bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biochar, compost and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: a tripartite approach to combat Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in soybean
Authors: Safaei Asadabadi Ramin , Hage-Ahmed Karin , Steinkellner Siegrid
Published: July 2021

Sclerotinia stem rot, caused bySclerotinia sclerotiorum(Lib.) de Bary, is a major disease in soybean in many parts of the world. Sustainable control measures to combat this pathogen can be better achieved by combining different available tools. One element to control fungal diseases could be changing biological activities by adding organic matter inputs, such as biochar and compost, to the soil. Other players are arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF); bioprotective effects have already been documented for them. In the present study, we assessed the effect of organic matter inputs, such as compost alone at the application rate of 20% of the total substrate (v/v) and/or green waste biochar at the application rate of 3% (v/v) in combination with or without arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, againstSclerotinia sclerotiorumand their effect on plant growth characteristics in soybean. Substrates including compost resulted in a lower disease severity in both, plants inoculated and non-inoculated with AMF. The AMF root colonization was highest in plants grown in the control treatment and green waste biochar substrate inoculated withSclerotinia sclerotiorum; the lowest colonization was found in plants grown in substrates containing compost. Soil substrates, especially compost, affected shoot dry matter production in soybean plants inoculated withSclerotinia sclerotiorumand in non-inoculated plants; compost alone was superior in treatments with and without AMF. Root morphological traits were more strongly influenced by AMF than by the substrate. Our findings suggest that compost has a positive effect in terms of soybean growth and diseases suppression, which is more pronounced than that of biochar and AMF.
Preparation and Visible Photocatalytic Properties of N-Doped TiO2/Muscovite Nanocomposites
Authors: Li Yao , Sun Hongjuan , Peng Tongjiang , You Hao , Zeng Li , Qin Yating
Published: July 2021

As a photocatalyst with good prospects, TiO2 has the shortcomings of easy agglomeration and no catalytic performance under visible light. The purpose of the present study was to help solve these problems by employing muscovite as a carrier for N-doped TiO2 in a nanocomposite. The nanocomposites were prepared by a liquid precipitation-grinding method using muscovite as the matrix and urea as the nitrogen source. The crystal structures, chemical bonding, and micromorphology of the nanocomposites were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, infrared absorption spectrometry, and field emission scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Visible and ultraviolet (UV-Vis) light absorption of the nanocomposites was analyzed by solid ultraviolet diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic effect of the nanocomposites was studied based on the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) solution. The photocatalytic degradation product of RhB was detected by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, revealing that N-doping inhibits the growth of TiO2 nanoparticles. The photocatalytic performance of N-TiO2/muscovite composite nanomaterials decreased with increasing heat-treatment temperature. N-doped TiO2/muscovite nanocomposites that were heated at 400°C showed the best photocatalytic performance under visible-light illumination with an RhB degradation of 97%.
Geochemistry and Mineralogy of Ice-Dammed Lake Sediments of the Lębork Deposit
Authors: Rogoziński Radosław , Maciejewska Alina
Published: July 2021

Varved clay deposits from ice-dammed lakes are a particularly important and broadly applied raw material used for the production of high-quality ceramics (red bricks, roof tiles, etc.), but the mineralogy and geochemistry of these sediments are not fully understood. The aim of the present study was to determine the chemical and mineralogical composition of ice-dammed lake sediments of the Lębork deposit. Major-element analysis of the compositions of selected samples from the ice-dammed lake clays was performed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and trace elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The mineralogical composition of clay samples was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Analyses of the chemical composition of the ice-dammed lake clays of the Lębork deposit showed that the dominant component was SiO2 with a mean content of 56.13 wt.%; the second most abundant component was Al2O3, with a mean content for the entire deposit of 11.61 wt.%. Analysis by ICP-MS indicated the presence of rare earth elements (REE), e.g. cerium, neodymium, lanthanum, and praseodymium; their mean contents are: 56.9, 27.0, 26.3, and 7.3 ppm, respectively. Mineralogical analysis of the varved clays identified quartz, muscovite, calcite, and clay minerals – illite, kaolinite, and montmorillonite. The material filling the Lębork basin is characterized by small lateral and vertical variability in chemical composition. The results of the present study may be of considerable importance in determining the parent igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, the weathering products of which supplied material to the ice-dammed lake, as well as in determining the mechanisms and character of the sedimentation process itself.
Urological Emergencies and Diseases in Wilderness Expeditions
Authors: Cook Kyle A. , Bledsoe Gregory H. , Canon Stephen J.
Published: July 2021

