bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developing biodiversity indicators for African birds
Authors: Wotton S.R. , Eaton M.A. , Sheehan D. , Munyekenye F. Barasa , Burfield I.J. , Butchart S.H.M. , Moleofi K. , Nalwanga-Wabwire D. , Ndang'ang'a P.K. , Pomeroy D. , Senyatso K.J. , Gregory R.D.
Published: November 2017

Biodiversity indicators are essential for monitoring the impacts of pressures on the state of nature, determining the effectiveness of policy responses, and tracking progress towards biodiversity targets and sustainable development goals. Indicators based on trends in the abundance of birds are widely used for these purposes in Europe and have been identified as priorities for development elsewhere. To facilitate this we established bird population monitoring schemes in three African countries, based on citizen science approaches used in Europe, aiming to monitor population trends in common and widespread species. We recorded > 500 bird species from c. 450 2-km transects in Botswana, > 750 species from c. 120 transects in Uganda, and > 630 species from c. 90 transects in Kenya. Provisional Wild Bird Indices indicate a strong increase in bird populations in Botswana and a small decrease in Uganda. We also provide comparisons between trends of habitat generalists and specialists, of birds within and outside protected areas, and between Afro-Palearctic migrants and resident birds. Challenges encountered included recruiting, training and retaining volunteer surveyors, and securing long-term funding. However, we show that with technical support and modest investment (c. USD 30,000 per scheme per year), meaningful biodiversity indicators can be generated and used in African countries. Sustained resourcing for the existing schemes, and replication elsewhere, would be a cost-effective way to improve our understanding of biodiversity trends globally, and measure progress towards environmental goals.
Population density estimates and conservation concern for clouded leopards Neofelis nebulosa, marbled cats Pardofelis marmorata and tigers Panthera tigris in Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary, Sagaing, Myanmar
Authors: Naing Hla , Ross Joanna , Burnham Dawn , Htun Saw , Macdonald David W.
Published: November 2017

The clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa is a potent ambassador species for conservation, occurring from the Himalayan foothills eastwards to Indochina, between which Myanmar is a biogeographical land bridge. In Myanmar's Northern Forest Complex, the species co-occurs with the tiger Panthera tigris, leopard Panthera pardus, marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata, golden cat Catopuma temminckii and leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis. We deployed cameras within the Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary over 2 consecutive years. In 2014–2015 we deployed 82 camera stations around the Nam Pa Gon stream (Catchment 1) for 7,365 trap days. In 2015–2016 we deployed 80 camera stations around the Nam E Zu stream (Catchment 2) for 7,192 trap days. In Catchment 1 we identified five tigers from 26 detections, five clouded leopards from 41 detections (68 photographs) and 11 marbled cats from 13 detections. Using Bayesian-based spatial capture–recapture we estimated the densities of tigers and clouded leopards to be 0.81 ± SD 0.40 and 0.60 ± SD 0.24 individuals per 100 km2, respectively. In Catchment 2 we identified two tigers from three detections, nine clouded leopards from 55 detections and 12 marbled cats from 37 detections. Densities of clouded leopards and marbled cats were 3.05 ± SD 1.03 and 8.80 ± SD 2.06 individuals per 100 km2, respectively. These differences suggest that human activities, in particular gold mining, are affecting felid populations, and these are a paramount concern in Htamanthi. We demonstrate the importance of Htamanthi within the Northern Forest Complex and highlight the Yawbawmee corridor as a candidate for protection.
The effects of a national highway on the Endangered golden-brown mouse lemurMicrocebus ravelobensisin Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar
Authors: Ramsay Malcolm S. , Razafindrakoto Andriamahery , Lehman Shawn M.
Published: November 2017

Although roads are often assumed to be barriers to the dispersal of arboreal species, there has been little empirical testing of this assumption. If arboreal animals are unable to cross roads, population subdivision may occur, or resources may become inaccessible. We tested the hypothesis that Route Nationale 4 (RN4), a paved highway, was a barrier to movement and dispersal of the Endangered golden-brown mouse lemurMicrocebus ravelobensisin Ankarafantsika National Park, in north-west Madagascar. During June–August 2015 we conducted a capture–mark–recapture study at three sites: two adjacent to RN4 and one within intact forest without a potential barrier. During 2,294 trap nights we captured 120 golden-brown mouse lemurs 1,032 times. In roadside habitats we captured significantly more males than females, whereas the opposite was the case in interior forest habitat. We detected eighteen crossings of highway transects by nine individuals; however, all potential dispersal events involved males. In roadside habitat, movement was significantly inhibited in both males and females. We present some of the first data on the effects of roads on movement patterns in arboreal Malagasy mammals, showing species- and sex-biased effects of roads as dispersal barriers. Our findings indicate that roads may not be complete barriers to dispersal in lemurs. We recommend that conservation managers and scientists examine explicitly the effects of roads and natural arboreal bridges in Madagascar in future studies.
Sex similarities and differences in risk factors for recurrence of major depression
Authors: van Loo Hanna M. , Aggen Steven H. , Gardner Charles O. , Kendler Kenneth S.
Published: November 2017

Background

Major depression (MD) occurs about twice as often in women as in men, but it is unclear whether sex differences subsist after disease onset. This study aims to elucidate potential sex differences in rates and risk factors for MD recurrence, in order to improve prediction of course of illness and understanding of its underlying mechanisms.

