bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Simply not comprehensible.” Why?
Authors: Simon Sven , Rathke Hannes
Published: September 2020

The German Federal Constitutional Court’s ruling of May 5, 2020 on the ECB’s Public Sector Purchase Programme (PSPP) stated, for the first time ever, that some decisions by European institutions are not covered by the competence allocations of the European Treaties and cannot therefore take effect in Germany. This article argues that the judgment came as no surprise, as it is consistent with the principle of conferral of powers. According to this principle the EU and its institutions can only act within the limits of their competences. The German Basic Law prohibits any transfer of sovereign rights whose exercise would confer sua sponte additional competences to the supranational level. Against this background, the Federal Constitutional Court judgment does not seek to limit the ECB’s scope for appraisal and evaluation in the exercise of its monetary policy mandate. It focuses rather on the conditions which legitimize the ECB’s leeway. The issue in this case is not the applicability of the proportionality principle as a criterion governing the delimitation of powers, but the different reference points for the assessment of proportionality. In this regard the CJEU had failed to discuss whether monetary policy and the effects on economic policy are proportionate by themselves. Hence, in constitutional terms, the CJEU’s interpretation was found to be “arbitrary”, since the German Constitutional Court defined arbitrariness as jurisprudence that “in a reasonable reading … [appears] unintelligible and clearly untenable.” In other words, it is “simply not comprehensible.” Despite the harsh words of the German Constitutional Court, the authors argue that the judgement in the end can help to create a European legal culture that will strengthen the European Union in the long term if, in future, the CJEU engages more constructively with criticisms from Member State courts.
CHEN DI'SRECORD OF FORMOSA(1603) AND AN ALTERNATIVE CHINESE IMAGINARY OF OTHERNESS
Authors: JENCO LEIGH K.
Published: September 2020

This article examines Chen Di's 1603 textRecord of Formosa(Dongfan ji), the earliest first-hand account in any language of the indigenous people of Formosa (now called Taiwan). Recent commentators have viewed Chen's text as a key elaboration of Chinese imperial discourse and its various tropes of hierarchical difference. In contrast, I argue that Chen reads the perceived cultural differences between his society and Taiwan's indigenous peoples as evidence of the contingency, rather than inevitable superiority, of a historical story that produces the outcome of ‘civilization’. Building on a broader understanding of Chen's intellectual biography and his extant works, I show that Chen Di places the indigenes along a different timeline in which they forge their own contingent history parallel to, rather than behind, that of a civilizational centre. By doing so, Chen's historical narrative resists aligning their society with Han Chinese forms of development and offers a glimpse of how late Ming syncretic thought could produce an account of legitimate otherness.
THE CURIOUS CASE OF ANTHONY GNAZZO: A LOST AMERICAN EXPERIMENTALIST
Authors: Palmese Michael
Published: September 2020

Archival evidence indicates that Anthony Gnazzo was a major figure within the Bay Area avant-garde music scene of the 1960s and 1970s who retired from composition by 1983 and has since been largely forgotten. Historical documents reveal, however, that a study of Gnazzo enables us to better understand the complex network of influences and artists working on experimental music in the Bay Area during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. This article outlines Gnazzo's career and work, from his earliest academic compositions to his late electronic pieces, and concludes with a consideration of the ethical and moral issues inherent in musicological research on living subjects, particularly in the case of a composer who consciously avoids discussion of his personal aesthetic or compositional output. Should one study music that appears to have been ‘abandoned’ by the artist?
AN INTERVIEW WITH KRZYSZTOF PENDERECKI
Authors: Woodman Alexander
Published: September 2020

This article transcribes an interview with the great Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki and is one of the last interviews that Penderecki gave before his death on 29 March 2020. It traces the composer's career, from his early musical education to the Ninth Symphony on which he was working at the time of his death, and focuses on the composition of his Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima, the St Luke Passion and the Polish Requiem.
Inzision der thrombosierten Perianalvene – when and how
Authors: Muggli Beat
Published: September 2020

Zusammenfassung. Der akute anale Schmerz ist ein häufiges Symptom in der Proktologie. Eine detaillierte Anamnese sowie die typischen klinischen Befunde führen meistens zur Diagnose und Therapie. Die Perianalvenenthrombose sollte bei einer Symptomatologie von weniger als 72 h chirurgisch mittels Exzision angegangen werden. Bei Symptomen von mehr als 72 h ist die konservative Therapie vorzuziehen.
Kleine Wundversorgung bei Kindern
Authors: Scherer Cordula , Berger Steffen
Published: September 2020

Zusammenfassung. Die erfolgreiche Wundversorgung von Kindern erfordert neben dem Wissen um die korrekte Durchführung eine gute Vorbereitung der Behandlung. Man hat nicht nur einen Patienten, das Kind, sondern auch die Eltern des Kindes mit Ihren Ängsten und Sorgen um das Kind. Beide müssen mit ihren Bedürfnissen vom Arzt abgeholt werden. Eine für das Kind verständliche Aufklärung über die therapeutische Intervention sollte ehrlich aber nicht angsterzeugend sein. Vertrauen schaffende Positionierung und Ablenkung durch Medien wie Video oder Buch sind als gleich wichtig einzuschätzen wie die eigentliche Wundversorgung oder das Anbringen eines speziellen Verbandes. Die Verwendung nicht brennender Lösungen zur Wundreinigung / Desinfektion, die Oberflächenanästhesie mit Lidocain-Epinephrin-Tetracain (LET) Gel und die Analgosedation durch Lachgas oder die intranasale Applikation von Fentanyl / Dormicum® können von Beginn an eine Angst- und Schmerz-freie Atmosphäre schaffen. Rissquetschwunden bei Kindern mit den häufigsten Lokalisationen am behaarten Kopf, Kinn oder Stirn können in der Regel ambulant versorgt werden [1].
Kurzfassung der S2e-Leitlinie „Diagnostik und Therapie von Gedächtnisstörungen bei neurologischen Erkrankungen“ (AWMF-030/124)
Authors: Thöne-Otto Angelika , Ackermann Hermann , Benke Thomas , Bezold Regina , Hildebrandt Helmut , Meiling Claudia , Müller Sandra Verena , Nyffeler Thomas , Schoof-Tams Karin , Wallesch Claus-W.
Published: September 2020