When considering medical emergencies that might affect an expedition, urologic emergencies are typically not included. However, the reality is that manageable and prevalent urologic disease processes can pose significant challenges for the wilderness medicine physician and warrant consideration. The purpose of this review is to identify and discuss the most commonly encountered urologic emergencies and diseases in the wilderness setting and to prepare the expedition medicine physician for management of these urgent conditions. A PubMed and Internet search for urologic emergencies and diseases in wilderness conditions was conducted. We also searched bibliographies for useful supplemental literature and material from leading mountain medicine and wilderness medicine societies as well as population-based studies for common urologic diseases. Urologic emergencies and diseases on expeditions and in wilderness conditions have been reported primarily with retrospective case series and case reports. The most commonly reported urologic emergencies in this setting include urologic trauma, renal calculi, and urinary retention. Parasitic infections in the urinary tract also have been reported to cause urinary symptoms and urinary retention in wilderness conditions. Although urologic diseases in such conditions are uncommon, significant morbidity and even potentially life-threatening sequelae to urologic emergencies were found to occur. Major genitourinary emergencies in expedition medicine are uncommon but involve both potentially manageable urgent conditions and serious life-threatening conditions best treated with urgent stabilization and occasionally medical evacuation. The opportunity exists for increased awareness for management strategies for urologic conditions in the often remote or extreme environments of an expedition.
Kelly and Jackson networks with interchangeable, cooperative servers
Authors: Wang Chia-Li , Wolff Ronald W.
Published: July 2021

In open Kelly and Jackson networks, servers are assigned to individual stations, serving customers only where they are assigned. We investigate the performance of modified networks where servers cooperate. A server who would be idle at the assigned station will serve customers at another station, speeding up service there. We assume interchangeable servers: the service rate of a server at a station depends only on the station, not the server. This gives work conservation, which is used in various ways. We investigate three levels of server cooperation, from full cooperation, where all servers are busy when there is work to do anywhere in the network, to one-way cooperation, where a server assigned to one station may assist a server at another, but not the converse. We obtain the same stability conditions for each level and, in a series of examples, obtain substantial performance improvement with server cooperation, even when stations before modification are moderately loaded.
Markov chain approximation of one-dimensional sticky diffusions
Authors: Meier Christian , Li Lingfei , Zhang Gongqiu
Published: July 2021

We develop a continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) approximation of one-dimensional diffusions with sticky boundary or interior points. Approximate solutions to the action of the Feynman–Kac operator associated with a sticky diffusion and first passage probabilities are obtained using matrix exponentials. We show how to compute matrix exponentials efficiently and prove that a carefully designed scheme achieves second-order convergence. We also propose a scheme based on CTMC approximation for the simulation of sticky diffusions, for which the Euler scheme may completely fail. The efficiency of our method and its advantages over alternative approaches are illustrated in the context of bond pricing in a sticky short-rate model for a low-interest environment and option pricing under a geometric Brownian motion price model with a sticky interior point.
The Church of England and the Coronation Rite, 1761–1838
Authors: Dixon Nicholas
Published: July 2021

British coronations from 1761 to 1838 have conventionally been dismissed as tawdry pageants with little religious significance. The study of these ceremonies has also been impeded by the dominance of historiographical frameworks characterizing the later Georgian period as an era of political secularization. Drawing upon many neglected sources, this article challenges such presuppositions by situating the Anglican clergy in the foreground of coronations and exploring the ways in which these events were perceived to retain a religious and political significance. The discussion encompasses theoretical understandings of coronations and the practical tensions between church and state exposed by them.
Plant Parasitic Nematodes in Subtropical and Tropical Agriculture 2nd Edn. (ed. Luc, M., Sikora, R. A. & Bridge, J.), pp. 896. CABI Publishing, UK, 2005. ISBN 0 85199 727 9. £ 99.50 (US$ 195.00).
Authors: PERRY ROLAND N.
Published: July 2021

Nematology is divided, often arbitrarily, into several ‘subdisciplines’, amongst which the study of plant-parasitic nematodes is predicated on their considerable economic importance world-wide. Further subdivision of the discipline is rarely justified but, in the tropics and subtropics, control of nematode damage is often compromised by lack of knowledge and the cost of conventional management strategies. Thus, there is a need for a comprehensive, informative text on plant-parasitic nematodes of these regions. Plant Parasitic Nematodes in Subtropical and Tropical Agriculture is the second edition of a book whose aim is to meet these requirements.
Progression of asexual to sexual stages of Cystoisospora suis in a host cell-free environment as a model for Coccidia
Authors: Feix Anna Sophia , Cruz-Bustos Teresa , Ruttkowski Bärbel , Mötz Marlene , Rümenapf Till , Joachim Anja
Published: July 2021

Coccidia display a characteristic life cycle, where the parasites switch between asexual and sexual development, resulting in an environmental stage, the oocyst. The entero-pathogenic Cystoisospora suis, a coccidian parasite of swine and close relative to Toxoplasma gondii, undergoes development in one host-cycle. Despite the well-described intracellular development of Coccidia, the C. suis life cycle can progress in an in vitro, host cell-free system after initial intracellular development of merozoites. A novel host cell-free cultivation method was developed by transferring purified merozoites from cell culture supernatant (dpi 6) to culture medium and incubating them for 5 days to induce their progression to sexually differentiated stages. The development of sexual stages in the absence of host cells was verified by morphological studies, flow cytometry and the transcription analysis of three genes linked to sexual stages (HAP2, OWP and TyRP). The host cell-free culture permits the sexual development (and with this, the complete life cycle progression from sporozoites to oocysts) of C. suis in vitro and provides a new tool for detailed research on the development of C. suis and possibly other Coccidia. This will also be useful for the evaluation of novel drug or vaccine targets in these parasites.
Adherence to country-specific guidelines among economic evaluations undertaken in three high-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review
Authors: Sharma Deepshikha , Aggarwal Arun Kumar , Wilkinson Thomas , Isaranuwatchai Wanrudee , Chauhan Akashdeep Singh , Prinja Shankar
Published: July 2021

Objective

To assess the adherence of economic evaluations to the recommendations on principles of economic evaluation as stated in the country-specific guidelines for three countries across different income groups, namely, Canada, South Africa, and Egypt.

