bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enacting agency: exploring how older adults shape their neighbourhoods
Authors: Hand Carri , Laliberte Rudman Debbie , Huot Suzanne , Pack Rachael , Gilliland Jason
Published: September 2018

Within research on ageing in neighbourhoods, older adults are often positioned as impacted by neighbourhood features; their impact on neighbourhoods is less often considered. Drawing on a study exploring how person and place transact to shape older adults’ social connectedness, inclusion and engagement in neighbourhoods, this paper explores how older adults take action in efforts to create neighbourhoods that meet individual and collective needs and wants. We drew on ethnographic and community-based participatory approaches and employed qualitative and geospatial methods with 14 older adults in two neighbourhoods. Analysis identified three themes that described the ways that older adults enact agency at the neighbourhood level: being present and inviting casual social interaction, helping others and taking community action. The participants appeared to contribute to a collective sense of connectedness and creation of social spaces doing everyday neighbourhood activities and interacting with others. Shared territories in which others were present seemed to support such interactions. Participants also helped others in a variety of ways, often relating to gaps in services and support, becoming neighbourhood-based supports for other seniors. Finally, participants contributed to change at the community level, such as engaging politically, patronising local businesses and making improvements in public places. Study findings suggest the potential benefits of collaborating with older adults to create and maintain liveable neighbourhoods.
Writing Horrible Words
Authors: Gowers Rebecca
Published: September 2018

At the ‘English Usage (Guides) Symposium’, Cambridge 2014, I was
invited to account for my revision of Plain Words
(Gowers, 2014), the style guide originally written by my
great-grandfather, Sir Ernest Gowers (1880–1966). And because, by
the time I gave that talk (see Gowers, 2018), I was already writing
my own book on the English language, intended as a sort of adjunct
to Plain Words, the arguments aired at that
Cambridge gathering were particularly interesting to me. That said,
they also left me more daunted than ever by my own project.
Purulent pericarditis secondary to influenza and community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus co-infection
Authors: Morparia Kavita , Peshkovsky Courtney , Kalyanaraman Meena
Published: September 2018

Purulent pericarditis occurs rarely in the current antibiotic era. We describe clinical and echocardiographic features of purulent pericarditis in a previously healthy child with influenza and community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus co-infection. The child was already on appropriate antibiotics and had a very subtle clinical presentation, with prominent abdominal symptoms. Timely surgical drainage led to complete recovery.
Coronary artery occlusion secondary to graft versus host disease after bone marrow transplant in a 21-year-old
Authors: Huang Sihong , Martin Paul , Campbell M. Jay
Published: September 2018

Coronary artery disease after bone marrow transplantation is rare in children and young adults. We report the case of a 21-year-old who developed coronary artery disease and acute myocardial infarction secondary to graft versus host disease following bone marrow transplantation. Physicians caring for young patients after bone marrow transplantation should be aware of the potential for coronary artery disease and evaluate appropriately.
A diffusion model approach to analyzing performance on the Flanker task: The role of the DLPFC
Authors: SOARES SERGIO MIGUEL PEREIRA , ONG GABRIEL , ABUTALEBI JUBIN , DEL MASCHIO NICOLA , SEWELL DAVID , WEEKES BRENDAN
Published: September 2018

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) are involved in conflict detection and conflict resolution, respectively. Here, we investigate how lifelong bilingualism induces neuroplasticity to these structures by employing a novel analysis of behavioural performance. We correlated grey matter volume (GMV) in seniors reported by Abutalebi et al. (2015) with behavioral Flanker task performance fitted using the diffusion model (Ratcliff, 1978). As predicted, we observed significant correlations between GMV in the DLPFC and Flanker performance. However, for monolinguals the non-decision time parameter was significantly correlated with GMV in the left DLPFC, whereas for bilinguals the correlation was significant in the right DLPFC. We also found a significant correlation between age and GMV in left DLPFC and the non-decision time parameter for the conflict effect for monolinguals only.

We submit that this is due to cumulative demands on cognitive control over a lifetime of bilingual language processing.
How Accurately Can We Measure the Reconnection Rate EM for the MMS Diffusion Region Event of 11 July 2017?
Authors: Genestreti K. J. , Nakamura T. K. M. , Nakamura R. , Denton R. E. , Torbert R. B. , Burch J. L. , Plaschke F. , Fuselier S. A. , Ergun R. E. , Giles B. L. , Russell C. T.
Published: September 2018

We investigate the accuracy with which the reconnection electric field EM can be determined from in situ plasma data. We study the magnetotail electron diffusion region observed by National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) on 11 July 2017 at 22:34 UT and focus on the very large errors in EM that result from errors in an LMN boundary normal coordinate system. We determine several LMN coordinates for this MMS event using several different methods. We use these M axes to estimate EM. We find some consensus that the reconnection rate was roughly EM = 3.2 ± 0.6 mV/m, which corresponds to a normalized reconnection rate of 0.18 ± 0.035. Minimum variance analysis of the electron velocity (MVA‐ve), MVA of E, minimization of Faraday residue, and an adjusted version of the maximum directional derivative of the magnetic field (MDD‐B) technique all produce reasonably similar coordinate axes. We use virtual MMS data from a particle‐in‐cell simulation of this event to estimate the errors in the coordinate axes and reconnection rate associated with MVA‐ve and MDD‐B. The L and M directions are most reliably determined by MVA‐ve when the spacecraft observes a clear electron jet reversal. When the magnetic field data have errors as small as 0.5% of the background field strength, the M direction obtained by MDD‐B technique may be off by as much as 35°. The normal direction is most accurately obtained by MDD‐B. Overall, we find that these techniques were able to identify EM from the virtual data within error bars ≥20%.
Energization of the Ring Current by Substorms
Authors: Sandhu J. K. , Rae I. J. , Freeman M. P. , Forsyth C. , Gkioulidou M. , Reeves G. D. , Spence H. E. , Jackman C. M. , Lam M. M.
Published: September 2018