Die wichtigsten Empfehlungen auf einen Blick

Zusammenfassung. Diagnostik. Zur Basisuntersuchung der Gedächtnisleistung gehören die Untersuchung der Orientierung, verbaler und figuraler Merkspannen sowie des Arbeitsgedächtnisses, ein Lernparadigma (z.B. Wortliste) mit verzögertem Abruf sowie die unmittelbare und verzögerte Wiedergabe komplexer verbaler und figuraler Informationen. Die Ergebnisse der neuropsychologischen Untersuchung sollten dem Patienten, und (soweit das Einverständnis des Patienten vorliegt) seinen Angehörigen sowie dem Behandlungsteam mitgeteilt werden. Therapie: Die Evidenz für die Wirksamkeit des übenden Funktionstrainings konnte für Patienten mit leichten bis mittelschweren Gedächtnisstörungen in einer Reihe randomisierter Kontrollgruppenstudien erhärtet werden. Daher sollen diese Patienten ein spezifisches funktions- oder strategieorientiertes kognitives Training erhalten. Elektronische Gedächtnishilfen stellen wichtige Hilfsmittel dar, um die Auswirkungen von Gedächtnisstörungen im Alltag zu kompensieren. Bei Menschen mit schweren Gedächtnisstörungen sollte der Fokus der Therapie auf dem Erlernen von Kompensationsstrategien liegen. Für den Aufbau von Routinen spielt das fehlerfreie Lernen (Errorless Learning) dabei eine wichtige Rolle. Während für Neurostimulationsverfahren bislang keine Wirksamkeit zur Verbesserung des episodischen Gedächtnisses nachgewiesen konnte, wird im Einsatz virtueller Realität ein hohes Potential für Diagnostik und Therapie gesehen.
Multi‐temporal Hydrological Residual Error Modeling for Seamless Subseasonal Streamflow Forecasting
Authors: McInerney David , Thyer Mark , Kavetski Dmitri , Laugesen Richard , Tuteja Narendra , Kuczera George
Published: September 2020

Subseasonal streamflow forecasts, with lead times of 1–30 days, provide valuable information for operational water resource management. This paper introduces the multi‐temporal hydrological residual error (MuTHRE) model to address the challenge of obtaining “seamless” subseasonal forecasts — that is, daily forecasts with consistent high‐quality performance over multiple lead times (1–30 days) and aggregation scales (daily to monthly). The key advance of the MuTHRE model is combining the representation of three temporal characteristics of hydrological residual errors: seasonality, dynamic biases, and non‐Gaussian errors. The MuTHRE model is applied in 11 Australian catchments using the hydrological model GR4J and post processed rainfall forecasts from the numerical weather prediction model ACCESS‐S, and is evaluated against a baseline model that does not model these error characteristics. The MuTHRE model provides “high” improvements (practically significant in the majority of performance stratifications) in terms of reliability: (i) at short lead times (up to 10 days), due to representing non‐Gaussian errors, (ii) stratified by month, due to representing seasonality in hydrological errors, and (iii) in dry years, due to representing dynamic biases in hydrological errors. Forecast performance also improves in terms of sharpness, volumetric bias, and CRPS skill score; these improvements are statistically but not practically significant in the majority of stratifications. Importantly, improvements are consistent across multiple time scales (daily and monthly). This study highlights the benefits of modeling multiple temporal characteristics of hydrological errors and demonstrates the power of the MuTHRE model for producing seamless subseasonal streamflow forecasts that can be utilized for a wide range of applications.
Unifying Advective and Diffusive Descriptions of Bedform Pumping in the Benthic Biolayer of Streams
Authors: Grant Stanley B. , Monofy Ahmed , Boano Fulvio , Gomez‐Velez Jesus D. , Guymer Ian , Harvey Judson , Ghisalberti Marco
Published: September 2020

Many water quality and ecosystem functions performed by streams occur in the benthic biolayer, the biologically active upper (~5 cm) layer of the streambed. Solute transport through the benthic biolayer is facilitated by bedform pumping, a physical process in which dynamic and static pressure variations over the surface of stationary bedforms (e.g., ripples and dunes) drive flow across the sediment‐water interface. In this paper we derive two predictive modeling frameworks, one advective and the other diffusive, for solute transport through the benthic biolayer by bedform pumping. Both frameworks closely reproduce patterns and rates of bedform pumping previously measured in the laboratory, provided that the diffusion model's dispersion coefficient declines exponentially with depth. They are also functionally equivalent, such that parameter sets inferred from the 2D advective model can be applied to the 1D diffusive model, and vice versa. The functional equivalence and complementary strengths of these two models expand the range of questions that can be answered, for example, by adopting the 2D advective model to study the effects of geomorphic processes (such as bedform adjustments to land use change) on flow‐dependent processes and the 1D diffusive model to study problems where multiple transport mechanisms combine (such as bedform pumping and turbulent diffusion). By unifying 2D advective and 1D diffusive descriptions of bedform pumping, our analytical results provide a straightforward and computationally efficient approach for predicting, and better understanding, solute transport in the benthic biolayer of streams and coastal sediments.
Electromagnetic chirality: from fundamentals to nontraditional chiroptical phenomena
Authors: Mun Jungho , Kim Minkyung , Yang Younghwan , Badloe Trevon , Ni Jincheng , Chen Yang , Qiu Cheng-Wei , Rho Junsuk
Published: September 2020

