bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nicotine Replacement Therapy Use Predicts Smoking and Drinking Outcomes among Heavy-Drinking Smokers Calling a Tobacco Quitline
Authors: Rojewski Alana M. , Fucito Lisa M. , Baldassarri Stephen , Hyland Andrew , Cummings K. Michael , Toll Benjamin A.
Published: May 2016

Introduction: Suboptimal use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) may pose a significant barrier to smokers attempting to quit. We examined NRT use as a predictor of smoking abstinence and heavy drinking in a randomised trial of hazardous drinkers who contacted the NY State Smokers’ quitline for smoking cessation assistance.

Methods: Participants (N = 1,948) received either Tobacco Only Counselling or Alcohol + Tobacco Counselling (ATC), both in addition to a 2-week supply of NRT. NRT use, smoking status, and heavy drinking days were assessed by self-report at the 7-month follow-up.

Results: Of those smokers who completed the 7-month follow-up (N = 843), 53.1% used all of the NRT and 40.6% used some. Those who used all of the NRT were more likely to be abstinent from smoking than those who used some, and more likely to report no heavy drinking days than those who used some or none.

Conclusions: Approximately half of the heavy drinking smokers calling the quitline are willing to use the 2-week supply of free NRT, and most will at least try it. Those who reported using all of the NRT were more likely to report smoking abstinence and no heavy drinking days at the 7-month follow-up.
Lessons Learned from Twelve Years of Partnered Tobacco Cessation Research in the Dominican Republic
Authors: Ossip Deborah J. , Díaz Sergio , Quiñones Zahira , McIntosh Scott , Dozier Ann , Chin Nancy , Weber Emily , Holderness Heather , Torres Essie , Bautista Arisleyda , Sánchez Jóse Javier , Avendaño Esteban , De Ver Dye Timothy , McDonald Paul , Bianco Eduardo
Published: May 2016

Engaging partners for tobacco control within low and middle income countries (LMICs) at early stages of tobacco control presents both challenges and opportunities in the global effort to avert the one billion premature tobacco caused deaths projected for this century. The Dominican Republic (DR) is one such early stage country. The current paper reports on lessons learned from 12 years of partnered United States (US)-DR tobacco cessation research conducted through two NIH trials (Proyecto Doble T, PDT1 and 2). The projects began with a grassroots approach of working with interested communities to develop and test interventions for cessation and secondhand smoke reduction that could benefit the communities, while concurrently building local capacity and providing resources, data, and models of implementation that could be used to ripple upward to expand partnerships and tobacco intervention efforts nationally. Lessons learned are discussed in four key areas: partnering for research, logistical issues in setting up the research project, disseminating and national networking, and mentoring. Effectively addressing the global tobacco epidemic will require sustained focus on supporting LMIC infrastructures for tobacco control, drawing on lessons learned across partnered trials such as those reported here, to provide feasible and innovative approaches for addressing this modifiable public health crisis.
QUASIPOLYNOMIAL SIZE FREGE PROOFS OF FRANKL’S THEOREM ON THE TRACE OF SETS
Authors: AISENBERG JAMES , BONET MARIA LUISA , BUSS SAM
Published: May 2016

We extend results of Bonet, Buss and Pitassi on Bondy’s Theorem and of Nozaki, Arai and Arai on Bollobás’ Theorem by proving that Frankl’s Theorem on the trace of sets has quasipolynomial size Frege proofs. For constant values of the parametert, we prove that Frankl’s Theorem has polynomial size AC0-Frege proofs from instances of the pigeonhole principle.
The co-evolution of power and friendship networks in an organization
Authors: LABUN ALONA , WITTEK RAFAEL , STEGLICH CHRISTIAN
Published: May 2016