The substorm process releases large amounts of energy into the magnetospheric system, although where the energy is transferred to and how it is partitioned remains an open question. In this study, we address whether the substorm process contributes a significant amount of energy to the ring current. The ring current is a highly variable region, and understanding the energization processes provides valuable insight into how substorm‐ring current coupling may contribute to the generation of storm conditions and provide a source of energy for wave driving. In order to quantify the energy input into the ring current during the substorm process, we analyze Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment and Helium Oxygen Proton Electron ion flux measurements for H+, O+, and He+. The energy content of the ring current is estimated and binned spatially for L and magnetic local time. The results are combined with an independently derived substorm event list to perform a statistical analysis of variations in the ring current energy content with substorm phase. We show that the ring current energy is significantly higher in the expansion phase compared to the growth phase, with the energy enhancement persisting into the substorm recovery phase. The characteristics of the energy enhancement suggest the injection of energized ions from the tail plasma sheet following substorm onset. The local time variations indicate a loss of energetic H+ ions in the afternoon sector, likely due to wave‐particle interactions. Overall, we find that the average energy input into the ring current is ∼9% of the previously reported energy released during substorms.
Energetic Ion Moments and Polytropic Index in Saturn's Magnetosphere using Cassini/MIMI Measurements: A Simple Model Based on κ‐Distribution Functions
Authors: Dialynas Konstantinos , Roussos Elias , Regoli Leonardo , Paranicas Christopher P. , Krimigis Stamatios M. , Kane Mark , Mitchell Donald G. , Hamilton Douglas C. , Krupp Norbert , Carbary James F.
Published: September 2018

Moments of the charged particle distribution function provide a compact way of studying the transport, acceleration, and interactions of plasma and energetic particles in the magnetosphere. We employ κ‐distributions to describe the energy spectra of H+ and O+, based on >20 keV measurements by the three detectors of Cassini's Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument, covering the time period from DOY 183/2004 to 016/2016, 5 < L < 20. From the analytical spectra we calculate the equatorial distributions of energetic ion moments inside Saturn's magnetosphere and then focus on the distributions of the characteristic energy (Ec=IE/In), temperature, and κ‐index of these ions. A semiempirical model is utilized to simulate the equatorial ion moments in both local time and L‐shell, allowing the derivation of the polytropic index (Γ) for both H+ and O+. Primary results are as follows: (a) The ∼9 < L < 20 region corresponds to a local equatorial acceleration region, where subadiabatic transport of H+ (Γ∼1.25) and quasi‐isothermal behavior of O+ (Γ∼0.95) dominate the ion energetics; (b) energetic ions are heavily depleted in the inner magnetospheric regions, and their behavior appears to be quasi‐isothermal (Γ<1); (c) the (quasi‐) periodic energetic ion injections in the outer parts of Saturn's magnetosphere (especially beyond 17–18 RS) produce durable signatures in the energetic ion moments; (d) the plasma sheet does not seem to have a ground thermodynamic state, but the extended neutral gas distribution at Saturn provides an effective cooling mechanism that does not allow the plasma sheet to behave adiabatically.
Sediment Resuspension Due to Near‐Bed Turbulent Effects: A Deep Sea Case Study on the Northwest Continental Slope of Western Australia
Authors: Salim Sarik , Pattiaratchi Charitha , Tinoco Rafael O. , Jayaratne Ravindra
Published: September 2018

Sediment transport equations often consider a mean velocity threshold for the initiation of sediment motion and resuspension, ignoring event‐based turbulent bursting processes. However, laboratory experiments have suggested that near‐bed sediment resuspension is influenced by intermittent turbulent coherent structures. In the field, accessibility constraints for deployment of easily operated equipment has largely prevented further identification and understanding of such processes, which may contribute to resuspension in the marine environment. Field experiments were conducted on the Northwest Slope, Australia, under conditions where the mean current velocities were below the estimated and measured time‐averaged critical velocity to investigate the relationship between near‐bed turbulent coherent structures and sediment resuspension. Results indicate that sediment resuspension occur even when velocities are below the estimated and measured mean critical values. The majority of turbulent sediment flux is due to ejection and sweep events, with lesser contributions from up‐acceleration and down‐deceleration (vertical flow) events. Spectral and quadrant analysis indicated the anisotropic and intermittent nature of Reynolds stresses, and wavelet transform revealed a group of turbulent bursting sequences associated with sediment resuspension. These observations, in flow conditions where resuspension was not expected to occur based on mean threshold concepts, reveal that intermittent turbulent events control sediment resuspension rather a single time‐averaged critical velocity. This highlights the need of considering turbulence as a significant factor in sediment resuspension and should be further investigated for inclusion into future sediment transport modeling.
Hydrodynamics and Sediment Mobility Processes Over a Degraded Senile Coral Reef
Authors: Torres‐Garcia Legna M. , Dalyander P. Soupy , Long Joseph W. , Zawada David G. , Yates Kimberly K. , Moore Christopher , Olabarrieta Maitane
Published: September 2018

