bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biosafety Level 2 cabinet UV‐C light exposure of sports antidoping human urine samples does not affect the stability of selected prohibited substances
Authors: Voss Sven , Abushreeda Wadha , Vonaparti Ariadni , Al‐Wahaibi Aisha , Al‐Sowaidi Noora , Al‐Mohannadi Ibrahim , Mahieddine Souhila , Khelifi Safa , Salama Sofia , Saleh Amal , Al‐Mohannadi Maryam , El‐Saftawy Wesal , Al‐Hamad Khalifa , Nofal Ahmad , Dbes Najib , Aguilera Rodrigo , Al Maadheed Mohammed , Georgakopoulos Costas
Published: October 2020

The current study examined the stability of several antidoping prohibited substances analytes in urine after 15‐min exposure to UV‐C light in a Biosafety Level 2 cabinet. The urine matrices were exposed within the original antidoping bottles with the aim to destroy DNA/RNA and possible SARS CoV‐2. The analytes small molecules Phase I and Phase II metabolites and peptides, in total 444, endogenous, internal standards, and prohibited substances, pH, and specific gravity in urine were studied. The accredited analytical methods were used by Anti‐Doping Laboratory Qatar for the comparison of data of the same urine samples analyzed with and without UV‐C exposure. In the study conditions, no problems of stability were detected in the substances spiked in the urine samples exposed in the UV‐C irradiation.
The analytical approach for detection of carbamylated erythropoietin for doping control purposes
Authors: Kaliszewski Paweł , Siek Paulina , Zalewska Zofia , Michalak Dorota , Kwiatkowska Dorota
Published: October 2020

Erythropoietin (EPO) has protective effects in several tissues and could be used for therapeutic purposes, but the doses of EPO that can be beneficial in case of hypoxic–ischemic conditions due to overinduced erythropoiesis could be detrimental in treated patients. Carbamylation of erythropoietin maintains the tissue‐protective effects of EPO but without erythropoietic effects. Carbamylated EPO (CEPO) is listed in WADA Prohibited List in class S2 as “Innate repair receptor agonists.” The CEPO was synthesized using the method described previously. Digestion with endoproteinase Lys‐C was used to distinguish rhEPO from CEPO. The digested samples containing recombinant EPO, urinary EPO (uEPO), or CEPO were analyzed by the SAR‐PAGE method (sarcosyl polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis‐PAGE). Endoproteinase Lys‐C breaks the peptide chains of lysine. Lysine residues, converted to homocitrulline by carbamylation, cannot be cleaved by endoproteinase Lys‐C. Therefore, the CEPO protein chain remained unchanged in contrast to rhEPO and uEPO, which allows for easily differentiation of them.
Potential habitat distribution of Himalayan red panda and their connectivity in Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhutan
Authors: Tobgay Sonam , Mahavik Nattapon
Published: October 2020

Survival of endangered Himalayan red panda is threatened by ever‐growing anthropogenic activities leading to an unprecedented rate of habitat degradation and loss. However, limited studies have been conducted in the context of the spatial distribution of habitats and habitat connectivity for the species in the landscape of Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS). Lack of such information remains a challenge while implementing effective and holistic conservation initiatives. Therefore, this study identifies the distribution of potential habitats and their connectivity using maxent and linkage mapper, respectively. Precipitation‐related predictor variables exhibited a significant influence on the prediction of habitat distribution. The model predicted 27.7% of the SWS as a potential habitat (fundamental niche). More than 75% of the predicted habitats fall outside the existing core zones where anthropogenic disturbance is relatively high, indicating the need to reassess existing management options. In SWS, 15 core habitats (CH) are predicted which are connected by a least‐cost corridor (length µ = 2.91 km) with several pinch points in it. Centrally located CH5 and CH11 are identified as the most important habitat in maintaining overall connectivity within SWS. However, CH located in the peripheries could be equally important in facilitating the transboundary movement of the species. Overall, SWS can play a critical role as a connecting link between the larger landscape of Bhutan and the adjacent Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh in the conservation of Himalayan red panda that exhibits narrow dispersal with special habitat needs. Based on our findings, we recommend initiating GPS/satellite telemetry of the species to enable SWS to understand the precise interaction of Himalayan red panda to widespread herder communities, livestock, and free‐roaming dogs dwelling in the same landscape. It will also help to evaluate the functionality of the predicted habitats, linkages, and feasibility of transboundary conservation initiatives.
Allometric relationships in morphological traits associated with foraging, swimming ability, and predator defense reveal adaptations toward brackish and freshwater environments in the threespine stickleback
Authors: Taugbøl Annette , Quinn Thomas P. , Østbye Kjartan , Asbjørn Vøllestad Leif
Published: October 2020

