bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
His Landand the Origins of the Jewish-Evangelical Israel Lobby
Authors: Hummel Daniel G.
Published: February 2019

The 1970 release ofHis Land, a religious documentary about Israel produced by Billy Graham's film studio, World Wide Pictures, took the evangelical world by storm. It was shown to hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of churchgoers and encapsulated the mix of prophecy beliefs and cultural arguments that cohered a decade later into the Christian Zionist movement—a major component of the religious right. Surprisingly, American evangelicals were not the only fans ofHis Land. American Jews, led by the American Jewish Committee(AJC), helped make the film an international success. AJC officials organized ecumenical screenings and kept detailed records of the film's reception, praising it as “an authentic interpretation” that “strengthen[s] the current interreligious discussion on the Middle East question.” By 1971, the AJC was showing this unabashedly evangelical film to Jewish audiences in synagogues and community centers. Through reconstructing His Land's production and reception, this article provides a new interpretation of the origins of bipartisan, Jewish and evangelical support for Israel in the late-twentieth century. It recasts the rise of a Jewish-evangelical pro-Israel lobby as an important religious episode to understanding the rise of the religious right and the continuing importance of confessional and theological identity even in the era of the “culture wars.”
From Acolyte toṢaḥābī?: Christian Monks as Symbols of Early Confessional Fluidity in the Conversion Story of Salmān al-Fārisī
Authors: Bowman Bradley
Published: February 2019

This paper will examine the narrative of Salmān al-Fārisī/”the Persian” and his conversion to Islam, as recounted in the eighth-centurySīraof Ibn Isḥāq, as a lens into the laudatory interpretation of Christian monasticism by early Muslims. This account of Salmān al-Fārisī (d. 656 CE), an originalCompanion(ṣaḥābī) of the Prophet Muḥammad, vividly describes his rejection of his Zoroastrian heritage, his initial embrace of Christianity, and his departure from his homeland of Isfahan in search of a deeper understanding of the Christian faith. This quest leads the young Persian on a great arc across the Near East into Iraq, Asia Minor, and Syria, during which he studies under various Christian monks and serves as their acolyte. Upon each master’s death, Salmān is directed toward another mystical authority, on a passage that parallels the “monastic sojourns” of late antique Christian literature. At the conclusion of the narrative a monk sends Salmān to seek out a “new Prophet who has arisen among the Arabs.” The monks, therefore, appear to be interpreted as “proto-Muslims,” as links in a chain leading to enlightenment, regardless of their confessional distinction. This narrative could then suggest that pietistic concerns, shared between these communities, superseded specific doctrinal boundaries in the highly fluid and malleable religious culture of the late antique and early Islamic Near East.
The Voices of Moses: Theologies of Revelation in an Early Hasidic Circle
Authors: Mayse Ariel
Published: February 2019

The subject of revelation appears with striking frequency in the writings and sermons of the early Hasidic masters. Their attempts to reimagine Sinai and to redefine its spiritual significance were key to their theological project. The present article examines the theophany at Sinai as presented in the teachings of three important Hasidic leaders: Menaḥem Naḥum of Chernobil, Ze’ev Wolf of Zhitomir, and Levi Yitsḥak of Barditshev, all of whom were students of Rabbi Dov Ber Friedman, the Maggid of Mezritsh. Each of the three constructed their teachings upon foundational elements of the Maggid’s theology. This shared inheritance links Dov Ber’s students to one another, but careful consideration of these Hasidic sources will reveal important differences in foci and ideational message. These homilies refer to revelation as an unfolding process in which the ineffable divine is continuously translated into human language, reflecting upon—and justifying—the emergence of Hasidism and its theology through reimagining revelation. Such fundamental questions of language and devotion also throb at the heart of religious revivals the world over. When read critically and carefully, these Hasidic sources have much to offer scholars interested in the interface of renewal, exegesis, and revelation more broadly.
MATER MATUTA, ‘FERTILITY CULTS’ AND THE INTEGRATION OF WOMEN IN RELIGIOUS LIFE IN ITALY IN THE FOURTH TO FIRST CENTURIES BC
Authors: Carroll Maureen
Published: February 2019

This study explores social and gendered aspects of female fertility in popular religious practices in Italy in the last four centuries BC, and it investigates the role of supplication and votive dedications in promoting maternal health and family continuity. It tackles modern assumptions which have strongly aligned the religious activities of women in Republican Italy with their generative interests and specific ‘fertility cults’ or ‘women's goddesses’. Divinities associated with fertility are explored here, with particular emphasis on Mater Matuta who is often defined in modern research as a ‘mother goddess’. The study shows that cults purely concerned with fertility are unlikely to have existed. Fertility was only one of several fundamental personal concerns brought by women and men to the generalist and polyvalent deities of Republican Italy. Items associated with fertility, such as terracotta wombs, male and female genitals, and swaddled infants, always occur together with other anatomical ex-votos across a wide range of sites and were dedicated to many deities. Considering the archaeological and textual evidence, Mater Matuta can be shown to have occupied a more flexible and encompassing space in the pantheon, and her involvement in marriage, motherhood and childbearing was part of a wider repertoire of responsibilities. The study also focuses attention on a distinctive, but largely overlooked, votive assemblage from Capua which includes numerous tufa statues of women and babies. The paper proposes that they should be understood as votive objects offered to an unknown deity by Capuan women as thanks for support in the generative enterprise, personally and more broadly in the context of the city's religious and civic identity.
Performance difference in verbal fluency in bilingual and monolingual speakers
Authors: Patra Abhijeet , Bose Arpita , Marinis Theodoros
Published: February 2019

