bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Studies on Search: Designing Meaningful IIR Studies on Commercial Search Engines
Authors: Lewandowski Dirk , Sünkler Sebastian , Schultheiß Sebastian
Published: January 2020

The purpose of this paper is (1) to show which topics are especially fruitful for researchers interested in user behavior in commercial search engines, (2) to help researchers decide which data to collect and to what extent. We classify potential areas for IIR research along two dimensions, namely the type of interaction data used (small-scale or large-scale), and whether search engine companies are likely to publish research on the topic chosen (likely or unlikely). This results in a framework consisting of five areas, which are further detailed. In the second part of the paper, we present some empirical studies showing how researchers could approach relevant topics where no results from the search engine providers themselves are published. We also show how researchers can improve the evidential value of their work by going from small-scale to at least medium-scale studies.
Die Neue E.ON auf dem deutschen Strommarkt – Wettbewerbliche Auswirkungen der innogy-Übernahme
Authors: Stöhr Annika , Budzinski Oliver , Jasper Jörg
Published: January 2020

Der Deal der beiden größten deutschen Energielieferanten RWE und E.ON zum Tausch verschiedener Geschäftseinheiten, welcher Mitte September 2019 genehmigt wurde, wird den deutschen Energiemarkt wesentlich umstrukturieren und sowohl im Bereich Erzeugung als auch im Vertrieb zu jeweils einem dominanten Wettbewerber führen. E.ON wird dabei durch die Übernahme der innogy Geschäfte im Bereich des klassischen Energievertriebs und der Ladeinfrastruktur für Elektrofahrzeuge wesentliche Wettbewerbsvorteile erhalten. Dazu zählt unter anderem der Zugang zu einer Vielzahl an Messstellen und damit Datensätzen im Bereich des Haushalts- und Geschäftskundenvertriebs. Die Auswertung und Nutzung dieser Datensätze eröffnet dem zusammengeschlossenen Unternehmen neue Geschäftsfelder, aber auch Möglichkeiten die dominante Stellung auf dem Markt zu missbrauchen. Dieser Beitrag widmet sich den potenziellen Auswirkungen der innogy-Übernahme durch E.ON in den Bereichen klassischer Vertrieb und E‑Mobilität, in welchen die angesprochenen Aspekte der Datenökonomik eine wesentliche Rolle spielen. Des Weiteren werden die Auswirkungen der Marktumstrukturierung auf den Konzessionsmarkt betrachtet und die politökonomische Dimension des Zusammenschlusses erläutert. Wir schließen mit einer Kurzanalyse der Erlaubnisentscheidung und der damit verbundenen Auflagen und kommen zu dem Schluss, dass diese nicht geeignet sind, die erheblichen anti-kompetitiven Auswirkungen des Zusammenschlusses einzudämmen oder zu verhindern.
Sex and substance use behaviors among children of teen mothers: A systematic review
Authors: Cederbaum Julie A. , Jeong Chung H. , Yuan Chaoyue , Lee Jungeun Olivia
Published: January 2020

Introduction

Adolescent birth is a known correlate of many challenging behavioral health consequences for offspring. This systematic review seeks to understanding the sex and substance use behaviors of children born to teen mothers extending the body of literature on the long‐term outcomes of being born to a teen mother.

Methods

A systematic approach, in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, was used to review and identify eligible studies in the following electronic databases: Web of Science, ProQuest, PubMed, and Ovid MEDLINE. Study inclusion: (a) maternal age (>20) was the key predictor or group variable and (b) children's risky sexual or substance use behaviors were outcome variables. All articles meeting inclusion criteria were next screened using the quality assessment tool created by the Effective Public Health Practice Project.

Results

Seventeen articles reporting on risky sexual behaviors and 12 articles on substance use behaviors met inclusion criteria. We found a consistent association between being born to a teen mother and risky sexual behaviors, including early sexual debut and transitioning into motherhood during adolescence/young adulthood. The link between being born to a teen mother and substance use behaviors was inconsistent and only found in large population‐based studies.

Conclusion

Teen mothers and their children have unique individual, family, and structural needs. Evidence highlights that while there is no clear need to adapt substance use prevention interventions for these children, investing in targeted adaptations of abstinence and safer sex interventions to meet the unique experiences of children of teen mothers and their children is warranted.
A rare case of an evolutionary late and ephemeral biomineralization: tunicates with composite calcareous skeletons
Authors: Wendt Jobst
Published: January 2020

In contrast to almost all other invertebrate phyla that constructed biomineralized skeletons during the “Cambrian explosion” and maintained them during the entire fossil record, ascidian tunicates evolved this protective and stabilizing advantage only during the Permian, although soft-bodied representatives of this subphylum made their first appearance already in the early Cambrian. It remains enigmatic why these compound calcareous skeletons persisted only until the Late Triassic, subsequently followed by less-rigid internal skeletons from the Lower Jurassic onwards, which consist of scattered isolated spicules only. In addition to recently described aragonitic ascidian exoskeletons from the Permian and Triassic, new discoveries of similar, but colonial ascidian compound endoskeletons in the lower Carnian exhibit a short-living branch of this group, which moreover contain the first indubitable calcareous spicules. The latter are embedded in the solid endoskeleton, which is composed of polygonal aragonitic plates with smooth outer and zigzag lined inner boundaries. They consist of irregular, parallel (orthogonal), or fan-shaped (clinogonal) arrangements of acicular aragonite crystals. The following taxa are described as new: order Cassianomorpha new order with the family Cassianosomidae new family and the genusToscanisomanew genus with the speciesT.multipartitumnew species andT.triplicatumnew species.

