bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using multiple short epochs optimises the stability of infant EEG connectivity parameters
Authors: Haartsen Rianne , van der Velde Bauke , Jones Emily J. H. , Johnson Mark H. , Kemner Chantal
Published: July 2020

Atypicalities in connectivity between brain regions have been implicated in a range of neurocognitive disorders. We require metrics to assess stable individual differences in connectivity in the developing brain, while facing the challenge of limited data quality and quantity. Here, we examine how varying core processing parameters can optimise the test–retest reliability of EEG connectivity measures in infants. EEG was recorded twice with a 1-week interval between sessions in 10-month-olds. EEG alpha connectivity was measured across different epoch lengths and numbers, with the phase lag index (PLI) and debiased weighted PLI (dbWPLI), for both whole-head connectivity and graph theory metrics. We calculated intra-class correlations between sessions for infants with sufficient data for both sessions (N’s = 19–41, depending on the segmentation method). Reliability for the whole brain dbWPLI was higher across many short epochs, whereas reliability for the whole brain PLI was higher across fewer long epochs. However, the PLI is confounded by the number of available segments. Reliability was higher for whole brain connectivity than graph theory metrics. Thus, segmenting available data into a high number of short epochs and calculating the dbWPLI is most appropriate for characterising connectivity in populations with limited availability of EEG data.
Estimation of the ultimate tensile strength and yield strength for the pure metals and alloys by using the acoustic wave properties
Authors: Mohammed Arshed Abdulhamed , Haris Sallehuddin Mohamed , Al Azzawi Wessam
Published: July 2020

In this paper, the acoustic impedance property has been employed to predict the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and yield strength (YS) of pure metals and alloys. Novel algorithms were developed, depending on three experimentally measured parameters, and programmed in a MATLAB code. The measured parameters are longitudinal wave velocity of the metal, density, and crystal structure. 19-samples were considered in the study and divided into 3-groups according to their crystal structure; 7-FCC, 6-BCC, and 6-HCB. X-ray diffraction was used to examine the crystal structure of each sample of each group, while longitudinal wave velocity and metals’ density were measured experimentally. A comparison between mechanical properties predicted by the model and the ASTM standards was done to investigate the validity of the model. Furthermore, predicted stress–strain curves were compared with corresponding curves in the pieces literature as an additional validation check. The results revealed the excellence of the model with 85–99% prediction accuracy. The study also proved that if metals are grouped according to their crystal structure, a relation between UTS, YS, and modulus of elasticity (E) properties and wave pressure transmission coefficient (Tr) could be formulated.
Inter- and intra-annual wind speed variabilities in wide valley regions of the middle reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, China
Authors: Ben Yue , Mei Yadong , Chen Yiming , Hu Tiesong , Zhu Di
Published: July 2020

Wind speed and variability are the most critical climatic factors affecting sand/dust storms, which have not been sufficiently studied in the middle reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River (MYR). In this study, wind speed variability was investigated using the moving average over shifting horizon method (MASH), combined with the modified Mann–Kendall test and Sen’s slope based on data from the Tsetang, Lhasa, and Nyêmo meteorological stations during 1960–2015. The results indicated that annual wind speeds for the MYR wide valley regions declined significantly at decadal rates of − 0.216 m/s and underwent three stages from 1960 to 2015: an increasing trend from 1960 to 1975 (0.44 m/s per decade), a weakening until 2006 (− 0.46 m/s per decade), and a remarkable subsequent recovery (1.05 m/s per decade). Different variability trends were observed for the three stations: wind speed decreased significantly during all months at the Tsetang and Nyêmo stations, particularly in the spring, while for Lhasa, a non-significant wind speed increase was detected in summer, and the highest decline occurred in winter. The MASH method resulted in the effective visualization of different patterns, making seasonal process analysis and trend detection easier. In addition, the possible main causes for wind speed change were also discussed. The wind speed change in the study region was strongly associated with the large-scale atmospheric patterns, and the surface pressure gradient variability between the mid and low latitudes may have been a primary driving force. Positive/negative phases of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) corresponded well with wind speed decreases/increases and were regarded as an indicator of wind speed variations. The effects of human activities associated with surface roughness change in the MYR were minor compared with the climatic changes.
Gene products and processes contributing to lanthanide homeostasis and methanol metabolism in Methylorubrum extorquens AM1
Authors: Roszczenko-Jasińska Paula , Vu Huong N. , Subuyuj Gabriel A. , Crisostomo Ralph Valentine , Cai James , Lien Nicholas F. , Clippard Erik J. , Ayala Elena M. , Ngo Richard T. , Yarza Fauna , Wingett Justin P. , Raghuraman Charumathi , Hoeber Caitlin A. , Martinez-Gomez Norma C. , Skovran Elizabeth
Published: July 2020

