bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A G protein-coupled receptor-like module regulates Cellulose Synthase secretion from the endomembrane system in Arabidopsis
Authors: McFarlane Heather E. , Mutwil-Anderwald Daniela , Verbančič Jana , Picard Kelsey L. , Gookin Timothy E. , Froehlich Anja , Trindade Luisa M. , Alonso Jose M. , Assmann Sarah M. , Persson Staffan
Published: October 2020

Cellulose synthesis is essential for plant morphology, water transport and defense, and provides raw material for biomaterials and fuels. Cellulose is produced at the plasma membrane by Cellulose Synthase (CESA) protein complexes (CSCs). CSCs are assembled in the endomembrane system and then trafficked from the Golgi apparatus andtrans-Golgi Network (TGN) to the plasma membrane. Since CESA enzymes are only active in the plasma membrane, control of CSC secretion is a critical step in the regulation of cellulose synthesis. However, the regulatory framework for CSC secretion is not clarified. In this study, we identify members of a family of seven transmembrane domain-containing proteins (7TMs) as important for cellulose production during cell wall integrity stress. 7TM proteins are often associated with guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G) protein signalling and mutants in several of the canonical G protein complex components phenocopied the7tmmutant plants. Unexpectedly, the 7TM proteins localized to the Golgi apparatus/TGN where they interacted with the G protein complex. Here, the 7TMs and G proteins regulated CESA trafficking, but did not affect general protein secretion. Furthermore, during cell wall stress, 7TMs’ localization was biased towards small CESA-containing vesicles, specifically associated with CSC trafficking. Our results thus outline how a G protein-coupled module regulates CESA trafficking and reveal that defects in this process lead to exacerbated responses upon exposure to cell wall integrity stress.
Attentional bias to threat and gray mater volume morphology in high anxious individuals
Authors: Carlson Joshua M. , Fang Lin
Published: October 2020

In a sample of highly anxious individuals, the relationship between gray matter volume brain morphology and attentional bias to threat was assessed. Participants performed a dot-probe task of attentional bias to threat and gray matter volume was acquired from whole brain structural T1-weighted MRI scans. The results replicate previous findings in unselected samples that elevated attentional bias to threat is linked to greater gray matter volume in the anterior cingulate cortex, middle frontal gyrus, and striatum. In addition, we provide novel evidence that elevated attentional bias to threat is associated with greater gray matter volume in the right posterior parietal cortex, cerebellum, and other distributed regions. Lastly, exploratory analyses provide initial evidence that distinct sub-regions of the right posterior parietal cortex may contribute to attentional bias in a sex-specific manner. Our results illuminate how differences in gray matter volume morphology relate to attentional bias to threat in anxious individuals. This knowledge could inform neurocognitive models of anxiety-related attentional bias to threat and targets of neuroplasticity in anxiety interventions such as attention bias modification.
High Fat Diet Stimulates Beta-Oxidation, Alters Electrical Properties and Induces Adipogenicity of Atria in Obese Mice
Authors: Suffee Nadine , Baptista Elodie , Piquereau Jérôme , Ponnaiah Maharajah , Doisne Nicolas , Ichou Farid , Lhomme Marie , Pichard Camille , Galand Vincent , Mougenot Nathalie , Dilanian Gilles , Lucats Laurence , Balse Elise , Mericskay Mathias , Le Goff Wilfried , Hatem Stéphane
Published: October 2020

Metabolic disorders such as obesity are risk factors of atrial fibrillation, not only by sharing comorbidities but likely through their direct impact on atria, notably its adipogenicity. Here, we submitted mice that lack cardiac adipose tissue to a high fat diet and first studied the atrial metabolomic and lipidomic phenotypes using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. We found an increased consumption of free fatty acid by the beta-oxidation and an accumulation of long-chain lipids in atria of obese mice. Free fatty acid was the main substrate of mitochondrial respiration studied in the saponin-permeabilized atrial muscle. Conducted action potential recorded in atrial trabeculae was short, and ATP-sensitive potassium current was increased in perforated patch-clamp atrial myocytes of obese mice. There was histological and phenotypical evidence for an accumulation of adipose tissue in obese mice atria. Thus, an obesogenic diet transforms the energy metabolism, causes fat accumulation and induces electrical remodeling of atria myocardium.

HIGHLIGHTS

- Untargeted metabolomic and lipidomic analysis revealed that a high fat diet induces profound transformation of atrial energy metabolism with beta-oxidation activation and long-chain lipid accumulation.

- Mitochondria respiration studied in atrial myocardial trabecula preferentially used Palmitoyl-CoA as energy substrate in obese mice.

- Atria of obese mice become vulnerable to atrial fibrillation and show short action potential due to the activation of K-ATP dependent potassium current.