Research has shown that bilinguals can perform similarly, better or poorly on verbal fluency task compared to monolinguals. Verbal fluency data for semantic (animals, fruits and vegetables, and clothing) and letter fluency (F, A, S) were collected from 25 Bengali–English bilinguals and 25 English monolinguals in English. The groups were matched for receptive vocabulary, age, education and non-verbal intelligence. We used a wide range of measures to characterize fluency performance: number of correct, fluency difference score, time-course analysis (1st RT, Sub-RT, initiation, slope), clustering, and switching. Participants completed three executive control measures tapping into inhibitory control, mental-set shifting and working memory. Differences between the groups were significant when executive control demands were higher such as number of correct responses in letter fluency, fluency difference score, Sub-RT, slope and cluster size for letter fluency, such that bilinguals outperform the monolinguals. Stroop performance correlated positively with the slope only for the bilinguals.
On the Lack of Real Consequences in Consumer Choice Research
Authors: Klein Sina A. , Hilbig Benjamin E.
Published: February 2019

Abstract. Experimental tasks measure actual behavior when the consequences that follow actions and choices mirror those of real-life behavior. Consequently, choice tasks in consumer research would need to include both costs (losing a previously earned endowment) and gains (actually receiving what was chosen) to structurally resemble real-life consumer choices. A literature review of studies ( k = 446) in consumer research confirms that full implementation of consequences is rare. The extent to which presence versus absence of these consequences systematically affects observable behavior is tested in an experiment ( N = 669) comparing a fully consequential (cost and gain consequences), a partially consequential (gain consequence only), and a hypothetical (no consequences) consumer choice task. Results show that consequences, once real, affect both the general willingness to purchase and the relative preferences for different products. Hence, it would seem advisable to more carefully consider the role of consequences in future consumer research.
And Remember the Truth That Once Was Spoken
Authors: Schreckenbach Franziska , Rothermund Klaus , Koranyi Nicolas
Published: February 2019

Abstract. Whenever individuals reveal personally relevant information to a stranger, they have to remember their self-disclosure for future interactions. Relying on instance-based theories of automaticity, we hypothesized that knowledge about having revealed private information to someone unfamiliar is retrieved automatically whenever this person is encountered again. In two studies, participants were orally interviewed by two different persons and instructed to be honest to one of them and to lie to the other. This instruction was either related to the identity of the interviewers (Experiment 1) or their gender (Experiment 2). Afterward, the target words honest and dishonest had to be identified in a categorization task in which pictures of the interviewers and of unknown persons served as task-irrelevant prime stimuli. In line with the hypothesis, results revealed congruence effects, indicating faster identification of the target word honest following the picture of a person whom one had told the truth.
The Mighty Susquehanna—Extreme Floods in Eastern North America During the Past Two Millennia
Authors: Toomey Michael , Cantwell Meagan , Colman Steven , Cronin Thomas , Donnelly Jeffrey , Giosan Liviu , Heil Clifford , Korty Robert , Marot Marci , Willard Debra
Published: February 2019

The hazards posed by infrequent major floods to communities along the Susquehanna River and the ecological health of Chesapeake Bay remain largely unconstrained due to the short length of streamgage records. Here we develop a history of high‐flow events on the Susquehanna River during the late Holocene from flood deposits contained in MD99‐2209, a sediment core recovered in 26 m of water from Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis, Maryland, United States. We identify coarse‐grained deposits left by Hurricane Agnes (1972) and the Great Flood of 1936, as well as during three intervals that predate instrumental flood records (~1800–1500, 1300–1100, and 400–0 CE). Comparison to sedimentary proxy data (pollen and ostracode Mg/Ca ratios) from the same core site indicates that prehistoric flooding on the Susquehanna often accompanied cooler‐than‐usual winter/spring temperatures near Chesapeake Bay—typical of negative phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation and conditions thought to foster hurricane landfalls along the East Coast.
Volumetric and Shear Strain Localization in Mt. Etna Basalt
Authors: McBeck Jessica A. , Cordonnier Benoît , Vinciguerra Sergio , Renard François
Published: February 2019

To examine the impact of preexisting weaknesses on fracture coalescence during volcanic edifice deformation, we triaxially compressed Mount Etna basalt while acquiring in situ dynamic X‐ray microtomograms and calculated the internal strain tensor fields using image correlation. Contraction localization preceded dilation and shear strain localization into the protofault zone. This onset of strain localization preceded macroscopic yielding and coincided with increases in the magnitude and volume of rock experiencing dilation, and spatial clustering of the strain populations. The exploitation of weaknesses by propagating fractures enabled the dominant shear strain to switch senses as propagating fractures lengthened along 30–60° fromσ1. Scanning electron microscopy images reveal pore‐emanated fractures, and fractures linking pores. These experiments provide evidence of internal contraction preceding dilation and shear, consistent with inferences from field and laboratory observations. The transition from contraction to dilation may provide a precursory signal of volcanic flank eruption.
Pace and Process of Active Folding and Fluvial Incision Across the Kantishna Hills Anticline, Central Alaska
Authors: Bender A. M. , Lease R. O. , Haeussler P. J. , Rittenour T. , Corbett L. B. , Bierman P. R. , Caffee M. W.
Published: February 2019