Lanthanide elements have been recently recognized as “new life metals” yet much remains unknown regarding lanthanide acquisition and homeostasis. In Methylorubrum extorquens AM1, the periplasmic lanthanide-dependent methanol dehydrogenase XoxF1 produces formaldehyde, which is lethal if allowed to accumulate. This property enabled a transposon mutagenesis study and growth studies to confirm novel gene products required for XoxF1 function. The identified genes encode an MxaD homolog, an ABC-type transporter, an aminopeptidase, a putative homospermidine synthase, and two genes of unknown function annotated as orf6 and orf7. Lanthanide transport and trafficking genes were also identified. Growth and lanthanide uptake were measured using strains lacking individual lanthanide transport cluster genes, and transmission electron microscopy was used to visualize lanthanide localization. We corroborated previous reports that a TonB-ABC transport system is required for lanthanide incorporation to the cytoplasm. However, cells were able to acclimate over time and bypass the requirement for the TonB outer membrane transporter to allow expression of xoxF1 and growth. Transcriptional reporter fusions show that excess lanthanides repress the gene encoding the TonB-receptor. Using growth studies along with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, we demonstrate that lanthanides are stored as cytoplasmic inclusions that resemble polyphosphate granules.
Genetic and environmental variation in educational attainment: an individual-based analysis of 28 twin cohorts
Authors: Silventoinen Karri , Jelenkovic Aline , Sund Reijo , Latvala Antti , Honda Chika , Inui Fujio , Tomizawa Rie , Watanabe Mikio , Sakai Norio , Rebato Esther , Busjahn Andreas , Tyler Jessica , Hopper John L. , Ordoñana Juan R. , Sánchez-Romera Juan F. , Colodro-Conde Lucia , Calais-Ferreira Lucas , Oliveira Vinicius C. , Ferreira Paulo H. , Medda Emanuela , Nisticò Lorenza , Toccaceli Virgilia , Derom Catherine A. , Vlietinck Robert F. , Loos Ruth J. F. , Siribaddana Sisira H. , Hotopf Matthew , Sumathipala Athula , Rijsdijk Fruhling , Duncan Glen E. , Buchwald Dedra , Tynelius Per , Rasmussen Finn , Tan Qihua , Zhang Dongfeng , Pang Zengchang , Magnusson Patrik K. E. , Pedersen Nancy L. , Dahl Aslan Anna K. , Hwang Amie E. , Mack Thomas M. , Krueger Robert F. , McGue Matt , Pahlen Shandell , Brandt Ingunn , Nilsen Thomas S. , Harris Jennifer R. , Martin Nicholas G. , Medland Sarah E. , Montgomery Grant W. , Willemsen Gonneke , Bartels Meike , van Beijsterveldt Catharina E. M. , Franz Carol E. , Kremen William S. , Lyons Michael J. , Silberg Judy L. , Maes Hermine H. , Kandler Christian , Nelson Tracy L. , Whitfield Keith E. , Corley Robin P. , Huibregtse Brooke M. , Gatz Margaret , Butler David A. , Tarnoki Adam D. , Tarnoki David L. , Park Hang A. , Lee Jooyeon , Lee Soo Ji , Sung Joohon , Yokoyama Yoshie , Sørensen Thorkild I. A. , Boomsma Dorret I. , Kaprio Jaakko
Published: July 2020

We investigated the heritability of educational attainment and how it differed between birth cohorts and cultural–geographic regions. A classical twin design was applied to pooled data from 28 cohorts representing 16 countries and including 193,518 twins with information on educational attainment at 25 years of age or older. Genetic factors explained the major part of individual differences in educational attainment (heritability: a2 = 0.43; 0.41–0.44), but also environmental variation shared by co-twins was substantial (c2 = 0.31; 0.30–0.33). The proportions of educational variation explained by genetic and shared environmental factors did not differ between Europe, North America and Australia, and East Asia. When restricted to twins 30 years or older to confirm finalized education, the heritability was higher in the older cohorts born in 1900–1949 (a2 = 0.44; 0.41–0.46) than in the later cohorts born in 1950–1989 (a2 = 0.38; 0.36–0.40), with a corresponding lower influence of common environmental factors (c2 = 0.31; 0.29–0.33 and c2 = 0.34; 0.32–0.36, respectively). In conclusion, both genetic and environmental factors shared by co-twins have an important influence on individual differences in educational attainment. The effect of genetic factors on educational attainment has decreased from the cohorts born before to those born after the 1950s.
Investigating effect of climate warming on the population declines of Sympetrum frequens during the 1990s in three regions in Japan
Authors: Nakanishi Kosuke , Koide Dai , Yokomizo Hiroyuki , Kadoya Taku , Hayashi Takehiko I.
Published: July 2020

Climate warming is of concern as a key factor in the worldwide decline in insect populations. In Japan, numbers of a common dragonfly in rice paddy fields, Sympetrum frequens, decreased sharply in the 1990s. Because S. frequens migrates to cooler mountains in summer, climate warming has been suggested as one of the main causes of the population decline in addition to agronomic factors. Here, we analysed the relation between summer temperatures and population densities of S. frequens and the related S. infuscatum, which does not migrate to mountains in summer, using published population monitoring data and temperature data from three regions (Toyama, Ishikawa, and Shizuoka) in Japan. Decadal differences in summer temperatures lay within the range of fluctuations among years, suggesting that an increase in summer temperatures cannot explain the past sharp population declines. However, regression analyses using monitoring data from Toyama showed that the population dynamics of both species in autumn are negatively correlated with summer temperatures in the same year. These results suggest that high temperatures in summer directly affect adult mortality to an extent that results in a decrease in population growth.
Assessing the current and potential future distribution of four invasive forest plants in Minnesota, U.S.A., using mixed sources of data
Authors: Reinhardt Jason R. , Russell Matthew B. , Senay Senait , Lazarus William
Published: July 2020

