bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Location Decision of Hardwood Manufacturing in the Northern and Central Appalachian States
Authors: Smith Stephen M. , Bodenman John E. , Jones Stephen B.
Published: May 2019

This study's objective is to identify and understand the factors important to hardwood processors’ location decisions in the northern and central Appalachian region. Concepts from neoclassical and behavioral location theories were integrated to develop a general framework for analyzing these decisions. Logit regression analysis was used to determine those establishment characteristics related to the likelihood of location search. To a great extent, establishments locate based on personal ties and do not conduct searches. Most variables found to influence the likelihood of search are not controllable by state or local governments. The implications are that existing establishments should be targeted for retention and expansion, rather than focusing on recruitment.
Short- and Long-Run Demand and Substitution of Agricultural Inputs
Authors: Fernandez-Cornejo Jorge
Published: May 2019

Short- and long-run Hicksian and Marshallian elasticities are estimated, along with Morishima elasticities of substitution, using a restricted profit function and a series of decomposition equations. Convexity in prices and concavity in quasi-fixed factors of the restricted profit function are simultaneously imposed using Bayesian techniques. The empirical model is disaggregated in the input side, utilizes a Fuss-quadratic flexible functional form, incorporates the impact of agricultural policies, and introduces a new weather index. The methodology is applied to Illinois's agriculture, and implications for agriculture in the Corn Belt and the Northeast are briefly discussed.
Consumer Demand Analysis According to GARP: Discussion
Authors: Blanciforti Laura A.
Published: May 2019

This paper explores the issue of the power of nonparametric tests to check for the consistency of data with utility maximization. Alston and Chalfant provide an excellent review of nonparametric approaches to consumer-demand analysis. They test for consistency, separability, and power. The authors address two important questions: First, how does one define power for nonparametric situations, and is that definition comparable to the parametric situation? Second, can the power of nonparametric tests be improved? The authors measure the statistical power of nonparametric methods using a parametric test, though they do not address whether it is legitimate to use parametric tests on nonparametric methods.
Natural history of complex transposition of great arteries in an adult: a case report
Authors: Narcisse-Alvarez Jahir Fresnel , Pumacayo-Cardenas Susan Cristina , Espinola-Zavaleta Nilda
Published: May 2019

Background:

Transposition of the great arteries is the most common cyanotic cardiac lesion in newborns. Transposition of the great arteries without surgical correction is fatal during the first year of life. Contemporary outcome studies have shown that survival rates after surgery are excellent and most patients live to adulthood.

Case summary:

Woman with complex transposition of the great arteries with atrial and ventricular septal defects and subvalvular and valvular pulmonary stenosis, who has survived until the age of 31 years without surgery. The diagnosis was made by echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance. She underwent successful corrective surgical treatment after this age, by means of a Jatene operation.

Conclusion:

In transposition of the great arteries patients, a high index of cases dies in the first month of life. Our case represents a natural history of the complex transposition of the great arteries. Non-invasive imaging studies are very useful for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with transposition of the great arteries, especially echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance. In our case, the multimodality approach and the corrective surgery allowed her to survive.
Barriers to EMS System Evaluation: Problems Associated with Field Data Collection
Authors: Spaite Daniel W. , Valenzuela Terence D. , Meislin Harvey W.
Published: May 2019

For more than two decades, emergency medical services (EMS) systems have proliferated primarily based upon governmental impetus and funding at the federal, state, and local levels. Although many of the foundations of patient care rendered in these systems have been based upon intuitive logic, the understanding of the impact on patient outcome is poor, at best. The reasons for the current status are varied, but five issues are preeminent:

1) The authority for the development of these medical systems has been based primarily in political and bureaucratic institutions which have little or no medical expertise;

2) Little attention has been paid to system evaluation, particularly in the area of cost-effectiveness;

3) Few academic medical institutions have become involved in EMS research;

4) Traditional approaches to medical research primarily are disease-specific and are not multidisciplinary. Thus these are not useful for evaluating and understanding the highly complex and uncontrolled environmental interactions that typify EMS systems; and

5) The process of efficiently and reliably collecting accurate data in the prehospital setting is extremely difficult.
BIDUAL OCTAHEDRAL RENORMINGS AND STRONG REGULARITY IN BANACH SPACES
Authors: Langemets Johann , López-Pérez Ginés
Published: May 2019

We prove that every separable Banach space containing an isomorphic copy of $\ell _{1}$ can be equivalently renormed so that the new bidual norm is octahedral. This answers, in the separable case, a question in Godefroy [Metric characterization of first Baire class linear forms and octahedral norms, Studia Math.95 (1989), 1–15]. As a direct consequence, we obtain that every dual Banach space, with a separable predual and failing to be strongly regular, can be equivalently renormed with a dual norm to satisfy the strong diameter two property.
Trends in Antarctic Ice Sheet Elevation and Mass
Authors: Shepherd Andrew , Gilbert Lin , Muir Alan S. , Konrad Hannes , McMillan Malcolm , Slater Thomas , Briggs Kate H. , Sundal Aud V. , Hogg Anna E. , Engdahl Marcus E.
Published: May 2019