Rates of northern Alaska Range thrust system deformation are poorly constrained. Shortening at the system's west end is focused on the Kantishna Hills anticline. Where the McKinley River cuts across the anticline, the landscape records both Late Pleistocene deformation and climatic change. New optically stimulated luminescence and cosmogenic 10Be depth profile dates of three McKinley River terrace levels (~22, ~18, and ~14–9 ka) match independently determined ages of local glacial maxima, consistent with climate‐driven terrace formation. Terrace ages quantify rates of differential bedrock incision, uplift, and shortening based on fault depth inferred from microseismicity. Differential rock uplift and incision (≤1.4 m/kyr) drive significant channel width narrowing in response to ongoing folding at a shortening rate of ~1.2 m/kyr. Our results constrain northern Alaska Range thrust system deformation rates, and elucidate superimposed landscape responses to Late Pleistocene climate change and active folding with broad geomorphic implications.
Eddy‐Induced Temperature and Salinity Variability in the Arabian Sea
Authors: Trott Corinne B. , Subrahmanyam Bulusu , Chaigneau Alexis , Roman‐Stork Heather L.
Published: February 2019

The eddy field in the Arabian Sea experiences seasonal wind‐driven intensification during the summer monsoon season from June through September. These strong eddies strengthen local currents like the Somali Current and strongly impact regional upper‐level vertical and lateral advection. To investigate the multivariate response to eddying, we apply a closed‐contour eddy‐tracking algorithm to sea level anomaly maps and then examine sea surface temperature and salinity of the identified eddies to infer whether they are surface or subsurface intensified in the Arabian Sea during the summer monsoon. A complete understanding of the temperature and salinity signatures reveals how Arabian Sea eddies alter upper‐ocean stratification. Though both intensification types are identified, we find a dominance of likely surface‐intensified eddies characterized by relatively warm and fresh cores for anticyclonic eddies and relatively cool and saline cores for cyclonic eddies, particularly in the northwestern Arabian Sea and Somali Current region.
The Relation Between Aerosol Vertical Distribution and Temperature Inversions in the Arctic in Winter and Spring
Authors: Thomas Manu Anna , Devasthale Abhay , Tjernström Michael , Ekman Annica M. L.
Published: February 2019

Temperature inversions, being a common meteorological phenomenon in the Arctic, especially during winter and spring, play a special role in regulating the distribution of aerosols. Using 10 years of collocated satellite observations, we evaluate the covariability of the vertical distribution of aerosol extinction and different atmospheric stability regimes. It is observed that as the atmospheric stability increases, more aerosols are trapped below inversions over the majority of the Arctic (except in the Pacific sector) during winter, indicating low‐level transport from lower latitudes into the Arctic. In contrast, additional aerosol layers are accumulated above inversion layers during spring in the Eurasian and Pacific sectors as the stability increases, indicating long‐range transport at higher altitudes. In this study, satellite observations are, for the first time, used as sole evidence to support the hypothesis that low‐level transport dominates in winter and free tropospheric transport dominates in spring.
Temporal Resolution of Wind Forcing Required for River Plume Simulations
Authors: Qu Lixin , Hetland Robert D.
Published: February 2019

Wind is a primary forcing agent for river plume variability. Consequently, the temporal resolution of wind forcing is an important factor to consider for river plume simulations. This study evaluates river plume simulation errors caused by temporal subsampling of wind forcing data. We use an idealized model of a river plume over a continental shelf and force the model with temporally filtered winds to quantify the effect of temporal subsampling on simulation accuracy. The simulation error is proportional to the fraction of energy missing in the high‐frequency wind absent from the forcing. These results set requirements for temporal wind resolution in realistic simulations of river plumes. Spectral analysis of observed wind records at the Mississippi River, Columbia River, and Merrimack River regions indicates that, for simulation errors due to insufficient temporal wind resolution to be smaller than 5% of the variance, 3‐hourly or 4‐hourly wind data are reasonable. Though horizontal variations in wind forcing are lost, analyzing fast Fourier transformation spectrum of a single‐point wind measurement in the simulation region is helpful for estimating simulation errors due to temporal resolution and hence aid in properly selecting temporal resolutions.
Evidence of Isotopic Fractionation During Vapor Exchange Between the Atmosphere and the Snow Surface in Greenland
Authors: Madsen M. V. , Steen‐Larsen H. C. , Hörhold M. , Box J. , Berben S. M. P. , Capron E. , Faber A.‐K. , Hubbard A. , Jensen M. F. , Jones T. R. , Kipfstuhl S. , Koldtoft I. , Pillar H. R. , Vaughn B. H. , Vladimirova D. , Dahl‐Jensen D.
Published: February 2019

