan , de Vos Willem M. , Belzer Clara
Published: August 2020

Akkermansia muciniphila is a well-studied anaerobic bacterium specialized in mucus degradation and associated with human health. Because of the structural resemblance of mucus glycans and free human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), we studied the ability of A. muciniphila to utilize human milk oligosaccharides. We found that A. muciniphila was able to grow on human milk and degrade HMOs. Analyses of the proteome of A. muciniphila indicated that key-glycan degrading enzymes were expressed when the bacterium was grown on human milk. Our results display the functionality of the key-glycan degrading enzymes (α-l-fucosidases, β-galactosidases, exo-α-sialidases and β-acetylhexosaminidases) to degrade the HMO-structures 2′-FL, LNT, lactose, and LNT2. The hydrolysation of the host-derived glycan structures allows A. muciniphila to promote syntrophy with other beneficial bacteria, contributing in that way to a microbial ecological network in the gut. Thus, the capacity of A. muciniphila to utilize human milk will enable its survival in the early life intestine and colonization of the mucosal layer in early life, warranting later life mucosal and metabolic health.
Active vision in immersive, 360° real-world environments
Authors: Haskins Amanda J. , Mentch Jeff , Botch Thomas L. , Robertson Caroline E.
Published: August 2020

How do we construct a sense of place in a real-world environment? Real-world environments are actively explored via saccades, head turns, and body movements. Yet, little is known about how humans process real-world scene information during active viewing conditions. Here, we exploited recent developments in virtual reality (VR) and in-headset eye-tracking to test the impact of active vs. passive viewing conditions on gaze behavior while participants explored novel, real-world, 360° scenes. In one condition, participants actively explored 360° photospheres from a first-person perspective via self-directed motion (saccades and head turns). In another condition, photospheres were passively displayed to participants while they were head-restricted. We found that, relative to passive viewers, active viewers displayed increased attention to semantically meaningful scene regions, suggesting more exploratory, information-seeking gaze behavior. We also observed signatures of exploratory behavior in eye movements, such as quicker, more entropic fixations during active as compared with passive viewing conditions. These results show that active viewing influences every aspect of gaze behavior, from the way we move our eyes to what we choose to attend to. Moreover, these results offer key benchmark measurements of gaze behavior in 360°, naturalistic environments.
Cerebrospinal fluid ctDNA and metabolites are informative biomarkers for the evaluation of CNS germ cell tumors
Authors: Takayasu Takeshi , Shah Mauli , Dono Antonio , Yan Yuanqing , Borkar Roshan , Putluri Nagireddy , Zhu Jay-Jiguang , Hama Seiji , Yamasaki Fumiyuki , Tahara Hidetoshi , Sugiyama Kazuhiko , Kurisu Kaoru , Esquenazi Yoshua , Ballester Leomar Y.
Published: August 2020

Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of α-fetoprotein and β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin are used as biomarkers for the management of central nervous system (CNS) germ cell tumors (GCTs). However, additional discriminating biomarkers are required. Especially, biomarkers to differentiate non-germinomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCTs) from germinomas are critical, as these have a distinct prognosis. We investigated CSF samples from 12 patients with CNS-GCT patients (8 germinomas and 4 NGGCTs). We analyzed circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in CSF to detect mutated genes. We also used liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to characterize metabolites in CSF. We detectedKITand/orNRASmutation, known as frequently mutated genes in GCTs, in 3/12 (25%) patients. We also found significant differences in the abundance of 15 metabolites between control and GCT, with unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis. Metabolites related to the TCA cycle were increased in GCTs. Urea, ornithine, and short-chain acylcarnitines were decreased in GCTs. Moreover, we also detected several metabolites (e.g., betaine, guanidine acetic acid, and 2-aminoheptanoic acid) that displayed significant differences in abundance in patients with germinomas and NGGCTs. Our results suggest that ctDNA and metabolites in CSF can serve as novel biomarkers for CNS-GCTs and can be useful to differentiate germinomas from NGGCTs.
3D imaging and morphometry of the heart capillary system in spontaneously hypertensive rats and normotensive controls
Authors: Olianti Camilla , Costantini Irene , Giardini Francesco , Lazzeri Erica , Crocini Claudia , Ferrantini Cecilia , Pavone Francesco Saverio , Camici Paolo Guido , Sacconi Leonardo
Published: August 2020

Systemic arterial hypertension is a highly prevalent chronic disease associated with hypertensive cardiomyopathy. One important feature of this condition is remodelling of intramural small coronary arteries and arterioles. Here, we investigated the implications of this remodelling in the downstream vascular organization, in particular at the capillary level. We used Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR) exhibiting many features of the human hypertensive cardiomyopathy. We generated 3D high-resolution mesoscopic reconstructions of the entire network of SHR hearts combining gel-based fluorescent labelling of coronaries with a CLARITY-based tissue clearing protocol. We performed morphometric quantification of the capillary network over time to assess capillary diameter, linear density, and angular dispersion. In SHRs, we found significant remodelling of the capillary network density and dispersion. SHR capillary density is increased in both ventricles and at all ages, including before the onset of systemic hypertension. This result suggests that remodelling occurs independently from the onset of systemic hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy. On the contrary, capillary angular dispersion increases with time in SHR. Consistently, our multicolor imaging underlined a strong correlation between vascular dispersion and cellular disarray. Together our data show that 3D high-resolution reconstruction of the capillary network can unveil anatomic signatures in both physiological and pathological cardiac conditions, thus offering a reliable method for integrated quantitative analyses.
Outcome saliency modulates behavioral decision switching
Authors: Sun Sai , Yu Rongjun , Wang Shuo
Published: August 2020

Goal-directed decision making often requires evaluating the outcomes of our decisions, assessing any gains or losses, learning from performance-related feedback, and deciding whether to alter our future decisions. However, it is unclear how these processes can be influenced by the saliency of an outcome (e.g., when one aspect of the outcome is accentuated more than another). Here we investigated whether decision strategies changed when certain aspects of the task outcome (win/loss or correct/incorrect) became more salient and how our brain encoded such saliency signals. We employed a simple two-alternative forced choice gambling task and quantified the frequency at which participants switched decisions to an alternative option in the subsequent trial after receiving feedback on their current selection. We conducted three experiments. In Experiment 1, we established the baseline decision switching behavior: participants switched more frequently following incorrect trials than correct trials, but there was no significant difference between win and loss trials. In Experiment 2, we highlighted the utility (win or loss) or performance (correct or incorrect) dimension of thechosenoutcome and we found that the difference in switching frequency was enlarged along the highlighted dimension. However, Experiment 3 showed that when using non-specific saliency emphasis of the outcome, the saliency effect was abolished. We further conducted simultaneous EEG recordings using specific saliency emphasis and found that the feedback-related negativity, P300, and late positive potential could collectively encode saliency modulation of behavioral switching. Lastly, both the frontal and parietal theta-band power encoded the outcome when it was made more salient. Together, our findings suggest that specific outcome saliency can modulate behavioral decision switching between choices and our results have further revealed the neural signatures underlying such saliency modulation. Altering the saliency of an outcome may change how information is weighed during outcome evaluation and thus influence future decisions.