- Adipocytes and fat molecular markers were detected in atria of obese mice together with an inflammatory profile consistence with a myocardial accumulation of fat.
Single-cell metabarcoding reveals biotic interactions of the Arctic calcifierNeogloboquadrina pachydermawith the eukaryotic pelagic community
Authors: Greco Mattia , Morard Raphaël , Kucera Michal
Published: October 2020

Isotopic and trace-element signals in the calcite shells of the planktonic foraminiferaNeogloboquadrina pachydermarepresent key proxies to reconstruct past climatic conditions in northern high latitudes. A correct interpretation of these chemical signals requires knowledge of the habitat and trophic interactions of the species. Direct observations on the biological interactions ofN. pachydermain polar environments are lacking and to date no consensus exists on the trophic behaviour of this species. Here we use single-cell metabarcoding to characterise the interactions of 39 specimens ofN. pachydermafrom two sites in the Baffin Bay with the local eukaryotic pelagic community. Our results show that the eukaryotic interactome of the foraminifera is dominated by diatoms, accounting for > 50% of the reads in 17 of the samples, but other groups such as Crustacea and Syndiniales are also present. The high abundance Syndiniales suggests that these parasites could infectN. pachydermaand may play an important role in its population dynamics. Moreover, the strong but taxonomically non-specific association with algae, existing irrespective of depth and occurring in specimens collected far below the photic zone indicates that opportunistically grazed diatom-fuelled marine aggregates likely represent the main interaction substrate ofN. pachyderma.
RhoA- and Ran-induced antagonistic forces underlie symmetry breaking and spindle rotation in mouse oocytes
Authors: Dehapiot Benoit , Clément Raphaël , Bourdais Anne , Huet Sébastien , Halet Guillaume
Published: October 2020

Mammalian oocyte meiotic divisions are highly asymmetric and produce a large haploid gamete and two small polar bodies. This relies on the ability of the cell to break symmetry and position its spindle close to the cortex before the anaphase occurs. In metaphase II arrested mouse oocytes, the spindle is actively maintained close and parallel to the cortex, until the fertilization triggers the sister chromatids segregation and the rotation of the spindle. The latter must indeed reorient perpendicular to the cortex to enable the cytokinesis ring closure at the base of the polar body. However, the mechanisms underlying symmetry breaking and spindle rotation have remained elusive. In this study, we show that the spindle rotation results from two antagonistic forces. First, an inward contraction of the cytokinesis furrow dependent on RhoA signaling and second, an outward attraction exerted on both lots of chromatids by a RanGTP dependent polarization of the actomyosin cortex. By combining live segmentation and tracking with numerical modelling, we demonstrate that this configuration becomes unstable as the ingression progresses. This leads to spontaneous symmetry breaking, which implies that neither the rotation direction nor the lot of chromatids that eventually gets discarded are biologically predetermined.
The E3 ligase TRIM1 ubiquitinates LRRK2 and controls its localization, degradation, and toxicity
Authors: Stormo Adrienne E. D. , Shavarebi Farbod , FitzGibbon Molly , Earley Elizabeth M. , Ahrendt Hannah , Lum Lotus S. , Verschueren Erik , Swaney Danielle L. , Skibinski Gaia , Ravisankar Abinaya , van Haren Jeffrey , Davis Emily J. , Johnson Jeffrey R. , Dollen John Von , Balen Carson , Porath Jacob , Crosio Claudia , Mirescu Christian , Iaccarino Ciro , Dauer William T. , Nichols R. Jeremy , Wittmann Torsten , Cox Timothy C. , Finkbeiner Steve , Krogan Nevan J. , Oakes Scott A. , Hiniker Annie
Published: October 2020

Missense mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are the most common cause of familial Parkinson’s Disease (PD); however, pathways regulating LRRK2 subcellular localization, function, and turnover are not fully defined. We performed quantitative mass spectrometry-based interactome studies to identify 48 novel LRRK2 interactors, including the microtubule-associated E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM1 (TripartiteMotif Family 1). TRIM1 recruits LRRK2 to the microtubule cytoskeleton for ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation by binding LRRK2911-920, a nine amino acid segment within a flexible interdomain region (LRRK2853-981), which we designate the “Regulatory Loop” (RL). Phosphorylation of LRRK2 Ser910/Ser935 within LRRK2 RL serves as a molecular switch controlling LRRK2’s association with cytoplasmic 14-3-3 versus microtubule-bound TRIM1. Association with TRIM1 modulates LRRK2’s interaction with Rab29 and prevents upregulation of LRRK2 kinase activity by Rab29 in an E3-ligase-dependent manner. Finally, TRIM1 rescues neurite outgrowth deficits caused by PD-driving mutant LRRK2 G2019S. Our data suggest that TRIM1 is a critical regulator of LRRK2, controlling its degradation, localization, binding partners, kinase activity, and cytotoxicity.
Distinctive regulatory architectures of germline-active and somatic genes in C. elegans
Authors: Serizay Jacques , Dong Yan , Jänes Jürgen , Chesney Michael , Cerrato Chiara , Ahringer Julie
Published: October 2020

