bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Generative Critique in Interdisciplinary Collaborations: From Critique in and of the Neurosciences to Socio-Technical Integration Research as a Practice of Critique in R(R)I
Authors: Smolka Mareike
Published: January 2020

Discourses on Responsible Innovation and Responsible Research and Innovation, in short R(R)I, have revolved around but not elaborated on the notion of critique. In this article, generative critique is introduced to R(R)I as a practice that sits in-between adversarial armchair critique and co-opted, uncritical service. How to position oneself and be positioned on this spectrum has puzzled humanities scholars and social scientists who engage in interdisciplinary collaborations with scientists, engineers, and other professionals. Recently, generative critique has been presented as a solution to the puzzle in interdisciplinary collaborations on neuroscientific experiments. Generative critique seeks to create connections across disciplines that help remake seemingly stable objects in moments when taken-for-granted ways of seeing and approaching objects are unsettled. In order to translate generative critique from the neurosciences to R(R)I, socio-technical integration research (STIR) is proposed as a practice of generative critique in interdisciplinary R(R)I collaborations. These collaborations aim to account for societal aspects in research and technology development. For this purpose, a variety of approaches have been developed, including STIR and video-reflexive ethnography (VRE). STIR and VRE resemble each other but diverge on affective, collaborative, and temporal dimensions. Their juxtaposition serves to develop suggestions for how STIR could be modified on these dimensions to better enact generative critique in interdisciplinary R(R)I collaborations. In this way, the article contributes to ongoing discussions in R(R)I and in the engaged programme in science and technology studies more broadly on the dynamics of positioning in collaborative work.
Cracking and Failure Characteristics of Flame Cut Thick Steel Plates
Authors: Jokiaho T. , Santa-aho S. , Peura P. , Vippola M.
Published: January 2020

The manufacturing of thick wear-resistant steel plates commonly leads to a layered structure and non-uniform properties in the thickness direction which makes the processing and utilization of the plates problematic. The processing steps of thick plates include flame cutting, which generates a heat-affected zone and high residual stresses into the cut edge. In the worst case, the cutting causes cracking. However, the residual stress level alone is not high enough to break a wear-resistant steel plate that behaves normally. Therefore, high-tensile stress also requires a microstructurally weak factor for crack initiation. For this reason, the main objective of this study is to reveal the main microstructural reasons behind the cracking of plates in flame cutting. To achieve this, plate samples containing cracks are mechanically tested and analyzed by electron microscopy. The results show that cracks are commonly formed horizontally into the tempered region of the heat-affected zone. Cracks initiate in the segregations, which typically have a higher amount of impurity and alloying elements. Increased impurity and alloying content in the segregations decreases the cohesion of the prior austenite grain boundaries. These weakened grain boundaries combined with high-residual tensile stress generate the cracks in the flame-cutting process.
Depressive Emotionality Moderates the Influence of the BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism on Executive Functions and on Unconscious Semantic Priming
Authors: Sanwald Simon , Montag Christian , Kiefer Markus
Published: January 2020

Automatic semantic processing can be assessed using semantic priming paradigms. Individual differences in semantic priming have been associated with differences in executive functions. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met (substitution of valine (Val) to methionine (Met) at codon 66) polymorphism has been shown to be associated with executive functions as well as depression. Depression-associated variables such as depressed mood also moderated the relationship between BDNF Val66Met and executive functions in previous work. In this study, we therefore aimed at investigating whether BDNF Val66Met genotype modulates masked and unmasked semantic priming as well as executive functions and whether sadness is a moderator of these associations. We collected data of N = 155 participants measuring reaction times (RTs) as well as error rates (ERs) in masked and unmasked semantic priming paradigms using a lexical decision task. We assessed the primary emotion of SADNESS using the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scale (ANPS) and working memory using digit span forward and backward tasks. Met+ carriers showed reduced RT priming and increased ER priming in the masked priming paradigm. Even though there was no direct association between BDNF Val66Met and executive functions, SADNESS significantly moderated the association between BDNF Val66Met and executive functions as well as masked RT priming. We suggest that Met+ individuals with low depressive tendencies have not only superior EF, but also a faster and more superficial processing style, compared with Val/Val homozygotes. However, in Met+ individuals, cognitive functioning exhibits a greater vulnerability to depressed emotionality compared with Val/Val homozygotes. Our study thus demonstrates how emotional and molecular genetic factors exert an interacting influence on higher-level cognition.
Experimental and numerical studies of process variabilities in biaxial carbon fiber braids
Authors: Czichos Ruben , Bareiro Oscar , Pickett Anthony K. , Middendorf Peter , Gries Thomas
Published: January 2020

