bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolution of asexual and sexual reproduction in the aspergilli
Authors: Ojeda-López M. , Chen W. , Eagle C.E. , Gutiérrez G. , Jia W.L. , Swilaiman S.S. , Huang Z. , Park H.-S. , Yu J.-H. , Cánovas D. , Dyer P.S.
Published: October 2018

Aspergillus nidulanshas long-been used as a model organism to gain insights into the genetic basis of asexual and sexual developmental processes both in other members of the genusAspergillus, and filamentous fungi in general. Paradigms have been established concerning the regulatory mechanisms of conidial development. However, recent studies have shown considerable genome divergence in the fungal kingdom, questioning the general applicability of findings fromAspergillus, and certain longstanding evolutionary theories have been questioned. The phylogenetic distribution of key regulatory elements of asexual reproduction inA. nidulanswas investigated in a broad taxonomic range of fungi. This revealed that some proteins were well conserved in thePezizomycotina(e.g.AbaA, FlbA, FluG, NsdD, MedA, and some velvet proteins), suggesting similar developmental roles. However, other elements (e.g.BrlA) had a more restricted distribution solely in theEurotiomycetes, and it appears that the genetic control of sporulation seems to be more complex in the aspergilli than in some other taxonomic groups of thePezizomycotina. The evolution of the velvet protein family is discussed based on the history of expansion and contraction events in the early divergent fungi. Heterologous expression of theA. nidulans abaAgene inMonascus ruberfailed to induce development of complete conidiophores as seen in the aspergilli, but did result in increased conidial production. The absence of many components of the asexual developmental pathway from members of theSaccharomycotinasupports the hypothesis that differences in the complexity of their spore formation is due in part to the increased diversity of the sporulation machinery evident in thePezizomycotina. Investigations were also made into the evolution of sex and sexuality in the aspergilli.MATloci were identified from the heterothallicAspergillus(Emericella)heterothallicusandAspergillus(Neosartorya)fennelliaeand the homothallicAspergillus pseudoglaucus(=Eurotium repens). A consistent architecture of theMATlocus was seen in these and other heterothallic aspergilli whereas much variation was seen in the arrangement ofMATloci in homothallic aspergilli. This suggested that it is most likely that the common ancestor of the aspergilli exhibited a heterothallic breeding system. Finally, the supposed prevalence of asexuality in the aspergilli was examined. Investigations were made usingA. clavatusas a representative ‘asexual’ species. It was possible to induce a sexual cycle inA. clavatusgiven the correctMAT1-1andMAT1-2partners and environmental conditions, with recombination confirmed utilising molecular markers. This indicated that sexual reproduction might be possible in many supposedly asexual aspergilli and beyond, providing general insights into the nature of asexuality in fungi.
Duplications and losses of genes encoding known elements of the stress defence system of the Aspergilli contribute to the evolution of these filamentous fungi but do not directly influence their environmental stress tolerance
Authors: Emri T. , Antal K. , Riley R. , Karányi Z. , Miskei M. , Orosz E. , Baker S.E. , Wiebenga A. , de Vries R.P. , Pócsi I.
Published: October 2018

The contribution of stress protein duplication and deletion events to the evolution of the Aspergilli was studied. We performed a large-scale homology analysis of stress proteins and generated and analysed three stress defence system models based onSaccharomyces cerevisiae,Schizosaccharomyces pombeandAspergillus nidulans. Although both yeast-based andA. nidulans-based models were suitable to trace evolutionary changes, theA. nidulans-based model performed better in mapping stress protein radiations. The strong Mantel correlation found between the positions of species in the phylogenetic tree on the one hand and either in theA. nidulans-based orS. cerevisiae-based models on the other hand demonstrated that stress protein expansions and reductions contributed significantly to the evolution of the Aspergilli. Interestingly, stress tolerance attributes correlated well with the number of orthologs only for a few stress proteins. Notable examples are Ftr1 iron permease and Fet3 ferro-O2-oxidoreductase, elements of the reductive iron assimilation pathway, in theS. cerevisiae-based model, as well as MpkC, a HogA-like mitogen activated protein kinase in theA. nidulans-based model. In the case of the iron assimilation proteins, the number of orthologs showed a positive correlation with H2O2-induced stress tolerance while the number of MpkC orthologs correlated positively with Congo Red induced cell wall stress, sorbitol induced osmotic stress and H2O2 induced oxidative stress tolerances. For most stress proteins, changes in the number of orthologs did not correlate well with any stress tolerance attributes. As a consequence, stress tolerance patterns of the studied Aspergilli did not correlate with either the sets of stress response proteins in general or with the phylogeny of the species studied. These observations suggest that stress protein duplication and deletion events significantly contributed to the evolution of stress tolerance attributes of Aspergilli. In contrast, there are other processes, which may counterbalance the effects of stress gene duplications or deletions including (i) alterations in the structures of stress proteins leading to changes in their biological activities, (ii) varying biosynthesis of stress proteins, (iii) rewiring stress response regulatory networks or even (iv) acquiring new stress response genes by horizontal gene transfer. All these multilevel changes are indispensable for the successful adaptation of filamentous fungi to altering environmental conditions, especially when these organisms are entering new ecological niches.
The root-symbiotic Rhizoscyphus ericae aggregate and Hyaloscypha (Leotiomycetes) are congeneric: Phylogenetic and experimental evidence
Authors: Fehrer J. , Réblová M. , Bambasová V. , Vohník M.
Published: October 2018