UUID:http://zoobank.org/03555353-cdab-42e8-8e99-9bfce15fa249
Effect of plasma elongation on current dynamics during tokamak disruptions
Authors: Fülöp T. , Helander P. , Vallhagen O. , Embreus O. , Hesslow L. , Svensson P. , Creely A. J. , Howard N. T. , Rodriguez-Fernandez P.
Published: January 2020

Plasma terminating disruptions in tokamaks may result in relativistic runaway electron beams with potentially serious consequences for future devices with large plasma currents. In this paper, we investigate the effect of plasma elongation on the coupled dynamics of runaway generation and resistive diffusion of the electric field. We find that elongated plasmas are less likely to produce large runaway currents, partly due to the lower induced electric fields associated with larger plasmas, and partly due to direct shaping effects, which mainly lead to a reduction in the runaway avalanche gain.
Smaller total brain volume but not subcortical structure volume related to common genetic risk for ADHD
Authors: Mooney Michael A. , Bhatt Priya , Hermosillo Robert J. M. , Ryabinin Peter , Nikolas Molly , Faraone Stephen V. , Fair Damien A. , Wilmot Beth , Nigg Joel T.
Published: January 2020

Background

Mechanistic endophenotypes can inform process models of psychopathology and aid interpretation of genetic risk factors. Smaller total brain and subcortical volumes are associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and provide clues to its development. This study evaluates whether common genetic risk for ADHD is associated with total brain volume (TBV) and hypothesized subcortical structures in children.

Methods

Children 7–15 years old were recruited for a case–control study (N = 312, N = 199 ADHD). Children were assessed with a multi-informant, best-estimate diagnostic procedure and motion-corrected MRI measured brain volumes. Polygenic scores were computed based on discovery data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (N = 19 099 ADHD, N = 34 194 controls) and the ENIGMA + CHARGE consortium (N = 26 577).

Results

ADHD was associated with smaller TBV, and altered volumes of caudate, cerebellum, putamen, and thalamus after adjustment for TBV; however, effects were larger and statistically reliable only in boys. TBV was associated with an ADHD polygenic score [β = −0.147 (−0.27 to −0.03)], and mediated a small proportion of the effect of polygenic risk on ADHD diagnosis (average ACME = 0.0087, p = 0.012). This finding was stronger in boys (average ACME = 0.019, p = 0.008). In addition, we confirm genetic variation associated with whole brain volume, via an intracranial volume polygenic score.

Conclusion

Common genetic risk for ADHD is not expressed primarily as developmental alterations in subcortical brain volumes, but appears to alter brain development in other ways, as evidenced by TBV differences. This is among the first demonstrations of this effect using molecular genetic data. Potential sex differences in these effects warrant further examination.
Coming of age: the past, present, and future of quantitative SLA research
Authors: Gass Susan , Loewen Shawn , Plonsky Luke
Published: January 2020

First, we trace the history of second language acquisition (SLA) from early stages in the mid-twentieth century to today. We next consider the status of the field in today's research world with a particular focus on all aspects of methodology and, finally, we take a look at the future and discuss issues related to scientific rigor in light of Open Science.
Physician Prehospital Care in Mexico City: Retrospective Analysis of Endotracheal Intubation in Patients with Severe Head Trauma
Authors: Espino-Núñez J. Sebastián , Quinto-Sánchez Mirsha , Carrada-Varela Anabel C. , Román-Morales Fernando
Published: January 2020

Introduction:

In Mexico, physicians have become part of public service prehospital care. Head injured patients are a sensitive group that can benefit from early advanced measures to protect the airway, with the objective to reduce hypoxia and maintain normocapnia.

Problem:

The occurrence of endotracheal intubation to patients with severe head injuries by prehospital physicians working at Mexico City’s Service of Emergency Medical Care (SAMU) is unknown.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis of five-year data (2012-2016) from Mexico City’s Medical Emergencies Regulation Center was performed. Only SAMU ambulance services were analyzed. Adult patients with a prehospital diagnosis of head injury based on mechanism of injury and physical examination with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) <nine were included.

Results:

A total of 293 cases met the inclusion criteria; the mean GCS was five points. Of those, 150 (51.1%) patients were intubated. There was no difference in the occurrence of intubation among the different GCS scales, or if the patient was considered to have isolated head trauma versus polytrauma. Fifteen patients were intubated using sedation and neuromuscular blockage. Four patients were intubated with sedation alone and six patients with neuromuscular blockage alone. One patient was intubated using opioid analgesia, sedation, and neuromuscular blockage.

Conclusions:

Patients with severe head injuries cared by prehospital physicians in Mexico City were intubated 51.1% of the time and were more likely to be intubated without the assistance of anesthetics.
A drink before suicide: analysis of the Queensland Suicide Register in Australia
Authors: Kõlves Kairi , Koo Yu Wen , de Leo Diego
Published: January 2020

Aims

Previous studies analysing blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at the time of suicide have primarily focused on sociodemographic factors. Limited research has focused on psychosocial factors and co-ingestion of other substances to understand the mechanisms of how alcohol contributes to death by suicide. The aim was to examine time trends, psychosocial factors related to acute alcohol use and co-ingestion of alcohol and other substances before suicide.