Several recent studies from both Greenland and Antarctica have reported significant changes in the water isotopic composition of near‐surface snow between precipitation events. These changes have been linked to isotopic exchange with atmospheric water vapor and sublimation‐induced fractionation, but the processes are poorly constrained by observations. Understanding and quantifying these processes are crucial to both the interpretation of ice core climate proxies and the formulation of isotope‐enabled general circulation models. Here, we present continuous measurements of the water isotopic composition in surface snow and atmospheric vapor together with near‐surface atmospheric turbulence and snow‐air latent and sensible heat fluxes, obtained at the East Greenland Ice‐Core Project drilling site in summer 2016. For two 4‐day‐long time periods, significant diurnal variations in atmospheric water isotopologues are observed. A model is developed to explore the impact of this variability on the surface snow isotopic composition. Our model suggests that the snow isotopic composition in the upper subcentimeter of the snow exhibits a diurnal variation with amplitudes in δ18O and δD of ~2.5‰ and ~13‰, respectively. As comparison, such changes correspond to 10–20% of the magnitude of seasonal changes in interior Greenland snow pack isotopes and of the change across a glacial‐interglacial transition. Importantly, our observation and model results suggest, that sublimation‐induced fractionation needs to be included in simulations of exchanges between the vapor and the snow surface on diurnal timescales during summer cloud‐free conditions in northeast Greenland.
Water Debt Indicator Reveals Where Agricultural Water Use Exceeds Sustainable Levels
Authors: Tuninetti Marta , Tamea Stefania , Dalin Carole
Published: February 2019

Agriculture overexploits water resources in many regions, as water stress metrics highlight. Tracing back the causes of water overuses and separately accounting for soil water, surface water and groundwater resources is an open challenge to monitor the sustainability of agricultural water use. We introduce the “water debt repayment time” indicator, measuring the time required to replenish water resources used for annual crop production. This indicator disentangles source‐ and crop‐specific water overuses at a high spatial resolution. Globally, we find that wheat and rice production critically overuses groundwater resources and cotton production overuses both surface water and groundwater. Locally, unsustainable production is found over the Sabarmati Basin and in the Chao Phraya Basin, where the repayment time exceeds 5 years in many cultivated areas. Critical overuses are also found over the High Plain and Indo‐Gangetic Plains, where the repayment times reach 50 years. Unsustainable irrigation is often a consequence of growing crops during local dry seasons.
Convex Modeling of Pumps in Order to Optimize Their Energy Use
Authors: Horváth K. , van Esch B. , Vreeken D. , Pothof I. , Baayen J.
Published: February 2019

This study presents convex modeling of drainage pumps so that real‐time control systems can be implemented to minimize their energy use. A convex model is built based on pump curves and then used in mixed‐integer optimization to allow pumps to be turned on or off. It is implemented as an extension to the open source software package RTC‐Tools. The formulation is such that the continuous relaxations of the mixed‐integer problem are convex, hence branch‐and‐bound techniques may be used to find a global optimum. The formulation can be used for variable‐speed and constant‐speed pumps. There are several possible applications, such as optimization of polder systems, pumped‐storage systems, or certain water distribution networks. Finally, an example of the drainage pump is presented to compare the method to current methods and show that energy can be saved by using the proposed method.
Rising Temperatures Reduce Colorado River Flow
Authors: Stanley Sarah
Published: February 2019

Hotter conditions have played a much greater role in reducing flow during the ongoing Millennium Drought than in a mid-20th century drought.
Amino acids as wetting agents: surface translocation by Porphyromonas gingivalis
Authors: Moradali M Fata , Ghods Shirin , Angelini Thomas E , Davey Mary Ellen
Published: February 2019

Our understanding of how oral microbiota adapt in response to changes in their surroundings remains limited. This is particularly true of the slow-growing anaerobes that persist below the gum line. Here, we report that the oral anaerobe Porphyromonas gingivalis strain 381 can surface translocate when sandwiched between two surfaces. We show that during movement, this bacterium alters its metabolism, specifically side products of arginine utilization including citrulline and ornithine accumulated in the translocating cells; while arginine, N-acetyl-arginine, and the polyamine putrescine, which is produced from arginine were consumed. In addition, our results indicate that movement requires modification of the surrounding environment via proteolysis, cell dispersion, cell-on-cell rolling, and sub-diffusive cell-driven motility. We also show that production of fimbriae and fimbriae-associated proteins; as well as the regulation of contact-dependent growth inhibition genes, which are known to be involved in self-nonself discrimination, and the type IX secretion system are central to surface translocation. These studies provide a first glimpse into P. gingivalis motility and its relationship to ecological variables.
Non-monotonic pressure dependence of the thermal conductivity of boron arsenide
Authors: Ravichandran Navaneetha K. , Broido David
Published: February 2019

