bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A person-centered investigation of math motivation and its correlates to math achievement in elementary students
Authors: Lv Bo , Lv Lijie , Wang Ping , Luo Liang
Published: July 2019

The present study used a person-centered approach to identify math motivation profiles under self-determination theory, and examine whether math achievement varies across different profiles. Data were collected from 2,137 children. Five student motivation profiles were identified: a “high quality” profile characterized by high levels of intrinsic and identiﬁed motivation and a low level of controlled motivation, a “high quantity” profile characterized by high levels of these three kinds of motivation, a “low quantity” profile characterized by low levels of these three kinds of motivation, a “poor quality” profile characterized by a high level of controlled motivation and low levels of intrinsic and identiﬁed motivation, and a “low autonomous motivation” profile characterized by very low levels of intrinsic and identiﬁed motivation. These five profiles differed in math achievement. We found that students in the high quality profile had the highest level of math achievement compared to those in the other profiles. This result indicated that the quality of motivation was more important than the amount of motivation.
Connecting the “Inside” and the “Outside” World: Convict Labour and Mobile Penal Camps in Colonial Senegal (1930s–1950s)
Authors: Tiquet Romain
Published: July 2019

In the late 1930s, three mobile penal camps were established in the French colony of Senegal in order to assemble convicts with long sentences and compel them to work outside the prison. Senegalese penal camps were thus a place both of confinement and of circulation for convicts who constantly moved out of the prison to work on the roads. This article argues that the penal camps were spaces of multiple and antagonistic forms of mobility that blurred the divide between the “inside” and the “outside” world. The mobility of penal camps played a key role in the hazardous living and working conditions that penal labourers experienced. However, convict labourers were not unresponsive and a range of protests emerged, from breakout to self-mutilation. These individual and intentional forms of mobility and immobility threw a spanner in the works of the day-to-day functioning of Senegalese penal camps and, more broadly, in the colonial project ofmise en valeur.
Stressful life events moderate the effect of neural reward responsiveness in childhood on depressive symptoms in adolescence
Authors: Goldstein Brandon L. , Kessel Ellen M. , Kujawa Autumn , Finsaas Megan C. , Davila Joanne , Hajcak Greg , Klein Daniel N.
Published: July 2019

Background

Reward processing deficits have been implicated in the etiology of depression. A blunted reward positivity (RewP), an event-related potential elicited by feedback to monetary gain relative to loss, predicts new onsets and increases in depression symptoms. Etiological models of depression also highlight stressful life events. However, no studies have examined whether stressful life events moderate the effect of the RewP on subsequent depression symptoms. We examined this question during the key developmental transition from childhood to adolescence.

Methods

A community sample of 369 children (mean age of 9) completed a self-report measure of depression symptoms. The RewP to winning v. losing was elicited using a monetary reward task. Three years later, we assessed stressful life events occurring in the year prior to the follow-up. Youth depressive symptoms were rated by the children and their parents at baseline and follow-up.

Results

Stressful life events moderated the effect of the RewP on depression symptoms at follow-up such that a blunted RewP predicted higher depression symptoms in individuals with higher levels of stressful life events. This effect was also evident when events that were independent of the youth's behavior were examined separately.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the RewP reflects a vulnerability for depression that is activated by stress.
Capitalizing Community: Waste, Wealth, and (Im)material Labor in Kampala
Authors: Doherty Jacob
Published: July 2019

Biomass briquettes have emerged as a development silver bullet, supposedly converting waste to wealth and tackling crises of unemployment, urban waste management, and rural deforestation. Briquettes have captured the imagination of international environmental NGOs operating in many African cities who promote briquette production, partnering with local Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to improve urban livelihoods and sanitation. Based on ethnographic research conducted in Kampala, Uganda, this article examines the entanglement of material and immaterial labor in the production of briquettes. The outcome of these production processes is to capitalize Community, transforming everyday socio-spatial relations into an agential entrepreneurial subject fit to receive aid and carry out development. This has the additional effect of exacerbating differences of gender and education within the CBO, alienating the CBO from the rest of Bwaise, and reproducing the racial hierarchies of the development economy.
Trashing Solidarity: The Production of Power and the Challenges to Organizing Informal Reclaimers
Authors: Samson Melanie
Published: July 2019

This article presents a nuanced social history of how reclaimers at the Marie Louise landfill in Soweto, South Africa, organized against each other on the basis of nationality instead of uniting to combat the effects of the 2008 global economic crisis. Through this narrative of struggles at one particular dump, the article contributes to debates on informal worker organizing by theorizing the importance of the production of identities, power relations, space, and institutions in understanding how and why informal workers create and maintain power-laden divisions between themselves. The article argues that organizing efforts that seek to overcome divisions between informal workers cannot simply exhort them to unite based on abstract principles, but must actively transform the places and institutions forged by these workers through which they create and crystallize divisive identities and power relations.
Fostering a happy positive learning environment for generalist pre-service teachers: building confidence that promotes wellbeing
Authors: Joseph Dawn
Published: July 2019

Music is more than just sounds; engaging in music activities in educational settings may foster a sense of wellbeing. This paper explores whether positive learning environments can change attitudes and build confidence of students undertaking the Bachelor of Education (primary) program. As part of a wider study in Melbourne (Australia), using questionnaire data, this qualitative case study reports on two overarching themes (Wellbeing and Learning, and Skill Development and Confidence). I contend that a happy and safe teaching and learning space may promote and nurture the health and wellbeing of students who lack the confidence to teach music as generalist teachers.
Conservatoire leaders’ observations and perceptions on curriculum reform
Authors: Rumiantsev Tamara W. , Admiraal Wilfried F. , van der Rijst Roeland M.
Published: July 2019