Methods

The Queensland Suicide Register in 2004–2015 was utilised and analysed in 2019. The cut-off point for positive BAC was set at ⩾0.05 g/dl. Substances were categorised as medicines, illegal drugs and other. Medicines were coded by the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system. Joinpoint regression, univariate odds ratios, age and sex-adjusted odds ratios and Forward Stepwise logistic regression were performed.

Results

BAC information was available for 6744 suicides, 92% of all cases in 2004–2015. The final model showed that independent factors distinguishing BAC+ from BAC− were: age group 25–44 years, Australian Indigenous background, being separated or divorced, hanging, diagnosis of substance use, lifetime suicidal ideation, relationship and interpersonal conflict, not having psychotic and other psychiatric disorder, and no nervous system drugs or any other substances in blood at the time of suicide.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that people who die by suicide while under the influence of alcohol are more likely to be under acute stress (e.g. separation) and not have earlier psychiatric conditions, except substance use. This highlights the importance of more strict alcohol policies, but also the need to improve substance use treatment.
Replacing GRACE/GRACE‐FO With Satellite Laser Ranging: Impacts on Antarctic Ice Sheet Mass Change
Authors: Loomis Bryant D. , Rachlin Kenneth E. , Wiese David N. , Landerer Felix W. , Luthcke Scott B.
Published: January 2020

Satellite laser ranging (SLR) observations have long been relied upon for measuring changes in Earth's dynamic oblateness,
. This major component of Earth's time‐variable gravity field is not well observed by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE Follow‐On (GRACE‐FO) missions, leading to the common practice of replacing their values with those obtained by SLR. The
coefficient, which has a large impact on the recovered Antarctic Ice Sheet mass changes, is shown here to be poorly observed by GRACE/GRACE‐FO when either mission is operating without two fully functional accelerometers. The GRACE spacecraft pair operated nominally until October 2016 when one accelerometer was powered off due to battery limitations, while GRACE‐FO is currently excluding one accelerometer from the data processing due to elevated noise levels. Beginning with the launch of Laser Relativity Satellite in 2012, SLR‐derived
values are suitable for replacing any problematic GRACE/GRACE‐FO estimates, enabling the accurate recovery of Antarctic Ice Sheet mass changes, among others.
On the Role of the Kuroshio Extension Bimodality in Modulating the Surface Eddy Kinetic Energy Seasonal Variability
Authors: Wang Qiang , Pierini Stefano
Published: January 2020

The modulation of the seasonal variability of the surface eddy kinetic energy (EKE) in the Kuroshio extension (KE) region induced by the stable and unstable KE states is analyzed using satellite‐based observations and high‐resolution ocean reanalysis data. The two KE states are found to strongly modulate the seasonal variability of the local surface EKE: the latter reaches its maximum in May–July if the KE is in its stable state, while it peaks in August–October if the KE is in its unstable state. Further investigation indicates that such behavior is mainly caused by the different baroclinic energy transfers induced by the meridional density gradients associated with the two KE states.
Implementing Dynamic Rooting Depth for Improved Simulation of Soil Moisture and Land Surface Feedbacks in Noah‐MP‐Crop
Authors: Liu Xing , Chen Fei , Barlage Michael , Niyogi Dev
Published: January 2020

The study postulates that crop rooting depth representation plays a vital role in simulating soil‐crop‐atmospheric interactions. Rooting depth determines the water access for plants and alters the surface energy participation and soil moisture profile. The aboveground crop growth representation in land surface models continues to evolve and improve, but the root processes are still poorly represented. This limitation likely contributes to the bias in simulating soil‐crop‐related variables such as soil moisture and associated water and energy exchanges between the surface and the atmosphere. In Noah‐MP‐Crop, the rooting depth of crops is assumed as 1 m regardless of crop types and the length of growing seasons. In this study, a simple dynamic rooting depth formulation was integrated into Noah‐MP‐Crop. On comparing with soil moisture observations from the in situ Ameriflux, USDA Soil Climate Analysis Network, and the remote‐sensed Soil Moisture Active Passive data set, the results highlight the improved performance of Noah‐MP‐Crop due to modified rooting depth. The improvements were noted in terms of soil moisture and more prominently in terms of the energy flux simulations at both field scale and regional scale. The enhancements in soil moisture profiles reduce the biases in surface heat flux simulations. The impact of rooting depth representation appears to be particularly significant for improving model performance under drought‐like situations. Although it was not possible to validate the simulated rooting depth due to lack of observations, the overall performance of the model helps emphasize the importance of enhancing the representation of crop rooting depth in Noah‐MP‐Crop.
Coal Mining Impacts on Baseflow Detected Using Paired Catchments
Authors: Sun Wenyi , Song Xiaoyan , Zhang Yongqiang , Chiew Francis , Post David , Zheng Hongxing , Song Songbai
Published: January 2020