Freshwater colonization by threespine stickleback has led to divergence in morphology between ancestral marine and derived freshwater populations, making them ideal for studying natural selection on phenotypes. In an open brackish–freshwater system, we previously discovered two genetically distinct stickleback populations that also differ in geometric shape: one mainly found in the brackish water lagoon and one throughout the freshwater system. As shape and size are not perfectly correlated, the aim of this study was to identify the morphological trait(s) that separated the populations in geometric shape. We measured 23 phenotypes likely to be important for foraging, swimming capacity, and defense against predation. The lateral plate morphs in freshwater displayed few significant changes in trait sizes, but the low plated expressed feeding traits more associated with benthic habitats. When comparing the completely plated genetically assigned populations, the freshwater, the hybrids, the migrants and the lagoon fish, many of the linear traits had different slopes and intercepts in trait‐size regressions, precluding our ability to directly compare all traits simultaneously, which most likely results from low variation in body length for the lagoon and migrant population. We found the lagoon stickleback population to be more specialized toward the littoral zone, displaying benthic traits such as large, deep bodies with smaller eyes compared to the freshwater completely plated morph. Further, the lagoon and migrant fish had an overall higher body coverage of lateral plates compared to freshwater fish, and the dorsal and pelvic spines were longer. Evolutionary constraints due to allometric scaling relationships could explain the observed, overall restricted, differences in morphology between the sticklebacks in this study, as most traits have diversified in common allometric trajectories. The observed differences in foraging and antipredation traits between the fish with a lagoon and freshwater genetic signature are likely a result of genetic or plastic adaptations toward brackish and freshwater environments.
Pumping of electrolyte with mobile liquid metal droplets driven by continuous electrowetting: A full‐scaled simulation study considering surface‐coupled electrocapillary two‐phase flow
Authors: Liu Weiyu , Tao Ye , Ge Zhenyou , Zhou Jian , Xu Ruibo , Ren Yukun
Published: October 2020

With the excellent merits of both solid conductors and rheological fluids, liquid metal (LM) provides new opportunities to serve as flexible building blocks of miniaturized electronic and fluidic devices. The phenomenon of continuous electrowetting (CEW) has been long utilized for actuating LM contents in buffer medium, wherein an externally imposed voltage difference is responsible of manipulating the interfacial tension of deformable LM droplets. CEW effectively lowers the surface tension at the LM/electrolyte interface by driving bipolar counterions to the surface of conducting droplet. Since surface tension coefficient relies sensitively on the local voltage drop across the induced double layer, an electric‐analogy Marangoni effect occurs even under a rather weak electric field in the presence of a surface gradient of the interfacial tension. CEW of LM routinely induces unidirectional pumping of electrolyte in the direction of applied electric field, with LM droplet translating oppositely within the device channel. Although this subject has received great attention from the microfluidic society in the past decade, previous reports concerned either the individual delivery of the suspension medium or the transport of LM droplet. Starting from this point, we offer herein a fully coupled physical description of two‐phase flow dynamics occurring in CEW. The proposed simulation model successfully incorporates the synergy of the interfacial electrokinetic momentum transfer, surface tension on a curved surface, contact angle at the three‐phase contact line as well as the gravity force density. The spatial‐temporal motion of the contact interface is traced instantly with a moving mesh approach. By direct numerical simulation, the importance of the direct‐current bias, additional alternating‐current forcing, droplet size, initial ion adsorption in the process of CEW is addressed. Additionally, it is discovered that increasing the number of LM droplet is more cost‐effective than enhancing the volume of a single drop in terms of achieving an improvement of the resulted electrocapillary pump performance, while the translational speed of the discrete droplet carrier does not make an observable change in response to a variation in the drop number. These results prove invaluable in terms of an elaborate design of smart on‐chip electrokinetic frameworks embedding flexible LM contents in modern micro‐total‐analytical systems.
Scalable Processing Routes for the Production of All‐Solid‐State Batteries—Modeling Interdependencies of Product and Process
Authors: Singer Célestine , Schnell Joscha , Reinhart Gunther
Published: October 2020

The all‐solid‐state battery (ASSB) based on a solid ionic conductor is a significant future concept for energy storage. In respect of the growing global demand for batteries, a systematic study on processing thin‐layer and large‐area ASSBs is addressed herein. As ASSB cells are mainly produced on a laboratory scale, an introduction to industrial production is needed. Therefore, the formation, ranking, and selection of technology chains are presented concerning the strategic orientation of cell manufacturing companies. A system model consisting of five sub‐models is created, which connects technologies with production‐relevant parameters. The results are used for a tool that automatically generates and evaluates technology chains in dependence of the ASSB cell design. Starting from the layer fabrication technologies further up‐ and downstream processes are defined. For sulfidic solid electrolytes, e.g., a ball milling followed by the aerosol deposition method, hot pressing, and laser cutting are favorable in terms of high‐quality layers and low production volume, whereas planetary mixing, tape casting, calendering, and die cutting are the choice for a high‐throughput production. Based on these findings, processing routes for every cell design and solid electrolyte material can be generated concerning company‐specific criteria, thus enabling the industrial application.
Analysis of historical data for a better understanding of post‐construction landslides at an artificial waterway
Authors: Wohlers Annika , Damm Bodo
Published: October 2020

