bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Complex origins of chloroplast membranes with photosynthetic machineries: multiple transfers of genes from divergent organisms at different times or a single endosymbiotic event?
Authors: Sato Naoki
Published: December 2019

The paradigm “cyanobacterial origin of chloroplasts” is currently viewed as an established fact. However, we may have to re-consider the origin of chloroplast membranes, because membranes are not replicated by their own. It is the genes for lipid biosynthetic enzymes that are inherited. In the current understandings, these enzymes became encoded by the nuclear genome as a result of endosymbiotic gene transfer from the endosymbiont. However, we previously showed that many enzymes involved in the synthesis of chloroplast peptidoglycan and glycolipids did not originate from cyanobacteria. Here I present results of comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of chloroplast enzymes involved in fatty acid and lipid biosynthesis, as well as additional chloroplast components related to photosynthesis and gene expression. Four types of phylogenetic relationship between chloroplast enzymes (encoded by the chloroplast and nuclear genomes) and cyanobacterial counterparts were found: type 1, chloroplast enzymes diverged from inside of cyanobacterial clade; type 2, chloroplast and cyanobacterial enzymes are sister groups; type 3, chloroplast enzymes originated from homologs of bacteria other than cyanobacteria; type 4, chloroplast enzymes diverged from eukaryotic homologs. Estimation of evolutionary distances suggested that the acquisition times of chloroplast enzymes were diverse, indicating that multiple gene transfers accounted for the chloroplast enzymes analyzed. Based on the results, I try to relax the tight logic of the endosymbiotic origin of chloroplasts involving a single endosymbiotic event by proposing alternative hypotheses. The hypothesis of host-directed chloroplast formation proposes that glycolipid synthesis ability had been acquired by the eukaryotic host before the acquisition of chloroplast ribosomes. Chloroplast membrane system could have been provided by the host, whereas cyanobacteria contributed to the genes for the genetic and photosynthesis systems, at various times, either before or after the formation of chloroplast membranes. The origin(s) of chloroplasts seems to be more complicated than the single event of primary endosymbiosis.
circRNAs expressed in human peripheral blood are associated with human aging phenotypes, cellular senescence and mouse lifespan
Authors: Haque Shahnaz , Ames Ryan M. , Moore Karen , Pilling Luke C. , Peters Luanne L. , Bandinelli Stefania , Ferrucci Luigi , Harries Lorna W.
Published: December 2019

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are an emerging class of non-coding RNA molecules that are thought to regulate gene expression and human disease. Despite the observation that circRNAs are known to accumulate in older organisms and have been reported in cellular senescence, their role in aging remains relatively unexplored. Here, we have assessed circRNA expression in aging human blood and followed up age-associated circRNA in relation to human aging phenotypes, mammalian longevity as measured by mouse median strain lifespan and cellular senescence in four different primary human cell types. We found that circRNAs circDEF6, circEP300, circFOXO3 and circFNDC3B demonstrate associations with parental longevity or hand grip strength in 306 subjects from the InCHIANTI study of aging, and furthermore, circFOXO3 and circEP300 also demonstrate differential expression in one or more human senescent cell types. Finally, four circRNAs tested showed evidence of conservation in mouse. Expression levels of one of these, circPlekhm1, was nominally associated with lifespan. These data suggest that circRNA may represent a novel class of regulatory RNA involved in the determination of aging phenotypes, which may show future promise as both biomarkers and future therapeutic targets for age-related disease.
Boundary Crossing Support in Part-Time Higher Professional Education Programs
Authors: Arts Margit , Bronkhorst Larike H.
Published: December 2019

As learning societies necessitate continuous education, a growing number of part-time programs are being offered. A key challenge for part-time programs is adequately supporting students in connecting their learning within the program to their work life, which in contrast to dual education is not part of the program. To better understand such boundary-crossing support in part-time higher professional education, this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was conducted. A large-scale study, consisting of quantitative data analysis of the Dutch National Student Survey, confirmed that part-time programs (n = 600) differ in perceived boundary crossing, with a medium effect size of η2 = .13, and that factors postulated in the literature are related. An in-depth cross-case analysis of the boundary-crossing support provided in four purposefully selected part-time higher education programs (with high and low perceived support) indicated that brokers, boundary objects, hybrid practices, boundary interactions, degrees of freedom, degrees of clarity, and supervision are ways to support boundary crossing. These findings provide actionable strategies by which part-time higher professional education programs can support student learning across contexts.
Complement C5 Contributes to Brain Injury After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: van Dijk Bart J. , Meijers Joost C.M. , Kloek Anne T. , Knaup Veronique L. , Rinkel Gabriel J.E. , Morgan B. Paul , van der Kamp Marije J. , Osuka Koji , Aronica Eleonora , Ruigrok Ynte M. , van de Beek Diederik , Brouwer Matthijs , Pekna Marcela , Hol Elly M. , Vergouwen Mervyn D.I.
Published: December 2019

