bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ASSESSING LIVESTOCK WATER PRODUCTIVITY IN MIXED FARMING SYSTEMS OF GUMARA WATERSHED, ETHIOPIA
Authors: ALEMAYEHU MENGISTU , AMEDE TILAHUN , PEDEN DON , KUMSA TESFAYE , BÖHME MICHAEL H. , PETERS KURT J.
Published: July 2017

A monitoring study was carried out in Gumara watershed, upper Blue Nile basin, with the objective of evaluating livestock water productivity (LWP) using a life cycle assessment method. Sixty two smallholder farmers were selected for the study implemented between November 2006 and February 2008. Data on crop and livestock production were collected to allow assessment of livestock water productivity. Study sites were situated in three different rainfed mixed crop/livestock farming systems; barley/potato based system (BPS), tef/finger-millet based system (TMS), and rice/noug based system (RNS). LWP was found to be significantly lower (p < 0.01) in RNS (0.057 USD m−3 water) than in TMS (0.066 USD m−3 water) or in BPS (0.066 USD m−3 water). Notably, water requirement per kg live weight of cattle increased towards the lower altitude area (in RNS) mainly because of increased evapo-transpiration. As a result, 20% more water was required per kg live weight of cattle in the low ground RNS compared to BPS situated in the upstream parts of the study area. Cattle herd management that involved early offtake increased LWP by 28% over the practice of late offtake. Crop water productivity expressed in monetary units (0.39 USD m−3 water) was higher than LWP (0.063 USD m−3 water) across the mixed farming systems of Gumara watershed. Strategies for improving LWP, from its present low level, could include keeping only the more productive animals, increasing pasture productivity and linking production to marketing. These strategies would also ease the imbalance between the existing high livestock population and the declining carrying capacity of natural pasture.
Geoxylic suffrutices of African savannas: short but remarkably similar to trees
Authors: Meerts Pierre
Published: July 2017

In southern African savannas, geoxylic suffrutices or ‘underground trees’ attain only a hundredth to a tenth the height of normal trees, but other traits have received little attention. Geoxylic suffrutices and congeneric trees were compared for minimum and maximum values of seven morphological traits. Thirty-six geoxyle-tree pairs co-occurring in Katanga (Democratic Republic of the Congo) were compared, based on data from standard floras. The tree/geoxyle ratio ranged from 0.92 to 1.67 and was greater than 1 in 12 of 14 trait comparisons. However, the difference was significant in only five comparisons. Reproductive traits generally did not differ. The maximal value of leaf traits (lamina length, lamina width, petiole length) was 33–67% greater in trees. The morphological traits of geoxyles are not much altered compared with their tree counterparts, especially for reproductive traits. For vegetative traits, geoxyles express a restricted part of the phenetic space of trees, being unable to attain trait values as high as those of their tree congeners. However, unlike bonsais or alpine dwarfs, the leaves of geoxyles are not much smaller compared with normal trees.
The Unquiet Eastern Front: New Work on the Great War
Authors: KAUFFMAN JESSE
Published: July 2017

In the introduction to their excellent survey of the First World War in Central Europe, Our War (Nasza wojna), Polish historians Włodzimierz Borodziej and Maciej Górny begin by wondering why the name of Przasnysz, a small Polish town north of Warsaw, carries today no connotations of misery or horror. In late 1914 and early 1915, they note, the Germans and Russians fought several ferocious battles in its vicinity, battles that ultimately claimed hundreds of thousands of casualties. And yet its name never became a part of the shared historical memory of the First World War. Przasnysz and its battles are long forgotten, not only, as might be expected, in Belgium, France and Great Britain, but also in Germany, Russia and the rest of Poland. This, Borodziej and Górny note, is symptomatic of the hold that the war's Western Front has exercised for generations on the imaginations of scholars and the wider public alike – even within the states that now occupy the territory on which the titanic clashes of the Russian, Austrian and German empires claimed millions of lives. To schoolchildren in Warsaw no less than to scholars in Great Britain and the United States, the First World War is synonymous with the trenches of Belgium and France, and with the haunted names of Ypres, Passchendaele and Verdun. But the evidence of Nasza wojna and the other three books under review here suggests that the Eastern Front is finally emerging as a subject of scholarly and popular interest. Moreover, these books illustrate that careful study of that Front has the potential to deepen our understanding of the war's complex dynamics and their impact on the states and societies that grappled with them. The sweeping conquests and extended occupations of ethnically, linguistically and religiously diverse populations; the migration of ethnic hostilities from the front lines to the home fronts of multinational states; the profound divide between urban and rural experiences of the war; the ways in which military institutions adapted to the industrialised brutality of modern warfare and the ways that venerable but sprawling imperial state systems tried to come to grips with the war's demands are just a few of the themes addressed by the books under review here. The history of the period, and of modern European history in general, stands to be greatly enriched by a renewed interest in ‘the forgotten Great War’.
Urban and Industrial Everyday Life under Socialism and Post-Socialism
Authors: SWAIN NIGEL
Published: July 2017