Methods

Searches were undertaken in three databases to identify economic evaluations meeting predefined inclusion criteria. Methodological and reporting standards listed in the country-specific guidelines were converted into discrete binary variables to calculate mean adherence scores. Quality appraisal was done using Drummond's checklist. Stratified analysis was undertaken to identify independent variables affecting adherence.

Results

We identified forty-four, seventy-nine, and sixteen economic evaluations for Canada, South Africa, and Egypt, respectively. The mean adherence score was the highest for Canada (71%), followed by South Africa (65%) and Egypt (60%). Adherence to guidelines was positively correlated with quality of studies, r = .72. Furthermore, the mean adherence score was significantly (p < .05) higher for studies using a cost-utility analysis design (72%), having local/national funding aid (72%), undertaken by a health economist (71%) and for pharmacoeconomic evaluations (70%).

Conclusion

The quality of economic evaluations improves with adherence to country-specific guidelines. Locally funded and health-economist led health technology assessments (HTAs) should be encouraged for greater adherence to the guidelines. The HTA researchers and the HTA bodies should lay emphasis on adherence to the country-specific guidelines for improving the quality of HTA evidence.
Students, Suffrage, and Political Change: The College Equal Suffrage League and Campus Campaigns for Women’s Right to Vote, 1905–1920
Authors: Marino Kelly
Published: July 2021

From 1905–1920, American college and university students carried on active and understudied campaigns to gain legitimacy and support for women’s suffrage at institutions of higher education across the United States. The primary organization responsible for initiating and directing campus activism was the College Equal Suffrage League (CESL), formed in 1900 by Massachusetts teachers Maud Wood Park and Inez Haynes Gillmore to recruit more upper- and middle-class, well-educated, students and alumni to the women’s rights movement. Exploring the records of state and national suffragists, women’s organizations, and academic institutions associated with the CESL shows that the league’s campaigns helped to reinvigorate the suffrage cause at an important moment in the early twentieth century by using educational tactics as powerful tools to cultivate a scholarly voice for the campaign, appeal to the upper classes, and fit within the contexts of higher education and larger movement for progressive reform. In addition to influencing the suffrage cause, campus organizing for equal voting rights changed the culture of female political activism and higher education by ushering a younger generation of articulate and well-trained activists into the women’s rights campaign and starting in a trend of organized youth mobilization for women’s rights at colleges and universities.
Synthesis and design of filters and multiplexers with acoustic transversal topology
Authors: Perea-Robles Rafael , Mateu Jordi , Collado Carlos , Yusuf Yazid , Gimenez Alfred , Aigner Robert
Published: July 2021

The novel acoustic transversal topology has demonstrated to be a potential candidate for the development of the next generation of communication filters. The major asset of this topology is its capacity to achieve any filter response without the detriment of limited electro-acoustic coupling. Additionally, this topology prompts for an easy connection of different filters to create multiband and multiplexing responses. This study recalls and further details on the design of multiplexers based on transversal topology using bulk acoustic wave (BAW) or surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonators. An important practical aspect of this topology is the need of a BALUN stage at one port of the filter.

The use of the transversal topology is then applied to another type of acoustic resonator configuration, coupled resonator filter (CRF). Such a resonator configuration offers control over the phase of each transversal path, allowing us to eliminate the BALUN stage. CRF resonators are modeled by means of a different circuit model than BAW or SAW, which calls for a new synthesis procedure. This paper describes the synthesis approach and circuit transformation for the development of multiplexers based on the transversal arrangement of the CRF resonators. An example of a fully simulated 9-plexer is provided to verify this procedure.
Investigations on a circular UWB antenna with Archimedean spiral slot for WLAN/Wi-MAX and satellite X-band filtering feature
Authors: De Arnab , Roy Bappadittya , Bhattacharya Ankan , Bhattacharjee A. K.
Published: July 2021

In this article a compact circular monopole antenna is represented with dimensions of 38.87 × 24.00 × 1.60 mm3 applicable for WLAN/Wi-MAX and satellite band rejection characteristics. The impedance bandwidth is 9.42 GHz (3.12–12.54 GHz) for the final antenna with an equivalent fractional bandwidth of about 120.31%, producing triple notched bands centered at 3.95, 5.20 and 8.90 GHz with assistance of Archimedean spiral slot and incorporation of defected ground structure allowing WLAN (5.2 GHz), WiMAX (3.5 GHz) and higher satellite X-band (8.5 GHz) filtering abilities. Simulations of the antenna are performed to attain preferable return loss properties as well as gain and omni-directional radiation patterns. The suggested antenna yields a peak gain of about 7.46 dBi at 11.30 GHz and experimental values are in good obedience with simulated ones.
The Drying Regimes of Non‐Perennial Rivers and Streams
Authors: Price Adam N. , Jones C. Nathan , Hammond John C. , Zimmer Margaret A. , Zipper Samuel C.
Published: July 2021