Methods

We used prospective data from a general population sample (n= 653) that experienced a recent episode of MD. A diverse set of potential risk factors for recurrence of MD was analyzed using Cox models subject to elastic net regularization for males and females separately. Accuracy of the prediction models was tested in same-sex and opposite-sex test data. Additionally, interactions between sex and each of the risk factors were investigated to identify potential sex differences.

Results

Recurrence rates and the impact of most risk factors were similar for men and women. For both sexes, prediction models were highly multifactorial including risk factors such as comorbid anxiety, early traumas, and family history. Some subtle sex differences were detected: for men, prediction models included more risk factors concerning characteristics of the depressive episode and family history of MD and generalized anxiety, whereas for women, models included more risk factors concerning early and recent adverse life events and socioeconomic problems.

Conclusions

No prominent sex differences in risk factors for recurrence of MD were found, potentially indicating similar disease maintaining mechanisms for both sexes. Course of MD is a multifactorial phenomenon for both males and females.
‘There was an elephant in the court room’: Reflections on the role of Judge Sir Percy Spender (1897–1985) in theSouth West Africa Cases(1960–1966) after half a century
Authors: KATTAN VICTOR
Published: November 2017

This article argues that theSouth West Africa Caseswere brought to an ignominious end because the cases were about self-determination as much as they were about apartheid. For liberals like Judge Sir Percy Spender, the President of the Court, political systems based on majority rule looked suspiciously like authoritarian regimes modelled on the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It is submitted that, given the controversy surrounding self-determination in international law, Sir Percy wanted to avoid addressing the merits of the cases. Self-determination was the proverbial ‘elephant in the court room’ that Sir Percy wanted to avoid at all costs. This article builds upon earlier archival research on theSouth West Africa Casesby taking a closer look at Sir Percy's role in the cases and his views on self-determination. It is argued that what ‘killed’ the cases was Sir Percy's belief that Ethiopia and Liberia were seeking to ‘legalize’ self-determination with a view to further uniting the Afro-Asian bloc at the United Nations with the Soviet Union against the West.
Evidence of multiple intraspecific transmission routes forLeptospiraacquisition in Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus)
Authors: MINTER A. , DIGGLE P. J. , COSTA F. , CHILDS J. , KO A. I. , BEGON M.
Published: November 2017

Infectious diseases frequently have multiple potential routes of intraspecific transmission of pathogens within wildlife and other populations. For pathogens causing zoonotic diseases, knowing whether these transmission routes occur in the wild and their relative importance, is critical for understanding maintenance, improving control measures and ultimately preventing human disease. The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is the primary reservoir of leptospirosis in the urban slums of Salvador, Brazil. There is biological evidence for potentially three different transmission routes of leptospire infection occurring in the rodent population. Using newly obtained prevalence data from rodents trapped at an urban slum field site, we present changes in cumulative risk of infection in relation to age-dependent transmission routes to infer which intra-specific transmission routes occur in the wild. We found that a significant proportion of animals leave the nest with infection and that the risk of infection increases throughout the lifetime of Norway rats. We did not observe a significant effect of sexual maturity on the risk of infection. In conclusion, our results suggest that vertical and environmental transmission of leptospirosis both occur in wild populations of Norway rats.
First phylogenetic analysis of dengue virus serotype 4 circulating in Espírito Santo state, Brazil, in 2013 and 2014
Authors: VICENTE C. R. , PANNUTI C. S. , URBANO P. R. , FELIX A. C. , CERUTTI JUNIOR C. , HERBINGER K.-H. , FRÖSCHL G. , ROMANO C. M.
Published: November 2017

The purpose of the present study was to reconstruct the phylogeny of dengue virus serotype 4 (DENV-4) that was circulating in Espírito Santo state, Brazil, in 2013 and 2014, and to discuss the epidemiological implications associated with this evolutionary hypothesis. Partial envelope gene of eight DENV-4 samples from Espírito Santo state were sequenced and aligned with 72 worldwide DENV-4 reference sequences from GenBank. A phylogenetic tree was reconstructed through Bayesian Inference and the Time of the Most Recent Common Ancestor was estimated. The study detected the circulation of DENV-4 genotype II in Espírito Santo state, which was closely related to strains from the states of Mato Grosso collected in 2012 and of São Paulo sampled in 2015. This cluster emerged around 2011, approximately 4 years after the entry of the genotype II in Brazil through its northern states, possibly imported from Venezuela and Colombia. This is so far the first phylogenetic study of the DENV-4 circulating in Espírito Santo state and shows the importance of an internal route of dengue viral circulation in Brazil to the introduction of the virus into this state.
Delaying meiotic resumption during transportation of bovine cumulus–oocyte complexes: effects on development, apoptosis and caspases activity of in vitro-produced embryos
Authors: Dall'Acqua Priscila Chediek , Leão Beatriz Caetano da Silva , Rocha-Frigoni Nathália Alves de Souza , Gottardi Fernanda Patrícia , Mingoti Gisele Zoccal
Published: November 2017

