bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Magnetic Local Time Distribution of Storm Geomagnetic Field Disturbance Under Different Conditions of Solar Wind and Interplanetary Magnetic Field
Authors: Liu Bao‐Jia , Zhang Xiao‐Xin , He Fei , Zong Qiu‐Gang
Published: April 2019

The magnetic local time (MLT) distributions of the horizontal geomagnetic disturbance (∆H) are investigated with the SuperMAG data set during 330 magnetic storms from 2000 to 2015. Then the MLT distributions of ∆H are verified and interpreted with the SuperMAG‐based partial ring current indices (SMR indices) and the Burton equation. It is shown that the ∆H is positive at most MLTs and slightly stronger on the dayside during the initial phase. Such distribution might be mainly attributed to the global positive impact of the magnetopause currents, while the ring current (RC) only produces weak negative disturbances, which are slightly stronger on the duskside. In the main phase, the ∆H decreases prominently with the peak on the duskside. The RC particles injection plays a major role, especially for large solar wind electric field (ESW). The region with ∆H larger than −20 nT is concentrated on the dawnside for small ESW, which might be attributed to earthward bursty bulk flows. Besides, larger solar wind dynamic pressure might cause stronger disturbances under the same magnitude of ESW. In the recovery phase, the ∆H is weaker and more uniform distributed than in the main phase for negative ESW. For positive ESW, similar dawn‐dusk asymmetry occurs as that in the main phase, but the peak of strongest disturbance tends to weaken and move toward the dayside. Based on the dawn‐dusk asymmetric decay rate derived from the Burton equation, it is speculated that the contribution of partial RC might be no less than the FACs.
North Atlantic Upper‐Ocean Hydrography During the Mid‐Pleistocene Transition Evidenced by Globorotalia truncatulinoides Coiling Ratios
Authors: Kaiser E. A. , Caldwell A. , Billups K.
Published: April 2019

We use the coiling direction of planktic foraminifer Globorotalia truncatulinoides from four sites in the North Atlantic Ocean to assess spatial changes in upper‐ocean hydrography during the mid‐Pleistocene climate transition. Core top sediments indicate that the left‐coiling (sinistral) variety dominates regions characterized by a deep permanent thermocline as is characteristic of the subtropical gyre (Ocean Drilling Program Sites 1058 and Deep Sea Drilling Project Site 607) while right‐coiling (dextral) tests dominate the tropical (Ocean Drilling Program Site 925) and subpolar site (Deep Sea Drilling Project Site 552). We observe pronounced changes in the dominant coiling direction at the three subtropical to subpolar sites during the first of the more extreme glacial to interglacial transitions of the mid‐Pleistocene climate transition, Marine Isotope Stages (MISs) 22 to 21. We interpret these observations to reflect an increase in poleward warm water advection. The time interval between MIS 21 and MIS 15 is marked by a pronounced absence of sinistral tests. Because G. truncatulinoides (sinistral) is a deep dwelling species, their absence may be related to a decrease in dissolved oxygen during warm interglacial intervals. At the tropical site, precessional‐scale variations dominate changes in the coiling direction until midpoint interglacial MIS 23. Occurrences in the sinistral variety at this locale must be linked to cross‐equatorial water transport in the North Brazil Current, and precessional‐scale variations provide evidence for the sensitivity of the tropical regions to precessional forcing, at least until MIS 23 when this morphotype disappears in agreement with observation at other sites in the Atlantic Ocean.
Future of Planetary Atmospheric, Surface, and Interior Science Using Radio and Laser Links
Authors: Asmar Sami. W. , Lazio Joseph , Atkinson David H. , Bell David J. , Border James S. , Grudinin Ivan S. , Mannucci Anthony J. , Paik Meegyeong , Preston Robert A.
Published: April 2019

Scientific studies using spacecraft radio links, which are shared with communications and navigation functions, have been carried out on almost every solar system exploration mission in the past five decades. They have led to numerous scientific discoveries as well as technological advances. These radio science experiments have investigated the interior structure of every planet in the solar system and several of their satellites, the Moon, and several comets and asteroids and sounded the atmospheres of every planet in the solar system except Mercury, and the atmospheres of Pluto and several large satellites, the Io Plasma Torus, Saturn's and Uranus' rings, and the solar corona. Future experiments at Mercury, the Jovian system, asteroid Psyche, and other targets are currently in various planning and development phases. Over the next 30 years, significant advances in radio and laser link science technologies, including one order of magnitude improvement achievable in range rate and range accuracy and advanced calibration techniques, could enable many additional scientific breakthroughs. Future exploration concepts focus on applications of small spacecraft and entry probes and can include constellations for studies of atmospheric dynamics, interior structures, and surface properties. Selected science‐enabling technologies specific to small spacecraft instrumentation on future missions are under study. Examples include field tests of radio scattering to determine surface properties, constellations for high‐resolution spatial and temporal atmospheric sounding, small science‐quality software‐defined transponders, miniature ultrastable oscillators, and advanced radio‐metric calibrations at the Deep Space Network.
Characterizing the Fluxes and Age Distribution of Soil Water, Plant Water, and Deep Percolation in a Model Tropical Ecosystem
Authors: Evaristo Jaivime , Kim Minseok , van Haren Joost , Pangle Luke A. , Harman Ciaran J. , Troch Peter A. , McDonnell Jeffrey J.
Published: April 2019