The flow regime paradigm is central to the aquatic sciences, where flow drives critical functions in lotic systems. Non‐perennial streams comprise the majority of global river length, thus we extended this paradigm to stream drying. Using 894 USGS gages, we isolated 25,207 drying events from 1979 to 2018, represented by a streamflow peak followed by no flow. We calculated hydrologic signatures for each drying event and using multivariate statistics, grouped events into drying regimes characterized by: (a) fast drying, (b) long no‐flow duration, (c) prolonged drying following low antecedent flows, (d) drying without a distinctive hydrologic signature. 77% of gages had more than one drying regime at different times within the study period. Random forests revealed land cover/use are more important to how a river dries than climate or physiographic characteristics. Clustering stream drying behavior may allow practitioners to more systematically adapt water resource management practices to specific drying regimes or rivers.
Gravitational Circulation as Driver of Upstream Migration of Estuarine Sand Dunes
Authors: van der Sande W. M. , Roos P. C. , Gerkema T. , Hulscher S. J. M. H.
Published: July 2021

Sand dunes are large‐scale rhythmic bed patterns commonly occurring in sandy shelf seas, estuaries and rivers. Field observations of sand dunes in the Gironde estuary (France) have suggested that the gravitational circulation may cause seasonal reversal of asymmetry, which is linked to migration direction. In this study, we aim to unravel the influence of gravitational circulation on the migration of estuarine sand dunes. To this end, we present an idealized process‐based sand dune model with tide and river forcing, and the addition of a longitudinal salinity gradient (imposed diagnostically) that induces gravitational circulation. Linear stability analysis shows the emergence of dunes from a flat bed and confirms that reversal of dune migration may occur, provided the gravitational circulation is sufficiently strong compared to the river flow velocity. Lastly, we show that the migration direction of estuarine sand dunes is not necessarily the same as the direction of net sediment transport.
Inside a Lunar Mini‐Magnetosphere: First Energetic Neutral Atom Measurements on the Lunar Surface
Authors: Xie Lianghai , Li Lei , Zhang Aibing , Zhang Yiteng , Cao Jinbin , Wieser Martin , Zhang Xiaoping , Wang Jingdong , Zhou Bin , Feng Yongyong , Kong Linggao , Li Yong , Wang Fang
Published: July 2021

Due to lack of in situ observations, people still know little about the formation conditions and the internal structure of lunar mini‐magnetosphere. Here we present the first energetic neutral atom (ENA) measurement on lunar surface by the Chang'E‐4 mission. It is found that when downstream from the Imbrium antipode magnetic anomalies, the measured ENA fluxes are generally decreased, suggesting a mini‐magnetosphere that can shield the lunar surface from the solar wind. Further studies show that the shielding effect can only be found when the ion inertia length is small (<120 km) and some solar wind ions can penetrate into the mini‐magnetosphere with a penetrating efficiency positively correlated with the solar wind dynamic pressure. When the ion inertia length is large, no shielding effect can be found. With the help of Hall MHD simulations, we confirm the existence of a mini‐magnetosphere and the shielding effect anti‐correlated with ion inertia length.
Linking Atmospheric Cloud Radiative Effects and Tropical Precipitation
Authors: Needham Michael R. , Randall David A.
Published: July 2021

Studies in recent decades have demonstrated a robust relationship between tropical precipitation and column relative humidity (CRH). The present study identifies a similar relationship between CRH and the atmospheric cloud radiative effect (ACRE) calculated from satellite observations. Like precipitation, the ACRE begins to increase rapidly when CRH exceeds a critical value near 70%. We show that the ACRE can be estimated from CRH, similar to the way that CRH has been used to estimate precipitation. Our method reproduces the annual mean spatial structure of the ACRE in the tropics, and skillfully estimates the mean ACRE on monthly and daily time scales in six regions of the tropics. We propose that the exponential dependence of precipitation on CRH may be partially explained by cloud‐longwave feedbacks, which facilitate a shift from convective to stratiform conditions.
Impact of an Approach to Integrated Care for Young Children in Low-Income Urban Settings: Perspectives of Primary Care Clinicians
Authors: Davis Annie E. , Vivrette Rebecca , Carter Taneisha , Eberhardt Claire , Edwards Sarah , Connors Kathleen , Reavis Kristin
Published: July 2021

Objective: Parents and young children in low-income communities have compounding risk factors for their health and mental health, and integrated primary care has been identified as an effective approach for embedding needed auxiliary supports. Less is known about how primary care clinicians—who are key organizational drivers for integrated primary care—perceive the impact of this support on themselves and their clinics. Method: This study used a qualitative approach to gather clinicians’ perceptions of how HealthySteps (one approach to integrated care for young families) impacted their functioning and their clinic in an urban low-income community. Results: Thematic analysis of clinician interviews resulted in four themes. Clinicians opined that HealthySteps reduced their stress, eased their workload, and supported their job satisfaction in a setting where most families had significant psychosocial risk factors. They highlighted components of HealthySteps perceived to be the most impactful (e.g., tangible supports for families, connection to community services) and highlighted its role in improving relationships with families and case conceptualization. Conclusions: Recommendations are provided to leverage clinician voices to advocate for integrated primary care.