Fluctuations in Antarctic Ice Sheet elevation and mass occur over a variety of time scales, owing to changes in snowfall and ice flow. Here we disentangle these signals by combining 25 years of satellite radar altimeter observations and a regional climate model. From these measurements, patterns of change that are strongly associated with glaciological events emerge. While the majority of the ice sheet has remained stable, 24% of West Antarctica is now in a state of dynamical imbalance. Thinning of the Pine Island and Thwaites glacier basins reaches 122 m in places, and their rates of ice loss are now five times greater than at the start of our survey. By partitioning elevation changes into areas of snow and ice variability, we estimate that East and West Antarctica have contributed −1.1 ± 0.4 and +5.7 ± 0.8 mm to global sea level between 1992 and 2017.
Copolarized and Cross‐Polarized SAR Measurements for High‐Resolution Description of Major Hurricane Wind Structures: Application to Irma Category 5 Hurricane
Authors: Mouche Alexis , Chapron Bertrand , Knaff John , Zhao Yili , Zhang Biao , Combot Clément
Published: May 2019

C‐band high‐resolution radar (synthetic aperture radar [SAR]) is the only spaceborne instrument able to probe at very high resolution and over all ocean basins the sea surface under extreme weather conditions. When coanalyzed with Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer wind estimates, the radar backscatter signals acquired in major hurricanes from Sentinel‐1 and Radarsat‐2 SAR reveal high sensitivity in the cross‐polarized channel for wind speeds up to 75 m/s. The combination of the two copolarized and cross‐polarized channels can then be used to derive high‐resolution surface wind estimates. The retrieval methods and impacts of intense rainfall are discussed in the context of a Hurricane Irma (2017) case study. On 7 September 2017, Sentinel‐1 measurements intercepted Hurricane Irma when it was at category 5 intensity. When compared to Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer, SAR‐derived wind speeds yield bias and root‐mean‐square of about 1.5 and 5.0 m/s, respectively. The retrieved wind structure parameters for the outer core are found to be in agreement with the Best‐Track and combined satellite‐ and aircraft‐based analyses. SAR measurements uniquely describe the inner core and provide independent measurements of the maximum wind speed and the radius of maximum wind. Near the radius of maximum wind a 65‐m/s increase in wind speed in less than 10 km is detected, corresponding to an instantaneous absolute vorticity of order 210 times the Coriolis parameter. Using a parametric Holland model and the environmental surface pressure (1,011 hPa), SAR‐derived wind speeds correspond to a central surface pressure of 918 hPa (921 hPa from the Best‐Track) in Irma's eye.
Gamma Ray Glow Observations at 20‐km Altitude
Authors: Østgaard N. , Christian H. J. , Grove J. E. , Sarria D. , Mezentsev A. , Kochkin P. , Lehtinen N. , Quick M. , Al‐Nussirat S. , Wulf E. , Genov G. , Ullaland K. , Marisaldi M. , Yang S. , Blakeslee R. J.
Published: May 2019

In the spring of 2017 an ER‐2 aircraft campaign was undertaken over continental United States to observe energetic radiation from thunderstorms and lightning. The payload consisted of a suite of instruments designed to detect optical signals, electric fields, and gamma rays from lightning. Starting from Georgia, USA, 16 flights were performed, for a total of about 70 flight hours at a cruise altitude of 20 km. Of these, 45 flight hours were over thunderstorm regions. An analysis of two gamma ray glow events that were observed over Colorado at 21:47 UT on 8 May 2017 is presented. We explore the charge structure of the cloud system, as well as possible mechanisms that can produce the gamma ray glows. The thundercloud system we passed during the gamma ray glow observation had strong convection in the core of the cloud system. Electric field measurements combined with radar and radio measurements suggest an inverted charge structure, with an upper negative charge layer and a lower positive charge layer. Based on modeling results, we were not able to unambiguously determine the production mechanism. Possible mechanisms are either an enhancement of cosmic background locally (above or below 20 km) by an electric field below the local threshold or an enhancement of the cosmic background inside the cloud but then with normal polarity and an electric field well above the Relativistic Runaway Electron Avalanche threshold.
Spatial‐Temporal Variation of Lake Surface Water Temperature and Its Driving Factors in Yunnan‐Guizhou Plateau
Authors: Yang Kun , Yu Zhenyu , Luo Yi , Zhou Xiaolu , Shang Chunxue
Published: May 2019

Lake surface water temperature (LSWT) is an important factor of water ecological environment. In the context of global warming, the LSWT of global lakes generally reveals an upward trend. With a continuous intensification of human activities and a rapid expansion of the impervious surface, urbanization has exerted an increasing impact on the environment, so the impact of human activities on LSWT cannot be ignored. Because of the special geographical location, the change of LSWT in plateau lakes has important impacts on climate diversity, biodiversity, and cultural diversity. As a result, it is critical to monitor and model the variation characteristics of LSWT in the plateau area. Based on the data set of natural factors representing climate change and human factors representing human activities, this study proposes a classification of lake types by K‐Means clustering method. At watershed scale, 11 lakes in the study area are divided into three types: Natural Lake, Semi‐urban Lake, and Urban Lake (UL). Based on this classification, the variation characteristics of LSWT for the eleven lakes from 2001 to 2017 are analyzed. The causal relationship and contribution of climate change and human activities to the rise of LSWT are discussed. Results show that (1) from 2001 to 2017, the annual mean of LSWT‐day/night and near‐surface air temperature in the 11 lakes show a warming trend, a significant correlation (R = 0.82, α = 0.0164 < 0.5) and a same periodicity, which indicates that near‐surface air temperature is one of the main influencing factors of LSWT warming in Yunnan‐Guizhou Plateau. (2) LSWT warming trend of UL is more obvious than those of Semi‐urban Lake and Natural Lake, indicating that human activities have more significant impact on LSWT of UL. The main driving factors are the impervious surface expansion and population increase. (3) The influence of human activities on the LSWT in Yunnan‐Guizhou Plateau is becoming more and more significant, and it is also the main factor in causing the deterioration of lake water environment in Yunnan‐Guizhou Plateau.
LXRα limits TGFβ-dependent hepatocellular carcinoma associated fibroblast differentiation
Authors: Morén Anita , Bellomo Claudia , Tsubakihara Yutaro , Kardassis Dimitris , Mikulits Wolfgang , Heldin Carl-Henrik , Moustakas Aristidis
Published: May 2019

Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) is deposited in the extracellular space of diverse tissues. Resident fibroblasts respond to TGFβ and undergo myofibroblastic differentiation during tissue wound healing and cancer progression. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) communicate with tumor cells during cancer progression, under the guidance of TGFβ signaling. We report that agonist-activated liver X receptors (LXR) limit the expression of key components of myofibroblast differentiation, including the α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) gene in liver cancer cells. CAFs derived from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) express high αSMA and low LXRα levels, whereas hepatocarcinoma cells exhibit an inverse expression pattern. All hepatoma cells analyzed responded to the LXRα agonist T0901317 by inducing fatty acid synthase (FASN) expression. On the other hand, T0901317 antagonized TGFβ-induced fibroblastic marker responses, such as fibronectin and calponin, in a subset of hepatoma cells and all CAFs analyzed. Mechanistically, LXRα antagonized TGFβ signaling at the transcriptional level. Smad3 and LXRα were recruited to adjacent DNA motifs of the ACTA2 promoter. Upon cloning the human ACTA2 promoter, we confirmed its transcriptional induction by TGFβ stimulation, and LXRα overexpression repressed the promoter activity. Hepatosphere formation by HCC cells was enhanced upon co-culturing with CAFs. T0901317 suppressed the positive effects exerted on hepatosphere growth by CAFs. Taken together, the data suggest that LXRα agonists limit TGFβ-dependent CAF differentiation, potentially limiting primary HCC growth.
Pazopanib in advanced soft tissue sarcomas
Authors: Lee Alex T. J. , Jones Robin L. , Huang Paul H.
Published: May 2019

Pazopanib is the first and only tyrosine kinase inhibitor currently approved for the treatment of multiple histological subtypes of soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Initially developed as a small molecule inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, preclinical work indicates that pazopanib exerts an anticancer effect through the inhibition of both angiogenic and oncogenic signaling pathways. Following the establishment of optimal dosing and safety profiles in early phase studies and approval for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma, pazopanib was investigated in STS. A landmark phase III randomized study demonstrated improved progression-free survival with pazopanib compared to that with placebo in pretreated patients with STS of various subtypes. The efficacy of pazopanib in specific STS subtypes has been further described in real-world-based case series in both mixed and subtype-specific STS cohorts. At present, there are no clinically validated predictive biomarkers for use in selecting patients with advanced STS for pazopanib therapy, limiting the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the drug. In this review, we summarize the preclinical and clinical data for pazopanib, outline the evidence base for its effect in STS and explore reported studies that have investigated putative biomarkers.
MALAT1 regulates the transcriptional and translational levels of proto-oncogene RUNX2 in colorectal cancer metastasis
Authors: Ji Qing , Cai Guoxiang , Liu Xuan , Zhang Yi , Wang Yan , Zhou Lihong , Sui Hua , Li Qi
Published: May 2019

Ectopic expression of lncRNA-MALAT1 has been discovered in recurrent colorectal cancer (CRC) and metastatic sites in postsurgical patients, however, its biological mechanism remained unelucidated. Our study first revealed the novel roles of MALAT1 in promoting CRC metastasis through two mechanisms: first, MALAT1 binds miR-15 family members, to “de-inhibit” their effect on LRP6 expression, enhances β-catenin signaling, leading to elevated transcriptional levels of downstream target genes RUNX2. Second, MALAT1 binds SFPQ, and dissociates SFPQ/PTBP2 dimer to release free PTBP2, which elevates translational levels of RUNX2, through interacting with IRES domain in the 5′UTR of the corresponding RUNX2 mRNAs. Moreover, increased RUNX2 expression levels were detected in recurrent CRC tumors, which were closely associated with TMN stages, metastasis, as well as CRC patients’ survival. Our study demonstrated that MALAT1 and RUNX2 may serve as two biomarkers for predicting the recurrence and metastasis of CRC patients.
Environmental stress impairs photoreceptor outer segment (POS) phagocytosis and degradation and induces autofluorescent material accumulation in hiPSC-RPE cells
Authors: Dalvi Sonal , Galloway Chad A. , Winschel Lauren , Hashim Ali , Soto Celia , Tang Cynthia , MacDonald Leslie A. , Singh Ruchira
Published: May 2019

Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell dysfunction is central to the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of adult blindness. Aging, the single biggest risk factor for AMD development, favors increase in RPE autofluorescent material due to accumulation of POS-digestion by-products through lysosomal dysfunction and impaired POS degradation. Apart from aging, environmental agents affect lysosomal function in multiple model systems and are implicated in AMD. Iron (Fe) overload and cigarette smoke exposure are the two environmental factors that are known to affect the lysosomal pathway and impact RPE cell health. However, the impact of Fe and cigarette smoke, on POS processing and its consequence for autofluorescent material accumulation in human RPE cells are yet to be established. Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived RPE, which phagocytoses and degrades POS in culture and can be derived from control individuals (no history/susceptibility for retinal disease), provides a model system to investigate the singular effect of excess Fe and/or cigarette smoke on POS processing by RPE cells. Using at least three distinct control hiPSC lines, we show that, compared to untreated hiPSC-RPE cells, POS uptake is reduced in both Fe (ferric ammonium citrate or FAC) and FAC + CSE (cigarette smoke extract)-treated hiPSC-RPE cells. Furthermore, exposure of hiPSC-RPE cultures to FAC + CSE leads to reduced levels of active cathepsin-D (CTSD), a lysosomal enzyme involved in POS processing, and causes delayed degradation of POS. Notably, delayed degradation of POS over time (2 weeks) in hiPSC-RPE cells exposed to Fe and CSE was sufficient to increase autofluorescent material build-up in these cells. Given that inefficient POS processing-mediated autofluorescent material accumulation in RPE cells has already been linked to AMD development, our results implicate a causative role of environmental agents, like Fe and cigarette smoke, in AMD.
Stochastic simulations reveal few green wave surfing populations among spring migrating herbivorous waterfowl
Authors: Wang Xin , Cao Lei , Fox Anthony D. , Fuller Richard , Griffin Larry , Mitchell Carl , Zhao Yunlin , Moon Oun-Kyong , Cabot David , Xu Zhenggang , Batbayar Nyambayar , Kölzsch Andrea , van der Jeugd Henk P. , Madsen Jesper , Chen Liding , Nathan Ran
Published: May 2019

Tracking seasonally changing resources is regarded as a widespread proximate mechanism underpinning animal migration. Migrating herbivores, for example, are hypothesized to track seasonal foliage dynamics over large spatial scales. Previous investigations of this green wave hypothesis involved few species and limited geographical extent, and used conventional correlation that cannot disentangle alternative correlated effects. Here, we introduce stochastic simulations to test this hypothesis using 222 individual spring migration episodes of 14 populations of ten species of geese, swans and dabbling ducks throughout Europe, East Asia, and North America. We find that the green wave cannot be considered a ubiquitous driver of herbivorous waterfowl spring migration, as it explains observed migration patterns of only a few grazing populations in specific regions. We suggest that ecological barriers and particularly human disturbance likely constrain the capacity of herbivorous waterfowl to track the green wave in some regions, highlighting key challenges in conserving migratory birds.
Draft genome of the big-headed turtle Platysternon megacephalum
Authors: Cao Dainan , Wang Meng , Ge Yan , Gong Shiping
Published: May 2019

The big-headed turtle, Platysternon megacephalum, as the sole member of the monotypic family Platysternidae, has a number of distinct characteristics including an extra-large head, long tail, flat carapace, and a preference for low water temperature environments. We performed whole genome sequencing, assembly, and gene annotation of an adult male big-headed turtle based on the Illumina HiSeq X genomic sequencing platform. We generated ~497.1 Gb of raw sequencing data (×208.9 depth) and produced a draft genome with a total length of 2.32 Gb and contig and scaffold N50 sizes of 41.8 kb and 7.22 Mb, respectively. We also identified 924 Mb (39.84%) of repetitive sequences, 25,995 protein-coding genes, and 19,177 non-coding RNAs. We generated the first de novo genome of the big-headed turtle; these data will be essential to the further understanding and exploration of the genomic innovations and molecular mechanisms contributing to its unique morphology and physiological features.
Combining hippocampal volume metrics to better understand Alzheimer’s disease progression in at-risk individuals
Authors: McRae-McKee K. , Evans S. , Hadjichrysanthou C. , Wong M. M. , de Wolf F. , Anderson R. M.
Published: May 2019

To date nearly all clinical trials of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) therapies have failed. These failures are, at least in part, attributable to poor endpoint choice and to inadequate recruitment criteria. Recently, focus has shifted to targeting at-risk populations in the preclinical stages of AD thus improved predictive markers for identifying individuals likely to progress to AD are crucial to help inform the sample of individuals to be recruited into clinical trials. We focus on hippocampal volume (HV) and assess the added benefit of combining HV and rate of hippocampal atrophy over time in relation to disease progression. Following the cross-validation of previously published estimates of the predictive value of HV, we consider a series of combinations of HV metrics and show that a combination of HV and rate of hippocampal atrophy characterises disease progression better than either measure individually. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the risk of disease progression associated with HV metrics does not differ significantly between clinical states. HV and rate of hippocampal atrophy should therefore be used in tandem when describing AD progression in at-risk individuals. Analyses also suggest that the effects of HV metrics are constant across the continuum of the early stages of the disease.
NO gas sensor based on ZnGa2O4 epilayer grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition
Authors: Wu Min-Ru , Li Wei-Zhong , Tung Chun-Yi , Huang Chiung-Yi , Chiang Yi-Hung , Liu Po-Liang , Horng Ray-Hua
Published: May 2019

A gas sensor based on a ZnGa2O4(ZGO) thin film grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition operated under the different temperature from 25 °C to 300 °C is investigated in this study. This sensor shows great sensing properties at 300 °C. The sensitivity of this sensor is 22.21 as exposed to 6.25 ppm of NO and its response time is 57 s. Besides that, the sensitivities are 1.18, 1.27, 1.06, and 1.00 when exposed to NO2(500 ppb), SO2 (125 ppm), CO (125 ppm), and CO2 (1500 ppm), respectively. These results imply that the ZGO gas sensor not only has high sensitivity, but also has great selectivity for NO gas. Moreover, the obtained results suggest that ZGO sensors are suitable for the internet of things(IOT) applications.
Li(Cd,Mn)P: a new cadmium based diluted ferromagnetic semiconductor with independent spin & charge doping
Authors: Han W. , Chen B. J. , Gu B. , Zhao G. Q. , Yu S. , Wang X. C. , Liu Q. Q. , Deng Z. , Li W. M. , Zhao J. F. , Cao L. P. , Peng Y. , Shen X. , Zhu X. H. , Yu R. C. , Maekawa S. , Uemura Y. J. , Jin C. Q.
Published: May 2019