Recent field observations indicate that in many forest ecosystems, plants use water that may be isotopically distinct from soil water that ultimately contributes to streamflow. Such an assertion has been met with varied reactions. Of the outstanding questions, we examine whether ecohydrological separation of water between trees and streams results from a separation in time, or in space. Here we present results from a 9‐month drought and rewetting experiment at the 26,700‐m3mesocosm, Biosphere 2‐Tropical Rainforest biome. We test the null hypothesis that transpiration and groundwater recharge water are sampled from the same soil volume without preference for old nor young water. After a 10‐week drought, we added 66 mm of labeled rainfall with 152‰ δ2H distributed over four events, followed by background rainfall (−60‰ δ2H) distributed over 13 events. Our results show that mean transit times through groundwater recharge and plant transpiration were markedly different: groundwater recharge was 2–7 times faster (~9 days) than transpired water (range 17–62 days). The “age” of transpired water showed strong dependence on species and was linked to the difference between midday leaf water potential and soil matric potential. Moreover, our results show that trees used soil water (89% ±6) and not the “more mobile” (represented by “zero tension” seepage) water (11% ±6). The finding, which rejects our null hypothesis, is novel in that this partitioning is established based on soil water residence times. Our study quantifies mean transit times for transpiration and seepage flows under dynamic conditions.
Evaluating Image Tracking Approaches for Surface Velocimetry With Thermal Tracers
Authors: Lin D. , Grundmann J. , Eltner A.
Published: April 2019

In this paper an automatic approach is proposed to measure flow velocity with an uncooled thermal camera. Hot water is used as thermal tracer. The introduced tracking algorithm utilizes the pyramidal Lucas‐Kanade method and is especially suitable for thermal image data. The performance of the new tool is compared to traditional image‐based tracking tools, that is, PIVlab and PTVlab. Experiments are performed in the laboratory for three different flow velocities and tests are conducted in a small stream to illustrate the suitability of the tool for field measurements. Results of the laboratory experiments as well as of the field experiments show that our tracking algorithm, applied to imagery from a thermal camera, outperforms commonly used tracking methods. Our tool provides velocity fields with very high resolution and is in close agreement with reference measurements, whereas PTVlab and PIVlab tend to overestimate and underestimate flow velocities, respectively.
2,500 Years of Hydroclimate Variability in New Mexico, USA
Authors: Oliver Joshua S. , Harley Grant L. , Maxwell Justin T.
Published: April 2019

We provide a 2,508‐year reconstruction (492 BCE–2015 CE) of hydroclimate variability for west‐central New Mexico using the long‐lived conifer Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum Sarg.). The reconstruction model explains 53% of the instrumental soil moisture variance and all validation statistics indicate a skillful record. More hydroclimate flips (extreme wet‐dry, vice versa) occur during the 20th–21st century than any other century in the past 2,500 years. Yet, drought and pluvial events captured during the instrumental period (since ca. 1900) do not represent the full range and variability of historical conditions. Since ca. 500 BCE, over 50 drought events have surpassed the severity of recent 21st century conditions, including the first documentation of a prolonged and severe drought during the second to third century BCE (Pre‐Ancestral Puebloan). Continued extreme hydroclimate variability (e.g., flips) in the 21st century could create infrastructure challenges for regional water planning authorities in this arid region.
Opposite Effects of Climate and Land Use Changes on the Annual Water Balance in the Amazon Arc of Deforestation
Authors: Cavalcante R. B. L. , Pontes P. R. M. , Souza‐Filho P. W. M. , de Souza E. B.
Published: April 2019

The hydrological effects of forest cover loss are difficult to discern in the case of large‐scale basins with gradual changes and difficult to isolate when climate variability is also present. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of climate variability and human activity on the annual streamflow in a basin in the Amazon arc of deforestation. We statistically analyzed the components of the annual water balance and monthly streamflow and used the currently used Tomer‐Schilling, elasticity, and decomposition of Budyko‐type curve methods to separate climate‐induced changes and anthropogenic effects. Annual series of the monthly maximum and minimum streamflow, total streamflow, and total reference evapotranspiration presented statistically significant increasing trends. No significant trend was observed for precipitation. The greatest change in the average annual runoff coefficient was observed between the first (1973–1984) and second (1985–1994) analyzed periods. Even with the continuous reduction in the forested area, the third (1994–2004) and fourth analyzed periods (2003–2016) showed only relatively small changes, most likely due to the intensity of slash‐and‐burn activities and vegetation regrowth. The methods showed that deforestation was the primary cause of the streamflow changes, but with different intensities, and a small recuperation was observed in the last analyzed period. On average, the annual water yield would increase between 26% and 58% after the first time interval without the opposite effect of climate variability, which must be considered in basin management. Future research should focus on analyzing the water storage and the dependence of the precipitation‐runoff relationship from the climate.
Fasting differentially alters the hypothalamic proteome of chickens from lines with the propensity to be anorexic or obese
Authors: Liu Lingbin , Yi Jiaqing , Ray W. Keith , Vu Lucas T. , Helm Richard F. , Siegel Paul B. , Cline Mark A. , Gilbert Elizabeth R.
Published: April 2019

Background

The hypothalamus is the ultimate modulator of appetite and energy balance and therefore sensitive to changes in nutritional state. Chicks from lines selected for low (LWS) and high (HWS) body weight are hypophagic and compulsive eaters, respectively, and differ in their propensity to become obese and in their hypothalamic mRNA response to fasting.