Data mining for a phylogenetic study including the prominent ericoid mycorrhizal fungus Rhizoscyphus ericae revealed nearly identical ITS sequences of the bryophilous Hyaloscypha hepaticicola suggesting they are conspecific. Additional genetic markers and a broader taxonomic
sampling furthermore suggested that the sexual Hyaloscypha and the asexual Meliniomyces may be congeneric. In order to further elucidate these issues, type strains of all species traditionally treated as members of the Rhizoscyphus ericae aggregate (REA) and related taxa
were subjected to phylogenetic analyses based on ITS, nrLSU, mtSSU, and rpb2 markers to produce comparable datasets while an in vitro re-synthesis experiment was conducted to examine the root-symbiotic potential of H. hepaticicola in the Ericaceae. Phylogenetic
evidence demonstrates that sterile root-associated Meliniomyces, sexual Hyaloscypha and Rhizoscyphus, based on R. ericae, are indeed congeneric. To this monophylum also belongs the phialidic dematiaceous hyphomycetes Cadophora finlandica and Chloridium
paucisporum. We provide a taxonomic revision of the REA; Meliniomyces and Rhizoscyphus are reduced to synonymy under Hyaloscypha. Pseudaegerita, typified by P. corticalis, an asexual morph of H. spiralis which is a core member of Hyaloscypha,
is also transferred to the synonymy of the latter genus. Hyaloscypha melinii is introduced as a new root-symbiotic species from Central Europe. Cadophora finlandica and C. paucisporum are confirmed conspecific, and four new combinations in Hyaloscypha are proposed.
Based on phylogenetic analyses, some sexually reproducing species can be attributed to their asexual counterparts for the first time whereas the majority is so far known only in the sexual or asexual state. Hyaloscypha bicolor sporulating in vitro is reported for the first
time. Surprisingly, the mycological and mycorrhizal sides of the same coin have never been formally associated, mainly because the sexual and asexual morphs of these fungi have been studied in isolation by different research communities. Evaluating all these aspects allowed us to stabilize
the taxonomy of a widespread and ecologically well-studied group of root-associated fungi and to link their various life-styles including saprobes, bryophilous fungi, root endophytes as well as fungi forming ericoid mycorrhizae and ectomycorrhizae.
Late Pleistocene records of speleothem stable isotopic compositions from Pinnacle Point on the South African south coast
Authors: Braun Kerstin , Bar-Matthews Miryam , Matthews Alan , Ayalon Avner , Cowling Richard M. , Karkanas Panagiotis , Fisher Erich C. , Dyez Kelsey , Zilberman Tami , Marean Curtis W.
Published: October 2018

Highly resolved, well-dated paleoclimate records from the southern South African coast are needed to contextualize the evolution of the highly diverse extratropical plant communities of the Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR) and to assess the environmental impacts on early human hunter-gatherers. We present new speleothem stable oxygen and carbon isotope ratios (δ18Oc and δ13C) from two caves at Pinnacle Point, South Africa, covering the time between 330 and 43 ka. Composite δ18Oc and δ13C records were constructed for Staircase Cave and PP29 by combining all stable isotope analyses into a single time series and smoothing by a 3-point running mean. δ18Oc and δ13C values record changes in rainfall seasonality and the proportions of C3 and C4 plants in the vegetation, respectively. We show that in general increased summer rainfall brought about a wider spread of C4 grasses and retreat of the C3 plant–dominated GCFR communities. The occurrence of summer rainfall on the southern coast of South Africa was linked to total rainfall amounts in the interior region through tropical temperate troughs. These rainfall systems shifted the southern coastal climate toward more summer (winter) rainfall when precession was high (low) and/or the westerlies were in a northern (southern) position.
Hypocalcaemia following laryngectomy: prevalence and risk factors
Authors: Harris A S , Prades E , Passant C D , Ingrams D R
Published: October 2018

Objectives

To establish the prevalence of hypocalcaemia following laryngectomy and demonstrate that total thyroidectomy is a risk factor.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted that included all patients who underwent total laryngectomy from 1st January 2006 to 1st August 2017. Exclusion criteria were: pre-operative calcium derangement, previous thyroid or parathyroid surgery, concurrent glossectomy, pharyngectomy, or oesophagectomy.

Results

Ninety patients were included. Sixteen patients had early hypocalcaemia (18 per cent), seven had protracted hypocalcaemia (8 per cent) and six had permanent hypocalcaemia (10 per cent). Exact logistic regression values for hypocalcaemia following total thyroidectomy compared to other patients were: early hypocalcaemia, odds ratio = 15.5 (95 per cent confidence interval = 2.2–181.9; model p = 0.002); protracted hypocalcaemia, odds ratio = 13.3 (95 per cent confidence interval = 1.5–117.1; model p = 0.01); and permanent hypocalcaemia, odds ratio = 22.7 (95 per cent confidence interval = 1.9–376.5; model p = 0.005).

