bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determination of the ideal volume of activating solution and the optimal ratio of spermatozoa per oocyte for Prochilodus brevis fertilization
Authors: Oliveira-Araújo Mayara Setúbal , Lopes Júlia Trugilio , Nunes Larissa Teixeira , Almeida-Monteiro Priscila Silva de , Nascimento Renata Vieira do , Pereira Vanessa Alves , Ferreira Yasmim Maia , Neres Raphael William Ponte , Montenegro Assis Rubens , Leite-Castro Liliane Veras , Salmito-Vanderley Carminda Sandra Brito
Published: November 2019

Prochilodus brevis is a rheophilic species with a threatened natural population that promotes studies aimed at optimizing reproduction in captivity. The correct quantity of inseminating dose and activating solution volume significantly improves fertilization rates, thereby increasing productivity in captivity. The objective of this study was to determine the proportion of sperm per oocyte and the ideal volume of activating solution to be used in the assisted fertilization of P. brevis. Gametes were collected and fertilization performed in two steps. In step 1, the ideal proportion of spermatozoa was determined based on the fertilization rate:oocyte by testing six doses of semen: D1 = 30 × 103, D2 = 150 × 103, D3 = 300 × 103, D4 = 3 × 106, D5 = 5 × 106, and D6 = 10 × 106. In step 2, the fertilization and hatching rates were evaluated using different volumes of activating solution (V1 – 25 ml, V2 – 50 ml, V3 – 75 ml,V4 – 100 ml, V5 – 125 ml, and V6 – 150 ml). A linear regression equation was estimated from steps 1 and 2. The Student–Newman–Keuls test was used to compare the means. In step 1, the percentage of fertilization increased linearly, reaching a plateau of 51.69%. In step 2, the best fertilization rates were obtained with an estimated ideal volume of 75.64 ml per 2 ml of oocytes. Therefore, the proportion of 928,410.29 sperm:oocyte, associated with the volume of 75.64 ml of water per 2 ml of oocytes, provided the maximum reproductive performance for P. brevis.
Embedding the New Information Literacy Framework in Undergraduate Political Science Courses
Authors: Harden Melissa , Harden Jeffrey J.
Published: November 2019

What information can I trust? What sources should I include in my paper? Where can I find a quote that fits my argument? Undergraduates ask instructors, classmates, and/or librarians these questions. Meanwhile, instructors bemoan the gap between their expectations for student writing and the finished products. Navigating a large volume of scholarship and critically evaluating potential sources is straightforward for faculty who have long passed key information literacy (IL) thresholds. However, students usually have not reached these thresholds themselves. We offer practical tools—grounded in a new framework for teaching IL—to address these challenges. We demonstrate how instructors can (and should) teach IL skills, with or without direct assistance from librarians. We recommend encouraging students to build context around information sources and slow down as they search. Implementing these tools moves students from passively synthesizing a limited set of (possibly biased) materials to engaging in genuine scholarly inquiry.
ALGEBRAIC ISOMONODROMIC DEFORMATIONS AND THE MAPPING CLASS GROUP
Authors: Cousin Gaël , Heu Viktoria
Published: November 2019

The germ of the universal isomonodromic deformation of a logarithmic connection on a stable $n$-pointed genus $g$ curve always exists in the analytic category. The first part of this article investigates under which conditions it is the analytic germification of an algebraic isomonodromic deformation. Up to some minor technical conditions, this turns out to be the case if and only if the monodromy of the connection has finite orbit under the action of the mapping class group. The second part of this work studies the dynamics of this action in the particular case of reducible rank 2 representations and genus $g>0$, allowing to classify all finite orbits. Both of these results extend recent ones concerning the genus 0 case.
Ravel's Tzigane: Artful Mask or Kitsch?
Authors: HUEBNER STEVEN
Published: November 2019

Like all of Maurice Ravel's compositions, the virtuosic violin piece Tzigane, styled rapsodie de concert by the composer, rapidly became a mainstay of the concert repertory following its premiere with piano by the Hungarian violinist Jelly d'Aranyi in April 1924 in London (her premiere of the orchestral version occurred in Paris on 30 November 1924 with Gabriel Pierné conducting the Colonne Orchestra). Yet, despite its popularity, no critic has included it among Ravel's major works. Reflections on Tzigane in the secondary musicological literature are very few indeed, which is somewhat surprising in the context of a new explosion of interest in Ravel. In his recent biography, Roger Nichols avers that ‘probably no one has ever suggested that Tzigane is great music’. Robert Orledge noted in 2000 that it ‘has never been among Ravel's most successful works’, a remark surely meant as a critique of the composition rather than a statement about its popularity with performers, which has been considerable. Alexis Roland-Manuel, a close friend of the composer, did not even discuss the piece in his biography of 1938. The violinist Hélène Jourdan-Morhange, another close friend and consultant about the virtuoso figuration in Tzigane, confessed almost apologetically in her book on Ravel that ‘this rhapsodic piece is perhaps the only one in Ravel's oeuvre where I cannot locate – hidden in the intricacies of its tours de force – Ravel's characteristic flavour: in it, music has surrendered too much place to instrumental acrobatics’. In other words, she appears to suggest that Tzigane is a mere showpiece where Ravel's personal style has been eclipsed by fireworks, with an implicit criticism of pandering to market. The Hungarian violinist Joseph Szigeti spoke of the ‘resistance I always felt towards this brilliant and (to my mind) synthetically produced pastiche of Ravel's’. At the time of the premiere, the young Henri Sauguet told Francis Poulenc that ‘the aesthetic informing these pages is so antiquated that I am astonished anyone can still believe in it’.
Roles of regional production in a global food system
Authors: Peters Christian J. , Gómez Miguel I. , Griffin Timothy
Published: November 2019