Implications for Impact Statement

Many young children and families present to primary care with complex psychosocial needs. Integrated primary care is an approach to addressing these needs by embedding psychosocial support staff into clinics to partner with primary care clinicians. In this qualitative study, clinicians described perceived impacts of implementing an integrated care model for young children, HealthySteps, into a low-income, urban clinic. Clinicians discussed the most impactful elements of HealthySteps implementation on clinician stress and clinic functioning.
Hypothalamic primary cilium: A hub for metabolic homeostasis
Authors: Yang Dong Joo , Hong Jessica , Kim Ki Woo
Published: July 2021

Obesity is a global health problem that is associated with adverse consequences such as the development of metabolic disorders, including cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, and type 2 diabetes. A major cause of obesity is metabolic imbalance, which results from insufficient physical activity and excess energy intake. Understanding the pathogenesis of obesity, as well as other metabolic disorders, is important in the development of methods for prevention and therapy. The coordination of energy balance takes place in the hypothalamus, a major brain region that maintains body homeostasis. The primary cilium is an organelle that has recently received attention because of its role in controlling energy balance in the hypothalamus. Defects in proteins required for ciliary function and formation, both in humans and in mice, have been shown to cause various metabolic disorders. In this review, we provide an overview of the critical functions of primary cilia, particularly in hypothalamic areas, and briefly summarize the studies on the primary roles of cilia in specific neurons relating to metabolic homeostasis.
Lagged meteorological impacts on COVID-19 incidence among high-risk counties in the United States—a spatiotemporal analysis
Authors: Chien Lung-Chang , Chen L.-W. Antony , Lin Ro-Ting
Published: July 2021

Background

The associations between meteorological factors and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been discussed globally; however, because of short study periods, the lack of considering lagged effects, and different study areas, results from the literature were diverse and even contradictory.

Objective

The primary purpose of this study is to conduct more reliable research to evaluate the lagged meteorological impacts on COVID-19 incidence by considering a relatively long study period and diversified high-risk areas in the United States.

Methods

This study adopted the distributed lagged nonlinear model with a spatial function to analyze COVID-19 incidence predicted by multiple meteorological measures from March to October of 2020 across 203 high-risk counties in the United States. The estimated spatial function was further smoothed within the entire continental United States by the biharmonic spline interpolation.

Results

Our findings suggest that the maximum temperature, minimum relative humidity, and precipitation were the best meteorological predictors. Most significantly positive associations were found from 3 to 11 lagged days in lower levels of each selected meteorological factor. In particular, a significantly positive association appeared in minimum relative humidity higher than 88.36% at 5-day lag. The spatial analysis also shows excessive risks in the north-central United States.

Significance

The research findings can contribute to the implementation of early warning surveillance of COVID-19 by using weather forecasting for up to two weeks in high-risk counties.
ZEB2 facilitates peritoneal metastasis by regulating the invasiveness and tumorigenesis of cancer stem-like cells in high-grade serous ovarian cancers
Authors: Li Yiying , Fei He , Lin Qiwang , Liang Fan , You Yanan , Li Ming , Wu Mengyao , Qu Ying , Li Pengfei , Yuan Yan , Chen Tong , Jiang Hua
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Peritoneal metastasis is a common issue in the progression of high-grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSOCs), yet the underlying mechanism remains unconfirmed. We demonstrated that ZEB2, the transcription factor of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), was upregulated in ascites cells from HGSOC patients and in CD133+cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs) from epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) cell lines. SiRNA-mediated knockdown of ZEB2 in EOC cells decreased the percentage of CSLCs and reduced the colony forming potential, cell invasion capacity and expression of pluripotent genes Oct4 and Nanog. Inhibition of ZEB2 also induced cellular apoptosis and impacted the tumorigenicity of ovarian CSLCs. The mesenchymal markers N-cadherin and vimentin were downregulated, while the epithelial marker E-cadherin was upregulated after ZEB2 knockdown. MiR-200a, a molecule that downregulates ZEB2, had the opposite effect of ZEB2 expression in EOC-CSLCs. A retrospective study of 98 HGSOC patients on the relationship of ascites volume, pelvic and abdominal metastasis, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and the malignant involvement of abdominal organs and lymph nodes was performed. Patients with high expression of ZEB2 in tumour tissues had a higher metastasis rate and a poorer prognosis than those with low expression. The parameters of ZEB2 expression and ascites volume were strongly linked with the prognostic outcome of HGSOC patients and had higher hazard ratios. These findings illustrated that ZEB2 facilitates the invasive metastasis of EOC-CSLCs and can predict peritoneal metastasis and a poor prognosis in HGSOC patients.
Conversion of marginal land into switchgrass conditionally accrues soil carbon but reduces methane consumption
Authors: Bates Colin T , Escalas Arthur , Kuang Jialiang , Hale Lauren , Wang Yuan , Herman Don , Nuccio Erin E , Wan Xiaoling , Bhattacharyya Amrita , Fu Ying , Tian Renmao , Wang Gangsheng , Ning Daliang , Yang Yunfeng , Wu Liyou , Pett-Ridge Jennifer , Saha Malay , Craven Kelly , Brodie Eoin L , Firestone Mary , Zhou Jizhong
Published: July 2021