This paper investigates the manufacture of biaxial carbon fiber braids and the influence that different machine settings have on variability of the textile architecture produced. In parallel, numerical simulations of the braiding process with these different machine settings have been conducted. For these studies yarn tension and process speed are varied to generate cylindrical biaxial braids with an average braid angle of±45°. The overall preform quality is characterized by means of variability in braid angle, yarn width, cover factor and fiber damage, using a variety of experimental techniques. Furthermore, from the final infused composite variations in yarn cross-section dimensions have been measured. A method is presented to transfer braid process simulation results to a detailed three dimensional finite element model of the architecture using a technique based on thermal expansion and compaction simulation. This method also allows the possibility to introduce experimentally observed variability in yarn cross-section dimensions. Such a model provides a valuable starting point for mesoscopic infusion or mechanical analysis of the textile composite. A comparison between experimental and numerical results shows that the process simulation can well reproduce the real braid angles in terms of mean value and scatter under different machine configurations and that the meso-scale textile model gives a good reproduction of the true textile architecture.
The Role of the Low-Intensity Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy on Penile Rehabilitation After Radical Prostatectomy: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Baccaglini Willy , Pazeto Cristiano Linck , Corrêa Barros Eduardo Augusto , Timóteo Frederico , Monteiro Leonardo , Saad Rached Raiff Yusser , Navas Arthur , Glina Sidney
Published: January 2020

Background

Erectile dysfunction (ED) after radical prostatectomy (RP) still represents a major issue. Considering the benefits recently described regarding the application of low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (LiESWT) in vasculogenic ED, questions arise about its role in the scenario of penile rehabilitation.

Aim

To compare the early introduction of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor (PDE5i) with a combination therapy enrolling both early PDE5i use and LiESWT in patients submitted to RP.

Methods

This study is a randomized clinical trial, open-label, with 2 parallel arms and an allocation ratio of 1:1. The study was registered in ReBEC (ensaiosclinicos.gov.br) Trial: RBR-85HGCG. Both arms started tadalafil at a dose of 5 mg/day right after the removal of the transurethral catheter, and the experimental group received 2,400 shocks/session-week distributed on 4 different penile regions. The full treatment consisted of 19,200 impulses across 8 weeks.

Outcomes

The primary clincal end point was ≥4-point difference favoring the experimental group considering the mean International Index of Erectile Function short form (IIEF-5) at last follow-up. Any statistical difference in the IIEF-5 score between the arms was stated as the primary statistical end point.

Results

Between September 25, 2017, and December 3, 2018, 92 men were enrolled in the study. At last follow-up, we assessed 77 patients, 41 in the control group and 36 in the intervention group. A difference between groups was detected when accessing the final median IIEF-5 score (12.0 vs 10.0; P = .006). However, the primary clinical endpoint considering a difference ≥4-point between the arms has not been reached. When performing an exploratory analysis comparing the proportion of those individuals with an IIEF-5 score ≥17, no difference between groups was noted (17.1% vs 22.2%; P = .57).

Clinical Implications

So far, the benefits arising from LiESWT for penile rehabilitation after RP have been uncertain.

Strengths & Limitations

This is the first trial assessing the role of LiESWT on erectile function after RP. Our study protocol included only one session per week for the experimental group, raising a query if a more intensive application could achieve better results once a statistically significant difference was found between groups. We discontinue the PDE5i use at the last session, which may have interfered in the penile vascular rehabilitation, maybe compromising the results too.

Conclusion

After therapy with 19,200 impulses therapy across 8 weeks, we found an improvement of the IIEF-5 score, but it was not enough to be considered clinically significant. More studies are warranted before any recommendation on this topic.
Surgical treatment of nasolabial cysts in a single institute
Authors: Lee D H , Yoon T M , Lee J K , Lim S C
Published: January 2020

Objectives

To analyse the results of treatment for nasolabial cysts according to whether an intraoral sublabial or endoscopic transnasal approach was used, and to determine the recent surgical trend in our hospital.

Methods

Twenty-four patients with a histopathologically and radiologically confirmed nasolabial cyst between January 2010 and December 2017 were enrolled in this study.

Results

Nasolabial cysts were predominant in females (91.7 per cent) and on the left side (54.2 per cent). Treatment involved an intraoral sublabial approach in 12 cases (48.0 per cent) and a transnasal endoscopic approach in 13 cases (52.0 per cent). In 13 cases (52.0 per cent) surgery was performed under local anaesthesia, while in 12 cases (48.0 per cent) it was conducted under general anaesthesia. The most common post-operative complications were numbness of the upper lip or teeth (n = 9, 36.0 per cent). Only one patient (4.0 per cent), who underwent a transnasal endoscopic approach, experienced a reoccurrence.

Conclusion

Surgical resection through an intraoral sublabial or transnasal endoscopic approach is the best treatment for a nasolabial cyst, showing very good results and a low recurrence rate. The recent surgical trend in our hospital is to treat nasolabial cysts using a transnasal endoscopic approach under local anaesthesia.
Time-dependent cognitive and somatic symptoms of depression as predictors of new cardiac-related events in at-risk patients: the UPBEAT-UK cohort
Authors: Norton J. , Pastore M. , Ancelin M. , Hotopf M. , Tylee A. , Mann A. , Palacios J.
Published: January 2020

Background

Evidence suggests that somatic rather than cognitive depressive symptoms are risk factors for recurrent cardiac events in at-risk patients. However, this has never been explored using a time-dependent approach in a narrow time-frame, allowing a cardiac event-free time-window.