With growing urbanization, an increasing number of landslides worldwide are linked to construction works, especially along transportation routes. To get a better understanding of these post‐construction landslides at artificial waterways, archive studies have been conducted, in addition to analysis of historical scientific literature and technical reports. The resultant database is used to describe the occurrence and the characteristics of the landslides at the Mittelland Canal, and to evaluate aspects of conditioning and preparatory factors, potential triggers and applied mitigation measures. The Mittelland Canal has been chosen because it is one of the most important artificial waterways in Europe, and the high number of landslides that occur there is unique. In particular, landslides at the Mittelland Canal were frequently reported in the first half of the 20th century. The susceptibility to landslides is strongly influenced by material characteristics, as a large number of landslides is linked to sites where fine‐grained mudstone is abundant, which quickly decomposes under immersion in water or under dynamic stress. In addition, landslides can be linked to the creation of over‐steepened slopes. Construction works can also be considered another preparatory factor for landslides. In addition, some landslides in World War II appear to be connected to the blast of aerial bombings. Precipitation seems to play a minor role in triggering landslides. The applied mitigation measures were developed recently, marking the importance of the canal as a transportation route. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Functional eradication as a framework for invasive species control
Authors: Green Stephanie J , Grosholz Edwin D
Published: October 2020

Invasive species continue to drive major losses in biodiversity and ecosystem function across the globe. Dealing with the effects of invasion is particularly problematic in marine and freshwater habitats, because the pace at which invaders establish often greatly outstrips the resources available for their eradication. While most managers in North America now focus on ongoing containment and suppression interventions, they often lack quantitative guidance from which to set targets and evaluate success. We propose practical guidelines for identifying management targets for invasions for which eradication is unfeasible, based on achieving “functional” eradication – defined as suppressing invader populations below levels that cause unacceptable ecological effects – within high‐priority locations. We summarize key ecological information needed to inform this strategy, including density–impact functions and recolonization rates. We illustrate the framework's application for setting local suppression targets using three globally invasive species as examples: red lionfish (Pterois spp), European green crab (Carcinus maenas), and rusty crayfish (Faxonius rusticus). Identifying targets for suppression allows managers to estimate the degree of removal required to mitigate ecological impacts and the management resources needed to achieve sufficient control of an invader.
Characterization of flavored milk containing bitter orange peel extract and Gaz‐angubin
Authors: Jalilzadeh‐Afshari Arghavan , Fadaei Vajiheh
Published: October 2020

In this study, the effects of adding Gaz‐angubin at three different levels (5%, 10%, and 15% w/v) and bitter orange peel extract with three different concentrations (0.025%, 0.050%, and 0.075% w/v) on selected characteristics of the flavored milk were investigated during 10‐day storage at 4°C. The results showed that increasing the level of Gaz‐angubin and bitter orange peel extract increased viscosity, antioxidant activity, and total polyphenol content, decreased total microbial count, and improved the sensory characteristics of the flavored milk (p < .05). Generally, the flavored milk sample containing 15% Gaz‐angubin and 0.075% bitter orange peel extract was selected as the best treatment.
Does the elevated estradiol level on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin administration affect embryo quality among women undergoing in vitro fertilization?
Authors: Meng Ye , Tong Xian‐Hong , Liu Ran , Zhang Yu
Published: October 2020

Objective

To evaluate the association between estradiol (E2) levels on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration and embryo quality during in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles.

Methods

A retrospective study of 6676 IVF cycles among women treated at the Reproductive Center of The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei, China, from June 2014 to May 2017. E2 levels on hCG day were divided into four groups by 25th percentile: 0–1763 pg/mL (group I), 1763–3692 pg/mL (group II), 3692–4800 pg/mL (group III), and higher than 4800 pg/mL (group IV). Analysis of variance and multiple linear regression were used to test associations.

Results

There were significant differences in the frequency of high‐quality embryos between group I (51.6 ± 1.1%) and groups II (65.6 ± 0.8%), III (62.1 ± 0.7%), and IV (62.3 ± 0.7%). Using E2 as a dummy variable and group II as a control, multiple linear regression showed that E2 levels were associated with the frequency of high‐quality embryos obtained (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Serum E2 on hCG day had an impact on embryo quality. Higher E2 levels did not produce the most high‐quality embryos; the highest frequencies were achieved for E2 levels within 1763–3692 pg/mL.
Protective effects of natural compounds against oxidative stress in ischemic diseases and cancers via activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway: A mini review
Authors: Li Wenji , Sun Kai , Hu Fang , Chen Longfei , Zhang Xing , Wang Fuxing , Yan Bingchun
Published: October 2020

Oxidative stress, an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidants, has been seen in the pathological states of many disorders such as ischemic diseases and cancers. Many natural compounds (NCs) have long been recognized to ameliorate oxidative stress due to their inherent antioxidant activities. The modulation of oxidative stress by NCs via activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway is summarized in the review. Three NCs, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, and curcumin, and the mechanisms of their cytoprotective effects are investigated in myocardial ischemia, cerebral ischemia, skin cancer, and prostate cancer. To promote the therapeutic performance of NCs with poor water solubility, the formulation approach, such as the nano drug delivery system, is elaborated as well in this review.
Integrated in silico‐in vitro analysis of systematic kinase gatekeeper mutation effects on pan‐kinase inhibitors in targeted liver cancer therapy
Authors: Zhang Danying , Tang Wenqing , Weng Shuqiang , Zhang Ningping , Luo Tiancheng , Shen Xizhong , Dong Ling
Published: October 2020