Chirality arises universally across many different fields. Recent advancements in artificial nanomaterials have demonstrated chiroptical responses that far exceed those found in natural materials. Chiroptical phenomena are complicated processes that involve transitions between states with opposite parities, and solid interpretations of these observations are yet to be clearly provided. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the theoretical aspects of chirality in light, nanostructures, and nanosystems and their chiroptical interactions. Descriptions of observed chiroptical phenomena based on these fundamentals are intensively discussed. We start with the strong intrinsic and extrinsic chirality in plasmonic nanoparticle systems, followed by enantioselective sensing and optical manipulation, and then conclude with orbital angular momentum-dependent responses. This review will be helpful for understanding the mechanisms behind chiroptical phenomena based on underlying chiral properties and useful for interpreting chiroptical systems for further studies.
Cognitive impact of neuronal antibodies: encephalitis and beyond
Authors: Gibson L. L. , McKeever A. , Coutinho E. , Finke C. , Pollak T. A.
Published: September 2020

Cognitive dysfunction is a common feature of autoimmune encephalitis. Pathogenic neuronal surface antibodies are thought to mediate distinct profiles of cognitive impairment in both the acute and chronic phases of encephalitis. In this review, we describe the cognitive impairment associated with each antibody-mediated syndrome and, using evidence from imaging and animal studies, examine how the nature of the impairment relates to the underlying neuroimmunological and receptor-based mechanisms. Neuronal surface antibodies, particularly serum NMDA receptor antibodies, are also found outside of encephalitis although the clinical significance of this has yet to be fully determined. We discuss evidence highlighting their prevalence, and association with cognitive outcomes, in a number of common disorders including cancer and schizophrenia. We consider mechanisms, including blood-brain barrier dysfunction, which could determine the impact of these antibodies outside encephalitis and account for much of the clinical heterogeneity observed.
Indicators of profound hematologic response in AL amyloidosis: complete response remains the goal of therapy
Authors: Milani Paolo , Basset Marco , Nuvolone Mario , Benigna Francesca , Rodigari Lara , Lavatelli Francesca , Foli Andrea , Merlini Giampaolo , Palladini Giovanni
Published: September 2020

In AL amyloidosis complete response (aCR) is defined as negative serum and urine immunofixation with normalized free light chain ratio (FLCR). However, achievement of low levels of involved FLC (iFLC) or difference between iFLC and uninvolved FLC (dFLC) are also relevant endpoints for treatment. We divided 434 consecutive patients with AL amyloidosis into five groups according to response 6 months after treatment initiation: aCR, iFLC <20 mg/L, normalized-iFLC, dFLC <10 mg/L, and normalized FLC ratio. Overall survival (OS) was similar (median not reached) in patients in aCR and in those who reached iFLC <20 mg/L, while it was inferior in all other groups (medians ranging from 79 to 91 months). Time to next therapy or death (TNTD) was longer in subjects attaining aCR (median 69 months) than in subjects reaching any FLC endpoint (medians ranging from 18 to 39 months). The ability of discriminating patients who survived more than 2 years among all responders was greater for current definition of aCR compared to combination of negative serum and urine immunofixation with any low-FLC endpoint. Complete response predicts best outcomes in AL amyloidosis and should be the goal of therapy if tolerability allows.
Genetic polymorphisms associated with telomere length and risk of developing myeloproliferative neoplasms
Authors: Giaccherini Matteo , Macauda Angelica , Sgherza Nicola , Sainz Juan , Gemignani Federica , Maldonado Josè Manuel Sanchez , Jurado Manuel , Tavano Francesca , Mazur Grzegorz , Jerez Andrés , Góra-Tybor Joanna , Gołos Aleksandra , Mohedo Francisca Hernández , Lopez Joaquin Martinez , Várkonyi Judit , Spadano Raffaele , Butrym Aleksandra , Canzian Federico , Campa Daniele
Published: September 2020

Telomere length measured in leukocyte (LTL) has been found to be associated with the risk of developing several cancer types, including myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). LTL is genetically determined by, at least, 11 SNPs previously shown to influence LTL. Their combination in a score has been used as a genetic instrument to measure LTL and evaluate the causative association between LTL and the risk of several cancer types. We tested, for the first time, the “teloscore” in 480 MPN patients and 909 healthy controls in a European multi-center case–control study. We found an increased risk to develop MPNs with longer genetically determined telomeres (OR = 1.82, 95% CI 1.24–2.68, P = 2.21 × 10−3, comparing the highest with the lowest quintile of the teloscore distribution). Analyzing the SNPs individually we confirm the association between TERT-rs2736100-C allele and increased risk of developing MPNs and we report a novel association of the OBFC1-rs9420907-C variant with higher MPN risk (ORallelic = 1.43; 95% CI 1.15–1.77; P = 1.35 × 10−3). Consistently with the results obtained with the teloscore, both risk alleles are also associated with longer LTL. In conclusion, our results suggest that genetically determined longer telomeres could be a risk marker for MPN development.
HSP70 regulates Eg5 distribution within the mitotic spindle and modulates the cytotoxicity of Eg5 inhibitors
Authors: Fang Chieh-Ting , Kuo Hsiao-Hui , Hsu Shao-Chun , Yih Ling-Huei
Published: September 2020

The heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is a conserved molecular chaperone and proteostasis regulator that protects cells from pharmacological stress and promotes drug resistance in cancer cells. In this study, we found that HSP70 may promote resistance to anticancer drugs that target the mitotic kinesin, Eg5, which is essential for assembly and maintenance of the mitotic spindle and cell proliferation. Our data show that loss of HSP70 activity enhances Eg5 inhibitor-induced cytotoxicity and spindle abnormalities. Furthermore, HSP70 colocalizes with Eg5 in the mitotic spindle, and inhibition of HSP70 disrupts this colocalization. Inhibition or depletion of HSP70 also causes Eg5 to accumulate at the spindle pole, altering microtubule dynamics and leading to chromosome misalignment. Using ground state depletion microscopy followed by individual molecule return (GSDIM), we found that HSP70 inhibition reduces the size of Eg5 ensembles and prevents their localization to the inter-polar region of the spindle. In addition, bis(maleimido)hexane-mediated protein-protein crosslinking and proximity ligation assays revealed that HSP70 inhibition deregulates the interaction between Eg5 tetramers and TPX2 at the spindle pole, leading to their accumulation in high-molecular-weight complexes. Finally, we showed that the passive substrate-binding activity of HSP70 is required for appropriate Eg5 distribution and function. Together, our results show that HSP70 substrate-binding activity may regulate proper assembly of Eg5 ensembles and Eg5-TPX2 complexes to modulate mitotic distribution/function of Eg5. Thus, HSP70 inhibition may sensitize cancer cells to Eg5 inhibitor-induced cytotoxicity.
Genomic prediction of fruit texture and training population optimization towards the application of genomic selection in apple
Authors: Roth Morgane , Muranty Hélène , Di Guardo Mario , Guerra Walter , Patocchi Andrea , Costa Fabrizio
Published: September 2020

Texture is a complex trait and a major component of fruit quality in apple. While the major effect ofMdPG1, a gene controlling firmness, has already been exploited in elite cultivars, the genetic basis of crispness remains poorly understood. To further improve fruit texture, harnessing loci with minor effects via genomic selection is therefore necessary. In this study, we measured acoustic and mechanical features in 537 genotypes to dissect the firmness and crispness components of fruit texture. Predictions of across-year phenotypic values for these components were calculated using a model calibrated with 8,294 SNP markers. The best prediction accuracies following cross-validations within the training set of 259 genotypes were obtained for the acoustic linear distance (0.64). Predictions for biparental families using the entire training set varied from low to high accuracy, depending on the family considered. While adding siblings or half-siblings into the training set did not clearly improve predictions, we performed an optimization of the training set size and composition for each validation set. This allowed us to increase prediction accuracies by 0.17 on average, with a maximal accuracy of 0.81 when predicting firmness in the ‘Gala’ × ‘Pink Lady’ family. Our results therefore identified key genetic parameters to consider when deploying genomic selection for texture in apple. In particular, we advise to rely on a large training population, with high phenotypic variability from which a ‘tailored training population’ can be extracted usinga prioriinformation on genetic relatedness, in order to predict a specific target population.
Grapevine VlbZIP30 improves drought resistance by directly activating VvNAC17 and promoting lignin biosynthesis through the regulation of three peroxidase genes
Authors: Tu Mingxing , Wang Xianhang , Yin Wuchen , Wang Ya , Li Yajuan , Zhang Guofeng , Li Zhi , Song Junyang , Wang Xiping
Published: September 2020

Drought stress severely affects grapevine quality and yield, and recent reports have revealed that lignin plays an important role in protection from drought stress. Since little is known about lignin-mediated drought resistance in grapevine, we investigated its significance. Herein, we show that VlbZIP30 mediates drought resistance by activating the expression of lignin biosynthetic genes and increasing lignin deposition. Transgenic grapevine plants overexpressing VlbZIP30 exhibited lignin deposition (mainly G and S monomers) in the stem secondary xylem under control conditions, which resulted from the upregulated expression of VvPRX4 and VvPRX72. Overexpression of VlbZIP30 improves drought tolerance, characterized by a reduction in the water loss rate, maintenance of an effective photosynthesis rate, and increased lignin content (mainly G monomer) in leaves under drought conditions. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay, luciferase reporter assays, and chromatin immunoprecipitation-qPCR assays indicated that VlbZIP30 directly binds to the G-box cis-element in the promoters of lignin biosynthetic (VvPRX N1) and drought-responsive (VvNAC17) genes to regulate their expression. In summary, we report a novel VlbZIP30-mediated mechanism linking lignification and drought tolerance in grapevine. The results of this study may be of value for the development of molecular breeding strategies to produce drought-resistant fruit crops.
Adsorption of rare earth elements in regolith-hosted clay deposits
Authors: Borst Anouk M. , Smith Martin P. , Finch Adrian A. , Estrade Guillaume , Villanova-de-Benavent Cristina , Nason Peter , Marquis Eva , Horsburgh Nicola J. , Goodenough Kathryn M. , Xu Cheng , Kynický Jindřich , Geraki Kalotina
Published: September 2020