Large‐scale coal mining not only disturbs natural landscapes but also alters catchment hydrological processes. Although investigating how mining activities such as open cut and/or underground mining change catchment baseflow is critical for understanding mining‐related hydrological mechanisms and for helping water resource management, published data on these changes have not been well documented. This study uses data‐driven approaches to examine how baseflow changes in four sets of paired catchments in the Hunter River Basin in Australia, which is one of the most intensive mining regions across the globe. The difference of cumulative anomaly percentage and double mass curves are used to detect the changes in baseflow and to identify the potential mining impacts. Our results show that underground mining has led to a decline in baseflow, while open cut mining has tended to increase baseflow, and significantly changed the baseflow trend for catchments where underground and open cut mining coexist. The mining impact signal, however, is on the top of regional climate change impacts that dominate baseflow annual variability. The data‐driven investigation cannot separate impacts due to multiple and overlapping disturbances of mining activities but provides insight and guidance for hydrological modeling to simulate mining impacts on hydrological regimes.
Modulation of depression-related behaviors by adiponectin AdipoR1 receptors in 5-HT neurons
Authors: Li Chen , Meng Fantao , Garza Jacob C. , Liu Jing , Lei Yun , Kirov Sergei A. , Guo Ming , Lu Xin-Yun
Published: January 2020

The adipocyte-derived hormone adiponectin has a broad spectrum of functions beyond metabolic control. We previously reported that adiponectin acts in the brain to regulate depression-related behaviors. However, its underlying neural substrates have not been identified. Here we show that adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1) is expressed in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) and colocalized with tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2), a marker of serotonin (5-HT) neurons. Selective deletion of AdipoR1 in 5-HT neurons induced anhedonia in male mice, as indicated by reduced female urine sniffing time and saccharin preference, and behavioral despair in female mice and enhanced stress-induced decrease in sucrose preference in both sexes. The expression levels of TPH2 were downregulated with a concurrent reduction of 5-HT-immunoreactivity in the DRN and its two major projection regions, the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), in male but not female mice lacking AdipoR1 in 5-HT neurons. In addition, serotonin transporter (SERT) expression was upregulated in both DRN projection fields of male mice but only in the mPFC of female mice. These changes presumably lead to decreased 5-HT synthesis and/or increased 5-HT reuptake, thereby reducing 5-HT transmission. The augmented behavioral responses to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine but not desipramine, a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, observed in conditional knockout male mice supports deficient 5-HT transmission underlying depression-related phenotypes. Our results indicate that adiponectin acts on 5-HT neurons through AdipoR1 receptors to regulate depression-related behaviors in a sex-dependent manner.
Benzodithiophenedione-based polymers: recent advances in organic photovoltaics
Authors: Zheng Bing , Huo Lijun , Li Yongfang
Published: January 2020

Over the past 20 years, significant progress has been made in organic photovoltaics (OPVs) due to its advantages of being cost-effective, being lightweight, and having flexible manufacturability. The optical-active layer of OPVs consists of a p-type polymer as the donor and an n-type small molecule as the acceptor. An efficient design strategy of a polymer donor is based on an alternating electron-donating unit (D) and an electron-accepting unit (A). Among numerous electron-accepting units, an emerging annelated thiophene of benzodithiophenedione (BDD) has exhibited a distinguished photovoltaic performance because of its planar molecular structure, low-lying highest occupied molecular orbit (HOMO) level and good self-assembly property. In this review article, we summarize the most recent developments in BDD-based photovoltaic materials. Special attention is paid to the chemical structure-property relationships, such as the absorption, bandgap, energy levels, mobilities, and photovoltaic performances. The empirical regularities and perspectives on the future development of BDD-based photovoltaic materials are included.
Material aspects of triboelectric energy generation and sensors
Authors: Kim Dong Wook , Lee Ju Hyun , Kim Jin Kon , Jeong Unyong
Published: January 2020

The triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is a new type of energy generator first demonstrated in 2012. TENGs have shown potential as power sources for electronic devices and as sensors for detecting mechanical and chemical stimuli. To date, studies on TENGs have focused primarily on optimizing the systems and circuit designs or exploring possible applications. Even though triboelectricity is highly related to the material properties, studies on materials and material designs have been relatively less investigated. This review article introduces recent progress in TENGs, by focusing on materials and material designs to improve the electrical output and sensing performance. This article discusses the current technological issues and the future challenges in materials for TENG.
One-step synthesis of dandelion-like lanthanum titanate nanostructures for enhanced photocatalytic performance
Authors: Huang Zhong , Liu Jianghao , Huang Liang , Tian Liang , Sen Wang  , Zhang Gen , Li Junyi , Liang Feng , Zhang Haijun , Jia Quanli , Zhang Shaowei
Published: January 2020

The rational design of nanomaterials with distinct exposed facets is of great importance for improving the physicochemical properties of these materials and for the study of structure–activity relationships. This work describes the first synthesis of lanthanum titanate (La2Ti2O7, LTO) with dandelion-like nanostructures via the molten salt method. The lowest synthesis temperature of 700 °C is at least 200 °C lower than that required by other methods. The dandelion structure consists of well-crystallized LTO nanorods (NRs) with sizes of less than 100 nm in the radial direction and 300–500 nm in the axial direction, which is different from the widely accepted two-dimensional form. LaOCl microplates were formed as an intermediate substrate for LTO NR growth outwards to the basal surfaces of the LaOCl crystallites. DFT calculation results showed that the strong LiCl adsorption on the (100) surface led to distinct growth of the (100) and (020) planes, thus promoting the rod-like growth of LTO along the [010] axis. In addition, the photocatalytic performance of as-prepared LTO was evaluated by determining the degradation of rhodamine B. The results suggested that the as-prepared LTO could markedly enhance the photocatalytic activity as a result of the surface heterojunction of coexposed {100} and {002} facets in LTO NRs.
Disruption of auto-inhibition underlies conformational signaling of ASIC1a to induce neuronal necroptosis
Authors: Wang Jing-Jing , Liu Fan , Yang Fan , Wang Yi-Zhi , Qi Xin , Li Ying , Hu Qin , Zhu Michael X. , Xu Tian-Le
Published: January 2020