What is the role of Northeastern agricultural products in the US food system? This paper presents a typology that categorizes where agricultural production and distribution of a specific geographic area, in this case a multi-state region, fits within the US food system. The place of each food is defined based on its production volume, scope of distribution, market timing and agro-ecological niche. Six distinct roles that a region might play in supplying food are identified: (a) the region is a national production center, (b) the region is a seasonally important supplier, (c) regional production and distribution is the primary scale for supplying a food, (d) the product occupies an agro-ecological niche, (e) a product is a co-product of another industry in the region, and (f) the product is marketed explicitly for its geographic provenance as a local or regional product. Illustrative examples of each role are provided from the research of the Enhancing Food Security in the Northeast (EFSNE) regional food systems project. The examples draw from a variety of methodological approaches including regional self-reliance analysis, product case studies, supply chain models, and examination of spatial and temporal patterns in crop and livestock production and marketing. While presented in the context of the Northeast, the typology would likely be valuable for characterizing other regions of the country. We need such a typology to better understand and communicate the value of geographically dispersed agricultural production to creating a resilient food system, thereby improving our decisions of how to respond to future agricultural challenges
Treatment gap and mental health service use among Syrian refugees in Sultanbeyli, Istanbul: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Fuhr D. C. , Acarturk C. , McGrath M. , Ilkkursun Z. , Sondorp E. , Sijbrandij M. , Ventevogel P. , Cuijpers P. , McKee M. , Roberts B.
Published: November 2019

Aims

Syrian refugees may have increased mental health needs due to the frequent exposure to potentially traumatic events and violence experienced during the flight from their home country, breakdown of supportive social networks and daily life stressors related to refugee life. The aim of this study is to report evidence on mental health needs and access to mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) among Syrians refugees living in Sultanbeyli-Istanbul, Turkey.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Syrian refugees aged 18 years or over in Sultanbeyli between February and May 2018. We used random sampling to select respondents by using the registration system of the municipality. Data among 1678 Syrian refugees were collected on mental health outcomes using the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist (PCL-5) and the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25) for depression and anxiety. We also collected data on health care utilisation, barriers to seeking and continuing care as well as knowledge and attitudes towards mental health. Descriptive analyses were used.

Results

The estimated prevalence of symptoms of PTSD, depression and anxiety was 19.6, 34.7 and 36.1%, respectively. In total, 249 respondents (15%) screened positive for either PTSD, depression or anxiety in our survey and self-reported emotional/behavioural problems since arriving in Sultanbeyli. The treatment gap (the proportion of these 249 people who did not seek care) was 89% for PTSD, 90% for anxiety and 88% for depression. Several structural and attitudinal barriers for not seeking care were reported, including the cost of mental health care, the belief that time would improve symptoms, fear of being stigmatised and lack of knowledge on where and how to get help. Some negative attitudes towards people with mental health problems were reported by respondents.

Conclusions

Syrian refugees hardly access MHPSS services despite high mental health needs, and despite formally having access to the public mental health system in Turkey. To overcome the treatment gap, MHPSS programmes need to be implemented in the community and need to overcome the barriers to seeking care which were identified in this study. Mental health awareness raising activities should be provided in the community alongside the delivery of psychological interventions. This is to increase help-seeking and to tackle negative attitudes towards mental health and people with mental health problems.
Application of B, Mg, Li, and Sr Isotopes in Acid‐Sulfate Vent Fluids and Volcanic Rocks as Tracers for Fluid‐Rock Interaction in Back‐Arc Hydrothermal Systems
Authors: Wilckens Frederike K. , Reeves Eoghan P. , Bach Wolfgang , Seewald Jeffrey S. , Kasemann Simone A.
Published: November 2019

The Manus Basin hosts a broad range of vent fluid compositions typical for arc and back‐arc settings, ranging from black smoker to acid‐sulfate styles of fluid venting, as well as novel intermediate temperature and composition “hybrid” smokers. We investigated B, Li, Mg, and Sr concentrations and isotopic compositions of these different fluid types as well as of fresh and altered rocks from the same study area to understand what controls their compositional variability. In particular, the formation of acid‐sulfate and hybrid smoker fluids is still poorly understood, and their high Mg concentrations are explained either by dissolution of Mg‐bearing minerals in the basement or by mixing between unmodified seawater and magmatic fluids. Mg isotope ratios of the acid‐sulfate fluids from the Manus Basin are seawater‐like, which supports the idea that acid‐sulfate fluids in this study area predominantly form by mixing between unmodified seawater and a Mg‐free magmatic fluid. Changes in the B, Li, and Sr isotope ratios relative to seawater indicate water‐rock interaction in all acid‐sulfate fluids. Further, the combination of δ7Li with B concentrations of the same fluids links changes in δ7Li to changes in (1) basement alteration, (2) water‐to‐rock ratios during water‐rock interaction, and/or (3) the reaction temperature. These isotope systems, thus, allow tracing of basement composition and acid‐sulfate‐driven alteration of the back‐arc crust and help increase our understanding of hydrothermal fluid‐rock interactions and the behavior of fluid‐mobile elements.
Separating Emission and Meteorological Drivers ofMid‐21st‐Century Air Quality Changes in IndiaBased on Multiyear Global‐RegionalChemistry‐Climate Simulations
Authors: Wu Xiaokang , Xu Yangyang , Kumar Rajesh , Barth Mary
Published: November 2019