Methods

The analysis was performed on 595 participants [70.6% male, median age 72 (27–98)] drawn from the UPBEAT-UK heart disease patient cohort with 6-monthly follow-ups over 3 years. Depressive symptomatology was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) (four somatic, five cognitive items). New cardiac events (NCEs) including cardiac-related mortality were identified by expert examination of patient records. Analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazard models with delayed entry, with time-dependent depressive dimensions and covariates measured 12–18 months (median: 14.1, IQR: 3.5) prior to the event, with a 12-month cardiac event-free gap.

Results

There were 95 NCEs during the follow-up [median time-to-event from baseline: 22.3 months (IQR: 13.4)]. Both the somatic (HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.05–1.20, p = 0.001) and cognitive dimensions (HR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03–1.18, p = 0.004) were time-dependent risk factors for an NCE in the multi-adjusted models. Specific symptoms (poor appetite/overeating for the somatic dimension, hopelessness and feeling like a failure for the cognitive dimension) were also significantly associated.

Conclusion

This is the first study of the association between depressive symptom dimensions and NCEs in at-risk patients using a time-to-event standardised approach. Both dimensions considered apart were independent predictors of an NCE, along with specific items, suggesting regular assessments and tailored interventions targeting specific depressive symptoms may help to prevent NCEs in at-risk populations.
Distinct neural networks associated with obsession and delusion: a connectome-wide association study
Authors: Lee Tae Young , Jung Wi Hoon , Kwak Yoo Bin , Yoon Youngwoo B. , Lee Junhee , Kim Minah , Kim Euitae , Kwon Jun Soo
Published: January 2020

Background

Obsession and delusion are theoretically distinct from each other in terms of reality testing. Despite such phenomenological distinction, no extant studies have examined the identification of common and distinct neural correlates of obsession and delusion by employing biologically grounded methods. Here, we investigated dimensional effects of obsession and delusion spanning across the traditional diagnostic boundaries reflected upon the resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) using connectome-wide association studies (CWAS).

Methods

Our study sample comprised of 96 patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder, 75 patients with schizophrenia, and 65 healthy controls. A connectome-wide analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between obsession and delusion severity and RFSC using multivariate distance-based matrix regression.

Results

Obsession was associated with the supplementary motor area, precentral gyrus, and superior parietal lobule, while delusion was associated with the precuneus. Follow-up seed-based RSFC and modularity analyses revealed that obsession was related to aberrant inter-network connectivity strength. Additional inter-network analyses demonstrated the association between obsession severity and inter-network connectivity between the frontoparietal control network and the dorsal attention network.

Conclusions

Our CWAS study based on the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) provides novel evidence for the circuit-level functional dysconnectivity associated with obsession and delusion severity across diagnostic boundaries. Further refinement and accumulation of biomarkers from studies embedded within the RDoC framework would provide useful information in treating individuals who have some obsession or delusion symptoms but cannot be identified by the category of clinical symptoms alone.
Using evolutionary algorithms to select text features for mining design rationale
Authors: Lester Miriam , Guerrero Miguel , Burge Janet
Published: January 2020

At its heart, design is a decision-making process. These decisions, and the reasons for making them, comprise the design rationale (DR) for the designed artifact. If available, DR provides a comprehensive record of the reasoning behind the decisions made during the design. Unfortunately, while this information is potentially quite valuable, it is usually not explicitly captured. Instead, it is often buried in other design and development artifacts. In this paper, we study how to identify rationale from text documents, specifically software bug reports and design discussion transcripts. The method we examined is statistical text mining where a model is built to use document features to classify sentences. Choosing which features are most likely to be good predictors is important. We studied two evolutionary algorithms to optimize feature selection – ant colony optimization and genetic algorithms. We found that for many types of rationale, models built with an optimized feature set outperformed those built using all the document features.
The 3‐D Thermal Structure of the Helvetic Nappes of the European Alps: Implications for Collisional Processes
Authors: Girault J. B. , Bellahsen N. , Boutoux A. , Rosenberg C. L. , Nanni U. , Verlaguet A. , Beyssac O.
Published: January 2020

Understanding the rheology of orogenic wedges requires the knowledge of the structural and thermal evolution of collisional units. In this study, we document the maximum temperature reached by the sedimentary cover nappes of the External Crystalline Massif (Western and central Alps) by Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous material, between the Belledonne (France) and the Aar (Switzerland) Massifs. These cover units form the Helvetic/Dauphinois nappe complex. Maximum temperatures reached by the Upper Helvetic nappes lie in a range spanning from below 220 and 350 °C ± 50 °C. For the Lower Helvetic nappes, the temperatures spread between 226 and 358 °C ± 50 °C. These temperatures were projected on two structural cross sections in order to constrain the 3‐D thermal structure. From these data, we propose that the Helvetic nappes were deformed and emplaced before and/or during the thermal peak, which supports recent findings that shortening in the External Crystalline Massif was mainly accommodated during a 5‐ to 10‐Myr‐long thermal peak before deformation localized along crustal thrusts, which exhumed and cooled down the wedge. During this late exhumation, the isotherms corresponding to the thermal peak were passively folded.
Global Change Can Make Coastal Eutrophication Control in China More Difficult
Authors: Wang Mengru , Kroeze Carolien , Strokal Maryna , van Vliet Michelle T. H. , Ma Lin
Published: January 2020