Invasive plants are an ongoing subject of interest in North American forests, owing to their impacts on forest structure and regeneration, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. An important component of studying and managing forest invaders involves knowing where the species are, or could be, geographically located. Temporal and environmental context, in conjunction with spatially-explicit species occurrence information, can be used to address this need. Here, we predict the potential current and future distributions of four forest plant invaders in Minnesota: common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus), garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), and multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora). We assessed the impact of two different climate change scenarios (IPCC RCP 6.0 and 8.5) at two future timepoints (2050s and 2070s) as well as the importance of occurrence data sources on the potential distribution of each species. Our results suggest that climate change scenarios considered here could result in a potential loss of suitable habitat in Minnesota for both buckthorn species and a potential gain for R. multiflora and A. petiolata. Differences in predictions as a result of input occurrence data source were most pronounced in future climate projections.
Importance of a vertically tilting structure for energizing the North Atlantic Oscillation
Authors: Martineau Patrick , Nakamura Hisashi , Kosaka Yu , Yamamoto Ayako
Published: July 2020

The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is a prominent mode of atmospheric variability that influences weather and climate, including the occurrence of extreme events, over a large part of Europe and Northeastern America. The NAO has been considered to be maintained primarily by migratory weather disturbances and to have a deep structure with no vertical tilt. A careful inspection nonetheless reveals that the associated anomalies do exhibit a subtle vertical tilt, but its dynamical implications are still unknown. Here we show that this vertical tilt is of vital dynamical significance for the wintertime NAO. We find, using atmospheric reanalysis data, that the tilted anomalies transport heat across the pronounced thermal gradient associated with a background westerly jetstream, advecting air from the cooler North America and Greenland to the warmer Atlantic, thereby acting to reinforce NAO’s thermal anomalies. The resultant conversion of potential energy from the background state is a larger energy source for maintaining the NAO than the feedback from migratory disturbances. Our findings thus uncover a fundamental mechanism of the NAO dynamics, with implications for the improvement of seasonal predictions for the Euro-Atlantic climate and the representation of the NAO variability in climate models.
Plasma sphingosine 1-phosphate concentrations and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in individuals with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Chung Min Young , Park Seon-Young , Chung Jin Ook , Cho Dong Hyeok , Chung Dong Jin
Published: July 2020

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that plasma sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) levels are associated with the risk of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in type 2 diabetes patients. This cross-sectional study included 287 individuals with type 2 diabetes. CAN was evaluated using cardiovascular reflex tests. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between plasma S1P levels and CAN. Plasma S1P concentrations were significantly lower in individuals with CAN than in those without CAN. There was a significant interaction between plasma S1P levels and sex with respect to CAN (p for interaction = 0.003). When stratified by sex, the association between plasma S1P levels and CAN exhibited a sex difference; in multivariable analysis, plasma S1P levels were significantly associated with CAN in women (odds ratio per standard deviation increase in the log-transformed value, 0.40; 95% confidence interval, 0.23–0.70, p = 0.001). However, there was no significant association between plasma S1P and CAN in men. Plasma S1P concentrations were inversely associated with CAN only in women with type 2 diabetes.
LncRNA MALAT1 facilitates lung metastasis of osteosarcomas through miR-202 sponging
Authors: Zhang Jun , Piao Cheng-Dong , Ding Jie , Li Zheng-Wei
Published: July 2020

Lungs are the primary metastatic sites for osteosarcomas responsible for associated mortality. Recent data has documented role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in proliferation and growth of osteosarcoma cells. We evaluated a role of lncRNAs in the lung metastasis of osteosarcoma with the goal of identifying a unique signature. Comparison of different lncRNAs in tumor samples from osteosarcoma with and without lung metastasis led to identification of MALAT1 as the most differentially upregulated lncRNA in the osteosarcoma patients with lung metastasis. MALAT1 was also high in osteosarcoma cells KRIB and MALAT1’s targeted downregulation in these cells led to decreased invasive potential and identification of miR-202 as the miRNA that is sponged by MALAT1. In the lung metastasis in vivo model, parental KRIB cells metastasized to lungs and such metastasis was significantly inhibited in KRIB cells with downregulated MALAT1. Ectopic miR-202 expression attenuated KRIB downregulation-mediated effects on lung metastasis. In yet another in vivo model involving parental SAOS-2 and lung-metastatic derivatives SAOS-2-LM, MALAT1 expression was found to be elevated in lung metastatic cells, which also correlated with reduced miR-202. In conclusion, MALAT1-miR-202 represents a potential lncRNA-miRNA signature that affects lung metastasis of osteosarcomas and could potentially be targeted for therapy.
Nonthermal phase transitions in metals
Authors: Medvedev Nikita , Milov Igor
Published: July 2020