The above quotations from two of the books under review here took me back to the early 1970s and my first weeks in Hungary. As a graduate student in sociology, struggling to get to grips with my surroundings, I distinctly remember thinking that what was needed was an anthropology for large-scale industrial society to explain their foreignness and remoteness. Everything in the metropolis of Budapest followed a different logic, and in the academic division of labour, anthropologists are those with the skills to interpret the meanings of societies which operate according to a logic different to that of industrialised West. But in those days anthropologists still tended to focus on pre-industrial societies outside Europe. I had not yet readThe Good Soldier Švejk, but a Hungarian sociologist told me was that I would never understand communist Eastern Europe without readingŠvejk. I did, and he was right.
Explaining use of food parenting practices: the importance of predisposing factors and parental cognitions
Authors: Gevers Dorus WM , van Assema Patricia , de Vries Nanne K , Kremers Stef PJ
Published: July 2017

Objective

The high energy intake from energy-dense foods among children in developed countries is undesirable. Improving food parenting practices has the potential to lower snack intakes among children. To inform the development of interventions, we aimed to predict food parenting practice patterns around snacking (i.e. ‘high covert control and rewarding’, ‘low covert control and non-rewarding’, ‘high involvement and supportive’ and ‘low involvement and indulgent’).

Design

A cross-sectional survey was conducted. To predict the patterns of food parenting practices, multinomial logistic regression analyses were run with 888 parents. Predictors included predisposing factors (i.e. parents’ and children’s demographics and BMI, parents’ personality, general parenting, and parenting practices used by their own parents) and parents’ cognitions (i.e. perceived behaviour of other parents, subjective norms, attitudes, self-efficacy and outcome expectations).

Setting

The Netherlands (October–November 2014).

Subjects

Dutch parents of children aged 4–12 years old.

Results

After backward elimination, nineteen factors had a statistically significant contribution to the model (Nagelkerke R2=0·63). Overall, self-efficacy and outcome expectations were among the strongest explanatory factors. Considering the predisposing factors only, the general parenting factor nurturance most strongly predicted the food parenting clusters. Nurturance particularly distinguished highly involved parents from parents employing a pattern of low involvement.

Conclusions

Parental cognitions and nurturance are important factors to explain the use of food parenting practices around snacking. The results suggest that intervention developers should attempt to increase self-efficacy and educate parents about what constitute effective and ineffective parenting practices. Promoting nurturance might be a prerequisite to achieve prolonged change.
Daytime Acute Non-Visual Alerting Response in Brain Activity Occurs as a Result of Short- and Long-Wavelengths of Light
Authors: Łaszewska Kamila , Goroncy Agnieszka , Weber Piotr , Pracki Tadeusz , Tafil-Klawe Małgorzata , Pracka Daria , Złomańczuk Piotr
Published: July 2017

Abstract. Very recent preliminary findings concerning the alerting capacities of light stimulus with long-wavelengths suggest the existence of neural pathways other than melatonin suppression that trigger the nonvisual response. Though the nonvisual effects of light during the daytime have not been investigated thoroughly, they are definitely worth investigating. The purpose of the present study is to enrich existing evidence by describing how quantitative electroencephalography (EEG) signal analysis can give insight into the measurement of the acute nonvisual response observed in brain states generated during daytime exposure to light (when melatonin secretion is negligible). EEG changes were assessed in 19 subjects during the daytime while being exposed to both short- (blue, 72 μW/cm2) and long-wavelength (red, 18 μW/cm2) radiation. We showed that artificial light stimulus as low as 40 lux decreases the synchronization in the upper theta, lower alpha, and upper alpha EEG activity spectrum. The direction of change was consistent with an increased level of alertness. We can conclude that EEG analysis is an indicator of the acute nonvisual response to daytime light. Surprisingly, the response was more spread over the scalp during exposure to red light than to blue light. According to our study, the response to long-wavelength stimulus that inhibits sleepiness, thereby inducing alertness, also takes place at the bright part of the 24-hr day when human beings are naturally predisposed to be exposed to a high level of sunlight: between 12 and 4 PM. The absorption spectrum of the nonvisual system seems to have different characteristics than was previously suspected: it is not dominated by the short-wavelengths, but involves long-wavelengths. Since we observed the predominance of the red-light alerting effect over the blue-light in this experiment, we conclude that more than one mechanism, beyond the melatonin pathway, must be involved.
Ego Psychoanalytic Rorschach Interpretation
Authors: Weiner Irving B.
Published: July 2017

Abstract. This article concerns the utility of ego psychoanalytic perspectives in Rorschach interpretation. Psychoanalytic ego psychology focuses on how people cope with events in their lives and how effectively they can meet challenges to their sense of well-being. The way people deal with experienced distress constitutes their defensive style and determines to a large extent what kind of person they are. Adequate defenses against anxiety promote comfortable and productive adjustment, whereas ineffective defenses typically cause adjustment difficulties and susceptibility to psychological disorders. In Rorschach assessment, the nature and effectiveness of a person’s defensive style can often be identified with a sequence analysis that integrates the structural, thematic, and behavioral features in the protocol. In particular, the sequential quality of responses, especially preceding and following instances of cognitive slippage, can help identify causes of upsetting concerns, defensive efforts to alleviating these concerns, and the adequacy of these defensive efforts in restoring equanimity. This interpretive process is illustrated with attention to implications for differential diagnosis and treatment planning in the Rorschach protocol of a 20-year-old suicidal woman.
An autocrine inflammatory forward-feedback loop after chemotherapy withdrawal facilitates the repopulation of drug-resistant breast cancer cells
Authors: Jia Deyong , Li Li , Andrew Sulaiman , Allan David , Li Xuguang , Lee Jonathan , Ji Guang , Yao Zemin , Gadde Suresh , Figeys Danial , Wang Lisheng
Published: July 2017