Despite the pivotal role that both power and interpersonal trust play in a multitude of social exchange situations, relatively little is known about their interplay. Moreover, previous theorizing makes competing claims. Do we consider our relatively more powerful exchange partners to be less trustworthy, as rational choice reasoning would suggest? Or do more complex psychological mechanisms lead us to trust them more, as motivated cognition reasoning implies? Extending the latter approach, we develop and empirically test three hypotheses on the interrelation between perceptions of interpersonal trust and power. According to the status value hypothesis, individuals are more likely to befriend those whom they or others perceive as powerful. The status signaling hypothesis states that the friends of people one perceives as powerful will also be seen as powerful. According to the self-monitoring hypothesis, high self-monitors are more likely than low self-monitors to befriend those they or others perceive as powerful. We use multiplex stochastic actor-based models to analyze the co-evolution of trust and power relations amongn= 49 employees in a Dutch Youth Care organization. Data covers three waves of a longitudinal sociometric network survey collected over a period of 18 months in the years 2009–2010. In general, we find some support for all three hypotheses, though the effects are weak. Being one of the first organizational field studies on the co-evolution of power and trust, we conclude with discussing the implications of these findings for the study of social exchange processes.
Mate choice and host discrimination behavior of the parasitoid Trichogramma chilonis
Authors: Wang D. , Lü L. , He Y. , Shi Q. , Tu C. , Gu J.
Published: May 2016

Trichogramma chilonis Ishii (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) is an important natural enemy of many species of lepidopterous pests and a widely used biological control agent. Detailed knowledge about its mate choice and host discrimination behavior is lacking. In this study, we studied the mate choice and host discrimination behavior of T. chilonis in experimental arenas through video tracking. Males’ mate recognition capacity was realized by perceiving the sex pheromone of females. When offered two females of different species, male could distinguish the conspecific female from Trichogrammatoidea bactrae Nagaraja (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), a species that has overlapping hosts with T. chilonis. When placed with two females of different mating status, male preferred mating with the virgin female to the mated female. T. chilonis females could distinguish unparasitized host eggs from parasitized ones (parasitized by conspecific females or heterospecific females). They preferred to stay on and lay eggs in unparasitized host eggs. When T. chilonis females were only provided with parasitized host eggs (parasitized by T. chilonis and T. bactrae females), conspecific superparasitism occurred more often than heterospecific superparasitism. Furthermore, the host egg discrimination ability of T. chilonis females was mainly achieved through antennal perception.
Sublethal effects of imidacloprid on the fecundity, longevity, and enzyme activity ofSitobion avenae(Fabricius) andRhopalosiphum padi(Linnaeus)
Authors: Lu Y.-H. , Zheng X.-S. , Gao X.-W.
Published: May 2016

The aphid speciesSitobion avenaeandRhopalosiphum padiare the most important pests in wheat growing regions of many countries. In this study, we investigated the sublethal effects of imidacloprid on fecundity, longevity, and enzyme activity in both aphid species by comparing 3-h exposure for one or three generations. Our results indicated that 3-h exposure to sublethal doses of imidacloprid for one generation had no discernible effect on the survival, fecundity, longevity, or enzyme activity levels of aphids. However, when pulse exposures to imidacloprid were sustained over three generations, both fecundity and longevity were significantly decreased in bothS. avenaeandR. padi. Interestingly, the fecundity ofR. padihad almost recovered by the F5 generation, but its longevity was still deleteriously affected. These results indicated thatR. padilaid eggs in shorter time lags and has a more fast resilience. The change in reproduction behavior may be a phenomenon ofR. padito compensate its early death. If this is stable for the next generation, it means that the next generation is more competitive than unexposed populations, which could be the reason underlying population outbreaks that occur after longer-term exposure to an insecticide. This laboratory-based study highlights the sublethal effects of imidacloprid on the longevity and fecundity of descendants and provides an empirical basis from which to consider management decisions for chemical control in the field.
Has the use of the linear incision reduced skin complications in bone-anchored hearing aid implantation?
Authors: Roplekar R , Lim A , Hussain S S M
Published: May 2016

Objective:

To compare the skin-related complications of the traditional skin flap method with a linear incision method of implantation.

Method:

All cases of bone-anchored hearing aid surgery performed by a single surgeon (n= 117) were compared over two periods: 1999–2011, when the traditional method of skin flap and soft tissue removal was used (group 1;n= 86), and 2012–2013, when linear incision without soft tissue removal was used (group 2;n= 31). All patients were followed up for one year and complications were recorded for that period.

Results:

There were 21 (24.4 per cent) skin-related complications in group 1 (skin overgrowth = 12, wound infection = 8 and numbness = 1) and 3 (9.7 per cent) complications in group 2 (wound infection = 3). Analysis using independentt-tests showed the results to be significant (p< 0.05; 95 per cent confidence interval = 0.0800–0.4473).