It is well known that sufficiently thick metals irradiated with ultrafast laser pulses exhibit phonon hardening, in contrast to ultrafast nonthermal melting in covalently bonded materials. It is still an open question how finite size metals react to irradiation. We show theoretically that generally metals, under high electronic excitation, undergo nonthermal phase transitions if material expansion is allowed (e.g. in finite samples). The nonthermal phase transitions are induced via an increase of the electronic pressure which leads to metal expansion. This, in turn, destabilizes the lattice triggering a phase transition without a thermal electron-ion coupling mechanism involved. We find that hexagonal close-packed metals exhibit a diffusionless transition into a cubic phase, whereas metals with a cubic lattice melt. In contrast to covalent solids, nonthermal phase transitions in metals are not ultrafast, predicative on the lattice expansion.
Anti-nucleosome antibodies increase the risk of renal relapse in a prospective cohort of patients with clinically inactive systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Rodriguez-Jimenez Norma Alejandra , Perez-Guerrero Edsaul Emilio , Gamez-Nava Jorge Ivan , Sanchez-Mosco Dalia Isabel , Saldaña-Cruz Ana Miriam , Alcaraz-Lopez Miriam Fabiola , Fajardo-Robledo Nicte Selene , Muñoz-Valle Jose Francisco , Bonilla-Lara David , Diaz-Rizo Valeria , Gonzalez-Lopez Laura
Published: July 2020

An important goal in the management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the prediction of relapses. This study assesses whether anti-nucleosome antibodies (anti-NCS) increase the risk of renal relapse in inactive SLE. A prospective cohort of 115 patients with inactive SLE (M-SLEDAI ≤ 2) were followed for 12 months to assess the development of relapse (increase of M-SLEDAI ≥ 4) and specific renal flare (renal SLEDAI ≥ 4). At baseline, we identified potential risk factors for relapse, including anti-NCS. At baseline, 18 (16%) of the 115 patients with inactive SLE were anti-NCS positive. At the 12-month follow-up, anti-NCS-positive patients had a higher incidence of renal relapse compared to anti-NCS-negative patients (38.9% vs 13.4%, respectively). In Cox regression analysis, after adjusting for age, disease duration, anti-dsDNA, and immunosuppressive drugs, the presence of anti-NCS positivity at baseline increased the risk of renal relapse (HR: 5.31, 95% CI 2.03–13.92). Nevertheless, there were no differences in the incidence of other relapses in anti-NCS-positive versus anti-NCS-negative. Our results indicate that in inactive SLE, anti-NCS determination can be useful for identifying patients with a higher risk of developing renal relapse. Interestingly, this study identified that continued use of oral immunosuppressive therapy in patients with inactive SLE can reduce the risk of renal relapse.
Circulating miR-92b and miR-375 for monitoring the chemoresistance and prognosis of small cell lung cancer
Authors: Li Ming , Shan Wulin , Hong Bo , Zou Jinglu , Li Hong , Han Dandan , Zhang Yang , Li Lailing , Li Dan , Lin Wenchu
Published: July 2020

miRNAs have been reported to be stably detectable in plasma and to function as potent biomarkers in multiple cancers. The study aimed to evaluate the expression of candidate circulating miRNAs in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) to identify potential noninvasive biomarkers. The expression of five miRNAs (miR-92b, miR-146a, miR-375, miR-1224, and miR-1246) was significantly upregulated in plasma after chemoresistance induction. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) values of miR-92b and miR-375 were 0.766 and 0.791, respectively. The data demonstrated that among the five miRNAs assessed, these two miRNAs had better diagnostic accuracy for monitoring drug resistance. In addition, miR-92b and miR-375 levels were decreased after effective chemotherapy. Furthermore, Kaplan–Meier survival analysis confirmed that high expression of miR-92b and miR-375 was closely related to shorter progression-free survival (PFS) in SCLC patients. In conclusion, these findings indicate that circulating miR-92b and miR-375 might be ideal noninvasive biomarkers for monitoring drug resistance during chemotherapy and evaluating the prognosis of patients with SCLC.
Pre-existing canine anti-IgG antibodies: implications for immunotherapy, immunogenicity testing and immunoassay analysis
Authors: Bergman Daniel , Bäckström Camilla , Hansson-Hamlin Helene , Larsson Anders , Holst Bodil Ström
Published: July 2020

One of the most enigmatic features of humoral immunity is the prevalent presence of circulating autoantibodies against IgG. These autoantibodies consist of several subsets, including rheumatoid factors, anti-Fab/anti-F(ab′)2-autoantibodies, and anti-idiotypic antibodies. Anti-IgG autoantibodies can impair the safety and efficacy of therapeutic antibodies and interfere with immunogenicity tests in clinical trials. They can also cross-react with allospecific IgG, presenting as heterophilic antibodies that interfere with diagnostic immunoassays. Owing to these factors, recent years have seen a resurgent interest in anti-IgG autoantibodies, but their underlying clinical significance, as well as biological roles and origins, remain opaque. Increased knowledge about canine anti-IgG autoantibodies could facilitate the development of canine immunotherapies and help in understanding and counteracting immunoassay interference. This study investigated the clinical significance and interconnection of heterophilic antibodies, anti-Fab, and anti-F(ab′)2-autoantibodies in dogs. We performed a 2-year prospective follow-up of dogs with heterophilic antibodies and analyzed serum for anti-Fab and anti-F(ab′)2-autoantibodies. Canine heterophilic antibodies can persist for at least 2 years in serum. A widespread occurrence of anti-Fab and anti-F(ab′)2-autoantibodies was found, with reactivity to cryptic epitopes in the IgG hinge region and sporadic cross-reactivity with mouse IgG. Canine anti-Fab and anti-F(ab′)2-autoantibodies are thus potential sources of clinical immunogenicity and immunoassay interference.
The establishment of new protein expression system using N starvation inducible promoters in Chlorella
Authors: Shin Jun-Hye , Choi Juyoung , Jeon Jeongmin , Kumar Manu , Lee Juhyeon , Jeong Won-Joong , Kim Seong-Ryong
Published: July 2020