We reported previously that acid-sensing ion channel 1a (ASIC1a) mediates acidic neuronal necroptosis via recruiting receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) to its C terminus (CT), independent of its ion-conducting function. Here we show that the N-terminus (NT) of ASIC1a interacts with its CT to form an auto-inhibition that prevents RIPK1 recruitment/activation under resting conditions. The interaction involves glutamate residues at distal NT and is disrupted by acidosis. Expression of mutant ASIC1a bearing truncation or glutamate-to-alanine substitutions at distal NT causes constitutive cell death. The NT-CT interaction is further disrupted by N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion ATPase (NSF), which associates with ASIC1a-NT under acidosis, facilitating RIPK1 interaction with ASIC1a-CT. Importantly, a membrane-penetrating synthetic peptide representing the distal 20 ASIC1a NT residues, NT1–20, reduced neuronal damage in both in vitro model of acidotoxicity and in vivo mouse model of ischemic stroke, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of targeting the auto-inhibition of ASIC1a for neuroprotection against acidotoxicity.
Inhibition of histone deacetylation rescues phenotype in a mouse model of Birk-Barel intellectual disability syndrome
Authors: Cooper Alexis , Butto Tamer , Hammer Niklas , Jagannath Somanath , Fend-Guella Desiree Lucia , Akhtar Junaid , Radyushkin Konstantin , Lesage Florian , Winter Jennifer , Strand Susanne , Roeper Jochen , Zechner Ulrich , Schweiger Susann
Published: January 2020

Mutations in the actively expressed, maternal allele of the imprinted KCNK9 gene cause Birk-Barel intellectual disability syndrome (BBIDS). Using a BBIDS mouse model, we identify here a partial rescue of the BBIDS-like behavioral and neuronal phenotypes mediated via residual expression from the paternal Kcnk9 (Kcnk9pat) allele. We further demonstrate that the second-generation HDAC inhibitor CI-994 induces enhanced expression from the paternally silenced Kcnk9 allele and leads to a full rescue of the behavioral phenotype suggesting CI-994 as a promising molecule for BBIDS therapy. Thus, these findings suggest a potential approach to improve cognitive dysfunction in a mouse model of an imprinting disorder.
Gap-enhanced Raman tags for physically unclonable anticounterfeiting labels
Authors: Gu Yuqing , He Chang , Zhang Yuqing , Lin Li , Thackray Benjamin David , Ye Jian
Published: January 2020

Anticounterfeiting labels based on physical unclonable functions (PUFs), as one of the powerful tools against counterfeiting, are easy to generate but difficult to duplicate due to inherent randomness. Gap-enhanced Raman tags (GERTs) with embedded Raman reporters show strong intensity enhancement and ultra-high photostability suitable for fast and repeated readout of PUF labels. Herein, we demonstrate a PUF label fabricated by drop-casting aqueous GERTs, high-speed read using a confocal Raman system, digitized through coarse-grained coding methods, and authenticated via pixel-by-pixel comparison. A three-dimensional encoding capacity of over 3 × 1015051 can be achieved for the labels composed of ten types of GERTs with a mapping resolution of 2500 pixels and quaternary encoding of Raman intensity levels at each pixel. Authentication experiments have ensured the robustness and security of the PUF system, and the practical viability is demonstrated. Such PUF labels could provide a potential platform to realize unbreakable anticounterfeiting.
Integrating multiple genomic technologies to investigate an outbreak of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacter hormaechei
Authors: Roberts Leah W. , Harris Patrick N. A. , Forde Brian M. , Ben Zakour Nouri L. , Catchpoole Elizabeth , Stanton-Cook Mitchell , Phan Minh-Duy , Sidjabat Hanna E. , Bergh Haakon , Heney Claire , Gawthorne Jayde A. , Lipman Jeffrey , Allworth Anthony , Chan Kok-Gan , Chong Teik Min , Yin Wai-Fong , Schembri Mark A. , Paterson David L. , Beatson Scott A.
Published: January 2020

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) represent an urgent threat to human health. Here we report the application of several complementary whole-genome sequencing (WGS) technologies to characterise a hospital outbreak of blaIMP-4 carbapenemase-producing E. hormaechei. Using Illumina sequencing, we determined that all outbreak strains were sequence type 90 (ST90) and near-identical. Comparison to publicly available data linked all outbreak isolates to a 2013 isolate from the same ward, suggesting an environmental source in the hospital. Using Pacific Biosciences sequencing, we resolved the complete context of the blaIMP-4 gene on a large IncHI2 plasmid carried by all IMP-4-producing strains across different hospitals. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing of environmental samples also found evidence of ST90 E. hormaechei and the IncHI2 plasmid within the hospital plumbing. Finally, Oxford Nanopore sequencing rapidly resolved the true relationship of subsequent isolates to the initial outbreak. Overall, our strategic application of three WGS technologies provided an in-depth analysis of the outbreak.
PTH induces bone loss via microbial-dependent expansion of intestinal TNF+ T cells and Th17 cells
Authors: Yu Mingcan , Malik Tyagi Abdul , Li Jau-Yi , Adams Jonathan , Denning Timothy L. , Weitzmann M. Neale , Jones Rheinallt M. , Pacifici Roberto
Published: January 2020