Global resources of heavy Rare Earth Elements (REE) are dominantly sourced from Chinese regolith-hosted ion-adsorption deposits in which the REE are inferred to be weakly adsorbed onto clay minerals. Similar deposits elsewhere might provide alternative supply for these high-tech metals, but the adsorption mechanisms remain unclear and the adsorbed state of REE to clays has never been demonstrated in situ. This study compares the mineralogy and speciation of REE in economic weathering profiles from China to prospective regoliths developed on peralkaline rocks from Madagascar. We use synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy to study the distribution and local bonding environment of Y and Nd, as proxies for heavy and light REE, in the deposits. Our results show that REE are truly adsorbed as easily leachable 8- to 9-coordinated outer-sphere hydrated complexes, dominantly onto kaolinite. Hence, at the atomic level, the Malagasy clays are genuine mineralogical analogues to those currently exploited in China.
Transforming machine translation: a deep learning system reaches news translation quality comparable to human professionals
Authors: Popel Martin , Tomkova Marketa , Tomek Jakub , Kaiser Łukasz , Uszkoreit Jakob , Bojar Ondřej , Žabokrtský Zdeněk
Published: September 2020

The quality of human translation was long thought to be unattainable for computer translation systems. In this study, we present a deep-learning system, CUBBITT, which challenges this view. In a context-aware blind evaluation by human judges, CUBBITT significantly outperformed professional-agency English-to-Czech news translation in preserving text meaning (translation adequacy). While human translation is still rated as more fluent, CUBBITT is shown to be substantially more fluent than previous state-of-the-art systems. Moreover, most participants of a Translation Turing test struggle to distinguish CUBBITT translations from human translations. This work approaches the quality of human translation and even surpasses it in adequacy in certain circumstances.This suggests that deep learning may have the potential to replace humans in applications where conservation of meaning is the primary aim.
The genomic landscape of Mongolian hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Candia Julián , Bayarsaikhan Enkhjargal , Tandon Mayank , Budhu Anuradha , Forgues Marshonna , Tovuu Lkhagva-Ochir , Tudev Undarmaa , Lack Justin , Chao Ann , Chinburen Jigjidsuren , Wang Xin Wei
Published: September 2020

Mongolia has the highest incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the world, but its causative factors and underlying tumor biology remain unknown. Here, we describe molecular characteristics of HCC from 76 Mongolian patients by whole-exome and transcriptome sequencing. We present a comprehensive analysis of mutational signatures, driver genes, and molecular subtypes of Mongolian HCC compared to 373 HCC patients of different races and ethnicities and diverse etiologies. Mongolian HCC consists of prognostic molecular subtypes similar to those found in patients from other areas of Asia, Europe, and North America, as well as other unique subtypes, suggesting the presence of distinct etiologies linked to Mongolian patients. In addition to common driver mutations (TP53, CTNNB1) frequently found in pan-cancer analysis, Mongolian HCC exhibits unique drivers (most notably GTF2IRD2B, PNRC2, and SPTA1), the latter of which is associated with hepatitis D viral infection. These results suggest the existence of new molecular mechanisms at play in Mongolian hepatocarcinogenesis.
Amplified seasonal cycle in hydroclimate over the Amazon river basin and its plume region
Authors: Liang Yu-Chiao , Lo Min-Hui , Lan Chia-Wei , Seo Hyodae , Ummenhofer Caroline C. , Yeager Stephen , Wu Ren-Jie , Steffen John D.
Published: September 2020

The Amazon river basin receives ~2000 mm of precipitation annually and contributes ~17% of global river freshwater input to the oceans; its hydroclimatic variations can exert profound impacts on the marine ecosystem in the Amazon plume region (APR) and have potential far-reaching influences on hydroclimate over the tropical Atlantic. Here, we show that an amplified seasonal cycle of Amazonia precipitation, represented by the annual difference between maximum and minimum values, during the period 1979–2018, leads to enhanced seasonalities in both Amazon river discharge and APR ocean salinity. An atmospheric moisture budget analysis shows that these enhanced seasonal cycles are associated with similar amplifications in the atmospheric vertical and horizontal moisture advections. Hierarchical sensitivity experiments using global climate models quantify the relationships of these enhanced seasonalities. The results suggest that an intensified hydroclimatological cycle may develop in the Amazonia atmosphere-land-ocean coupled system, favouring more extreme terrestrial and marine conditions.
Architectural changes in alveolar bone for dental decompensation before surgery in Class III patients with differing facial divergence: a CBCT study
Authors: Yao Chung-Chen Jane , Chang Zwei-Chieng , Lai Hsiang-Hua , Hsu Li-Fang , Hwang Hann-Min , Chen Yi-Jane
Published: September 2020

This study aimed to investigate alveolar bone change around mandibular anterior teeth during orthodontic decompensation in patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion and different vertical facial patterns. The records of 29 consecutive Class III patients selected from those pending two-jaw orthognathic surgery were divided into low (≤ 28°), average (30°–37°), and high (≥ 39°) mandibular plane angle (MPA) groups. The DICOM files of CBCT scans and STL files of digital dental models, taken before (T1) and after (T2) presurgical orthodontic treatment, were imported into Dolphin imaging software to reconstruct dentoskeletal images. T1 and T2 images were superimposed and analyzed for bone thickness and height at the level of root apex on each mid-sagittal slice of six mandibular anterior teeth. Differences between T1 and T2 were analyzed by non-parametric tests and mixed-effect model analysis. The results showed that the measurements of alveolar bone height generally decreased after treatment, regardless of MPA. The facial divergence, incisor irregularity, tooth site, treatment time, and change in proclination were identified as the significant factors affecting alveolar bone thickness and height during treatment. The presurgical orthodontic treatment to decompensate mandibular anterior teeth should be very careful in all MPA groups.
Melanin distribution from the dermal–epidermal junction to the stratum corneum: non-invasive in vivo assessment by fluorescence and Raman microspectroscopy
Authors: Yakimov B. P. , Shirshin E. A. , Schleusener J. , Allenova A. S. , Fadeev V. V. , Darvin M. E.
Published: September 2020