Kinase‐targeted therapy has been established as a widely used strategy to treat liver cancer. However, a number of kinase gatekeeper mutations are clinically observed to cause acquired drug resistance during the therapy, which can be overcome by pan‐kinase inhibitors. Here, we create a systematic profile of pan‐kinase inhibitors against clinical kinase gatekeeper mutations in liver cancer pathogenesis by integrating computational modeling and experimental assay. With the profile we are able to identify those gatekeeper mutations that can potentially cause resistance or confer sensitivity to certain pan‐kinase inhibitors. The nine inhibitors are clustered into three groups in terms of their response profile across the investigated mutations. The group‐I and group‐II inhibitors are generally sensitized and caused with resistance by most mutations, respectively, while the group‐III inhibitors exhibit divergent response to different mutations. Structural and energetic analyses reveal that the sensitizing mutations can form additional favorable chemical forces with inhibitor ligands, while the resistant mutations would address unfavorable steric effect and conformational change on inhibitor binding. The marine natural product Hymenialdisine is found to have a general sensitivity for kinase gatekeeper mutations, which could be explored as a novel molecular lead scaffold to develop the wild type‐sparing inhibitors of kinase gatekeeper mutants.
Team job‐related anxiety and creativity: Investigating team‐level and cross‐level moderated curvilinear relationships
Authors: Mao Jianghua , Chang Song , Gong Yaping , Xie Jia Lin
Published: October 2020

Researchers have examined the effects of individual job‐related anxiety on employee attitudes and behaviors but have yet to examine whether team job‐related anxiety would have similar or different effects. Building on prior research on negative group affective tone and creativity, we propose that team job‐related anxiety has an inverted U‐shaped curvilinear relationship with both team and individual creativity. Furthermore, we posit that team cooperativeness moderates those curvilinear relationships. Using a two‐wave research design and matched employee‐supervisor data from 290 employees nested in 65 teams, we found support for the proposed inverted U‐shaped relationships. Moreover, the intermediate level of team job‐related anxiety was associated with higher individual creativity in teams with higher cooperativeness. We conclude the study with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.
Variations in northeast Asian summer precipitation driven by the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation
Authors: Si Dong , Jiang Dabang , Hu Aixue , Lang Xianmei
Published: October 2020

By analysing a 113–year (1900–2012) observational dataset, it is shown that the interdecadal fluctuation of the summer precipitation over Northeast Asia differs from that in central East Asia during the 20th century, and has experienced three interdecadal shifts in the 1920s, mid‐1960s and late 1990s. That fluctuation coincides well with the multidecadal fluctuation of the sea surface temperature in the North Atlantic, known as the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). The AMO affects Northeast Asia via a circumglobal teleconnection pattern extending from the North Atlantic to North America. Corresponding with the positive phase of this teleconnection pattern, a tripolar pattern emerges in the Asian–North Pacific sector, with anomalous low pressure over Northeast Asia and high pressure over Lake Baikal and the mid‐latitude western North Pacific. These results suggest that the positive phase of the AMO favours the occurrence of cold vortex over Northeast Asia and anomalous highs over Lake Baikal and the mid‐latitude western North Pacific in summer, which enhances the East Asian summer monsoon and southward intrusion of high‐latitude cold air, and eventually increases the summer precipitation in Northeast Asia. Furthermore, initialized decadal prediction simulations using the CCSM4 model reproduce well the observed variations of the AMO and its associated atmospheric teleconnection but with slightly shifted geographic locations. The simulated anomalous Northeast Asia cold vortex and strong East Asian summer monsoon, lead to above‐normal summer precipitation over Northeast Asia. The modelling results confirm that the multidecadal variability in the North Atlantic can cause the observed interdecadal variations of Northeast Asia summer precipitation. Our results suggest that to understand and predict interdecadal climate change over Northeast Asia, it is important to consider the key role of the AMO.
Development and validation of ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry method for the determination of raloxifene and its phase II metabolites in plasma: Application to pharmacokinetic studies in rats
Authors: Du Ting , Sun Rongjin , Li Li , Ebuzoeme Christabel , Bui Dinh , Zheng Zicong , Yin Taijun , Liang Dong , Hu Ming , Gao Song
Published: October 2020

The aim of this study is to establish a reliable liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry method to simultaneously quantitate raloxifene, and its major metabolites, raloxifene‐6‐glucuronide, raloxifene‐4′‐glucuronide, and raloxifene‐6‐sulfate in rat plasma samples for pharmacokinetic studies. The separation of the analytes was achieved on a Waters BEH C18 column. Water (0.1% formic acid) and acetonitrile were used as the mobile phases for elution. A one‐step protein precipitation using a mixture solvent was applied for plasma sample preparation. The method was validated following the FDA guidance. The results showed that the linear range were 1.95–1000 nM for raloxifene‐6‐glucuronide, and raloxifene‐4′‐glucuronide, 0.195–100 nM for raloxifene‐6‐sulfate, and 0.195–200 nM for raloxifene, respectively. The lower limit of quantification was 1.95, 1.95, 0.195, and 0.195 nM for raloxifene‐6‐glucuronide, raloxifene‐4′‐glucuronide, raloxifene‐6‐sulfate, and raloxifene, respectively. Only 20 µl of plasma sample was required since the method is sensitive. The intra‐ and interday variance is <15% and the accuracy is within 85–115%. The variance of matrix effect and recovery were <15%. The method was successfully applied in a pharmacokinetic study in rats with oral administration of raloxifene.
More people, more trees: A reversal of deforestation trends in Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Duriaux‐Chavarría Jean‐Yves , Baudron Frédéric , Gergel Sarah E. , Yang Kevin F. , Eddy Ian M. S. , Sunderland Terry
Published: October 2020