Musicians nowadays need to be able to work both creatively and collaboratively, often in a wider range of artistic, social and cultural contexts. A strong vision on conservatoire pedagogy is needed to reach this goal and at the same time align with the demands of higher education. At the start of the 21st century, renewal of curricula concentrated on implementing the teaching of a broader range of skills, knowledge and attitudes, including problem-solving, reflective, cooperative and communicative competences, as part of the Bologna process of implementing bachelor and master of music programmes. In semi-structured interviews, leaders of conservatoires in Belgium (Flanders) and the Netherlands reflected on their curriculum and revealed their observations and perceptions of its connection to professional practice. Based on a thematic analysis, conservatoire leaders’ observations and perceptions of the process of curriculum reform were identified. They indicated that teaching professionals continue to maintain an autonomous position, practising traditional forms of teaching and learning. Conservatoire leaders were rather hesitant in implementing new pedagogies, teaching principles and guidelines, due to a dedication to craftsmanship and a large amount of respect for the expertise of their teaching professionals.
Improved Integral LOS Guidance and Path-Following Control for an Unmanned Robot Sailboat via the Robust Neural Damping Technique
Authors: Zhang Guoqing , Li Jiqiang , Li Bo , Zhang Xianku
Published: July 2019

This paper introduces a scheme for waypoint-based path-following control for an Unmanned Robot Sailboat (URS) in the presence of actuator gain uncertainty and unknown environment disturbances. The proposed scheme has two components: intelligent guidance and an adaptive neural controller. Considering upwind and downwind navigation, an improved version of the integral Line-Of-Sight (LOS) guidance principle is developed to generate the appropriate heading reference for a URS. Associated with the integral LOS guidance law, a robust adaptive algorithm is proposed for a URS using Radial Basic Function Neural Networks (RBF-NNs) and a robust neural damping technique. In order to achieve a robust neural damping technique, one single adaptive parameter must be updated online to stabilise the effect of the gain uncertainty and the external disturbance. To ensure Semi-Global Uniform Ultimate Bounded (SGUUB) stability, the Lyapunov theory has been employed. Two simulated experiments have been conducted to illustrate that the control effects can achieve a satisfactory performance.
Methodology for Estimating Waterway Traffic Capacity at Shanghai Estuary of the Yangtze River
Authors: Weng Jinxian , Liao Shiguan , Yang Dong
Published: July 2019

The objective of this study is to propose a methodology for assessing waterway traffic capacity in the Shanghai estuary of the Yangtze River. To achieve this objective, we first put forward the estimation method which utilises the minimum collision distance taking the dynamic ship domain into consideration. Considering possible effects caused by unknown external factors, the waterway traffic capacity is then represented by a probability distribution. Finally, we quantify the equivalent units of ships with various ship sizes as well as the effects of large-sized ships on the waterway traffic capacity. Results show that a large-sized ship is equivalent to more small-sized ships during the daytime period than at night. In addition, the deployment of large-sized ships could increase the waterway traffic capacity and such an increment highly depends on the increased proportion of large-sized ships in the waterway traffic.
Why We Should be Negative about Positive Egalitarianism
Authors: Segall Shlomi
Published: July 2019

The article assesses recent attempts to deflect two persistent objections to Positive Egalitarianism (PE), the view that equality adds to the goodness of a state of affairs. The first says that PE entails bringing into existence individuals who are equal to each other in leading horrible lives, such that they are worthnotliving. I assess three strategies for deflecting this objection: offering a restricted version of PE; biting the bullet; and pressing alevelling outcounter-objection. The second objection points out that for any world A containing many individuals all leading very satisfying lives, and in perfect equality, PE prefers a much larger, perfectly equal population Z with much lower (yet positive) well-being. I review two main strategies for avoiding this Repellent Conclusion: a Capped Model and making egalitarianism sensitive to welfare levels. Both solutions, I show, are worse than the problems they are meant to solve.
Exploitation of diversity within farmers' durum wheat varieties enhanced the chance of selecting productive, stable and adaptable new varieties to the local climatic conditions
Authors: Mengistu Dejene K. , Kiros Afewerki Y. , Mohammed Jemal N. , Tsehaye Yemane , Fadda Carlo
Published: July 2019

Variety selection from locally adapted crops is the major climate change adaptation strategy of farming communities. There are several justifications for re-thinking for the sustainable use of crop biodiversity in our breeding programs. Thirty-one durum wheat farmers' varieties (FVs), together with five improved check varieties, were characterized in Tigray during 2014 and 2015 main cropping seasons. The genotype effect explained most of the variations in measured traits, which enabled us to identify superior and stable genotypes for wider adaptation as well varieties with more local adaptation. The genotypes and test locations imposed a highly significant (P < 0.001) effect on both phenological and quantitative traits. A yield advantage of 14.3% was obtained from top performer FV over top performer improved variety, Asassa. Of the tested FVs, 27.8% were superior for grain yield (GY) than improved varieties and 19.4% of these superior FVs were more stable and adaptable than the improved varieties. Besides giving higher GY with spatial stability, they qualify for industrial requirements with high-grain protein (>13%) and gluten (>33%) contents. FVs such as G10, G16, G21, G22 and G30 have wider adaptability and are suitable for production in all tested areas. As outcome of this study, two superior FVs, G10 (208304) and G30 (8208), were nationally released for commercial production for their productivity, stability and grain quality. Utilizing the diverse durum wheat FVs can effectively improve productivity and adaptability. Wheat breeders need to revisit these resources to improve adaptation of wheat production to the changing climatic conditions.
A randomized cross-over trial in patients suspected of PAD on diagnostic accuracy of ankle-brachial index by Doppler-based versus four-point oscillometry based measurements
Authors: Mayr Verena , Hirschl Mirko , Klein-Weigel Peter , Girardi Luka , Kundi Michael
Published: July 2019