Recent experiments demonstrate that boron arsenide (BAs) is a showcase material to study the role of higher-order four-phonon interactions in affecting heat conduction in semiconductors. Here we use first-principles calculations to identify a phenomenon in BAs and a related material - boron antimonide, that has never been predicted or experimentally observed for any other material: competing responses of three-phonon and four-phonon interactions to pressure rise cause a non-monotonic pressure dependence of thermal conductivity, κ, which first increases similar to most materials and then decreases. The resulting peak in κ shows a strong temperature dependence from rapid strengthening of four-phonon interactions relative to three-phonon processes with temperature. Our results reveal pressure as a knob to tune the interplay between the competing phonon scattering mechanisms in BAs and similar compounds, and provide clear experimental guidelines for observation in a readily accessible measurement regime.
Eliciting the impacts of cellular noise on metabolic trade-offs by quantitative mass imaging
Authors: Vasdekis A. E. , Alanazi H. , Silverman A. M. , Williams C. J. , Canul A. J. , Cliff J. B. , Dohnalkova A. C. , Stephanopoulos G.
Published: February 2019

Optimal metabolic trade-offs between growth and productivity are key constraints in strain optimization by metabolic engineering; however, how cellular noise impacts these trade-offs and drives the emergence of subpopulations with distinct resource allocation strategies, remains largely unknown. Here, we introduce a single-cell strategy for quantifying the trade-offs between triacylglycerol production and growth in the oleaginous microorganism Yarrowia lipolytica. The strategy relies on high-throughput quantitative-phase imaging and, enabled by nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry analyses and dedicated image processing, allows us to image how resources are partitioned between growth and productivity. Enhanced precision over population-averaging biotechnologies and conventional microscopy demonstrates how cellular noise impacts growth and productivity differently. As such, subpopulations with distinct metabolic trade-offs emerge, with notable impacts on strain performance and robustness. By quantifying the self-degradation of cytosolic macromolecules under nutrient-limiting conditions, we discover the cell-to-cell heterogeneity in protein and fatty-acid recycling, unmasking a potential bet-hedging strategy under starvation.
The structure of a prokaryotic viral envelope protein expands the landscape of membrane fusion proteins
Authors: El Omari Kamel , Li Sai , Kotecha Abhay , Walter Thomas S. , Bignon Eduardo A. , Harlos Karl , Somerharju Pentti , De Haas Felix , Clare Daniel K. , Molin Mika , Hurtado Felipe , Li Mengqiu , Grimes Jonathan M. , Bamford Dennis H. , Tischler Nicole D. , Huiskonen Juha T. , Stuart David I. , Roine Elina
Published: February 2019

Lipid membrane fusion is an essential function in many biological processes. Detailed mechanisms of membrane fusion and the protein structures involved have been mainly studied in eukaryotic systems, whereas very little is known about membrane fusion in prokaryotes. Haloarchaeal pleomorphic viruses (HRPVs) have a membrane envelope decorated with spikes that are presumed to be responsible for host attachment and membrane fusion. Here we determine atomic structures of the ectodomains of the 57-kDa spike protein VP5 from two related HRPVs revealing a previously unreported V-shaped fold. By Volta phase plate cryo-electron tomography we show that VP5 is monomeric on the viral surface, and we establish the orientation of the molecules with respect to the viral membrane. We also show that the viral membrane fuses with the host cytoplasmic membrane in a process mediated by VP5. This sheds light on protein structures involved in prokaryotic membrane fusion.
Kindlin-2 links mechano-environment to proline synthesis and tumor growth
Authors: Guo Ling , Cui Chunhong , Zhang Kuo , Wang Jiaxin , Wang Yilin , Lu Yixuan , Chen Ka , Yuan Jifan , Xiao Guozhi , Tang Bin , Sun Ying , Wu Chuanyue
Published: February 2019

Cell metabolism is strongly influenced by mechano-environment. We show here that a fraction of kindlin-2 localizes to mitochondria and interacts with pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 1 (PYCR1), a key enzyme for proline synthesis. Extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffening promotes kindlin-2 translocation into mitochondria and its interaction with PYCR1, resulting in elevation of PYCR1 level and consequent increase of proline synthesis and cell proliferation. Depletion of kindlin-2 reduces PYCR1 level, increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptosis, and abolishes ECM stiffening-induced increase of proline synthesis and cell proliferation. In vivo, both kindlin-2 and PYCR1 levels are markedly increased in lung adenocarcinoma. Ablation of kindlin-2 in lung adenocarcinoma substantially reduces PYCR1 and proline levels, and diminishes fibrosis in vivo, resulting in marked inhibition of tumor growth and reduction of mortality rate. Our findings reveal a mechanoresponsive kindlin-2-PYCR1 complex that links mechano-environment to proline metabolism and signaling, and suggest a strategy to inhibit tumor growth.
CD8+ T cells from patients with narcolepsy and healthy controls recognize hypocretin neuron-specific antigens
Authors: Pedersen Natasja Wulff , Holm Anja , Kristensen Nikolaj Pagh , Bjerregaard Anne-Mette , Bentzen Amalie Kai , Marquard Andrea Marion , Tamhane Tripti , Burgdorf Kristoffer Sølvsten , Ullum Henrik , Jennum Poul , Knudsen Stine , Hadrup Sine Reker , Kornum Birgitte Rahbek
Published: February 2019