Conclusion

This is the largest study to investigate the prevalence of hypocalcaemia following laryngectomy and the first to include follow up of longer than three months. Total thyroidectomy significantly increased the risk of hypocalcaemia at all time frames and independent of other variables.
Carotid Stenting without Angioplasty
Authors: Men S. , Lownie S.P. , Pelz D.M.
Published: October 2018

Background:

Carotid angioplasty and stenting is gaining popularity as an alternative to carotid endarterectomy for the treatment of carotid bifurcation stenosis. The major concern with the procedure is the risk of embolic stroke which may be initiated by balloon angioplasty of friable atherosclerotic plaque. Elimination of angioplasty may result in a lower incidence of embolic complications.

Method:

We describe a case in which a self-expanding stent alone, without balloon angioplasty, was used to successfully dilate an atherosclerotic stenosis of the carotid bifurcation.

Results:

A moderate increase in vessel diameter, from 75% to 50%, was immediately observed after stent placement alone. No embolic complications were observed and follow-up plain film and ultrasound examinations showed progressive stent enlargement with excellent anatomic and hemodynamic results.

Conclusions:

In this case of severe carotid stenosis, the use of a self-expanding stent alone, without balloon angioplasty, resulted in excellent anatomic and hemodynamic improvement.
Cavernous Malformation of the Hypoglossal Nerve: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Chow Michael , Addas Bassam , Sangalang Virgilio , Holness Renn
Published: October 2018

Objective:

To describe a patient who presented with a hypoglossal nerve palsy caused by a cavernous malformation, review the literature on cavernous malformations associated with cranial nerves and the differential diagnosis of hypoglossal palsy.

Results:

Partial resection of the lesion was achieved and the diagnosis of cavernous malformation proven histologically.

Conclusions:

Involvement of a cranial nerve by a cavernous malformation is very uncommon and the facial nerve is the example most frequently reported. This case report adds another possible site for this rare occurrence.
Successful switching of patients with acute schizophrenia from another antipsychotic to brexpiprazole: comparison of clinicians’ choice of cross-titration schedules in a post hoc analysis of a randomized, double-blind, maintenance treatment study
Authors: Correll Christoph U. , Shi Lily , Weiss Catherine , Hobart Mary , Eramo Anna , Duffy Ruth A. , Weiller Emmanuelle , Baker Ross A.
Published: October 2018

Objective

To compare the tolerability and efficacy of different antipsychotic cross-titration schedules, using data from a brexpiprazole study (Equator; NCT01668797).

Methods

Patients with schizophrenia were cross-titrated from other antipsychotics to brexpiprazole monotherapy in a 1–4 week open-label conversion phase, then entered a single-blind brexpiprazole treatment phase. Patients were stratified into four “conversion groups,” according to the amount of time spent in the conversion phase. Discontinuation rates, treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), and efficacy (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale [PANSS]) were compared between conversion groups.

Results

Of the 404 patients treated with brexpiprazole, the majority (72.0%) spent 22–33 days in the conversion phase. Discontinuation rates due to lack of efficacy or adverse events were low in all conversion groups. Of the 292 patients who successfully switched and completed 8 weeks of brexpiprazole treatment, most were converted to brexpiprazole over 22–33 days (80.1%), and fewer were converted over 1–7 days (2.4%), 8–14 days (6.5%), or 15–21 days (11.0%). The incidence of TEAEs over 8 weeks was lower among those converted over 22–33 days (44.4%) than in other conversion groups (62.5–84.2%), although low patient numbers with shorter conversion times limit the generalizability of this finding. Each conversion group showed comparable improvement in PANSS total score from baseline.

Conclusion

The majority of patients were cross-titrated to brexpiprazole over a period of 22–33 days, by investigators’ choice. Additional data on shorter conversions may help clinicians to choose a switching paradigm that best meets their patients’ needs.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation and racial/ethnic disparities in food and beverage purchases
Authors: Grummon Anna H , Taillie Lindsey Smith
Published: October 2018

Objective

The current study aimed to (i) describe racial/ethnic disparities in household food and beverage purchases among participants and non-participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and (ii) examine longitudinal associations between SNAP participation and purchases by race/ethnicity.

Design

To describe disparities, we estimated sociodemographic-adjusted mean purchases of seven unhealthy food and beverage groups (e.g. junk food, sugar-sweetened beverages) and four nutrients (e.g. sugar, Na) among white, black and Hispanic SNAP-participating and non-participating households. To examine longitudinal associations, we used multivariable linear regression with household fixed effects.

Setting

USA, 2010–2014.

Subjects

Food and beverage purchases among low-income (≤250 % federal poverty line) US households (n30 403) participating in the Nielsen Homescan Panel.

Results

Among non-participants, there were significant black–white disparities (i.e. differences favouring white households) in households’ adjusted mean purchases of processed meat, sweeteners, sugar-sweetened beverages, energy and Na. These disparities persisted among SNAP participants. In contrast, the only significant Hispanic–white disparity among non-participants was for Na purchases; this disparity was reduced in magnitude and no longer significant among SNAP-participating households. Additionally, Hispanic households purchased less energy from junk foods than white households, regardless of SNAP status. In longitudinal models accounting for household fixed effects, SNAP participation was associated with increased energy purchased among black households. No other significant longitudinal associations between SNAP and purchase outcomes were observed.