Summary. Background: For diagnosis of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAD), a Doppler-based ankle-brachial-index (dABI) is recommended as the first non-invasive measurement. Due to limitations of dABI, oscillometry might be used as an alternative. The aim of our study was to investigate whether a semi-automatic, four-point oscillometric device provides comparable diagnostic accuracy. Furthermore, time requirements and patient preferences were evaluated. Patients and methods: 286 patients were recruited for the study; 140 without and 146 with PAD. The Doppler-based (dABI) and oscillometric (oABI and pulse wave index – PWI) measurements were performed on the same day in a randomized cross-over design. Specificity and sensitivity against verified PAD diagnosis were computed and compared by McNemar tests. ROC analyses were performed and areas under the curve were compared by non-parametric methods. Results: oABI had significantly lower sensitivity (65.8%, 95% CI: 59.2%–71.9%) compared to dABI (87.3%, CI: 81.9–91.3%) but significantly higher specificity (79.7%, 74.7–83.9% vs. 67.0%, 61.3–72.2%). PWI had a comparable sensitivity to dABI. The combination of oABI and PWI had the highest sensitivity (88.8%, 85.7–91.4%). ROC analysis revealed that PWI had the largest area under the curve, but no significant differences between oABI and dABI were observed. Time requirement for oABI was significantly shorter by about 5 min and significantly more patients would prefer oABI for future testing. Conclusions: Semi-automatic oABI measurements using the AngER-device provide comparable diagnostic results to the conventional Doppler method while PWI performed best. The time saved by oscillometry could be important, especially in high volume centers and epidemiologic studies.
Evolution of the Seasonal Surface Mixed Layer of the Ross Sea, Antarctica, Observed With Autonomous Profiling Floats
Authors: Porter David F. , Springer Scott R. , Padman Laurie , Fricker Helen A. , Tinto Kirsty J. , Riser Stephen C. , Bell Robin E. ,   the ROSETTA‐Ice Team
Published: July 2019

Oceanographic conditions on the continental shelf of the Ross Sea, Antarctica, affect sea ice production, Antarctic Bottom Water formation, mass loss from the Ross Ice Shelf, and ecosystems. Since ship access to the Ross Sea is restricted by sea ice in winter, most upper ocean measurements have been acquired in summer. We report the first multiyear time series of temperature and salinity throughout the water column, obtained with autonomous profiling floats. Seven Apex floats were deployed in 2013 on the midcontinental shelf, and six Air‐Launched Autonomous Micro Observer floats were deployed in late 2016, mostly near the ice shelf front. Between profiles, most floats were parked on the seabed to minimize lateral motion. Surface mixed layer temperatures, salinities, and depths, in winter were −1.8 °C, 34.34, and 250–500 m, respectively. Freshwater from sea ice melt in early December formed a shallow (20 m) surface mixed layer, which deepened to 50–80 m and usually warmed to above −0.5 °C by late January. Upper‐ocean freshening continued throughout the summer, especially in the eastern Ross Sea and along the ice shelf front. This freshening requires substantial lateral advection that is dominated by inflow from melting of sea ice and ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea and by inputs from the Ross Ice Shelf. Changes in upper‐ocean freshwater and heat content along the ice shelf front in summer affect cross‐ice front advection, ice shelf melting, and calving processes that determine the rate of mass loss from the grounded Antarctic Ice Sheet in this sector.
Seasonality in Intraseasonal Sea Surface Temperature Variability Along the Sumatra‐Java Southern Coast
Authors: Cao Guojiao , Xu Tengfei , He Yijun , Wang Liwei , Wang Dingqi , Wei Zexun , Zhu Yaohua
Published: July 2019

This paper evaluates the intraseasonal variability of sea surface temperature (SST) along the Sumatra‐Java southern coast using available satellite‐derived oceanic and atmospheric data combined with output from a numerical model. The result reveals that the intraseasonal variability of SST is greater during boreal summer–fall (June–October) than during boreal winter–spring (November–May). Composite analysis shows a correlation between positive/negative intraseasonal SST variabilities and coastal downwelling/upwelling, as well as onshore/offshore Ekman transport during summer–fall. During this period, with the significantly increasing role of oceanic advection, oceanic processes are evidently enhanced and dominate the intraseasonal variability of SST. Meanwhile, the contribution of atmospheric processes drops by 67%. During winter–spring, the intraseasonal SST is primarily contributed by atmospheric processes but has a nonsignificant relationship with sea level anomalies. Intraseasonal SST anomalies vary out of phase with surface wind anomalies. The result also shows a relatively small contribution by vertical processes throughout the year, with the maximum in April and the minimum during August–September. Further analysis reveals that the alternating dominance of atmospheric and oceanic processes on intraseasonal variability of SST is responsible for the seasonality along the Sumatra‐Java southern coast. Moreover, the result indicates that the seasonality in intraseasonal SST is different in the eastern Indonesian Seas, which tends to be relatively strong in boreal winter. Distinct dominance of atmospheric and oceanic processes in intraseasonal SST is the main reason for these differences in seasonal variation characteristics.
Impact of Lateral Terrestrial Water Flow on Land‐Atmosphere Interactions in the Heihe River Basin in China: Fully Coupled Modeling and Precipitation Recycling Analysis
Authors: Zhang Zhenyu , Arnault Joël , Wagner Sven , Laux Patrick , Kunstmann Harald
Published: July 2019