Previous studies showed that complement activation is associated with poor functional outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). We investigated whether complement activation is underlying brain injury after aneurysmal SAH (n = 7) and if it is an appropriate treatment target. We investigated complement expression in brain tissue of aneurysmal SAH patients (n = 930) and studied the role of common genetic variants in C3 and C5 genes in outcome. We analyzed plasma levels (n = 229) to identify the functionality of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) associated with outcome. The time course of C5a levels was measured in plasma (n = 31) and CSF (n = 10). In an SAH mouse model, we studied the extent of microglia activation and cell death in wild-type mice, mice lacking the C5a receptor, and in mice treated with C5-specific antibodies (n = 15 per group). Brain sections from aneurysmal SAH patients showed increased presence of complement components C1q and C3/C3b/iC3B compared to controls. The complement component 5 (C5) SNP correlated with C5a plasma levels and poor disease outcome. Serial measurements in CSF revealed that C5a was > 1400-fold increased 1 day after aneurysmal SAH and then gradually decreased. C5a in plasma was 2-fold increased at days 3–10 after aneurysmal SAH. In the SAH mouse model, we observed a ≈ 40% reduction in both microglia activation and cell death in mice lacking the C5a receptor, and in mice treated with C5-specific antibodies. These data show that C5 contributes to brain injury after experimental SAH, and support further study of C5-specific antibodies as novel treatment option to reduce brain injury and improve prognosis after aneurysmal SAH.
Transition zones analysis using empirical capillary pressure model from well logs and 3D seismic data on ‘Stephs’ field, onshore, Niger Delta, Nigeria
Authors: Abiola O. , Obasuyi F. O.
Published: December 2019

Capillary pressure is an important characteristic that indicates the zones of interaction between two-phase fluids or fluid and rock occurring in the subsurface. The analysis of transition zones (TZs) using Goda (Sam) et al.’s empirical capillary pressure from well logs and 3D seismic data in ‘Stephs’ field, Niger Delta, was carried out to remove the effect of mobile water above the oil–water contact in reservoirs in the absence of core data/information. Two reservoirs (RES B and C) were utilized for this study with net thicknesses (NTG) ranging from 194.14 to 209.08 m. Petrophysical parameters computed from well logs indicate that the reservoirs’ effective porosity ranges from 10 to 30% and the permeability ranges from 100 to > 1000 mD, which are important characteristics of good hydrocarbon bearing zone. Checkshot data were used to tie the well to the seismic section. Faults and horizons were mapped on the seismic section. Time structure maps were generated, and a velocity model was used to convert the time structure maps to its depth equivalent. A total of six faults were mapped, three of which are major growth faults (F1, F4 and F5) and cut across the study area. Reservoir properties were modelled using SIS and SGS. The capillary pressure log, curves and models generated were useful in identifying the impact of mobile water in the reservoir as they show the trend of saturating and interacting fluids. The volume of oil estimated from reservoirs B and C without taking TZ into consideration was 273 × 106 and 406 × 106 mmbbls, respectively, and was found to be higher than the volume of oil estimated from the two reservoirs while taking TZ into consideration which was 242 × 106 and 256 × 106 mmbbls, respectively. The results have indicated the presence of mobile water, which have further established that conventionally recoverable hydrocarbon (RHC) is usually overestimated; hence, TZ analysis has to be performed for enhancing RHC for cost-effective extraction and profit maximization.
Efficiency of induction of Shiga-toxin lambdoid prophages in Escherichia coli due to oxidative and antibiotic stress depends on the combination of prophage and the bacterial strain
Authors: Filipiak Michalina , Łoś Joanna M. , Łoś Marcin
Published: December 2019

In the study presented here, we tested, how large a fraction of lysogenic culture was undergoing filamentation, which could indicate triggering of the SOS response or SOS-independent prophage induction that is also known to cause cell filamentation. Here, antibiotic stress was triggered by adding mitomycin C and oxidative stress was induced by hydrogen peroxide. Observation of bacterial cells under an optical microscope revealed more filamenting cells for lysogenic Escherichia coli than for strains not carrying a prophage. Moreover, the amount of filamenting cells depended not only on the stress agents used and the type of the prophage, but also on the host. During induction of the 933W prophage, the resulting phage titer and the amount of elongating cells were different when using E. coli O157:H7 EDL933 clinical isolate and the E. coli MG1655 laboratory strain. The amount of filamenting cells correlates well with the observed phage titers.
A rapid CAE-based design method for modular hybrid truss structures
Authors: Walbrun Simon , Witzgall Christian , Wartzack Sandro
Published: December 2019

The development of hybrid trusses made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic struts and aluminum knots is currently not standardized, and there is no overall method for the design, although it has been proven that mass reduction is feasible. This paper introduces a new method for computer-aided engineering based design of hybrid trusses using carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic struts and metal nodes based on a modular system. The method includes all design steps from topology optimization to computer-aided design model generation and offers support to the engineer. The method is discussed in theory. A case study is done with a beam-shaped truss. It shows that if the bisection optimization method is combined with further constraints, it is suitable for selecting the optimum struts from a modular system for the truss. The developed approach is a suitable method for designing hybrid trusses. The basis of the method has been developed and will be further detailed and extended.
Open problems and questions about geodesics
Authors: BURNS KEITH , MATVEEV VLADIMIR S.
Published: December 2019