Coral reefs can influence hydrodynamics and morphodynamics by dissipating and refracting incident wave energy, modifying circulation patterns, and altering sediment transport pathways. In this study, the sediment and hydrodynamic response of a senile (dead) barrier reef (Crocker Reef, located in the upper portion of the Florida Reef Tract) to storms and quiescent conditions was evaluated using field observations and the Coupled Ocean‐Atmosphere‐Wave‐Sediment Transport model. Waves, circulation, and resultant sediment mobility were modeled across different reef zones. Sediment mobility during quiescent periods and the passage of far‐field storms are driven by nonbreaking waves and, to a lesser degree, regional circulation. Spatial variability in these processes produces the present‐day distribution of sediment grain size at Crocker Reef, wherein finer‐grain material along a shallow central ridge is frequently mobilized (43% to 62% of the time), winnowed away, and deposited along the lower‐energy flanks and in the fore reef where sand mobility occurs less frequently (32% to 43% and 1% to 22% of the time, respectively). Analysis of wave conditions for the period of 2006–2014 supports that wave heights rarely exceed the threshold for breaking (0.1% and 0.3% at the reef crest and at the reef flat, respectively), predominantly during the passage of tropical storms. There is a shift to a wave‐breaking regime during near‐field storms, creating the potential for mobilization of larger material and enhanced reef degradation. Sediment mobility can be enhanced due to wave skewness or the generation of free infragravity waves during periods of depth‐induced wave breaking.
Hydrodynamics of a Tidally Forced Coral Reef Atoll
Authors: Green Rebecca H. , Lowe Ryan J. , Buckley Mark L.
Published: September 2018

The hydrodynamics of a tidally forced semi‐enclosed coral reef atoll (North Scott) at the edge of the continental shelf of northwestern Australia were investigated by combining field observations and numerical modeling. The observations revealed that the spring tidal range outside the atoll reaches 4 m, and as the water level drops below mean sea level, the reef rim surrounding the shallow (~10–15 m) lagoon becomes exposed. During this time, the lagoon can only exchange with the open ocean through two narrow channels, resulting in highly asymmetric water levels and velocities that were most pronounced during spring tide. On average, the ebb tide duration was ~2 hr longer than the flood, with rapid flood velocities in the channel reaching 2 m/s. We applied an unstructured grid model Delft3D‐Flexible Mesh to simulate the atoll hydrodynamics and were able to replicate the asymmetric water levels and complex velocities in the lagoon. The results revealed that at higher tidal stages, a dominant momentum balance exists between the pressure gradient (established by the propagation of the tide on the shelf) and the local flow acceleration of water throughout the interior of the atoll. At lower tidal stages, which coincided with a reversal of the offshore tidal pressure gradient, the lagoon became isolated from offshore dynamics and all momentum terms were negligible. This resulted in a tidally averaged residual westward flow within the lagoon that drove an asymmetric flushing pattern within the atoll, which we propose would be a common flushing mechanism within other tide‐dominated atolls worldwide.
When Mixed Layers Are Not Mixed. Storm‐Driven Mixing and Bio‐optical Vertical Gradients in Mixed Layers of the Southern Ocean
Authors: Carranza Magdalena M. , Gille Sarah T. , Franks Peter J. S. , Johnson Kenneth S. , Pinkel Robert , Girton James B.
Published: September 2018

Mixed layers are defined to have homogeneous density, temperature, and salinity. However, bio‐optical profiles may not always be fully homogenized within the mixed layer. The relative timescales of mixing and biological processes determine whether bio‐optical gradients can form within a uniform density mixed layer. Vertical profiles of bio‐optical measurements from biogeochemical Argo floats and elephant seal tags in the Southern Ocean are used to assess biological structure in the upper ocean. Within the hydrographically defined mixed layer, the profiles show significant vertical variance in chlorophyll‐a (Chl‐a) fluorescence and particle optical backscatter. Biological structure is assessed by fitting Chl‐a fluorescence and particle backscatter profiles to functional forms (i.e., Gaussian, sigmoid, exponential, and their combinations). In the Southern Ocean, which characteristically has deep mixed layers, only 40% of nighttime bio‐optical profiles were characterized by a sigmoid, indicating a well‐mixed surface layer. Of the remaining 60% that showed structure, ∼40% had a deep fluorescence maximum below 20‐m depth that correlated with particle backscatter. Furthermore, a significant fraction of these deep fluorescence maxima were found within the mixed layer (20–80%, depending on mixed‐layer depth definition and season). Results suggest that the timescale between mixing events that homogenize the surface layer is often longer than biological timescales of restratification. We hypothesize that periods of quiescence between synoptic storms, which we estimate to be ∼3–5 days (depending on season), allow bio‐optical gradients to develop within mixed layers that remain homogeneous in density.
Orbitally Paced Carbon and Deep‐Sea Temperature Changes at the Peak of the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum
Authors: Lauretano Vittoria , Zachos James C. , Lourens Lucas J.
Published: September 2018