Lateral terrestrial water flow is usually not considered in regional climate modeling. This study focuses on the impact of increased hydrological model complexity for the description of the land‐atmosphere interactions in a complex terrain region. For this purpose, we apply the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with its hydrological modeling extension package WRF‐Hydro for the case of the Heihe River Basin in convection permitting atmospheric resolution (3 km). The Heihe River Basin (143,200 km2) is an arid‐semiarid inland river basin in Northwestern China. By comparing model simulations results with and without coupling for the period 2008–2010, the effect of lateral terrestrial water flow on land‐atmosphere interactions is evaluated with a joint atmospheric‐terrestrial water budget analysis, a regional precipitation recycling analysis and a fully three‐dimensional atmospheric moisture tracing method (evaporation tagging). The coupled modeling system WRF‐Hydro simulates near‐surface temperature and precipitation variability similar to the WRF model and demonstrates, in addition, its ability to reproduce daily streamflow. In the fully coupled mode, as a consequence of lateral terrestrial water flow description, the redistribution of infiltration excess in the mountainous area produces higher soil moisture content in the root zone, increases the terrestrial water storage and evapotranspiration, and decreases the total runoff. The resulting wetting and cooling in the near surface affects the regional climate by changing the regional water vapor transports and water vapor content, while, in turn, inducing precipitation differences. Overall, the fully coupled modeling increases the recycling rate, indicating that lateral terrestrial water flow influences regional climate in our study area.
Pacific‐Panthalassic Reconstructions: Overview, Errata and the Way Forward
Authors: Torsvik Trond H. , Steinberger Bernhard , Shephard Grace E. , Doubrovine Pavel V. , Gaina Carmen , Domeier Mathew , Conrad Clinton P. , Sager William W.
Published: July 2019

We have devised a new absolute Late Jurassic‐Cretaceous Pacific plate model using a fixed hot spot approach coupled with paleomagnetic data from Pacific large igneous provinces (LIPs) while simultaneously minimizing plate velocity and net lithosphere rotation (NR). This study was motivated because published Pacific plate models for the 83.5‐ to 150‐Ma time interval are variably flawed, and their use affects modeling of the entire Pacific‐Panthalassic Ocean and interpretation of its margin evolution. These flaws could be corrected, but the revised models would imply unrealistically high plate velocities and NR. We have developed three new Pacific realm models with varying degrees of complexity, but we focus on the one that we consider most realistic. This model reproduces many of the Pacific volcanic paths, modeled paleomagnetic latitudes fit well with direct observations, plate velocities and NR resulting from the model are low, and all reconstructed Pacific LIPs align along the surface‐projected margin of the Pacific large low shear wave velocity province. The emplacement of the Shatsky Rise LIP at ~144 Ma probably caused a major plate boundary reorganization as indicated by a major jump of the Pacific‐Izanagi‐Farallon triple junction and a noteworthy change of the Pacific‐Izanagi seafloor spreading direction at around chron M20 time.
Hydrogeological Model Selection Among Complex Spatial Priors
Authors: Brunetti C. , Bianchi M. , Pirot G. , Linde N.
Published: July 2019

Hydrogeological field studies rely often on a single conceptual representation of the subsurface. This is problematic since the impact of a poorly chosen conceptual model on predictions might be significantly larger than the one caused by parameter uncertainty. Furthermore, conceptual models often need to incorporate geological concepts and patterns in order to provide meaningful uncertainty quantification and predictions. Consequently, several geologically realistic conceptual models should ideally be considered and evaluated in terms of their relative merits. Here, we propose a full Bayesian methodology based on Markov chain Monte Carlo to enable model selection among 2‐D conceptual models that are sampled using training images and concepts from multiple‐point statistics. More precisely, power posteriors for the different conceptual subsurface models are sampled using sequential geostatistical resampling and Graph Cuts. To demonstrate the methodology, we compare and rank five alternative conceptual geological models that have been proposed in the literature to describe aquifer heterogeneity at the MAcroDispersion Experiment site in Mississippi, USA. We consider a small‐scale tracer test for which the spatial distribution of hydraulic conductivity impacts multilevel solute concentration data observed along a 2‐D transect. The thermodynamic integration and the stepping‐stone sampling methods were used to compute the evidence and associated Bayes factors using the computed power posteriors. We find that both methods are compatible with multiple‐point statistics‐based inversions and provide a consistent ranking of the competing conceptual models considered.
Author Correction: Guangxi cobra venom-derived NGF promotes the osteogenic and therapeutic effects of porous BCP ceramic
Authors: Jin Pan , Yin Fuqiang , Huang Li , Zheng Li , Zhao Jinmin , Zhang Xingdong
Published: July 2019