Methods

As fasting-induced changes in hypothalamic proteins are unknown, we investigated the hypothalamic proteomes of 5-day old LWS and HWS chicks in the fed and fasted states using a label-free liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) approach.

Results

A total of 744 proteins were identified in the chicken hypothalamus, and 268 differentially abundant proteins were identified among four pairwise comparisons. Ninety-five proteins were associated with the response to fasting in HWS chicks, and 23 proteins were associated with the response to fasting in LWS chicks. Fasting-responsive proteins in HWS chicks were significantly enriched in ATP metabolic processes, glyoxylate/dicarboxylate metabolism, and ribosome function. There was no enrichment for any pathways in LWS chicks in response to fasting. In the fasted and fed states, 159 and 119 proteins differed between HWS and LWS, respectively. Oxidative phosphorylation, citric acid cycle, and carbon metabolism were the main pathways associated with differences between the two lines of chicks. Enzymes associated with metabolic pathways differed between HWS and LWS in both nutritional states, including fumarase, aspartate aminotransferase, mitochondrial GOT2, 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase, chondrogenesis associated lipocalin, sialic acid synthase, arylamine N-acetyltransferase, pineal gland isozyme NAT-3, and succinate dehydrogenase [ubiquinone] flavoprotein subunit, mitochondrial.

Conclusions

These results provide insights into the hypothalamic metabolic pathways that are affected by nutritional status and the regulation of appetite and eating behavior.
CTBP1 depletion on prostate tumors deregulates miRNA/mRNA expression and impairs cancer progression in metabolic syndrome mice
Authors: Dalton Guillermo Nicolás , Massillo Cintia , Scalise Georgina Daniela , Duca Rocío , Porretti Juliana , Farré Paula Lucia , Gardner Kevin , Paez Alejandra , Gueron Geraldine , De Luca Paola , De Siervi Adriana
Published: April 2019

About 20% of prostate cancer (PCa) patients progress to metastatic disease. Metabolic syndrome (MeS) is a pathophysiological disorder that increases PCa risk and aggressiveness. C-terminal binding protein (CTBP1) is a transcriptional corepressor that is activated by high-fat diet (HFD). Previously, our group established a MeS/PCa mice model that identified CTBP1 as a novel link associating both diseases. Here, we integrated in vitro (prostate tumor cell lines) and in vivo (MeS/PCa NSG mice) models with molecular and cell biology techniques to investigate MeS/CTBP1 impact over PCa progression, particularly over cell adhesion, mRNA/miRNA expression and PCa spontaneous metastasis development. We found that CTBP1/MeS regulated expression of genes relevant to cell adhesion and PCa progression, such as cadherins, integrins, connexins, and miRNAs in PC3 xenografts. CTBP1 diminished PCa cell adhesion, membrane attachment to substrate and increased filopodia number by modulating gene expression to favor a mesenchymal phenotype. NSG mice fed with HFD and inoculated with CTBP1-depleted PC3 cells, showed a decreased number and size of lung metastases compared to control. Finally, CTBP1 and HFD reduce hsa-mir-30b-5p plasma levels in mice. This study uncovers for the first time the role of CTBP1/MeS in PCa progression and its molecular targets.
Identification of serum metabolites associating with chronic kidney disease progression and anti-fibrotic effect of 5-methoxytryptophan
Authors: Chen Dan-Qian , Cao Gang , Chen Hua , Argyopoulos Christos P. , Yu Hui , Su Wei , Chen Lin , Samuels David C. , Zhuang Shougang , Bayliss George P. , Zhao Shilin , Yu Xiao-Yong , Vaziri Nosratola D. , Wang Ming , Liu Dan , Mao Jia-Rong , Ma Shi-Xing , Zhao Jin , Zhang Yuan , Shang You-Quan , Kang Huining , Ye Fei , Cheng Xiao-Hong , Li Xiang-Ri , Zhang Li , Meng Mei-Xia , Guo Yan , Zhao Ying-Yong
Published: April 2019

Early detection and accurate monitoring of chronic kidney disease (CKD) could improve care and retard progression to end-stage renal disease. Here, using untargeted metabolomics in 2155 participants including patients with stage 1–5 CKD and healthy controls, we identify five metabolites, including 5-methoxytryptophan (5-MTP), whose levels strongly correlate with clinical markers of kidney disease. 5-MTP levels decrease with progression of CKD, and in mouse kidneys after unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Treatment with 5-MTP ameliorates renal interstitial fibrosis, inhibits IκB/NF-κB signaling, and enhances Keap1/Nrf2 signaling in mice with UUO or ischemia/reperfusion injury, as well as in cultured human kidney cells. Overexpression of tryptophan hydroxylase-1 (TPH-1), an enzyme involved in 5-MTP synthesis, reduces renal injury by attenuating renal inflammation and fibrosis, whereas TPH-1 deficiency exacerbates renal injury and fibrosis by activating NF-κB and inhibiting Nrf2 pathways. Together, our results suggest that TPH-1 may serve as a target in the treatment of CKD.
Quantum speedup in the identification of cause–effect relations
Authors: Chiribella Giulio , Ebler Daniel
Published: April 2019