Conclusion:

The linear incision without soft tissue removal method for bone-anchored hearing aid implantation reduces skin complication rates.
The discovery of devil's gardens: an ant–plant mutualism in the cloud forests of the Eastern Amazon
Authors: Salas-Lopez Alex , Talaga Stanislas , Lalagüe Hadrien
Published: May 2016

Devil's gardens are one of the most remarkable mutualistic associations between ants and plants. Myrmelachista ants eliminate all vegetation from around their host plants, resulting in wide forest clearings which have intrigued scientists from the start. Despite their noticeability, here we report the discovery of devil's gardens in remote highland cloud forests of the Eastern Amazon, more than 2000 km away from their nearest known analogues in Western Amazonia. We describe the ecological characteristics of these gardens and consider what factors could have produced the geographic isolation of Eastern Amazonian devil's gardens. Three hypotheses are investigated: (1) the host plant distribution restricts the distribution of the mutualism, (2) the ecological tolerances of Myrmelachista explain the isolation, and (3) the devil's gardens of the Eastern Amazon constitute relicts from ancient forest refugia. The distribution of the possible associated myrmecophytes and previously described ecological ranges of devil's gardens cannot explain their ecological restriction to cloud forests in Eastern Amazonia, but our discovery is consistent with the biogeographic refuge hypothesis (i.e. highlands along the Amazon Basin constitute refugia for humid forests that spread during the Cenozoic). Our finding opens exciting perspectives for comparative studies of the origin, ecology and evolutionary history of this ant–plant mutualism.
Exercise-induced cardiopulmonary arrest in a child with aortic stenosis
Authors: Saiki Hirofumi , Sugimoto Masaya , Senzaki Hideaki
Published: May 2016

The beneficial effect of exercise restriction in preventing sudden cardiac death in children with aortic stenosis remains unclear. We report the case of a 15-year-old boy with congenital aortic stenosis who was resuscitated after sudden cardiac arrest during exercise. The case led to the new concept that exercise restriction may prevent not only unpredictable ventricular ischaemic events and associated arrhythmias but also progressive ventricular hypertrophy.
Transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect in a patient with absent inferior caval vein connection: a novel technique using a steerable guide catheter
Authors: Takaya Yoichi , Akagi Teiji , Ito Hiroshi
Published: May 2016

An alternative approach for transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect is necessary in patients with absent inferior caval vein connection. In this report, we describe the successful transcatheter atrial septal defect closure via the transjugular approach using a steerable guide catheter.
DIABOLIC MUSIC AND FEMALE DYSFUNCTIONALITY: HARDY'S “THE FIDDLER OF THE REELS”
Authors: Hussein Ali Zahra A.
Published: May 2016

Although scholars often praiseHardy's “The Fiddler of the Reels” as a work with “considerable power” (The Cambridge Companion46), the theme of the workings of the market culture in the story has gone uninvestigated. Set against the backdrop of urban transformations that were enacted by the Great Exhibition and the new mass transportation system, the text dramatizes how male impulses fit into larger questions of acquisitive power and how a narrow preoccupation with dominance creates a messy reality. This study argues that exhibitions (in the material, commercial sense of the term) and exhibitionistic celebrity behavior are aligned in “The Fiddler,” and claims that certain Darwinian and Dionysian elements in the story underwrite this theme. To substantiate this argument, my analysis is attentive to two notions: a general notion of economy and a literary notion of the trickster as expounded by C. G. Jung and Mikhail Bakhtin. Before taking my argument further, I will summarize the plot of “The Fiddler.”
LITERARY HISTORIES OF THE NATURAL HISTORICAL BOOK
Authors: Farina Jonathan V.
Published: May 2016

