bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diastase Activity Retention and Physical Properties of Honey/Arabic Gum Mixtures After Spray Drying and Storage
Authors: Samborska Katarzyna , Wasilewska Aleksandra , Gondek Ewa , Jakubczyk Ewa , Kamińska-Dwórznicka Anna
Published: February 2017

The effect of heat treatment (75 °C) and spray drying with the addition of Arabic gum (inlet/outlet air temperature 180/75 °C), on the diastase activity of multifloral honey (MH) and rape honey (RH) was investigated. The physical properties of the powders (particle size and morphology, water content and activity, bulk loose and tapped density, angle of repose, hygroscopicity) directly after drying and after 12 weeks of storage were studied. During heat treatment, diastase activity decreased gradually, to decline below limit values after 180 min. Diastase activity in the powders was lower than in fresh honeys, but it was concluded that temperature was not the only factor affecting this decrease. Powders were characterized by low water content and medium flowability, which was improved after storage due to particle size increase. Diastase activity in powders was stable during storage.
Catalytic Degradation of Safranin T in Aqueous Medium Using Non-conventional Processes
Authors: Sydorchuk V. , Khalameida S. , Charmas B. , Skubiszewska-Zięba J. , Zazhigalov V. , Davydenko L.
Published: February 2017

Eleven TiO
Oxidation characteristics of heavy crude oil in ignition process
Authors: LIU Yi-fei , LIU Kai
Published: February 2017

The ignition process has a significant influence on the success of in-situ combustion at heavy oil reservoirs. During this process, oxidation reactions between crude oil and injected air mainly occurred. In this paper, a series of oxidation experiments were performed at different reaction temperatures and air-oil ratios to investigate the heavy oil oxidation characteristics at different stages of the ignition process. The results revealed that heat release and production of CO and CO
Degradation of catechol on BiOCl: charge transfer complex formation and photoactivity
Authors: Li Min , Jin Yongsheng , Su Jing , Shen Jingxiang
Published: February 2017

BiOCl photocatalysts were successfully synthesized using Bi(NO
Vaginal examination vs. cervical length – which is superior in predicting preterm birth?
Authors: Sharvit Merav , Weiss Reut , Ganor Paz Yael , Tzadikevitch Geffen Keren , Danielli Miller Netanella , Biron-Shental Tal
Published: February 2017

Objective:

To compare the predictive value of preterm birth (PTB) by transvaginal sonographic cervical length (CL) measurement to digital examination of the cervix (Bishop score – BS), in patients with premature contractions (PC) and intact membranes.

Design:

A retrospective case-control study.

Setting:

Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.

Population:

Women at 24–34 weeks of gestation who were hospitalized with PC and intact membranes.

Methods:

All patients underwent CL and BS measurements upon admission. Power analysis revealed that 375 patients were needed to show a significant difference between the two methods for predicting PTB. Each one served as her own control.

Main outcome measures:

PTB<37 and<34 weeks.

Results:

Receiver-operator characteristic curve (ROC) and logistic regression analyses indicated a correlation between both shortened CL and increased BS to PTB (P<0.001). Neither test offered an advantage in predicting PTB. Areas under the curve for BS and CL ROC were similar for PTB before 37 weeks gestation (0.611 vs. 0.640, P=0.28). For nulliparous women, CL predicted PTB better that BS (0.642 vs. 0.724, P=0.03). For singleton and multiple pregnancy pregnancies, BS and CL did not differ significantly in predicting PTB (P=0.9, P=0.2, respectively). For nulliparous with multiple pregnancy, the BS and CL ROC curves differ nearly significantly (0.554 vs. 0.709, P=0.07), with better predictive ability for CL.

Conclusions:

CL and BS have similar value in predicting PTB in patients with PC. For nulliparous women, CL is superior over the BS.
Taxonomic status of Wiedomys marplatensis, an enigmatic fossil cricetid (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae): neither Wiedomys nor Wiedomyini
Authors: Pardiñas Ulyses F.J. , Barbière Franck
Published: February 2017

The generic placement and tribal affiliation of Wiedomys marplatensis Quintana, 2002 are revised based on the study of its holotype and a single known remains from San Andrés Formation (Early Pleistocene; Buenos Aires Province, Argentina). The anatomical traits selected as indicators belonging to Wiedomys Hershkovitz, 1959 are interpreted here as general similarities. Wiedomys marplatensis is removed from Wiedomys and is considered as a junior synonym of Cholomys pearsoni Reig, 1980. The affiliation of the latter to Wiedomyini is discussed and the alternative hypothesis to allocate Cholomys Reig, 1980 in Oryzomyini is advanced. Although further research and more fossils are necessary to solve this issue, the placement of Cholomys as Sigmodontinae incertae sedis and the avoidance of using it as a point of calibration in molecular phylogenies are suggested.
The Music Repertoire of the Society of Jesus in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1565–1773)
Authors: Jeż Tomasz
Published: February 2017

The paper presents the research project coordinated by the University of Warsaw and financed by the Minister of Science and Higher Education as part of the “Tradition 1a” module of the National Programme for the Development of Humanities. The main task of this research project is the documentation of the Jesuit music repertory produced and disseminated on the territory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The results of the project work will be published in a new editorial series, which will include catalogues of sources and music iconography, monographs, databases and critical editions of music-related sources of Jesuit provenience. The publications will appear in print and on-line.