Many Indian metropolitan areas currently suffer from severe air pollution such as PM2.5, which might continue into future decades, dependent on the trends in emission growth and regional climate. Based on a multiyear Nested Regional Climate Model coupled with Chemistry simulation, we developed a daily index (Hazy Weather Index for India, HWII) to characterize the meteorology‐pollution relationship over three heavily polluted cities (Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai) and Indo‐Gangetic Plain. HWII consists of near‐surface (10 m) zonal wind (U10) and temperature at 200 hPa (T200) over the northwestern Indian Ocean, and local planetary boundary layer height. The simulated PM2.5 levels during the Historical Period (1997–2004) exhibit robust negative correlation with the HWII. The negative correlation captures day‐to‐day covariability of surface PM2.5 and meteorology, highlighting the role of monsoon‐related large‐scale circulation in redistributing locally emitted pollutants. More importantly, two future (2046–2054) simulations with regional warming under the Representative Concentration Pathway 6.0 and 8.5 were analyzed. The future changes in HWII and the three predictive meteorological variables work in favor of a stronger pollution horizontal dispersion and vertical ventilation and thus could lead to a reduction of PM2.5 level by 7%. The meteorology‐driven reduction in PM2.5, however, is overwhelmed by the projected growth in anthropogenic emission (especially under Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 emission by 31%). Our results are contrary to previous studies over other regions (e.g., China) where future climate change might contribute to PM2.5 increase.
Impact of Lake Surface Temperature Variations on Lake Effect Snow Over the Great Lakes Region
Authors: Shi Qi , Xue Pengfei
Published: November 2019

A high‐resolution three‐dimensional Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used to investigate the coupled impact of lake surface temperature (LST) and surface wind on the lake effect snow (LES) over the Great Lakes region. A set of twin WRF simulations, with and without resolving LST spatial variations in the model's surface boundary condition, is performed to quantify the impact of LST variation on LES. Both observations and model results reveal a positive correlation between the downwind LST gradient and surface wind convergence over the Great Lakes region. Furthermore, model simulations show that resolving the spatial variation of LST increases the surface wind convergence, correspondingly enhances local vertical motions in the atmospheric boundary layer, and creates favorable conditions for the LES formation on the lee sides of the Great Lakes. The contribution of LST spatial variations to the increase in precipitation on the lee sides of the lakes varies between 5% and 30% in individual LES events. The increase in the winter‐mean snow water equivalent due to LST spatial variations is between 3% and 15%. The most significant impact of LST variation on the winter‐mean snow water equivalent is on the lee side of Lake Huron.
Imbrium Age for Zircons in Apollo 17 South Massif Impact Melt Breccia 73155
Authors: Zhang Bidong , Lin Yangting , Moser Desmond E. , Hao Jialong , Shieh Sean R. , Bouvier Audrey
Published: November 2019

The Apollo 17 poikilitic impact melt breccias were initially interpreted to be directly related to the Serenitatis basin formation. Here we present petrological, geochemical, and U‐Pb geochronological investigations of the poikilitic impact melt of Apollo 73155,69 which was sampled from the South Massif of the Taurus‐Littrow valley. Nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry analyses of well‐preserved poikilitic zircons from sample 73155,69 yield a uniform 207Pb/206Pb age population with a weighted mean age of 3921 ± 14 Ma. The zircons have distinctly high concentrations of Y (3279−6347 ppm) and Th (254−302 ppm) compared with other Apollo 17 zircons. These characteristics, together with their textures, are remarkably similar to those of zircons from high‐Th melt breccias from Apollo 12 samples and lunar meteorite Sayh al Uhaymir 169 attributed to the formation of the high‐Th deposits of the Imbrium basin. We therefore propose an Imbrium provenance for melt component in 73155,69. Our results provide new evidence for components of Imbrium‐type ejecta occurring among the South Massif breccias. Consequently, the Apollo 17 poikilitic impact melt breccias may not represent Serenitatis ejecta.
Selective Preservation of Coccolith Calcite in Ontong‐Java Plateau Sediments
Authors: Subhas Adam V. , McCorkle Daniel C. , Quizon Alex , McNichol Ann P. , Long Matthew H.
Published: November 2019