We report a new diluted ferromagnetic semiconductor Li1+y(Cd,Mn)P, wherein carrier is doped via excess Li while spin is doped by isovalence substitution of Mn2+ into Cd2+. The extended Cd 4d-orbitals lead to more itinerant characters of Li1+y(Cd,Mn)P than that of analogous Li1+y(Zn,Mn)P. A higher Curie temperature of 45 K than that for Li1+y(Zn,Mn)P is obtained in Li1+y(Cd,Mn)P polycrystalline samples by Arrott plot technique. The p-type carriers are determined by Hall effect measurements. The first principle calculations and X-ray diffraction measurements indicate that occupation of excess Li is at Cd sites rather than the interstitial site. Consequently holes are doped by excess Li substitution. More interestingly Li1+y(Cd,Mn)P shows a very low coercive field (<100 Oe) and giant negative magnetoresistance (~80%) in ferromagnetic state that will benefit potential spintronics applications.
Publisher Correction: Precancer antiviral treatment reduces microvascular invasion of early-stage Hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Liu Kai , Duan Jicheng , Liu Hu , Yang Xinwei , Yang Jiahe , Wu Mengchao , Chang Yanxin
Published: May 2019

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.
Transposon insertion causes cadherin mis-splicing and confers resistance to Bt cotton in pink bollworm from China
Authors: Wang Ling , Wang Jintao , Ma Yuemin , Wan Peng , Liu Kaiyu , Cong Shengbo , Xiao Yutao , Xu Dong , Wu Kongming , Fabrick Jeffrey A. , Li Xianchun , Tabashnik Bruce E.
Published: May 2019

Transgenic crops producing insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are cultivated extensively, but rapid evolution of resistance by pests reduces their efficacy. We report a 3,370-bp insertion in a cadherin gene associated with resistance to Bt toxin Cry1Ac in the pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella), a devastating global cotton pest. We found the allele (r15) harboring this insertion in a field population from China. The insertion is a miniature inverted repeat transposable element (MITE) that contains two additional transposons and produces two mis-spliced transcript variants (r15A and r15B). A strain homozygous for r15 had 290-fold resistance to Cry1Ac, little or no cross-resistance to Cry2Ab, and completed its life cycle on Bt cotton producing Cry1Ac. Inheritance of resistance was recessive and tightly linked with r15. For transformed insect cells, susceptibility to Cry1Ac was greater for cells producing the wild-type cadherin than for cells producing the r15 mutant proteins. Recombinant cadherin protein occurred on the cell surface in cells transformed with the wild-type or r15A sequences, but not in cells transformed with the r15B sequence. The similar resistance of pink bollworm to Cry1Ac in laboratory- and field-selected insects from China, India and the U.S. provides a basis for developing international resistance management practices.
An in vitro model of foam cell formation induced by a stretchable microfluidic device
Authors: Gu Xiaoyang , Xie Shijie , Hong Dandan , Ding Yongsheng
Published: May 2019

Although a variety of animal models of atherosclerosis have been developed, these models are time-consuming and costly. Here, we describe an in vitro model to induce foam cell formation in the early stage of atherosclerosis. This model is based on a three-dimension co-culture system in a stretchable microfluidic device. An elastic membrane embedded in the microfluidic device is capable of delivering nonuniform strain to vascular smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells and monocytes adhering thereto, which are intended to mimic the biological environment of blood vessels. Under low-density lipoprotein and stretch treatment, foam cell formation was successfully induced in co-culture with changes in mRNA and protein expression of some related key factors. Subsequently, the model was used to assess the inhibitory effect of atorvastatin on foam cell formation. The results obtained indicate that atorvastatin has a significantly dose-dependent inhibition of foam cell formation, which can be explained by the changes in mRNA and protein expression of the related factors. In principle, the model can be used to study the role of different types of cells in the formation of foam cells, as well as the evaluation of anti-atherosclerotic drugs.
Dynamics of Soil Respiration in Alpine Wetland Meadows Exposed to Different Levels of Degradation in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China
Authors: Li Zhongfei , Gao Jixi , Wen Linqin , Zou Changxin , Feng Chaoyang , Li Daiqing , Xu Delin
Published: May 2019

The effects of degradation of alpine wetland meadow on soil respiration (Rs) and the sensitivity of Rs to temperature (Q10) were measured in the Napa Lake region of Shangri-La on the southeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Rs was measured for 24 h during each of three different stages of the growing season on four different degraded levels. The results showed: (1) peak Rs occurred at around 5:00 p.m., regardless of the degree of degradation and growing season stage, with the maximum Rs reaching 10.05 μmol·m−2·s−1 in non-degraded meadows rather than other meadows; (2) the daily mean Rs value was 7.14–7.86 μmol·m−2·s−1 during the mid growing season in non-degraded meadows, and declined by 48.4–62.6% when degradation increased to the severely degraded level; (3) Q10 ranged from 7.1–11.3 in non-degraded meadows during the mid growing season, 5.5–8.0 and 6.2–8.2 during the early and late growing seasons, respectively, and show a decline of about 50% from the non-degraded meadows to severely degraded meadows; (4) Rs was correlated significantly with soil temperature at a depth of 0–5 cm (p < 0.05) on the diurnal scale, but not at the seasonal scale; (5) significant correlations were found between Rs and soil organic carbon (SOC), between biomass and SOC, and between Q10 and Rs (p < 0.05), which indicates that biomass and SOC potentially impact Q10. The results suggest that vegetation degradation impact both Rs and Q10 significantly. Also, we speculated that Q10 of alpine wetland meadow is probable greater at the boundary region than inner region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and shoule be a more sensitive indicator in the studying of climate change in this zone.
The Differential Expression of Cide Family Members is Associated with Nafld Progression from Steatosis to Steatohepatitis
Authors: Sans Arnaud , Bonnafous Stéphanie , Rousseau Déborah , Patouraux Stéphanie , Canivet Clémence M. , Leclere Pierre S. , Tran-Van-Nhieu Jeanne , Luci Carmelo , Bailly-Maitre Béatrice , Xu Xu , Lee Ann-Hwee , Minehira Kaori , Anty Rodolphe , Tran Albert , Iannelli Antonio , Gual Philippe
Published: May 2019

Improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for the progression from a “non-pathogenic” steatotic state to Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis is an important clinical requirement. The cell death-inducing DFF45 like effector (CIDE) family members (A, B and FSP27) regulate hepatic lipid homeostasis by controlling lipid droplet growth and/or VLDL production. However, CIDE proteins, particularly FSP27, have a dual role in that they also regulate cell death. We here report that the hepatic expression of CIDEA and FSP27 (α/β) was similarly upregulated in a dietary mouse model of obesity-mediated hepatic steatosis. In contrast, CIDEA expression decreased, but FSP27-β expression strongly increased in a dietary mouse model of steatohepatitis. The inverse expression pattern of CIDEA and FSP27β was amplified with the increasing severity of the liver inflammation and injury. In obese patients, the hepatic CIDEC2 (human homologue of mouse FSP27β) expression strongly correlated with the NAFLD activity score and liver injury. The hepatic expression of CIDEA tended to increase with obesity, but decreased with NAFLD severity. In hepatic cell lines, the downregulation of FSP27β resulted in the fractionation of lipid droplets, whereas its overexpression decreased the expression of the anti-apoptotic BCL2 marker. This, in turn, sensitized cells to apoptosis in response to TNF α and saturated fatty acid. Considered together, our animal, human and in vitro studies indicate that differential expression of FSP27β/CIDEC2 and CIDEA is related to NAFLD progression and liver injury.
Emergent gauge field and the Lifshitz transition of spin-orbit coupled bosons in one dimension
Authors: Cole William S. , Lee Junhyun , Mahmud Khan W. , Alavirad Yahya , Spielman I. B. , Sau Jay D.
Published: May 2019

In the presence of strong spin-independent interactions and spin-orbit coupling, we show that the spinor Bose liquid confined to one spatial dimension undergoes an interaction- or density-tuned quantum phase transition similar to one theoretically proposed for itinerant magnetic solid-state systems. The order parameter describes broken Z2 inversion symmetry, with the ordered phase accompanied by non-vanishing momentum which is generated by fluctuations of an emergent dynamical gauge field at the phase transition. This quantum phase transition has dynamical critical exponent z ≃ 2, typical of a Lifshitz transition, but is described by a nontrivial interacting fixed point. From direct numerical simulation of the microscopic model, we extract previously unknown critical exponents for this fixed point. Our model describes a realistic situation of 1D ultracold atoms with Raman-induced spin-orbit coupling, establishing this system as a platform for studying exotic critical behavior of the Hertz-Millis type.
Mortality due to Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii in low-income settings: an autopsy study
Authors: Hurtado Juan Carlos , Castillo Paola , Fernandes Fabiola , Navarro Mireia , Lovane Lucilia , Casas Isaac , Quintó Llorenç , Marco Francesc , Jordao Dercio , Ismail Mamudo R. , Lorenzoni Cesaltina , Martinez-Palhares Antonio E. , Ferreira Luiz , Lacerda Marcus , Monteiro Wuelton , Sanz Ariadna , Letang Emilio , Marimon Lorena , Jesri Susan , Cossa Anelsio , Mandomando Inacio , Vila Jordi , Bassat Quique , Ordi Jaume , Menéndez Clara , Carrilho Carla , Martínez Miguel J.
Published: May 2019

Cryptococcosis is a major opportunistic infection and is one of the leading causes of death in adults living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. Recent estimates indicate that more than 130,000 people may die annually of cryptococcal meningitis in this region. Although complete diagnostic autopsy (CDA) is considered the gold standard for determining the cause of death, it is seldom performed in low income settings. In this study, a CDA was performed in 284 deceased patients from Mozambique (n = 223) and Brazil (n = 61). In depth histopathological and microbiological analyses were carried out in all cases dying of cryptococcosis. We determined the cryptococcal species, the molecular and sero-mating types and antifungal susceptibility. We also described the organs affected and reviewed the clinical presentation and patient management. Among the 284 cases included, 17 fatal cryptococcal infections were diagnosed. Cryptococcus was responsible for 16 deaths among the 163 HIV-positive patients (10%; 95%CI: 6–15%), including four maternal deaths. One third of the cases corresponded to C. gattii (VGI and VGIV molecular types, Bα and Cα strains) and the remaining infections typed were caused by C. neoformans var. Grubii (all VNI and Aα strains). The level of pre-mortem clinical suspicion was low (7/17, 41%), and 7/17 patients (41%) died within the first 72 hours of admission. Cryptococcosis was responsible for a significant proportion of AIDS-related mortality. The clinical diagnosis and patient management were inadequate, supporting the need for cryptococcal screening for early detection of the disease. This is the first report of the presence of C. gattii infection in Mozambique.
Sperm selection with density gradient centrifugation and swim up: effect on DNA fragmentation in viable spermatozoa
Authors: Muratori M. , Tarozzi N. , Carpentiero F. , Danti S. , Perrone F. M. , Cambi M. , Casini A. , Azzari C. , Boni L. , Maggi M. , Borini A. , Baldi E.
Published: May 2019