The paper surveys open problems and questions related to geodesics defined by Riemannian, Finsler, semi-Riemannian and magnetic structures on manifolds. It is an extended report on problem sessions held during the International Workshop on Geodesics in August 2010 at the Chern Institute of Mathematics in Tianjin.
The Ellis semigroup of certain constant-length substitutions
Authors: STAYNOVA PETRA
Published: December 2019

In this article, we calculate the Ellis semigroup of a certain class of constant-length substitutions. This generalizes a result of Haddad and Johnson [IP cluster points, idempotents, and recurrent sequences. Topology Proc.22 (1997) 213–226] from the binary case to substitutions over arbitrarily large finite alphabets. Moreover, we provide a class of counterexamples to one of the propositions in their paper, which is central to the proof of their main theorem. We give an alternative approach to their result, which centers on the properties of the Ellis semigroup. To do this, we also show a new way to construct an almost automorphic–isometric tower to the maximal equicontinuous factor of these systems, which gives a more particular approach than the one given by Dekking [The spectrum of dynamical systems arising from substitutions of constant length. Z. Wahrscheinlichkeitstheor. Verw. Geb.41(3) (1977/78) 221–239].
Antibiotic stewardship teams and Clostridioides difficile practices in United States hospitals: A national survey in The Joint Commission antibiotic stewardship standard era
Authors: Vaughn Valerie M. , Greene M. Todd , Ratz David , Fowler Karen E. , Krein Sarah L. , Flanders Scott A. , Dubberke Erik R. , Saint Sanjay , Patel Payal K.
Published: December 2019

Objective:

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) can be prevented through infection prevention practices and antibiotic stewardship. Diagnostic stewardship (ie, strategies to improve use of microbiological testing) can also improve antibiotic use. However, little is known about the use of such practices in US hospitals, especially after multidisciplinary stewardship programs became a requirement for US hospital accreditation in 2017. Thus, we surveyed US hospitals to assess antibiotic stewardship program composition, practices related to CDI, and diagnostic stewardship.

Methods:

Surveys were mailed to infection preventionists at 900 randomly sampled US hospitals between May and October 2017. Hospitals were surveyed on antibiotic stewardship programs; CDI prevention, treatment, and testing practices; and diagnostic stewardship strategies. Responses were compared by hospital bed size using weighted logistic regression.

Results:

Overall, 528 surveys were completed (59% response rate). Almost all (95%) responding hospitals had an antibiotic stewardship program. Smaller hospitals were less likely to have stewardship team members with infectious diseases (ID) training, and only 41% of hospitals met The Joint Commission accreditation standards for multidisciplinary teams. Guideline-recommended CDI prevention practices were common. Smaller hospitals were less likely to use high-tech disinfection devices, fecal microbiota transplantation, or diagnostic stewardship strategies.

Conclusions:

Following changes in accreditation standards, nearly all US hospitals now have an antibiotic stewardship program. However, many hospitals, especially smaller hospitals, appear to struggle with access to ID expertise and with deploying diagnostic stewardship strategies. CDI prevention could be enhanced through diagnostic stewardship and by emphasizing the role of non–ID-trained pharmacists and clinicians in antibiotic stewardship.
DATE PALM AND DATE PALM INFLORESCENCES IN THE LATE URUK PERIOD (C.3300 B.C.): BOTANY AND ARCHAIC SCRIPT
Authors: Paszke Marcin Z.
Published: December 2019

The earliest evidence suggesting the human utilisation of wild date palm fruits in the Near East is dated to the sixth and fifth millennia B.C. Despite the lack of archaeological data, it is commonly believed that at the end of the Late Uruk period (c.3300–3100 B.C.) the Sumerians established the first date palm plantations. Nevertheless, this belief has never been well-proven by any scientific data, which makes this issue open to debate. This article points to the images of the date palm known from the pictographic script from Uruk as an important source of botanical data—a concept which has never been discussed in the literature—and elaborates on the phenotypic traits of thePhoenix dactylifera L.discernible there. It aims to establish the level and condition of horticultural knowledge of the cultivators of the date palm tree in the late fourth millennium B.C.

Many of the botanical traits found on the date palm pictographs are noteworthy, especially where the morphology of the crown, trunk, and root zone are concerned. Most importantly, the identification of pictographs representing date palm inflorescences prompts us to the conclusion that the Sumerians discovered the dioecious nature of thePhoenix dactylifera L., selecting the staminate inflorescences to pollinate female trees by at least c. 3300 B.C. The discovery of this method of artificial fertilization was a turning point in Mesopotamian agriculture since it enabled farmers to obtain a better crop while economizing on space and labour, constituting the beginning of the date palm plantations that are still such a feature of present-day Iraq.
VIRTUAL ALGEBRAIC FIBRATIONS OF KÄHLER GROUPS
Authors: FRIEDL STEFAN , VIDUSSI STEFANO
Published: December 2019