Despite global commitments to forest restoration, evidence of the pathways through which restoration creates social and ecological benefits remains limited. The objective of this paper is to provide empirical evidence to generate insights on the relationship between forest cover change and key provisioning ecosystem services and reforestation pathways. In Southern Ethiopia, three zones along a gradient of decreasing land cover complexity and tree cover were examined. The land cover change was assessed using satellite remote sensing and complemented ground‐based tree inventory. Perceptions of land cover and ecosystem services change and farmer responses were evaluated through three Participatory Rural Appraisals and eight Focus Group Discussions. Since the 1970s, a landscape shift from a forest‐grassland to a cropland mosaic was associated with increased food production, improved food security, and higher incomes. However, this shift also coincided with reductions in livestock, construction materials, fuelwood and water availability, prompting reforestation efforts designed to recover some of these lost ecosystem services. In particular, some households established Eucalyptus woodlots and encouraged natural regeneration. Natural trees, Eucalyptus woodlots, Ensete plantations (a type of plantain), and grasslands were positively associated with homestead proximity; thus, homestead establishment resulting from population increase in this predominately agricultural landscape appeared to foster a viable forest restoration pathway—that is, 'more people, more trees'. This is a reforestation pathway not previously described in the literature. A return to a more diverse agricultural landscape mosaic provided more secure and diversified income sources along with better provisioning of construction materials, fuelwood, and higher livestock numbers.
FUELING ENGAGEMENT IN TIMES OF CRISIS
Authors: Love Alaina
Published: October 2020

The author describes the profound changes happening in today’s workplaces due to upheaval caused by the Covid‐19 pandemic. However, significant progress has been made in the field of relationship psychology that can inform leaders about new ways to manage employee engagement during and after times of crisis. The article expands on the idea that psychologists have developed a “self‐expansion model” that highlights the sources of engagement and underlying motivations that drive employees to fully commit to and identify with their organizations. The model has two principles: (1) At a fundamental level, people are motivated to increase their ability to achieve goals by acquiring new knowledge, developing new skills, obtaining new resources, and expanding their identity. (2) People use close relationships with others as a means to self‐expand, by incorporating others into their own sense of “self.”Two self‐expansion psychological tools are described: the Self‐Expansion Preference Scale, developed by Erin Hughes, Erica Slotter, and Gary Lewandowski; and a workplace self‐expansion tool developed by Kevin McIntyre, Brent Mattingly, Annie Simpson, and Gary Lewandowski. The author presents 10 actions that leaders can apply with their teams, including offering time off for self‐care, and making a habit of of compassionate listening.
Functional impact of cancer patient‐associated Bcl‐xL mutations
Authors: Zhang Tiantian , Na Joseph HyungJoon , Li Samantha , Chen Zhengming , Zhang George , Pang Sharon , Daniyan Anthony F. , Li Yi , Shi Lei , Du Yi‐Chieh Nancy
Published: October 2020

Bcl‐xL, an antiapoptotic protein, is frequently overexpressed in cancer to promote survival of tumor cells. However, we have previously shown that Bcl‐xL promotes migration, invasion, and metastasis independent of its antiapoptotic function in mitochondria. The pro‐metastatic function of Bcl‐xL may require its translocation into the nucleus. Besides overexpression, patient‐associated mutations of Bcl‐xL have been identified in large‐scale cancer genomics projects. Understanding the functions of these mutations will guide the development of precision medicine. Here, we selected four patient‐associated Bcl‐xL mutations, R132W, N136K, R165W, and A201T, to investigate their impacts on antiapoptosis, migration, and nuclear translocation. We found that all four mutation proteins could be detected in both the nucleus and cytosol. Although all four mutations disrupted the antiapoptosis function, one of these mutants, N136K, significantly improved the ability to promote cell migration. These data suggest the importance of developing novel Bcl‐xL inhibitors to ablate both antiapoptotic and pro‐metastatic functions of Bcl‐xL in cancer.
Lumbar spondylolysis in ancient Siberian Eskimo
Authors: Karapetian Marina
Published: October 2020