The expected research results will serve not only musicologists, but also representatives of other fields of humanities. The work of the international research team is hoped to restore to the national heritage the forgotten monuments of Jesuit musical culture and should lead to a reliable assessment of their historical value.

The results of the research of the international team of scientists will influence the present-day sense of identity of the countries which in the past jointly formed the literary culture our Commonwealth.
Rock and Roll Styles and Genres in Poland (1957–1973)
Authors: Gradowski Mariusz
Published: February 2017

This paper describes the process of establishing rock and roll styles and genres (as defined by Allan F. Moore) in Polish musical culture. My Ph.D. research has revealed three phases in this process. Phase 1: imitation (1957-1962), phase 2: Polonisation (1962-1967) and phase 3: artistic re-interpretation (1967-1973). I present the detailed characteristics of each phase (i.e. their socio-political context, the phenomenon of cover versions, the fusion of rock and roll with local folk music, the development of original artistic language) as well as providing musical examples (mostly from Czesław Niemen’s recordings, which remain one of the most interesting examples of Polish popular music).
National Dances in the Canon of Polish Culture
Authors: Nowak Tomasz
Published: February 2017

The following dances are most commonly considered nowadays as national dances (or emblems of Polish national culture): the polonaise, the mazur, the krakowiak, the oberek and the kujawiak. These dances form the cultural canon as defined by Andrzej Szpociński (i.e. a constantly revised part of tradition which carries significance outside the domain of dance and is obligatory for all the community members). In Polish musicological studies it has been emphasised that the phenomenon of stereotypisation of native folklore has played a major role in the formation and emergence of emblematic national phenomena. However, some of the phenomena and processes that have taken place during the formation and revision of the national canon cannot be reduced to the idea of creating a stereotype. The author of this paper draws on Maria Janion’s treatment of the categories of myth and phantasm, which can be much more useful for the interpretation especially of borderline or clearly alien phenomena that have frequently found their way into the Polish national dance canon and played a very important role in that canon. The author also discusses the changing functions of dances from the canon, which resulted from external circumstances determined by political events and social processes.
Research on 18th Century Music in Poland. An Introduction
Authors: Paczkowski Szymon
Published: February 2017

Research on 18th-century music has been one of the key areas of interest for musicologists ever since the beginnings of musicological studies in Poland. It initially developed along two distinct lines: general music history (with publications mostly in foreign languages) and local history (mostly in Polish). In the last three decades the dominant tendency among Polish researchers has been, however, to relate problems of 18th-century Polish musical culture to the political history of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and more generally – to the political history of Central Europe at large. The most important subjects taken up in research on 18th-century music include: the musical cultures of the royal court in 18th-century Warsaw (primarily in the works of Alina Żórawska-Witkowska) as well as Polish aristocratic residences (e.g. studies by Szymon Paczkowski and Irena Bieńkowska), the ecclesiastical and monastic circles (publications by Alina Mądry, Paweł Podejko, Remigiusz Pośpiech and Tomasz Jeż); problems of musical style (texts by Szymon Paczkowski); research on sources containing music by European composers (e.g. by Johann Adolf Hasse); the musical culture of cities (of Gdańsk, first and foremost); studies concerning the transfer of music and music-related materials, the musical centres and peripheries, etc.
Experimental and theoretical studies on extraction of actinides and lanthanides by alicyclic H-phosphonates
Authors: Annam Suresh , Gopakumar Gopinadhanpillai , Brahmmananda Rao C.V.S. , Sivaraman N. , Sivaramakrishna Akella , Vijayakrishna Kari
Published: February 2017

Three different alicyclic substituents H-phosphonates, namely, dicyclopentyl H-phosphonate, dicyclohexyl H-phosphonate and dimenthyl H-phosphonate were synthesized and used for liquid–liquid extraction of actinide elements (U, Am and Th) and lanthanide (Gd) in n-dodecane from nitric acid medium. The physicochemical properties of the extractants, such as density, viscosity, solubility were determined. At lower acidities, these H-phosphonates exhibit higher distribution values and the extraction following cation exchange mechanism through P–OH group of tri-coordinated phosphite form. At higher acidities (2N), the extraction is primarily via solvation mechanism through P=O group of penta-coordinated phosphonate form. Amongst the three H-phosphonates, examined dimenthyl H-phosphonate showed the best results for the actinide extraction. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were applied to understand the electronic structure of the ligands and the metal complexes. The calculated large complexation energy of UO2(NO3)2·2DMnHP is in agreement with the observed trend in experimental distribution ratio data.
Discrete simulation of granular and particle-fluid flows: from fundamental study to engineering application
Authors: Ge Wei , Wang Limin , Xu Ji , Chen Feiguo , Zhou Guangzheng , Lu Liqiang , Chang Qi , Li Jinghai
Published: February 2017