This paper stems from the observation (arising from work of Delzant) that “most” Kähler groups$G$virtually algebraically fiber, that is, admit a finite index subgroup that maps onto$\mathbb{Z}$with finitely generated kernel. For the remaining ones, the Albanese dimension of all finite index subgroups is at most one, that is, they havevirtualAlbanese dimension$va(G)\leqslant 1$. We show that the existence of algebraic fibrations has implications in the study of coherence and higher BNSR invariants of the fundamental group of aspherical Kähler surfaces. The class of Kähler groups with$va(G)=1$includes virtual surface groups. Further examples exist; nonetheless, they exhibit a strong relation with surface groups. In fact, we show that the Green–Lazarsfeld sets of groups with$va(G)=1$(virtually) coincide with those of surface groups, and furthermore that the only virtually RFRS groups with$va(G)=1$are virtually surface groups.
Torturing science
Authors: O’Mara Shane , Schiemann John
Published: December 2019

Contrary to the claims of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that its torture program was scientific, the program was not based on biology or any other science. Instead, the George W. Bush administration veneered the program’s justification with a patina of pseudoscience, ignoring the actual biology of torturing human brains. We reconstruct the Bush administration’s decision-making process to establish that the policy decision to use torture took place in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks without any investigation into its efficacy. We then present the pseudoscientific model of torture sold to the CIA, show why this ad hoc model amounted to pseudoscience, and then catalog what the actual science of torturing human brains—available in 2001—reveals about the practice. We conclude with a discussion of how a process incorporating countervailing evidence might prevent a policy going forward that is contrary to law, ethics, and evidence.
“Holy Ghost Tribe:” The Needles Revival and the Origins of Pentecostalism
Authors: Reidy Skyler
Published: December 2019

In 1899, a religious revival in Needles, California, included the first recorded instance of tongues-speech in California. The revival was begun by a white Holiness preacher and included a predominantly Native American, but ethnically mixed, congregation. The Mohave Indians at the heart of the Needles Revival had survived in the Southern California borderlands by crossing boundaries and building new communities in the shadow of the modernizing state. As they participated in the Needles Revival, Mohave believers and others combined this pattern of boundary crossing with the theology and praxis of the Holiness movement to develop a local manifestation of the emerging Pentecostal movement. During the early twentieth century, a series of revivals around the world and a network of Holiness groups and missionaries developed into modern Pentecostalism. The most prominent of these revivals took place on Azusa Street in Los Angeles and emphasized speaking in tongues and multiracial community, not unlike the earlier revival in Needles. Taken together, these two revivals show the influence of Southern California on early Pentecostalism. Speaking in tongues enabled early Pentecostals to cross boundaries imposed by California's racial hierarchy, and the multiethnic communities they formed were a testament to the cultural dynamism of the region. As Mohave converts embraced Pentecostalism and eventually assumed leadership of the Needles congregation, they brought their legacy of survival and adaptation to the movement. In the process, they helped to shape modern Pentecostalism.
Public Opinion and Decisions About Military Force in Democracies
Authors: Tomz Michael , Weeks Jessica L.P. , Yarhi-Milo Keren
Published: December 2019

Many theories of international relations assume that public opinion exerts a powerful effect on foreign policy in democracies. Previous research, based on observational data, has reached conflicting conclusions about this foundational assumption. We use experiments to examine two mechanisms—responsiveness and selection—through which opinion could shape decisions about the use of military force. We tested responsiveness by asking members of the Israeli parliament to consider a crisis in which we randomized information about public opinion. Parliamentarians were more willing to use military force when the public was in favor and believed that contravening public opinion would entail heavy political costs. We tested selection by asking citizens in Israel and the US to evaluate parties/candidates, which varied randomly on many dimensions. In both countries, security policy proved as electorally significant as economic and religious policy, and far more consequential than nonpolicy considerations such as gender, race, and experience. Overall, our experiments in two important democracies imply that citizens can affect policy by incentivizing incumbents and shaping who gets elected.
Just War and Unjust Soldiers: American Public Opinion on the Moral Equality of Combatants
Authors: Sagan Scott D. , Valentino Benjamin A.
Published: December 2019

Traditional just war doctrine holds that political leaders are morally responsible for the decision to initiate war, while individual soldiers should be judged solely by their conduct in war. According to this view, soldiers fighting in an unjust war of aggression and soldiers on the opposing side seeking to defend their country are morally equal as long as each obeys the rules of combat. Revisionist scholars, however, maintain that soldiers who fight for an unjust cause bear at least some responsibility for advancing an immoral end, even if they otherwise fight ethically. This article examines the attitudes of the American public regarding the moral equality of combatants. Utilizing an original survey experiment, we find that the public's moral reasoning is generally more consistent with that of the revisionists than with traditional just war theory. Americans in our study judged soldiers who participate in unjust wars as less ethical than soldiers in just wars, even when their battlefield conduct is identical, and a large proportion supported harsh punishments for soldiers simply for participating in unjust wars. We also find, however, that much of the American public is willing to extend the moral license of just cause significantly further than revisionist scholars advocate: half of the Americans in our survey were willing to allow an unambiguous war crime—a massacre of innocent women and children—to go unpunished when the act was committed by soldiers fighting for a just cause. Our findings suggest that incorporation of revisionist principles into the laws of war would reinforce dangerous moral intuitions encouraging the killing of civilians.
Seed quality in rice is most sensitive to drought and high temperature in early seed development
Authors: Abdul Rahman Siti M. , Ellis Richard H.
Published: December 2019