This study examined the effects of meiosis inhibition during bovine oocyte transportation on developmental competence and quality of produced embryos. The transportation medium was supplemented with: 100 μM butyrolactone I (BL), 500 μM IBMX + 100 μM forskolin (mSPOM), 100 μM milrinone (MR) or follicular fluid (bFF), and was carried out in a portable incubator for 6 h. Next, oocytes were in vitro matured (IVM) for 18 h, without the meiotic inhibitors, with the exception of mSPOM group, in which was added 20 μM cilostamide. The three control groups were IVM with 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) (Control Lab FCS) or 0.6% bovine serum albumin (BSA) (Control Lab BSA) in a CO2 in air incubator or in the portable incubator with 0.6% BSA (Control Transp BSA). Higher cleavage rates (P < 0.05) were obtained in the Control Lab FCS group (84.5 ± 5.3%) compared with the other groups (59.6 ± 3.4% to 70.9 ± 2.3%). Embryonic development was higher (P < 0.05) in the Control Lab FCS group (39.8 ± 4.7%) than in the Control Transp BSA (22.7 ± 3.4%) and MR (21.6 ± 2.3%) groups. However, they were similar (P > 0.05) to the other groups (23.6 ± 3.3% to 28.8 ± 2.7%). The total number of blastomeres was higher (P < 0.05) in the Control Lab FCS group (85.2 ± 5.6) than in Control Lab BSA (53.6 ± 2.9), Control Transp BSA (55.5 ± 4.4), BL (58.2 ± 3.0), mSPOM (57.9 ± 4.9) and MR (59.2 ± 3.9), but all these treatments did not differ (P > 0.05) from bFF (67.7 ± 4.2). No differences (P > 0.05) were found in apoptosis by the activity of caspases (139.0 ± 3.2 to 152.4 ± 6.5, expressed in fluorescence intensity) as well as the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells (12.3 ± 2.0% to 15.7 ± 1.7%). In conclusion, the transportation of oocytes over 6 h with BL, mSPOM or bFF enabled the acquisition of developmental competence at similar rates to the Control Lab FCS group.
Association between overweight/obesity and eating habits while watching television among primary-school children in the city of Shiraz, Iran
Authors: Ghobadi Saeed , Totosy de Zepetnek Julia O , Hemmatdar Zeinab , Bellissimo Nick , Barati Reza , Ahmadnia Hoda , Salehi-Marzijarani Mohammad , Faghih Shiva
Published: November 2017

Objective

It has been reported that television (TV) viewing is associated with childhood obesity in Western countries. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between obesity and eating habits while watching TV among primary-school children in the Middle East.

Design

Cross-sectional.

Setting

Children were recruited from primary schools of four educational districts in Shiraz, Iran. Anthropometric indices of mass (kg) and height (m) were measured, and BMI (percentile) was calculated. Demographic characteristics, TV viewing behaviours and physical activity data were collected from parents during face-to-face interviews and a 3d dietary record was completed.

Subject

Children (n607) aged 6–10 years.

Results

Mean (sd) age of children was 8·16 (1·37) years, of whom 9·1 and 8·4 % were overweight and obese, respectively. Children who spent ≥2 h watching TV on weekdays (OR=1·99; 95 % CI 1·09, 3·60) and weekend days (OR=1·86; 95 % CI 1·01, 3·43) had higher odds of being obese, even after adjusting for physical activity. Children who ate breakfast while watching TV had higher odds of being overweightv. those who did not watch TV while eating breakfast (OR=2·70; 95 % CI 1·02, 7·60). There were no associations between TV viewing during other meals (lunch and dinner) and overweight/obesity.

Conclusions

TV viewing for ≥2 h daily increases the risk of being obese in Iranian children aged 6–10 years, independent of physical activity. Further, breakfast consumption while watching TV may increase the risk of overweight/obesity, independent of total TV viewing time.
Testing Hypotheses About Social Targets
Authors: Capellini Roberta , Sacchi Simona , Cherubini Paolo
Published: November 2017

Abstract. The information search process is a critical cognitive activity in many domains, such as in legal investigations and criminal judgments. Previous research focused on leading strategies, in particular on the use of open and matching questions. The present research aimed to explore the use of asymmetric questions, namely dichotomous queries for which the “yes” and “no” answers are not equally diagnostic, during social hypothesis testing. In Study 1 (N = 253) participants were asked to select questions to assess a social target on some moral and nonmoral attributes. Explicit instructions to avoid asymmetric strategies were introduced. In Study 2 (N = 98) participants were asked to play the role of a judge who is supposed to be impartial. Results showed that, although people spontaneously use asymmetric yes-no format questions during the information search on moral traits, in certain conditions the use of such strategies could be monitored. Practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Unusual scaling laws for plasmonic nanolasers beyond the diffraction limit
Authors: Wang Suo , Wang Xing-Yuan , Li Bo , Chen Hua-Zhou , Wang Yi-Lun , Dai Lun , Oulton Rupert F. , Ma Ren-Min
Published: November 2017