Fast socio‐economic development in agriculture and urbanization resulted in increasing nutrient export by rivers, causing coastal eutrophication in China. In addition, climate change may affect hydrology, and as a result, nutrient flows from land to sea. This study aims at a better understanding of how future socio‐economic and climatic changes may affect coastal eutrophication in China. We modeled river export of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and phosphorus (TDP) in 2050 for six scenarios combining socio‐economic pathways (SSPs) and Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs). We used the newly developed MARINA 2.0 (Model to Assess River Inputs of Nutrients to seAs) model. We found that global change can make coastal eutrophication control in China more difficult. In 2050 coastal waters may be considerably more polluted or considerably cleaner than today depending on the SSP‐RCP scenarios. By 2050, river export of TDN and TDP is 52% and 56% higher than in 2012, respectively, in SSP3‐RCP8.5 (assuming large challenges for sustainable socio‐economic development, and severe climate change). In contrast, river export of nutrients could be 56% (TDN) and 85% (TDP) lower in 2050 than in 2012 in SSP1‐RCP2.6 (assuming sustainable socio‐economic development, and low climate change). Climate change alone may increase river export of nutrients considerably through hydrology: We calculate 24% higher river export of TDN and 16% higher TDP for the SSP2 scenario assuming severe climate change compared to the same scenario with low climate change (SSP2‐RCP8.5 vs. SSP2‐RCP2.6). Policies and relevant technologies combining improved nutrient management and climate mitigation may help to improve water quality in rivers and coastal waters of China.
Reevaluation of Perchlorate in Gale Crater Rocks Suggests Geologically Recent Perchlorate Addition
Authors: Martin Peter E. , Farley Kenneth A. , Douglas Archer P. , Hogancamp Joanna V. , Siebach Kirsten L. , Grotzinger John P. , McLennan Scott M.
Published: January 2020

Perchlorate (ClO4−) was discovered in Martian soil by the Phoenix lander, with important implications for potential Martian biology, photochemistry, aqueous chemistry, and the chlorine cycle on Mars. Perchlorate was subsequently reported in both loose sediment and bedrock samples analyzed by the Sample Analysis at Mars instrument onboard the Curiosity rover in Gale crater based on a release of O2 at 200–500°C. However, the continually wet paleoenvironment recorded by the sedimentary rocks in Gale crater was not conducive to the deposition of highly soluble salts. Furthermore, the preservation of ancient perchlorate to the modern day is unexpected due to its low thermodynamic stability and radiolytic decomposition associated with its long exposure to radioactivity and cosmic radiation. We therefore investigate alternative sources of O2 in Sample Analysis at Mars analyses including superoxides, sulfates, nitrate, and nanophase iron and manganese oxides. Geochemical evidence and oxygen release patterns observed by Curiosity are inconsistent with each of these alternatives. We conclude that perchlorate is indeed the most likely source of the detected O2 release at 200–500°C, but contend that it is unlikely to be ancient. Rather than being associated with the lacustrine or early diagenetic environment, the most likely origin of perchlorate in the bedrock is late stage addition by downward percolation of water through rock pore space during transient wetting events in the Amazonian. The conclusion that the observed perchlorate in Gale crater is most likely Amazonian suggests the presence of recent liquid water at the modern surface.
Identification and Description of a Silicic Volcaniclastic Layer in Gale Crater, Mars, Using Active Neutron Interrogation
Authors: Czarnecki S. , Hardgrove C. , Gasda P. J. , Gabriel T. S. J. , Starr M. , Rice M. S. , Frydenvang J. , Wiens R. C. , Rapin W. , Nikiforov S. , Lisov D. , Litvak M. , Calef F. , Gengl H. , Newsom H. , Thompson L. , Nowicki S.
Published: January 2020

The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons instrument aboard the Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, has been used to map a stratigraphically conformable layer of high‐SiO
material in Gale crater. Previous work has shown that this material contains tridymite, a high‐temperature/low‐pressure felsic mineral, interpreted to have a volcanic source rock. We describe several characteristics including orientation, extent, hydration, and geochemistry, consistent with a volcaniclastic material conformably deposited within a lacustrine mudstone succession. Relationships with widely dispersed alteration features and orbital detections of hydrated SiO
suggest that this high‐SiO
layer extends at least 17 km laterally. Mineralogical abundances previously reported for this high‐SiO
material indicated that hydrous species were restricted to the amorphous (non‐crystalline) fraction, which is dominated by SiO
. The low mean bulk hydration of this high‐SiO
layer (1.85 
 0.13 wt.% water‐equivalent hydrogen) is consistent with silicic glass in addition to opal‐A and opal‐CT. Persistent volcanic glass and tridymite in addition to opal in an ancient sedimentary unit indicates that the conversion to more ordered forms of crystalline SiO
has not proceeded to completion and that this material has had only limited exposure to water since it originally erupted, despite having been transported in a fluviolacustrine system. Our results, including the conformable nature, large areal extent, and presence of volcanic glass, indicate that this high‐SiO
material is derived from the product of evolved magma on Mars. This is the first identification of a silicic volcaniclastic layer on another planet and has important implications for magma evolution mechanisms on single‐plate planets.
Directional Climate Trend, Intensified Intraannual Variability, and Changes in Land Cover Drive the Dynamics of Vegetation Greenness in Peri‐Urban China During 2001–2015
Authors: Gao Q. , Yu M. , Xu H.
Published: January 2020