Drought and high temperature each damage rice (Oryza sativaL.) crops. Their effect during seed development and maturation on subsequent seed quality development was investigated in Japonica (cv. Gleva) and Indica (cv. Aeron 1) plants grown in controlled environments subjected to drought (irrigation ended) and/or brief high temperature (HT; 3 days at 40/30°C). Ending irrigation early in cv. Gleva (7 or 14 days after anthesis, DAA) resulted in earlier plant senescence, more rapid decline in seed moisture content, more rapid seed quality development initially, but substantial decline laterin plantain the ability of seeds to germinate normally. Subsequent seed storage longevity amongst later harvests was greatest with no drought because with drought it declined from 16 or 22 DAA onwardsin planta, 9 or 8 days after irrigation ended, respectively. Later drought (14 or 28 DAA) also reduced seed longevity at harvest maturity (42 DAA). Well-irrigated plants provided poorer longevity the earlier during seed development they were exposed to HT (greatest at anthesis and histodifferentiation; no effect during seed maturation). Combining drought and HT damaged seed quality more than each stress alone, and more so in the Japonica cv. Gleva than the Indica cv. Aeron 1. Overall, the earlier plant drought occurred the greater the damage to subsequent seed quality; seed quality was most vulnerable to damage from plant drought and HT at anthesis and histodifferentiation; and seed quality of the Indica rice was more resilient to damage from these stresses than the Japonica.
Post-operative blood loss is higher among African American neonates undergoing open-heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass for CHD
Authors: Kartha Vyas M. , Rehman Mohamed , Nguyen Anh Thy H. , Amankwah Ernest , Sibinga Erica M.S. , Goldenberg Neil A. , Jacobs Jeffrey P.
Published: December 2019

Background:

Neonates are at high risk of bleeding after open-heart surgery. We sought to determine pre-operative and intra-operative risk factors for increased bleeding after neonatal open-heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of neonates (0–30 days old) who underwent open-heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass from January, 2009, to March, 2013. Cardiac diagnosis; demographic and surgical data; and blood products, haemostatic agents, and anti-thrombotic agents administered before, during, and within 24 hours after surgery were abstracted from the electronic health record and anaesthesia records. The outcome of interest was chest tube output (in ml/kg body weight) within 24 hours. Relationships between chest tube output and putative associated factors were evaluated by unadjusted and adjusted linear regression.

Results:

The cohort consisted of 107 neonates, of whom 79% had a Society of Thoracic Surgeons-European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (STAT) Mortality Category of 4 or 5. Median chest tube output was 37 ml/kg (range 9–655 ml/kg). Age, African-American race, and longer durations of surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass each had statistically significant associations with increased chest tube output in unadjusted analyses. In multivariable analysis, African-American race retained an independent, statistically significant association with increased chest tube output; the geometric mean of chest tube output among African-American neonates was 71% higher than that of Caucasians (95% confidence interval, 29–125%; p = 0.001).

Conclusion:

Among neonates with CHD undergoing open-heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, African-American race is independently associated with greater chest tube output over the first 24 hours post-operatively.
NAM population – a novel genetic resource for soybean improvement: development and characterization for yield and attributing traits
Authors: Maranna Shivakumar , Kumawat Giriraj , Nataraj Vennampally , Gireesh C. , Gupta Sanjay , Satpute Gyanesh K. , Ratnaparkhe Milind B. , Yadav Devendra P.
Published: December 2019

Nested association mapping (NAM) captures the best features of both linkage and association mapping and enables the high power and high resolution of quantitative trait locus mapping through joint linkage-association analysis. In the current study, NAM population was developed by hybridizing JS 335, a popular variety of central India with 20 diverse soybean genotypes. The parents used in the study have various traits of economic importance such as drought and water-logging tolerance, bacterial pustule and yellow mosaic virus resistance, wider adaptability, resistance to mechanical damage and higher yield potential. High variability in the F2populations of 20 crosses for grain yield and days to maturity indicated scope for development of high-yielding varieties. Genetic variability studies, correlation, regression, principal component analysis (PCA) and genetic diversity analyses were carried out in 900 NAM-recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from 11 crosses. Correlation and regression analysis indicated a significant positive effect of biomass, pods/plant, harvest index, branches/plant, nodes/plant and plant height on grain yield. Genetic diversity analysis grouped 900 NAM-RILs into 10 clusters. PCA revealed first two principal components to explain 63.78% of total variation mostly contributed by grain yield, biomass and number of pods. The inbred lines developed in this study will serve as an elite soybean genetic resource in understanding the genetic architecture underlying different traits of economic significance.
Correlation between obesity and manual lymphatic drainage in Germany	– a retrospective analysis from 2008 to 2016
Authors: Kröger Knut , Schulz Tino , Santosa Frans , von Beckerath Olga , Gäbel Gabor , Juntermanns Benjamin
Published: December 2019