Inspired in part by thecoincident bicentenary of Darwin's birth and the sesquicentennial ofThe Origin of Speciesin 2009, scholars have been hard at work these last ten years writing substantial histories of nineteenth-century natural history and geology. These histories include exceptional books by scholars trained primarily in literary studies: Cannon Schmitt'sDarwin and the Memory of the Human(2009); Daniel Brown'sThe Poetry of Victorian Scientists(2013); and Gowan Dawson'sDarwin, Literature and Victorian Respectability(2007). With a few notable exceptions, however, the books I was invited to review here are written mostly by historians of science. And yet they are no less literary for that. All are marked by a tacit, pragmatic adoption of actor-network theory; by the extraordinary resources of the Darwin Correspondence Project and online databases of British periodicals; and often, too, by glossy illustrations. Further, nearly all of these histories share a methodological investment in what we call the history of the book, including all the economics of publishing (formats, sizes, fonts, prices, print runs, reviews, sales, generic conventions) and a political and heuristic stake in popularization and the general reading public. While Darwin (and Lyell, Herschel, Hooker, Huxley, and Spencer) remain at the center of the discussion, the empirically-minded history-of-the-book approach and investment in everyday readers reconstructs and legitimates a robust popular science that was engaged with, but not subordinate to, and often more liberal than the elite science of the X Club, the Royal Society, and other exclusive institutions. With the help of museums, lectures, tour guides, and other natural scientific literature, everyday readers produced their own knowledge of evolution, stratigraphy, speciation, animal emotion, and the sex life of plants.
THE CONDITION OF MUSIC IN VICTORIAN SCHOLARSHIP
Authors: Peak Anna
Published: May 2016

Many Victorian commentators, from Herbert Spencer and Charles Darwin on, saw music as the most primitive of all the arts, an inarticulate precursor of language, and yet many Victorians, particularly towards the end of the century, also saw music as the purest of all art forms. The tremendous tension between these two views meant that music provided, and provides, an ideal way to understand more completely Victorian ideas about evolution, gender, and race in relation to aesthetics, although scholarship on music has only begun to consider those relationships. But as Vernon Lee long ago pointed out, in a series of thoughtful essays about music published inFraser's Magazineand other periodicals in the 1870s and 1880s, music has always been slower to develop than other arts or fields of study. This is in fact why musicologists speak of “nineteenth-century music,” rather than Victorian music: the Romantic period in music, for example, is starting as the Romantic period in literature had largely ended; the English Musical Renaissance comes after the renaissance period in British literature; and so on. Musicology, likewise, is a comparatively young field, and the study of nineteenth-century British music – long limited to Gilbert and Sullivan, if considered at all – younger yet. Studies of literature that engage with music as an important part of the historical context of a given text depend on developments in musicology for a proper understanding of that context, which is why such works are comparatively few.Whymusic should be slower to develop than other fields is a question outside the scope of this essay, but the good news is that in the past ten years a number of useful and valuable works of scholarship on nineteenth-century British music have appeared, examining not only neglected composers and musical works, but also performers, concert organizers, music publishers, instruments and their history, and evolutionary, Orientalist, and nationalist discourses about music. This scholarship, valuable in itself, not only expands our knowledge of musicology and cultural history; by pointing out some of the deep connections between literature and music in the Victorian period, such scholarship also suggests new ways to think about literary forms, canon formation, and aesthetic theories.
Effects of acoustic and linguistic experience on Japanese pitch accent processing
Authors: WU XIANGHUA , KAWASE SAYA , WANG YUE
Published: May 2016

This study investigated the effects of L2 learning experience in relation to L1 background on hemispheric processing of Japanese pitch accent. Native Mandarin Chinese (tonal L1) and English (non-tonal L1) learners of Japanese were tested using dichotic listening. These listener groups were compared with those recruited in Wu, Tu & Wang (2012), including native Mandarin and English listeners without Japanese experience and native Japanese listeners. Results revealed an overall right-hemisphere preference across groups, suggesting acoustically oriented processing. Individual pitch accent patterns also revealed pattern-specific laterality differences, further reflecting acoustic-level processing. However, listener group differences indicated L1 effects, with the Chinese but not English listeners approximating the Japanese patterns. Furthermore, English learners but not naïve listeners exhibited a shift towards the native direction, revealing effects of L2 learning. These findings imply integrated effects of acoustic and linguistic aspects on Japanese pitch accent processing as a function of L1 and L2 experience.
Study of interaction and adsorption of aromatic amines by manganese oxides and their role in chemical evolution
Authors: Bhushan Brij , Nayak Arunima , Kamaluddin
Published: May 2016