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Celastrol attenuates ox-LDL-induced mesangial cell proliferation via suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome activation
Authors: Sun Zhenzhen , Li Yuanyuan , Qian Yun , Wu Mengying , Huang Songming , Zhang Aihua , Zhang Yue , Jia Zhanjun
Published: July 2019

Mesangial cell (MC) proliferation is one of the important pathological features of obesity-associated nephropathy with unknown etiology. Excessive MC proliferation can cause glomerulosclerosis and renal function loss. Thus, targeting MC proliferation may be a potential strategy for the treatment of obesity-associated kidney disease. The present study was undertaken to investigate the role of celastrol in MC proliferation induced by ox-LDL, as well as the potential mechanisms. Following ox-LDL treatment, MC proliferation was induced and the NLRP3 inflammasome was activated, as evidenced by increased NLRP3 levels, caspase 1 activity, and IL-18 and IL-1β release. Significantly, NLRP3 siRNAs inhibited MC proliferation and delayed cell cycle progression, as indicated by the cell cycle assay and the expression of cyclin A2 and cyclin D1. Given the anti-inflammatory effect of celastrol, we pretreated MCs with celastrol before ox-LDL treatment. As expected, celastrol pretreatment strikingly inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation and MC proliferation triggered by ox-LDL. In summary, celastrol potently blocked ox-LDL-induced MC proliferation, possibly by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. These findings also suggest that celastrol may be a potential drug for treating proliferative glomerular diseases related to obesity and lipid disorders.
Myelinating Schwann cells ensheath multiple axons in the absence of E3 ligase component Fbxw7
Authors: Harty Breanne L. , Coelho Fernanda , Pease-Raissi Sarah E. , Mogha Amit , Ackerman Sarah D. , Herbert Amy L. , Gereau Robert W. , Golden Judith P. , Lyons David A. , Chan Jonah R. , Monk Kelly R.
Published: July 2019

In the central nervous system (CNS), oligodendrocytes myelinate multiple axons; in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), Schwann cells (SCs) myelinate a single axon. Why are the myelinating potentials of these glia so fundamentally different? Here, we find that loss of Fbxw7, an E3 ubiquitin ligase component, enhances the myelinating potential of SCs. Fbxw7 mutant SCs make thicker myelin sheaths and sometimes appear to myelinate multiple axons in a fashion reminiscent of oligodendrocytes. Several Fbxw7 mutant phenotypes are due to dysregulation of mTOR; however, the remarkable ability of mutant SCs to ensheathe multiple axons is independent of mTOR signaling. This indicates distinct roles for Fbxw7 in SC biology including modes of axon interactions previously thought to fundamentally distinguish myelinating SCs from oligodendrocytes. Our data reveal unexpected plasticity in the myelinating potential of SCs, which may have important implications for our understanding of both PNS and CNS myelination and myelin repair.
Small extracellular vesicles containing arginase-1 suppress T-cell responses and promote tumor growth in ovarian carcinoma
Authors: Czystowska-Kuzmicz Malgorzata , Sosnowska Anna , Nowis Dominika , Ramji Kavita , Szajnik Marta , Chlebowska-Tuz Justyna , Wolinska Ewa , Gaj Pawel , Grazul Magdalena , Pilch Zofia , Zerrouqi Abdessamad , Graczyk-Jarzynka Agnieszka , Soroczynska Karolina , Cierniak Szczepan , Koktysz Robert , Elishaev Esther , Gruca Slawomir , Stefanowicz Artur , Blaszczyk Roman , Borek Bartlomiej , Gzik Anna , Whiteside Theresa , Golab Jakub
Published: July 2019

Tumor-driven immune suppression is a major barrier to successful immunotherapy in ovarian carcinomas (OvCa). Among various mechanisms responsible for immune suppression, arginase-1 (ARG1)-carrying small extracellular vesicles (EVs) emerge as important contributors to tumor growth and tumor escape from the host immune system. Here, we report that small EVs found in the ascites and plasma of OvCa patients contain ARG1. EVs suppress proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells in vitro and in vivo in OvCa mouse models. In mice, ARG1-containing EVs are transported to draining lymph nodes, taken up by dendritic cells and inhibit antigen-specific T-cell proliferation. Increased expression of ARG1 in mouse OvCa cells is associated with accelerated tumor progression that can be blocked by an arginase inhibitor. Altogether, our studies show that tumor cells use EVs as vehicles to carry over long distances and deliver to immune cells a metabolic checkpoint molecule – ARG1, mitigating anti-tumor immune responses.
Cul3 and insomniac are required for rapid ubiquitination of postsynaptic targets and retrograde homeostatic signaling
Authors: Kikuma Koto , Li Xiling , Perry Sarah , Li Qiuling , Goel Pragya , Chen Catherine , Kim Daniel , Stavropoulos Nicholas , Dickman Dion
Published: July 2019