Subjects increasing sperm DNA fragmentation (sDF) during Density Gradient Centrifugation (DGC), a common sperm selection procedure in Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ARTs), experience a 50% lower probability of pregnancy. Hence, identification of these subjects is of clinical importance. Here, we investigated whether such subjects are identified with higher accuracy detecting DNA fragmentation in viable (viable sDF) instead of total spermatozoa (total sDF) and whether swim up, an alternative procedure to DGC, does not increase sDF. With DGC, we identified 10/20 subjects increasing total sDF, and 2 more subjects using viable sDF. With swim up, we identified 8/40 subjects increasing total sDF, and 8 more subjects using viable sDF. In addition, viable sDF reveals more accurately the increase of the damage when it occurs. Finally, a multivariate analysis demonstrated that the proportional increase of sDF was higher after DGC respect to swim up. In conclusion, viable sDF is a more accurate parameter to reveal the increase of the damage by selection both with swim up and DGC. Swim up increases sDF in some samples, although at a lesser extent than DGC, suggesting that it should be used to select spermatozoa for ARTs when possible.
Novel Iodine-induced Cleavage Real-time PCR Assay for Accurate Quantification of Phosphorothioate Modified Sites in Bacterial DNA
Authors: Chen Yi , Zheng Tao , Li Jinli , Cui Jinjie , Deng Zixin , You Delin , Yang Litao
Published: May 2019

DNA Phosphorothioate (PT), replacing a non-bridging phosphate oxygen atom with a sulfur atom, is one kind of common DNA modification in bacteria. Whole genome scale description of the location and frequency of PT modification is the key to understand its biological function. Herein we developed a novel method, named with iodine-induced cleavage quantitative real-time PCR (IC-qPCR), to evaluate the frequency of PT modification at a given site in bacterial DNA. The efficiency, dynamic range, sensitivity, reproducibility and accuracy of IC-qPCR were well tested and verified employing an E. coli B7A strain as example. The amplification efficiency of IC-qPCR assay ranged from 91% to 99% with a high correlation coefficient ≥0.99. The limit of quantification was determined as low as 10 copies per reaction for the 607710 and 1818096 sites, and 5 copies for the 302695 and 4120753 sites. Based on the developed IC-qPCR method, the modification frequency of four PTs in E. coli B7A was determined with high accuracy, and the results showed that the PT modification was partial and that the modification frequency varied among investigated PT sites. All these results showed that IC-qPCR was suitable for evaluating the PT modification, which would be helpful to further understand the biological function of PT modification.
Synthesis of hyaluronic acid or O-carboxymethyl chitosan-stabilized ZnO–ginsenoside Rh2 nanocomposites incorporated with aqueous leaf extract of Dendropanax morbifera Léveille: in vitro studies as potential sunscreen agents
Authors: Markus Josua , Mathiyalagan Ramya , Kim Yeon-Ju , Han Yaxi , Jiménez-Pérez Zuly Elizabeth , Veronika Soshnikova , Yang Deok-Chun
Published: May 2019

Synthesis of Rh2–ZnO nanocomposites stabilized with hyaluronic acid or O-carboxymethyl chitosan.
Enantioselective synthesis of multi-nitrogen-containing heterocycles using azoalkenes as key intermediates
Authors: Wei Liang , Shen Chong , Hu Yuan-Zhen , Tao Hai-Yan , Wang Chun-Jiang
Published: May 2019

The recently developed annulation reactions using azoalkenes as key intermediates show their great ability to construct diverse types of multi-nitrogen-containing heterocycles. In this feature article, we critically analysed the strategic development and the efficient transformation of azoalkenes to chiral heterocycles and α-functionalized ketone derivatives since 2010.
Unprecedented water-controlled rotator–stator conversion of supramolecular rotors in crystals
Authors: Huang Rui-Kang , Xiao Zhi-Feng , Liu De-Xuan , Zhang Wei-Xiong , Chen Xiao-Ming
Published: May 2019

A supramolecular rotor exhibits two switchable rotational states controlled by guest water in crystals.
Metallic and anti-metallic properties of strongly covalently bonded energetic AlN5nitrides
Authors: Liu Zhao , Li Da , Liu Yan , Cui Tian , Tian Fubo , Duan Defang
Published: May 2019

Nitrogen-rich AlN5with high energy density and high hardness has been predicted by the first principles calculations.
Understanding the role of thermodynamics in catalytic imine reductions
Authors: Yang Jin-Dong , Xue Jing , Cheng Jin-Pei
Published: May 2019

The governing roles of bond-energetics in modulating the thermodynamic trends and catalytic modes of imine reductions are systematically rationalized with experimental verifications.
Recent advances in nano-enabled fertilizers and pesticides: a critical review of mechanisms of action
Authors: Adisa Ishaq O. , Pullagurala Venkata L. Reddy , Peralta-Videa Jose R. , Dimkpa Christian O. , Elmer Wade H. , Gardea-Torresdey Jorge L. , White Jason C.
Published: May 2019

The use of nanomaterials in agriculture as nanofertilizers, nanopesticides, or nano-enabled sensors to increase crop yield is gaining increasing interest.
Interference of silver nanoparticles with essential metal homeostasis in a novel enterohepatic fishin vitrosystem
Authors: Minghetti Matteo , Schirmer Kristin
Published: May 2019