The fate of melanin in the epidermis is of great interest due to its involvement in numerous physiological and pathological processes in the skin. Melanin localization can be assessed ex vivo and in vivo using its distinctive optical properties. Melanin exhibits a characteristic Raman spectrum band shape and discernible near-infrared excited (NIR) fluorescence. However, a detailed analysis of the capabilities of depth-resolved confocal Raman and fluorescence microspectroscopy in the evaluation of melanin distribution in the human skin is lacking. Here we demonstrate how the fraction of melanin at different depths in the human skin in vivo can be estimated from its Raman spectra (bands at 1,380 and 1,570 cm−1) using several procedures including a simple ratiometric approach, spectral decomposition and non-negative matrix factorization. The depth profiles of matrix factorization components specific to melanin, collagen and natural moisturizing factor provide information about their localization in the skin. The depth profile of the collagen-related matrix factorization component allows for precise determination of the dermal–epidermal junction, i.e. the epidermal thickness. Spectral features of fluorescence background originating from melanin were found to correlate with relative intensities of the melanin Raman bands. We also hypothesized that NIR fluorescence in the skin is not originated solely from melanin, and the possible impact of oxidized species should be taken into account. The ratio of melanin-related Raman bands at 1,380 and 1,570 cm−1 could be related to melanin molecular organization. The proposed combined analysis of the Raman scattering signal and NIR fluorescence could be a useful tool for rapid non-invasive in vivo diagnostics of melanin-related processes in the human skin.
Co-targeting PIM and PI3K/mTOR using multikinase inhibitor AUM302 and a combination of AZD-1208 and BEZ235 in prostate cancer
Authors: Luszczak Sabina , Simpson Benjamin S. , Stopka-Farooqui Urszula , Sathyadevan Vignesh Krishna , Echeverria Lina M. Carmona , Kumar Christopher , Costa Helena , Haider Aiman , Freeman Alex , Jameson Charles , Ratynska Marzena , Ben-Salha Imen , Sridhar Ashwin , Shaw Greg , Kelly John D. , Pye Hayley , Gately Kathy A. , Whitaker Hayley C. , Heavey Susan
Published: September 2020

PIM and PI3K/mTOR pathways are often dysregulated in prostate cancer, and may lead to decreased survival, increased metastasis and invasion. The pathways are heavily interconnected and act on a variety of common effectors that can lead to the development of resistance to drug inhibitors. Most current treatments exhibit issues with toxicity and resistance. We investigated the novel multikinase PIM/PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, AUM302, versus a combination of the PIM inhibitor, AZD-1208, and the PI3K/mTOR inhibitor BEZ235 (Dactolisib) to determine their impact on mRNA and phosphoprotein expression, as well as their functional efficacy. We have determined that around 20% of prostate cancer patients overexpress the direct targets of these drugs, and this cohort are more likely to have a high Gleason grade tumour (≥ Gleason 8). A co-targeted inhibition approach offered broader inhibition of genes and phosphoproteins in the PI3K/mTOR pathway, when compared to single kinase inhibition. The preclinical inhibitor AUM302, used at a lower dose, elicited a comparable or superior functional outcome compared with combined AZD-1208 + BEZ235, which have been investigated in clinical trials, and could help to reduce treatment toxicity in future trials. We believe that a co-targeting approach is a viable therapeutic strategy that should be developed further in pre-clinical studies.
Prosodic influence in face emotion perception: evidence from functional near-infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Becker Katherine M. , Rojas Donald C.
Published: September 2020

Emotion is communicated via the integration of concurrently presented information from multiple information channels, such as voice, face, gesture and touch. This study investigated the neural and perceptual correlates of emotion perception as influenced by facial and vocal information by measuring changes in oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and acquiring psychometrics. HbO activity was recorded from 103 channels while participants ($$\hbox {n} = 39$$

n
=
39

, $$\hbox {age} = 20.37\ \hbox {years}$$

age
=
20.37

years

) were presented with vocalizations produced in either a happy, angry or neutral prosody. Voices were presented alone or paired with an emotional face and compared with a face-only condition. Behavioral results indicated that when voices were paired with faces, a bias in the direction of the emotion of the voice was present. Subjects’ responses also showed greater variance and longer reaction times when responding to the bimodal conditions when compared to the face-only condition. While both the happy and angry prosody conditions exhibited right lateralized increases in HbO compared to the neutral condition, these activations were segregated into posterior-anterior subdivisions by emotion. Specific emotional prosodies may therefore differentially influence emotion perception, with happy voices exhibiting posterior activity in receptive emotion areas and angry voices displaying activity in anterior expressive emotion areas.
Magnon-tuning non-volatile magnetic dynamics in a CoZr/PMN-PT structure
Authors: Zhou Cai , Zhang Ming-fang , Liu Fu-fu , Jin Ying , Jiang Chang-jun , Hu Min , Feng Cun-fang , Wang Feng-long , Xu Ming-yao , Wang Sheng-xiang
Published: September 2020