Dissolution of calcite in deep ocean sediments, which is required to balance global marine CaCO3 production and burial fluxes, is still a poorly understood process. In order to assess the mechanisms of dissolution in sediments, we analyzed four multicore tops taken along a depth transect on the Ontong‐Java Plateau. These cores were taken directly on the equator, and span water column calcite saturation states from ∼0.93 to ∼0.74, allowing us to assess the effect of dissolution on carbonate sediment composition. The top 2 cm of each multicore was sectioned and sieved to separate coccolith from foraminiferal calcite, and the %CaCO3, δ13C, Δ14C, and Mg/Ca were evaluated. The mass ratio of coccoliths to foraminifera increases by a factor of 3 as a function of water depth, reflecting the preferential dissolution of foraminifera. Carbon isotope (δ13C and Δ14C) data suggest that most dissolution takes place at the sediment‐water interface and primarily affects foraminifera. Mg/Ca analyses indicate that the Mg content of the entire foraminiferal assemblage decreases as a function of dissolution. In contrast, coccolith dissolution takes place within the sediments, rather than at the interface. Together these two processes cause coccoliths to be up to 1,000 radiocarbon years younger than foraminifera from the same depth horizon. Despite this within‐sediment coccolith dissolution flux, sediments below the calcite saturation horizon remain enriched in coccolith calcite. Combined with global seafloor hypsometry and calcium carbonate content, this enrichment suggests that globally, coccoliths may outweigh foraminifera in deep ocean sediments by a factor of 1.8.
Advances in Quantifying Streamflow Variability Across Continental Scales: 2. Improved Model Regionalization and Prediction Uncertainties Using Hierarchical Bayesian Methods
Authors: Alexander Richard B. , Schwarz Gregory E. , Boyer Elizabeth W.
Published: November 2019

The precise estimation of process effects in hydrological models requires applying models to large scales with extensive spatial variability in controlling factors. Despite progress in large‐scale applications of hydrological models in conterminous United States (CONUS) river basins, spatial constraints in model parameters have prevented the interbasin sharing of data, complicating quantification of process effects and limiting the accuracy of model predictions and uncertainties. Hierarchical Bayesian methods enable data sharing between basins and the identification of the causes of model uncertainties, which can improve model accuracy and interpretability; however, computational inefficiencies have been an obstacle to their large‐scale application. We used a new generation of Bayesian methods to develop a hierarchical version of a previous hybrid (statistical‐mechanistic) SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes model of long‐term mean annual streamflow in the CONUS. We identified hierarchical (regional) variations in model coefficients and uncertainties and evaluated their effects on model accuracy and interpretability across diverse environments in 16 major CONUS regions. Hierarchical coefficients significantly improved spatial accuracy of model predictions, with the largest improvements in humid eastern regions, where uncertainties were approximately one third of those in arid western regions. Half of the coefficients varied regionally, with the largest variations in coefficients associated with water losses in streams and reservoirs. Our unraveling of the causes of model uncertainties identified a small latent process component of runoff that varies inversely with river size in most CONUS regions. Our study advances the use of hierarchical Bayesian methods to improve the predictive capabilities of hydrological models.
Modeling the Effect of Hyporheic Mixing on Stream Solute Transport
Authors: Bottacin‐Busolin Andrea
Published: November 2019

Mixing in the hyporheic zone plays a key role in controlling the fate and transport of contaminants in streams and rivers. Consistently with recent experimental and numerical results, a physically based one‐dimensional solute transport model is presented that represents hyporheic mixing as a diffusion process exponentially attenuated with depth. When vertical diffusion in the sediment bed is not limited by an impermeable boundary, the moments of the breakthrough curves (BTCs) generated by the model exhibit persistent non‐Fickian behavior and are shown to scale consistently with existing experimental evidence. The ability of the exponentially attenuated mixing model to represent experimental BTCs was tested using data from field and flume tracer experiments, and its performance was compared with that of a classic two‐storage zone model. While both models provided an equally good approximation for the BTCs observed in field tracer tests, the exponentially attenuated mixing model provided better fits for the flume experiments. Analysis of the model equations and their solutions shows that, if the flow cross‐sectional area and wetted perimeter are not predetermined, there are infinite sets of parameter values that produce the same space‐time concentration distributions. The result implies that the physical parameters of hyporheic exchange cannot be determined by sole measurements of the solute BTCs in the surface water unless flow cross‐sectional area and average flow depth can be independently estimated.
Mitochondrial NDUFA4L2 attenuates the apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells induced by oxidative stress via the inhibition of mitophagy
Authors: Xu Wen-Ning , Zheng Huo-Liang , Yang Run-Ze , Liu Tao , Yu Wei , Zheng Xin-Feng , Li Bo , Jiang Sheng-Dan , Jiang Lei-Sheng
Published: November 2019

The main pathological mechanism of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is the programmed apoptosis of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells. Oxidative stress is a significant cause of IVDD. Whether mitophagy is induced by strong oxidative stress in IVDD remains to be determined. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between oxidative stress and mitophagy and to better understand the mechanism of IVDD in vivo and in vitro. To this end, we obtained primary NP cells from the human NP and subsequently exposed them to TBHP. We observed that oxidative stress induced mitophagy to cause apoptosis in NP cells, and we suppressed mitophagy and found that NP cells were protected against apoptosis. Interestingly, TBHP resulted in mitophagy through the inhibition of the HIF-1α/NDUFA4L2 pathway. Therefore, the upregulation of mitochondrial NDUFA4L2 restricted mitophagy induced by oxidative stress. Furthermore, the expression levels of HIF-1α and NDUFA4L2 were decreased in human IVDD. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that the upregulation of NDUFA4L2 ameliorated the apoptosis of NP cells by repressing excessive mitophagy, which ultimately alleviated IVDD. These findings show for the first time that NDUFA4L2 and mitophagy may be potential therapeutic targets for IVDD.
MCL-1 antagonism enhances the anti-invasive effects of dasatinib in pancreatic adenocarcinoma
Authors:   Australian Pancreatic Cancer Genome Initiative (APGI), Castillo Lesley , Young Adelaide I. J. , Mawson Amanda , Schafranek Pia , Steinmann Angela M. , Nessem Danielle , Parkin Ashleigh , Johns Amber , Chou Angela , Law Andrew M. K. , Lucas Morghan C. , Murphy Kendelle J. , Deng Niantao , Gallego-Ortega David , Caldon Catherine E. , Timpson Paul , Pajic Marina , Ormandy Christopher J. , Oakes Samantha R.
Published: November 2019