Plasmonic nanolasers are a new class of amplifiers that generate coherent light well below the diffraction barrier bringing fundamentally new capabilities to biochemical sensing, super-resolution imaging, and on-chip optical communication. However, a debate about whether metals can enhance the performance of lasers has persisted due to the unavoidable fact that metallic absorption intrinsically scales with field confinement. Here, we report plasmonic nanolasers with extremely low thresholds on the order of 10 kW cm−2 at room temperature, which are comparable to those found in modern laser diodes. More importantly, we find unusual scaling laws allowing plasmonic lasers to be more compact and faster with lower threshold and power consumption than photonic lasers when the cavity size approaches or surpasses the diffraction limit. This clarifies the long-standing debate over the viability of metal confinement and feedback strategies in laser technology and identifies situations where plasmonic lasers can have clear practical advantage.
Inverted activity patterns in ventromedial prefrontal cortex during value-guided decision-making in a less-is-more task
Authors: Papageorgiou Georgios K. , Sallet Jerome , Wittmann Marco K. , Chau Bolton K. H. , Schüffelgen Urs , Buckley Mark J. , Rushworth Matthew F. S.
Published: November 2017

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex has been linked to choice evaluation and decision-making in humans but understanding the role it plays is complicated by the fact that little is known about the corresponding area of the macaque brain. We recorded activity in macaques using functional magnetic resonance imaging during two very different value-guided decision-making tasks. In both cases ventromedial prefrontal cortex activity reflected subjective choice values during decision-making just as in humans but the relationship between the blood oxygen level-dependent signal and both decision-making and choice value was inverted and opposite to the relationship seen in humans. In order to test whether the ventromedial prefrontal cortex activity related to choice values is important for decision-making we conducted an additional lesion experiment; lesions that included the same ventromedial prefrontal cortex region disrupted normal subjective evaluation of choices during decision-making.
Proton gradients and pH oscillations emerge from heat flow at the microscale
Authors: Keil Lorenz M. R. , Möller Friederike M. , Kieß Michael , Kudella Patrick W. , Mast Christof B.
Published: November 2017

Proton gradients are essential for biological systems. They not only drive the synthesis of ATP, but initiate molecule degradation and recycling inside lysosomes. However, the high mobility and permeability of protons through membranes make pH gradients very hard to sustain in vitro. Here we report that heat flow across a water-filled chamber forms and sustains stable pH gradients. Charged molecules accumulate by convection and thermophoresis better than uncharged species. In a dissociation reaction, this imbalances the reaction equilibrium and creates a difference in pH. In solutions of amino acids, phosphate, or nucleotides, we achieve pH differences of up to 2 pH units. The same mechanism cycles biomolecules by convection in the created proton gradient. This implements a feedback between biomolecules and a cyclic variation of the pH. The finding provides a mechanism to create a self-sustained proton gradient to drive biochemical reactions.
Sigma frequency dependent motor learning in Williams syndrome
Authors: Berencsi Andrea , Bódizs Róbert , Gombos Ferenc , László Szandra , Kovács Ilona
Published: November 2017

There are two basic stages of fine motor learning: performance gain might occur during practice (online learning), and improvement might take place without any further practice (offline learning). Offline learning, also called consolidation, has a sleep-dependent stage in terms of both speed and accuracy of the learned movement. Sleep spindle or sigma band characteristics affect motor learning in typically developing individuals. Here we ask whether the earlier found, altered sigma activity in a neurodevelopmental disorder (Williams syndrome, WS) predicts motor learning. TD and WS participants practiced in a sequential finger tapping (FT) task for two days. Although WS participants started out at a lower performance level, TD and WS participants had a comparable amount of online and offline learning in terms of the accuracy of movement. Spectral analysis of WS sleep EEG recordings revealed that motor accuracy improvement is intricately related to WS-specific NREM sleep EEG features in the 8–16 Hz range profiles: higher 11–13.5 Hz z-transformed power is associated with higher offline FT accuracy improvement; and higher oscillatory peak frequencies are associated with lower offline accuracy improvements. These findings indicate a fundamental relationship between sleep spindle (or sigma band) activity and motor learning in WS.
Resolving kangaroo phylogeny and overcoming retrotransposon ascertainment bias
Authors: Dodt William G. , Gallus Susanne , Phillips Matthew J. , Nilsson Maria A.
Published: November 2017

Reconstructing phylogeny from retrotransposon insertions is often limited by access to only a single reference genome, whereby support for clades that do not include the reference taxon cannot be directly observed. Here we have developed a new statistical framework that accounts for this ascertainment bias, allowing us to employ phylogenetically powerful retrotransposon markers to explore the radiation of the largest living marsupials, the kangaroos and wallabies of the generaMacropusandWallabia. An exhaustivein silicoscreening of the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii) reference genome followed by experimental screening revealed 29 phylogenetically informative retrotransposon markers belonging to a family of endogenous retroviruses. We identified robust support for the enigmatic swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) falling within a paraphyletic genus,Macropus. Our statistical approach provides a means to test for incomplete lineage sorting and introgression/hybridization in the presence of the ascertainment bias. Using retrotransposons as “molecular fossils”, we reveal one of the most complex patterns of hemiplasy yet identified, during the rapid diversification of kangaroos and wallabies. Ancestral state reconstruction incorporating the new retrotransposon phylogenetic information reveals multiple independent ecological shifts among kangaroos into more open habitats, coinciding with the Pliocene onset of increased aridification in Australia from ~3.6 million years ago.
Intracellular biomass flocculation as a key mechanism of rapid bacterial killing by cationic, amphipathic antimicrobial peptides and peptoids
Authors: Chongsiriwatana Nathaniel P. , Lin Jennifer S. , Kapoor Rinki , Wetzler Modi , Rea Jennifer A. C. , Didwania Maruti K. , Contag Christopher H. , Barron Annelise E.
Published: November 2017