The late Paleocene to early Eocene warming trend was punctuated by a series of orbitally paced transient warming events, associated with the release of isotopically light carbon into the ocean‐atmosphere system. These events occurred throughout the early Eocene, critically persisting during onset, peak, and termination of the early Eocene climatic optimum (EECO) and the onset of the middle Eocene cooling. Here we present a ~5.2‐Myr‐long high‐resolution benthic foraminiferal stable‐isotope record spanning the peak of the early Eocene “hothouse” from Ocean Drilling Program Leg 208 Site 1263. Our new oxygen isotope record confirms the presence of short‐term warming events during the peak and termination of the EECO, previously described in coeval bulk carbonate records. The degree of change between deep‐sea temperature and concurrent carbon release during these events is consistent with previous findings for Eocene thermal maximum 2 to 3, suggesting that the orbitally forced processes that triggered these perturbations in the exogenic carbon pool were similar. Additionally, the long‐term background carbon isotope signature reveals a rapid enrichment of up to ~1.0‰ across the peak warmth of the EECO, ~51.6 Ma, without a corresponding shift in the oxygen record, suggesting a decoupling from climate. We speculate that this carbon shift reflects a non‐recurrent adjustment in the mean (steady) state of the deep‐ocean carbon reservoir due to a significant change in carbon source/sink, the biological pump, and/or ocean circulation during the extreme greenhouse conditions of the EECO.
Analytical Representations for Characterizing the Global Aviation Radiation Environment Based on Model and Measurement Databases
Authors: Tobiska W. Kent , Didkovsky Leonid , Judge Kevin , Weiman Seth , Bouwer Dave , Bailey Justin , Atwell Bill , Maskrey Molly , Mertens Chris , Zheng Yihua , Shea Margaret , Smart Don , Gersey Brad , Wilkins Richard , Bell Duane , Gardner Larry , Fuschino Robert
Published: September 2018

The Nowcast of Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation for Aviation Safety climatological model and the Automated Radiation Measurements for Aerospace Safety (ARMAS) statistical database are presented as polynomial fit equations. Using equations based on altitude, L shell, and geomagnetic conditions an effective dose rate for any location from a galactic cosmic ray (GCR) environment can be calculated. A subset of the ARMAS database is represented by a second polynomial fit equation for the GCR plus probable relativistic energetic particle (REP; Van Allen belt REP) effective dose rates within a narrow band of L shells with altitudinal and geomagnetic dependency. Solar energetic particle events are not considered in this study since our databases do not contain these events. This work supports a suggestion that there may be a REP contribution having an effect at aviation altitudes. The ARMAS database is rich in Western Hemisphere observations for L shells between 1.5 and 5; there have been many cases of enhanced radiation events possibly related to effects from radiation belt particles. Our work identifies that the combined effects of an enhanced radiation environment in this L shell range are typically 15% higher than the GCR background. We also identify applications for the equations representing the Nowcast of Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation for Aviation Safety and ARMAS databases. They include (i) effective dose rate climatology in comparison with measured weather variability and (ii) climatological and statistical weather nowcasting and forecasting. These databases may especially help predict the radiation environment for regional air traffic management, for airport overflight operations, and for air carrier route operations of individual aircraft.
Targeting nonsense-mediated mRNA decay in colorectal cancers with microsatellite instability
Authors: Bokhari A’dem , Jonchere Vincent , Lagrange Anaïs , Bertrand Romane , Svrcek Magali , Marisa Laetitia , Buhard Olivier , Greene Malorie , Demidova Anastasia , Jia Jieshuang , Adriaenssens Eric , Chassat Thierry , Biard Denis S. , Flejou Jean-François , Lejeune Fabrice , Duval Alex , Collura Ada
Published: September 2018

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is responsible for the degradation of mRNAs with a premature termination codon (PTC). The role of this system in cancer is still quite poorly understood. In the present study, we evaluated the functional consequences of NMD activity in a subgroup of colorectal cancers (CRC) characterized by high levels of mRNAs with a PTC due to widespread instability in microsatellite sequences (MSI). In comparison to microsatellite stable (MSS) CRC, MSI CRC expressed increased levels of two critical activators of the NMD system, UPF1/2 and SMG1/6/7. Suppression of NMD activity led to the re-expression of dozens of PTC mRNAs. Amongst these, several encoded mutant proteins with putative deleterious activity against MSI tumorigenesis (e.g., HSP110DE9 chaperone mutant). Inhibition of NMD in vivo using amlexanox reduced MSI tumor growth, but not that of MSS tumors. These results suggest that inhibition of the oncogenic activity of NMD may be an effective strategy for the personalized treatment of MSI CRC.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Autophagy-independent induction of LC3B through oxidative stress reveals its non-canonical role in anoikis of ovarian cancer cells
Authors: Satyavarapu Eswara Murali , Das Ranjita , Mandal Chandan , Mukhopadhyay Asima , Mandal Chitra
Published: September 2018