RNA profiling has provided increasingly detailed knowledge of gene expression patterns, yet the different regulatory architectures that drive them are not well understood. To address this, we profiled and compared transcriptional and regulatory element activities across five tissues of Caenorhabditis elegans, covering ∼90% of cells. We find that the majority of promoters and enhancers have tissue-specific accessibility, and we discover regulatory grammars associated with ubiquitous, germline, and somatic tissue–specific gene expression patterns. In addition, we find that germline-active and soma-specific promoters have distinct features. Germline-active promoters have well-positioned +1 and −1 nucleosomes associated with a periodic 10-bp WW signal (W = A/T). Somatic tissue–specific promoters lack positioned nucleosomes and this signal, have wide nucleosome-depleted regions, and are more enriched for core promoter elements, which largely differ between tissues. We observe the 10-bp periodic WW signal at ubiquitous promoters in other animals, suggesting it is an ancient conserved signal. Our results show fundamental differences in regulatory architectures of germline and somatic tissue–specific genes, uncover regulatory rules for generating diverse gene expression patterns, and provide a tissue-specific resource for future studies.
Claim tenability assessment in Indian real estate projects using ANN and decision tree models
Authors: Rai Himanshu , Jagannathan Murali , Delhi Venkata Santosh Kumar
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Claims have become an inseparable part of construction projects across the world. Construction claims often tend to result not only in time and cost overruns but in case of a dispute arising from the claim, it may result in erosion of the brand value and the working relationship between the parties. Thus, construction claim prediction is important but is complicated because of a large number of dependent factors and the complex inter-relations between them. With the aid of machine learning techniques, claim tenability assessment for real estate projects in India is attempted in this paper.

Design/methodology/approach

In this research, artificial neural network (ANN) and decision tree models are used for assessment of claims in the Indian real estate sector using project and claims data from 275 real estate projects.

Findings

The developed ANN model assesses the claim tenability in a project with a high degree of accuracy. Both ANN and decision tree models identify that “inconsistency between drawings and specification” as the most influencing factor in claim tenability assessment.

Research limitations/implications

Notwithstanding the claim tenability assessment, the model, in its current form, cannot be used to predict the “extent of claim” in the real estate projects.

Originality/value

Claim tenability assessment in real estate projects, especially in India, is scantily discussed in literature. This research, by adding to the body of knowledge, helps in both claim assessment and identification of factors that need to be controlled to reduce the claim tenability in real estate construction projects in India.
Measuring future resilience: a multilevel index
Authors: Visser Wayne
Published: October 2020

Purpose

For the purpose of applied research, we are interested in deriving and measuring multi-level future resilience, from a human capital perspective. This paper aims to set the theoretical foundations for a future resilience index to be launched in 2020.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a review of the literature on individual, organisational and socio-ecological resilience, the researcher has distilled 10 elements of future resilience. These were elaborated into a 20-question index, which has been piloted with an anonymous organisation.

Findings

The 10 elements of future resilience, which the index will seek to measure include: emergency preparedness; creative adaptability; technological empowerment; dynamic employability; diversity cultivation; participative governance; systemic responsiveness; resource efficiency; purposeful motivation; and well-being orientation. Illustrative findings from the pilot show that organisational support for resilience across all 10 categories is seen as weaker than individuals’ perception of their own level of resilience.

Practical implications

The areas of strong versus weak performance revealed by the index, either individually or in terms of organisational support, give organisations a clear set of priorities for follow-up.

Social implications

This paper has demonstrated that future resilience is a highly relevant and useful concept for society, organisations and individuals in these rapidly changing times.

Originality/value

Through the future resilience index, being developed by Antwerp Management School in collaboration with Randstad, this paper wants to encourage behaviours and capacities amongst employees that will increase resilience at the individual, organisational and socio-ecological levels. This is the first multi-level resilience measurement instrument aimed at human capital measurement.
How does review disconfirmation influence customer online review behavior? A mixed-method investigation
Authors: Li Hengyun , Meng Fang , Pan Bing
Published: October 2020

Purpose

With the growing online review manipulation and fake reviews in the hospitality industry, it is not uncommon that a consumer encounters disconfirmation when comparing the existing online reviews with his/her own product or service evaluation. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of review disconfirmation on customer online review writing behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a mixed-method combining online secondary big data modeling and experimental design.

Findings

Review disconfirmation influences customers’ emotional responses embedded in the review; a customer who encounters review disconfirmation tends to exert more reviewing effort, manifested by writing longer reviews; negativity bias exists in disconfirmation effects, in that negative review disconfirmation shows more significant and stronger effects than positive review disconfirmation.

Practical implications

Findings from this study provide important managerial implications for business owners and marketers who attempt to influence online reviews. The study suggests that fictitious online review manipulation might be detrimental to the business.

Originality/value

This research contributes to two literature streams, including research on the social influence of online consumer reviews, and the relationship between disconfirmation and consumers’ post-consumption behavior, by extending the influence of disconfirmation from the offline context to the online context.
Transformative learning in the entrepreneurship education process: the role of pedagogical nudging and reflection
Authors: Neergaard Helle , Robinson Sarah , Jones Sally
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This paper introduces “pedagogical nudging” as a method, which can transform student dispositions and their perceived “fit” with the field of entrepreneurship. The authors investigate what characterises the identity change process experienced by students when exposed to pedagogical nudging.

Design/methodology/approach

Using ethnography, the authors apply an experiential-explorative approach to collecting data. The authors collected 1,015 individual reflection logs from 145 students of which the authors sampled 290 for this paper combined with interviews, observational and documentary data.