At the Drosophila neuromuscular junction, inhibition of postsynaptic glutamate receptors activates retrograde signaling that precisely increases presynaptic neurotransmitter release to restore baseline synaptic strength. However, the nature of the underlying postsynaptic induction process remains enigmatic. Here, we design a forward genetic screen to discover factors in the postsynaptic compartment necessary to generate retrograde homeostatic signaling. This approach identified insomniac (inc), a putative adaptor for the Cullin-3 (Cul3) ubiquitin ligase complex, which together with Cul3 is essential for normal sleep regulation. Interestingly, we find that Inc and Cul3 rapidly accumulate at postsynaptic compartments following acute receptor inhibition and are required for a local increase in mono-ubiquitination. Finally, we show that Peflin, a Ca2+-regulated Cul3 co-adaptor, is necessary for homeostatic communication, suggesting a relationship between Ca2+ signaling and control of Cul3/Inc activity in the postsynaptic compartment. Our study suggests that Cul3/Inc-dependent mono-ubiquitination, compartmentalized at postsynaptic densities, gates retrograde signaling and provides an intriguing molecular link between the control of sleep and homeostatic plasticity at synapses.
Tailor-made nanostructures bridging chaos and order for highly efficient white organic light-emitting diodes
Authors: Li Yungui , Kovačič Milan , Westphalen Jasper , Oswald Steffen , Ma Zaifei , Hänisch Christian , Will Paul-Anton , Jiang Lihui , Junghaehnel Manuela , Scholz Reinhard , Lenk Simone , Reineke Sebastian
Published: July 2019

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) suffer from notorious light trapping, resulting in only moderate external quantum efficiencies. Here, we report a facile, scalable, lithography-free method to generate controllable nanostructures with directional randomness and dimensional order, significantly boosting the efficiency of white OLEDs. Mechanical deformations form on the surface of poly(dimethylsiloxane) in response to compressive stress release, initialized by reactive ions etching with periodicity and depth distribution ranging from dozens of nanometers to micrometers. We demonstrate the possibility of independently tuning the average depth and the dominant periodicity. Integrating these nanostructures into a two-unit tandem white organic light-emitting diode, a maximum external quantum efficiency of 76.3% and a luminous efficacy of 95.7 lm W−1 are achieved with extracted substrate modes. The enhancement factor of 1.53 ± 0.12 at 10,000 cd m−2 is obtained. An optical model is built by considering the dipole orientation, emitting wavelength, and the dipole position on the sinusoidal nanotexture.
Clinically-relevant postzygotic mosaicism in parents and children with developmental disorders in trio exome sequencing data
Authors: Wright C. F. , Prigmore E. , Rajan D. , Handsaker J. , McRae J. , Kaplanis J. , Fitzgerald T. W. , FitzPatrick D. R. , Firth H. V. , Hurles M. E.
Published: July 2019

Mosaic genetic variants can have major clinical impact. We systematically analyse trio exome sequence data from 4,293 probands from the DDD Study with severe developmental disorders for pathogenic postzygotic mosaicism (PZM) in the child or a clinically-unaffected parent, and use ultrahigh-depth sequencing to validate candidate mosaic variants. We observe that levels of mosaicism for small genetic variants are usually equivalent in both saliva and blood and ~3% of causative de novo mutations exhibit PZM; this is an important observation, as the sibling recurrence risk is extremely low. We identify parental PZM in 21 trios (0.5% of trios), resulting in a substantially increased sibling recurrence risk in future pregnancies. Together, these forms of mosaicism account for 40 (1%) diagnoses in our cohort. Likely child-PZM mutations occur equally on both parental haplotypes, and the penetrance of detectable mosaic pathogenic variants overall is likely to be less than half that of constitutive variants.
Association of TLR4 and TLR9 polymorphisms and haplotypes with cervical cancer susceptibility
Authors: Pandey Nilesh O. , Chauhan Alex V. , Raithatha Nitin S. , Patel Purvi K. , Khandelwal Ronak , Desai Ajesh N. , Choxi Yesha , Kapadia Rutul S. , Jain Neeraj D.
Published: July 2019

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TLR genes may serve as a crucial marker for early susceptibility of various cancers including cervical cancer. The present study was therefore designed to ascertain the role of TLR4 and TLR9 SNPs and haplotypes to hrHPV infection and cervical cancer susceptibility. The study included 110 cervical cancer biopsies and 141 cervical smears from age-matched healthy controls of Gujarati ethnicity of Western India. hrHPV 16 and 18 were detected using Real-time PCR. Eight SNPs, four each in TLR4 and TLR9 were analyzed using Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism and Allele-Specific PCR. HPV 16 and 18 were detected in 68% cervical cancer cases. TLR4 rs4986790, rs1927911 and TLR9 rs187084 showed association with HPV 16/18 infection. CC and CT genotypes of TLR4 rs11536889 and rs1927911 respectively, and TC, CC genotypes of TLR9 rs187084, as well as minor alleles of TLR4 rs4986790 and TLR9 rs187084, were associated with the increased risk of cervical cancer. Stage-wise analysis revealed TLR9 rs187084 and rs352140 to be associated with early-stage cancer. TLR4 haplotype GTAC and TLR9 haplotype GATC were associated with the increased risk of cervical cancer while TLR4 haplotype GCAG was associated with the decreased risk. TLR4 haplotype GCAG and TLR9 haplotype GATC showed association with increased susceptibility to hrHPV infection. In conclusion, the present study revealed association of TLR4 and TLR9 polymorphisms and haplotypes with hrHPV infection and cervical cancer risk. Further evaluation of a larger sample size covering diverse ethnic populations globally is warranted.
Graphene-assisted biosensing based on terahertz nanoslot antennas
Authors: Choi Geunchang , Hong Sung Ju , Bahk Young-Mi
Published: July 2019