Cancer cells display abnormal redox metabolism. Autophagy, anoikis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a regulatory role during metastasis. LC3 is a well-known essential molecule for autophagy. Therefore, we wanted to explore the molecular interplay between autophagy, anoikis, and ROS in relation to LC3B. We observed enhanced LC3B level along with increased expression of p62 and modulation of other autophagy-related molecules (Atg 3, 5, 7, 12, 16L1 and Beclin1) by inducing oxidative-stress in ovarian cancer cells using a ROS-producing pro-oxidant molecule. Surprisingly, enhanced LC3B was unable to induce autophagosome formation rather promoted anoikis. ROS-induced inhibition of autophagosome-formation is possibly due to the instability of autophagy initiator, ULK1 complex. Moreover, such upregulation of LC3B via ROS enhanced several apoptotic molecules. Silencing LC3B reduced these apoptotic molecules and increased when overexpressed, suggesting its role in apoptosis. Furthermore, LC3B-dependent apoptosis was decreased by inhibiting ROS, indicating a possible link between ROS, LC3B, and apoptosis. Additionally, ROS-induced enhanced LC3B promoted detachment-induced cell death (anoikis). This was further reflected by reduced cell adhesion molecules (integrin-β3 and focal adhesion kinase) and mesenchymal markers (snail and slug). Our in vitro experimental data was further confirmed in primary tumors developed in syngeneic mice, which also showed ROS-mediated LC3B enhancement along with reduced autophagosomes, integrin-β3 and focal adhesion kinase ultimately leading to the decreased tumor mass. Additionally, primary cells from high-grade serous carcinoma patient’s ascites exhibited LC3B enhancement and autophagy inhibition through ROS which provided a clinical relevance of our study. Taken together, this is the first evidence for a non-canonical role of LC3B in promoting anoikis in contrast to autophagy and may, therefore, consider as a potential therapeutic target molecule in ovarian cancer. Taken together, autophagy-inhibition may be an alternative approach to induce apoptosis/anoikis in cancer.
Propofol inhibits parthanatos via ROS–ER–calcium–mitochondria signal pathway in vivo and vitro
Authors: Zhong Hanhui , Song Rui , Pang Qiongni , Liu Yawei , Zhuang Jinling , Chen Yeming , Hu Jijie , Hu Jian , Liu Youtan , Liu Zhifeng , Tang Jing
Published: September 2018

Parthanatos is a new form of programmed cell death. It has been recognized to be critical in cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) can induce parthanatos. Recent studies found that propofol, a widely used intravenous anesthetic agent, has an inhibitory effect on ROS and has neuroprotective in many neurological diseases. However, the functional roles and mechanisms of propofol in parthanatos remain unclear. Here, we discovered that the ROS–ER–calcium–mitochondria signal pathway mediated parthanatos and the significance of propofol in parthanatos. Next, we found that ROS overproduction would cause endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium release, leading to mitochondria depolarization with the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Mitochondria depolarization caused mitochondria to release more ROS, which, in turn, contributed to parthanatos. Also, we found that propofol inhibited parthanatos through impeding ROS overproduction, calcium release from ER, and mitochondrial depolarization in parthanatos. Importantly, our results indicated that propofol protected cerebral ischemia–reperfusion via parthanatos suppression, amelioration of mitochondria, and ER swelling. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of how ER and mitochondria contribute to parthanatos. Furthermore, our studies elucidated that propofol has a vital role in parthanatos prevention in vivo and in vitro, and propofol can be a promising therapeutic approach for nerve injury patients.
The chromatin remodeler RSF1 controls centromeric histone modifications to coordinate chromosome segregation
Authors: Lee Ho-Soo , Lin Zhonghui , Chae Sunyoung , Yoo Young-Suk , Kim Byung-Gyu , Lee Youngsoo , Johnson Jared L. , Kim You-Sun , Cantley Lewis C. , Lee Chang-Woo , Yu Hongtao , Cho Hyeseong
Published: September 2018

Chromatin remodelers regulate the nucleosome barrier during transcription, DNA replication, and DNA repair. The chromatin remodeler RSF1 is enriched at mitotic centromeres, but the functional consequences of this enrichment are not completely understood. Shugoshin (Sgo1) protects centromeric cohesion during mitosis and requires BuB1-dependent histone H2A phosphorylation (H2A-pT120) for localization. Loss of Sgo1 at centromeres causes chromosome missegregation. Here, we show that RSF1 regulates Sgo1 localization to centromeres through coordinating a crosstalk between histone acetylation and phosphorylation. RSF1 interacts with and recruits HDAC1 to centromeres, where it counteracts TIP60-mediated acetylation of H2A at K118. This deacetylation is required for the accumulation of H2A-pT120 and Sgo1 deposition, as H2A-K118 acetylation suppresses H2A-T120 phosphorylation by Bub1. Centromeric tethering of HDAC1 prevents premature chromatid separation in RSF1 knockout cells. Our results indicate that RSF1 regulates the dynamics of H2A histone modifications at mitotic centromeres and contributes to the maintenance of chromosome stability.
The intragenic mRNA-microRNA regulatory network during telogen-anagen hair follicle transition in the cashmere goat
Authors: Liu Zhihong , Yang Feng , Zhao Meng , Ma Lina , Li Haijun , Xie Yuchun , Nai Rile , Che Tianyu , Su Rui , Zhang Yanjun , Wang Ruijun , Wang Zhiying , Li Jinquan
Published: September 2018

It is widely accepted that the periodic cycle of hair follicles is controlled by the biological clock, but the molecular regulatory mechanisms of the hair follicle cycle have not been thoroughly studied. The secondary hair follicle of the cashmere goat is characterized by seasonal periodic changes throughout life. In the hair follicle cycle, the initiation of hair follicles is of great significance for hair follicle regeneration. To provide a reference for hair follicle research, our study compared differences in mRNA expression and microRNA expression during the growth and repose stages of cashmere goat skin samples. Through microRNA and mRNA association analysis, we found microRNAs and target genes that play major regulatory roles in hair follicle initiation. We further constructed an mRNA-microRNA interaction network and found that hair follicle initiation and development were related to MiR-195 and the genes CHP1, SMAD2, FZD6 and SIAH1.
Design of ultrasensitive Ag-LaFeO3 methanol gas sensor based on quasi molecular imprinting technology
Authors: Rong Qian , Zhang Yumin , Hu Jicu , Li Kejin , Wang Huapeng , Chen Mingpeng , Lv Tianping , Zhu Zhongqi , Zhang Jin , Liu Qingju
Published: September 2018