Findings

Pedagogical nudging techniques help (1) expose and challenge the student habitus by planting footprints in the mind; (2) straddle the divide between student and nascent entrepreneur by enabling them to recognise and experiment with an entrepreneurial habitus and (3) figuratively learn to climb the entrepreneurial tree by embracing an entrepreneurial habitus. In the first step, the authors use the interventions as cognitive means of influencing (pedagogical nudging). In the second, students participate in an iterative meaning-making process through reflection. In the third, they internalise the “new” entrepreneurial habitus—or discard it.

Research limitations/implications

The authors extend existing knowledge about the effect of particular kinds of pedagogies in entrepreneurship teaching, and how these can support enterprising behaviour. The authors demonstrate how an exploration of the inner self, identity and beliefs develops the capacity for students to re-shape future outcomes and create value.

Practical implications

By using nudging pedagogies, educators can support students to develop new ways of acknowledging and coping with transformative learning.

Originality/value

The research documents how it is possible to 'nudge' our students towards more entrepreneurial behaviours.
Online disinhibition: conceptualization, measurement, and implications for online deviant behavior
Authors: Cheung Christy M.K. , Wong Randy Yee Man , Chan Tommy K.H.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Online disinhibition is one of the key factors leading to the occurrence of cyberaggression, cyberbullying and various forms of deviant behaviors in the online environment. To understand the composition of online disinhibition, this study aims to conceptualize online disinhibition and develop a measurement instrument for online disinhibition.

Design/methodology/approach

We followed a rigorous procedure to develop and validate the multidimensional instrument of online disinhibition in three phases: item generation, measurement development and instrument testing.

Findings

We developed a 23-item online disinhibition scale and identified six key dimensions: dissociative anonymity, invisibility, asynchronicity, solipsistic introjections, dissociative imagination and minimization of authority.

Practical implications

The online disinhibition instrument is an accessible and easily administered measure that can be used as a checklist for systems designers and administrators to evaluate the level of online disinhibition among users. It offers systems design information on how to prevent and combat online deviant behaviors on platforms.

Originality/value

This work provides a rich conceptualization of an online disinhibition instrument that can serve as a springboard for future work to understand online deviant behaviors. The newly developed measurement instrument of online disinhibition also adds to the repository of rigorous research scales in this area.
T4‐like myovirus community shaped by dispersal and deterministic processes in the South China Sea
Authors: Li Huifang , Liu Lu , Wang Yu , Cai Lanlan , He Maoqiu , Wang Long , Hu Chen , Jiao Nianzhi , Zhang Rui
Published: October 2020

As the most abundant and genetically diverse biological entities, viruses significantly influence ecological, biogeographical and evolutionary processes in the ocean. However, the biogeography of marine viruses and the drivers shaping viral community are unclear. Here, the biogeographic patterns of T4‐like viruses and the relative impacts of deterministic (environmental selection) and dispersal (spatial distance) processes were investigated in the northern South China Sea. The dominant viral operational taxonomic units were affiliated with previously defined Marine, Estuary, Lake and Paddy Groups. A clear viral biogeographic pattern was observed along the environmental gradient from the estuary to open sea. Marine Groups I and IV had a wide geographical distribution, whereas Marine Groups II, III and V were abundant in lower‐salinity continental or eutrophic environments. A significant distance‐decay pattern was noted for the T4‐like viral community, especially for those infecting cyanobacteria. Both deterministic and dispersal processes influenced viral community assembly, although environmental selection (e.g. temperature, salinity, bacterial abundance and community, etc.) had a greater impact than spatial distance. Network analysis confirmed the strong association between viral and bacterial community composition, and suggested a diverse ecological relationship (e.g. lysis, co‐infection or mutualistic) between and within viruses and their potential bacterial hosts.
LncRNA SNHG20 promoted proliferation, invasion and inhibited cell apoptosis of lung adenocarcinoma via sponging miR‐342 and upregulating DDX49
Authors: Wang Xiuli , Gu Guomin , Zhu Hongge , Lu Suqiong , Abuduwaili Kahaerjiang , Liu Chunling
Published: October 2020

Background

There is increasing evidence that long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) small nucleolar RNA host gene 20 (SNHG20) plays an important role in cancer. However, the function of SNHG20 in lung adenocarcinoma is unclear. The aim of our study was to investigate the roles of SNHG20 in lung adenocarcinoma.

Methods

Real‐time quantitative polymerasechain reaction (RT‐qPCR) was used to calculate the expression of SNHG20, miR‐342 and DEAD‐box helicase 49 (DDX49). Dual luciferase reporter gene assay was applied to verify whether miR‐342 binding to SNHG20 and DDX49. The expression correlation between miR‐342 and SNHG20 or DDX49 was assessed using Pearson's correlation analysis.

Results

SNHG20 and DDX49 were overexpressed, while miR‐342 was lowly expressed in lung adenocarcinoma tissues and cell lines. Knockdown of SNHG20 suppressed cell proliferation, invasion and enhanced cell apoptosis. SNHG20 was found to directly bind to miR‐342 and regulate the expression of miR‐342. MiR‐342 directly targeted DDX49 and the expression of miR‐342 had negative connection with DDX49 in lung adenocarcinoma tissues. Knockdown of DDX49 inhibited the progression of lung adenocarcinoma. DDX49 partially restored the functions of SNHG20 in A549 cells.