Narcolepsy Type 1 (NT1) is a neurological sleep disorder, characterized by the loss of hypocretin/orexin signaling in the brain. Genetic, epidemiological and experimental data support the hypothesis that NT1 is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune disease targeting the hypocretin producing neurons. While autoreactive CD4+ T cells have been detected in patients, CD8+ T cells have only been examined to a minor extent. Here we detect CD8+ T cells specific toward narcolepsy-relevant peptides presented primarily by NT1-associated HLA types in the blood of 20 patients with NT1 as well as in 52 healthy controls, using peptide-MHC-I multimers labeled with DNA barcodes. In healthy controls carrying the disease-predisposing HLA-DQB1*06:02 allele, the frequency of autoreactive CD8+ T cells was lower as compared with both NT1 patients and HLA-DQB1*06:02-negative healthy individuals. These findings suggest that a certain level of CD8+ T-cell reactivity combined with HLA-DQB1*06:02 expression is important for NT1 development.
Passive film characterisation of duplex stainless steel using scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy in combination with electrochemical measurements
Authors: Örnek Cem , Leygraf Christofer , Pan Jinshan
Published: February 2019

The characterisation of passive oxide films on heterogeneous microstructures is needed to assess local degradation (corrosion, cracking) in aggressive environments. The Volta potential is a surface-sensitive parameter which can be used to assess the surface nobility and hence passive films. In this work, it is shown that the Volta potential, measured on super duplex stainless steel by scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy, correlates with the electrochemical properties of the passive film, measured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarisation. Natural oxidation by ageing in ambient air as well as artificial oxidation by immersion in concentrated nitric acid improved the nobility, both reflected by increased Volta potentials and electrochemical parameters. Passivation was associated with vanishing of the inherent Volta potential difference between the ferrite and austenite, thereby reducing the galvanic coupling and hence improving the corrosion resistance of the material. Hydrogen-passive film interactions, triggered by cathodic polarisation, however, largely increased the Volta potential difference between the phases, resulting in loss of electrochemical nobility, with the ferrite being more affected than the austenite. A correlative approach of using the Volta potential in conjunction with electrochemical data has been introduced to characterise the nobility of passive films in global and local scale.
Author Correction: System immunology-based identification of blood transcriptional modules correlating to antibody responses in sheep
Authors: Braun Roman Othmar , Brunner Livia , Wyler Kurt , Auray Gaël , García-Nicolás Obdulio , Python Sylvie , Zumkehr Beatrice , Gaschen Véronique , Stoffel Michael Hubert , Collin Nicolas , Barnier-Quer Christophe , Bruggmann Rémy , Summerfield Artur
Published: February 2019

In the original published version of this Article, substantive revisions that had been requested during peer review, and assessed by the reviewers were omitted from the final version submitted by the authors. The corrections address the scientifically substantive issues that were not included in that version and have been corrected in the HTML and PDF versions of the Article. The Supplementary Information for this Correction includes the details of the changes made to the Article. All authors (R.O.B., L.B., K.W., G.A., O.G.N., S.P., B.Z., V.G., M.H.S., N.C., C.B.Q., R.B. and A.S.) have approved these changes.
Transcriptome-derived investigation of biosynthesis of quinolizidine alkaloids in narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) highlights candidate genes linked to iucundus locus
Authors: Kroc Magdalena , Koczyk Grzegorz , Kamel Katarzyna A. , Czepiel Katarzyna , Fedorowicz-Strońska Olga , Krajewski Paweł , Kosińska Joanna , Podkowiński Jan , Wilczura Paulina , Święcicki Wojciech
Published: February 2019

Unravelling the biosynthetic pathway of quinolizidine alkaloids (QAs), regarded as antinutritional compounds of narrow-leafed lupin (NLL) seeds, is fundamental to best exploit NLL as food or feed. We investigated 12 candidate genes connected to QA biosynthesis, selecting them by transcriptomic and genomic approaches, from the landscape of genes differentially expressed in leaves of the high- and low-alkaloid NLL accessions. Linkage analysis enabled the assessment of the location of the candidate genes in relation to iucundus, a major locus of unknown identity, that confers reduced QA content in seeds. The key finding was the identification of APETALA2/ethylene response transcription factor, RAP2-7, cosegregating with the iucundus locus and located within a region with highly significant QTLs that affect QA composition. We additionally identified a 4-hydroxy-tetrahydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS) gene involved in L-lysine biosynthesis as being closely linked to iucundus. The distributed location of other remaining candidates (including previously known QA genes) across different linkage groups, also indirectly supports the transcription factor as a possible regulator of lupin alkaloid biosynthesis. Our findings provide crucial insight into QA biosynthesis in NLL. Additionally, we evaluated and selected appropriate reference genes for qRT-PCRs to analyse the expression levels of QA genes in NLL.
Arrival Time Distributions of Spin-1/2 Particles
Authors: Das Siddhant , Dürr Detlef
Published: February 2019

The arrival time statistics of spin-1/2 particles governed by Pauli’s equation, and defined by their Bohmian trajectories, show unexpected and very well articulated features. Comparison with other proposed statistics of arrival times that arise from either the usual (convective) quantum flux or from semiclassical considerations suggest testing the notable deviations in an arrival time experiment, thereby probing the predictive power of Bohmian trajectories. The suggested experiment, including the preparation of the wave functions, could be done with present-day experimental technology.
Conditional Dicer1 depletion using Chrnb4-Cre leads to cone cell death and impaired photopic vision
Authors: Aldunate Eduardo Zabala , Di Foggia Valentina , Di Marco Fabiana , Hervas Laura Abelleira , Ribeiro Joana Claudio , Holder Daniel L. , Patel Aara , Jannini Tommaso B. , Thompson Dorothy A. , Martinez-Barbera Juan Pedro , Pearson Rachael A. , Ali Robin R. , Sowden Jane C.
Published: February 2019