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the deadliest malignancies. It is phenotypically heterogeneous with a highly unstable genome and provides few common therapeutic targets. We found that MCL1, Cofilin1 (CFL1) and SRC mRNA were highly expressed by a wide range of these cancers, suggesting that a strategy of dual MCL-1 and SRC inhibition might be efficacious for many patients. Immunohistochemistry revealed that MCL-1 protein was present at high levels in 94.7% of patients in a cohort of PDACs from Australian Pancreatic Genome Initiative (APGI). High MCL1 and Cofilin1 mRNA expression was also strongly predictive of poor outcome in the TCGA dataset and in the APGI cohort. In culture, MCL-1 antagonism reduced the level of the cytoskeletal remodeling protein Cofilin1 and phosphorylated SRC on the active Y416 residue, suggestive of reduced invasive capacity. The MCL-1 antagonist S63845 synergized with the SRC kinase inhibitor dasatinib to reduce cell viability and invasiveness through 3D-organotypic matrices. In preclinical murine models, this combination reduced primary tumor growth and liver metastasis of pancreatic cancer xenografts. These data suggest that MCL-1 antagonism, while reducing cell viability, may have an additional benefit in increasing the antimetastatic efficacy of dasatinib for the treatment of PDAC.
Implementing machine learning in bipolar diagnosis in China
Authors: Ma Yantao , Ji Jun , Huang Yun , Gao Huimin , Li Zhiying , Dong Wentian , Zhou Shuzhe , Zhu Yue , Dang Weimin , Zhou Tianhang , Yu Haiqing , Yu Bin , Long Yuefeng , Liu Long , Sachs Gary , Yu Xin
Published: November 2019

Bipolar disorder (BPD) is often confused with major depression, and current diagnostic questionnaires are subjective and time intensive. The aim of this study was to develop a new Bipolar Diagnosis Checklist in Chinese (BDCC) by using machine learning to shorten the Affective Disorder Evaluation scale (ADE) based on an analysis of registered Chinese multisite cohort data. In order to evaluate the importance of each item of the ADE, a case-control study of 360 bipolar disorder (BPD) patients, 255 major depressive disorder (MDD) patients and 228 healthy (no psychiatric diagnosis) controls (HCs) was conducted, spanning 9 Chinese health facilities participating in the Comprehensive Assessment and Follow-up Descriptive Study on Bipolar Disorder (CAFÉ-BD). The BDCC was formed by selected items from the ADE according to their importance as calculated by a random forest machine learning algorithm. Five classical machine learning algorithms, namely, a random forest algorithm, support vector regression (SVR), the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and logistic regression, were used to retrospectively analyze the aforementioned cohort data to shorten the ADE. Regarding the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), the BDCC had high AUCs of 0.948, 0.921, and 0.923 for the diagnosis of MDD, BPD, and HC, respectively, despite containing only 15% (17/113) of the items from the ADE. Traditional scales can be shortened using machine learning analysis. By shortening the ADE using a random forest algorithm, we generated the BDCC, which can be more easily applied in clinical practice to effectively enhance both BPD and MDD diagnosis.
HIC-5 in cancer-associated fibroblasts contributes to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression
Authors: Du Xuanling , Xu Qiping , Pan Duyi , Xu Dongke , Niu Baolin , Hong Wenting , Zhang Rui , Li Xiaobo , Chen Shiyao
Published: November 2019

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains one of the most common malignancies in China and has a high metastasis rate and poor prognosis. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a prominent component of the tumor microenvironment, can affect tumor progression and metastasis, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. There are no studies that explore the role of hydrogen peroxide-inducible clone 5 (HIC-5) in ESCC or compare the role of HIC-5 in CAFs and adjacent noncancerous normal fibroblasts (NFs). In this study, we isolated primary CAFs and NFs from ESCC patients. HIC-5 was highly expressed in CAFs from the tumor stroma of human ESCC patients. HIC-5 knockdown in CAFs inhibited the migration and invasion of ESCC cells in vitro. Supernatant CCL2 levels of CAFs were significantly higher after TGF-β stimulation and lower after knocking down HIC-5 expression, independent of TGF-β treatment. HIC-5 knockdown in CAFs led xenograft tumors derived from ESCC cells mixed with CAFs to present more regular morphology, express higher CDH1, and lower CCL2. Further RNA-seq data showed that HIC-5 has distinct biological functions in CAFs vs. NFs, especially in cell movement and the Rho GTPase signaling kinase pathway, which was verified by wound-healing assays and western blotting. An ESCC tissue microarray revealed that increased HIC-5 expression in the tumor stroma was associated with positive lymph node metastasis and a higher TNM stage. In summary, we identified that stromal HIC-5 was a predictive risk factor for lymph node metastasis in human ESCC and that CAF-derived HIC-5 regulated ESCC cell migration and invasion by regulating cytokines and modifying the ECM.
A novel dual-adhesive and bioactive hydrogel activated by bioglass for wound healing
Authors: Gao Long , Zhou Yanling , Peng Jinliang , Xu Chen , Xu Qing , Xing Min , Chang Jiang
Published: November 2019