Chlorella is a unicellular green microalga that has been used in fields such as bioenergy production and food supplementation. In this study, two promoters of N (nitrogen) deficiency-inducible Chlorella vulgaris N Deficiency Inducible (CvNDI) genes were isolated from Chlorella vulgaris UTEX 395. These promoters were used for the production of a recombinant protein, human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (hG-CSF) in Chlorella vulgaris UTEX 395 and Chlorella sp. ArM0029B. To efficiently secrete the hG-CSF, the protein expression vectors incorporated novel signal peptides obtained from a secretomics analysis of Chlorella spp. After a stable transformation of those vectors with a codon-optimized hG-CSF sequence, hG-CSF polypeptides were successfully produced in the spent media of the transgenic Chlorella. To our knowledge, this is the first report of recombinant protein expression using endogenous gene components of Chlorella.
Topological classification of dynamical quantum phase transitions in the xy chain
Authors: Porta Sergio , Cavaliere Fabio , Sassetti Maura , Traverso Ziani Niccolò
Published: July 2020

Understanding the properties of far-from-equilibrium quantum systems is becoming a major challenge of both fundamental and applied physics. For instance, the lack of thermalization in integrable and (many body) localized systems provides new insights in the understanding of the relaxation dynamics of quantum phases. On a more applicative side, the possibility of exploiting the properties of far-from-equilibrium states, for example in pump-probe experiments, opens unprecedented scenarios. The effort in providing a classification of far-from-equilibrium phases, in terms of local or topological order parameters, is hence intense. In this context, the concept of Dynamical Quantum Phase Transition (DQPT) has been introduced. A DQPT is (roughly) defined as a zero of the Loschmidt-Echo as a function of time and represents a natural non-equilibrium counterpart of a thermal phase transition. Here, we investigate the DQPTs occurring in the quantum xy chain subject to a quantum quench of finite duration. We show that the number of distinct DQPTs can vary as the duration of the quantum quench is varied. However, the parity of such number only depends on the pre-quench and post-quench Hamiltonians and is related to a topological invariant.
Osteogenic cocktail induces calcifications in human breast cancer cell line via placental alkaline phosphatase expression
Authors: Fushimi Atsushi , Takeyama Hiroshi , Tachibana Toshiaki , Manome Yoshinobu
Published: July 2020

Breast cancer is frequently characterized by calcifications in mammography. The mechanism for calcifications in breast cancer is not completely known. Understanding this mechanism will improve diagnostic accuracy. Herein, we demonstrated that calcifications occur and that alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity increases in MDA-MB-231 cells cultured using an osteogenic cocktail-containing medium. Microarray transcript analysis showed that the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway was significantly involved, with recruitment of placental alkaline phosphatase. Calcifications and alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity were suppressed by silencing placental alkaline phosphatase using a small interfering RNA. Inhibition of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway suppressed phospho-c-Jun and placental alkaline phosphatase and resulted in absence of calcifications. These findings reveal that breast cancer cells acquire alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity via placental alkaline phosphatase expression and suggest that breast calcification formation is closely associated with the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.
Control of Fusarium wilt by wheat straw is associated with microbial network changes in watermelon rhizosphere
Authors: Tang Lili , Xia Ye , Fan Chao , Kou Jinming , Wu Fengzhi , Li Wenhui , Pan Kai
Published: July 2020

Straw return is an effective strategy to alleviate soil-borne diseases. Though watermelon Fusarium wilt is a severe soil-borne disease, the effect of wheat straw on the disease remains unclear. Thus, we investigated the effects of wheat straw on soil bacterial and fungal communities by adding wheat straw to consecutive watermelon soil in the greenhouse condition. The microbiome changes were further investigated using network analysis based on 16S rDNA and internal transcribed spacer deep sequencing. Wheat straw addition increased the fungal community diversity, whereas the bacterial diversity was not affected. Compared to the control group, the relative abundance of some bacteria, including Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Saccharibacteria, was increased with wheat straw addition. For fungi, the relative abundance of Fusarium was decreased with wheat straw addition. Microbial network analysis demonstrated that the fungal community has a more complex connection than the bacterial community. In addition, redundancy analysis indicated that the Fusarium genera were significantly related to the disease index. Taken together, the addition of wheat straw might affect the microbial community through increasing the relative abundance of phylum Actinobacteria, decreasing the relative abundance of Fusarium, and increasing the fungal network complexity to enhance the defense of watermelon against Fusarium wilt disease.
Below-ground herbivory mitigates biomass loss from above-ground herbivory of nitrogen fertilized plants
Authors: Borgström Pernilla , Bommarco Riccardo , Viketoft Maria , Strengbom Joachim
Published: July 2020