Spatiotemporal dynamics of remote‐sensed vegetation indices and derived variables such as land surface phenology have often been studied as a function of climate with implied assumption of negligible land‐cover change. However, this assumption is not valid for areas with intensive human activities such as fast‐developing countries. To address the impact of land cover on vegetation greenness, we analyzed the trend of EVI59, enhanced vegetation index in May–September, within the 25‐km2 patches centered at 674 meteorological stations located mostly in peri‐urban areas of China, and the impacts of land cover and intraannual climate variability on the EVI, during 2001–2015 by means of linear mixed‐effect model. Impacts of land cover were assessed with the enhancement of sum of the squared difference with respect to the climate model. The climate models explained on average 60% sum of the squared difference of the full models (climate plus land cover), and this proportion reached 83% and 94% for the temperate grassland and the high‐cold Tibet, respectively. Including land cover enhanced on average 40% of the sum of the squared difference, and the enhancement is over 60% for the dense‐populated warm‐temperate‐deciduous forest and subtropical‐evergreen forest zones. The impact of land cover not only depends on the intensity but also on the type of land‐cover change. Forest regrowth in east China and vegetation growth from bare land in temperate desert significantly enhanced greenness but the shift from agriculture to shrubs in temperate grassland may not significantly alter the greenness. We showed that climate variability is important for EVI in all zones except Tibet, and the climate variability contributed on average 64% of climate impacts.
Timing, Kinematics, and Displacement of the Taltal Fault System, Northern Chile: Implications for the Cretaceous Tectonic Evolution of the Andean Margin
Authors: Mavor S. P. , Singleton J. S. , Gomila R. , Heuser G. , Seymour N. M. , Williams S. A. , Arancibia G. , Johnston S. M. , Kylander‐Clark A. R. C. , Stockli D. F.
Published: January 2020

An extensive system of NW striking faults constitutes a major tectonic feature of the Coastal Cordillera in northern Chile, but fundamental questions remain about timing and kinematics of these structures. We present new geologic mapping and geochronology that provide insight into the structural evolution and tectonic significance of the Taltal fault system (TFS). The TFS displaces the Early Cretaceous arc‐parallel Atacama fault system (AFS) with ~10.6 km cumulative offset across a ~15 km wide zone. Brittle fault data demonstrate that the TFS is vertical to steeply NE dipping with an average sinistral slip vector plunging 11° from the NW, compatible with E‐W shortening. Two late Early Cretaceous dikes cut the AFS but are cut by TFS faults, and synkinematic calcite on a TFS strand yielded a U‐Pb calcite date of 114.1 ± 7.0 Ma. These data demonstrate that the AFS was abandoned and deformation (re) initiated on the TFS between ~114–107 Ma, with continued slip after intrusion of the Tropezón (~110 Ma) and Librillo (106–101 Ma) plutonic complexes. Emplacement of a ~146 Ma rhyolite dike along the main Taltal fault and 141 ± 11 Ma calcite mineralization in the fault core suggests that a precursor structure influenced magma emplacement and fluid flow in the Late Jurassic/Early Cretaceous, supporting the hypothesis that the TFS reactivated long‐lived inherited crustal weaknesses. The Early Cretaceous shift from arc‐parallel shear to slip on the TFS and E‐W shortening shortly preceded migration of the magmatic arc and records a change in the Chilean margin subduction dynamics.
Adaptive Multirate Mass Transfer (aMMT) Model: A New Approach to Upscale Regional‐Scale Transport Under Transient Flow Conditions
Authors: Guo Zhilin , Henri Christopher V. , Fogg Graham E. , Zhang Yong , Zheng Chunmiao
Published: January 2020

The long‐term evaluation of regional‐scale groundwater quality needs efficient upscaling methods for transient flow. Upscaling techniques, such as the Multirate Mass Transfer (MRMT) method with constant upscaling parameters, have been used for transport with steady‐state flow, yet the upscaling parameters (i.e., rate coefficients) may be time dependent. This study proposed and validated an adaptive MRMT (aMMT) method by allowing the mass transfer coefficients in MRMT to change with the flow field. Advective‐dispersive contaminant transport simulated in a 3‐D heterogeneous medium was used as a reference solution. Equivalent transport under homogeneous flow conditions was evaluated by applying the MRMT and aMMT models for upscaling. The relationship between mass transfer coefficients and flow rates was fitted under steady‐state flow driven by various hydraulic gradients. A power law relationship was obtained, which was then used to update the mass transfer coefficients in each stress period under transient flow conditions in the aMMT method. Results indicated that for advection‐dominated transport, both the MRMT and aMMT methods can upscale the anomalous transport dynamics affected by subgrid heterogeneity under transient flow conditions. Whereas for diffusion‐dominated systems, the MRMT model failed to capture the tails of tracer breakthrough curves after the boundary condition changed, but the results from the aMMT model were significantly improved. However, if the overall flow direction changed, both MRMT and aMMT failed to represent the breakthrough curve tail generated by the heterogeneous system. The results point toward a promising path for upscaling transport in complex aquifers with transient flow.
ATR is a MYB regulated gene and potential therapeutic target in adenoid cystic carcinoma
Authors: Andersson Mattias K. , Mangiapane Giovanna , Nevado Paloma Tejera , Tsakaneli Alexia , Carlsson Therese , Corda Gabriele , Nieddu Valentina , Abrahamian Carla , Chayka Olesya , Rai Lilam , Wick Michael , Kedaigle Amanda , Stenman Göran , Sala Arturo
Published: January 2020