Dual adhesiveness to tissue and implant biomaterials and bioactivity to stimulate tissue regeneration are interesting properties for developing new generations of tissue-repairing hydrogels with potential new clinical applications. In this study, we developed a unique bioglass (BG)/oxidized sodium alginate (OSA) composite hydrogel with adipic acid dihydrazide (ADH)-modified γ-polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA) as the cross-linking agent, in which the BG plays a multifunctional role to endow the hydrogel‍ with both dual-adhesive and bioactive properties. On one hand, the BG could improve the tissue-bonding strength by providing an alkaline microenvironment to stimulate the bond formation between OSA and the amino groups on the surrounding tissues. On the other hand, BG endows the hydrogel‍ with adhesiveness to implantable materials by releasing Ca ions, which might chelate with the carboxyl groups of the hydrogel‍ matrix. In addition, the composite hydrogel‍ showed excellent bioactivity to promote vascularization and accelerate tissue regeneration. This study demonstrates that a multifunctional hydrogel‍ can be designed by utilizing the multifunctional ions released from silicate BG, and the BG/OSA hydrogel shows good potential as an adhesive and bioactive material for wound-healing applications.
A network-based approach to identify deregulated pathways and drug effects in metabolic syndrome
Authors: Misselbeck Karla , Parolo Silvia , Lorenzini Francesca , Savoca Valeria , Leonardelli Lorena , Bora Pranami , Morine Melissa J. , Mione Maria Caterina , Domenici Enrico , Priami Corrado
Published: November 2019

Metabolic syndrome is a pathological condition characterized by obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertension, elevated levels of triglycerides and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol that increase cardiovascular disease risk and type 2 diabetes. Although numerous predisposing genetic risk factors have been identified, the biological mechanisms underlying this complex phenotype are not fully elucidated. Here we introduce a systems biology approach based on network analysis to investigate deregulated biological processes and subsequently identify drug repurposing candidates. A proximity score describing the interaction between drugs and pathways is defined by combining topological and functional similarities. The results of this computational framework highlight a prominent role of the immune system in metabolic syndrome and suggest a potential use of the BTK inhibitor ibrutinib as a novel pharmacological treatment. An experimental validation using a high fat diet-induced obesity model in zebrafish larvae shows the effectiveness of ibrutinib in lowering the inflammatory load due to macrophage accumulation.
The genomic footprint of sexual conflict
Authors: Sayadi Ahmed , Martinez Barrio Alvaro , Immonen Elina , Dainat Jacques , Berger David , Tellgren-Roth Christian , Nystedt Björn , Arnqvist Göran
Published: November 2019

Genes with sex-biased expression show a number of unique properties and this has been seen as evidence for conflicting selection pressures in males and females, forming a genetic ‘tug-of-war’ between the sexes. However, we lack studies of taxa where an understanding of conflicting phenotypic selection in the sexes has been linked with studies of genomic signatures of sexual conflict. Here, we provide such a link. We used an insect where sexual conflict is unusually well understood, the seed beetleCallosobruchus maculatus, to test for molecular genetic signals of sexual conflict across genes with varying degrees of sex-bias in expression. We sequenced, assembled and annotated its genome and performed population resequencing of three divergent populations. Sex-biased genes showed increased levels of genetic diversity and bore a remarkably clear footprint of relaxed purifying selection. Yet, segregating genetic variation was also affected by balancing selection in weakly female-biased genes, while male-biased genes showed signs of overall purifying selection. Female-biased genes contributed disproportionally to shared polymorphism across populations, while male-biased genes, male seminal fluid protein genes and sex-linked genes did not. Genes showing genomic signatures consistent with sexual conflict generally matched life-history phenotypes known to experience sexually antagonistic selection in this species. Our results highlight metabolic and reproductive processes, confirming the key role of general life-history traits in sexual conflict.
Author Correction: Text-mined dataset of inorganic materials synthesis recipes
Authors: Kononova Olga , Huo Haoyan , He Tanjin , Rong Ziqin , Botari Tiago , Sun Wenhao , Tshitoyan Vahe , Ceder Gerbrand
Published: November 2019

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
PTBP1-mediated regulation of AXL mRNA stability plays a role in lung tumorigenesis
Authors: Cho Chun-Yu , Chung Shih-Ying , Lin Shankung , Huang Jhy-Shrian , Chen Yen-Lin , Jiang Shih-Sheng , Cheng Li-Chun , Kuo Tsu-Hsiang , Lay Jong-Ding , Yang Ya-Yu , Lai Gi-Ming , Chuang Shuang-En
Published: November 2019