Stromal cells, infiltrating immune cells, paracrine factors and extracellular matrix have been extensively studied in cancers. However, autocrine factors produced by tumor cells and communications between autocrine factors and intracellular signaling pathways in the development of drug resistance, cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) and tumorigenesis have not been well investigated, and the precise mechanism and tangible approaches remain elusive. Here we reveal a new mechanism by which cytokines produced by breast cancer cells after chemotherapy withdrawal activate both Wnt/β-catenin and NF-κB pathways, which in turn further promote breast cancer cells to produce and secrete cytokines, forming an autocrine inflammatory forward-feedback loop to facilitate the enrichment of drug-resistant breast cancer cells and/or CSCs. Such an unexpected autocrine forward-feedback loop and CSC enrichment can be effectively blocked by inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin and NF-κB signaling. It can also be diminished by IL8-neutralizing antibody or blockade of IL8 receptors CXCR1/2 with reparixin. Administration of reparixin after chemotherapy withdrawal effectively attenuates tumor masses in a human xenograft model and abolishes paclitaxel-enriched CSCs in the secondary transplantation. These results are partially supported by the latest clinical data set. Breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapeutic drugs exhibited poor survival rate (66.7 vs 282.8 months, P=0.00071) and shorter disease-free survival time if their tumor samples expressed high level of IL8, CXCR1, CXCR2 genes and Wnt target genes. Taken together, this study provides new insights into the communication between autocrine niches and signaling pathways in the development of chemotherapy resistance and CSCs; it also offers a tangible approach in breast cancer treatment.
Spin diffusion from an inhomogeneous quench in an integrable system
Authors: Ljubotina Marko , Žnidarič Marko , Prosen Tomaž
Published: July 2017

Generalized hydrodynamics predicts universal ballistic transport in integrable lattice systems when prepared in generic inhomogeneous initial states. However, the ballistic contribution to transport can vanish in systems with additional discrete symmetries. Here we perform large scale numerical simulations of spin dynamics in the anisotropic Heisenberg XXZ spin 1/2 chain starting from an inhomogeneous mixed initial state which is symmetric with respect to a combination of spin reversal and spatial reflection. In the isotropic and easy-axis regimes we find non-ballistic spin transport which we analyse in detail in terms of scaling exponents of the transported magnetization and scaling profiles of the spin density. While in the easy-axis regime we find accurate evidence of normal diffusion, the spin transport in the isotropic case is clearly super-diffusive, with the scaling exponent very close to 2/3, but with universal scaling dynamics which obeys the diffusion equation in nonlinearly scaled time.
Self-viewing is associated with negative affect rather than reward in highly narcissistic men: an fMRI study
Authors: Jauk Emanuel , Benedek Mathias , Koschutnig Karl , Kedia Gayannée , Neubauer Aljoscha C.
Published: July 2017

Subclinical narcissism is a personality trait with two faces: According to social-cognitive theories it is associated with grandiosity and feelings of superiority, whereas psychodynamic theories emphasize vulnerable aspects like fluctuating self-esteem and emotional conflicts. The psychodynamic view, however, is commonly not supported by self-report studies on subclinical narcissism. Personality neuroscience might help to better understand the phenomenon of narcissism beyond the limits of self-report research. While social-cognitive theory would predict that self-relevant processing should be accompanied by brain activity in reward-related areas in narcissistic individuals, psychodynamic theory would suggest that it should be accompanied by activation in regions pointing to negative affect or emotional conflict. In this study, extreme groups of high and low narcissistic individuals performed a visual self-recognition paradigm during fMRI. Viewing one’s own face (as compared to faces of friends and strangers) was accompanied by greater activation of the dorsal and ventral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in highly narcissistic men. These results suggest that highly narcissistic men experience greater negative affect or emotional conflict during self-relevant processing and point to vulnerable aspects of subclinical narcissism that might not be apparent in self-report research.
A screen for novel hepatitis C virus RdRp inhibitor identifies a broad-spectrum antiviral compound
Authors: Madhvi Abhilasha , Hingane Smita , Srivastav Rajpal , Joshi Nishant , Subramani Chandru , Muthumohan Rajagopalan , Khasa Renu , Varshney Shweta , Kalia Manjula , Vrati Sudhanshu , Surjit Milan , Ranjith-Kumar C. T.
Published: July 2017

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a global pathogen and infects more than 185 million individuals worldwide. Although recent development of direct acting antivirals (DAA) has shown promise in HCV therapy, there is an urgent need for the development of more affordable treatment options. We initiated this study to identify novel inhibitors of HCV through screening of compounds from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) diversity dataset. Using cell-based assays, we identified NSC-320218 as a potent inhibitor against HCV with an EC50 of 2.5 μM and CC50 of 75 μM. The compound inhibited RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) activity of all six major HCV genotypes indicating a pan-genotypic effect. Limited structure-function analysis suggested that the entire molecule is necessary for the observed antiviral activity. However, the compound failed to inhibit HCV NS5B activity in vitro, suggesting that it may not be directly acting on the NS5B protein but could be interacting with a host protein. Importantly, the antiviral compound also inhibited dengue virus and hepatitis E virus replication in hepatocytes. Thus, our study has identified a broad-spectrum antiviral therapeutic agent against multiple viral infections.
Bursting dynamics in the normal and failing hearts
Authors: Bondarenko Vladimir E. , Shilnikov Andrey L.
Published: July 2017