The ability to identify cause–effect relations is an essential component of the scientific method. The identification of causal relations is generally accomplished through statistical trials where alternative hypotheses are tested against each other. Traditionally, such trials have been based on classical statistics. However, classical statistics becomes inadequate at the quantum scale, where a richer spectrum of causal relations is accessible. Here we show that quantum strategies can greatly speed up the identification of causal relations. We analyse the task of identifying the effect of a given variable, and we show that the optimal quantum strategy beats all classical strategies by running multiple equivalent tests in a quantum superposition. The same working principle leads to advantages in the detection of a causal link between two variables, and in the identification of the cause of a given variable.
Meta-analysis reveals that pollinator functional diversity and abundance enhance crop pollination and yield
Authors: Woodcock B. A. , Garratt M. P. D. , Powney G. D. , Shaw R. F. , Osborne J. L. , Soroka J. , Lindström S. A. M. , Stanley D. , Ouvrard P. , Edwards M. E. , Jauker F. , McCracken M. E. , Zou Y. , Potts S. G. , Rundlöf M. , Noriega J. A. , Greenop A. , Smith H. G. , Bommarco R. , van der Werf W. , Stout J. C. , Steffan-Dewenter I. , Morandin L. , Bullock J. M. , Pywell R. F.
Published: April 2019

How insects promote crop pollination remains poorly understood in terms of the contribution of functional trait differences between species. We used meta-analyses to test for correlations between community abundance, species richness and functional trait metrics with oilseed rape yield, a globally important crop. While overall abundance is consistently important in predicting yield, functional divergence between species traits also showed a positive correlation. This result supports the complementarity hypothesis that pollination function is maintained by non-overlapping trait distributions. In artificially constructed communities (mesocosms), species richness is positively correlated with yield, although this effect is not seen under field conditions. As traits of the dominant species do not predict yield above that attributed to the effect of abundance alone, we find no evidence in support of the mass ratio hypothesis. Management practices increasing not just pollinator abundance, but also functional divergence, could benefit oilseed rape agriculture.
A temporary indwelling intravascular aphaeretic system for in vivo enrichment of circulating tumor cells
Authors: Kim Tae Hyun , Wang Yang , Oliver C. Ryan , Thamm Douglas H. , Cooling Laura , Paoletti Costanza , Smith Kaylee J. , Nagrath Sunitha , Hayes Daniel F.
Published: April 2019

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have become an established biomarker for prognosis in patients with various carcinomas. However, current ex vivo CTC isolation technologies rely on small blood volumes from a single venipuncture limiting the number of captured CTCs. This produces statistical variability and inaccurate reflection of tumor cell heterogeneity. Here, we describe an in vivo indwelling intravascular aphaeretic CTC isolation system to continuously collect CTCs directly from a peripheral vein. The system returns the remaining blood products after CTC enrichment, permitting interrogation of larger blood volumes than classic phlebotomy specimens over a prolonged period of time. The system is validated in canine models showing capability to screen 1–2% of the entire blood over 2 h. Our result shows substantial increase in CTC capture, compared with serial blood draws. This technology could potentially be used to analyze large number of CTCs to facilitate translation of analytical information into future clinical decisions.
Homogeneous InGaSb crystal grown under microgravity using Chinese recovery satellite SJ-10
Authors: Yu Jianding , Inatomi Yuko , Nirmal Kumar Velu , Hayakawa Yasuhiro , Okano Yasunori , Arivanandhan Mukannan , Momose Yoshimi , Pan Xiuhong , Liu Yan , Zhang Xingwang , Luo Xinghong
Published: April 2019

Microgravity crystal growth experiment for the growth of In0.11Ga0.89Sb was performed at the Chinese recoverable satellite through the space program SJ-10. This experiment is aimed to understand the melt formation and growth kinetics of InxGa1−xSb solid solution with higher indium composition, because their segregation coefficient was higher than the crystals with lower indium compositions. The target composition and uniformity were achieved with higher growth rate under microgravity, whereas the uniformity in composition was not achieved under normal gravity. The growth and dissolution were affected mainly by the steady state equilibrium in the melt composition because of the convection under normal gravity. The non-steady state equilibrium in the melt composition under microgravity helped to achieve a higher growth rate and compositional homogeneity at higher indium composition of InxGa1−xSb solid solution.
Targeted enrichment by solution-based hybrid capture to identify genetic sequence variants in barley
Authors: Hill Camilla Beate , Wong Debbie , Tibbits Josquin , Forrest Kerrie , Hayden Matthew , Zhang Xiao-Qi , Westcott Sharon , Angessa Tefera Tolera , Li Chengdao
Published: April 2019

In barley and other cereal crops, phenological diversity drives adaptation to different cultivation areas. Improvement of barley yield and quality traits requires adaptation to specific production areas with introgression of favorable alleles dependent upon precise identification of the underlying genes. Combining targeted sequence capture systems with next-generation sequencing provides an efficient approach to explore target genetic regions at high resolution, and allows rapid discovery of thousands of genetic polymorphisms. Here, we apply a versatile target-capture method to detect genome-wide polymorphisms in 174 flowering time-related genes, chosen based on prior knowledge from barley, rice, and Arabidopsis thaliana. Sequences were generated across a phenologically diverse panel of 895 barley varieties, resulting a high mean depth coverage of ~25x allowing reliable discovery and calling of insertion-deletion (InDel) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Sequences of InDel and SNPs from the targeted enrichment were utilized to develop 67 Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers for validation. This work provides researchers and breeders a comprehensive molecular toolkit for the selection of phenology-related traits in barley.
Pressure-induced spin transition and site-selective metallization in CoCl2
Authors: Barreda-Argüeso Jose A. , Nataf Lucie , Aguado Fernando , Hernández Ignacio , González Jesús , Otero-de-la-Roza Alberto , Luaña Víctor , Jia Yating , Jin Changqing , Kim Bongjae , Kim Kyoo , Min Byung I. , Heribert Wilhem , Jephcoat Andrew P. , Rodríguez Fernando
Published: April 2019