Irreversible photoreceptor cell death is a major cause of blindness in many retinal dystrophies. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the progressive loss of photoreceptor cells remains therefore crucial. Abnormal expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been linked with the aetiology of a number of retinal dystrophies. However, their role during the degenerative process remains poorly understood. Loss of cone photoreceptors in the human macula has the greatest impact on sight as these cells provide high acuity vision. Using aChrnb4-cre; Dicerflox/floxconditional knockout mouse (Dicer CKO) to deleteDicer1from cone cells, we show that cone photoreceptor cells degenerate and die in theDicer-deleted retina. Embryonic eye morphogenesis appeared normal in Dicer CKO mice. Cone photoreceptor abnormalities were apparent by 3 weeks of age, displaying either very short or absent outer segments. By 4 months 50% of cones were lost and cone function was impaired as assessed by electroretinography (ERG). RNAseq analysis of the Dicer CKO retina revealed altered expression of genes involved in the visual perception pathway. These data show that loss ofDicer1leads to early-onset cone cell degeneration and suggest thatDicer1is essential for cone photoreceptor survival and homeostasis.
Origin and expansion of the mosquito Aedes aegypti in Madeira Island (Portugal)
Authors: Seixas Gonçalo , Salgueiro Patrícia , Bronzato-Badial Aline , Gonçalves Ysabel , Reyes-Lugo Matias , Gordicho Vasco , Ribolla Paulo , Viveiros Bela , Silva Ana Clara , Pinto João , Sousa Carla A.
Published: February 2019

Historically known as the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti invaded Madeira Island in 2005 and was the vector of the island’s first dengue outbreak in 2012. We have studied genetic variation at 16 microsatellites and two mitochondrial DNA genes in temporal samples of Madeira Island, in order to assess the origin of the invasion and the population structure of this mosquito vector. Our results indicated at least two independent colonization events occurred on the island, both having a South American source population. In both scenarios, Venezuela was the most probable origin of these introductions, a result that is in accordance with the socioeconomic relations between this country and Madeira Island. Once introduced, Ae. aegypti has rapidly expanded along the southern coast of the island and reached a maximum effective population size (Ne) in 2012, coincident with the dengue epidemic. After the outbreak, there was a 10-fold reduction in Ne estimates, possibly reflecting the impact of community-based vector control measures implemented during the outbreak. These findings have implications for mosquito surveillance not only for Madeira Island, but also for other European regions where Aedes mosquitoes are expanding.
Tunable polytetrafluoroethylene electret films with extraordinary charge stability synthesized by initiated chemical vapor deposition for organic electronics applications
Authors: Schröder Stefan , Strunskus Thomas , Rehders Stefan , Gleason Karen K. , Faupel Franz
Published: February 2019

Bulk polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) possesses excellent chemical stability and dielectric properties. Indeed, thin films with these same characteristics would be ideal for electret applications. Previously, the electret properties of PTFE-like thin films produced by rf sputtering or plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition were found to deteriorate due to structural changes and surface oxidation. In this article, the technique of initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) is evaluated for electret applications for the first time. The iCVD method is known for its solvent-free deposition of conformal, pinhole-free polymer thin films in mild process conditions. It is shown that PTFE thin films prepared in this way, show excellent agreement to commercial bulk PTFE with regard to chemical properties and dielectric dissipation factors. After ion irradiation in a corona discharge the iCVD PTFE thin films exhibit stable electret properties, which can be tailored by the process parameters. Due to the mild deposition conditions, the iCVD technique is suitable for deposition on flexible organic substrates for the next-generation electret devices. It is also compatible with state-of-the-art microelectronic processing lines due to the characteristics of conformal growth and easy scaling up to larger size substrates.
High-throughput, Efficient, and Unbiased Capture of Small RNAs from Low-input Samples for Sequencing
Authors: Belair Cassandra D. , Hu Tianyi , Chu Brandon , Freimer Jacob W. , Cooperberg Matthew R. , Blelloch Robert H.
Published: February 2019

MicroRNAs hold great promise as biomarkers of disease. However, there are few efficient and robust methods for measuring microRNAs from low input samples. Here, we develop a high-throughput sequencing protocol that efficiently captures small RNAs while minimizing inherent biases associated with library production. The protocol is based on early barcoding such that all downstream manipulations can be performed on a pool of many samples thereby reducing reagent usage and workload. We show that the optimization of adapter concentrations along with the addition of nucleotide modifications and random nucleotides increases the efficiency of small RNA capture. We further show, using unique molecular identifiers, that stochastic capture of low input RNA rather than PCR amplification influences the biased quantitation of intermediately and lowly expressed microRNAs. Our improved method allows the processing of tens to hundreds of samples simultaneously while retaining high efficiency quantitation of microRNAs in low input samples from tissues or bodily fluids.
Highly Selective Supported Graphene Oxide Membranes for Water-Ethanol Separation
Authors: Shin Yongsoon , Taufique Mohammad Fuad Nur , Devanathan Ram , Cutsforth Erika C. , Lee Jaewon , Liu Wei , Fifield Leonard S. , Gotthold David W.
Published: February 2019