Conclusions

SNHG20 regulated lung adenocarcinoma cell proliferation, invasion and promoted cell apoptosis via miR‐342/DDX49 axis. Our findings demonstrate that SNHG20/miR‐342/DDX49 axis plays an important role in lung adenocarcinoma, providing a novel insight into the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.
The role of miR‐128‐3p through MAPK14 activation in the apoptosis of GC2 spermatocyte cell line following heat stress
Authors: Zou Liping , Cheng Guiping , Xu Chengcheng , Liu Heyu , Wang Yingying , Li Nianyu , Zhu Changhong , Xia Wei
Published: October 2020

Background

MicroRNAs play a crucial role in the regulation of spermatogenesis. For example, miR‐128‐3p expression is known to decrease significantly after testicular hyperthermia, but the regulatory effect of this change on the spermatogenesis damage caused by heat stress remains unclear.

Objectives

This study aimed to verify whether the target gene of miR‐128‐3p is MAPK14, which affects spermatogenic cell proliferation and apoptosis under testicular hyperthermia.

Materials and methods

Mouse testis and GC2 spermatocyte cell line heat stress models were established. miR‐128‐3p expression before and after heat stress was analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. MAPK14 and p‐MAPK14 expression was detected by Western blot, and cell apoptosis was analyzed by Annexin V‐FITC/PI. Subsequently, miR‐128‐3p inhibitors and mimics were used to interfere with spermatocytes before and after heat stress, respectively, for correlation detection.

Results

Compared with the control group, the heat stress group showed decreased miR‐128‐3p expression, increased p‐MAPK14 expression, and decreased cell proliferation activity. In the GC2‐spd cell line in vitro, miR‐128‐3p inhibitors were found to upregulate p‐MAPK14 expression, reduce cell proliferation activity, and increase apoptosis, consistent with the results obtained in the heat treatment alone. Furthermore, miR‐128‐3p mimics transfected in the GC2 cells after heat stress reduced p‐MAPK14 expression, alleviated the decrease in cell proliferation, and decreased the apoptosis level.

Conclusions

The downregulation of miR‐128‐3p expression plays an important role in spermatogenesis damages after testicular hyperthermia, which is probably attributable to the activation of the MAPK signaling pathway. Downregulated miR‐128‐3p expression induces the apoptosis and inhibits the proliferation of spermatogenic cells by promoting MAPK14 phosphorylation.
Effectiveness of industrial policy on firm productivity: evidence from Thai manufacturing
Authors: Jongwanich Juthathip , Kohpaiboon Archanun
Published: October 2020

This paper examines the effects of industrial policy on firm productivity, using a three‐year panel data set of Thai manufacturing as a case study. A range of industrial policy tools is defined, including tariff measures, subsidies, and investment incentives through the Board of Investment (BOI), which represent the main industrial policy tools used in Thailand. The effect of ‘water in the tariffs’ and partial trade liberalisation undertaken through free trade agreements (FTAs) signed between Thailand and her trading partners is also examined. The key findings concern the role traditional tools, that is trade openness, R&D, and skills upgrading, play in fostering firm productivity. Promoting a conducive environment, especially within domestic competition, is crucial in encouraging firm productivity. Some industrial policy tools are effective in promoting firm productivity, that is providing investment incentives via the BOI and lowering tariff protection. Subsidies, by contrast, tend to degrade firm productivity. Among trade protection measures, the effective rate of protection, which includes water in the tariffs encountered by exporting firms, has the greatest effect on firm productivity. The FTA‐led trade liberalisation fails to add substantial competitive pressure and induce firms to improve productivity. Such statistical insignificance reflects the nature of FTA commitments that Thailand has made so far.
Bystanders and ethical review of research: Proceed with caution
Authors: Wikler Daniel
Published: October 2020

Scientists seeking to conduct research with human subjects must first submit their proposals to research ethics committees (Institutional Review Boards [IRBs], in the United States). Some of these studies pose risks to “bystanders,” i.e., people who may be affected by the research but who are not enrolled as study subjects. Should IRBs expand their scope to include oversight over possible harms to bystanders as well as research subjects? This paper presents arguments against this step. Prior review of research with human subjects, despite its evident burden on the research enterprise, is a necessary caution, because the tension between the objectives of humane treatment of research subjects and sound scientific design and procedure has in the past led to serious abuses. This rationale is inapplicable in the case of bystanders. Moreover, in view of the many and varied effects of both research practices and scientific advances on the broader public over time, those who may be considered to be “bystanders” may potentially expand without limit; requiring IRBs to anticipate these distant and long‐term effects as part of prior ethical review could greatly increase its burden and its deterrent effect on research. While conducting research without concern for serious potential harm to bystanders may be irresponsible and unethical, expanding the scope of prior review by IRBs to include risks to bystanders is not required by the principles governing human subjects research, and the costs and burdens of this expansion may outweigh any expected gains.
Exploring relationship between self‐regulation dimensions and cardiac autonomic functioning in preschoolers
Authors: Lee Helen , Kao Katie , Doan Stacey
Published: October 2020