Multiphase chemical reactors with characteristic multiscale structures are intrinsically discrete at the elemental scale. However, due to the lack of multiscale models and the limitation of computational capability, such reactors are traditionally treated as continua through straightforward averaging in engineering simulations or as completely discrete systems in theoretical studies. The continuum approach is advantageous in terms of the scale and speed of computation but does not always give good predictions, which is, in many cases, the strength of the discrete approach. On the other hand, however, the discrete approach is too computationally expensive for engineering applications. Developments in computing science and technologies and encouraging progress in multiscale modeling have enabled discrete simulations to be extended to engineering systems and represent a promising approach to virtual process engineering (VPE, or virtual reality in process engineering). In this review, we analyze this emerging trend and emphasize that multiscale discrete simulations (MSDS), that is, considering multiscale structures in discrete simulation through rational coarse-graining and coupling between discrete and continuum methods with the effect of mesoscale structures accounted in both cases, is an effective way forward, which can be complementary to the continuum approach that is being improved by multiscale modeling also. For this purpose, our review is not meant to be a complete summary to the literature on discrete simulation, but rather a demonstration of its feasibility for engineering applications. We therefore discuss the enabling methods and technologies for MSDS, taking granular and particle-fluid flows as typical examples in chemical engineering. We cover the spectrum of modeling, numerical methods, algorithms, software implementation and even hardware-software codesign. The structural consistency among these aspects is shown to be the pivot for the success of MSDS. We conclude that with these developments, MSDS could soon become, among others, a mainstream simulation approach in chemical engineering which enables VPE.
Defensive reflexes in people with pain – a biomarker of the need to protect? A meta-analytical systematic review
Authors: Wallwork Sarah B. , Grabherr Luzia , O’Connell Neil E. , Catley Mark J. , Moseley G. Lorimer
Published: February 2017

Upregulation of defensive reflexes such as the nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) has been attributed to sensitisation of peripheral and spinal nociceptors and is often considered biomarkers of pain. Experimental modulation of defensive reflexes raises the possibility that they might be better conceptualised as markers of descending cognitive control. Despite strongly held views on both sides and several narrative reviews, there has been no attempt to evaluate the evidence in a systematic manner. We undertook a meta-analytical systematic review of the extant English-language literature from inception. Thirty-six studies satisfied our a priori criteria. Seventeen were included in the meta-analysis. Reflexive threshold was lower in people with clinical pain than it was in pain-free controls, but reflex size, latency, and duration were unaffected. The pattern of difference was not consistent with sensitisation of nociceptive neurones, as these changes were not isolated to the affected body part but was more consistent with top-down cognitive control reflective of heightened protection of body tissue. The pattern of modulation is dependent on potentially complex evaluative mechanisms. We offer recommendations for future investigations and suggest that defensive reflex threshold may reflect a biomarker of a broader psychological construct related to bodily protection, rather than sensitisation of primary nociceptors, spinal nociceptors, or pain.
Binary Markov Random Fields and interpretable mass spectra discrimination
Authors: Kong Ao , Azencott Robert
Published: February 2017

For mass spectra acquired from cancer patients by MALDI or SELDI techniques, automated discrimination between cancer types or stages has often been implemented by machine learning algorithms. Nevertheless, these techniques typically lack interpretability in terms of biomarkers. In this paper, we propose a new mass spectra discrimination algorithm by parameterized Markov Random Fields to automatically generate interpretable classifiers with small groups of scored biomarkers. A dataset of 238 MALDI colorectal mass spectra and two datasets of 216 and 253 SELDI ovarian mass spectra respectively were used to test our approach. The results show that our approach reaches accuracies of 81% to 100% to discriminate between patients from different colorectal and ovarian cancer stages, and performs as well or better than previous studies on similar datasets. Moreover, our approach enables efficient planar-displays to visualize mass spectra discrimination and has good asymptotic performance for large datasets. Thus, our classifiers should facilitate the choice and planning of further experiments for biological interpretation of cancer discriminating signatures. In our experiments, the number of mass spectra for each colorectal cancer stage is roughly half of that for each ovarian cancer stage, so that we reach lower discrimination accuracy for colorectal cancer than for ovarian cancer.
How Charitable Is the Charitable Contribution Deduction?
Authors: Margalioth Yoram
Published: February 2017

Section 170 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code is known as the “charitable contribution deduction.” This Article explores the section’s rationale as well as its effect on income/wealth distribution. It reaches the conclusion that the deduction can be justified on efficiency (mitigating the free-riding on public goods and asymmetric information problems) and democracy grounds, but is not “charitable,” as its distributive effects are neutral or even regressive.
Competence, Desert and Trust — Why are Women Penalized in Online Product Market Interactions?
Authors: Kricheli-Katz Tamar , Regev Tali
Published: February 2017