The role of manganese oxides in concentrating organic moieties and offering catalytic activity for prebiotic reactions is investigated by studying their interaction with different aromatic amines such as aniline, p-chloroaniline, p-toluidine and p-anisidine. For all amines, metal oxides showed highest adsorption at neutral pH. The order of their adsorption capacity and affinity as revealed by the Langmuir constants was found to be manganosite (MnO) > bixbyite (Mn2O3) > hausmannite (Mn3O4) > and pyrolusite (MnO2). At alkaline pH, these manganese oxides offered their surfaces for oxidation of amines to form coloured oligomers. Analysis of the oxidation products by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry showed the formation of a dimer from p-anisidine and p-chloroaniline, while a trimer and tetramer is formed from p-toluidine and aniline, respectively. A reaction mechanism is proposed for the formation of the oligomers. While field-emission scanning electron microscopic studies confirm the binding phenomenon, the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis suggests that the mechanism of binding of amines on the manganese oxides was primarily electrostatic. The adsorption behaviour of the studied aromatic amines followed the order: p-anisidine > p-toluidine > aniline > p-chloroaniline, which is related to the basicities and structure of the amines. Our studies confirmed the significance of the role of manganese oxides in prebiotic chemistry.
Are Supplementation of Omega-3 and Ascorbic Acid Effective in Reducing Oxidative Stress and Depression among Depressed Shift Workers?
Authors: Khajehnasiri Farahnaz , Akhondzadeh Shahin , Mortazavi Seyed Bagher , Allameh Abdolamir , Sotoudeh Gity , Khavanin Ali , Zamanian Zahra
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Background: This study assessed the effect of supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids and ascorbic acid alone and in combination on the level of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA concentration), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and depression scores in depressed rotational shift workers in the Tehran Shahid Tondgoyan Oil refinery. Material and methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 136 men who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and had a Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score ≥ 10 were selected. Among the participants, 33 received omega-3 fatty acid soft gel (1000 mg twice daily) with vitamin C (250 mg twice daily) (group 1), 31 took omega-3 fatty acid supplements and vitamin C placebo (group 2), 30 took omega-3 fatty acid supplement placebo and vitamin C (group 3), and 32 received omega-3 fatty acid supplement placebo and vitamin C placebo (group 4) for 2 months. Measured were serum MDA, TAC concentrations, and BDI scores at baseline and after 2 months. Results: This study showed that the BDI score was reduced significantly in all 4 groups, however, the level of decrease was more in the omega-3 fatty acid (alone) supplementation group (mean 6.29 score decrease) (p < 0.001). MDA level decreased significantly in groups with omega-3 fatty acids (mean 0.78 μmol/L ± 1.64 μmol/L decrease) (p = 0.014) or vitamin C supplementation alone (mean 0.74 μmol/L ± 1.55 μmol/L decrease) (p = 0.014), but not in combination. Conclusions: Supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids alone and not in combination with vitamin C had a better impact on depression and MDA level pronounced in depressed male shift workers.
Micronutrient Deficiencies in Patients Candidate for Bariatric Surgery: A Prospective, Preoperative Trial of Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Authors: Schiavo Luigi , Scalera Giuseppe , Pilone Vincenzo , De Sena Gabriele , Capuozzo Vincenza , Barbarisi Alfonso
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Bariatric surgery candidates often show preoperative micronutrient deficiency. Although it is documented that a comprehensive micronutrient assessment should be conducted preoperatively to correct the deficiencies before surgery, no previous studies have been effective in correcting deficiencies in sufficient time prior to surgery. Our aim was to identify micronutrient deficiencies preoperatively and correct them before surgery.
Evidence for the involvement of ASIC3 in sensory mechanotransduction in proprioceptors
Authors: Lin Shing-Hong , Cheng Yuan-Ren , Banks Robert W. , Min Ming-Yuan , Bewick Guy S. , Chen Chih-Cheng
Published: May 2016