Switchgrass is a deep-rooted perennial native to the US prairies and an attractive feedstock for bioenergy production; when cultivated on marginal soils it can provide a potential mechanism to sequester and accumulate soil carbon (C). However, the impacts of switchgrass establishment on soil biotic/abiotic properties are poorly understood. Additionally, few studies have reported the effects of switchgrass cultivation on marginal lands that have low soil nutrient quality (N/P) or in areas that have experienced high rates of soil erosion. Here, we report a comparative analyses of soil greenhouse gases (GHG), soil chemistry, and microbial communities in two contrasting soil types (with or without switchgrass) over 17 months (1428 soil samples). These soils are highly eroded, ‘Dust Bowl’ remnant field sites in southern Oklahoma, USA. Our results revealed that soil C significantly increased at the sandy-loam (SL) site, but not at the clay-loam (CL) site. Significantly higher CO2 flux was observed from the CL switchgrass site, along with reduced microbial diversity (both alpha and beta). Strikingly, methane (CH4) consumption was significantly reduced by an estimated 39 and 47% at the SL and CL switchgrass sites, respectively. Together, our results suggest that soil C stocks and GHG fluxes are distinctly different at highly degraded sites when switchgrass has been cultivated, implying that carbon balance considerations should be accounted for to fully evaluate the sustainability of deep-rooted perennial grass cultivation in marginal lands.
Linking meta-omics to the kinetics of denitrification intermediates reveals pH-dependent causes of N2O emissions and nitrite accumulation in soil
Authors: Frostegård Åsa , Vick Silas H W , Lim Natalie Y N , Bakken Lars R , Shapleigh James P
Published: July 2021

Soil pH is a key controller of denitrification. We analysed the metagenomics/transcriptomics and phenomics of two soils from a long-term liming experiment, SoilN (pH 6.8) and un-limed SoilA (pH 3.8). SoilA had severely delayed N2O reduction despite early transcription of nosZ (mainly clade I), encoding N2O reductase, by diverse denitrifiers. This shows that post-transcriptionally hampered maturation of the NosZ apo-protein at low pH is a generic phenomenon. Identification of transcript reads of several accessory genes in the nos cluster indicated that enzymes for NosZ maturation were present across a range of organisms, eliminating their absence as an explanation for the failure to produce a functional enzyme. nir transcript abundances (for NO2− reductase) in SoilA suggest that low NO2− concentrations in acidic soils, often ascribed to abiotic degradation, are primarily due to biological activity. The accumulation of NO2− in neutral soil was ascribed to high nar expression (nitrate reductase). The -omics results revealed dominance of nirK over nirS in both soils while qPCR showed the opposite, demonstrating that standard primer pairs only capture a fraction of the nirK pool. qnor encoding NO reductase was strongly expressed in SoilA, implying an important role in controlling NO. Production of HONO, for which some studies claim higher, others lower, emissions from NO2− accumulating soil, was estimated to be ten times higher from SoilA than from SoilN. The study extends our understanding of denitrification-driven gas emissions and the diversity of bacteria involved and demonstrates that gene and transcript quantifications cannot always reliably predict community phenotypes.
Genetic regulation of shoot architecture in cucumber
Authors: Liu Xiaofeng , Chen Jiacai , Zhang Xiaolan
Published: July 2021

Cucumber (Cucumis sativusL.) is an important vegetable crop species with great economic value. Shoot architecture determines the visual appearance of plants and has a strong impact on crop management and yield. Unlike most model plant species, cucumber undergoes vegetative growth and reproductive growth simultaneously, in which leaves are produced from the shoot apical meristem and flowers are generated from leaf axils, during the majority of its life, a feature representative of the Cucurbitaceae family. Despite substantial advances achieved in understanding the regulation of plant form inArabidopsis thaliana, rice, and maize, our understanding of the mechanisms controlling shoot architecture in Cucurbitaceae crop species is still limited. In this review, we focus on recent progress on elucidating the genetic regulatory pathways underlying the determinant/indeterminant growth habit, leaf shape, branch outgrowth, tendril identity, and vine length determination in cucumber. We also discuss the potential of applying biotechnology tools and resources for the generation of ideal plant types with desired architectural features to improve cucumber productivity and cultivation efficiency.
Dynamic changes in transposable element and gene methylation in mulberry (Morus notabilis) in response to Botrytis cinerea
Authors: Xin Youchao , Ma Bi , Zeng Qiwei , He Wenmin , Qin Meiling , He Ningjia
Published: July 2021