Bone loss is a frequent but not universal complication of hyperparathyroidism. Using antibiotic-treated or germ-free mice, we show that parathyroid hormone (PTH) only caused bone loss in mice whose microbiota was enriched by the Th17 cell-inducing taxa segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB). SFB+microbiota enabled PTH to expand intestinal TNF+T and Th17 cells and increase their S1P-receptor-1 mediated egress from the intestine and recruitment to the bone marrow (BM) that causes bone loss. CXCR3-mediated TNF+T cell homing to the BM upregulated the Th17 chemoattractant CCL20, which recruited Th17 cells to the BM. This study reveals mechanisms for microbiota-mediated gut–bone crosstalk in mice models of hyperparathyroidism that may help predict its clinical course. Targeting the gut microbiota or T cell migration may represent therapeutic strategies for hyperparathyroidism.
Dstyk mutation leads to congenital scoliosis-like vertebral malformations in zebrafish via dysregulated mTORC1/TFEB pathway
Authors: Sun Xianding , Zhou Yang , Zhang Ruobin , Wang Zuqiang , Xu Meng , Zhang Dali , Huang Junlan , Luo Fengtao , Li Fangfang , Ni Zhenhong , Zhou Siru , Chen Hangang , Chen Shuai , Chen Liang , Du Xiaolan , Chen Bo , Huang Haiyang , Liu Peng , Yin Liangjun , Qiu Juhui , Chen Di , Deng Chuxia , Xie Yangli , Luo Lingfei , Chen Lin
Published: January 2020

Congenital scoliosis (CS) is a complex genetic disorder characterized by vertebral malformations. The precise etiology of CS is not fully defined. Here, we identify that mutation in dual serine/threonine and tyrosine protein kinase (dstyk) lead to CS-like vertebral malformations in zebrafish. We demonstrate that the scoliosis in dstyk mutants is related to the wavy and malformed notochord sheath formation and abnormal axial skeleton segmentation due to dysregulated biogenesis of notochord vacuoles and notochord function. Further studies show that DSTYK is located in late endosomal/lysosomal compartments and is involved in the lysosome biogenesis in mammalian cells. Dstyk knockdown inhibits notochord vacuole and lysosome biogenesis through mTORC1-dependent repression of TFEB nuclear translocation. Inhibition of mTORC1 activity can rescue the defect in notochord vacuole biogenesis and scoliosis in dstyk mutants. Together, our findings reveal a key role of DSTYK in notochord vacuole biogenesis, notochord morphogenesis and spine development through mTORC1/TFEB pathway.
Kindlin-2 modulates MafA and β-catenin expression to regulate β-cell function and mass in mice
Authors: Zhu Ke , Lai Yumei , Cao Huiling , Bai Xiaochun , Liu Chuanju , Yan Qinnan , Ma Liting , Chen Di , Kanaporis Giedrius , Wang Junqi , Li Luyuan , Cheng Tao , Wang Yong , Wu Chuanyue , Xiao Guozhi
Published: January 2020

β-Cell dysfunction and reduction in β-cell mass are hallmark events of diabetes mellitus. Here we show that β-cells express abundant Kindlin-2 and deleting its expression causes severe diabetes-like phenotypes without markedly causing peripheral insulin resistance. Kindlin-2, through its C-terminal region, binds to and stabilizes MafA, which activates insulin expression. Kindlin-2 loss impairs insulin secretion in primary human and mouse islets in vitro and in mice by reducing, at least in part, Ca2+ release in β-cells. Kindlin-2 loss activates GSK-3β and downregulates β-catenin, leading to reduced β-cell proliferation and mass. Kindlin-2 loss reduces the percentage of β-cells and concomitantly increases that of α-cells during early pancreatic development. Genetic activation of β-catenin in β-cells restores the diabetes-like phenotypes induced by Kindlin-2 loss. Finally, the inducible deletion of β-cell Kindlin-2 causes diabetic phenotypes in adult mice. Collectively, our results establish an important function of Kindlin-2 and provide a potential therapeutic target for diabetes.
Disruption of the HIV-1 Envelope allosteric network blocks CD4-induced rearrangements
Authors: Henderson Rory , Lu Maolin , Zhou Ye , Mu Zekun , Parks Robert , Han Qifeng , Hsu Allen L. , Carter Elizabeth , Blanchard Scott C. , Edwards R J , Wiehe Kevin , Saunders Kevin O. , Borgnia Mario J. , Bartesaghi Alberto , Mothes Walther , Haynes Barton F. , Acharya Priyamvada , Munir Alam S.
Published: January 2020

The trimeric HIV-1 Envelope protein (Env) mediates viral-host cell fusion via a network of conformational transitions, with allosteric elements in each protomer orchestrating host receptor-induced exposure of the co-receptor binding site and fusion elements. To understand the molecular details of this allostery, here, we introduce Env mutations aimed to prevent CD4-induced rearrangements in the HIV-1 BG505 Env trimer. Binding analysis and single−molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer confirm that these mutations prevent CD4-induced transitions of the HIV-1 Env. Structural analysis by single−particle cryo-electron microscopy performed on the BG505 SOSIP mutant Env proteins shows rearrangements in the gp120 topological layer contacts with gp41. Displacement of a conserved tryptophan (W571) from its typical pocket in these Env mutants renders the Env insensitive to CD4 binding. These results reveal the critical function of W571 as a conformational switch in Env allostery and receptor-mediated viral entry and provide insights on Env conformation that are relevant for vaccine design.
High-quality genome sequence of white lupin provides insight into soil exploration and seed quality
Authors: Hufnagel Bárbara , Marques André , Soriano Alexandre , Marquès Laurence , Divol Fanchon , Doumas Patrick , Sallet Erika , Mancinotti Davide , Carrere Sébastien , Marande William , Arribat Sandrine , Keller Jean , Huneau Cécile , Blein Thomas , Aimé Delphine , Laguerre Malika , Taylor Jemma , Schubert Veit , Nelson Matthew , Geu-Flores Fernando , Crespi Martin , Gallardo Karine , Delaux Pierre-Marc , Salse Jérôme , Bergès Hélène , Guyot Romain , Gouzy Jérôme , Péret Benjamin
Published: January 2020