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare cancer that preferentially occurs in the head and neck, breast, as well as in other sites. It is an aggressive cancer with high rates of recurrence and distant metastasis. Patients with advanced disease are generally incurable due to the lack of effective systemic therapies. Activation of the master transcriptional regulator MYB is the genomic hallmark of ACC. MYB activation occurs through chromosomal translocation, copy number gain or enhancer hijacking, and is the key driving event in the pathogenesis of ACC. However, the functional consequences of alternative mechanisms of MYB activation are still uncertain. Here, we show that overexpression of MYB or MYB-NFIB fusions leads to transformation of human glandular epithelial cells in vitro and results in analogous cellular and molecular consequences. MYB and MYB-NFIB expression led to increased cell proliferation and upregulation of genes involved in cell cycle control, DNA replication, and DNA repair. Notably, we identified the DNA-damage sensor kinase ATR, as a MYB downstream therapeutic target that is overexpressed in primary ACCs and ACC patient-derived xenografts (PDXs). Treatment with the clinical ATR kinase inhibitor VX-970 induced apoptosis in MYB-positive ACC cells and growth inhibition in ACC PDXs. To our knowledge, ATR is the first example of an actionable target downstream of MYB that could be further exploited for therapeutic opportunities in ACC patients. Our findings may also have implications for other types of neoplasms with activation of the MYB oncogene.
Correction: Comprehensive detection of recurring genomic abnormalities: a targeted sequencing approach for multiple myeloma
Authors: Yellapantula Venkata , Hultcrantz Malin , Rustad Even H. , Wasserman Ester , Londono Dory , Cimera Robert , Ciardiello Amanda , Landau Heather , Akhlaghi Theresia , Mailankody Sham , Patel Minal , Medina-Martinez Juan Santiago , Ossa Juan Esteban Arango , Levine Max Fine , Bolli Niccolo , Maura Francesco , Dogan Ahmet , Papaemmanuil Elli , Zhang Yanming , Landgren Ola
Published: January 2020

A correction to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Lipoxin A4 suppresses angiotensin II type 1 receptor autoantibody in preeclampsia via modulating caspase-1
Authors: Liu Haojing , Cheng Fangxiong , Xu Qiang , Huang Wei , Wang Sumei , Sun Rui , Ye Duyun , Zhang Dongxin
Published: January 2020

Preeclampsia (PE) remains a leading cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Numerous studies have shown that women with PE develop autoantibody, termed angiotensin II type 1 receptor autoantibody (AT1-AA), and key features of the disease result from it. Emerging evidence has indicated that inflammatory cell necrosis, such as pyroptosis, could lead to autoantigen exposure and stimulate autoantibody production. Caspase-1, the central enzyme of inflammasome and key target of pyroptosis, may play roles in AT1R exposure and AT1-AA production. Exploring endogenous regulator that could inhibit AT1-AA production by targeting pyroptosis will be essential for treating PE. Lipoxin A4 (LXA4), endogenous dual anti-inflammatory and proresolving lipid mediator, may inhibit AT1-AA production via modulating caspase-1. Thus, we explore whether caspase-1 is essential for AT1-AA production and LXA4 inhibits AT1-AA via modulating caspase-1. PE patients and mice developed AT1-AA associated with caspase-1 activation. Caspase-1 deletion leaded to AT1-AA decrease in PE mice. Consistent with these findings, we confirmed caspase-1 activation, trophoblast pyroptosis and AT1R exposure in PE mice and trophoblast model, while caspase-1 deficiency showed decreased trophoblast pyroptosis and AT1R exposure in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, LXA4 could suppress AT1-AA production via regulating caspase-1 as well as enhancing phagocytosis of dead trophoblasts by macrophages. These results suggest that caspase-1 promotes AT1-AA production via inducing trophoblast pyroptosis and AT1R exposure, while LXA4 suppresses AT1-AA production via modulating caspase-1, supporting caspase-1 serving as a therapeutic target for attenuating AT1-AA and LXA4 protecting patients from AT1-AA and PE.
Dual functionalized brain-targeting nanoinhibitors restrain temozolomide-resistant glioma via attenuating EGFR and MET signaling pathways
Authors: Meng Xiangqi , Zhao Yu , Han Bo , Zha Caijun , Zhang Yangong , Li Ziwei , Wu Pengfei , Qi Tengfei , Jiang Chuanlu , Liu Yang , Cai Jinquan
Published: January 2020