The present study examined the association between behavioural dimensions of self‐regulation and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), a marker of cardiac autonomic functioning in a sample of preschool children in the United States. Sixty‐six children’s emotion‐ and cognitive‐oriented dimensions of self‐regulation were examined with respect to changes in RSA (reactivity and recovery). Results showed that children’s recovery RSA, which indicates the ability to return to homeostasis, but not reactivity, was significantly associated with the cognitive‐oriented self‐regulation.
Inhibition of microRNA let‐7b expression by KDM2B promotes cancer progression by targeting EZH2 in ovarian cancer
Authors: Kuang Yan , Xu Hong , Lu Fangfang , Meng Jiahua , Yi Yeye , Yang Huilan , Hou Hairui , Wei Hao , Su Shanheng
Published: October 2020

MicroRNA let‐7b is a potent tumor suppressor and targets crucial oncogenes. Previous studies have shown that let‐7b expression is suppressed in ovarian cancer; however, the regulatory mechanisms of let‐7b in ovarian cancer are still not well defined. The cellular role and targets of let‐7b in ovarian cancer remain elusive. In the present study, we showed that histone demethylase, KDM2B, directly suppressed let‐7b expression by H3K36me2 demethylation. Moreover, let‐7b inhibited EZH2 expression in ovarian cancer cells. Based on these results we know that let‐7b antagonizes the enhancement of EZH2 expression caused by KDM2B overexpression, and its expression is negatively correlated with KDM2B and EZH2 expression. More importantly, proliferation, migration, and wound healing assays showed that let‐7b inhibited ovarian cancer cell proliferation and migration in vitro. Additionally, let‐7b overexpression neutralized KDM2B‐promoted cell proliferation and migration. Furthermore, downregulation of let‐7b increased the xenografted tumor volumes in nude mice that were transplanted with KDM2B‐silenced cells. EZH2 silencing reversed the tumor growth enhancement mediated by inhibition of let‐7b. Last, we show that let‐7b expression is suppressed in ovarian carcinomas and its expression is negatively associated with the clinicopathological features of ovarian cancer, including histological type, histological grade, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, and lymph node metastatic status. In conclusion, in ovarian cancer, let‐7b expression is epigenetically suppressed by high expression of KDM2B. The loss of let‐7b upregulates the expression of EZH2, which promotes ovarian cancer growth in vitro and in vivo.
Vestibular phenotype‐genotype correlation in a cohort of 90 patients with Usher syndrome
Authors: Wafa Talah T. , Faridi Rabia , King Kelly A. , Zalewski Christopher , Yousaf Rizwan , Schultz Julie M. , Morell Robert J. , Muskett Julie , Turriff Amy , Tsilou Ekaterini , Griffith Andrew J. , Friedman Thomas B. , Zein Wadih M. , Brewer Carmen C.
Published: October 2020

Usher syndrome has been historically categorized into one of three classical types based on the patient phenotype. However, the vestibular phenotype does not infallibly predict which Usher genes are mutated. Conversely, the Usher syndrome genotype is not sufficient to reliably predict vestibular function. Here we present a characterization of the vestibular phenotype of 90 patients with clinical presentation of Usher syndrome (59 females), aged 10.9 to 75.5 years, with genetic variants in eight Usher syndromic genes and expand the description of atypical Usher syndrome. We identified unexpected horizontal semicircular canal reactivity in response to caloric and rotational stimuli in 12.5% (3 of 24) and 41.7% (10 of 24), respectively, of our USH1 cohort. These findings are not consistent with the classical phenotypic definition of vestibular areflexia in USH1. Similarly, 17% (6 of 35) of our cohort with USH2A mutations had saccular dysfunction as evidenced by absent cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in contradiction to the classical assumption of normal vestibular function. The surprising lack of consistent genotypic to vestibular phenotypic findings as well as no clear vestibular phenotypic patterns among atypical USH cases, indicate that even rigorous vestibular phenotyping data will not reliably differentiate the three USH types.
Estimating uncertainty in deep learning for reporting confidence to clinicians in medical image segmentation and diseases detection
Authors: Ghoshal Biraja , Tucker Allan , Sanghera Bal , Lup Wong Wai
Published: October 2020

Deep learning (DL), which involves powerful black box predictors, has achieved a remarkable performance in medical image analysis, such as segmentation and classification for diagnosis. However, in spite of these successes, these methods focus exclusively on improving the accuracy of point predictions without assessing the quality of their outputs. Knowing how much confidence there is in a prediction is essential for gaining clinicians' trust in the technology. In this article, we propose an uncertainty estimation framework, called MC‐DropWeights, to approximate Bayesian inference in DL by imposing a Bernoulli distribution on the incoming or outgoing weights of the model, including neurones. We demonstrate that by decomposing predictive probabilities into two main types of uncertainty, aleatoric and epistemic, using the Bayesian Residual U‐Net (BRUNet) in image segmentation. Approximation methods in Bayesian DL suffer from the “mode collapse” phenomenon in variational inference. To address this problem, we propose a model which Ensembles of Monte‐Carlo DropWeights by varying the DropWeights rate. In segmentation, we introduce a predictive uncertainty estimator, which takes the mean of the standard deviations of the class probabilities associated with every class. However, in classification, we need an alternative approach since the predictive probabilities from a forward pass through the model does not capture uncertainty. The entropy of the predictive distribution is a measure of uncertainty, but its exponential depends on sample size. The plug‐in estimate in mutual information is subject to sampling bias. We propose Jackknife resampling, to correct for sample bias, which improves estimating uncertainty quality in image classification. We demonstrate that our deep ensemble MC‐DropWeights method, using the bias‐corrected estimator produces an equally good or better result in both quantified uncertainty estimation and quality of uncertainty estimates than approximate Bayesian neural networks in practice.
Development of spatial biases in school‐aged children
Authors: Hoyos Patricia M. , Kim Na Yeon , Cheng Debby , Finkelston Abigail , Kastner Sabine
Published: October 2020