Many organisms rely on antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as a first line of defense against pathogens. In general, most AMPs are thought to kill bacteria by binding to and disrupting cell membranes. However, certain AMPs instead appear to inhibit biomacromolecule synthesis, while causing less membrane damage. Despite an unclear understanding of mechanism(s), there is considerable interest in mimicking AMPs with stable, synthetic molecules. Antimicrobial N-substituted glycine (peptoid) oligomers (“ampetoids”) are structural, functional and mechanistic analogs of helical, cationic AMPs, which offer broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and better therapeutic potential than peptides. Here, we show through quantitative studies of membrane permeabilization, electron microscopy, and soft X-ray tomography that both AMPs and ampetoids trigger extensive and rapid non-specific aggregation of intracellular biomacromolecules that correlates with microbial death. We present data demonstrating that ampetoids are “fast killers”, which rapidly aggregate bacterial ribosomes in vitro and in vivo. We suggest intracellular biomass flocculation is a key mechanism of killing for cationic, amphipathic AMPs, which may explain why most AMPs require micromolar concentrations for activity, show significant selectivity for killing bacteria over mammalian cells, and finally, why development of resistance to AMPs is less prevalent than developed resistance to conventional antibiotics.
17β-Estradiol sensitizes ovarian surface epithelium to transformation by suppressing Disabled-2 expression
Authors: Vuong Nhung H. , Salah Salah Omar , Vanderhyden Barbara C.
Published: November 2017

Estrogen replacement therapy increases the risk of human ovarian cancer and exogenous estradiol accelerates the onset of ovarian cancer in mouse models. This study uses primary cultures of mouse ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) to demonstrate that one possible mechanism by which estrogen accelerates the initiation of ovarian cancer is by up-regulation of microRNA-378 via the ESR1 pathway to result in the down-regulation of a tumour suppressor calledDisabled-2(Dab2). Estrogen suppression ofDab2was reproduciblein vivoand across many cell types including mouse oviductal epithelium and primary cultures of human ovarian cancer cells. Suppression ofDab2resulted in increased proliferation, loss of contact inhibition, morphological dysplasia, and resistance to oncogene-induced senescence – all factors that can sensitize OSE to transformation. Given thatDAB2is highly expressed in healthy human OSE and is absent in the majority of ovarian tumours, this study has taken the first steps to provide a mechanistic explanation for how estrogen therapy may play a role in the initiation of ovarian cancer.
Repair of the TGFBI gene in human corneal keratocytes derived from a granular corneal dystrophy patient via CRISPR/Cas9-induced homology-directed repair
Authors: Taketani Yukako , Kitamoto Kohdai , Sakisaka Toshihiro , Kimakura Mikiko , Toyono Tetsuya , Yamagami Satoru , Amano Shiro , Kuroda Masahiko , Moore Tara , Usui Tomohiko , Ouchi Yasuo
Published: November 2017

Granular corneal dystrophy (GCD) is an autosomal dominant hereditary disease in which multiple discrete and irregularly shaped granular opacities are deposited in the corneal stroma. GCD is caused by a point mutation in the transforming growth factor-β-induced (TGFBI) gene, located on chromosome 5q31. Here, we report the first successful application of CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing for the correction of a TGFBI mutation in GCD patient-derived primary corneal keratocytes via homology-directed repair (HDR). To correct genetic defects in GCD patient cells, we designed a disease-specific guide RNA (gRNA) targeting the R124H mutation of TGFBI, which causes GCD type 2 (GCD2). An R124H mutation in primary human corneal keratocytes derived from a GCD2 patient was corrected by delivering a CRISPR plasmid expressing Cas9/gRNA and a single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide HDR donor template in vitro. The gene correction efficiency was 20.6% in heterozygous cells and 41.3% in homozygous cells. No off-target effects were detected. These results reveal a new therapeutic strategy for GCD2; this method may also be applicable to other heredity corneal diseases.
Effects of neuroactive agents on axonal growth and pathfinding of retinal ganglion cells generated from human stem cells
Authors: Yokoi Tadashi , Tanaka Taku , Matsuzaka Emiko , Tamalu Fuminobu , Watanabe Shu-Ichi , Nishina Sachiko , Azuma Noriyuki
Published: November 2017