White lupin (Lupinus albus L.) is an annual crop cultivated for its protein-rich seeds. It is adapted to poor soils due to the production of cluster roots, which are made of dozens of determinate lateral roots that drastically improve soil exploration and nutrient acquisition (mostly phosphate). Using long-read sequencing technologies, we provide a high-quality genome sequence of a cultivated accession of white lupin (2n = 50, 451 Mb), as well as de novo assemblies of a landrace and a wild relative. We describe a modern accession displaying increased soil exploration capacity through early establishment of lateral and cluster roots. We also show how seed quality may have been impacted by domestication in term of protein profiles and alkaloid content. The availability of a high-quality genome assembly together with companion genomic and transcriptomic resources will enable the development of modern breeding strategies to increase and stabilize white lupin yield.
Dispersion fields reveal the compositional structure of South American vertebrate assemblages
Authors: Borregaard Michael K. , Graves Gary R. , Rahbek Carsten
Published: January 2020

The causes of continental patterns in species richness continue to spur heated discussion. Hypotheses based on ambient energy have dominated the debate, but are increasingly being challenged by hypotheses that model richness as the overlap of species ranges, ultimately controlled by continental range dynamics of individual species. At the heart of this controversy lies the question of whether species richness of individual grid cells is controlled by local factors, or reflects larger-scale spatial patterns in the turnover of species’ ranges. Here, we develop a new approach based on assemblage dispersion fields, formed by overlaying the geographic ranges of all species co-occurring in a grid cell. We created dispersion fields for all tetrapods of South America, and characterized the orientation and shape of dispersion fields as a vector field. The resulting maps demonstrate the existence of macro-structures in the turnover of biotic similarity at continental scale that are congruent among vertebrate classes. These structures underline the importance of continental-scale processes for species richness in individual assemblages.
Nr4a1 suppresses cocaine-induced behavior via epigenetic regulation of homeostatic target genes
Authors: Carpenter Marco D. , Hu Qiwen , Bond Allison M. , Lombroso Sonia I. , Czarnecki Kyle S. , Lim Carissa J. , Song Hongjun , Wimmer Mathieu E. , Pierce R. Christopher , Heller Elizabeth A.
Published: January 2020

Endogenous homeostatic mechanisms can restore normal neuronal function following cocaine-induced neuroadaptations. Such mechanisms may be exploited to develop novel therapies for cocaine addiction, but a molecular target has not yet been identified. Here we profiled mouse gene expression during early and late cocaine abstinence to identify putative regulators of neural homeostasis. Cocaine activated the transcription factor, Nr4a1, and its target gene, Cartpt, a key molecule involved in dopamine metabolism. Sustained activation of Cartpt at late abstinence was coupled with depletion of the repressive histone modification, H3K27me3, and enrichment of activating marks, H3K27ac and H3K4me3. Using both CRISPR-mediated and small molecule Nr4a1 activation, we demonstrated the direct causal role of Nr4a1 in sustained activation of Cartpt and in attenuation of cocaine-evoked behavior. Our findings provide evidence that targeting abstinence-induced homeostatic gene expression is a potential therapeutic target in cocaine addiction.
Biomacromolecules enabled dendrite-free lithium metal battery and its origin revealed by cryo-electron microscopy
Authors: Ju Zhijin , Nai Jianwei , Wang Yao , Liu Tiefeng , Zheng Jianhui , Yuan Huadong , Sheng Ouwei , Jin Chengbin , Zhang Wenkui , Jin Zhong , Tian He , Liu Yujing , Tao Xinyong
Published: January 2020

Metallic lithium anodes are highly promising for revolutionizing current rechargeable batteries because of their ultrahigh energy density. However, the application of lithium metal batteries is considerably impeded by lithium dendrite growth. Here, a biomacromolecule matrix obtained from the natural membrane of eggshell is introduced to control lithium growth and the mechanism is motivated by how living organisms regulate the orientation of inorganic crystals in biomineralization. Specifically, cryo-electron microscopy is utilized to probe the structure of lithium at the atomic level. The dendrites growing along the preferred < 111 > crystallographic orientation are greatly suppressed in the presence of the biomacromolecule. Furthermore, the naturally soluble chemical species in the biomacromolecules can participate in the formation of solid electrolyte interphase upon cycling, thus effectively homogenizing the lithium deposition. The lithium anodes employing bioinspired design exhibit enhanced cycling capability. This work sheds light on identifying substantial challenges in lithium anodes for developing advanced batteries.
Interrogation of enhancer function by enhancer-targeting CRISPR epigenetic editing
Authors: Li Kailong , Liu Yuxuan , Cao Hui , Zhang Yuannyu , Gu Zhimin , Liu Xin , Yu Andy , Kaphle Pranita , Dickerson Kathryn E. , Ni Min , Xu Jian
Published: January 2020