Summary: Backgrounds: Costs for manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) paid by the Statutory Health Insurances (SHI) have increased disproportionately in Germany in the last decade. There is no obvious reason that this increase is due to an increasing number of patients with lymph edema. We therefore assume that there are large numbers of patients with obesity and obesity-associated dependency syndrome who drive the cost of MLD and did a retrospective analysis of the correlation between hospitalization rates for lymph edema and obesity and MLD prescription rates in outpatients. Patients and methods: Roughly 90 % of the German population is insured by the Statutory Health Insurance. From its reports we extracted data regarding costs and numbers of MLD session prescribed annually. Hospitalization rates for lymph edema (codes I89.*, I97.2 and Q82.0) and for obesity (ICD E66.*) were provided by the Federal Statistical Office after a specific remote analyses. Results: In the years 2008 to 2016, the MLD prescriptions in the individual federal states increased by + 43.5 % in Berlin to + 109.3 % in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Number of hospitalizations with the principal diagnosis (condition, which caused the admission) hereditary and postmastectomy lymph edema are low and decreased in most federal states. Number of hospitalizations with the additional diagnosis (conditions that coexist at the time of admission or develop subsequently) obesity increased with a range from + 4.8 % in Baden-Württemberg to + 86.4 % in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The correlation between the increase in prescribed MLD in the individual federal state and the increase in hospitalization rates per 1000 inhabitants of cases with obesity is greater (R2 0.4696) than with lymph edema (R2 0.0987). Conclusions: Our analysis is in line with the hypothesis that there is a correlation between the increasing prescription rate of MLD and the increasing burden of obesity in Germany.
Perforator vein endovenous heat induced thrombosis after laser ablation of the great saphenous vein
Authors: Uthoff Heiko , Keo Hong H. , Spinedi Luca , Staub Daniel
Published: December 2019

Summary: Endovenous heat induced thrombosis at the sapheno-femoral or sapheno-popliteal junction is a well-known complication after superficial truncal vein endovenous laser ablation (EVLA). This report describes a rare thigh perforator vein thrombus propagation into the femoral vein after EVLA of the great saphenous vein.
Are Difficult-To-Study Populations too Difficult to Study in a	Reliable Way?
Authors: Lange Florian
Published: December 2019

Abstract. Replication studies, pre-registration, and increases in statistical power will likely improve the reliability of scientific evidence. However, these measures face critical limitations in populations that are inherently difficult to study. Members of difficult-to-study populations (e.g., patients, children, non-human animals) are less accessible to researchers, which typically results in small-sample studies that are infeasible to replicate. Nevertheless, meta-analyses on clinical neuropsychological data suggest that difficult-to-study populations can be studied in a reliable way. These analyses often produce unbiased effect-size estimates despite aggregating across severely underpowered original studies. This finding can be attributed to a neuropsychological research culture involving the non-selective reporting of results from standardized and validated test procedures. Consensus guidelines, test manuals, and psychometric evidence constrain the methodological choices made by neuropsychologists, who regularly report the results from neuropsychological test batteries irrespective of their statistical significance or novelty. Comparable shifts toward more standardization and validation, complete result reports, and between-lab collaborations can allow for a meaningful and reliable study of psychological phenomena in other difficult-to-study populations.
Aerosols in the E3SM Version 1: New Developments and Their Impacts on Radiative Forcing
Authors: Wang Hailong , Easter Richard C. , Zhang Rudong , Ma Po‐Lun , Singh Balwinder , Zhang Kai , Ganguly Dilip , Rasch Philip J. , Burrows Susannah M. , Ghan Steven J. , Lou Sijia , Qian Yun , Yang Yang , Feng Yan , Flanner Mark , Leung L. Ruby , Liu Xiaohong , Shrivastava Manish , Sun Jian , Tang Qi , Xie Shaocheng , Yoon Jin‐Ho
Published: December 2019

The new Energy Exascale Earth System Model Version 1 (E3SMv1) developed for the U.S. Department of Energy has significant new treatments of aerosols and light‐absorbing snow impurities as well as their interactions with clouds and radiation. This study describes seven sets of new aerosol‐related treatments (involving emissions, new particle formation, aerosol transport, wet scavenging and resuspension, and snow radiative transfer) and examines how they affect global aerosols and radiative forcing in E3SMv1. Altogether, they give a reduced total aerosol radiative forcing (−1.6 W/m2) and sensitivity in cloud liquid water to aerosols, but an increased sensitivity in cloud droplet size to aerosols. A new approach for H2SO4 production and loss largely reduces a low bias in small particles concentrations and leads to substantial increases in cloud condensation nuclei concentrations and cloud radiative cooling. Emitting secondary organic aerosol precursor gases from elevated sources increases the column burden of secondary organic aerosol, contributing substantially to global clear‐sky aerosol radiative cooling (−0.15 out of −0.5 W/m2). A new treatment of aerosol resuspension from evaporating precipitation, developed to remedy two shortcomings of the original treatment, produces a modest reduction in aerosols and cloud droplets; its impact depends strongly on the model physics and is much stronger in E3SM Version 0. New treatments of the mixing state and optical properties of snow impurities and snow grains introduce a positive present‐day shortwave radiative forcing (0.26 W/m2), but changes in aerosol transport and wet removal processes also affect the concentration and radiative forcing of light‐absorbing impurities in snow/ice.
XIAP Interaction with E2F1 and Sp1 via its BIR2 and BIR3 domains specific activated MMP2 to promote bladder cancer invasion
Authors: Xu Jiheng , Hua Xiaohui , Yang Rui , Jin Honglei , Li Jingxia , Zhu Junlan , Tian Zhongxian , Huang Maowen , Jiang Guosong , Huang Haishan , Huang Chuanshu
Published: December 2019