We recently established a novel method for generating functional human retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) from human induced pluripotent cells (hiPSCs). Here, we confirmed that RGCs can also be generated from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). We investigated the usefulness of human RGCs with long axons for assessing the effects of chemical agents, such as the neurotrophic factor, nerve growth factor (NGF), and the chemorepellent factors, semaphorin 3 A (SEMA3A) and SLIT1. The effects of direct and local administration of each agent on axonal projection were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and real-time imaging, in which the filopodia of the growth cone served as an excellent marker. A locally sustained agent system showed that the axons elongate towards NGF, but were repelled by SEMA3A and SLIT1. Focally transplanted beads that released SLIT1 bent the pathfinding of axons, imitating normal retinal development. Our innovative system for assessing the effects of chemical compounds using human RGCs may facilitate development of novel drugs for the examination, prophylaxis, and treatment of diseases. It may also be useful for observing the physiology of the optic nerve in vitro, which might lead to significant progress in the science of human RGCs.
Rational design and dynamics of self-propelled colloidal bead chains: from rotators to flagella
Authors: Vutukuri Hanumantha Rao , Bet Bram , van Roij René , Dijkstra Marjolein , Huck Wilhelm T. S.
Published: November 2017

The quest for designing new self-propelled colloids is fuelled by the demand for simple experimental models to study the collective behaviour of their more complex natural counterparts. Most synthetic self-propelled particles move by converting the input energy into translational motion. In this work we address the question if simple self-propelled spheres can assemble into more complex structures that exhibit rotational motion, possibly coupled with translational motion as in flagella. We exploit a combination of induced dipolar interactions and a bonding step to create permanent linear bead chains, composed of self-propelled Janus spheres, with a well-controlled internal structure. Next, we study how flexibility between individual swimmers in a chain can affect its swimming behaviour. Permanent rigid chains showed only active rotational or spinning motion, whereas longer semi-flexible chains showed both translational and rotational motion resembling flagella like-motion, in the presence of the fuel. Moreover, we are able to reproduce our experimental results using numerical calculations with a minimal model, which includes full hydrodynamic interactions with the fluid. Our method is general and opens a new way to design novel self-propelled colloids with complex swimming behaviours, using different complex starting building blocks in combination with the flexibility between them.
Human CRMP4 mutation and disrupted Crmp4 expression in mice are associated with ASD characteristics and sexual dimorphism
Authors: Tsutiya Atsuhiro , Nakano Yui , Hansen-Kiss Emily , Kelly Benjamin , Nishihara Masugi , Goshima Yoshio , Corsmeier Don , White Peter , Herman Gail E. , Ohtani-Kaneko Ritsuko
Published: November 2017

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are more common among boys than girls. The mechanisms responsible for ASD symptoms and their sex differences remain mostly unclear. We previously identified collapsin response mediator protein 4 (CRMP4) as a protein exhibiting sex-different expression during sexual differentiation of the hypothalamic sexually dimorphic nucleus. This study investigated the relationship between the sex-different development of autistic features and CRMP4 deficiency. Whole-exome sequencing detected a de novo variant (S541Y) of CRMP4 in a male ASD patient. The expression of mutated mouse CRMP4S540Y, which is homologous to human CRMP4S541Y, in cultured hippocampal neurons derived from Crmp4-knockout (KO) mice had increased dendritic branching, compared to those transfected with wild-type (WT) Crmp4, indicating that this mutation results in altered CRMP4 function in neurons. Crmp4-KO mice showed decreased social interaction and several alterations of sensory responses. Most of these changes were more severe in male Crmp4-KO mice than in females. The mRNA expression levels of some genes related to neurotransmission and cell adhesion were altered in the brain of Crmp4-KO mice, mostly in a gender-dependent manner. These results indicate a functional link between a case-specific, rare variant of one gene, Crmp4, and several characteristics of ASD, including sexual differences.
Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration by agroforestry systems in southeastern Brazil
Authors: Torres Carlos Moreira Miquelino Eleto , Jacovine Laércio Antônio Gonçalves , Nolasco de Olivera Neto Sílvio , Fraisse Clyde William , Soares Carlos Pedro Boechat , de Castro Neto Fernando , Ferreira Lino Roberto , Zanuncio José Cola , Lemes Pedro Guilherme
Published: November 2017

Agrosilvopastoral and silvopastoral systems can increase carbon sequestration, offset greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reduce the carbon footprint generated by animal production. The objective of this study was to estimate GHG emissions, the tree and grass aboveground biomass production and carbon storage in different agrosilvopastoral and silvopastoral systems in southeastern Brazil. The number of trees required to offset these emissions were also estimated. The GHG emissions were calculated based on pre-farm (e.g. agrochemical production, storage, and transportation), and on-farm activities (e.g. fertilization and machinery operation). Aboveground tree grass biomass and carbon storage in all systems was estimated with allometric equations. GHG emissions from the agroforestry systems ranged from 2.81 to 7.98 t CO2e ha−1. Carbon storage in the aboveground trees and grass biomass were 54.6, 11.4, 25.7 and 5.9 t C ha−1, and 3.3, 3.6, 3.8 and 3.3 t C ha−1 for systems 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The number of trees necessary to offset the emissions ranged from 17 to 44 trees ha−1, which was lower than the total planted in the systems. Agroforestry systems sequester CO2 from the atmosphere and can help the GHG emission-reduction policy of the Brazilian government.
The origin of human handedness and its role in pre-birth motor control
Authors: Parma Valentina , Brasselet Romain , Zoia Stefania , Bulgheroni Maria , Castiello Umberto
Published: November 2017