The interplay between spin states and metallization in compressed CoCl2 is investigated by combining diffraction, resistivity and spectroscopy techniques under high-pressure conditions and ab-initio calculations. A pressure-induced metallization along with a Co2+ high-spin (S = 3/2) to low-spin (S = 1/2) crossover transition is observed at high pressure near 70 GPa. This metallization process, which is associated with the p-d charge-transfer band gap closure, maintains the localization of 3d electrons around Co2+, demonstrating that metallization and localized Co2+ -3d low-spin magnetism can coexist prior to the full 3d-electron delocalization (Mott-Hubbard d-d breakdown) at pressures greater than 180 GPa.
The LRRC8-mediated volume-regulated anion channel is altered in glaucoma
Authors: Gasull Xavier , Castany Marta , Castellanos Aida , Rezola Mikel , Andrés-Bilbé Alba , Canut Maria Isabel , Estévez Raúl , Borrás Teresa , Comes Núria
Published: April 2019

Regulation of cellular volume is an essential process to balance volume changes during cell proliferation and migration or when intracellular osmolality increases due to transepithelial transport. We previously characterized the key role of volume-regulated anion channels (VRAC) in the modulation of the volume of trabecular meshwork (TM) cells and, in turn, the aqueous humour (AH) outflow from the eye. The balance between the secretion and the drainage of AH determines the intraocular pressure (IOP) that is the major casual risk factor for glaucoma. Glaucoma is an ocular disease that causes irreversible blindness due to the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells. The recent identification of Leucine-Rich Repeat-Containing 8 (LRRC8A-E) proteins as the molecular components of VRAC opens the field to elucidate their function in the physiology of TM and glaucoma. Human TM cells derived from non-glaucomatous donors and from open-angle glaucoma patients were used to determine the expression and the functional activity of LRRC8-mediated channels. Expression levels of LRRC8A-E subunits were decreased in HTM glaucomatous cells compared to normotensive HTM cells. Consequently, the activity of VRAC currents and volume regulation of TM cells were significantly affected. Impaired cell volume regulation will likely contribute to altered aqueous outflow and intraocular pressure.
Foraging Experiences Durably Modulate Honey Bees’ Sucrose Responsiveness and Antennal Lobe Biogenic Amine Levels
Authors: Finkelstein Abby Basya , Brent Colin S. , Giurfa Martin , Amdam Gro V.
Published: April 2019

Foraging exposes organisms to rewarding and aversive events, providing a selective advantage for maximizing the former while minimizing the latter. Honey bees (Apis mellifera) associate environmental stimuli with appetitive or aversive experiences, forming preferences for scents, locations, and visual cues. Preference formation is influenced by inter-individual variation in sensitivity to rewarding and aversive stimuli, which can be modulated by pharmacological manipulation of biogenic amines. We propose that foraging experiences act on biogenic amine pathways to induce enduring changes to stimulus responsiveness. To simulate varied foraging conditions, freely-moving bees were housed in cages where feeders offered combinations of sucrose solution, floral scents, and aversive electric shock. Transient effects were excluded by providing bees with neutral conditions for three days prior to all subsequent assays. Sucrose responsiveness was reduced in bees that had foraged for scented rather than unscented sucrose under benign conditions. This was not the case under aversive foraging conditions, suggesting an adaptive tuning process which maximizes preference for high quality, non-aversive floral sites. Foraging conditions also influenced antennal lobe octopamine and serotonin, neuromodulators involved in stimulus responsiveness and foraging site evaluation. Our results suggest that individuals’ foraging experiences durably modify neurochemistry and shape future foraging behaviour.
Thermally controllable Mie resonances in a water-based metamaterial
Authors: Sun Xiaqing , Fu Quanhong , Fan Yuancheng , Wu Hongjing , Qiu Kepeng , Yang Ruisheng , Cai Weiqi , Zhang Nan , Zhang Fuli
Published: April 2019

Active control of metamaterial properties is of great significance for designing miniaturized and versatile devices in practical engineering applications. Taking advantage of the highly temperature-dependent permittivity of water, we demonstrate a water-based metamaterial comprising water cubes with thermally tunable Mie resonances. The dynamic tunability of the water-based metamaterial was investigated via numerical simulations and experiments. A water cube exhibits both magnetic and electric response in the frequency range of interest. The magnetic response is primarily magnetic dipole resonance, while the electric response is a superposition of electric dipole resonance and a smooth Fabry–Pérot background. Using temporal coupled-mode theory (TCMT), the role of direct scattering is evaluated and the Mie resonance modes are analyzed. As the temperature of water cube varies from 20 °C to 80 °C, the magnetic and electric resonance frequencies exhibit obvious blue shifts of 0.10 and 0.14 GHz, respectively.
Garlic augments the functional and nutritional behavior of Doenjang, a traditional Korean fermented soybean paste
Authors: Bahuguna Ashutosh , Shukla Shruti , Lee Jong Suk , Bajpai Vivek K. , Kim So-Young , Huh Yun Suk , Han Young-Kyu , Kim Myunghee
Published: April 2019