Previous studies have shown that North American and Greenland Arctic groups are characterized by high incidence of spondylolysis. The hypotheses explaining the high predilection to spondylolysis in these populations range from genetic predisposition to lifestyle characteristics. To date, however, no study assessed the presence of spondylolysis in the Siberian Eskimo. Thus, the current study presents new data from the Asian side of the Beringia, the original homeland of the North American and Greenland Inuit groups. The skeletal material originates from the Ekven burial site in Chukchi Peninsula, Russia. Most burials belong to the Old Bering Sea tradition of marine mammal hunters, embracing the period from the beginning of the 1st to the beginning of the 2nd millenniumAD. Totally, 71 individuals were studied. Spondylolysis was present in 38% of individuals and in 11% of studied lumbar vertebrae, with higher incidence in juveniles and young adults compared with other ages and in males compared with females. There was an evident increase in the severity of the stress fractures from adolescence to middle adulthood (i.e., more vertebrae affected per individual and higher proportion of bilateral fractures). The reported incidence of spondylolysis in the Ekven is in the range of the values reported for the North American and Greenland Inuit groups and is expectedly high against the values for groups of European and African ancestry. Although the accumulation of gene variants responsible for spondylolysis in Arctic groups is possible, it is more plausible that some adaptive morphological characteristics make them prone to fatigue fractures of the lower spine in the conditions of the specific physical activity.
Brideprice and Prejudice: An Audio‐Visual Ethnography on Marriage and Modernity in Mt Hagen, Papua New Guinea
Authors: Henry Rosita , Vávrová Daniela
Published: October 2020

The relationship between bridewealth and women's autonomy is not only discussed amongst anthropologists, development practitioners and other scholars but also amongst brides themselves. Women continue to embrace such marital exchanges, despite their knowledge of ‘modern’ development discourse about the constraints of the practice on women's status and its links to gender‐based violence. This paper provides a visual exploration of contemporary brideprice practices and women's autonomy in Mt Hagen. We draw on scenes from our ethnographic film (An Extraordinary Wedding:Marriage and Modernity in Highlands PNG) to explore deliberations and developments that occurred in the case of a particular marriage that took place in 2012. We argue that the institution of brideprice has the potential to enhance the visibility of some women and the importance of their contribution to their own and husbands' kin groups. Despite current tensions regarding brideprice, it can serve as an avenue for the enhancement of women's political participation. The particular brideprice exchange featured in our film, raised concerns for the participants, which we consider in terms of three questions: Does brideprice commodify women? Does it play a role in gender‐based violence? Is it inimical to aspirations for modernist individuality? We discuss the importance ofbekim(‘return gift’) and suggest that this practice challenges the notion of brideprice as a commodity transaction. We argue that, while there may be an association between brideprice and gender‐based violence, brideprice, in and of itself, is not causative of violence. The marriage represented in the film, and discussed in this paper, reveals the creativity of participants in adjusting the values inherent in the customary practice of brideprice to their contemporary aspirations.
Robust and recoverable dual cross‐linking networks in pressure‐sensitive adhesives
Authors: Kim Eun Seon , Song Da Bin , Choi Kyoung Hwan , Lee Jae Heung , Suh Dong Hack , Choi Woo Jin
Published: October 2020

Pressure‐sensitive adhesives (PSAs) demand the ability to simultaneously improve toughness and adhesion. However, these requirements of PSAs have remained a great challenge because robust and recoverable characteristics are usually contradictory properties of PSAs. Dual cross‐linking networks developed by incorporating dynamic noncovalent bonds into chemical cross‐linking networks have the potential to mitigate these requirements in a wide variety of applications including adhesives, hydrogels, and elastomers. Herein, a facile approach to achieve dual cross‐linking networks of acrylic PSAs with excellent mechanical properties and high‐adhesive performance that integrate physically cross‐linked networks into chemically cross‐linked networks is proposed. Diurethane acrylic monomer‐pentaerythritol ethoxylate (DAM‐PEEL) groups were introduced into the acrylic PSA system through photopolymerization. The PSA/DAM‐PEEL dual cross‐linking networks led to the development of the chemically cross‐linked networks for both PSA and DAM via covalent bonds and the physically cross‐linked networks between the amide groups of DAM and the hydroxyl groups of PEEL via hydrogen bonds. Consequently, the PSA/DAM‐PEEL dual cross‐linking networks were able to simultaneously improve the modulus and stretchability. This design strategy for developing dual cross‐linking networks of materials could offer potential applications for various adhesive‐related applications.
Weighted gene coexpression network reveals downregulation of genes in bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Authors: Liu Wangkai , Su Yihua , Li Sitao , Chen Haitian , Liu Yumei , Li Xiaoyu , Shen Wei , Zhong Xinqi , Wu Fan , Meng Qiong , Jiang Xiaoyun
Published: October 2020

Background

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a serious lung disease observed in premature infants, known to cause considerable morbidity and mortality. Its prognosis is influenced by a complex network of genetic interactions. In this study, we determined the potential key factors in the pathogenesis of this condition.

Methods

We constructed scale‐free gene coexpression network using weighted gene coexpression network analysis. The analysis was carried out on the GSE8586 dataset, which contains the expression profiles of umbilical cord tissue homogenates from 20 neonates with BPD and 34 unaffected controls.