Why do women sellers in product markets receive lower prices than men sellers when selling the same identical products? This Article investigates the effects of cultural beliefs about competence, desert and trust on market interactions with women and men sellers. We use an experimental approach to show that the prices people are willing to pay for the exact same product (a $100 Amazon gift card) are affected by cultural beliefs about gender; when a woman sells a gift card, she is likely to receive five percent less for it, compared to when a man does. Our analysis further suggests that it is beliefs about women’s relative competence and moral entitlement that drive the gender price gap in product markets. When the participants in the experiment were presented with information that suggested that the woman seller was a competent or entitled seller, no gender price differences were found between such women sellers and their equally qualified male counterparts. Nonetheless, information about the trustworthiness of sellers did not decrease the gap between women and men sellers. This suggests that price gaps between women and men in product markets are not generated by beliefs about the trustworthiness of women and men.
The New Inequality of Old Age: Implications for Law
Authors: Alstott Anne L.
Published: February 2017

Inequality isn’t just for the young anymore. People over age sixty-five face large and growing inequalities in health, wealth, work, and family. The widening gap between better- and worse-off older Americans has begun to undermine legal institutions that once worked to correct inequality, including Social Security, Medicare, private pensions, and family law. In this Article, I briefly document the inequalities that have transformed old age in the last fifty years (or so) and then analyze three common justifications for reform: budget solvency, inequality, and progressivity. I show that each of these falls short of the kind of principled justification that will be needed to justify cutting benefits, raising taxes, or both.
Forces of Federalism, Safety Nets, and Waivers
Authors: Stiglitz Edward H.
Published: February 2017

Inequality is the defining feature of our times. Many argue that it calls for a policy response, yet the most obvious policy responses require legislative action. And if inequality is the defining feature of our times, partisan acrimony and gridlock are the defining features of the legislature. That being so, it is worth considering what role administrative agencies, and administrative law, might play in ameliorating or exacerbating economic inequality. Here, I focus on American safety net programs, many of which are joint operations between federal administrative agencies and state governments. In this context, a central mode of bureaucratic policy innovation comes in the form of administrative waivers, whereby a federal administrative agency waives some statutory requirement that is otherwise binding on state administrators. For example, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently granted waivers to allow several states to impose various “personal responsibility” requirements on Medicaid beneficiaries.

Faced with a choice between legislative inactivity and policy innovation through waivers, many scholars and policymakers of both parties have tended to favor waivers. The appeal of waivers as a path around legislative gridlock is compelling. However, I argue that this view has neglected the federal structure of American safety net programs, and does not account for the state politics of implementation. Moreover, scholars have not focused on the severe information problems that federal agencies face when issuing waivers; a permissive waiver regime exacerbates these problems. Focusing on Medicaid implementation, I highlight the risks of waivers for American safety net programs. Before concluding, I discuss possible reforms to administrative procedures, and offer a case study of litigation surrounding one recent waiver application. The case study illustrates many of the theoretical arguments, and further demonstrates the failure of judicial review; it indicates how review might be adjusted to promote more effective use of waivers and diminish their perils.
The Effects of Enclosing Cultivated Land on the Physical Properties of Soil in the Loess Hill Region of Ordos
Authors: Wang Lin , Xue Fengna , Gao Wenbang , Shi Jing , Sun Shanshan , Liu Junxiu , Su Rina , Xie Yunhu , Hai Chunxing , Xiaojia Li
Published: February 2017

Protection of the environment by returning farmland to forest and grassland through enclosing areas of land to permit regeneration of native flora is being implemented in the Loess hill region of China. Soil physical properties are important components of ecological systems, as comparisons between cultivated and enclosed areas demonstrate. The results showed: the soil moisture content in the enclosed area was 14.6% and that in the cultivated area was 14%; the soil bulk density and soil porosity were respectively 1.45 g/cm3 and 45.28% in the enclosed areas, and respectively 1.46 g/cm3 and 44.79% in cultivated land. The alteration of soil physical properties was not big between cultivated areas and enclosed areas in the short term.
Riparian Vegetation on the Left Tributaries of the Danube Along the “Clisura” Cross Valley
Authors: Schneider-Binder Erika
Published: February 2017

The author presents the riparian vegetation of the left tributaries of the Danube in the “Clisura” area including the habitat types 91E0* Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae), 6430 Hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities and other interlocking habitats. They are analysed from the ecological and the phytocoenological point of view. Discussed are also their phytogeographical particularities. Furthermore are emphasized the changes of the vegetation on the lower part of the tributaries as a consequence of the construction of the Iron Gate power plant and the backwater situation. Finally the conservation status of the riparian habitats is analysed in the context of their importance for the European Natura 2000 network.
Reproductive Biology of Mangrove PlantsClerodendrum inerme, Derris trifoliata, Suaeda maritima, Suaeda monoica, Suaeda nudiflora
Authors: Aluri Jacob Solomon Raju , Kumar Rajendra , Chappidi Prasada Rao
Published: February 2017