Conclusions

SNAP may not be meeting its potential to improve food and beverage purchases or reduce disparities. Research is needed to identify strategies for ensuring nutritious purchases across all racial/ethnic groups.
BRITISH COMTISM AND MODERNIST DESIGN
Authors: WILSON MATTHEW
Published: October 2018

Scholars of political thought, sociology, and the arts have yet to fully explore the impact of positivism on modernist design theory and practice. This paper offers an intellectual history of the works of three generations of positivist sociologists who built on each other's works. They are Auguste Comte and Richard Congreve, Frederic Harrison and Charles Booth, and Patrick Geddes and Victor Branford. These actors developed different types of sociological survey, established a network of urban interventions, and proposed a series of planning programs and manifestos. It will be argued that their intention was to systematically reconcile international and domestic issues to realize a modern eutopia. Following this analysis, it will be shown that a similar language and practice appeared in the work of a diverse range of such modernist designers as Patrick Abercrombie, Sybella Gurney Branford, Louis Sullivan, H. P. Berlage, and Le Corbusier, among others.
A Poroelastic Model of Serpentinization: Exploring the Interplay Between Rheology, Surface Energy, Reaction, and Fluid Flow
Authors: Evans Owen , Spiegelman Marc , Kelemen Peter B.
Published: October 2018

The interactions between reactive fluids and solids are critical in Earth dynamics. Implications of such processes are wide ranging: from earthquake physics to geologic carbon sequestration and the cycling of fluids and volatiles through subduction zones. Peridotite alteration is a common feature in many of these processes, which—despite its obvious importance—is relatively poorly understood from a geodynamical perspective. In particular, although frequently observed in nature, it is still unknown how rocks can undergo 100% hydration/carbonation. One potential explanation of this observation is the mechanism of reaction‐driven cracking: that volume changes associated with these reactions are large enough to fracture the surrounding rock, leading to a positive feedback where new reactive surfaces are exposed and fluid pathways are created. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relative roles of reaction, elastic stresses, and surface tension in alteration reactions. In this regard, we derive a system of equations describing reactive fluid flow in elastically deformable porous media, which we apply to a model of serpentinization in a subseafloor environment. The stoichiometry of the serpentinization reaction predicts net volume reduction of the multiphase system, which, according to our numerical simulations, can lead to failure in tension. We also explore a parameterization of surface energy in the model, which allows fluid to infiltrate regions of dry peridotite, significantly changing the stresses and potentially leading to growing crack fronts.
Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Captured in Seismic Recordings
Authors: Kornei Katherine
Published: October 2018

A flood that thundered through eastern Nepal in July 2016 left a telltale seismic signature and caused more erosion than local monsoon rains, new research shows.
Echo of the Younger Dryas in Holocene Lake Sediments on the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Ramisch Arne , Tjallingii Rik , Hartmann Kai , Diekmann Bernhard , Brauer Achim
Published: October 2018

Reading the sediment record in terms of past climates is challenging since linking climate change to the associated responses of sedimentary systems is not always straightforward. Here we analyze the erosional response of landscapes on the Tibetan Plateau to interglacial climate forcing. Using the theory of dynamical systems on Holocene time series of geochemical proxies, we derive a sedimentary response model that accurately simulates observed proxy variation in three lake records. The model suggests that millennial variations in sediment composition reflect a self‐organization of landscapes in response to abrupt climate change between 11.6 and 11.9 ka BP. The self‐organization is characterized by oscillations in sediment supply emerging from a feedback between physical and chemical erosion processes, with estimated response times between 3,000 to 18,000 years depending on catchment topography. The implications of our findings emphasize the need for landscape response models to decipher the paleoclimatic code in continental sediment records.
Identifying 3‐D Vortex Structures At/Around the Magnetopause Using a Tetrahedral Satellite Configuration
Authors: Cai D. , Lembège B. , Hasegawa H. , Nishikawa K.‐I.
Published: October 2018

Identifying vortices is the key to understanding the turbulence in plasma shear layers. This paper aims to provide general guidelines for identifying 3‐D vortex structures. Currently, no single precise definition of a vortex is universally accepted, despite the significance of vortices in fluid and plasma dynamics. Recently, various vortex identification methods using Galilean invariance have been proposed by numerous researchers. These methods are general for different fluid and plasma visualization applications. In the present paper, we describe how we have identified 105 vortex structures by applying these methods to Cluster data near the duskside of the magnetopause. Four sets of Cluster satellite magnetic field data are used to linearly approximate the magnetic field. We identify the 3‐D magnetic vortex structures by using various vortex identification criteria as follows: (i) the first criterion is Q‐criterion that defines vortices as regions in which the vorticity energy prevails over other energies; (ii) the second criterion is the λ2‐criterion that is related to the minus eigenvalue of the Hessian matrix of the pressure terms; and (iii) the third criterion called the geometrical line‐type method requires the existence of Galilean‐invariant vortex core inside the four Cluster tetrahedral regions. In reality, both Q‐ and λ2‐criteria are also related to Galilean invariance. The present analysis evidences that the geometrical line‐type method is more precise than the other two using Cluster satellite magnetic field data.
Argo Observations of the Deep Mixing Band in the Southern Ocean: A Salinity Modeling Challenge
Authors: DuVivier Alice K. , Large William G. , Small R. Justin
Published: October 2018