Results

Our analysis identified one significantly downregulated coexpression module related to the BPD phenotype. It was significantly enriched in genes related to human T‐cell leukemia virus infection and the mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathway. In this module, the expression of the following four hub genes in infants with BPD was significantly decreased: Fos proto‐oncogene (FOS), BTG antiproliferation factor 2 (BTG2), Jun proto‐oncogene (JUN), and early growth response protein 1 (EGR1). The downregulation of these hub genes was verified in clinical samples derived from blood and umbilical cord tissue.

Conclusion

The decreased expression of FOS, BTG2, JUN, and EGR1 is associated with BPD and, therefore, could be used as biomarkers to diagnose early BPD.
Clinical implications of pulmonary nodules detected in children
Authors: Barber Andrew , Passarelli Patrick , Dworsky Zephyr D. , Gatcliffe Chelsea , Ryu Julie , Lesser Daniel J.
Published: October 2020

Introduction

The management of children found to have pulmonary nodules is not well established. We determined how often diagnostic testing was pursued, the outcome of diagnostic testing, and how often pulmonary nodules were given a definitive diagnosis.

Method

A retrospective review of patients found to have pulmonary nodules. Patients with oncologic diagnoses were excluded. Data collected included number of nodules, presence of pre‐existing systemic disease, laboratory testing, presence of respiratory symptoms, repeat imaging, biopsy result, and final diagnosis.

Results

We identified 88 patients, of which 56 (64%) had a single nodule, 21 (24%) had a pre‐existing nononcologic systemic disease, and four patients (5%) had a new systemic disease identified at the same time the nodule(s) was found. In otherwise healthy patients presenting with a solitary nodule, 94% did not have a definitive diagnosis and none went on to be diagnosed with systemic disease. Serum infectious work‐up result for tuberculosis, coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, or aspergillosis was not significantly different between single and multiple nodule/systemic illness groups. No previously healthy patients presenting with a solitary nodule were later diagnosed with malignancy.

Conclusion

Diagnostic workup for a solitary pulmonary nodule was often inconclusive, especially if the patient did not have symptoms at presentation. Pulmonary nodules were not the sole presenting sign of systemic disease for any subjects. We suggest that in an otherwise healthy pediatric patient found to have an asymptomatic single pulmonary nodule, observation without laboratory work‐up or repeat imaging is a reasonable option.
2D Graphene in Interface Engineering of 3D Graphene‐Based Thermal Management
Authors: Zhao Menghan , Feng Xiaoqiang , Zhu Wei , Guo Wei , Wang Gang , Liu Zhiduo , Guo Qinglei , Chen Da
Published: October 2020

Three‐dimensional graphene (3D‐Gr) has a unique construction and special thermal features, thus providing promising opportunities for application in thermal management devices. Herein, 2D graphene (2D‐Gr) is introduced as an interfacial layer in plasma‐assisted chemical vapor deposition (PACVD); then, in situ growth of 3D‐Gr is achieved on a germanium (Ge) substrate. Systematic experiments are conducted to study and analyze the synthesis mechanism. Finally, the obtained 2D/3D‐Gr integrations are developed for the application in high‐performance thermal management. By measuring and comparing the thermal heating performance of the pure 3D‐Gr device and 2D/3D‐Gr device, it is determined that the combination of 3D‐Gr with 2D‐Gr significantly improves their thermal heating behavior, benefiting from the improved quality of 3D‐Gr assisted by the 2D‐Gr interfacial layer. The investigations offer an effective strategy for synthesizing high‐quality 3D‐Gr and 2D/3D‐Gr integrations, which pave the way for the development of high‐performance thermal management devices.
From Transparent Conduction to Coulomb Blockade at Fixed Hole Number
Authors: Schmid Daniel R. , Stiller Peter L. , Dirnaichner Alois , Hüttel Andreas K.
Published: October 2020

A complex set of transport spectroscopy data on a clean single‐wall carbon nanotube device in high magnetic fields is presented. At zero axial field, the device displays in hole conduction with increasingly negative gate voltage a fast transition toward high contact transparency and eventually Fabry–Pérot interference of conductance. When increasing the axial field component up to , the contact transparency and the overall conductance are reduced all the way to Coulomb blockade, clearly displaying the subsequent charging with the first ten holes. The continuous transition between the transport regimes is dominated by a rich spectrum of Kondo‐like resonances, with distinct features in the stability diagrams.
Estimating GPS radio occultation observation error standard deviations over China using the three‐cornered hat method
Authors: Xu X. , Zou X.
Published: October 2020

Observation error variances are required input parameters for assimilating GPS radio occultation (RO) data in numerical weather prediction systems. A three‐cornered hat method is applied to estimate RO observation error standard deviation (SD) of both refractivity and bending angle. RO data from the Global Navigation Satellite System Receiver for Atmospheric Sounding on board the MetOp‐A/B satellites from 1 January 2016 to 31 August 2019, along with radiosonde observations, the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts Interim reanalysis, and the Global Forecast System forecast analysis, are employed in this study. Taking the Guam radiosonde station as an example, we first introduce a detailed procedure of estimating GPS RO fractional error SDs, which shows the significant impacts of outliers on the resulting error SDs, especially in the lower and middle troposphere. Fractional bending angle error SDs near 48 radiosonde stations in China are then estimated for the same time period of more than 3 years. The RO fractional error SDs near the 48 radiosonde stations have a significant latitudinal dependence, larger at lower than higher latitudes. This characteristic feature of the RO bending angle errors agrees with that of the bending angle uncertainty information provided by the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate Data Analysis and Archival Center.
Adaptiveness and consistency of a class of online ensemble learning algorithms
Authors: Young Carol , Yao Ningshi , Zhang Fumin
Published: October 2020