XIAP has generally been thought to function in bladder cancer. However, the potential function of structure-based function of XIAP in human BC invasion has not been well explored before. We show here that ectopic expression of the BIR domains of XIAP specifically resulted in MMP2 activation and cell invasion in XIAP-deleted BC cells, while Src was further defined as an XIAP downstream negative regulator for MMP2 activation and BC cell invasion. The inhibition of Src expression by the BIR domains was caused by attenuation of Src protein translation upon miR-203 upregulation; which was resulted from direct interaction of BIR2 and BIR3 with E2F1 and Sp1, respectively. The interaction of BIR2/BIR3 with E2F1/Sp1 unexpectedly occurred, which could be blocked by serum-induced XIAP translocation. Taken together, our studies, for the first time revealed that: (1) BIR2 and BIR3 domains of XIAP play their role in cancer cell invasion without affecting cell migration by specific activation of MMP2 in human BC cells; (2) by BIR2 interacting with E2F1 and BIR3 interacting with Sp1, XIAP initiates E2F1/Sp1 positive feedback loop-dependent transcription of miR-203, which in turn inhibits Src protein translation, further leading to MMP2-cleaved activation; (3) XIAP interaction with E2F1 and Sp1 is observed in the nucleus. Our findings provide novel insights into understanding the specific function of BIR2 and BIR3 of XIAP in BC invasion, which will be highly significant for the design/synthesis of new BIR2/BIR3-based compounds for invasive BC treatment.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Dickkopf-1 contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma tumorigenesis by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway
Authors: Zhang Rui , Lin Hao-Ming , Broering Ruth , Shi Xiang-de , Yu Xian-huan , Xu Lei-bo , Wu Wen-rui , Liu Chao
Published: December 2019

Dysregulation of dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1) expression has been reported in a variety of human cancers. We previously reported that DKK1 was upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the role of DKK1 in HCC remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance and biological functions of DKK1 in HCC. The expression of DKK1 was examined in cirrhotic and HCC tissues by immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). DKK1 was silenced or overexpressed in HCC cell lines, and in vitro and in vivo studies were performed. Immunohistochemistry revealed that DKK1 was weakly expressed in cirrhotic tissues (8/22, 36.4%) but upregulated in HCC tissues (48/53, 90.6%, cohort 1). Significant upregulation of DKK1 was observed in 57.6% (19/33, cohort 2) of HCC tissues by qRT-PCR, and the expression of DKK1 was associated with tumor size (P = 0.024) and tumor number (P = 0.019). Genetic depletion of DKK1 impaired the proliferation, colony-forming ability, invasion, and tumor formation of HCC cells (HepG2 and HUH-7). Conversely, forced expression of DKK1 increased the proliferation, colony-forming ability, and invasion of HepG2 and HUH-7 cells in vitro and enhanced tumor formation in vivo. Subsequent investigation revealed that the DKK1-mediated proliferation and tumorigenicity of HepG2 and HUH-7 cells is dependent on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. These findings indicate that DKK1 plays an oncogenic role in HCC by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
Features of non-activation dendritic state and immune deficiency in blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN)
Authors: Beird Hannah C. , Khan Maliha , Wang Feng , Alfayez Mansour , Cai Tianyu , Zhao Li , Khoury Joseph , Futreal P. Andrew , Konopleva Marina , Pemmaraju Naveen
Published: December 2019

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare, male-predominant hematologic malignancy with poor outcomes and with just one recently approved agent (tagraxofusp). It is characterized by the abnormal proliferation of precursor plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) with morphologic and molecular similarities to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)/chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) in its presentation within the bone marrow and peripheral blood. To identify disease-specific molecular features of BPDCN, we profiled the bone marrow, peripheral blood, and serum samples from primary patient samples using an in-house hematologic malignancy panel (“T300” panel), transcriptome microarray, and serum multiplex immunoassays. TET2 mutations (5/8, 63%) were the most prevalent in our cohort. Using the transcriptome microarray, genes specific to pDCs (LAMP5, CCDC50) were more highly expressed in BPDCN than in AML specimens. Finally, the serum cytokine profile analysis showed significantly elevated levels of eosinophil chemoattractants eotaxin and RANTES in BPDCN as compared with AML. Along with the high levels of PTPRS and dendritic nature of the tumor cells, these findings suggest a possible pre-inflammatory context of this disease, in which BPDCN features nonactivated pDCs.
Transferrin plays a central role in coagulation balance by interacting with clotting factors
Authors: Tang Xiaopeng , Zhang Zhiye , Fang Mingqian , Han Yajun , Wang Gan , Wang Sheng , Xue Min , Li Yaxiong , Zhang Li , Wu Jian , Yang Biqing , Mwangi James , Lu Qiumin , Du Xiaoping , Lai Ren
Published: December 2019