We report on improvement of sensitivity for molecular detection utilizing terahertz time domain spectroscopy. Based on confining and enhancing electromagnetic field with metallic nanoslot antennas, we additionally employ monolayer graphene sheet whose edge and hydrophobic surface nature lead to increase detecting performance. Terahertz transmittance in monolayer graphene/metallic nanoslot structure exhibits more unambiguous change after lactose molecules are attached, compared to that in metallic nanoslot structure without monolayer graphene. We attribute the prominent change to that more lactose molecules are guided inside/near the metal gap region due to edge and hydrophobic surface nature of monolayer graphene. This monolayer graphene/metallic nanoslot structure can be expanded in other organic or bio-molecular detection.
A novel motif in the proximal C-terminus of Pannexin 1 regulates cell surface localization
Authors: Epp Anna L. , Ebert Sarah N. , Sanchez-Arias Juan C. , Wicki-Stordeur Leigh E. , Boyce Andrew K. J. , Swayne Leigh Anne
Published: July 2019

The Pannexin 1 (Panx1) ion and metabolite channel is expressed in a wide variety of cells where it regulates a number of cell behaviours including proliferation and differentiation. Panx1 is expressed on the cell surface as well as intracellular membranes. Previous work suggests that a region within the proximal Panx1 C-terminus (Panx1CT) regulates cell surface localization. Here we report the discovery of a putative leucine-rich repeat (LRR) motif in the proximal Panx1CT necessary for Panx1 cell surface expression in HEK293T cells. Deletion of the putative LRR motif results in significant loss of Panx1 cell surface distribution. Outcomes of complementary cell surface oligomerization and glycosylation state analyses were consistent with reduced cell surface expression of Panx1 LRR deletion mutants. Of note, the oligomerization analysis revealed the presence of putative dimers and trimers of Panx1 at the cell surface. Expression of Panx1 increased HEK293T cell growth and reduced doubling time, while expression of a Panx1 LRR deletion mutant (highly conserved segment) did not reproduce this effect. In summary, here we discovered the presence of a putative LRR motif in the Panx1CT that impacts on Panx1 cell surface localization. Overall these findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying C-terminal regulation of Panx1 trafficking and raise potential new lines of investigation with respect to Panx1 oligomerization and glycosylation.
Comprehensive Metabolomic Analysis of IDH1R132H Clinical Glioma Samples Reveals Suppression of β-oxidation Due to Carnitine Deficiency
Authors: Miyata Satsuki , Tominaga Kaoru , Sakashita Eiji , Urabe Masashi , Onuki Yoshiyuki , Gomi Akira , Yamaguchi Takashi , Mieno Makiko , Mizukami Hiroaki , Kume Akihiro , Ozawa Keiya , Watanabe Eiju , Kawai Kensuke , Endo Hitoshi
Published: July 2019

Gliomas with Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutation have alterations in several enzyme activities, resulting in various metabolic changes. The aim of this study was to determine a mechanism for the better prognosis of gliomas with IDH mutation by performing metabolomic analysis. To understand the metabolic state of human gliomas, we analyzed clinical samples obtained from surgical resection of glioma patients (grades II–IV) with or without the IDH1 mutation, and compared the results with U87 glioblastoma cells overexpressing IDH1 or IDH1R132H. In clinical samples of gliomas with IDH1 mutation, levels of D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D-2HG) were increased significantly compared with gliomas without IDH mutation. Gliomas with IDH mutation also showed decreased intermediates in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and pathways involved in the production of energy, amino acids, and nucleic acids. The marked difference in the metabolic profile in IDH mutant clinical glioma samples compared with that of mutant IDH expressing cells includes a decrease in β-oxidation due to acyl-carnitine and carnitine deficiencies. These metabolic changes may explain the lower cell division rate observed in IDH mutant gliomas and may provide a better prognosis in IDH mutant gliomas.
Toxicities of and inflammatory responses to moxifloxacin, cefuroxime, and vancomycin on retinal vascular cells
Authors: Miyake Hitomi , Miyazaki Dai , Shimizu Yumiko , Sasaki Shin-ichi , Baba Takashi , Inoue Yoshitsugu , Matsuura Kazuki
Published: July 2019

Prophylactic intracameral injection of antibiotics is commonly used to prevent endophthalmitis after cataract surgery. However, devastating visual complications have been reported including hemorrhagic occlusive retinal vasculitis (HORV).To determine the toxic and inflammatory effects of moxifloxacin, cefuroxime, and vancomycin on human retinal vascular cells, human retinal vascular endothelial cells (RVEC) and pericytes were exposed to three antibiotics, and the adverse effects were assessed by membrane damage, loss of intrinsic esterase activity, kinetic cell viability, and inflammatory cytokine secretion. Their retinal toxicity was examined by live/dead assays after an intravitreal injection of the three antibiotics into mice eyes. In vascular cells in culture, membrane damage and loss of esterase activity were induced after exposure to the three antibiotics. The toxic effects were most obvious after moxifloxacin (RVEC, ≥125 μg/mL; pericytes, ≥1000 μg/mL) at 24 h. Cefuroxime also reduced esterase activity and the membrane integrity of vascular cells but were less toxic than moxifloxacin. Kinetic cell viability testing showed that 500 μg/mL of moxifloxacin exposure induced significant decrease (29%) in the viability as early as 1 h. When the inflammatory effects of the antibiotics were examined, a significant induction of IL-8 was observed especially by RVECs after exposure to cefuroxime or vancomycin which was exacerbated by L-alanyl-γ-D-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelic acid (Tri-DAP), a NOD1 ligand. Intravitreal injections in mice showed that cefuroxime and vancomycin caused retinal and vascular toxicity extending to the inner nuclear layers. Collectively, moxifloxacin causes immediate damage to retinal vascular cells in vitro, while cefuroxime and vancomycin induced significant inflammatory effects on vascular endothelial cells and caused retinal toxicity. Surgeons need to be cautious of the toxicity when antibiotics are used prophylactically especially by intravitreal administration.
Group A Streptococcus Adsorbed Vaccine: Repeated Intramuscular Dose Toxicity Test in Minipigs
Authors: Postol Edilberto , Sá-Rocha Luiz C. , Sampaio Roney O. , Demarchi Lea M. M. F. , Alencar Raquel E. , Abduch Maria C. D. , Kalil Jorge , Guilherme Luiza
Published: July 2019