Expert based ensemble learning algorithms often serve as online learning algorithms for an unknown, possibly time‐varying, probability distribution. Their simplicity allows flexibility in design choices, leading to variations that balance adaptiveness and consistency. This article provides an analytical framework to quantify the adaptiveness and consistency of expert based ensemble learning algorithms. With properly selected states, the algorithms are modeled as a Markov chains. Then quantitative metrics of adaptiveness and consistency can be calculated through mathematical formulas, other than relying on numerical simulations. Results are derived for several popular ensemble learning algorithms. Success of the method has also been demonstrated in both simulation and experimental results.
A likelihood‐based approach to assessing frequency of pathogenicity among variants of unknown significance in susceptibility genes
Authors: Yang Yunqi , Hong Christine , Liang Jane W. , Gruber Stephen , Parmigiani Giovanni , Idos Gregory , Braun Danielle
Published: October 2020

Commercialized multigene panel testing brings unprecedented opportunities to understand germline genetic contributions to hereditary cancers. Most genetic testing companies classify the pathogenicity of variants as pathogenic, benign, or variants of unknown significance (VUSs). The unknown pathogenicity of VUSs poses serious challenges to clinical decision‐making. This study aims to assess the frequency of VUSs that are likely pathogenic in disease‐susceptibility genes. Using estimates of probands' probability of having a pathogenic mutation (ie, the carrier score) based on a family history probabilistic risk prediction model, we assume the carrier score distribution for probands with VUSs is a mixture of the carrier score distribution for probands with positive results and the carrier score distribution for probands with negative results. Under this mixture model, we propose a likelihood‐based approach to assess the frequency of pathogenicity among probands with VUSs, while accounting for the existence of possible pathogenic mutations on genes not tested. We conducted simulations to assess the performance of the approach and show that under various settings, the approach performs well with very little bias in the estimated proportion of VUSs that are likely pathogenic. We also estimate the positive predictive value across the entire range of carrier scores. We apply our approach to the USC‐Stanford Hereditary Cancer Panel Testing cohort, and estimate the proportion of probands that have VUSs in BRCA1/2 that are likely pathogenic to be 10.12% [95%CI: 0%, 43.04%]. This approach will enable clinicians to target high‐risk patients who have VUSs, allowing for early prevention interventions.
Influence of Calcium Treatment and Electromagnetic Stirring on Ridging in Dual‐Stabilized Ferritic Stainless Steels
Authors: Kodukula Suresh , Petäjäjärvi Marko , Savolainen Jari , Fabritius Timo , Porter David
Published: October 2020

Titanium and niobium are added to ferritic stainless steels (FSS) to enhance their surface and mechanical properties. The use of titanium to obtain FSS sheets that are resistant to ridging due to the formation of equiaxed rather than columnar grains during solidification is well established. However, the use of titanium results in clogging the submerged entry nozzle during casting, causing surface defects in cold‐rolled products and overall production losses. To overcome the clogging problem, calcium treatment is conducted in the ladle furnace to transform inclusions into the liquid state. However, this delays the formation of the TiN inclusions which act as nuclei for the equiaxed grains, thereby increasing the fraction of columnar grains in the slabs and susceptibility to ridging in the final cold‐rolled and annealed product. Herein, the effect of calcium treatment and electromagnetic stirring (EMS) on the equiaxed grain ratio and ridging is studied with industrially produced material. The beneficial effect of EMS on grain structure and ridging is largely lost at high calcium contents, but it can be retained, provided the level of calcium is maintained at a sufficiently low, optimum level.
Effect of Ta and Ti on Modified Reduced Activation Ferritic/Martensitic Steels with a Thermo‐mechanical Control Process
Authors: Zhu Kaiyu , Zhang Tianyu , Cui Qing , Wang Chenchong , Xu Wei
Published: October 2020

Modified reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steels with different amounts of Ta and Ti are fabricated with a thermo‐mechanical control process (TMCP). TMCP greatly enhances the refinement of both the precipitates and the martensite matrix. In addition, an increase in the dislocation density is achieved. The modified steels show excellent comprehensive mechanical properties compared with traditional reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steels. In addition, under the conditions of the TMCP, the effects of Ta and Ti on the microstructure and properties are analyzed. Simply increasing the amounts of Ta and Ti does not increase the phase fraction of MX, which is quite different from that derived from equilibrium thermodynamics theory or the typical hot rolling process for traditional reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steels. Without a high enough nucleation rate for MX, the excess Ta and Ti, which are not consumed by the formation of MX, promotes the formation of proeutectoid ferrite. This decreases the impact on toughness significantly. Herein, preliminary guidance is offered for a comprehensive design with a combination of both composition and rolling processing modification for the production of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steels.