Three different forms of garlic, namely, fresh garlic (2%, 6%, 10%), heat-dried (1%, 2%, 3%) and freeze-dried (1%, 2%, 3%), were supplemented in soybean paste to prepare Doenjang and further evaluated for functional, nutritional and safety aspects. Results showed a considerable antioxidant and anti-proliferative activity of garlic-supplemented Doenjang. As a measure of nutritive value, a high amount of total free amino acids, 4,290.73 mg/100 g–5,492.94 mg/100 g, was observed in prepared Doenjang. Among all preparations, 3% freeze-dried garlic-supplemented Doenjang proved the most effective against gastric adenocarcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma with 50% inhibition concentration of 7.66 ± 0.53 mg/mL and 7.82 ± 0.34 mg/mL, respectively. However 10% fresh-garlicsupplemented Doenjang (GGD-10) showed better activity against colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT29) cell line. Furthermore, GGD-10 effectively reduced colony formation and altered mitochondrial membrane potential of HT29 cells. Absence of pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella species and Bacillus cereus) and aflatoxin was observed in Doenjang samples. In addition, nontoxic amount of anti-nutritional biogenic amines was observed in all the samples. The results collectively suggest that the addition of garlic in Doenjang can improve its nutritional and functional value, resulting in the protection of consumers from protein deficiencies and various stress conditions.
The Rice Phosphate Transporter Protein OsPT8 Regulates Disease Resistance and Plant Growth
Authors: Dong Zheng , Li Wei , Liu Jing , Li Lihua , Pan Sujun , Liu Saijun , Gao Jia , Liu Ling , Liu Xionglun , Wang Guo-Liang , Dai Liangying
Published: April 2019

The absorption of nutrients and disease resistance are two indispensable physiological processes in plants; however, it is still largely unknown whether there is cross-talk between their molecular signaling pathways. In this study, we identified the rice OsPT8 protein, which is a member of the phosphate transporters (PTs) Pht1 family and also plays a role in rice disease resistance. The transcriptional level of OsPT8 is suppressed after infection with rice pathogens and treatment with pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Overexpression of OsPT8 suppresses rice disease resistance against the pathogens Magnaporthe oryzae and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. Accordingly, the transcription level of resistance related genes, such as PAL and PBZ1, is inhibited in plants overexpressing OsPT8 (OsPT8-OX) after inoculation with these pathogens. In OsPT8-OX plants, PAMPs-triggered immunity (PTI) response genes, such as OsRac1 and SGT1, are suppressed during treatment with PAMPs chitin or flg22. Moreover, the typical response of PTI is suppressed after chitin or flg22 treatment. We also identified OsPT8 as an interactor of a rice mitogen-activated protein kinase BWMK1, which is a regulator of disease resistance. Under low phosphate (Pi) conditions, the OsPT8-OX plants display better agronomic traits than the control plants. However, the differences in development between OsPT8-OX and the control plants are reduced upon the increase of Pi concentration. These results demonstrate that OsPT8 regulates the transduction of Pi signaling for development and negatively regulates rice immunity.
Prognostic Value of CT Radiomic Features in Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Khalvati Farzad , Zhang Yucheng , Baig Sameer , Lobo-Mueller Edrise M. , Karanicolas Paul , Gallinger Steven , Haider Masoom A.
Published: April 2019

In this work, we assess the reproducibility and prognostic value of CT-derived radiomic features for resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Two radiologists contoured tumour regions on pre-operative CT of two cohorts from two institutions undergoing curative-intent surgical resection for PDAC. The first (n = 30) and second cohorts (n = 68) were used for training and validation of proposed prognostic model for overall survival (OS), respectively. Radiomic features were extracted using PyRadiomics library and those with weak inter-reader reproducibility were excluded. Through Cox regression models, significant features were identified in the training cohort and retested in the validation cohort. Significant features were then fused via Cox regression to build a single radiomic signature in the training cohort, which was validated across readers in the validation cohort. Two radiomic features derived from Sum Entropy and Cluster Tendency features were both robust to inter-reader reproducibility and prognostic of OS across cohorts and readers. The radiomic signature showed prognostic value for OS in the validation cohort with hazard ratios of 1.56 (P = 0.005) and 1.35 (P = 0.022), for the first and second reader, respectively. CT-based radiomic features were shown to be prognostic in patients with resectable PDAC. These features may help stratify patients for neoadjuvant or alternative therapies.
Chiral phenoxyacetic acid analogues inhibit colon cancer cell proliferation acting as PPARγ partial agonists
Authors: Sabatino Lina , Ziccardi Pamela , Cerchia Carmen , Muccillo Livio , Piemontese Luca , Loiodice Fulvio , Colantuoni Vittorio , Lupo Angelo , Lavecchia Antonio
Published: April 2019

Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ (PPARγ) is an important sensor at the crossroad of diabetes, obesity, immunity and cancer as it regulates adipogenesis, metabolism, inflammation and proliferation. PPARγ exerts its pleiotropic functions upon binding of natural or synthetic ligands. The molecular mechanisms through which PPARγ controls cancer initiation/progression depend on the different mode of binding of distinctive ligands. Here, we analyzed a series of chiral phenoxyacetic acid analogues for their ability to inhibit colorectal cancer (CRC) cells growth by binding PPARγ as partial agonists as assessed in transactivation assays of a PPARG-reporter gene. We further investigated compounds (R,S)-3, (S)-3 and (R,S)-7 because they combine the best antiproliferative activity and a limited transactivation potential and found that they induce cell cycle arrest mainly via upregulation of p21waf1/cip1. Interestingly, they also counteract the β-catenin/TCF pathway by repressing c-Myc and cyclin D1, supporting their antiproliferative effect. Docking experiments provided insight into the binding mode of the most active compound (S)-3, suggesting that its partial agonism could be related to a better stabilization of H3 rather than H11 and H12. In conclusion, we identified a series of PPARγ partial agonists affecting distinct pathways all leading to strong antiproliferative effects. These findings may pave the way for novel therapeutic strategies in CRC.
Oxygen/phosphorus co-doped porous carbon from cicada slough as high-performance electrode material for supercapacitors
Authors: Chen Bingwei , Wu Wenzhuo , Li Chunyang , Wang Yanfang , Zhang Yi , Fu Lijun , Zhu Yusong , Zhang Lixin , Wu Yuping
Published: April 2019

Synthesizing high-performance electrode materials plays a vital role in fabricating advanced supercapacitors. Heteroatom doping has been proved to be effective in enhancing the electrochemical properties of carbon-based electrodes. Herein, we report an O, P co-doped porous carbon (PC) originated from waste biomaterials, cicada sloughs. The PC possesses meso-/microporous structure with a large specific surface area (1945 m2·g−1) and a high O, P co-doping ratio of 18 wt.%. These superior factors together enable it to deliver high specific capacitance (295 F·g−1 in 6 M KOH and 291 F·g−1 in 1 M H2SO4), good cycling stability (100% capacitance retention after 10000 cycles in 1 M H2SO4) and rate performance. Therefore, from the respects of environment friendliness and cost effectivity, obtaining heteroatom doped carbons from the nature might be better compared to pyrolyzing heteroatom-containing chemicals.
Influence of CYP3A4/5 and ABC transporter polymorphisms on lenvatinib plasma trough concentrations in Japanese patients with thyroid cancer
Authors: Ozeki Tomoko , Nagahama Mitsuji , Fujita Kazuma , Suzuki Akifumi , Sugino Kiminori , Ito Koichi , Miura Masatomo
Published: April 2019

Lenvatinib is a substrate of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. In this study, we aimed to evaluate how CYP3A4/5 and ABC transporter polymorphisms affected the mean steady-state dose-adjusted plasma trough concentrations (C0) of lenvatinib in a cohort of 40 Japanese patients with thyroid cancer. CYP3A4 20230G > A (*1G), CYP3A5 6986A > G (*3), ABCB1 1236C > T, ABCB1 2677G > T/A, ABCB1 3435C > T, ABCC2 −24C > T, and ABCG2 421C > A genotypes were determined using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. In univariate analysis, there were no significant differences in the mean dose-adjusted C0 values of lenvatinib between the ABCB1, ABCG2, and CYP3A5 genotypes. However, the mean dose-adjusted C0 values of lenvatinib in patients with the CYP3A4*1/*1 genotype and ABCC2 −24T allele were significantly higher than those in patients with the CYP3A4*1G allele and −24C/C genotype, respectively (P = 0.018 and 0.036, respectively). In multivariate analysis, CYP3A4 genotype and total bilirubin were independent factors influencing the dose-adjusted C0 of lenvatinib (P = 0.010 and 0.046, respectively). No significant differences were found in the incidence rates of hypertension, proteinuria, and hand-foot syndrome following treatment with lenvatinib between the genotypes of CYP3A4/5 and ABC transporters. Lenvatinib pharmacokinetics were significantly influenced by the CYP3A4*1G polymorphism. If the target plasma concentration of lenvatinib for efficacy or toxicity is determined, elucidation of the details of the CYP3A4*1G genotype may facilitate decision-making related to the appropriate initial lenvatinib dosage to achieve optimal plasma concentrations.
Identifying Rare Variant Associations in Admixed Populations
Authors: Qin Huaizhen , Zhao Jinying , Zhu Xiaofeng
Published: April 2019

An admixed population and its ancestral populations bear different burdens of a complex disease. The ancestral populations may have different haplotypes of deleterious alleles and thus ancestry-gene interaction can influence disease risk in the admixed population. Among admixed individuals, deleterious haplotypes and their ancestries are dependent and can provide non-redundant association information. Herein we propose a local ancestry boosted sum test (LABST) for identifying chromosomal blocks that harbor rare variants but have no ancestry switches. For such a stable ancestral block, our LABST exploits ancestry-gene interaction and the number of rare alleles therein. Under the null of no genetic association, the test statistic asymptotically follows a chi-square distribution with one degree of freedom (1-df). Our LABST properly controlled type I error rates under extensive simulations, suggesting that the asymptotic approximation was accurate for the null distribution of the test statistic. In terms of power for identifying rare variant associations, our LABST uniformly outperformed several famed methods under four important modes of disease genetics over a large range of relative risks. In conclusion, exploiting ancestry-gene interaction can boost statistical power for rare variant association mapping in admixed populations.
miR-21-mediated regulation of 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase in colon cancer
Authors: Monteleone Nicholas J. , Moore Ashleigh E. , Iacona Joseph R. , Lutz Carol S. , Dixon Dan A.
Published: April 2019