An ultrasensitive methanol gas sensing device based on the quasi-molecular imprinting technology (quasi-MIT) is studied in this work. We applied the sol-gel method (ALS denotes Ag-LaFeO3 prepared by the sol-gel method) and combustion synthesis (ALC denotes Ag-LaFeO3 prepared by combustion synthesis) to prepare Ag-LaFeO3 based sensors. The morphologies and structures of the Ag-LaFeO3 materials were examined via various detection techniques. The ALSM and ALCM sensor (ALSM and ALCM denotes the devices prepared by coating the ALS and ALC materials with methanol, respectively) fabricated using the sol-gel method and combustion synthesis combined with quasi-MIT exhibit good gas sensing properties to methanol, in contrast with the two devices (ALSW and ALCW denote the devices prepared for coating the ALS and ALC materials with water, respectively) without the use of quasi-MIT. The results show that quasi-MIT introduced the target gas in the fabrication process of the device, playing an important role in the design of the ultrasensitive methanol gas sensor. The sensing response and the optimum working temperature of ALSM and ALCM gas sensor are 52.29 and 155 °C and 34.89 and 155 °C, respectively, for 5 ppm methanol, and the highest response to other gases is 8. The ALSM and ALCM gas sensors reveal good selectivity and response for methanol.
Vps34-mediated macropinocytosis in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2-deficient cells supports tumorigenesis
Authors: Filippakis Harilaos , Belaid Amine , Siroky Brian , Wu Constance , Alesi Nicola , Hougard Thomas , Nijmeh Julie , Lam Hilaire C. , Henske Elizabeth P.
Published: September 2018

Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC), a rare genetic disorder with mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) hyperactivation, is characterized by multi-organ hamartomatous benign tumors including brain, skin, kidney, and lung (Lymphangioleiomyomatosis). mTORC1 hyperactivation drives metabolic reprogramming including glucose and glutamine utilization, protein, nucleic acid and lipid synthesis. To investigate the mechanisms of exogenous nutrients uptake in Tsc2-deficient cells, we measured dextran uptake, a polysaccharide internalized via macropinocytosis. Tsc2-deficient cells showed a striking increase in dextran uptake (3-fold, p < 0.0001) relative to Tsc2-expressing cells, which was decreased (3-fold, p < 0.0001) with mTOR inhibitor, Torin1. Pharmacologic and genetic inhibition of the lipid kinase Vps34 markedly abrogated uptake of Dextran in Tsc2-deficient cells. Macropinocytosis was further increased in Tsc2-deficient cells that lack autophagic mechanisms, suggesting that autophagy inhibition leads to dependence on exogenous nutrient uptake in Tsc2-deficient cells. Treatment with a macropinocytosis inhibitor, ethylisopropylamiloride (EIPA), resulted in selective growth inhibition of Atg5-deficient, Tsc2-deficient cells (50%, p < 0.0001). Genetic inhibition of autophagy (Atg5−/− MEFs) sensitized cells with Tsc2 downregulation to the Vps34 inhibitor, SAR405, resulting in growth inhibition (75%, p < 0.0001). Finally, genetic downregulation of Vps34 inhibited tumor growth and increased tumor latency in an in vivo xenograft model of TSC. Our findings show that macropinocytosis is upregulated with Tsc2-deficiency via a Vps34-dependent mechanism to support their anabolic state. The dependence of Tsc2-deficient cells on exogenous nutrients may provide novel approaches for the treatment of TSC.
New transgenic NIS reporter rats for longitudinal tracking of fibrogenesis by high-resolution imaging
Authors: Brunton Bethany , Suksanpaisan Lukkana , Li Hongtao , Liu Qian , Yu Yinxian , Vrieze Alyssa , Zhang Lianwen , Jenks Nathan , Jiang Huailei , DeGrado Timothy R. , Zhao Chunfeng , Russell Stephen J. , Peng Kah-Whye
Published: September 2018

Fibrogenesis is the underlying mechanism of wound healing and repair. Animal models that enable longitudinal monitoring of fibrogenesis are needed to improve traditional tissue analysis post-mortem. Here, we generated transgenic reporter rats expressing the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) driven by the rat collagen type-1 alpha-1 (Col1α1) promoter and demonstrated that fibrogenesis can be visualized over time using SPECT or PET imaging following activation of NIS expression by rotator cuff (RC) injury. Radiotracer uptake was first detected in and around the injury site day 3 following surgery, increasing through day 7–14, and declining by day 21, revealing for the first time, the kinetics of Col1α1 promoter activity in situ. Differences in the intensity and duration of NIS expression/collagen promoter activation between individual RC injured Col1α1-hNIS rats were evident. Dexamethasone treatment delayed time to peak NIS signals, showing that modulation of fibrogenesis by a steroid can be imaged with exquisite sensitivity and resolution in living animals. NIS reporter rats would facilitate studies in physiological wound repair and pathological processes such as fibrosis and the development of anti-fibrotic drugs.
Steeper structure-function relationship in eyes with than without a parapapillary deep-layer microvasculature dropout
Authors: Kim Ji-Ah , Lee Eun Ji , Kim Hyunjoong , Kim Tae-Woo
Published: September 2018