Silver nanoparticles induce a similar but attenuated response to ionic silver in an enterohepatic fishin vitrosystem.
System-level analysis and life cycle assessment of CO2 and fossil-based formic acid strategies
Authors: Ahn Yuchan , Byun Jaewon , Kim Dongin , Kim Beom-Sik , Lee Cheol-Seung , Han Jeehoon
Published: May 2019

A cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment provides comprehensive insights into diverse environmental impacts and possible improvements in producing two formic acids.
Morphology control in semicrystalline solid polymer electrolytes for lithium batteries
Authors: Li Xiaowei , Cheng Shan , Zheng Yongwei , Li Christopher Y.
Published: May 2019

The significance of morphological control on the ion transport properties of semicrystalline solid polymer electrolytes is illustrated.
Synergistic design of a tin phosphate-entrapped graphene flake nanocomposite as an efficient catalyst for electrochemical determination of the antituberculosis drug isoniazid in biological samples
Authors: Kokulnathan Thangavelu , Suvina V. , Wang Tzyy-Jiann , Balakrishna R. Geetha
Published: May 2019

A SnP/GRF-modified electrode has potential application in the electrochemical detection of ISZ.
Tailoring energy level and surface basicity of metal oxide semiconductors by rare-earth incorporation for high-performance formaldehyde detection
Authors: Zhao Yanfang , Zou Xiaoxin , Chen Hui , Chu Xuefeng , Li Guo-Dong
Published: May 2019

The elevated Fermi level and increased surface basicity of 5Y-In2O3 led to the improvement of response and selectivity towards formaldehyde.
Biogenesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Pandanus odorifer leaf extract: anticancer and antimicrobial activities
Authors: Hussain Afzal , Oves Mohammad , Alajmi Mohamed F. , Hussain Iqbal , Amir Samira , Ahmed Jahangeer , Rehman Md Tabish , El-Seedi Hesham R. , Ali Imran
Published: May 2019

The continuously increasing incidence rates of cancer and infectious diseases are open threats to the sustainable survival of animals and humans.
BODIPY derivatives with near infra-red absorption as small molecule donors for bulk heterojunction solar cells
Authors: Marques dos Santos John , Jagadamma Lethy Krishnan , Latif Najwa Mousa , Ruseckas Arvydas , Samuel Ifor D. W. , Cooke Graeme
Published: May 2019

We report the synthesis of donor/acceptor functionalised BODIPY derivatives and their incorporation as donor molecules in bulk heterojunction solar cells.
Dansyl acetyl trehalose: a novel tool to investigate the cellular fate of trehalose
Authors: Locatelli Alessandra , Iommarini Luisa , Graziadio Alessandra , Leoni Alberto , Porcelli Anna Maria , Iotti Stefano , Malucelli Emil , Francia Francesco , Venturoli Giovanni , Farruggia Giovanna
Published: May 2019

Dansylated trehalose: a fluorescent dye to monitor trehalose cellular uptake.
Effect of calcination temperature, pH and catalyst loading on photodegradation efficiency of urea derived graphitic carbon nitride towards methylene blue dye solution
Authors: Paul Devina Rattan , Sharma Rishabh , Nehra S. P. , Sharma Anshu
Published: May 2019

The appropriate synthesis temperature and optimized photodegradation reaction conditions result in an appreciable enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of urea derived innate g-C3N4 towards MB dye degradation.
Synthesis of allyl alcohol as a method to valorise glycerol from the biodiesel production
Authors: Wormann Michael , Maier Martin E.
Published: May 2019

The conversion of triglycerides to biodiesel and glycerol to allyl alcohol is described using trimethyl orthoformate.
Stretching ofcis-formic acid: warm-up and cool-down as molecular work-out
Authors: Meyer Katharina A. E. , Suhm Martin A.
Published: May 2019

The spectroscopic data base forcis-formic acid is considerably extended to make it fit for experimental benchmarking of vibrational calculation tools.
Hydrogenated nanotubes/nanowires assembled from TiO2 nanoflakes with exposed {111} facets: excellent photo-catalytic CO2 reduction activity and charge separation mechanism between (111) and (1̄1̄1̄) polar surfaces
Authors: Liu Junfang , Liu Bin , Ren Yan , Yuan Yukun , Zhao Hua , Yang Heqing , Liu Shengzhong (Frank)
Published: May 2019

The apparent quantum yield for CH4 evolution of the hydrogenated TiO2 nanotubes/nanowires is as high as 17.4%, which is higher than that of all the TiO2 based photocatalysts reported until now.
Aliovalent A-site engineered AgNbO3 lead-free antiferroelectric ceramics toward superior energy storage density
Authors: Luo Nengneng , Han Kai , Zhuo Fangping , Xu Chao , Zhang Guangzu , Liu Laijun , Chen Xiyong , Hu Changzheng , Zhou Huanfu , Wei Yuezhou
Published: May 2019

Aliovalent A-site engineering enables superior energy storage density in AgNbO3 lead-free antiferroelectric ceramics.
Thermo-responsive aluminum-based polymer composite films with controllable deformation
Authors: Zhou Shuaifeng , Cun Fei , Zhang Yao , Zhang Lidong , Yan Qiwen , Sun Yushi , Huang Wei
Published: May 2019

A soft robot creeper assembled from composite films (PAA-co-PMMA/Al) moves forward in response to alternating heating and cooling.
Hollow silica opals/cellulose acetate nanocomposite films with structural colors for anti-counterfeiting of banknotes
Authors: Chu Lin , Zhang Xueting , Niu Wenbin , Wu Suli , Ma Wei , Tang Bingtao , Zhang Shufen
Published: May 2019

We designed hollow silica opals/cellulose acetate nanocomposite films with brilliant structural colors for anti-counterfeiting applications of banknotes.