DNA methylation has been proposed to regulate plant stress resistance. However, the dynamic changes in DNA methylation in woody plants and their correlations with pathogenic responses are not fully understood. Here, we present single-base maps of the DNA methylomes of mulberry (Morus notabilis) leaves that were subjected to a mock treatment or inoculation with Botrytis cinerea. Compared with the former, the latter showed decreased mCG and mCHG levels and increased mCHH levels. DNA methylation inhibitors reduced resistance gene methylation levels and enhanced mulberry resistance, suggesting that the hypomethylation of resistance genes affects mulberry resistance to B. cinerea. Virus-induced gene silencing of MnMET1 enhanced the expression of mulberry-resistance genes, thereby increasing the plant’s resistance to B. cinerea. We also found that MITEs play a dominant role in controlling DNA methylation levels. MITEs appear to be the main sources of 24-nt siRNAs that regulate gene expression through the RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway.
SlBBX20 interacts with the COP9 signalosome subunit SlCSN5-2 to regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis by activating SlDFR expression in tomato
Authors: Luo Dan , Xiong Cheng , Lin Aihua , Zhang Chunli , Sun Wenhui , Zhang Junhong , Yang Changxian , Lu Yongen , Li Hanxia , Ye Zhibiao , He Ping , Wang Taotao
Published: July 2021

Anthocyanins play vital roles in plant stress tolerance and growth regulation. Previously, we reported that the photomorphogenesis-related transcription factor SlBBX20 regulates anthocyanin accumulation in tomato. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we showed that SlBBX20 promotes anthocyanin biosynthesis by binding the promoter of the anthocyanin biosynthesis gene SlDFR, suggesting that SlBBX20 directly activates anthocyanin biosynthesis genes. Furthermore, we found by yeast two-hybrid screening that SlBBX20 interacts with the COP9 signalosome subunit SlCSN5-2, and the interaction was confirmed by bimolecular fluorescence complementation and coimmunoprecipitation assays. SlCSN5 gene silencing led to anthocyanin hyperaccumulation in the transgenic tomato calli and shoots, and SlCSN5-2 overexpression decreased anthocyanin accumulation, suggesting thSlCSN5-2 enhanced the ubiquitination of SlBBX20 and promoted the degradation of SlBBX20 in vivo. Consistently, silencing the SlCSN5-2 homolog in tobacco significantly increased the accumulation of the SlBBX20 protein. Since SlBBX20 is a vital regulator of photomorphogenesis, the SlBBX20-SlCSN5-2 module may represent a novel regulatory pathway in light-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis.
ATR regulates neuronal activity by modulating presynaptic firing
Authors: Kirtay Murat , Sell Josefine , Marx Christian , Haselmann Holger , Ceanga Mihai , Zhou Zhong-Wei , Rahmati Vahid , Kirkpatrick Joanna , Buder Katrin , Grigaravicius Paulius , Ori Alessandro , Geis Christian , Wang Zhao-Qi
Published: July 2021

Ataxia Telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) protein, as a key DNA damage response (DDR) regulator, plays an essential function in response to replication stress and controls cell viability. Hypomorphic mutations of ATR cause the human ATR-Seckel syndrome, characterized by microcephaly and intellectual disability, which however suggests a yet unknown role for ATR in non-dividing cells. Here we show that ATR deletion in postmitotic neurons does not compromise brain development and formation; rather it enhances intrinsic neuronal activity resulting in aberrant firing and an increased epileptiform activity, which increases the susceptibility of ataxia and epilepsy in mice. ATR deleted neurons exhibit hyper-excitability, associated with changes in action potential conformation and presynaptic vesicle accumulation, independent of DDR signaling. Mechanistically, ATR interacts with synaptotagmin 2 (SYT2) and, without ATR, SYT2 is highly upregulated and aberrantly translocated to excitatory neurons in the hippocampus, thereby conferring a hyper-excitability. This study identifies a physiological function of ATR, beyond its DDR role, in regulating neuronal activity.
Long noncoding RNA BS-DRL1 modulates the DNA damage response and genome stability by interacting with HMGB1 in neurons
Authors: Lou Min-Min , Tang Xiao-Qiang , Wang Guang-Ming , He Jia , Luo Fang , Guan Ming-Feng , Wang Fei , Zou Huan , Wang Jun-Ying , Zhang Qun , Xu Ming-Jian , Shi Qi-Li , Shen Li-Bing , Ma Guo-Ming , Wu Yi , Zhang Yao-Yang , Liang Ai-bin , Wang Ting-Hua , Xiong Liu-Lin , Wang Jian , Xu Jun , Wang Wen-Yuan
Published: July 2021

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are known to regulate DNA damage response (DDR) and genome stability in proliferative cells. However, it remains unknown whether lncRNAs are involved in these vital biological processes in post-mitotic neurons. Here, we report and characterize a lncRNA, termed Brain Specific DNA-damage Related lncRNA1 (BS-DRL1), in the central nervous system. BS-DRL1 is a brain-specific lncRNA and depletion of BS-DRL1 in neurons leads to impaired DDR upon etoposide treatment in vitro. Mechanistically, BS-DRL1 interacts with HMGB1, a chromatin protein that is important for genome stability, and is essential for the assembly of HMGB1 on chromatin. BS-DRL1 mediated DDR exhibits cell-type specificity in the cortex and cerebellum in gamma-irradiated mice and BS-DRL1 knockout mice show impaired motor function and concomitant purkinje cell degeneration. Our study extends the understanding of lncRNAs in DDR and genome stability and implies a protective role of lncRNA against neurodegeneration.
Out-of-sequence skeletal growth causing oscillatory zoning in arc olivines
Authors: Salas Pablo , Ruprecht Philipp , Hernández Laura , Rabbia Osvaldo
Published: July 2021