Activation of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) protein is frequently observed in malignant progression of gliomas. In this study, the crosstalk activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) signaling pathways is demonstrated to contribute to temozolomide (TMZ) resistance, resulting in an unfavorable prognosis for patients with glioblastoma. To simultaneously mitigate EGFR and MET activation, a dual functionalized brain-targeting nanoinhibitor, BIP-MPC-NP, is developed by conjugating Inherbin3 and cMBP on the surface of NHS-PEG8-Mal modified MPC-nanoparticles. In the presence of BIP-MPC-NP, DNA damage repair is attenuated and TMZ sensitivity is enhanced via the down-regulation of E2F1 mediated by TTP in TMZ resistant glioma. In vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows a significant repression in tumor growth and a prolonged survival of mice after injection of the BIP-MPC-NP and TMZ. These results demonstrate the promise of this nanoinhibitor as a feasible strategy overcoming TMZ resistance in glioma.
Probing the physical limits of reliable DNA data retrieval
Authors: Organick Lee , Chen Yuan-Jyue , Dumas Ang Siena , Lopez Randolph , Liu Xiaomeng , Strauss Karin , Ceze Luis
Published: January 2020

Synthetic DNA is gaining momentum as a potential storage medium for archival data storage. In this process, digital information is translated into sequences of nucleotides and the resulting synthetic DNA strands are then stored for later retrieval. Here, we demonstrate reliable file recovery with PCR-based random access when as few as ten copies per sequence are stored, on average. This results in density of about 17 exabytes/gram, nearly two orders of magnitude greater than prior work has shown. We successfully retrieve the same data in a complex pool of over 1010 unique sequences per microliter with no evidence that we have begun to approach complexity limits. Finally, we also investigate the effects of file size and sequencing coverage on successful file retrieval and look for systematic DNA strand drop out. These findings substantiate the robustness and high data density of the process examined here.
Author Correction: Mechanistic insights into bacterial metabolic reprogramming from omics-integrated genome-scale models
Authors: Hadadi Noushin , Pandey Vikash , Chiappino-Pepe Anush , Morales Marian , Gallart-Ayala Hector , Mehl Florence , Ivanisevic Julijana , Sentchilo Vladimir , van der Meer Jan R.
Published: January 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
A Novel Biodegradable Tubular Stent Prevents Pancreaticojejunal Anastomotic Stricture
Authors: Bakheet Nader , Park Jung-Hoon , Shin Sang Hyun , Hong Sarang , Park Yejong , Shim In Kyong , Hwang Changmo , Jeon Jae Yong , Lopera Jorge E. , Song Ho-Young , Kim Song Cheol
Published: January 2020

Stricture of pancreatic-enteric anastomoses is a major late complication of a pancreaticoduodenectomy for the treatment of a periampullary tumor and can lead to exocrine and endocrine insufficiency such as malnutrition and diabetes mellitus. We investigated the safety and efficacy of a biodegradable tubular stent (BTS) for preventing a pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) anastomotic stricture in both a rat and porcine model. The BTS was manufactured using a terpolymer comprising poly p-dioxanone, trimethylene carbonate, and glycolide. A cohort of 42 rats was randomized into 7 groups of 6 animals each after BTS placement into the duodenum for the biodegradation assay. A total of 12 pigs were randomized equally into a control and BTS placement group. The effectiveness of the BTS was assessed by comparing radiologic images with histologic results. Surgical procedures and/or BTS placements were technically successful in all animals. The median mass losses of the removed BTS samples from the rat duodenum were 2.1, 6.8, 11.2, 19.4, 26.1, and 56.8% at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 weeks, respectively. The BTS had completely degraded at 12 weeks in the rats. In the porcine PJ model, the mean luminal diameter and area of the pancreatic duct in the control group was significantly larger than in the BTS group (all p < 0.05). BTS placement thus appears to be safe and effective procedure for the prevention of PJ anastomotic stricture. These devices have the potential to be used as a temporary stent placement to treat pancreatic-enteric anastomoses, but further investigations are required for optimization in human.
Author Correction: Complex ecological interactions of Staphylococcus aureus in tampons during menstruation
Authors: Jacquemond Isaline , Muggeo Anaëlle , Lamblin Gery , Tristan Anne , Gillet Yves , Bolze Pierre Adrien , Bes Michèle , Gustave Claude Alexandre , Rasigade Jean-Philippe , Golfier François , Ferry Tristan , Dubost Audrey , Abrouk Danis , Barreto Samuel , Prigent-Combaret Claire , Thioulouse Jean , Lina Gérard , Muller Daniel
Published: January 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
An Ultrasonically Powered Implantable Microprobe for Electrolytic Ablation
Authors: Kim A. , Lee S. K. , Parupudi T. , Rahimi R. , Song S. H. , Park M. C. , Islam S. , Zhou J. , Majumdar A. K. , Park J. S. , Yoo J. M. , Ziaie B.
Published: January 2020