Elevated prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels are observed in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and this increase is associated with poor prognosis. Increased synthesis of PGE2 in CRC has been shown to occur through COX-2-dependent mechanisms; however, loss of the PGE2-catabolizing enzyme, 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH, HPGD), in colonic tumors contributes to increased prostaglandin levels and poor patient survival. While loss of 15-PGDH can occur through transcriptional mechanisms, we demonstrate that 15-PGDH can be additionally regulated by a miRNA-mediated mechanism. We show that 15-PGDH and miR-21 are inversely correlated in CRC patients, with increased miR-21 levels associating with low 15-PGDH expression. 15-PGDH can be directly regulated by miR-21 through distinct sites in its 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR), and miR-21 expression in CRC cells attenuates 15-PGDH and promotes increased PGE2 levels. Additionally, epithelial growth factor (EGF) signaling suppresses 15-PGDH expression while simultaneously enhancing miR-21 levels. miR-21 inhibition represses CRC cell proliferation, which is enhanced with EGF receptor (EGFR) inhibition. These findings present a novel regulatory mechanism of 15-PGDH by miR-21, and how dysregulated expression of miR-21 may contribute to loss of 15-PGDH expression and promote CRC progression via increased accumulation of PGE2.
Madden–Julian Oscillation Enhances Phytoplankton Biomass in the Maritime Continent
Authors: Chang Chiung-Wen June , Hsu Huang-Hsiung , Cheah Wee , Tseng Wan-Ling , Jiang Li-Chiang
Published: April 2019

In addition to monsoon-driven rainfall, the Maritime Continent (MC) is subject to heavy precipitation caused by the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO), a tropical convection-coupled circulation that propagates eastward from the Indian to the Pacific Ocean. This study shows that riverine runoff from MJO-driven rainfall in the western MC significantly enhances phytoplankton biomass not only in the coastal regions but as far as the nutrient-poor Banda Sea, located 1,000 km downstream of the riverine source. We present observational estimates of the chlorophyll-a concentration in the Banda Sea increasing by 20% over the winter average within an MJO life cycle. The enhancement of phytoplankton in the central Banda Sea is attributed to two coinciding MJO-triggered mechanisms: enhanced sediment loading and eastward advection of waters with high sediment and chlorophyll concentrations. Our results highlight an unexpected effect of MJO-driven rainfall on the downstream oceanic region. This finding has significant implications for the marine food chain and biogeochemical processes in the MC, given the increasing deforestation rate and projections that global warming will intensify both the frequency and strength of MJO-driven rainfall in the MC.
Fabrication of inclined non-symmetrical periodic micro-structures using Direct Laser Interference Patterning
Authors: Alamri Sabri , El-Khoury Mikhael , Aguilar-Morales Alfredo I. , Storm Sebastian , Kunze Tim , Lasagni Andrés F.
Published: April 2019

The direct fabrication of microstructures, having a non-symmetrical morphology with controllable inclination, presents nowadays a challenging task. Natural examples of surfaces with inclined topographies have shown to provide anisotropic functionalities, which have attracted the interest of several researchers in the last years. This work presents a microfabrication technique for producing microstructures with a determined and controllable inclination angle using two-beam Direct Laser Interference Patterning. Polyimide foils are irradiated with a 4 ns UV (266 nm) laser source producing line-like structures with a period varying from 4.6 µm to 16.5 µm. The inclinations, retrieved by tilting the sample with respect to the optical axis of the setup, are changed from 0° to 75°, introducing a well controllable and defined inclination of the structure walls. The structuring parameters (laser fluence, number of laser pulses and interference period) as well as the inclination of the microstructures are correlated with the global tilting of the sample. As a result, a determined laser fluence and number of pulses are necessary to observe a remarkable non-symmetrical morphology of the structures. In addition, the presence of structural undercuts is reported, which opens the possibility for developing new direction-dependent properties on polymeric materials. As an example, preliminary results on light diffraction are presented, showing a similar behavior as blazed diffraction gratings.
Switchable multifunctional terahertz metasurfaces employing vanadium dioxide
Authors: Li Xike , Tang Shiwei , Ding Fei , Zhong Shuomin , Yang Yuanqing , Jiang Tao , Zhou Jun
Published: April 2019

In this paper, we design a type of switchable metasurfaces by employing vanadium dioxide (VO2), which possess tunable and diversified functionalities in the terahertz (THz) frequencies. The properly designed homogeneous metasurface can be dynamically tuned from a broadband absorber to a reflecting surface due to the insulator-to-metal transition of VO2. When VO2 is in its insulating state, the metasurface can efficiently absorb the normally incident THz wave in the frequency range of 0.535–1.3 THz with the average absorption of ~97.2%. Once the VO2 is heated up and switched to its fully metallic state, the designed metasurface exhibits broadband and efficient reflection (>80%) in the frequency range from 0.5 to 1.3 THz. Capitalizing on such meta-atom design, we further extend the functionalities by introducing phase-gradients when VO2 is in its fully metallic state and consequently achieve polarization-insensitive beam-steering and polarization-splitting, while maintaining broadband absorption when VO2 is in insulating state.