Herbivorous insects can influence grassland ecosystem functions in several ways, notably by altering primary production and nutrient turnover. Interactions between above- and belowground herbivory could affect these functions; an effect that might be modified by nitrogen (N) addition, an important global change driver. To explore this, we added above- (grasshoppers) and belowground (wireworms) insect herbivores and N into enclosed, equally composed, grassland plant communities in a fully factorial field experiment. N addition substantially altered the impact of above- and belowground herbivory on ecosystem functioning. Herbivory and N interacted such that biomass was reduced under above ground herbivory and high N input, while plant biomass remained stable under simultaneous above- and belowground herbivory. Aboveground herbivory lowered nutrient turnover rate in the soil, while belowground herbivory mitigated the effect of aboveground herbivory. Soil decomposition potential and N mineralization rate were faster under belowground herbivory at ambient N, but at elevated N this effect was only observed when aboveground herbivores were also present. We found that N addition does not only influence productivity directly (repeatedly shown by others), but also appears to influence productivity by herbivory mediated effects on nutrient dynamics, which highlights the importance of a better understanding of complex biotic interactions.
Altered mechanisms of genital development identified through integration of DNA methylation and genomic measures in hypospadias
Authors: Richard Melissa A. , Sok Pagna , Canon Stephen , Nembhard Wendy N. , Brown Austin L. , Peckham-Gregory Erin C. , Ton Minh , Ehli Erik A. , Kallsen Noah A. , Peyton Shanna A. , Davies Gareth E. , Patel Ashay , Zamilpa Ismael , Hobbs Charlotte A. , Scheurer Michael E. , Lupo Philip J.
Published: July 2020

Hypospadias is a common birth defect where the urethral opening forms on the ventral side of the penis. We performed integrative methylomic, genomic, and transcriptomic analyses to characterize sites of DNA methylation that influence genital development. In case–control and case-only epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) of preputial tissue we identified 25 CpGs associated with hypospadias characteristics and used one-sample two stage least squares Mendelian randomization (2SLS MR) to show a causal relationship for 21 of the CpGs. The largest difference was 15.7% lower beta-value at cg14436889 among hypospadias cases than controls (EWAS P = 5.4e−7) and is likely causal (2SLS MR P = 9.8e−15). Integrative annotation using two-sample Mendelian randomization of these methylation regions highlight potentially causal roles of genes involved in germ layer differentiation (WDHD1, DNM1L, TULP3), beta-catenin signaling (PKP2, UBE2R2, TNKS), androgens (CYP4A11, CYP4A22, CYP4B1, CYP4X1, CYP4Z2P, EPHX1, CD33/SIGLEC3, SIGLEC5, SIGLEC7, KLK5, KLK7, KLK10, KLK13, KLK14), and reproductive traits (ACAA1, PLCD1, EFCAB4B, GMCL1, MKRN2, DNM1L, TEAD4, TSPAN9, KLK family). This study identified CpGs that remained differentially methylated after urogenital development and used the most relevant tissue sample available to study hypospadias. We identified multiple methylation sites and candidate genes that can be further evaluated for their roles in regulating urogenital development.
Feasibility of free-breathing quantitative myocardial perfusion using multi-echo Dixon magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Scannell Cian M. , Correia Teresa , Villa Adriana D. M. , Schneider Torben , Lee Jack , Breeuwer Marcel , Chiribiri Amedeo , Henningsson Markus
Published: July 2020

Dynamic contrast-enhanced quantitative first-pass perfusion using magnetic resonance imaging enables non-invasive objective assessment of myocardial ischemia without ionizing radiation. However, quantification of perfusion is challenging due to the non-linearity between the magnetic resonance signal intensity and contrast agent concentration. Furthermore, respiratory motion during data acquisition precludes quantification of perfusion. While motion correction techniques have been proposed, they have been hampered by the challenge of accounting for dramatic contrast changes during the bolus and long execution times. In this work we investigate the use of a novel free-breathing multi-echo Dixon technique for quantitative myocardial perfusion. The Dixon fat images, unaffected by the dynamic contrast-enhancement, are used to efficiently estimate rigid-body respiratory motion and the computed transformations are applied to the corresponding diagnostic water images. This is followed by a second non-linear correction step using the Dixon water images to remove residual motion. The proposed Dixon motion correction technique was compared to the state-of-the-art technique (spatiotemporal based registration). We demonstrate that the proposed method performs comparably to the state-of-the-art but is significantly faster to execute. Furthermore, the proposed technique can be used to correct for the decay of signal due to T2* effects to improve quantification and additionally, yields fat-free diagnostic images.
Spectroscopy and excited state dynamics of nearly infinite polyenes
Authors: Šebelík Václav , Kloz Miroslav , Rebarz Mateusz , Přeček Martin , Kang Eun-Hye , Choi Tae-Lim , Christensen Ronald L. , Polívka Tomáš
Published: July 2020

The spectroscopic properties of long, constrained, linear polyenes indicate conjugated units with N > 50, approaching the infinite polyene limit.
A combined Raman optical activity and vibrational circular dichroism study on artemisinin-type products
Authors: Bogaerts Jonathan , Desmet Filip , Aerts Roy , Bultinck Patrick , Herrebout Wouter , Johannessen Christian
Published: July 2020

Artemisinin and two of its derivatives, dihydroartemisinin and artesunate, front line drugs against malaria, were studied using Raman optical activity (ROA), vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations.
Copper and silver gas diffusion electrodes performing CO2 reduction studied through operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy
Authors: Firet Nienke J. , Burdyny Thomas , Nesbitt Nathan T. , Chandrashekar Sanjana , Longo Alessandro , Smith Wilson A.
Published: July 2020