In the adult brain, biases in the allocation of spatial attention can be measured using a line bisection task and are directly relatable to neural attention signals in the fronto‐parietal attention network. Behavioral studies on the development of spatial biases have yielded a host of inconsistent results, likely due to variance in sample size, definition of experimental groups, and motor confounds introduced by using a paper‐and‐pencil version of a line bisection task. Here, we used a perceptual, computerized version of this task and examined the development of spatial biases in 459 children from grades 1–8 and 61 college freshmen. We found that children in early elementary grades exerted a significant leftward bias that gradually diminished with advancing grade level. We further show that among children in early elementary school grades, the degree of leftward spatial bias predicted better performance on a rapid automatized naming test, a predictor of reading ability. Significant leftward biases in early elementary school grades may be due to reading experience, thereby reflecting an interaction of the attention network with the evolving reading network.
Tune in to the right frequency: Theta changes when distancing from emotions elicited by unpleasant images and words
Authors: Sulpizio Simone , Grecucci Alessandro , Job Remo
Published: October 2020

Emotion regulation allows humans to successfully modulate their reactions to life events. Whether regulation strategies may alter brain oscillatory activity and how they are influenced by format and emotional dimensions is still under debate. We investigated oscillatory brain dynamics during the implementation of the strategy of Distancing and during the regulation of the emotions elicited by neutral and unpleasant pictures and, for the first time, words. When implementing the strategy, an early increase in theta band in posterior regions was observed (Effect of Strategy). We interpret this effect as a marker of emotion regulation, and we suggest an integrative framework of the role of theta on regulatory processes. When regulating the emotional impact elicited by stimuli, a decrease in the theta and beta bands in posterior regions for pictures, but not for words, was observed (Effect of Regulation). Behaviorally, the Effect of Regulation was evident for both pictures and words and more pronounced for Valence than for Arousal. These results contribute to better understand the neural and behavioral features of Distancing (both Effect of Strategy and of Regulation), and open up the possibility to clarify which strategy works better to modulate specific stimulus types and emotional dimensions.
Measuring the quality of scientific references in Wikipedia: an analysis of more than 115M citations to over 800 000 scientific articles
Authors: Nicholson Joshua M. , Uppala Ashish , Sieber Matthias , Grabitz Peter , Mordaunt Milo , Rife Sean C.
Published: October 2020

Wikipedia is a widely used online reference work which cites hundreds of thousands of scientific articles across its entries. The quality of these citations has not been previously measured, and such measurements have a bearing on the reliability and quality of the scientific portions of this reference work. Using a novel technique, a massive database of qualitatively described citations, and machine learning algorithms, we analyzed 1 923 575 Wikipedia articles which cited a total of 824 298 scientific articles in our database and found that most scientific articles cited by Wikipedia articles are uncited or untested by subsequent studies, and the remainder show a wide variability in contradicting or supporting evidence. Additionally, we analyzed 51 804 643 scientific articles from journals indexed in the Web of Science and found that similarly most were uncited or untested by subsequent studies, while the remainder show a wide variability in contradicting or supporting evidence.
Estimating probabilistic site‐specific species pools and dark diversity from co‐occurrence data
Authors: Carmona Carlos P. , Pärtel Meelis
Published: October 2020

Aim

The species pool specific for a site includes all species from the region that are theoretically able to live in the site's particular ecological conditions. The absent portion of the site‐specific species pool forms the site’s dark diversity, which is unobservable and can only be estimated. Most existing methods to designate dark diversity act in a binary fashion. Here, we argue that the species pool is more suitably defined as a fuzzy set, present a method to estimate probabilistic species pools using pairwise co‐occurrence data with a hypergeometric distribution, and compare it with established methods (Beals index and favourability correction).

Innovation

We compare the different aspects of the method’s performance using simulations based on individual agents in which the suitability for each species in each site is known. Further, we assessed the methods in two real datasets with nested sampling designs. We provide the R package ‘DarkDiv’ (https://cran.r‐project.org/web/packages/DarkDiv/index.html) that implements all the compared methods for estimations of probabilistic dark diversity and species pools.