Magnon-tuning non-volatile magnetic dynamics is investigated in a CoZr/PMN-PT structure by measuring ferromagnetic resonance at room temperature. The electric-field control of ferromagnetic resonance shows loop-like behavior, which indicates non-volatile electric-field control of the magnetism. Further, fitting the curves of in-plane rotating angle versus ferromagnetic resonance field under different electric fields shows that the effective magnetic field changes in loop-like manner with the electric field. The resulting change in non-volatile saturation magnetization with electric field is consistent with that of a polarization electric field curve. A 1.04% change of saturation magnetization is obtained, which can be attributed to a magnon-driven magnetoelectric coupling at the CoZr/PMN-PT interface. This magnon-driven magnetoelectric coupling and its dynamic magnetic properties are significant for developing future magnetoelectric devices.
HNF1B, EZH2 and ECI2 in prostate carcinoma. Molecular, immunohistochemical and clinico-pathological study
Authors: Dundr Pavel , Bártů Michaela , Hojný Jan , Michálková Romana , Hájková Nikola , Stružinská Ivana , Krkavcová Eva , Hadravský Ladislav , Kleissnerová Lenka , Kopejsková Jana , Hiep Bui Quang , Němejcová Kristýna , Jakša Radek , Čapoun Otakar , Řezáč Jakub , Jirsová Kateřina , Franková Věra
Published: September 2020

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 beta (HNF1B) is a tissue specific transcription factor, which seems to play an important role in the carcinogenesis of several tumors. In our study we focused on analyzing HNF1B in prostate carcinoma (PC) and adenomyomatous hyperplasia (AH), as well as its possible relation to the upstream geneEZH2and downstream geneECI2. The results of our study showed that on an immunohistochemical level, the expression of HNF1B was low in PC, did not differ between PC and AH, and did not correlate with any clinical outcomes. In PC, mutations ofHNF1Bgene were rare, but the methylation of its promotor was a common finding and was positively correlated with Gleason score and stage. The relationship between HNF1B and EZH2/ECI2 was equivocal, but EZH2 and ECI2 were positively correlated on both mRNA and protein level. The expression of EZH2 was associated with poor prognosis. ECI2 did not correlate with any clinical outcomes. Our results support the oncosuppressive role of HNF1B in PC, which may be silenced by promotor methylation and other mechanisms, but not by gene mutation. The high expression of EZH2 (especially) and ECI2 in PC seems to be a potential therapeutic target.
Lactoferrin attenuates lipopolysaccharide-stimulated inflammatory responses and barrier impairment through the modulation of NF-κB/MAPK/Nrf2 pathways in IPEC-J2 cells
Authors: Hu Ping , Zhao Fangzhou , Wang Jing , Zhu Weiyun
Published: September 2020

Lactoferrin attenuated LPS-induced inflammatory responsesviainhibiting NF-κB/MAPK pathways in IPEC-J2 cells.
Enhancement of physicochemical and encapsulation stability of O1/W/O2 multiple nanoemulsions loaded with coenzyme Q10 or conjugated linoleic acid by incorporating polyphenolic extract
Authors: Katsouli M. , Giannou V. , Tzia C.
Published: September 2020

Multiple O1/W/O2 nanoemulsions and O1/W nanoemulsions fortified with CLA or CoQ10 were produced using extra virgin olive or olive pomace oil and were also incorporated with polyphenols from olive kernel to enhance their kinetic and chemical stability.
Structural properties and thermal stability of multi-walled black phosphorene nanotubes and their operation as temperature driven nanorotors
Authors: Cuba-Supanta Gustavo , Fernández-Escamilla H. N. , Guerrero-Sanchez J. , Rojas-Tapia J. , Takeuchi Noboru
Published: September 2020

In this paper, we have studied the influence of temperature on the structural properties, thermal stability, and rotational frequency of (0,n) armchair multi-walled black phosphorene nanotubes (MWβPNTs).
Evading the strength–ductility trade-off dilemma of rigid thermosets by incorporating triple cross-links of varying strengths
Authors: Wang Cheng , Zhang Shuai , Zhang Longfei , Xu Yewei , Zhang Lin
Published: September 2020

A new class of rigid thermosets with simultaneously enhanced strengths and ductilities have been successfully designed and synthesised.
Facile construction of stabilized, pH-sensitive micelles based on cyclic statistical copolymers of poly(oligo(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate-st-N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) for in vitro anticancer drug delivery
Authors: Zhang Miao , Liu Ying , Peng Jinlei , Liu Yuping , Liu Fangjun , Ma Wei , Ma Liwei , Yu Cui-Yun , Wei Hua
Published: September 2020

This study developed a facile approach to improve the colloidal stability of a cyclic polycation as well as presented a pH-sensitive cyclic copolymer-based nanoplatform with great potential for anticancer drug delivery.
Origin and stabilization of axial chirality in the construction of naphthyl-C2-indoles: a DFT study
Authors: Deng Qianqian , Wang Yang , Li Shi-Jun , Qu Ling-Bo , Lan Yu , Wei Donghui
Published: September 2020

A novel method for predicting the stabilization of axial chirality in the construction of naphthyl-C2-indoles has been suggested for the first time.
Effect of triblock copolymers on crystal growth and the photocatalytic activity of anatase TiO2 single crystals
Authors: Dong Yeshuo , Meng Fanjun
Published: September 2020