The vast majority of humans are right-handed, but how and when this bias emerges during human ontogenesis is still unclear. We propose an approach that explains postnatal handedness starting from 18 gestational weeks using a kinematic analysis of different fetal arm movements recorded during ultrasonography. Based on the hand dominance reported postnatally at age 9, the fetuses were classified as right-handed (86%) or left-handed, in line with population data. We revealed that both right-handed and left-handed fetuses were faster to reach to targets requiring greater precision (i.e., eye and mouth), with their dominant (vs. non-dominant) hand. By using either movement times or deceleration estimates, handedness can be inferred with a classification accuracy ranging from 89 to 100% from gestational week 18. The reliability of this inference hints to the yet unexplored potential of standard ultrasonography to advance our understanding of prenatal life.
Repurposing a photosynthetic antenna protein as a super-resolution microscopy label
Authors: Barnett Samuel F. H. , Hitchcock Andrew , Mandal Amit K. , Vasilev Cvetelin , Yuen Jonathan M. , Morby James , Brindley Amanda A. , Niedzwiedzki Dariusz M. , Bryant Donald A. , Cadby Ashley J. , Holten Dewey , Hunter C. Neil
Published: November 2017

Techniques such as Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM) and Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM) have increased the achievable resolution of optical imaging, but few fluorescent proteins are suitable for super-resolution microscopy, particularly in the far-red and near-infrared emission range. Here we demonstrate the applicability of CpcA, a subunit of the photosynthetic antenna complex in cyanobacteria, for STORM and SIM imaging. The periodicity and width of fabricated nanoarrays of CpcA, with a covalently attached phycoerythrobilin (PEB) or phycocyanobilin (PCB) chromophore, matched the lines in reconstructed STORM images. SIM and STORM reconstructions of Escherichia coli cells harbouring CpcA-labelled cytochrome bd1 ubiquinol oxidase in the cytoplasmic membrane show that CpcA-PEB and CpcA-PCB are suitable for super-resolution imaging in vivo. The stability, ease of production, small size and brightness of CpcA-PEB and CpcA-PCB demonstrate the potential of this largely unexplored protein family as novel probes for super-resolution microscopy.
Abstract spatial, but not body-related, visual information guides bimanual coordination
Authors: Brandes Janina , Rezvani Farhad , Heed Tobias
Published: November 2017

Visual spatial information is paramount in guiding bimanual coordination, but anatomical factors, too, modulate performance in bimanual tasks. Vision conveys not only abstract spatial information, but also informs about body-related aspects such as posture. Here, we asked whether, accordingly, visual information induces body-related, or merely abstract, perceptual-spatial constraints in bimanual movement guidance. Human participants made rhythmic, symmetrical and parallel, bimanual index finger movements with the hands held in the same or different orientations. Performance was more accurate for symmetrical than parallel movements in all postures, but additionally when homologous muscles were concurrently active, such as when parallel movements were performed with differently rather than identically oriented hands. Thus, both perceptual and anatomical constraints were evident. We manipulated visual feedback with a mirror between the hands, replacing the image of the right with that of the left hand and creating the visual impression of bimanual symmetry independent of the right hand’s true movement. Symmetrical mirror feedback impaired parallel, but improved symmetrical bimanual performance compared with regular hand view. Critically, these modulations were independent of hand posture and muscle homology. Thus, visual feedback appears to contribute exclusively to spatial, but not to body-related, anatomical movement coding in the guidance of bimanual coordination.
Conservation of folding and association within a family of spidroin N-terminal domains
Authors: Heiby Julia C. , Rajab Suhaila , Rat Charlotte , Johnson Christopher M. , Neuweiler Hannes
Published: November 2017

Web spiders synthesize silk fibres, nature’s toughest biomaterial, through the controlled assembly of fibroin proteins, so-called spidroins. The highly conserved spidroin N-terminal domain (NTD) is a pH-driven self-assembly device that connects spidroins to super-molecules in fibres. The degree to which forces of self-assembly is conserved across spider glands and species is currently unknown because quantitative measures are missing. Here, we report the comparative investigation of spidroin NTDs originating from the major ampullate glands of the spider species Euprosthenops australis, Nephila clavipes, Latrodectus hesperus, and Latrodectus geometricus. We characterized equilibrium thermodynamics and kinetics of folding and self-association using dynamic light scattering, stopped-flow fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopy in combination with thermal and chemical denaturation experiments. We found cooperative two-state folding on a sub-millisecond time scale through a late transition state of all four domains. Stability was compromised by repulsive electrostatic forces originating from clustering of point charges on the NTD surface required for function. pH-driven dimerization proceeded with characteristic fast kinetics yielding high affinities. Results showed that energetics and kinetics of NTD self-assembly are highly conserved across spider species despite the different silk mechanical properties and web geometries they produce.
Molecular Identification of ten species of stored-product psocids through microarray method based on ITS2 rDNA
Authors: Liu Li-Jun , Pang Ao-Han , Feng Shi-Qian , Cui Bing-Yi , Zhao Zi-Hua , Kučerová Zuzana , Stejskal Václav , Opit George , Aulicky Radek , Cao Yang , Li Fu-Jun , Wu Yi , Zhang Tao , Li Zhi-Hong
Published: November 2017