Floral biology, sexual system, breeding system, pollinators, fruiting and seed dispersal aspects of five mangrove associate species, namely,Clerodendrum inerme,Derris trifoliata,Suaeda maritima, S. monoica, andS. nudiflorawere studied. All these species are hermaphroditic, self-compatible, and exhibit mixed breeding systems adapted for pollination by external agents.C. inermeandD. trifoliataare principally entomophilous, whileSuaedaspecies are ambophilous. The study suggests that these plant species are important constituents of mangrove forests.C. inermeandD. trifoliataare useful in stabilizing the banks of back water creeks, whileSuaedaspecies are useful to carpet the saline areas and desalinate the soils which are subsequently useful for agricultural activities.
Conservation Status of Some Peatbogs in Maramureş County
Authors: Danci Oana
Published: February 2017

Peat bogs and specially raised bogs are vulnerable ecosystems all over the world and they create refuges for some rare plant species. The aim of this paper is to provide information regarding the conservation status of five oligotrophic peat bogs situated in the volcanic mountains in the Oriental Chain of Carpathians, in Maramureș County. The studied peat bogs are: Tăul lui Dumitru (Dumitru Pond), Mlaștina Vlășinescu (Vlășinescu Peat bog), Iezeru Mare (Big Tarn), Tăul Chendroaiei (Chendroaiei Pond) and Tăul Negru (Black Pond), all of them have the status of nature reserve and under the IUCN categories they are included in category IV Habitat/Species Management Area (www.iucn.org, 2016). The analysis of the selected peat bogs reveals that all five of them have the vegetation included in the Natura 2000 priority habitat 7110* Active raised bogs. The conservation status of these peat bogs was evaluated and it is variable from moderate to very good conservation status.
The River Valleys as Biodiversity Reservoirs for Land Snails in Highly Anthropic Areas – The Case of Cisnădie River (Romania)
Authors: Gheoca Voichiţa
Published: February 2017

This study focuses on the snail fauna of a river valley passing through two closely located settlements. Thirty six species of terrestrial gastropods were identified. Species such as Macrogastra borealis, Alinda fallax, Alinda viridana, Bulgarica vetusta, Monachoides vicinus, Drobacia banatica, are present along the river and abundant in the sampling stations downstream of Cisnădie town. The high specific diversity and the presence of typical forest species demonstrate the presence of fragments of habitat that can preserve populations of terrestrial gastropods, underlining the importance of river valleys in conservation and dispersion of these species.
Alterations in Cytosolic and Mitochondrial [U-13C]Glucose Metabolism in a Chronic Epilepsy Mouse Model
Authors: McDonald Tanya S. , Carrasco-Pozo Catalina , Hodson Mark P. , Borges Karin
Published: February 2017

Temporal lobe epilepsy is a common form of adult epilepsy and shows high resistance to treatment. Increasing evidence has suggested that metabolic dysfunction contributes to the development of seizures, with previous studies indicating impairments in brain glucose metabolism. Here we aim to elucidate which pathways involved in glucose metabolism are impaired, by tracing the hippocampal metabolism of injected [U-13C]glucose (i.p.) during the chronic stage of the pilocarpine-status epilepticus mouse model of epilepsy. The enrichment of13C in the intermediates of glycolysis and the TCA cycle were quantified in hippocampal extracts using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectroscopy, along with the measurement of the activities of enzymes in each pathway. We show that there is reduced incorporation of13C in the intermediates of glycolysis, with the percentage enrichment of all downstream intermediates being highly correlated with those of glucose 6-phosphate. Furthermore, the activities of all enzymes in this pathway including hexokinase and phosphofructokinase were unaltered, suggesting that glucose uptake is reduced in this model without further impairments in glycolysis itself. The key findings were 33% and 55% losses in the activities of pyruvate dehydrogenase and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, respectively, along with reduced13C enrichment in TCA cycle intermediates. This lower13C enrichment is best explained in part by the reduced enrichment in glycolytic intermediates, whereas the reduction of key TCA cycle enzyme activity indicates that TCA cycling is also impaired in the hippocampal formation. Together, these data suggest that multitarget approaches may be necessary to restore metabolism in the epileptic brain.
Distinct Effects of miR-210 Reduction on Neurogenesis: Increased Neuronal Survival of Inflammation But Reduced Proliferation Associated with Mitochondrial Enhancement
Authors: Voloboueva Ludmila A. , Sun Xiaoyun , Xu Lijun , Ouyang Yi-Bing , Giffard Rona G.
Published: February 2017