The effects of triblock copolymers (P123 and F127) on the growth of TiO2 crystals were studied. Anatase TiO2 crystals with different morphologies and structures were synthesized by controlling the content and type of triblock copolymer in a solvothermal method.
Copper(ii)-catalyzed tandem cyclization for the synthesis of benzo[d][1,3]thiazin-2-yl phosphonates involving C–P and C–S bond formation
Authors: Liu Yang , Yao Shijie , Wang Chaoli , Zhang Yahui , Hao Wenyan
Published: September 2020

A simple and highly efficient cascade cyclization ofo-alkynylphenyl isothiocyanates with phosphites has been developed, affording a series of 4H-benzo[d][1,3]thiazin-2-yl phosphonates in moderate to good yields.
Band-selective NMR experiments for suppression of unwanted signals in complex mixtures
Authors: Alexandersson Elin , Sandström Corine , Lundqvist Lena C. E. , Nestor Gustav
Published: September 2020

Band-selective NMR experiments are presented that allow selective suppression of unwanted signals (SUN) from the spectra of complex metabolite mixtures.
Homogeneity in the early chemical evolution of the Sextans dwarf spheroidal galaxy
Authors: Lucchesi R. , Lardo C. , Primas F. , Jablonka P. , North P. , Battaglia G. , Starkenburg E. , Hill V. , Irwin M. , Francois P. , Shetrone M. , Tolstoy E. , Venn K.
Published: September 2020

We present the high-resolution spectroscopic analysis of two new extremely metal-poor star (EMPS) candidates in the dwarf spheroidal galaxy Sextans. These targets were preselected from medium-resolution spectra centered around the Ca II triplet in the near-infrared and were followed-up at higher resolution with VLT/UVES. We confirm their low metallicities with [Fe/H] = −2.95 and [Fe/H] = −3.01, which place them among the most metal-poor stars known in Sextans. The abundances of 18 elements, including C, Na, the α, Fe-peak, and neutron-capture elements, are determined. In particular, we present the first unambiguous detection of Zn in a classical dwarf at extremely low metallicity. Previous indications were made of a large scatter in the abundance ratios of the Sextans stellar population around [Fe/H] ∼ − 3 when compared to other galaxies, particularly with very low observed [α/Fe] ratios. We took the opportunity of reanalyzing the full sample of EMPS in Sextans and find a [α/Fe] Milky Way-like plateau and a ∼0.2 dex dispersion at fixed metallicity.
Clean Energy Trade Cooperation between USA and China and its Economic Impacts
Authors: Dong Yaowu , You Li , Duan Denghui
Published: September 2020

We study bilateral trade cooperation between the USA and China, along with its economic impacts. Trade Intensity Indices (TII) and Revealed Comparative Advantage indices (RCA) are investigated in six different clean energy categories including natural gas, solar, wind, biomass, hydro, and nuclear energy between 1992 and 2017. Data from TII and RCA indicate that clean energy trade cooperation between the USA and China needs to be strengthened. A Vector Autoregressive model (VAR) is established with one exogenous variable (oil price) and five endogenous variables including US TIIu, Chinese TIIc, US Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Chinese GDP and CO2 emissions. After verifying the model stationarity, impulse responses are obtained by applying positive impacts from TIIu and TIIc. The overall CO2 emissions will be reduced, and US GDP will increase. However, Chinese GDP will decrease as China is at early stages of clean energy development. To overcome the obstacles in the bilateral clean energy trade, both countries should coordinate their trade measures and devise effective policies beneficial to both countries.
Metal Object Detection in a Wireless Power Transfer System Based on Double-Layer Symmetric Sensing Coils
Authors: Lin Yawen , Xiang Lijuan , Tian Jindong , Tian Yong
Published: September 2020

The intrusion of a metal object into a wireless charging system could cause safety issues, such as temperature rise and even combustion. This paper proposes a double-layer symmetric sensing coil design for metal object detection (MOD) of wireless electric vehicle charging to prevent the detection blind area. First, the magnetic effect and the eddy current effect of a metal object in high-frequency magnetic fields are analyzed. Second, the principle of the proposed double-layer symmetric sensing coils is detailed. Finally, the finite element simulation is implemented in order to test the performance of the proposed sensing coil design. The simulation results show that the proposed double-layer symmetric sensing coils can effectively detect the presence and position of the metal object simultaneously.
Z-ADALINE based high-precision wide-frequency signal measurement algorithm for power electronic power grid
Authors: Wang Wenxiu , Pan Shuguo , Peng Jiawei , Shen Jian , Zhang Min , Gao Wang , Xia Chenglin
Published: September 2020

Intermittent wind power, photovoltaic and other renewable energies have been paralleled, which makes the phenomena of high-order harmonics and simple harmonics more and more serious in the power system, showing a wide-frequency trend. The existing measurement algorithms mainly aim at signals in midfrequency and low-frequency. Besides, they are lack of a uniform high-precision algorithm for widefrequency measurement. To solve this problem, we propose a high-precision algorithm based on Z-ADALINE. Firstly, Zoom FFT algorithm is used to analyze original sampled signals. This step enables the refinement of its frequency spectrum, and obtains accurate frequency measurement results. At this time, the number of frequencies can also be determined. Secondly, the result of Zoom FFT is used as the input of the adaptive linear neural network(ADALINE). ADALINE can estimate amplitude and phase with high precision. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can realize high-precision measurement of frequency, amplitude and phase of wide-frequency signal effectively. Among them, the frequency resolution can be up to 0.3 Hz. The amplitude error is within 1V. Phase error is less than 0.6°. The results may provide some significant references for practical wide-frequency signal measurement in power electronic power grid.