AXL is expressed in many types of cancer and promotes cancer cell survival, metastasis and drug resistance. Here, we focus on identifying modulators that regulate AXL at the mRNA level. We have previously observed that the AXL promoter activity is inversely correlated with the AXL expression levels, suggesting that post-transcriptional mechanisms exist that down-regulate the expression of AXL mRNA. Here we show that the RNA binding protein PTBP1 (polypyrimidine tract-binding protein) directly targets the 5′-UTR of AXL mRNA in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we also demonstrate that PTBP1, but not PTBP2, inhibits the expression of AXL mRNA and the RNA recognition motif 1 (RRM1) of PTBP1 is crucial for this interaction. To clarify how PTBP1 regulates AXL expression at the mRNA level, we found that, while the transcription rate of AXL was not significantly different, PTBP1 decreased the stability of AXL mRNA. In addition, over-expression of AXL may counteract the PTBP1-mediated apoptosis. Knock-down of PTBP1 expression could enhance tumor growth in animal models. Finally, PTBP1 was found to be negatively correlated with AXL expression in lung tumor tissues in Oncomine datasets and in tissue micro-array (TMA) analysis. In conclusion, we have identified a molecular mechanism of AXL expression regulation by PTBP1 through controlling the AXL mRNA stability. These findings may represent new thoughts alternative to current approaches that directly inhibit AXL signaling and may eventually help to develop novel therapeutics to avoid cancer metastasis and drug resistance.
Vector competence of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus from the metropolitan area of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico for Zika virus
Authors: Elizondo-Quiroga Darwin , Ramírez-Medina Miriam , Gutiérrez-Ortega Abel , Elizondo-Quiroga Armando , Muñoz-Medina José Esteban , Sánchez-Tejeda Gustavo , González-Acosta Cassandra , Correa-Morales Fabián
Published: November 2019

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen discovered in the late 40’s in Uganda during a surveillance program for yellow fever. By 2014 the virus reached Eastern Island in the Americas, and two years later, the virus spread to almost all countries and territories of the Americas. The mosquito Aedes aegypti has been identified as the main vector of the disease, and several researchers have also studied the vector competence of Culex quinquefasciatus in virus transmission. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the vector competence of Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus in order to understand their roles in the transmission of ZIKV in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. In blood feeding laboratry experiments, we found that Ae. aegypti mosquitoes showed to be a competent vector able to transmit ZIKV in this area. On the other hand, we found that F0 Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes are refractory to ZIKV infection, dissemination and transmission.
Identification of novel predictive factors for post surgical corneal haze
Authors: Kumar Nimisha R. , Khamar Pooja , Shetty Rohit , Sharma Ankit , Shetty Naren , Pahuja Natasha , Abilash Valsala Gopalakrishnan , Jhanji Vishal , Ghosh Anuprita , Mohan Rajiv R. , Vangala Rajani Kanth , Ghosh Arkasubhra
Published: November 2019

Molecular factors altered in corneas that develop haze post refractive surgery have been described, but pre-existing factors that predispose clinically normal corneas to aberrant fibrosis post surgery and the role of the corneal epithelium remains unknown. We analyzed the global gene expression in epithelium collected intraoperatively from subjects undergoing photorefractive keratectomy. Subjects were grouped into those that developed haze 12 months post surgery (n = 6 eyes; haze predisposed) and those that did not develop haze in a similar follow up duration (n = 11 eyes; controls). Ontological analysis of 1100 upregulated and 1780 downregulated genes in the haze predisposed group revealed alterations in pathways associated with inflammation, wnt signaling, oxidative stress, nerve functions and extra cellular matrix remodeling. Novel factors such as PREX1, WNT3A, SOX17, GABRA1and PXDN were found to be significantly altered in haze predisposed subjects and those with active haze(n = 3), indicating their pro-fibrotic role. PREX1 was significantly upregulated in haze predisposed subjects. Ectopic expression of PREX1 in cultured human corneal epithelial cells enhanced their rate of wound healing while its ablation using shRNA reduced healing compared to matched controls. Recombinant TGFβ treatment in PREX1 overexpressing corneal cells led to enhanced αSMA expression and Vimentin phosphorylation while the converse was true for shPREX1 expressing cells. Our data identify a few novel factors in the corneal epithelium that may define a patient’s risk to developing post refractive corneal haze.
Breakdown of Scaling and Friction Weakening in Intermittent Granular Flow
Authors: Baldassarri A. , Annunziata M. A. , Gnoli A. , Pontuale G. , Petri A.
Published: November 2019

Many materials are produced, processed and stored as grains, while granularity of matter can be crucial in triggering potentially catastrophic geological events like landslides, avalanches and earthquakes. The response of grain assemblies to shear stress is therefore of utmost relevance to both human and natural environment. At low shear rate a granular system flows intermittently by distinct avalanches. In such state the avalanche velocity in time is expected to follow a symmetrical and universal average behavior, whose dependence on the slip size reduces to a scale factor. Analyzing data from long lasting experiments, we observe a breakdown of this scaling: While in short slips velocity shows indeed a self-similar and symmetric profile, it does not in long slips. The investigation of frictional response in these different regimes evidences that this breakdown can be traced back to the onset of a friction weakening, which is of dynamical origin and can amplify instabilities exactly in this critical state, the most frequent state for natural hazards.
Multiscale Multiobjective Systems Analysis (MiMoSA): an advanced metabolic modeling framework for complex systems
Authors: Gardner Joseph J. , Hodge Bri-Mathias S. , Boyle Nanette R.
Published: November 2019