A failing heart differs from healthy hearts by an array of symptomatic characteristics, including impaired Ca2+ transients, upregulation of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger function, reduction of Ca2+ uptake to sarcoplasmic reticulum, reduced K+ currents, and increased propensity to arrhythmias. While significant efforts have been made in both experimental studies and model development to display the causes of heart failure, the full process of deterioration from a healthy to a failing heart yet remains deficiently understood. In this paper, we analyze a highly detailed mathematical model of mouse ventricular myocytes to disclose the key mechanisms underlying the continual transition towards a state of heart failure. We argue that such a transition can be described in mathematical terms as a sequence of bifurcations that the healthy cells undergo while transforming into failing cells. They include normal action potentials and [Ca2+]i transients, action potential and [Ca2+]i alternans, and bursting behaviors. These behaviors where supported by experimental studies of heart failure. The analysis of this model allowed us to identify that the slow component of the fast Na+ current is a key determining factor for the onset of bursting activity in mouse ventricular myocytes.
Transgenic Chickens Expressing the 3D8 Single Chain Variable Fragment Protein Suppress Avian Influenza Transmission
Authors: June Byun Sung , Yuk Seong-su , Jang Ye-Jin , Choi Hoonsung , Jeon Mi-Hyang , Erdene-Ochir TO , Kwon Jung-Hoon , Noh Jin-Yong , Sun Kim Jeom , Gyu YOO Jae , Song Chang-Seon
Published: July 2017

The 3D8 single chain variable fragment (scFv) is a mini-antibody that causes unusual sequence-independent nuclease activity against all types of nucleic acids. We used recombinant lentiviruses to generate transgenic chickens expressing the 3D8 scFv gene under the control of the chicken β-actin promoter. From 420 injected embryos, 200 chicks (G0) hatched and were screened for the 3D8 scFv using PCR, and 15 chicks were identified as transgenic birds expressing the transgene in their semen. The G0 founder birds were mated with wild-type hens to produce seven transgenic chicks (G1). 3D8 scFv expression in the chicken embryonic fibroblasts (CEFs) was verified by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Immunofluorescence staining for 3D8 scFv in the CEFs revealed that the 3D8 scFv protein was primarily cytosolic. To identify 3D8 scFv anti-viral activity, wild-type and two transgenic CEF lines were infected with H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV). We selected one line of transgenic chickens that exhibited the lowest number of plaque-forming units to be challenged with H9N2 virus. The challenge experiment revealed that contact exposed transgenic chickens expressing 3D8 scFv exhibited suppressed viral shedding. This results suggest that the transgenic chickens developed in this study could be useful for controlling potential within-flock AIV transmission.
First Ornithomimid (Theropoda, Ornithomimosauria) from the Upper Cretaceous Djadokhta Formation of Tögrögiin Shiree, Mongolia
Authors: Chinzorig Tsogtbaatar , Kobayashi Yoshitsugu , Tsogtbaatar Khishigjav , Currie Philip J. , Watabe Mahito , Barsbold Rinchen
Published: July 2017

The Upper Cretaceous Djadokhta Formation has been intensively surveyed for its fossil vertebrate fauna for nearly a century. Amongst other theropods, dromaeosaurids and parvicursorines are common in the formation, but ornithomimosaurs are extremely rare. A new ornithomimosaur material was discovered from the Djadokhta Formation, represented by eolian deposits, of the Tögrögiin Shiree locality, Mongolia. This is only the third ornithomimosaur specimen reported from this formation, and includes the astragalus, the calcaneum, the third distal tarsal, and a complete pes. The new material is clearly belonged to Ornithomimidae by its arctometatarsalian foot condition and has the following unique characters; unevenly developed pair of concavities of the third distal tarsal, curved contacts between the proximal ends of second and fourth metatarsals, the elongate fourth digit, and a laterally inclined medial condyle on phalanx IV-1. These diagnostic characters of the Djadokhtan ornithomimosaur indicate that this is a new taxon. Our phylogenetic analysis supports three clades within derived ornithomimosaurs, and the new taxon is placed a member of the derived ornithomimosaurs. The present specimen is the first ornithomimid record from eolian Tögrögiin Shiree locality, and is indicative of their capability to adapt to arid environments.
Stable isotopes reveal diet shift from pre-extinction to reintroduced Przewalski’s horses
Authors: Kaczensky Petra , Burnik Šturm Martina , Sablin Mikhail V. , Voigt Christian C. , Smith Steve , Ganbaatar Oyunsaikhan , Balint Boglarka , Walzer Chris , Spasskaya Natalia N.
Published: July 2017