Stored-product psocids (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae) are cosmopolitan storage pests that can damage stored products and cause serious economic loss. However, because of the body size (~1 mm) of eggs, nymphs, and adults, morphological identification of most stored-product psocids is difficult and hampers effective identification. In this study, 10 economically important stored-productLiposcelisspp. psocids (Liposcelis brunnea, L. entomophila, L. decolor, L. pearmani,L. rufa, L.mendax,L. bostrychophila,L. corrodens,L. paeta, and L. tricolor) were collected from 25 geographic locations in 3 countries (China, Czech Republic, and the United States). Ten species-specific probes for identifying these 10 psocid species were designed based on ITS2 sequences. The microarray method and reaction system were optimized. Specificity of each of the ten probes was tested, and all probes were found suitable for use in identification of the respective10Liposcelis spp. psocids at 66 °C. This method was also used to identify an unknown psocid species collected in Taian, China. This work has contributed to the development of a molecular identification method for stored-product psocids, and can provide technical support not only to facilitate identification of intercepted samples in relation to plant quarantine, but also for use in insect pest monitoring.
On the effect of low oxygen concentrations on bacterial degradation of sinking particles
Authors: Le Moigne Frédéric A. C. , Cisternas-Novoa Carolina , Piontek Judith , Maßmig Marie , Engel Anja
Published: November 2017

In marine oxygen (O2) minimum zones (OMZs), the transfer of particulate organic carbon (POC) to depth via the biological carbon pump might be enhanced as a result of slower remineralisation under lower dissolved O2 concentrations (DO). In parallel, nitrogen (N) loss to the atmosphere through microbial processes, such as denitrification and anammox, is directly linked to particulate nitrogen (PN) export. However it is unclear (1) whether DO is the only factor that potentially enhances POC transfer in OMZs, and (2) if particle fluxes are sufficient to support observed N loss rates. We performed a degradation experiment on sinking particles collected from the Baltic Sea, where anoxic zones are observed. Sinking material was harvested using surface-tethered sediment traps and subsequently incubated in darkness at different DO levels, including severe suboxia (<0.5 mg l−1 DO). Our results show that DO plays a role in regulating POC and PN degradation rates. POC(PN) degradation was reduced by approximately 100% from the high to low DO to the lowest DO. The amount of NH4+ produced from the pool of remineralising organic N matched estimations of NH4+ anammox requirements during our experiment. This anammox was likely fueled by DON degradation rather than PON degradation.
Validation of SinoSCORE for isolated CABG operation in East China
Authors: Ma Xiue , Wang Yunqian , Shan Lingtong , Cang Zhengqiang , Gu Chang , Qu Nianyi , Li Qifan , Li Jun , Wang Zhenhua , Zhang Yangyang
Published: November 2017

From January 2010 to December 2016, 1616 consecutive patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were evaluated for their predicted mortality according to the online Sino System for Coronary Operative Risk Evaluation (SinoSCORE), European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II (EuroSCORE II) and Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) risk evaluation system. The calibration and discrimination in the total and in the subsets were assessed by the Hosmer-Lemeshow (H-L) statistics and by the C statistics respectively, to evaluate the efficiency of the three risk evaluation systems. The realized mortality was 1.92% (31/1616). The predictive mortality of SinoSCORE, EuroSCORE II and STS risk evaluation system were 1.35%, 1.74% and 1.05%, respectively. SinoSCORE achieved best discrimination. When grouping by risk, SinoSCORE also achieved the best discrimination in high-risk group, followed by STS risk evaluation system and EuroSCORE II while SinoSCORE and EuroSCORE II had excellent performance in low-risk group. In terms of calibration, SinoSCORE, EuroSCORE II and STS risk evaluation system all achieved positive calibrations (H-L: P > 0.05) in the overall population and grouped subsets. SinoSCORE achieved good predictive efficiency in East China patients undergoing isolated CABG and showed no compromise when compared with EuroSCORE II and STS risk evaluation system.
Advancement of magma fragmentation by inhomogeneous bubble distribution
Authors: Kameda M. , Ichihara M. , Maruyama S. , Kurokawa N. , Aoki Y. , Okumura S. , Uesugi K.
Published: November 2017

Decompression times reported in previous studies suggest that thoroughly brittle fragmentation is unlikely in actual explosive volcanic eruptions. What occurs in practice is brittle-like fragmentation, which is defined as the solid-like fracture of a material whose bulk rheological properties are close to those of a fluid. Through laboratory experiments and numerical simulation, the link between the inhomogeneous structure of bubbles and the development of cracks that may lead to brittle-like fragmentation was clearly demonstrated here. A rapid decompression test was conducted to simulate the fragmentation of a specimen whose pore morphology was revealed by X-ray microtomography. The dynamic response during decompression was observed by high-speed photography. Large variation was observed in the responses of the specimens even among specimens with equal bulk rheological properties. The stress fields of the specimens under decompression computed by finite element analysis shows that the presence of satellite bubbles beneath a large bubble induced the stress concentration. On the basis of the obtained results, a new mechanism for brittle-like fragmentation is proposed. In the proposed scenario, the second nucleation of bubbles near the fragmentation surface is an essential process for the advancement of fragmentation in an upward magma flow in a volcanic conduit.