Electrolytic ablation (EA) is a promising nonthermal tumor ablation technique that destroys malignant cells through induction of a locoregional pH change. EA is typically performed by inserting needle electrodes inside the tumor followed by application of direct current (DC), thus inducing electrolysis and creating localized pH changes around the electrodes. In this paper, we report an ultrasonically powered implantable EA microprobe that may increase the clinical relevance of EA by allowing wireless control over device operation (capability to remotely turn the device on and off) and providing flexibility in treatment options (easier to administer fractionated doses over a longer period). The wireless EA microprobe consists of a millimeter-sized piezoelectric ultrasonic receiver, a rectifier circuit, and a pair of platinum electrodes (overall size is 9 × 3 × 2 mm3). Once implanted through a minimally invasive procedure, the microprobe can stay within a solid tumor and be repeatedly used as needed. Ultrasonic power allows for efficient power delivery to mm-scale devices implanted deep within soft tissues of the body. The microprobe is capable of producing a direct current of 90 µA at a voltage of 5 V across the electrodes under low-intensity ultrasound (~200 mW/cm2). The DC power creates acidic (pH < 2) and alkaline (pH > 12.9) regions around the anode and the cathode, respectively. The pH change, measured using tissue-mimicking agarose gel, extends to 0.8 cm3 in volume within an hour at an expansion rate of 0.5 mm3/min. The microprobe-mediated EA ablative capability is demonstrated in vitro in cancer cells and ex vivo in mouse liver.
Design and characterization of an acoustic composite lens with high-intensity and directionally controllable focusing
Authors: Sun Hongyu , Wang Shen , Huang Songling , Peng Lisha , Wang Qing , Zhao Wei
Published: January 2020

Acoustic orientation and bunching methods, which include the radiation surface expansion, ultrasonic demodulation, multiunit coherence, phased arrays and acoustic lenses, can be used to manipulate and focus sound waves. Recently, focusing systems composed of acoustic lenses have been found to offer high controllability and focusing intensity. In this paper, a newly designed composite acoustic lens that can achieve wave convergence is proposed by assembling a lattice array of concave hexagonal (CH)-shaped rods. In comparison with the latest published work, the new CH structure improves upon the focusing capability of traditional acoustic lenses while retaining their advantages in terms of 3-D underwater focusing. Simulated and experimental results show that a lens with the CH structure has good focusing intensity and can focus acoustic waves over a wide range of incidence angles without losing its functionality. With its good focusing capabilities, this new composite lens may open the door to a broad range of applications, including high-precision nondestructive testing (NDT), high-efficiency medical treatment and multidirectional underwater focusing.
Depicting corrosion-born defects in pipelines with combined neutron/γ ray backscatter: a biomimetic approach
Authors: Licata M. , Aspinall M. D. , Bandala M. , Cave F. D. , Conway S. , Gerta D. , Parker H. M. O. , Roberts N. J. , Taylor G. C. , Joyce M. J.
Published: January 2020

The identification of corrosion, cracks and defects in pipelines used for transporting oil and gas can reduce the possibility of leaks, and consequently, it can limit the extent of an environmental disaster, public hazard and the associated financial impact of such events. Typically, corrosion in oil pipelines is measured with non-destructive ultrasonic or electromagnetic techniques, on the basis that corrosion and defects are often manifest as a change of thickness in the steel from which pipelines are made. However, such approaches are not practical for underground pipelines and their deployment can be complicated for the case of pipelines covered by insulation. In this paper, we present an innovative, non-destructive testing technique, which exploits the backscatter of a combination of fast-neutron and γ radiation from steel samples of a variety of thicknesses consistent with changes that might arise due to corrosion of a pipe wall. Our research demonstrates the potential to measure and characterise different steel thicknesses by detecting both the elastic, fast-neutron backscatter and the Compton-scattered γ radiations, simultaneously. Further, we demonstrate that the presence of insulation yields a consistent and separable influence on the experimental, wall-thickness measurements. The data from experimental measurements are supported by a comprehensive Monte Carlo computer simulation study.
Evaluation of the population structure and phylogeography of the Japanese Genji firefly, Luciola cruciata, at the nuclear DNA level using RAD-Seq analysis
Authors: Kato Dai-ichiro , Suzuki Hirobumi , Tsuruta Atsuhiro , Maeda Juri , Hayashi Yoshinobu , Arima Kazunari , Ito Yuji , Nagano Yukio
Published: January 2020

The Genji firefly, Luciola cruciata, is widely distributed throughout the major Japanese islands (Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu) and distinguished into two ecological types on the basis of the flash interval of the mate-seeking males (4-sec slow-flash or 2-sec fast-flash intervals). The boundary of the ecological types corresponds to the Fossa Magna, a great rupture zone that separates eastern and western Japan. Although the degree of genetic differentiation of the two types has been evaluated using allozyme and mitochondrial DNA sequence data, it has not been evaluated using genome-wide data. Based on the genome-wide data obtained using single-end restriction-site-associated DNA (RAD-Seq), principal component, gene-level phylogenetic tree, admixture, and Wright’s fixation index analyses, we identified three phylogenetic groups in L. cruciata: East-Honshu, West-Honshu, and Kyushu. This grouping corresponds to the ecological types: East-Honshu to the slow-flash type and West-Honshu and Kyushu to the fast-flash type. Although introgression was exceptionally observed around adjacent or artificially transplanted areas, gene flow among the groups was almost absent in the natural populations. The phylogenetic tree under the coalescent model also evaluated differentiation among the East-Honshu, West-Honshu and Kyushu groups. Furthermore, because the distribution patterns of the three groups are consistent with the geological history of Japanese islands, a vicariant speciation scenario of L. cruciata is concluded. In addition, we identified genetic markers that can be used to distinguish the three genetic groups for genetic management of firefly transplantation in nature conservation and regeneration.