Neurogenesis is essential to brain development and plays a central role in the response to brain injury. Stroke and head trauma stimulate proliferation of endogenous neural stem cells (NSCs); however, the survival of young neurons is sharply reduced by postinjury inflammation. Cellular mitochondria are critical to successful neurogenesis and are a major target of inflammatory injury. Mitochondrial protection was shown to improve survival of young neurons. This study tested whether reducing cellular microRNA-210 (miR-210) would enhance mitochondrial function and improve survival of young murine neurons under inflammatory conditions. Several studies have demonstrated the potential of miR-210 inhibition to enhance and protect mitochondrial function through upregulation of mitochondrial proteins. Here, miR-210 inhibition significantly increased neuronal survival and protected the activity of mitochondrial enzymes cytochromecoxidase and aconitase in differentiating NSC cultures exposed to inflammatory mediators. Unexpectedly, we found that reducing miR-210 significantly attenuated NSC proliferation upon induction of differentiation. Further investigation revealed that increased mitochondrial function suppressed the shift to primarily glycolytic metabolism and reduced mitochondrial length characteristic of dividing cells. Activation of AMP-regulated protein kinase–retinoblastoma signaling is important in NSC proliferation and the reduction of this activation observed by miR-210 inhibition is one mechanism contributing to the reduced proliferation. Postinjury neurogenesis occurs as a burst of proliferation that peaks in days, followed by migration and differentiation over weeks. Our studies suggest that mitochondrial protective miR-210 inhibition should be delayed until after the initial burst of proliferation, but could be beneficial during the prolonged differentiation stage.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTIncreasing the success of endogenous neurogenesis after brain injury holds therapeutic promise. Postinjury inflammation markedly reduces newborn neuron survival. This study found that enhancement of mitochondrial function by reducing microRNA-210 (miR-210) levels could improve survival of young neurons under inflammatory conditions. miR-210 inhibition protected the activity of mitochondrial enzymes cytochromecoxidase and aconitase. Conversely, we observed decreased precursor cell proliferation likely due to suppression of the AMP-regulated protein kinase–retinoblastoma axis with miR-210 inhibition. Therefore, mitochondrial protection is a double-edged sword: early inhibition reduces proliferation, but inhibition later significantly increases neuroblast survival. This explains in part the contradictory published reports of the effects of miR-210 on neurogenesis.
Hebbian Spike-Timing Dependent Plasticity at the Cerebellar Input Stage
Authors: Sgritta Martina , Locatelli Francesca , Soda Teresa , Prestori Francesca , D'Angelo Egidio Ugo
Published: February 2017

Spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) is a form of long-term synaptic plasticity exploiting the time relationship between postsynaptic action potentials (APs) and EPSPs. Surprisingly enough, very little was known about STDP in the cerebellum, although it is thought to play a critical role for learning appropriate timing of actions. We speculated that low-frequency oscillations observed in the granular layer may provide a reference for repetitive EPSP/AP phase coupling. Here we show that EPSP-spike pairing at 6 Hz can optimally induce STDP at the mossy fiber–granule cell synapse in rats. Spike timing-dependent long-term potentiation and depression (st-LTP and st-LTD) were confined to a ±25 ms time-window. Because EPSPs led APs in st-LTP while APs led EPSPs in st-LTD, STDP was Hebbian in nature. STDP occurred at 6–10 Hz but vanished >50 Hz or <1 Hz (where only LTP or LTD occurred). STDP disappeared with randomized EPSP/AP pairing or high intracellular Ca2+buffering, and its sign was inverted by GABA-A receptor activation. Both st-LTP and st-LTD required NMDA receptors, but st-LTP also required reinforcing signals mediated by mGluRs and intracellular calcium stores. Importantly, st-LTP and st-LTD were significantly larger than LTP and LTD obtained by modulating the frequency and duration of mossy fiber bursts, probably because STDP expression involved postsynaptic in addition to presynaptic mechanisms. These results thus show that a Hebbian form of STDP occurs at the cerebellum input stage, providing the substrate for phase-dependent binding of mossy fiber spikes to repetitive theta-frequency cycles of granule cell activity.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTLong-term synaptic plasticity is a fundamental property of the brain, causing persistent modifications of neuronal communication thought to provide the cellular basis of learning and memory. The cerebellum is critical for learning the appropriate timing of sensorimotor behaviors, but whether and how appropriate spike patterns could drive long-term synaptic plasticity remained unknown. Here, we show that this can actually occur through a form of spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) at the cerebellar inputs stage. Pairing presynaptic and postsynaptic spikes at 6–10 Hz reliably induced STDP at the mossy fiber–granule cell synapse, with potentiation and depression symmetrically distributed within a ±25 ms time window. Thus, STDP can bind plasticity to the mossy fiber burst phase with high temporal precision.
Amygdalar Gating of Early Sensory Processing through Interactions with Locus Coeruleus
Authors: Fast Cynthia D. , McGann John P.
Published: February 2017