In natural environments, cells live in complex communities and experience a high degree of heterogeneity internally and in the environment. Even in ‘ideal’ laboratory environments, cells can experience a high degree of heterogeneity in their environments. Unfortunately, most of the metabolic modeling approaches that are currently used assume ideal conditions and that each cell is identical, limiting their application to pure cultures in well-mixed vessels. Here we describe our development of Multiscale Multiobjective Systems Analysis (MiMoSA), a metabolic modeling approach that can track individual cells in both space and time, track the diffusion of nutrients and light and the interaction of cells with each other and the environment. As a proof-of concept study, we used MiMoSA to model the growth of Trichodesmium erythraeum, a filamentous diazotrophic cyanobacterium which has cells with two distinct metabolic modes. The use of MiMoSA significantly improves our ability to predictively model metabolic changes and phenotype in more complex cell cultures.
Glacial Indonesian Throughflow weakening across the Mid-Pleistocene Climatic Transition
Authors: Petrick Benjamin , Martínez-García Alfredo , Auer Gerald , Reuning Lars , Auderset Alexandra , Deik Hanaa , Takayanagi Hideko , De Vleeschouwer David , Iryu Yasufumi , Haug Gerald H.
Published: November 2019

The Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) controls the oceanic flux of heat and salt between the Pacific and Indian Oceans and therewith plays an important role in modulating the meridional overturning circulation and low latitude hydrological cycle. Here, we report new sea surface temperature and aridity records from the west coast of Australia (IODP Site U1460), which allow us to assess the sensitivity of the eastern Indian Ocean to the major reorganization of Earth’s climate that occurred during the Mid-Pleistocene Transition. Our records indicate glacial coolings at 1.55 and 0.65 million years ago that are best explained by a weakening of the ITF as a consequence of global sea level and tectonic changes. These coincide with the development of pronounced gradients in the carbon isotope composition of the different ocean basins and with substantial changes in regional aridity, suggesting that the restrictions of the ITF influenced both the evolution of global ocean circulation and the development of the modern hydrological cycle in Western Australia.
Highly Luminescent Ternary Nanocomposite of Polyaniline, Silver Nanoparticles and Graphene Oxide Quantum Dots
Authors: Shokry Azza , Khalil M. M. A. , Ibrahim Hesham , Soliman Moataz , Ebrahim Shaker
Published: November 2019

Quantum dots (QDs) with photostability show a potential application in optical sensing and biological imaging. In this work, ternary nanocomposite (NC) of high fluorescent polyaniline (PANI)/2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPSA) capped silver nanoparticles (NPs)/graphene oxide quantum dots (PANI/Ag (AMPSA)/GO QDs) have been synthesized by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline in the presence of Ag (AMPSA) NPs and GO QDs. Ag (AMPSA) NPs and GO QDs were prepared by AgNO3 chemical reduction and glucose carbonization methods, respectively. The prepared materials were characterized using UV-visible, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopies, X-Ray diffractometer (XRD) and high- resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). HRTEM micrographs confirmed the preparation of GO QDs with an average size of 15 nm and Ag (AMPSA) NPs with an average size of 20 nm. PANI/Ag (AMPSA)/GO QDs NC showed high and stable emission peak at 348 nm. This PANI/Ag (AMPSA)/GO QDs NC can emerge as a new class of fluorescence materials that could be suitable for practical sensing applications.
Effect of biochar addition on leaf-litter decomposition at soil surface during three years in a warm-temperate secondary deciduous forest, Japan
Authors: Minamino Yukiya , Fujitake Nobuhide , Suzuki Takeshi , Yoshitake Shinpei , Koizumi Hiroshi , Tomotsune Mitsutoshi
Published: November 2019

The addition of biochar to the forest floor should facilitate efficient carbon sequestration. However, little is known about how biochar addition effects litter decomposition, which is related to carbon and nutrient dynamics in forest ecosystems. This study evaluated the effect of biochar addition on leaf litter decomposition in a forest ecosystem. To examine whether leaf litter decomposition was stimulated above and below biochar, litterbag experiments were carried out for about 3 years in a field site where biochar was added at the rate of 0, 5 and 10 t ha−¹ (C0, C5 and C10 plots) to the forest floor in a temperate oak forest, Japan. Biochar addition at C10 significantly enhanced litter decomposition below biochar for 2 years after treatment and above biochar for 1 year after treatment. Litter water content in biochar plots tended to increase under dry conditions. Biochar addition enhanced litter decomposition because of increased microbial activity with increased moisture content and accelerated the decomposition progress rather than changing the decomposition pattern. However, the carbon emission through changing leaf litter decomposition was small when compared with the carbon addition by biochar, indicating that biochar could be an effective material for carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems.
Two-dimensional layered magnesium–cobalt hydroxide crochet structure for high rate and long stable supercapacitor application
Authors: Nanwani Alisha , Deshmukh Kavita A. , Sivaraman P. , Peshwe D. R. , Sharma Indu , Dhoble S. J. , Swart H. C. , Deshmukh Abhay D. , Gupta Bipin Kumar
Published: November 2019

Pseudocapacitors with nickel/cobalt hydroxide-based electrodes show promises energy storage devices, because they are economical and safe, but cycle stability and high current rate capability have not been achieved. We shed light on how magnesium in double-layered hydroxides serves as a supercapacitor electrode in optimal environments. Here we show the high rate capability and long-term stability of layered magnesium–cobalt double hydroxide (L-MCH) electrodes, which is superior to existing electrodes. The pseudocapacitor made with Mg2+ and Co2+ double hydroxide as active materials, does not have an intricate fabrication process. The L-MCH pseudocapacitor has a specific capacitance comparable to most double hydroxide-based materials and capacity retention greater than 107% over 10,000 cycles, which is in line with commercial devices. Our proposed method also offers a much faster and reliable route for electrode fabrication, which could result in the development of a new generation of supercapacitors, batteries and hybrid devices.