The degree of visual field (VF) loss can vary widely at a given level of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness. The cause of this variability is not fully understood. This cross-sectional study investigated whether the presence of choroidal microvasculature dropout (MvD) influences on the structure-function relationship among glaucomatous eyes. Seventy-one primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients with choroidal MvD as determined by optical coherence tomography angiography (MvD+ group), and 71 age- and inferotemporal (IT) RNFL thickness-matched POAG patients without MvD (MvD– group) were included. VF sensitivity within the region corresponding to the IT RNFL sector was averaged using the total and pattern deviation fields. The slope of log-scale RNFL thickness versus VF defect was significantly steeper for the MvD+ than the MvD– group, as determined by both total and pattern deviation maps (P = 0.004 and <0.001, respectively). Both total and pattern VF deviation were significantly worse in the MvD+ than in the MvD– group (P = 0.002 and 0.007, respectively). Same results were obtained in subgroup analyses for eyes with thick and thin RNFL thickness (all P ≤ 0.027). These data suggest that parapapillary MvD is associated with poorer function of the remaining axons in eyes with POAG.
HIF-1-dependent lipin1 induction prevents excessive lipid accumulation in choline-deficient diet-induced fatty liver
Authors: Arai Takatomo , Tanaka Masako , Goda Nobuhito
Published: September 2018

Adaptive responses to hypoxia regulate hepatic lipid metabolism, but their consequences in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are largely unknown. Here, we show that hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), a key determinant of hypoxic adaptations, prevents excessive hepatic lipid accumulation in the progression of NAFLD. When exposed to a choline-deficient diet (CDD) for 4 weeks, the loss of hepatic Hif-1α gene accelerated liver steatosis with enhanced triglyceride accumulation in the liver compared to wild-type (WT) livers. Expression of genes involved in peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation was suppressed significantly in CDD-treated WT livers, whereas this reduction was further enhanced in Hif-1α-deficient livers. A lack of induction and nuclear accumulation of lipin1, a key regulator of the PPARα/PGC-1α pathway, could be attributed to impaired peroxisomal β-oxidation in Hif-1α-deficient livers. The lipin1-mediated binding of PPARα to the acyl CoA oxidase promoter was markedly reduced in Hif-1α-deficient mice exposed to a CDD. Moreover, forced Lipin1 expression restored the aberrant lipid accumulation caused by Hif-1α deletion in cells incubated in a choline-deficient medium. These results strongly suggest that HIF-1 plays a crucial role in the regulation of peroxisomal lipid metabolism by activating the expression and nuclear accumulation of lipin1 in NAFLD.
Robust metric for quantifying the importance of stochastic effects on nanoparticle growth
Authors: Olenius Tinja , Pichelstorfer Lukas , Stolzenburg Dominik , Winkler Paul M. , Lehtinen Kari E. J. , Riipinen Ilona
Published: September 2018

Comprehensive representation of nanoparticle dynamics is necessary for understanding nucleation and growth phenomena. This is critical in atmospheric physics, as airborne particles formed from vapors have significant but highly uncertain effects on climate. While the vapor–particle mass exchange driving particle growth can be described by a macroscopic, continuous substance for large enough particles, the growth dynamics of the smallest nanoparticles involve stochastic fluctuations in particle size due to discrete molecular collision and decay processes. To date, there have been no generalizable methods for quantifying the particle size regime where the discrete effects become negligible and condensation models can be applied. By discrete simulations of sub-10 nm particle populations, we demonstrate the importance of stochastic effects in the nanometer size range. We derive a novel, theory-based, simple and robust metric for identifying the exact sizes where these effects cannot be omitted for arbitrary molecular systems. The presented metric, based on examining the second- and first-order derivatives of the particle size distribution function, is directly applicable to experimental size distribution data. This tool enables quantifying the onset of condensational growth without prior information on the properties of the vapors and particles, thus allowing robust experimental resolving of nanoparticle formation physics.
Differential expression of the adult specifier E93 in the strepsipteran Xenos vesparum Rossi suggests a role in female neoteny
Authors: Chafino S. , López-Escardó D. , Benelli G. , Kovac H. , Casacuberta E. , Franch-Marro X. , Kathirithamby J. , Martín D.
Published: September 2018

Holometaboly is a key evolutionary innovation that has facilitated the spectacular radiation of insects. Despite the undeniable advantage of complete metamorphosis, the female of some holometabolous species have lost the typical holometabolous development through neoteny. In Xenos vesparum Rossi (Strepsiptera: Stylopidae), a derived species of the holometabolous endoparasitic order Strepsiptera, neotenic females reach sexual maturity without the pupal and the imaginal stages, thus retaining their larval morphology (with the exception of the anterior part of the body or cephalothorax), while males undergo normal pupal-based metamorphosis. Expression of the “adult-specifier” E93 factor has been shown to be required for proper metamorphosis in holometabolous insects. Here, we investigated the involvement of E93 in female neoteny by cloning XvE93. Interestingly, while we detected a clear up-regulation of XvE93 expression in pupal and adult stages of males, persistent low levels of XvE93 were detected in X. vesparum females. However, a specific up-regulation of XvE93 was observed in the cephalothorax of late 4th female instar larva, which correlates with the occurrence of neotenic-specific features in the anterior part of the female body. Moreover, the same expression dynamic in the cephalothorax and abdomen was also observed for other two critical metamorphic regulators, the anti-metamorphic XvKr-h1 and the pupal specifier XvBr-C. The specific up-regulation of XvE93 and XvBr-C in the female cephalothorax seems to be the result of an increase in 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) signaling in this region for we detected higher expression levels of the 20E-dependent nuclear receptors XvHR3 and XvE75 in the cephalothorax. Overall, our results detect a sex-specific expression pattern of critical metamorphic genes in X. vesparum, suggesting that neoteny in Strepsiptera results from the modification of the normal expression of E93, Br-C and Kr-h1 genes.
Humanin Prevents Age-Related Cognitive Decline in Mice and is Associated with Improved Cognitive Age in Humans
Authors: Yen Kelvin , Wan Junxiang , Mehta Hemal H. , Miller Brendan , Christensen Amy , Levine Morgan E. , Salomon Matthew P. , Brandhorst Sebastian , Xiao Jialin , Kim Su-Jeong , Navarrete Gerardo , Campo Daniel , Harry G. Jean , Longo Valter , Pike Christian J. , Mack Wendy J. , Hodis Howard N. , Crimmins Eileen M. , Cohen Pinchas
Published: September 2018