The Southern Ocean plays an important role in mediating oceanic uptake of CO2 and heat due to a strong meridional overturning circulation. Gridded Argo float data for 2004–2017 were used to evaluate subsurface processes at the mixed layer depth (MLD) that occur in a narrow deep mixing band. Shifts in the value of the Turner Angle at the MLD indicate that early in the season the MLD deepens slowly as it encounters and is stabilized by a subsurface salt maximum. By September mixing has penetrated this salinity feature and the rate of deepening is faster once the MLD is deeper than the depth where the maximum salinity occurs (~150–200 m). This distinctive salinity layer is the result of surface Ekman transport of fresh water from the south and subsurface advection of high‐salinity water from the north. Two configurations of the Community Earth System Model (CESM) ocean‐ice forced hindcast experiments—one with 1° and the other with 0.1° horizontal resolution (Parallel Ocean Program low and high resolutions [POP‐LR and POP‐HR], respectively)—are compared with the Argo data for 2005–2009. POP‐LR has a shallow MLD bias common to many Fifth Coupled Models Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) models, while POP‐HR has a mix of deep and shallow MLD biases. While both models were able to replicate the large‐scale processes leading to formation of a high‐salinity layer, the salinity feature in POP‐HR is too strong and deep. Neither model was able to replicate the vertical mixing processes leading to penetration of the subsurface salt maximum.
Gut bacterial and fungal communities in ground-dwelling beetles are associated with host food habit and habitat
Authors: Kudo Rina , Masuya Hayato , Endoh Rikiya , Kikuchi Taisei , Ikeda Hiroshi
Published: October 2018

Beetles (Coleoptera) have the highest species diversity among all orders, and they have diverse food habits. Gut microbes may have contributed to this diversification of food habits. Here, we identified the pattern of the relationship between ground-dwelling beetles and their gut microbial communities (bacteria and fungi) in the field. We collected 46 beetle species of five families from secondary deciduous forests and grasslands in Japan and extracted microbial DNA from whole guts for amplicon sequencing. The gut bacterial and fungal communities differed among all habitats and all food habits of their hosts (carnivores, herbivores, omnivores, and scavengers) except for the fungal communities between carnivores and scavengers. Specifically, the abundant bacterial group varied among food habits: Xanthomonadaceae were abundant in scavengers, whereas Enterobacteriaceae were abundant in carnivores and herbivores. Phylogenetically closely related beetles had phylogenetically similar communities of Enterobacteriaceae, suggesting that the community structure of this family is related to the evolutionary change in beetle ecology. One of the fungal groups, Yarrowia species, which has been reported to have a symbiotic relationship with silphid beetles, was also detected from various carnivorous beetles. Our results suggest that the symbiotic relationships between ground-dwelling beetles and these microbes are widespread.
Author Correction: Complete elimination of information leakage in continuous-variable quantum communication channels
Authors: Jacobsen Christian S. , Madsen Lars S. , Usenko Vladyslav C. , Filip Radim , Andersen Ulrik L.
Published: October 2018

In the original published version of the Article, the inline equation for the conditional covariance matrix γA|B was listed as γA|B = γA − γB,11−1C Π C. This equation should be γA|B = γA − γB,11−1 σAB Π σAB. This has now been corrected in the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.
Author Correction: Impact of hormone receptor status and distant recurrence-free interval on survival benefits from trastuzumab in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer
Authors: Yang Hai-Yuan , Ma Ding , Liu Yi-Rong , Hu Xin , Zhang Jian , Wang Zhong-Hua , Di Gen-Hong , Hu Xi-Chun , Shao Zhi-Ming
Published: October 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.
Author Correction: Proteome analysis reveals a role of rainbow trout lymphoid organs during Yersinia ruckeri infection process
Authors: Kumar Gokhlesh , Hummel Karin , Noebauer Katharina , Welch Timothy J. , Razzazi-Fazeli Ebrahim , El-Matbouli Mansour
Published: October 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.
Point-of-Care Screening for a Current Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Influence on Uptake of a Concomitant Offer of HIV Screening
Authors: Geretti Anna Maria , Austin Harrison , Villa Giovanni , Hungerford Dan , Smith Colette , Davies Paula , Williams Jillian , Beloukas Apostolos , Sawicki Wojciech , Hopkins Mark
Published: October 2018

Eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat requires an improved understanding of how to increase testing uptake. We piloted point-of-care testing (POCT) for a current HCV infection in an inner-city Emergency Department (ED) and assessed the influence on uptake of offering concomitant screening for HIV. Over four months, all adults attending ED with minor injuries were first invited to complete an anonymous questionnaire then invited to test in alternating cycles offering HCV POCT or HCV+HIV POCT. Viral RNA was detected in finger-prick blood by GeneXpert. 814/859 (94.8%) questionnaires were returned and 324/814 (39.8%) tests were accepted, comprising 211 HCV tests and 113 HCV+HIV tests. Offering concomitant HIV screening reduced uptake after adjusting for age and previous HCV testing (odds ratio 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.38–0.68; p < 0.001). HCV prevalence was 1/324 (0.31%; 95% CI 0.05–1.73); no participant tested positive for HIV. 167/297 (56.2%) POCT participants lived in the most deprived neighbourhoods in England. HCV RNA testing using finger-prick blood was technically feasible. Uptake was moderate and the offer of concomitant HIV screening showed a detrimental impact on acceptability in this low prevalence population. The findings should be confirmed in a variety of other community settings.
3D-cultured human placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cell spheroids enhance ovary function by inducing folliculogenesis
Authors: Kim Tae-Hee , Choi Jong Ho , Jun Yesl , Lim Seung Mook , Park Sohae , Paek Jin-Young , Lee Sang-Hoon , Hwang Ji-Young , Kim Gi Jin
Published: October 2018

Placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells (PD-MSCs) have numerous advantages over other adult MSCs that make them an attractive cell source for regenerative medicine. Here, we demonstrate the therapeutic effect of PD-MSCs in ovariectomized (Ovx) rats and compare their efficacy when generated via a conventional monolayer culture system (2D, naïve) and a spheroid culture system (3D, spheroid). PD-MSC transplantation significantly increased the estradiol level in Ovx rats compared with the non-transplantation (NTx) group. In particular, the estradiol level in the Spheroid group was significantly higher than that in the Naïve group at 2 weeks. Spheroid PD-MSCs exhibited a significantly higher efficiency of engraftment onto ovarian tissues at 2 weeks. The mRNA and protein expression levels of Nanos3, Nobox, and Lhx8 were also significantly increased in the Spheroid group compared with those in the NTx group at 1 and 2 weeks. These results suggest that PD-MSC transplantation can restore ovarian function in Ovx rats by increasing estrogen production and enhancing folliculogenesis-related gene expression levels and further indicate that spheroid-cultured PD-MSCs have enhanced therapeutic potential via increased engraftment efficiency. These findings improve our understanding of stem-cell-based therapies for reproductive systems and may suggest new avenues for developing efficient therapies using 3D cultivation systems.
Novel small molecules affecting cell membrane as potential therapeutics for avian pathogenic Escherichia coli
Authors: Kathayat Dipak , Helmy Yosra A. , Deblais Loic , Rajashekara Gireesh
Published: October 2018

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC), a most common bacterial pathogen of poultry, causes multiple extra-intestinal diseases in poultry which results in significant economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. In addition, APEC are a subgroup of extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC), and APEC contaminated poultry products are a potential source of foodborne ExPEC infections to humans and transfer of antimicrobial resistant genes. The emergence of multi-drug resistant APEC strains and the limited efficacy of vaccines necessitate novel APEC control approaches. Here, we screened a small molecule (SM) library and identified 11 SMs bactericidal to APEC. The identified SMs were effective against multiple APEC serotypes, biofilm embedded APEC, antimicrobials resistant APECs, and other pathogenic E. coli strains. Microscopy revealed that these SMs affect the APEC cell membrane. Exposure of SMs to APEC revealed no resistance. Most SMs showed low toxicity towards chicken and human cells and reduced the intracellular APEC load. Treatment with most SMs extended the wax moth larval survival and reduced the intra-larval APEC load. Our studies could facilitate the development of antimicrobial therapeutics for the effective management of APEC infections in poultry as well as other E. coli related foodborne zoonosis, including APEC related ExPEC infections in humans.
Behavioral facilitation and increased brain responses from a high interference working memory context
Authors: Samrani George , Marklund Petter , Engström Lisa , Broman Daniel , Persson Jonas
Published: October 2018

Many real-life situations require flexible behavior in changing environments. Evidence suggests that anticipation of conflict or task difficulty results in behavioral and neural allocation of task-relevant resources. Here we used a high- and low-interference version of an item-recognition task to examine the neurobehavioral underpinnings of context-sensitive adjustment in working memory (WM). We hypothesized that task environments that included high-interference trials would require participants to allocate neurocognitive resources to adjust to the more demanding task context. The results of two independent behavioral experiments showed enhanced WM performance in the high-interference context, which indicated that a high-interference context improves performance on non-interference trials. A third behavioral experiment showed that when WM load was increased, this effect was no longer significant. Neuroimaging results further showed greater engagement of inferior frontal gyrus, striatum, parietal cortex, hippocampus, and midbrain in participants performing the task in the high- than in the low-interference context. This effect could arise from an active or dormant mode of anticipation that seems to engage fronto-striatal and midbrain regions to flexibly adjust resources to task demands. Our results extend the model of conflict adaptation beyond trial-to-trial adjustments by showing that a high interference context affects both behavioral and biological aspects of cognition.
Limits of Detection of Gravimetric Signals on Earth
Authors: Rosat S. , Hinderer J.
Published: October 2018