Fear- and stress-induced activity in the amygdala has been hypothesized to influence sensory brain regions through the influence of the amygdala on neuromodulatory centers. To directly examine this relationship, we used optical imaging to observe odor-evoked activity in populations of olfactory bulb inhibitory interneurons and of synaptic terminals of olfactory sensory neurons (the primary sensory neurons of the olfactory system, which provide the initial olfactory input to the brain) during pharmacological inactivation of amygdala and locus coeruleus (LC) in mice. Although the amygdala does not directly project to the olfactory bulb, joint pharmacological inactivation of the central, basolateral, and lateral nuclei of the amygdala nonetheless strongly suppressed odor-evoked activity in GABAergic inhibitory interneuron populations in the OB. This suppression was prevented by inactivation of LC or pretreatment of the olfactory bulb with a broad-spectrum noradrenergic receptor antagonist. Visualization of synaptic output from olfactory sensory neuron terminals into the olfactory bulb of the brain revealed that amygdalar inactivation preferentially strengthened the odor-evoked synaptic output of weakly activated populations of sensory afferents from the nose, thus demonstrating a change in sensory gating potentially mediated by local inhibition of olfactory sensory neuron terminals. We conclude that amygdalar activity influences olfactory processing as early as the primary sensory input to the brain by modulating norepinephrine release from the locus coeruleus into the olfactory bulb. These findings show that the amygdala and LC state actively determines which sensory signals are selected for processing in sensory brain regions. Similar local circuitry operates in the olfactory, visual, and auditory systems, suggesting a potentially shared mechanism across modalities.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe affective state is increasingly understood to influence early neural processing of sensory stimuli, not just the behavioral response to those stimuli. The present study elucidates one circuit by which the amygdala, a critical structure for emotional learning, valence coding, and stress, can shape sensory input to the brain and early sensory processing through its connections to the locus coeruleus. One function of this interaction appears to be sensory gating, because inactivating the central, basolateral, and lateral nuclei of the amygdala selectively strengthened the weakest olfactory inputs to the brain. This linkage of amygdalar and LC output to primary sensory signaling may have implications for affective disorders that include sensory dysfunctions like hypervigilance, attentional bias, and impaired sensory gating.
Cannabinoids Activate Monoaminergic Signaling to Modulate KeyC. elegansBehaviors
Authors: Oakes Mitchell D. , Law Wen Jing , Clark Tobias , Bamber Bruce A. , Komuniecki Richard
Published: February 2017

Cannabis sativa, or marijuana, a popular recreational drug, alters sensory perception and exerts a range of potential medicinal benefits. The present study demonstrates that the endogenous cannabinoid receptor agonists 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and anandamide (AEA) activate a canonical cannabinoid receptor inCaenorhabditis elegansand also modulate monoaminergic signaling at multiple levels. 2-AG or AEA inhibit nociception and feeding through a pathway requiring the cannabinoid-like receptor NPR-19. 2-AG or AEA activate NPR-19 directly and cannabinoid-dependent inhibition can be rescued innpr-19-null animals by the expression of a human cannabinoid receptor, CB1, highlighting the orthology of the receptors. Cannabinoids also modulate nociception and locomotion through an NPR-19-independent pathway requiring an α2A-adrenergic-like octopamine (OA) receptor, OCTR-1, and a 5-HT1A-like serotonin (5-HT) receptor, SER-4, that involves a complex interaction among cannabinoid, octopaminergic, and serotonergic signaling. 2-AG activates OCTR-1 directly. In contrast, 2-AG does not activate SER-4 directly, but appears to enhance SER-4-dependent serotonergic signaling by increasing endogenous 5-HT. This study defines a conserved cannabinoid signaling system inC. elegans, demonstrates the cannabinoid-dependent activation of monoaminergic signaling, and highlights the advantages of studying cannabinoid signaling in a genetically tractable whole-animal model.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTCannabis sativa, or marijuana, causes euphoria and exerts a wide range of medicinal benefits. For years, cannabinoids have been studied at the cellular level using tissue explants with conflicting results. To better understand cannabinoid signaling, we have used theCaenorhabditis elegansmodel to examine the effects of cannabinoids on behavior. The present study demonstrates that mammalian cannabinoid receptor ligands activate a conserved cannabinoid signaling system inC. elegansand also modulate monoaminergic signaling, potentially affecting an array of disorders, including anxiety and depression. This study highlights the potential role of cannabinoids in modulating monoaminergic signaling and the advantages of studying cannabinoid signaling in a genetically tractable, whole-animal model.
Structural studies of RFCCtf18 reveal a novel chromatin recruitment role for Dcc1
Authors: Wade Benjamin O , Liu Hon Wing , Samora Catarina P , Uhlmann Frank , Singleton Martin R
Published: February 2017

Replication factor C complexes load and unload processivity clamps from DNA and are involved in multiple DNA replication and repair pathways. The RFCCtf18 variant complex is required for activation of the intra‐S‐phase checkpoint at stalled replication forks and aids the establishment of sister chromatid cohesion. Unlike other RFC complexes, RFCCtf18 contains two non‐Rfc subunits, Dcc1 and Ctf8. Here, we present the crystal structure of the Dcc1‐Ctf8 heterodimer bound to the C‐terminus of Ctf18. We find that the C‐terminus of Dcc1 contains three‐winged helix domains, which bind to both ssDNA and dsDNA. We further show that these domains are required for full recruitment of the complex to chromatin, and correct activation of the replication checkpoint. These findings provide the first structural data on a eukaryotic seven‐subunit clamp loader and define a new biochemical activity for Dcc1.
A Population Genomics Approach to Assessing the Genetic Basis of Within-Host Microevolution Underlying Recurrent Cryptococcal Meningitis Infection
Authors: Rhodes Johanna , Beale Mathew A , Vanhove Mathieu , Jarvis Joseph N , Kannambath Shichina , Simpson John A , Ryan Anthea , Meintjes Graeme , Harrison Thomas S , Fisher Matthew C , Bicanic Tihana
Published: February 2017