The Przewalski’s horse (Equus ferus przewalskii), the only remaining wild horse within the equid family, is one of only a handful of species worldwide that went extinct in the wild, was saved by captive breeding, and has been successfully returned to the wild. However, concerns remain that after multiple generations in captivity the ecology of the Przewalski’s horse and / or the ecological conditions in its former range have changed in a way compromising the species’ long term survival. We analyzed stable isotope chronologies from tail hair of pre-extinction and reintroduced Przewalski’s horses from the Dzungarian Gobi and detected a clear difference in the isotopic dietary composition. The direction of the dietary shift from being a mixed feeder in winter and a grazer in summer in the past, to a year-round grazer nowadays, is best explained by a release from human hunting pressure. A changed, positive societal attitude towards the species allows reintroduced Przewalski’s horses to utilize the scarce, grass-dominated pastures of the Gobi alongside local people and their livestock whereas their historic conspecifics were forced into less productive habitats dominated by browse.
Interleukin-36β provides protection against HSV-1 infection, but does not modulate initiation of adaptive immune responses
Authors: Milora Katelynn A. , Uppalapati Siva R. , Sanmiguel Julio C. , Zou Wei , Jensen Liselotte E.
Published: July 2017

Interleukin-36 (IL-36) represents three cytokines, IL-36α, IL-36β and IL-36γ, which bind to the same receptor, IL-1RL2; however, their physiological function(s) remain poorly understood. Here, the role of IL-36 in immunity against HSV-1 was examined using the flank skin infection mouse model. Expression analyses revealed increased levels of IL-36α and IL-36β mRNA in infected skin, while constitutive IL-36γ levels remained largely unchanged. In human keratinocytes, IL-36α mRNA was induced by HSV-1, while IL-1β and TNFα increased all three IL-36 mRNAs. The dominant alternative splice variant of human IL-36β mRNA was isoform 2, which is the ortholog of the known mouse IL-36β mRNA. Mice deficient in IL-36β, but not IL-36α or IL-36γ, succumbed more frequently to HSV-1 infection than wild type mice. Furthermore, IL-36β−/− mice developed larger zosteriform skin lesions along infected neurons. Levels of HSV-1 specific antibodies, CD8+ cells and IFNγ-producing CD4+ cells were statistically equal in wild type and IL-36β−/− mice, suggesting similar initiation of adaptive immunity in the two strains. This correlated with the time at which HSV-1 genome and mRNA levels in primary skin lesions started to decline in both wild type and IL-36β−/− mice. Our data indicate that IL-36β has previously unrecognized functions protective against HSV-1 infection.
Unprecedented drought over tropical South America in 2016: significantly under-predicted by tropical SST
Authors: Erfanian Amir , Wang Guiling , Fomenko Lori
Published: July 2017

Tropical and sub-tropical South America are highly susceptible to extreme droughts. Recent events include two droughts (2005 and 2010) exceeding the 100-year return value in the Amazon and recurrent extreme droughts in the Nordeste region, with profound eco-hydrological and socioeconomic impacts. In 2015–2016, both regions were hit by another drought. Here, we show that the severity of the 2015–2016 drought ("2016 drought" hereafter) is unprecedented based on multiple precipitation products (since 1900), satellite-derived data on terrestrial water storage (since 2002) and two vegetation indices (since 2004). The ecohydrological consequences from the 2016 drought are more severe and extensive than the 2005 and 2010 droughts. Empirical relationships between rainfall and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) over the tropical Pacific and Atlantic are used to assess the role of tropical oceanic variability in the observed precipitation anomalies. Our results indicate that warmer-than-usual SSTs in the Tropical Pacific (including El Niño events) and Atlantic were the main drivers of extreme droughts in South America, but are unable to explain the severity of the 2016 observed rainfall deficits for a substantial portion of the Amazonia and Nordeste regions. This strongly suggests potential contribution of non-oceanic factors (e.g., land cover change and CO2-induced warming) to the 2016 drought.
Modulation of RNA primer formation by Mn(II)-substituted T7 DNA primase
Authors: Ilic Stefan , Akabayov Sabine R. , Froimovici Roy , Meiry Ron , Vilenchik Dan , Hernandez Alfredo , Arthanari Haribabu , Akabayov Barak
Published: July 2017

Lagging strand DNA synthesis by DNA polymerase requires RNA primers produced by DNA primase. The N-terminal primase domain of the gene 4 protein of phage T7 comprises a zinc-binding domain that recognizes a specific DNA sequence and an RNA polymerase domain that catalyzes RNA polymerization. Based on its crystal structure, the RNA polymerase domain contains two Mg(II) ions. Mn(II) substitution leads to elevated RNA primer synthesis by T7 DNA primase. NMR analysis revealed that upon binding Mn(II), T7 DNA primase undergoes conformational changes near the metal cofactor binding site that are not observed when the enzyme binds Mg(II). A machine-learning algorithm called linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was trained by using the large collection of Mn(II) and Mg(II) binding sites available in the protein data bank (PDB). Application of the model to DNA primase revealed a preference in the enzyme’s second metal binding site for Mn(II) over Mg(II), suggesting that T7 DNA primase activity modulation when bound to Mn(II) is based on structural changes in the enzyme.
Real-Time and Label-Free Chemical Sensor-on-a-chip using Monolithic Si-on-BaTiO3 Mid-Infrared waveguides
Authors: Jin Tiening , Li Leigang , Zhang Bruce , Lin Hao-Yu Greg , Wang Haiyan , Lin Pao Tai
Published: July 2017