A guide on operando XAS for high current density CO2 reduction and a detailed analysis of the obtained XAS data.
Metallophilic Au(i)⋯M(i) interactions (M = Tl, Ag) in heteronuclear complexes with 1,4,7-triazacyclononane: structural features and optical properties
Authors: Donamaría Rocío , Lippolis Vito , López-de-Luzuriaga José M. , Monge Miguel , Nieddu Mattia , Olmos M. Elena
Published: July 2020

New heterometallic Au(i)–M (M = Ag(i) or Tl(i)) complexes show macrocylic ligand (TACN)-directed emissive properties.
Editorial Perspectives: Scottish Water case study
Authors: Murray Christine A. , Booker Nic , Parsons Simon A.
Published: July 2020

This article discusses the removal of disinfection by-product precursors in Scottish Water treatment works.
An overview and update on the epidemiology of flavonoid intake and cardiovascular disease risk
Authors: Parmenter Benjamin H. , Croft Kevin D. , Hodgson Jonathan M. , Dalgaard Frederik , Bondonno Catherine P. , Lewis Joshua R. , Cassidy Aedín , Scalbert Augustin , Bondonno Nicola P.
Published: July 2020

Higher intakes of flavonoid-rich foods are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease in prospective cohort studies.
Development of elastic artificial vessels with a digital pulse flow system to investigate the risk of restenosis and vasospasm
Authors: Lv Yalei , Li Guoqiang , Peng Hongyu , Liu Yanping , Yao Jingru , Wang Gao , Sun Jianfeng , Liu Jinghua , Zhang Hongfei , Chen Guo , Liu Liyu
Published: July 2020

We constructed elastic artificial vessels with a digital pulse flow system, which provide an in vitro research platform that approaches the in vivo microenvironment and facilitates a quantitative study on investigating the risk of restenosis and vasospasm.
A new platform for development of photosystem I based thin films with superior photocurrent: TCNQ charge transfer salts derived from ZIF-8
Authors: Bennett Tyler H. , Pamu Ravi , Yang Guang , Mukherjee Dibyendu , Khomami Bamin
Published: July 2020

The photosynthetic protein complex Photosystem I has been incorporated into the metal organic framework ZIF-8 and then reacted with TCNQ to form a conductive charge transfer salt, generating significant photocurrent from a biohybrid photoactive film.
Tailoring the magnetic entropy change towards room temperature in Sr-site deficient La0.6Dy0.07Sr0.33MnO3 manganite
Authors: Mukesh M. , Arun B. , Akshay V. R. , Vasundhara M.
Published: July 2020

The Sr-deficient compound could be a potential candidate for room temperature magnetic refrigeration applications.
New cobalt(ii) coordination designs and the influence of varying chelate characters, ligand charges and incorporated group I metal ions on enzyme-like oxidative coupling activity
Authors: Oloyede Hammed Olawale , Woods Joseph Anthony Orighomisan , Görls Helmar , Plass Winfried , Eseola Abiodun Omokehinde
Published: July 2020

In transition-metal-mediated catalysis, design of new, well defined coordination architectures and subjecting them to catalysis testing under the same reaction conditions is a necessity tool for improved understanding of desirable active site geometries and characteristics.
Tetra- and poly-nuclear Cd(ii) complexes of an N3O4 Schiff base ligand: crystal structures, electrical conductivity and photoswitching properties
Authors: Ghosh Tanmoy Kumar , Jana Sumanta , Jana Subrata , Ghosh Ashutosh
Published: July 2020

A tetranuclear and a polymeric Cd(ii) complex have been synthesized and characterized. The polymeric complex based device behaves as a Schottky barrier diode and exhibits a photoswitching property.
Exploiting trifluoromethyl substituents for tuning orbital character of singlet and triplet states to increase the rate of thermally activated delayed fluorescence
Authors: Ward Jonathan S. , Danos Andrew , Stachelek Patrycja , Fox Mark A. , Batsanov Andrei S. , Monkman Andrew P. , Bryce Martin R.
Published: July 2020

This work shows that trifluoromethyl (CF3) substituents can be used to increase the rate of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) in conjugated organic molecules by tuning the excitonic character of the singlet and triplet excited states.
Targeting severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (SARS-CoV-1) with structurally diverse inhibitors: a comprehensive review
Authors: Hosseini-Zare Maryam S. , Thilagavathi Ramasamy , Selvam Chelliah
Published: July 2020

Since the coronaviruses that cause COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-1 share 80% structural similarity, we present a comprehensive review of the diverse molecular inhibitors of SARS-CoV-1. This will help to accelerate drug discovery for deadly coronavirus diseases.
Tunable broadband-negative-permeability metamaterials by hybridization at THz frequencies
Authors: Nguyen Thi Hien , Bui Son Tung , Nguyen Xuan Ca , Vu Dinh Lam , Bui Xuan Khuyen
Published: July 2020

We present a numerical study of thermo-tunable broadband-negative-permeability metamaterial based on second-order hybridization operating at the THz regime.
Constructing high-performance electrode materials using core–shell ZnCo2O4@PPy nanowires for hybrid batteries and water splitting
Authors: Liu Xiaoyun , Li Qian , Qin Yanli , Jiang Yueqiu
Published: July 2020