Primitive olivines from the monogenetic cones Los Hornitos, Central-South Andes, preserve dendritic, skeletal, and polyhedral growth textures. Consecutive stages of textural maturation occur along compositional gradients where high Fo–Ni cores of polyhedral olivines (Fo92.5, Ni ~3500 ppm) contrast with the composition of dendritic olivines (Fo < 91.5, Ni < 3000 ppm), indicating sequential nucleation. Here we present a new growth model for oscillatory Fo–Ni olivine zoning that contrasts with the standard interpretation of continuous, sequential core-to-rim growth. Olivine grows rapidly via concentric addition of open-structured crystal frames, leaving behind compositional boundary layers that subsequently fill-in with Fo–Ni-depleted olivine, causing reversals. Elemental diffusion modeling reveals growth of individual crystal frames and eruption at the surface occurred over 3.5–40 days. Those timescales constrain magma ascent rates of 40–500 m/h (0.011 to 0.14 m/s) from the deep crust. Compared to ocean island basalts, where dendritic and skeletal olivines have been often described, magmas erupted at arc settings, experiencing storage and degassing, may lack such textures due to fundamentally different ascent histories.
Structural basis of ALC1/CHD1L autoinhibition and the mechanism of activation by the nucleosome
Authors: Wang Li , Chen Kangjing , Chen Zhucheng
Published: July 2021

Chromatin remodeler ALC1 (amplification in liver cancer 1) is crucial for repairing damaged DNA. It is autoinhibited and activated by nucleosomal epitopes. However, the mechanisms by which ALC1 is regulated remain unclear. Here we report the crystal structure of human ALC1 and the cryoEM structure bound to the nucleosome. The structure shows the macro domain of ALC1 binds to lobe 2 of the ATPase motor, sequestering two elements for nucleosome recognition, explaining the autoinhibition mechanism of the enzyme. The H4 tail competes with the macro domain for lobe 2-binding, explaining the requirement for this nucleosomal epitope for ALC1 activation. A dual-arginine-anchor motif of ALC1 recognizes the acidic pocket of the nucleosome, which is critical for chromatin remodeling in vitro. Together, our findings illustrate the structures of ALC1 and shed light on its regulation mechanisms, paving the way for the discovery of drugs targeting ALC1 for the treatment of cancer.
Genetic dissection identifies Necdin as a driver gene in a mouse model of paternal 15q duplications
Authors: Tamada Kota , Fukumoto Keita , Toya Tsuyoshi , Nakai Nobuhiro , Awasthi Janak R. , Tanaka Shinji , Okabe Shigeo , Spitz François , Saitow Fumihito , Suzuki Hidenori , Takumi Toru
Published: July 2021

Maternally inherited duplication of chromosome 15q11-q13 (Dup15q) is a pathogenic copy number variation (CNV) associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Recently, paternally derived duplication has also been shown to contribute to the development of ASD. The molecular mechanism underlying paternal Dup15q remains unclear. Here, we conduct genetic and overexpression-based screening and identify Necdin (Ndn) as a driver gene for paternal Dup15q resulting in the development of ASD-like phenotypes in mice. An excess amount of Ndn results in enhanced spine formation and density as well as hyperexcitability of cortical pyramidal neurons. We generate 15q dupΔNdn mice with a normalized copy number of Ndn by excising its one copy from Dup15q mice using a CRISPR-Cas9 system. 15q dupΔNdn mice do not show ASD-like phenotypes and show dendritic spine dynamics and cortical excitatory-inhibitory balance similar to wild type animals. Our study provides an insight into the role of Ndn in paternal 15q duplication and a mouse model of paternal Dup15q syndrome.
Display of the human mucinome with defined O-glycans by gene engineered cells
Authors: Nason Rebecca , Büll Christian , Konstantinidi Andriana , Sun Lingbo , Ye Zilu , Halim Adnan , Du Wenjuan , Sørensen Daniel M. , Durbesson Fabien , Furukawa Sanae , Mandel Ulla , Joshi Hiren J. , Dworkin Leo Alexander , Hansen Lars , David Leonor , Iverson Tina M. , Bensing Barbara A. , Sullam Paul M. , Varki Ajit , Vries Erik de , de Haan Cornelis A. M. , Vincentelli Renaud , Henrissat Bernard , Vakhrushev Sergey Y. , Clausen Henrik , Narimatsu Yoshiki
Published: July 2021

Mucins are a large family of heavily O-glycosylated proteins that cover all mucosal surfaces and constitute the major macromolecules in most body fluids. Mucins are primarily defined by their variable tandem repeat (TR) domains that are densely decorated with different O-glycan structures in distinct patterns, and these arguably convey much of the informational content of mucins. Here, we develop a cell-based platform for the display and production of human TR O-glycodomains (~200 amino acids) with tunable structures and patterns of O-glycans using membrane-bound and secreted reporters expressed in glycoengineered HEK293 cells. Availability of defined mucin TR O-glycodomains advances experimental studies into the versatile role of mucins at the interface with pathogenic microorganisms and the microbiome, and sparks new strategies for molecular dissection of specific roles of adhesins, glycoside hydrolases, glycopeptidases, viruses and other interactions with mucin TRs as highlighted by examples.