Gravimetry is a well-established tool to probe the deep Earth’s processes. Geophysical signals coming from the deep Earth, like the inner core free oscillations, have however never been detected. Challenging quests raise the question of the limits of detection of elusive signals at the Earth’s surface. Knowledge of the instrumental limits and of the environmental noise level at a site is fundamental to judge the true sensitivity of an instrument. We perform a noise level comparison of various gravimeters and a long-period seismometer at the J9 gravimetric observatory of Strasbourg (France) to provide a reference of instrumental performances. We then apply a three-channel correlation analysis of time-varying surface gravity from superconducting gravimeter records to isolate the instrumental self-noise from the environmental noise. The self-noise coherence analysis shows that the instrumental noise level remains flat towards lower frequencies till 10−4 Hz. At seismic frequencies, the self-noise is well explained by a Brownian thermal noise model. At daily and sub-daily time-scales, self-noise is increasing with the period but to a much lesser extent than observed noise level. Observed Earth’s ambient noise level at sub-seismic frequencies is hence mostly due to unmodeled geophysical processes. At hourly time-scales, our ability to detect elusive signals coming from the deep Earth’s interior is not limited by the instrument capability but is mostly due to the environmental effects.
Nickel-catalyzed, ligand-free, diastereoselective synthesis of 3-methyleneindan-1-ols
Authors: Panchal Heena , Clarke Christopher , Bell Charles , Karad Somnath Narayan , Lewis William , Lam Hon Wai
Published: October 2018

Nickel-catalyzed, highly diastereoselective annulations between activated allenes and 2-acetylarylboronic acid or 2-formylarylboronic acids to give 3-methyleneindan-1-ols are reported.
Nearly monodisperse PbS quantum dots for highly efficient solar cells: anin situseeded ion exchange approach
Authors: Dou Yan , Zhou Ru , Wan Lei , Niu Haihong , Zhou Juntian , Xu Jinzhang , Cao Guozhong
Published: October 2018

A facilein situseeded ion-exchange is explored to produce nearly monodisperse Pbs QDs sensitized mesoporous TiO2for highly efficient photovoltaics.
Aggregation response of triglyceride hydrolysis products in cyclohexane and triolein
Authors: Vierros Sampsa , Österberg Monika , Sammalkorpi Maria
Published: October 2018

Aggregation mechanism and the existence of cmc depend on apolar solvent quality and surfactant head group polarity.
Engineering more stable proteins
Authors: Kazlauskas Romas
Published: October 2018

The dynamic native, functional folded forms of proteins are unstable mainly because they readily unfold into flexible unstructured forms.
Titanium thiosalicylate complexes: functional metalloligands for the construction of redox-active heterometallic architectures
Authors: Fandos Rosa , Bruña Sonia , Hernández Carolina , Otero Antonio , Rodríguez Ana , Ruiz María José , Terreros Pilar , Cuadrado Isabel
Published: October 2018

A new versatile titanium metalloligand for the synthesis of redox active d0–d8heterometallic complexes.
Lemon juice mediated multicomponent reactions for the synthesis of fused imidazoles
Authors: Saha Argha , Jana Asim , Choudhury Lokman H.
Published: October 2018

A green approach for the synthesis of diverse medicinally important tricyclic fused imidazoles has been described using one-pot multicomponent reactions in lemon juice as a biocatalyst as well as the reaction medium.
Synthesis of nanostructured metal sulfides via a hydrothermal method and their use as an electrode material for supercapacitors
Authors: Ikkurthi Kanaka Durga , Srinivasa Rao S. , Jagadeesh M. , Reddy Araveeti Eswar , Anitha Tarugu , Kim Hee-Je
Published: October 2018

Metal sulfides have attracted considerable interest owing to their notable electrochemical properties and multiple application areas, such as solar cells and supercapacitors (SCs).
Ge1−xSnx alloy quantum dots with composition-tunable energy gaps and near-infrared photoluminescence
Authors: Tallapally Venkatesham , Nakagawara Tanner A. , Demchenko Denis O. , Özgür Ümit , Arachchige Indika U.
Published: October 2018

Colloidal synthesis and photophysical characterization of silicon-compatible Ge1−xSnx alloy quantum dots with composition-tunable near-infrared absorption and photoluminescence is reported.
Defect-free SnTe topological crystalline insulator nanowires grown by molecular beam epitaxy on graphene
Authors: Sadowski Janusz , Dziawa Piotr , Kaleta Anna , Kurowska Bogusława , Reszka Anna , Story Tomasz , Kret Sławomir
Published: October 2018

SnTe topological crystalline insulator nanowires have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy on graphene/SiC substrates.
Synthesis of α-alkylated γ-butyrolactones with concomitant anhydride kinetic resolution using a sulfamide-based catalyst
Authors: Claveau Romain , Twamley Brendan , Connon Stephen J.
Published: October 2018

The organocatalytic kinetic resolution of chiral asymmetrically substituted succinic anhydrides has been developed via cycloaddition with aldehydes in the presence of a novel sulfamide catalyst.
Sodium carbonate promoted [3 + 2] annulation of α-halohydroxamates and isocyanates
Authors: Sun Shaofa , Chen Rongxing , Wang Gangqiang , Wang Jian
Published: October 2018

Access to hydantoin coresviaa [3 + 2] annulation of α-halohydroxamates and isocyanates involving aza-oxyallyl cations.
The evolution of crystalline structures during gel spinning of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers
Authors: Henry Christopher K. , Palmese Giuseppe R. , Alvarez Nicolas J.
Published: October 2018

The Weissenberg number during gel spinning controls the crystalline morphology of the as spun UHMWPE fiber. The final drawn crystalline morphology strongly depends on the starting as-spun crystalline structure.
Surface wrinkling of an elastic graded layer
Authors: Chen Zhou , Zhang Xiaofei , Song Jizhou
Published: October 2018