Heterogeneity can be used as a promising method to improve the electrochemical performance of electrode materials; thus, ZnCo2O4@PPy samples were prepared using a facile hydrothermal route and an electrochemical deposition process.
Size-dependent magnetic and magnetothermal properties of gadolinium silicide nanoparticles
Authors: Nauman Muhammad , Alnasir Muhammad Hisham , Hamayun Muhammad Asif , Wang YiXu , Shatruk Michael , Manzoor Sadia
Published: July 2020

Gadolinium silicide (Gd5Si4) nanoparticles prepared by surfactant-assisted ball milling exhibit a size-dependent reduction in magnetic ordering temperature and a high magnetothermal effect making them suitable for magnetic hyperthermia applications.
A thin-film model for droplet spreading on soft solid substrates
Authors: Charitatos Vasileios , Kumar Satish
Published: July 2020

A rigorous and generalizable mathematical framework describing droplet spreading on soft solid substrates is developed.
Experimental study of the Poynting effect in a soft unidirectional fiber-reinforced material under simple shear
Authors: Araújo F. S. , Nunes L. C. S.
Published: July 2020

Shear and normal responses of a soft unidirectional fiber-reinforced material subjected to simple shear.
Affinity-based thermoresponsive fluorescence switching of proteins conjugated with a polymer-binding peptide
Authors: Sawada Toshiki , Suzuki Seigo , Serizawa Takeshi
Published: July 2020

Affinity-based thermoresponsive fluorescence switching of proteins conjugated with a polymer-binding peptide is demonstrated. Specific affinity of the peptide and thermoresponsive structural transitions of the polymer are essential for the switching.
Lamin B receptor: role on chromatin structure, cellular senescence and possibly aging
Authors: Castro-Obregón Susana
Published: July 2020

The nuclear envelope is composed by an outer nuclear membrane and an inner nuclear membrane, which is underlain by the nuclear lamina that provides the nucleus with mechanical strength for maintaining structure and regulates chromatin organization for modulating gene expression and silencing. A layer of heterochromatin is beneath the nuclear lamina, attached by inner nuclear membrane integral proteins such as Lamin B receptor (LBR). LBR is a chimeric protein, having also a sterol reductase activity with which it contributes to cholesterol synthesis. Lukasova et al. showed that when DNA is damaged by ɣ-radiation in cancer cells, LBR is lost causing chromatin structure changes and promoting cellular senescence. Cellular senescence is characterized by terminal cell cycle arrest and the expression and secretion of various growth factors, cytokines, metalloproteinases, etc., collectively known as senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) that cause chronic inflammation and tumor progression when they persist in the tissue. Therefore, it is fundamental to understand the molecular basis for senescence establishment, maintenance and the regulation of SASP. The work of Lukasova et al. contributed to our understanding of cellular senescence establishment and provided the basis that lead to the further discovery that chromatin changes caused by LBR reduction induce an up-regulated expression of SASP factors. LBR dysfunction has relevance in several diseases and possibly in physiological aging. The potential bifunctional role of LBR on cellular senescence establishment, namely its role in chromatin structure together with its enzymatic activity contributing to cholesterol synthesis, provide a new target to develop potential anti-aging therapies.
Harnessing the genetic potential of the plant microbiome
Authors: Wang Nicole R. , Haney Cara H.
Published: July 2020

Plant-associated microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, can grow on and survive in healthy plant tissues, making up the plant microbiome. Members of the plant microbiome can provide benefits to their host, and emerging research suggests that plants can reshape the composition of their microbiomes in response to environmental cues. The plant microbiome collectively acts as a reservoir for genes that may improve plant growth and survival in response to challenges, therefore contributing to the total genetic potential of the plant. Understanding the impact of the plant microbiome has unlocked new strategies for improving crop production, especially as climate change threatens to increase the prevalence of pathogens and stressful growth conditions. Applying microbiome engineering strategies, such as inoculation with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), and incorporating the microbiome into the breeding process show promise for improving future agricultural crop production.
In silico identification of the prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets associated with cancer stem cell characteristics of glioma
Authors: Lvu Wen , Fei Xu , Chen Cheng , Zhang Bo
Published: July 2020

Glioma is the common histological subtype of malignancy in central nervous system, with a high morbidity and mortality. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in regulating the tumorigenesis and progression of glioma; however, the prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets associated with CSC characteristics have not been fully acknowledged in glioma. In order to identify the prognostic stemness-related genes (SRGs) of glioma in silico, the RNA sequencing data of patients with glioma were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases. The mRNA expression-based stemness index (mRNAsi) was significantly associated with the glioma histologic grade, isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutation and overall survival of glioma patients by the nonparametric test and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. A total of 340 SRGs were identified as the overlapped stemness-related differential expressed genes (DEGs) of different histologic grade screened by the univariate Cox analysis. Based on 11 prognostic SRGs, the predict nomogram was constructed with the AUC of 0.832. Moreover, the risk score of the nomogram was an independent prognostic factor, indicating its significant applicability. Besides other eight reported biomarkers of glioma, we found that F2RL2, CLCNKA and LOXL4 were first identified as prognostic biomarkers for glioma. In conclusion, this bioinformatics study demonstrates the mRNAsi as a reliable index for the IDH1 mutation, histologic grade and OS of glioma patients and provides a well-applied model for predicting the OS for patients with glioma based on prognostic SRGs. Additionally, this in silico study also identifies three novel prognostic biomarkers (F2RL2, CLCNKA and LOXL4) for glioma patients.