Chip-scale chemical detection is demonstrated by using mid-Infrared (mid-IR) photonic circuits consisting of amorphous silicon (a-Si) waveguides on an epitaxial barium titanate (BaTiO3, BTO) thin film. The highly c-axis oriented BTO film was grown by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method and it exhibits a broad transparent window from λ = 2.5 μm up to 7 μm. The waveguide structure was fabricated by the complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) process and a sharp fundamental waveguide mode has been observed. By scanning the spectrum within the characteristic absorption regime, our mid-IR waveguide successfully perform label-free monitoring of various organic solvents. The real-time heptane detection is accomplished by measuring the intensity attenuation at λ = 3.0–3.2 μm, which is associated with -CH absorption. While for methanol detection, we track the -OH absorption at λ = 2.8–2.9 μm. Our monolithic Si-on-BTO waveguides establish a new sensor platform that enables integrated photonic device for label-free chemical detection.
Strong geologic methane emissions from discontinuous terrestrial permafrost in the Mackenzie Delta, Canada
Authors: Kohnert Katrin , Serafimovich Andrei , Metzger Stefan , Hartmann Jörg , Sachs Torsten
Published: July 2017

Arctic permafrost caps vast amounts of old, geologic methane (CH4) in subsurface reservoirs. Thawing permafrost opens pathways for this CH4 to migrate to the surface. However, the occurrence of geologic emissions and their contribution to the CH4 budget in addition to recent, biogenic CH4 is uncertain. Here we present a high-resolution (100 m × 100 m) regional (10,000 km²) CH4 flux map of the Mackenzie Delta, Canada, based on airborne CH4 flux data from July 2012 and 2013. We identify strong, likely geologic emissions solely where the permafrost is discontinuous. These peaks are 13 times larger than typical biogenic emissions. Whereas microbial CH4 production largely depends on recent air and soil temperature, geologic CH4 was produced over millions of years and can be released year-round provided open pathways exist. Therefore, even though they only occur on about 1% of the area, geologic hotspots contribute 17% to the annual CH4 emission estimate of our study area. We suggest that this share may increase if ongoing permafrost thaw opens new pathways. We conclude that, due to permafrost thaw, hydrocarbon-rich areas, prevalent in the Arctic, may see increased emission of geologic CH4 in the future, in addition to enhanced microbial CH4 production.
HD 66051, an eclipsing binary hosting a highly peculiar, HgMn-related star
Authors: Niemczura Ewa , Hümmerich Stefan , Castelli Fiorella , Paunzen Ernst , Bernhard Klaus , Hambsch Franz-Josef , Hełminiak Krzysztof
Published: July 2017

HD 66051 is an eclipsing system with an orbital period of about 4.75 d that exhibits out-of-eclipse variability with the same period. New multicolour photometric observations confirm the longevity of the secondary variations, which we interpret as a signature of surface inhomogeneities on one of the components. Using archival and newly acquired high-resolution spectra, we have performed a detailed abundance analysis. The primary component is a slowly rotating late B-type star (Teff = 12500 ± 200 K; log g = 4.0, v sin i = 27 ± 2 km s−1) with a highly peculiar composition reminiscent of the singular HgMn-related star HD 65949, which seems to be its closest analogue. Some light elements as He, C, Mg, Al are depleted, while Si and P are enhanced. Except for Ni, all the iron-group elements, as well as most of the heavy elements, and in particular the REE elements, are overabundant. The secondary component was estimated to be a slowly rotating A-type star (Teff ~ 8000 K; log g = 4.0, v sin i ~ 18 km s−1). The unique configuration of HD 66051 opens up intriguing possibilities for future research, which might eventually and significantly contribute to the understanding of such diverse phenomena as atmospheric structure, mass transfer, magnetic fields, photometric variability and the origin of chemical anomalies observed in HgMn stars and related objects.
Microbiome analysis and confocal microscopy of used kitchen sponges reveal massive colonization by Acinetobacter, Moraxella and Chryseobacterium species
Authors: Cardinale Massimiliano , Kaiser Dominik , Lueders Tillmann , Schnell Sylvia , Egert Markus
Published: July 2017

The built environment (BE) and in particular kitchen environments harbor a remarkable microbial diversity, including pathogens. We analyzed the bacterial microbiome of used kitchen sponges by 454–pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes and fluorescence in situ hybridization coupled with confocal laser scanning microscopy (FISH–CLSM). Pyrosequencing showed a relative dominance of Gammaproteobacteria within the sponge microbiota. Five of the ten most abundant OTUs were closely related to risk group 2 (RG2) species, previously detected in the BE and kitchen microbiome. Regular cleaning of sponges, indicated by their users, significantly affected the microbiome structure. Two of the ten dominant OTUs, closely related to the RG2-species Chryseobacterium hominis and Moraxella osloensis, showed significantly greater proportions in regularly sanitized sponges, thereby questioning such sanitation methods in a long term perspective. FISH–CLSM showed an ubiquitous distribution of bacteria within the sponge tissue, concentrating in internal cavities and on sponge surfaces, where biofilm–like structures occurred. Image analysis showed local densities of up to 5.4 * 1010 cells per cm3, and confirmed the dominance of Gammaproteobacteria. Our study stresses and visualizes the role of kitchen sponges as microbiological hot spots in the BE, with the capability to collect and spread bacteria with a probable pathogenic potential.
Methylglyoxal and Advanced Glycation End products: Insight of the regulatory machinery affecting the myogenic program and of its modulation by natural compounds
Authors: Baig Mohammad Hassan , Jan Arif Tasleem , Rabbani Gulam , Ahmad Khurshid , Ashraf Jalaluddin M. , Kim Taeyeon , Min Han Sol , Lee Yong Ho , Cho Won-Kyung , Ma Jin Yeul , Lee Eun Ju , Choi Inho
Published: July 2017