Main conclusions

Beals method is extremely sensitive to species frequency, and predicts species’ suitability to local conditions less accurately than the other considered methods. The favourability transformation corrected this relationship, but still predicted extremely low probabilities for species with very little information. The hypergeometric method outperformed the Beals and favourability methods in all considered aspects in the simulations and displayed better characteristics in the real datasets. The hypergeometric method is currently the best option to estimate probabilistic dark diversity and species pool composition based on pairwise species co‐occurrence data.
Survey of the antimicrobial resistance of Helicobacter pylori in France in 2018 and evolution during the previous 5 years
Authors: Mégraud Francis , Alix Chloé , Charron Paul , Bénéjat Lucie , Ducournau Astrid , Bessède Emilie , Lehours Philippe
Published: October 2020

Background and Objectives

Surveillance of Helicobacter pylori resistance to antibiotics was carried out in France in 2014, 2016, and 2018. We report here the results of the 2018 survey as well as the evolution over the 5‐year period.

Materials and Methods

In this observational study, gastric biopsies were obtained by 62 gastroenterologists randomly selected in 5 regions of France and sent to a central laboratory where culture, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and a real‐time PCR were performed in order to detect H pylori and its mutations associated with clarithromycin resistance.

Results and Conclusion

During the year 2018, 951 patients were included: 55.3% women, mean age: 52.4 years ± 15.7, 71.6% born in France. Among them, 359 patients were H pylori positive by both culture and real‐time PCR, and 7 more by PCR only. There were 244 naive patients, 110 previously treated patients, and unknown for 5. Primary resistance to clarithromycin was 20.9% [16.3‐26.4], to levofloxacin 17.6% [13.4‐22.9], and to metronidazole 58.6% [52.3%‐64.6%]. Secondary resistance for these antibiotics was 56.4%, 22.7%, and 87.3%, respectively. There was no resistance to amoxicillin and tetracycline and very low resistance to rifampicin (1.2%) in both naive and treated patients. Primary resistance to clarithromycin decreased from 22.2% to 20.3% between 2014 and 2016, and appears to be stable since then. This can be linked to a stable consumption of macrolides over the 3‐year time period. Primary levofloxacin resistance was relatively stable while metronidazole resistance increased. Interestingly, in both naive and treated patients, amoxicillin and rifampicin resistance were rare.
Impact of temporal rainfall patterns on flash floods in Hue City, Vietnam
Authors: Mu Dengrui , Luo Pingping , Lyu Jiqiang , Zhou Meimei , Huo Aidi , Duan Weili , Nover Daniel , He Bin , Zhao Xiaoli
Published: October 2020

Urban flooding is a perennial problem, especially in developing countries with relatively weak infrastructure under ever‐increasing stress due to climate change and human activities. We simulate the temporally variable flood‐water depth and inundation area under four designed rainfall patterns in the typical tropical rainforest city of Hue, Vietnam. The four rainfall types are R1 (peak at fifth hour), R2 (peak at 20th hour), R3 (peak at first hour), and R4 (peak at 13th hour). Results show that temporal rainfall pattern R4 with peak rainfall in the middle of the total period yielded the maximum water depth of 1.88 m. R3, with peak rainfall in the first hour, yields the shallowest maximum water depth and the largest inundation extent. When the water depth for R3 is 0.1–0.2 m, the inundated area caused by R3 is 3–4 times that of the other three patterns. Analysis of urban flood inundation in Hue provides a management tool to facilitate flood risk management in the context of extreme rainfall.
Prognostic value of anti‐HBc quantification in hepatitis B virus related acute‐on‐chronic liver failure
Authors: Li Jing , Gong Qi‐ming , Xie Pei‐lin , Lin Jun‐yu , Chen Jia , Wei Dong , Yu De‐min , Han Yue , Zhang Xin‐xin
Published: October 2020

Background and Aim

It has been reported that serum quantification of anti‐HBc (qAnti‐HBc) could predict antiviral response in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, while its role in hepatitis B virus‐related acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (HBV‐ACLF) remains unclear. Its implication in HBV‐ACLF was evaluated in this study.

Methods

Baseline serum qAnti‐HBc levels were retrospectively detected in HBV‐ACLF and CHB patients using recently developed double‐sandwich immunoassay. The association of qAnti‐HBc level with clinical outcomes was evaluated by multiple logistic regression. Nomogram was adopted to formulate an algorithm incorporating qAnti‐HBc for the prediction of survival in HBV‐ACLF. The post‐hospitalization of HBV‐ACLF patients were followed‐up for 1 year.

Results

Eighty‐eight HBV‐ACLF as training set, 80 HBV‐ACLF as validation set and 216 CHB cases were included. Serum qAnti‐HBc level was significantly higher in HBV‐ACLF (4.95 ± 0.54 log10 IU/mL) than CHB patients (4.47 ± 0.84 log10 IU/mL) (P < 0.01). Among HBV‐ACLF cases, both in training and validation set, patients with poor outcomes had lower qAnti‐HBc level. Area under receiver operating characteristic curve of the novel qAnti‐HBc inclusive model was 0.82, superior to 0.73 from model for end‐stage liver disease scores (P = 0.018), which was confirmed in validation set. During follow‐up, the qAnti‐HBc level declined at month 3 and month 6, then plateaued at 3.84 log10 IU/mL.

Conclusions

Serum qAnti‐HBc level was associated with disease severity and might be served as a novel biomarker in the prediction of HBV‐ACLF clinical outcomes. The underlying immunological mechanism warrants further investigation.