Streptococcus pyogenesinfection continues to be a worldwide public health problem causing various diseases in humans and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. We developed a vaccine candidate to prevent S. pyogenes infections, identified as StreptInCor, that presented promising results in mouse models. A certified and independent laboratory conducted two repeated intramuscular dose toxicity tests (28 days, four weekly injections). The first test, composed of four experimental groups treated with 0 (vehicle), 50, 100 or 200 µg/500 µL StreptInCor, did not show significant alterations in clinical, hematological, biochemical or anatomopathological parameters related to the administration of StreptInCor. In addition to the parameters mentioned above, we evaluated the cardiac function and valves of animals by echocardiography before and after administration of 200 µg/500 µL StreptInCor versus placebo. We did not observe any changes related to StreptInCor administration, including changes in cardiac function and valves in animals, after receiving the highest dose of this vaccine candidate. The results obtained in the two repeated intramuscular dose toxicity tests showed that this vaccine formulation did not induce harmful effects to the tissues and organs studied, indicating that the candidate vaccine is well tolerated in minipigs.
Fabrication of quasi-metallic NixMoO3 nanodots for enhanced plasmon resonance and photothermal conversion
Authors: Wang Xuzhe , Yan Pengfei , Xu Qun , Li Hao , Guo Cang , Liu Chuntai
Published: July 2019

The quasi-metallic NixMoO3 nanodots have been fabricated from semiconductive MoO3via SC CO2-assisted intercalation route, the introduction of Ni ion endows the NixMoO3 nanodots with enhanced plasmon effects and photothermal conversion efficiency.
Design and assembly of a chiral composite metal–organic framework for efficient asymmertric sequential transformation of alkenes to amino alcohols
Authors: Xia Qingchun , Yuan Chen , Li Yongxin , Cui Yong
Published: July 2019

A composite crystal MOF was constructed with Al(salen) inside, which was encapsulated by Mn(salen) outside. The resulting composite crystal appeared to be highly enantioselective for the alkene epoxidation/epoxide aminolysis reactions.
A review on synthesis and engineering of crystal precursors producedviacoprecipitation for multicomponent lithium-ion battery cathode materials
Authors: Dong Hongxu , Koenig Gary M.
Published: July 2019

Interest in developing high performance lithium-ion rechargeable batteries has motivated research in precise control over the composition, phase, and morphology during materials synthesis of battery active material particles.
Investigation of local structure distortion and electron cloud interaction on emission-band broadening induced by the concentration perturbation effect of cation substitution in BaY2Si3O10:Eu phosphors
Authors: Li Haoran , Liang Yujun , Zhu Yingli , Liu Shiqi , Chen Jiahui , Zhang Hang , Chen Yongjun
Published: July 2019

Here, we conceived a concentration perturbation effect to obtain cyan-emitting phosphors based on local structure distortion and electron cloud interaction.
A computational study on the electronic and optical properties of boron-nitride circumacenes
Authors: Mocci Paola , Cardia Roberto , Cappellini Giancarlo
Published: July 2019

We report a comparative and systematic computational analysis on the electronic and optical properties of the boron-nitride-made (BN) counterparts of the carbon-made circumacenes.
Electronic effects in mixed N-heterocyclic carbene/phosphite indenylidene ruthenium metathesis catalysts
Authors: Bidal Yannick D. , Urbina-Blanco César A. , Poater Albert , Cordes David B. , Slawin Alexandra M. Z. , Cavallo Luigi , Cazin Catherine S. J.
Published: July 2019

Experimental and computational studies shed light on the role played by sacrificial ligand electronic properties on catalytic activity.
Temperature-responsive ionic liquids to set up a method for the simultaneous extraction and in situ preconcentration of hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds from medicinal plant matrices
Authors: Wang Tong , Wang Qing , Li Ping , Yang Hua
Published: July 2019

An integrated switchable temperature-responsive ionic liquid based method which could simultaneously extract and in situ separate lipophilic and hydrophilic natural products was developed.
Visible-light-promoted oxidative dehydrogenation of hydrazobenzenes and transfer hydrogenation of azobenzenes
Authors: Wang Xianya , Wang Xianjin , Xia Chungu , Wu Lipeng
Published: July 2019

Visible-light-promoted oxidative dehydrogenation of hydrazobenzenes and transfer hydrogenation of azobenzenes are realized using Eosin Y as the photo-catalyst.
Glutathione modified low molecular weight PEI for highly improved gene transfection ability and biocompatibility
Authors: Zhan Yu-Rong , Yu Qing-Ying , Zhang Ji , Liu Yan-Hong , Xiao Ya-Ping , Zhang Ju-Hui , He Xi , Yu Xiao-Qi
Published: July 2019

A versatile oligopeptide, glutathione, was introduced to construct novel cationic gene vectors with further excellent transfection efficiency and serum tolerance.