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a reactive dicarbonyl intermediate and a precursor of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The authors investigated the role played by AGEs in muscle myopathy and the amelioration of its effects by curcumin and gingerol. In addition to producing phenotypical changes, MG increased oxidative stress and reduced myotube formation in C2C12 cells. RAGE (receptor for AGEs) expression was up-regulated and MYOD and myogenin (MYOG) expressions were concomitantly down-regulated in MG-treated cells. Interestingly, AGE levels were higher in plasma (~32 fold) and muscle (~26 fold) of diabetic mice than in control mice. RAGE knock-down (RAGEkd) reduced the expressions of MYOD and MYOG and myotube formation in C2C12 cells. In silico studies of interactions between curcumin or gingerol and myostatin (MSTN; an inhibitor of myogenesis) and their observed affinities for activin receptor type IIB (ACVRIIB) suggested curcumin and gingerol reduce the interaction between MSTN and ACVRIIB. The findings of this study suggest enhanced AGE production and subsequent RAGE-AGE interaction obstruct the muscle development program, and that curcumin and gingerol attenuate the effect of AGEs on myoblasts.
Detection and quantitation of copy number variation in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene of the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus
Authors: Martins Walter Fabricio Silva , Subramaniam Krishanthi , Steen Keith , Mawejje Henry , Liloglou Triantafillos , Donnelly Martin James , Wilding Craig Stephen
Published: July 2017

Insecticide resistance is typically associated with alterations to the insecticidal target-site or with gene expression variation at loci involved in insecticide detoxification. In some species copy number variation (CNV) of target site loci (e.g. the Ace-1 target site of carbamate insecticides) or detoxification genes has been implicated in the resistance phenotype. We show that field-collected Ugandan Culex quinquefasciatus display CNV for the voltage-gated sodium channel gene (Vgsc), target-site of pyrethroid and organochlorine insecticides. In order to develop field-applicable diagnostics for Vgsc CN, and as a prelude to investigating the possible association of CN with insecticide resistance, three assays were compared for their accuracy in CN estimation in this species. The gold standard method is droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), however, the hardware is prohibitively expensive for widespread utility. Here, ddPCR was compared to quantitative PCR (qPCR) and pyrosequencing. Across all platforms, CNV was detected in ≈10% of mosquitoes, corresponding to three or four copies (per diploid genome). ddPCR and qPCR-Std-curve yielded similar predictions for Vgsc CN, indicating that the qPCR protocol developed here can be applied as a diagnostic assay, facilitating monitoring of Vgsc CN in wild populations and the elucidation of association between the Vgsc CN and insecticide resistance.
Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha is involved in RIP-induced necroptosis caused by in vitro and in vivo ischemic brain injury
Authors: Yang Xiao-Sa , Yi Tai-Long , Zhang Sai , Xu Zhong-Wei , Yu Ze-Qi , Sun Hong-Tao , Yang Cheng , Tu Yue , Cheng Shi-Xiang
Published: July 2017

Necroptosis, a novel type of programmed cell death, is involved in stroke-induced ischemic brain injury. Although studies have sought to explore the mechanisms of necroptosis, its signaling pathway has not yet to be completely elucidated. Thus, we used oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) models mimicking ischemic stroke (IS) conditions to investigate mechanisms of necroptosis. We found that OGD and MCAO induced cell death, local brain ischemia and neurological deficit, while zVAD-fmk (zVAD, an apoptotic inhibitor), GSK’872 (a receptor interacting protein kinase-3 (RIP3) inhibitor), and combined treatment alleviated cell death and ischemic brain injury. Moreover, OGD and MCAO upregulated protein expression of the triggers of necroptosis: receptor interacting protein kinase-1 (RIP1), RIP3 and mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL). The upregulation of these proteins was inhibited by GSK’872, combination treatments and RIP3 siRNA but not zVAD treatment. Intriguingly, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α), an important transcriptional factor under hypoxic conditions, was upregulated by OGD and MCAO. Similar to their inhibitory effects on aforementioned proteins upregulation, GSK’872, combination treatments and RIP3 siRNA decreased HIF-1α protein level. These findings indicate that necroptosis contributes to ischemic brain injury induced by OGD and MCAO and implicate HIF-1α, RIP1, RIP3, and MLKL in necroptosis.
N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and associated factors in the general working population: a baseline survey of the Uranosaki cohort study
Authors: Tanaka Atsushi , Yoshida Hisako , Kawaguchi Atsushi , Oyama Jun-ichi , Kotooka Norihiko , Toyoda Shigeru , Inoue Teruo , Natsuaki Masafumi , Node Koichi
Published: July 2017