Recurrence of meningitis due to Cryptococcus neoformans after treatment causes substantial mortality in HIV/AIDS patients across sub-Saharan Africa. In order to determine whether recurrence occurred due to relapse of the original infecting isolate or reinfection with a different isolate weeks or months after initial treatment, we used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to assess the genetic basis of infection in 17 HIV-infected individuals with recurrent cryptococcal meningitis (CM). Comparisons revealed a clonal relationship for 15 pairs of isolates recovered before and after recurrence showing relapse of the original infection. The two remaining pairs showed high levels of genetic heterogeneity; in one pair we found this to be a result of infection by mixed genotypes, while the second was a result of nonsense mutations in the gene encoding the DNA mismatch repair proteins MSH2, MSH5, and RAD5. These nonsense mutations led to a hypermutator state, leading to dramatically elevated rates of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions. Hypermutator phenotypes owing to nonsense mutations in these genes have not previously been reported in C. neoformans, and represent a novel pathway for rapid within-host adaptation and evolution of resistance to first-line antifungal drugs.
Genetic Analysis of Teosinte Alleles for Kernel Composition Traits in Maize
Authors: Karn Avinash , Gillman Jason D , Flint-Garcia Sherry A
Published: February 2017

Teosinte (Zea mays ssp. parviglumis) is the wild ancestor of modern maize (Zea mays ssp. mays). Teosinte contains greater genetic diversity compared with maize inbreds and landraces, but its use is limited by insufficient genetic resources to evaluate its value. A population of teosinte near isogenic lines (NILs) was previously developed to broaden the resources for genetic diversity of maize, and to discover novel alleles for agronomic and domestication traits. The 961 teosinte NILs were developed by backcrossing 10 geographically diverse parviglumis accessions into the B73 (reference genome inbred) background. The NILs were grown in two replications in 2009 and 2010 in Columbia, MO and Aurora, NY, respectively, and near infrared reflectance spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance calibrations were developed and used to rapidly predict total kernel starch, protein, and oil content on a dry matter basis in bulk whole grains of teosinte NILs. Our joint-linkage quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping analysis identified two starch, three protein, and six oil QTL, which collectively explained 18, 23, and 45% of the total variation, respectively. A range of strong additive allelic effects for kernel starch, protein, and oil content were identified relative to the B73 allele. Our results support our hypothesis that teosinte harbors stronger alleles for kernel composition traits than maize, and that teosinte can be exploited for the improvement of kernel composition traits in modern maize germplasm.
Unstable Inheritance of 45S rRNA Genes inArabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Rabanal Fernando A , Nizhynska Viktoria , Mandáková Terezie , Novikova Polina Yu , Lysak Martin A , Mott Richard , Nordborg Magnus
Published: February 2017

The considerable genome size variation in Arabidopsis thaliana has been shown largely to be due to copy number variation (CNV) in 45S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. Surprisingly, attempts to map this variation by means of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) failed to identify either of the two likely sources, namely the nucleolus organizer regions (NORs). Instead, GWAS implicated a trans-acting locus, as if rRNA gene CNV was a phenotype rather than a genotype. To explain these results, we investigated the inheritance and stability of rRNA gene copy number using the variety of genetic resources available in A. thaliana — F2 crosses, recombinant inbred lines, the multiparent advanced-generation inter-cross population, and mutation accumulation lines. Our results clearly show that rRNA gene CNV can be mapped to the NORs themselves, with both loci contributing equally to the variation. However, NOR size is unstably inherited, and dramatic copy number changes are visible already within tens of generations, which explains why it is not possible to map the NORs using GWAS. We did not find any evidence of trans-acting loci in crosses, which is also expected since changes due to such loci would take very many generations to manifest themselves. rRNA gene copy number is thus an interesting example of “missing heritability”—a trait that is heritable in pedigrees, but not in the general population.
Elevated Rate of Genome Rearrangements in Radiation-Resistant Bacteria
Authors: Repar Jelena , Supek Fran , Klanjscek Tin , Warnecke Tobias , Zahradka Ksenija , Zahradka Davor
Published: February 2017

A number of bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic species are known for their resistance to ionizing radiation. One of the challenges these species face is a potent environmental source of DNA double-strand breaks, potential drivers of genome structure evolution. Efficient and accurate DNA double-strand break repair systems have been demonstrated in several unrelated radiation-resistant species and are putative adaptations to the DNA damaging environment. Such adaptations are expected to compensate for the genome-destabilizing effect of environmental DNA damage and may be expected to result in a more conserved gene order in radiation-resistant species. However, here we show that rates of genome rearrangements, measured as loss of gene order conservation with time, are higher in radiation-resistant species in multiple, phylogenetically independent groups of bacteria. Comparison of indicators of selection for genome organization between radiation-resistant and phylogenetically matched, nonresistant species argues against tolerance to disruption of genome structure as a strategy for radiation resistance. Interestingly, an important mechanism affecting genome rearrangements in prokaryotes, the symmetrical inversions around the origin of DNA replication, shapes genome structure of both radiation-resistant and nonresistant species. In conclusion, the opposing effects of environmental DNA damage and DNA repair result in elevated rates of genome rearrangements in radiation-resistant bacteria.