Coagulation balance is maintained through fine-tuned interactions among clotting factors, whose physiological concentrations vary substantially. In particular, the concentrations of coagulation proteases (pM to nM) are much lower than their natural inactivator antithrombin (AT, ~ 3 μM), suggesting the existence of other coordinators. In the current study, we found that transferrin (normal plasma concentration ~40 μM) interacts with fibrinogen, thrombin, factor XIIa (FXIIa), and AT with different affinity to maintain coagulation balance. Normally, transferrin is sequestered by binding with fibrinogen (normal plasma concentration ~10 μM) at a molar ratio of 4:1. In atherosclerosis, abnormally up-regulated transferrin interacts with and potentiates thrombin/FXIIa and blocks AT’s inactivation effect on coagulation proteases by binding to AT, thus inducing hypercoagulability. In the mouse model, transferrin overexpression aggravated atherosclerosis, whereas transferrin inhibition via shRNA knockdown or treatment with anti-transferrin antibody or designed peptides interfering with transferrin-thrombin/FXIIa interactions alleviated atherosclerosis. Collectively, these findings identify that transferrin is an important clotting regulator and an adjuster in the maintenance of coagulation balance and modifies the coagulation cascade.
The calcium channel subunit α2δ-3 organizes synapses via an activity-dependent and autocrine BMP signaling pathway
Authors: Hoover Kendall M. , Gratz Scott J. , Qi Nova , Herrmann Kelsey A. , Liu Yizhou , Perry-Richardson Jahci J. , Vanderzalm Pamela J. , O’Connor-Giles Kate M. , Broihier Heather T.
Published: December 2019

Synapses are highly specialized for neurotransmitter signaling, yet activity-dependent growth factor release also plays critical roles at synapses. While efficient neurotransmitter signaling relies on precise apposition of release sites and neurotransmitter receptors, molecular mechanisms enabling high-fidelity growth factor signaling within the synaptic microenvironment remain obscure. Here we show that the auxiliary calcium channel subunit α2δ-3 promotes the function of an activity-dependent autocrine Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling pathway at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ). α2δ proteins have conserved synaptogenic activity, although how they execute this function has remained elusive. We find that α2δ-3 provides an extracellular scaffold for an autocrine BMP signal, suggesting a mechanistic framework for understanding α2δ’s conserved role in synapse organization. We further establish a transcriptional requirement for activity-dependent, autocrine BMP signaling in determining synapse density, structure, and function. We propose that activity-dependent, autocrine signals provide neurons with continuous feedback on their activity state for modulating both synapse structure and function.
Engineered E. coli Nissle 1917 for the delivery of matrix-tethered therapeutic domains to the gut
Authors: Praveschotinunt Pichet , Duraj-Thatte Anna M. , Gelfat Ilia , Bahl Franziska , Chou David B. , Joshi Neel S.
Published: December 2019

Mucosal healing plays a critical role in combatting the effects of inflammatory bowel disease, fistulae and ulcers. While most treatments for such diseases focus on systemically delivered anti-inflammatory drugs, often leading to detrimental side effects, mucosal healing agents that target the gut epithelium are underexplored. We genetically engineer Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) to create fibrous matrices that promote gut epithelial integrity in situ. These matrices consist of curli nanofibers displaying trefoil factors (TFFs), known to promote intestinal barrier function and epithelial restitution. We confirm that engineered EcN can secrete the curli-fused TFFs in vitro and in vivo, and is non-pathogenic. We observe enhanced protective effects of engineered EcN against dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis in mice, associated with mucosal healing and immunomodulation. This work lays a foundation for the development of a platform in which the in situ production of therapeutic protein matrices from beneficial bacteria can be exploited.
Reactive metabolite production is a targetable liability of glycolytic metabolism in lung cancer
Authors: Luengo Alba , Abbott Keene L. , Davidson Shawn M. , Hosios Aaron M. , Faubert Brandon , Chan Sze Ham , Freinkman Elizaveta , Zacharias Lauren G. , Mathews Thomas P. , Clish Clary B. , DeBerardinis Ralph J. , Lewis Caroline A. , Vander Heiden Matthew G.
Published: December 2019

Increased glucose uptake and metabolism is a prominent phenotype of most cancers, but efforts to clinically target this metabolic alteration have been challenging. Here, we present evidence that lactoylglutathione (LGSH), a byproduct of methylglyoxal detoxification, is elevated in both human and murine non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). Methylglyoxal is a reactive metabolite byproduct of glycolysis that reacts non-enzymatically with nucleophiles in cells, including basic amino acids, and reduces cellular fitness. Detoxification of methylglyoxal requires reduced glutathione (GSH), which accumulates to high levels in NSCLC relative to normal lung. Ablation of the methylglyoxal detoxification enzyme glyoxalase I (Glo1) potentiates methylglyoxal sensitivity and reduces tumor growth in mice, arguing that targeting pathways involved in detoxification of reactive metabolites is an approach to exploit the consequences of increased glucose metabolism in cancer.