Few data on clinical characteristics associated with N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) or the clinical value of measuring NT-proBNP in the working population are available. The aim of the present study was to investigate the levels of NT-proBNP and their association with clinical variables in the Japanese general working population by using baseline data from the Uranosaki cohort study. In the study, the plasma concentration of NT-proBNP and some biomarkers were measured in addition to the standard health checkups at the workplace. Questionnaires regarding health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) were also completed. A total of 2140 participants were enrolled in the study. Plasma levels of NT-proBNP were positively associated with age, female sex, systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, prevalent hypertension, smoking habit, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and prevalent proteinuria, and negatively associated with body mass index, lipid profiles except HDL-C, uric acid, renal function, and hemoglobin. Both the plasma concentration of high-molecular weight adiponectin and that of high-sensitivity troponin T were positively and independently associated with NT-proBNP. In addition, the HR-QOL score regarding sleep disorder was independently associated with NT-proBNP. Thus, we have obtained evidence that the plasma NT-proBNP is affected by several clinical variables in the general working population.
Flowering time in banana (Musa spp.), a day neutral plant, is controlled by at least three FLOWERING LOCUS T homologues
Authors: Chaurasia Akhilesh K. , Patil Hemant B. , Krishna Bal , Subramaniam V. R. , Sane Prafullachandra V. , Sane Aniruddha P.
Published: July 2017

Banana is an important day neutral food crop with a long flowering/fruiting cycle that is affected by hot summers or cold winters in different places. Manipulating its life cycle requires an understanding of its flowering time machinery to bypass these stresses. Twelve FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and two TWIN SISTER OF FT (TSF) members were isolated from banana and their organization and expression pattern studied during development in two varieties that differ in flowering time namely Grand Nain (AAA genotype) and Hill banana (AAB genotype). The expression of at least 3 genes namely MaFT1, MaFT2 and MaFT5 (and to some extent MaFT7) increases just prior to initiation of flowering. These four genes and five others (MaFT3, MaFT4, MaFT8, MaFT12 and MaTSF1 could suppress the delayed flowering defect in the Arabidopsis ft-10 mutant and induce early flowering upon over-expression in the Col-0 ecotype. Most genes are diurnally regulated and differentially expressed during development and in various vegetative and reproductive tissues suggesting roles besides flowering. Subtle amino acid changes in these FT/TSF-like proteins provide interesting insights into the structure/function relationships of banana FTs vis-à-vis Arabidopsis. The studies provide a means for manipulation of flowering in banana for better management of resources and to reduce losses through abiotic stresses.
Assessing the shock state of the lunar highlands: Implications for the petrogenesis and chronology of crustal anorthosites
Authors: Pernet-Fisher J. F. , Joy K. H. , Martin D. J. P. , Donaldson Hanna K. L.
Published: July 2017

Our understanding of the formation and evolution of the primary lunar crust is based on geochemical systematics from the lunar ferroan anorthosite (FAN) suite. Recently, much effort has been made to understand this suite’s petrologic history to constrain the timing of crystallisation and to interpret FAN chemical diversity. We investigate the shock histories of lunar anorthosites by combining Optical Microscope (OM) ‘cold’ cathodoluminescence (CL)-imaging and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analyses. In the first combined study of its kind, this study demonstrates that over ~4.5 Ga of impact processing, plagioclase is on average weakly shocked (<15 GPa) and examples of high shock states (>30 GPa; maskelynite) are uncommon. To investigate how plagioclase trace-element systematics are affected by moderate to weak shock (~5 to 30 GPa) we couple REE+Y abundances with FTIR analyses for FAN clasts from lunar meteorite Northwest Africa (NWA) 2995. We observe weak correlations between plagioclase shock state and some REE+Y systematics (e.g., La/Y and Sm/Nd ratios). This observation could prove significant to our understanding of how crystallisation ages are evaluated (e.g., plagioclase-whole rock Sm-Nd isochrons) and for what trace-elements can be used to differentiate between lunar lithologies and assess magma source compositional differences.
Ce3+-ion, Surface Oxygen Vacancy, and Visible Light-induced Photocatalytic Dye Degradation and Photocapacitive Performance of CeO2-Graphene Nanostructures
Authors: Khan Mohammad Ehtisham , Khan Mohammad Mansoob , Cho Moo Hwan
Published: July 2017

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2NPs) were fabricated and grown on graphene sheets using a facile, low cost hydrothermal approach and subsequently characterized using different standard characterization techniques. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance revealed the changes in surface states, composition, changes in Ce4+to Ce3+ratio, and other defects. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution TEM revealed that the fabricated CeO2NPs to be spherical with particle size of ~10–12 nm. Combination of defects in CeO2NPs with optimal amount of two-dimensional graphene sheets had a significant effect on the properties of the resulting hybrid CeO2-Graphene nanostructures, such as improved optical, photocatalytic, and photocapacitive performance. The excellent photocatalytic degradation performances were examined by monitoring their ability to degrade Congo red ~94.5% and methylene blue dye ~98% under visible light irradiation. The photoelectrode performance had a maximum photocapacitance of 177.54 Fg−1and exhibited regular capacitive behavior. Therefore, the Ce3+-ion, surface-oxygen-vacancies, and defects-induced behavior can be attributed to the suppression of the recombination of photo-generated electron–hole pairs due to the rapid charge transfer between the CeO2NPs and graphene sheets. These findings will have a profound effect on the use of CeO2-Graphene nanostructures for future energy and environment-related applications.