Tissue-specific gene expression requires coordinated control of gene-proximal and -distal cis-regulatory elements (CREs), yet functional analysis of gene-distal CREs such as enhancers remains challenging. Here we describe CRISPR/dCas9-based enhancer-targeting epigenetic editing systems, enCRISPRa and enCRISPRi, for efficient analysis of enhancer function in situ and in vivo. Using dual effectors capable of re-writing enhancer-associated chromatin modifications, we show that enCRISPRa and enCRISPRi modulate gene transcription by remodeling local epigenetic landscapes at sgRNA-targeted enhancers and associated genes. Comparing with existing methods, the improved systems display more robust perturbations of enhancer activity and gene transcription with minimal off-targets. Allele-specific targeting of enCRISPRa to oncogenic TAL1 super-enhancer modulates TAL1 expression and cancer progression in xenotransplants. Single or multi-loci perturbations of lineage-specific enhancers using an enCRISPRi knock-in mouse establish in vivo evidence for lineage-restricted essentiality of developmental enhancers during hematopoiesis. Hence, enhancer-targeting CRISPR epigenetic editing provides opportunities for interrogating enhancer function in native biological contexts.
Large lattice distortions and size-dependent bandgap modulation in epitaxial halide perovskite nanowires
Authors: Oksenberg Eitan , Merdasa Aboma , Houben Lothar , Kaplan-Ashiri Ifat , Rothman Amnon , Scheblykin Ivan G. , Unger Eva L. , Joselevich Ernesto
Published: January 2020

Metal-halide perovskites have been shown to be remarkable and promising optoelectronic materials. However, despite ongoing research from multiple perspectives, some fundamental questions regarding their optoelectronic properties remain controversial. One reason is the high-variance of data collected from, often unstable, polycrystalline thin films. Here we use ordered arrays of stable, single-crystal cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr3) nanowires grown by surface-guided chemical vapor deposition to study fundamental properties of these semiconductors in a one-dimensional model system. Specifically, we uncover the origin of an unusually large size-dependent luminescence emission spectral blue-shift. Using multiple spatially resolved spectroscopy techniques, we establish that bandgap modulation causes the emission shift, and by correlation with state-of-the-art electron microscopy methods, we reveal its origin in substantial and uniform lattice rotations due to heteroepitaxial strain and lattice relaxation. Understanding strain and its effect on the optoelectronic properties of these dynamic materials, from the atomic scale up, is essential to evaluate their performance limits and fundamentals of charge carrier dynamics.
Changes in left ventricular blood flow during diastole due to differences in chamber size in healthy dogs
Authors: Matsuura Katsuhiro , Sato Kotomi , Shimada Kazumi , Goya Seijirow , Uemura Akiko , Iso Takeshi , Yazaki Kana , Yilmaz Zeki , Takahashi Ken , Tanaka Ryou
Published: January 2020

Vorticity is a novel index that reflects diastolic function of left ventricle. The size of the ventricle can influence the ventricular diastolic blood flow. We evaluated effect of ventricular size on diastolic function and diastolic intracardiac blood flow using a particular species of dogs, which has a wide range of body size. Vector flow mapping was used for evaluation of intracardiac blood flow, and intraventricular pressure gradient (IVPG) was used for evaluation of diastolic function. 58 dogs weighing 1.3–42.3 kg were included in this study. Vorticity was found to be inversely proportional to the length of the ventricular chamber. Intraventricular pressure difference was positively correlated with the length of the left ventricle, whereas IVPG was not. This study showed that the vorticity is influenced by the size of the left ventricle independently of other factors. To evaluate the hemodynamic state of each individual appropriately by using vorticity and IVPD, ventricular size should be taken into account especially in the field of veterinary medicine and human pediatric and adolescent cardiology.
The Technome - A Predictive Internal Calibration Approach for Quantitative Imaging Biomarker Research
Authors: Mühlberg Alexander , Katzmann Alexander , Heinemann Volker , Kärgel Rainer , Wels Michael , Taubmann Oliver , Lades Félix , Huber Thomas , Maurus Stefan , Holch Julian , Faivre Jean-Baptiste , Sühling Michael , Nörenberg Dominik , Rémy-Jardin Martine
Published: January 2020

The goal of radiomics is to convert medical images into a minable data space by extraction of quantitative imaging features for clinically relevant analyses, e.g. survival time prediction of a patient. One problem of radiomics from computed tomography is the impact of technical variation such as reconstruction kernel variation within a study. Additionally, what is often neglected is the impact of inter-patient technical variation, resulting from patient characteristics, even when scan and reconstruction parameters are constant. In our approach, measurements within 3D regions-of-interests (ROI) are calibrated by further ROIs such as air, adipose tissue, liver, etc. that are used as control regions (CR). Our goal is to derive general rules for an automated internal calibration that enhance prediction, based on the analysed features and a set of CRs. We define qualification criteria motivated by status-quo radiomics stability analysis techniques to only collect information from the CRs which is relevant given a respective task. These criteria are used in an optimisation to automatically derive a suitable internal calibration for prediction tasks based on the CRs. Our calibration enhanced the performance for centrilobular emphysema prediction in a COPD study and prediction of patients’ one-year-survival in an oncological study.