Surface wrinkling of an elastic graded layer is studied theoretically, numerically and experimentally.
A Hue‐domain filtering technique for enhancing spatial sampled compressed sensing‐based SAR images
Authors: Sabanci Kadir , Yigit Enes , Toktas Abdurrahim , Kayabasi Ahmet
Published: October 2018

Millimeter‐wave synthetic aperture radar (SAR) implementations need many sampling points that means huge data collection and long processing time. Owing to compressed sensing, SAR data can be easily reconstructed with fewer random samples than Shannon/Nyquist criteria. The most used sampling strategy is to select samples from all spatial‐frequency SAR data. Since this type of sampling strategy requires many sampling probes that makes application impractical, sparse aperture sampling strategies have been proposed recently. However, a high noise ratio in spatial‐sampled (SS) images is still a disturbing problem to be solved. In this study, a novel Hue‐domain filtering technique (HFT) is proposed to remove unwanted noises from SS‐SAR images. For this purpose, reconstructed SAR images are transformed to the red, green, and blue, and hue, saturation, and value formats, respectively. Then the best threshold ratio to distinguish the noises from the targets is determined by means of the Otsu method. Thus, the mask containing only the target information is formed and applied to the SAR image. Thanks to the proposed technique, whole noise signs are removed without any target loss from the reconstructed image. The accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed HFT are verified by means of both visual comparison of the results and integrated side‐lobe ratios of the real measurements.
An implicit algorithm for the dynamic study of nonlinear vibration of spur gear system with backlash
Authors: Hilali Youssef , Braikat Bouazza , Lahmam Hassane , Damil Noureddine
Published: October 2018

In this work, we propose some regularization techniques to adapt the implicit high order algorithm based on the coupling of the asymptotic numerical methods (ANM) (Cochelin et al., Méthode Asymptotique Numérique, Hermès-Lavoisier, Paris, 2007; Mottaqui et al., Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng. 199 (2010) 1701–1709; Mottaqui et al., Math. Model. Nat. Phenom. 5 (2010) 16–22) and the implicit Newmark scheme for solving the non-linear problem of dynamic model of a two-stage spur gear system with backlash. The regularization technique is used to overcome the numerical difficulties of singularities existing in the considered problem as in the contact problems (Abichou et al., Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng. 191 (2002) 5795–5810; Aggoune et al., J. Comput. Appl. Math. 168 (2004) 1–9). This algorithm combines a time discretization technique, a homotopy method, Taylor series expansions technique and a continuation method. The performance and effectiveness of this algorithm will be illustrated on two examples of one-stage and two-stage gears with spur teeth. The obtained results are compared with those obtained by the Newton–Raphson method coupled with the implicit Newmark scheme.
Stabilization of free CaO in molten BOF slag by addition of silica at high temperature
Authors: Yin Xiao , Zhang Chongmin , Wang Guocheng , Cai Yonghong , Zhao Changming
Published: October 2018

The unstable free CaO (f-CaO) has always been the bottleneck that limits the application of basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag as a construction material. In this work, silica was regarded as the stabilization addition to make the f-CaO in molten BOF slag stabilized at high temperature. The influences of experimental conditions on the f-CaO stabilization were studied. The results show that the main influential factors on elimination rate of f-CaO are the ratio CaO/SiO2, reaction temperature and stabilization time. In this work setting conditions, with the ratio CaO/SiO2 less than 2.7, the reaction temperature under 1525 °C and the stabilization time over 10 min, the f-CaO content in the stabilized slag falls to the level of less than 3.00%, which can fully meet the Chinese national standard of steel slag powder used for cement and concrete. Additionally, the XRD results indicate that f-CaO is stabilized by silica in forming akermanite phase at high temperature. Moreover, the observation obtained from FESEM indicates that the undissolved lime and precipitated CaO changed into clustered CaO in the stabilized slag with its size ranging from 0.6 µm to 2.5 µm.
Kinetic study on compositional variations of inclusions, steel and slag during refining process
Authors: Zhang Ying , Ren Ying , Zhang Lifeng
Published: October 2018

A steel-slag-inclusion-alloy-refractory-air multiphase model, which combined the kinetic analysis and the consideration of fluid flow in argon-stirred ladle, was established to investigate the compositional changes during refining process. The steel-slag reaction, the steel and inclusion reaction, the refractory-steel reaction, the refractory dissolution into the slag, the reoxidation of the molten steel, the removal of inclusions by floating, and the alloy dissolution were all considered in the current model. The stirring energy, the average speed of the molten steel in the plume, the horizontal speed of the molten steel in the open eye, the speed of the molten steel near the side wall, the speed of the molten steel at the bottom of the ladle and the volume fraction of the plume were obtained by mathematical simulation. The mass transfer coefficient of the molten steel is obtained by mathematical simulation. Meanwhile, it is assumed that the mass transfer coefficient of inclusions is influenced by the temperature. The calculation results are in accordance with the experimental ones. The influence of different slag compositions, different gas flow rates, and different inclusion diameters on system compositions were also investigated using the current model. It is indicated that the content of T.O. in the molten steel was influenced by the gas flow rate and the removal rate of inclusions goes up with the increasing inclusion diameter.