A polyethersulfone (PES)-supported graphene oxide (GO) membrane has been developed by a simple casting approach. This stable membrane is applied for ethanol/water separation at different temperatures. The 5.0 µm thick GO film coated on PES support membrane showed a long-term stability over a testing period of one month and excellent water/ethanol selectivity at elevated temperatures. The water/ethanol selectivity is dependent on ethanol weight percentage in water/ethanol feed mixtures and on operating temperature. The water/ethanol selectivity was enhanced with an increase of ethanol weight percentage in water/ethanol mixtures, from below 100 at RT to close to 874 at a 90 °C for 90% ethanol/10% water mixture. Molecular dynamics simulation of water-ethanol mixtures in graphene bilayers, that are considered to play a key role in transport, revealed that molecular transport is negligible for layer spacing below 1 nm. The differences in the diffusion of ethanol and water in the bilayer are not consistent with the large selectivity value experimentally observed. The entry of water and ethanol into the interlayer space may be the crucial step controlling the selectivity.
Elevated ubiquitinated proteins in brain and blood of individuals with schizophrenia
Authors: Bousman Chad A. , Luza Sandra , Mancuso Serafino G. , Kang Dali , Opazo Carlos M. , Mostaid Md. Shaki , Cropley Vanessa , McGorry Patrick , Shannon Weickert Cynthia , Pantelis Christos , Bush Ashley I. , Everall Ian P.
Published: February 2019

Dysregulation of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) has been linked to schizophrenia but it is not clear if this dysregulation is detectable in both brain and blood. We examined free mono-ubiquitin, ubiquitinated proteins, catalytic ubiquitination, and proteasome activities in frozen postmortem OFC tissue from 76 (38 schizophrenia, 38 control) matched individuals, as well as erythrocytes from 181 living participants, who comprised 30 individuals with recent onset schizophrenia (mean illness duration = 1 year), 63 individuals with ‘treatment-resistant’ schizophrenia (mean illness duration = 17 years), and 88 age-matched participants without major psychiatric illness. Ubiquitinated protein levels were elevated in postmortem OFC in schizophrenia compared to controls (p = <0.001, AUC = 74.2%). Similarly, individuals with ‘treatment-resistant’ schizophrenia had higher levels of ubiquitinated proteins in erythrocytes compared to those with recent onset schizophrenia (p < 0.001, AUC = 65.5%) and controls (p < 0.001, AUC = 69.4%). The results could not be better explained by changes in proteasome activity, demographic, medication, or tissue factors. Our results suggest that ubiquitinated protein formation may be abnormal in both the brain and erythrocytes of those with schizophrenia, particularly in the later stages or specific sub-groups of the illness. A derangement in protein ubiquitination may be linked to pathogenesis or neurotoxicity in schizophrenia, and its manifestation in the blood may have prognostic utility.
Preoperative Prediction of Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis in Breast Cancer using Radiomics Features of DCE-MRI
Authors: Cui Xiaoyu , Wang Nian , Zhao Yue , Chen Shuo , Li Songbai , Xu Mingjie , Chai Ruimei
Published: February 2019

The accurate and noninvasive preoperative prediction of the state of the axillary lymph nodes is significant for breast cancer staging, therapy and the prognosis of patients. In this study, we analyzed the possibility of axillary lymph node metastasis directly based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the breast in cancer patients. After mass segmentation and feature analysis, the SVM, KNN, and LDA three classifiers were used to distinguish the axillary lymph node state in 5-fold cross-validation. The results showed that the effect of the SVM classifier in predicting breast axillary lymph node metastasis was significantly higher than that of the KNN classifier and LDA classifier. The SVM classifier performed best, with the highest accuracy of 89.54%, and obtained an AUC of 0.8615 for identifying the lymph node status. Each feature was analyzed separately and the results showed that the effect of feature combination was obviously better than that of any individual feature on its own.
A dicentric chromosome identification method based on clustering and watershed algorithm
Authors: Shen Xiang , Qi Yafeng , Ma Tengfei , Zhou Zhenggan
Published: February 2019

Aiming at the problem of low efficiency of dicentric chromosome identification counting under the microscope, this paper presents a joint processing algorithm combining clustering and watershed. The method first uses clustering and watershed algorithm to segment the original chromosome image, and then identifies the individual chromosomes. The results show that when the equivalent width Y parameter is selected m = 1, n = 1, the true positive rate of dicentric chromosome identification is 76.6%, and positive predictive value is 76.6% in high dose, which is higher than the threshold algorithm for the true positive rate (63.9%) and positive predictive value (63.5%). The number of identified dicentric chromosomes can be used for dose estimation. When 500 cells are used for identification and dose estimation, the dose estimation pass rate can reach 80% in high dose. But for low dose, more cells should be used to identify to increase the dose estimation pass rate.