Advanced age is associated with a decline in cognitive function, likely caused by a combination of modifiable and non-modifiable factors such as genetics and lifestyle choices. Mounting evidence suggests that humanin and other mitochondrial derived peptides play a role in several age-related conditions including neurodegenerative disease. Here we demonstrate that humanin administration has neuroprotective effects in vitro in human cell culture models and is sufficient to improve cognition in vivo in aged mice. Furthermore, in a human cohort, using mitochondrial GWAS, we identified a specific SNP (rs2854128) in the humanin-coding region of the mitochondrial genome that is associated with a decrease in circulating humanin levels. In a large, independent cohort, consisting of a nationally-representative sample of older adults, we find that this SNP is associated with accelerated cognitive aging, supporting the concept that humanin is an important factor in cognitive aging.
Comprehensive Evolutionary Analysis of the Major RNA-Induced Silencing Complex Members
Authors: Zhang Rui , Jing Ying , Zhang Haiyang , Niu Yahan , Liu Chang , Wang Jin , Zen Ke , Zhang Chen-Yu , Li Donghai
Published: September 2018

RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) plays a critical role in small interfering RNA (siRNA) and microRNAs (miRNA) pathways. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that the major RISC members (AGO, DICER, TRBP, PACT and GW182) represent expression discrepancies or multiple orthologues/paralogues in different species. To elucidate their evolutionary characteristics, an integrated evolutionary analysis was performed. Here, animal and plant AGOs were divided into three classes (multifunctional AGOs, siRNA-associated AGOs and piRNA-associated AGOs for animal AGOs and multifunctional AGOs, siRNA-associated AGOs and complementary functioning AGOs for plant AGOs). Animal and plant DICERs were grouped into one class (multifunctional DICERs) and two classes (multifunctional DICERs and siRNA-associated DICERs), respectively. Protista/fungi AGOs or DICERs were specifically associated with the siRNA pathway. Additionally, TRBP/PACT/GW182 were identified only in animals, and all of them functioned in the miRNA pathway. Mammalian AGOs, animal DICERs and chordate TRBP/PACT were found to be monophyletic. A large number of gene duplications were identified in AGO and DICER groups. Taken together, we provide a comprehensive evolutionary analysis, describe a phylogenetic tree-based classification of the major RISC members and quantify their gene duplication events. These findings are potentially useful for classifying RISCs, optimizing species-specific RISCs and developing research model organisms.
Machine learning inverse problem for topological photonics
Authors: Pilozzi Laura , Farrelly Francis A. , Marcucci Giulia , Conti Claudio
Published: September 2018

Topology opens many new horizons for photonics, from integrated optics to lasers. The complexity of large-scale devices asks for an effective solution of the inverse problem: how best to engineer the topology for a specific application? We introduce a machine-learning approach applicable in general to numerous topological problems. As a toy model, we train a neural network with the Aubry–Andre–Harper band structure model and then adopt the network for solving the inverse problem. Our application is able to identify the parameters of a complex topological insulator in order to obtain protected edge states at target frequencies. One challenging aspect is handling the multivalued branches of the direct problem and discarding unphysical solutions. We overcome this problem by adopting a self-consistent method to only select physically relevant solutions. We demonstrate our technique in a realistic design and by resorting to the widely available open-source TensorFlow library.
A novel pyrene-switching aptasensor for the detection of bisphenol A
Authors: Niu Huai-Yuan , Li Meng-Ke , Niu Cheng-Gang , Li Jishan
Published: September 2018

A novel competition-mediated pyrene-switching aptasensor was developed for sensitive and selective detection of BPA in buffer and real water samples.
A novel nucleic acid aptamer tag: a rapid fluorescence strategy using a self-constructing G-quadruplex from AGG trinucleotide repeats
Authors: Fu Boshi , Park Yoojin , Kim Ki Tae , Chen Kun , Zou Guangrong , Wei Qi , Peng Shuang , Chen Yuqi , Kim Byeang Hyean , Zhou Xiang
Published: September 2018

Herein, we have developed a novel fluorescence labeling strategy for nucleic acid aptamers based on self-assembling between AGG tri-nucleotide repeats and a pyrene-modified oligonucleotide.
Properties and prospects for rhenium(i) tricarbonyl N-heterocyclic carbene complexes
Authors: Simpson Peter V. , Falasca Marco , Massi Massimiliano
Published: September 2018

Rhenium tricarbonyl complexes bound to N-heterocyclic carbene ligands are emerging as a new class of complexes with promising applications in a wide variety of areas.