Acid-sensing ion channel 3 (ASIC3) is involved in acid nociception, but its possible role in neurosensory mechanotransduction is disputed. We report here the generation ofAsic3-knockout/eGFPf-knockinmice and subsequent characterization of heterogeneous expression of ASIC3 in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). ASIC3 is expressed in parvalbumin (Pv+) proprioceptor axons innervating muscle spindles. We further generate a floxed allele ofAsic3(Asic3f/f) and probe the role of ASIC3 in mechanotransduction in neurite-bearing Pv+ DRG neurons through localized elastic matrix movements and electrophysiology. Targeted knockout ofAsic3disrupts spindle afferent sensitivity to dynamic stimuli and impairs mechanotransduction in Pv+ DRG neurons because of substrate deformation-induced neurite stretching, but not to direct neurite indentation. In behavioural tasks, global knockout (Asic3−/−) andPv-Cre::Asic3f/fmice produce similar deficits in grid and balance beam walking tasks. We conclude that, at least in mouse, ASIC3 is a molecular determinant contributing to dynamic mechanosensitivity in proprioceptors.
An unforeseen polymorph of coronene by the application of magnetic fields during crystal growth
Authors: Potticary Jason , Terry Lui R. , Bell Christopher , Papanikolopoulos Alexandros N. , Christianen Peter C. M. , Engelkamp Hans , Collins Andrew M. , Fontanesi Claudio , Kociok-Köhn Gabriele , Crampin Simon , Da Como Enrico , Hall Simon R.
Published: May 2016

The continued development of novel drugs, proteins, and advanced materials strongly rely on our ability to self-assemble molecules in solids with the most suitable structure (polymorph) in order to exhibit desired functionalities. The search for new polymorphs remains a scientific challenge, that is at the core of crystal engineering and there has been a lack of effective solutions to this problem. Here we show that by crystallizing the polyaromatic hydrocarbon coronene in the presence of a magnetic field, a polymorph is formed in a β-herringbone structure instead of the ubiquitous γ-herringbone structure, with a decrease of 35° in the herringbone nearest neighbour angle. The β-herringbone polymorph is stable, preserves its structure under ambient conditions and as a result of the altered molecular packing of the crystals, exhibits significant changes to the optical and mechanical properties of the crystal.
MycoDB, a global database of plant response to mycorrhizal fungi
Authors: Chaudhary V. Bala , Rúa Megan A. , Antoninka Anita , Bever James D. , Cannon Jeffery , Craig Ashley , Duchicela Jessica , Frame Alicia , Gardes Monique , Gehring Catherine , Ha Michelle , Hart Miranda , Hopkins Jacob , Ji Baoming , Johnson Nancy Collins , Kaonongbua Wittaya , Karst Justine , Koide Roger T. , Lamit Louis J. , Meadow James , Milligan Brook G. , Moore John C. , Pendergast IV Thomas H. , Piculell Bridget , Ramsby Blake , Simard Suzanne , Shrestha Shubha , Umbanhowar James , Viechtbauer Wolfgang , Walters Lawrence , Wilson Gail W. T. , Zee Peter C. , Hoeksema Jason D.
Published: May 2016

Plants form belowground associations with mycorrhizal fungi in one of the most common symbioses on Earth. However, few large-scale generalizations exist for the structure and function of mycorrhizal symbioses, as the nature of this relationship varies from mutualistic to parasitic and is largely context-dependent. We announce the public release of MycoDB, a database of 4,010 studies (from 438 unique publications) to aid in multi-factor meta-analyses elucidating the ecological and evolutionary context in which mycorrhizal fungi alter plant productivity. Over 10 years with nearly 80 collaborators, we compiled data on the response of plant biomass to mycorrhizal fungal inoculation, including meta-analysis metrics and 24 additional explanatory variables that describe the biotic and abiotic context of each study. We also include phylogenetic trees for all plants and fungi in the database. To our knowledge, MycoDB is the largest ecological meta-analysis database. We aim to share these data to highlight significant gaps in mycorrhizal research and encourage synthesis to explore the ecological and evolutionary generalities that govern mycorrhizal functioning in ecosystems.
Daphnia magna transcriptome by RNA-Seq across 12 environmental stressors
Authors: Orsini Luisa , Gilbert Donald , Podicheti Ram , Jansen Mieke , Brown James B. , Solari Omid Shams , Spanier Katina I. , Colbourne John K. , Rusch Douglas B. , Decaestecker Ellen , Asselman Jana , De Schamphelaere Karel A.C. , Ebert Dieter , Haag Christoph R. , Kvist Jouni , Laforsch Christian , Petrusek Adam , Beckerman Andrew P. , Little Tom J. , Chaturvedi Anurag , Pfrender Michael E. , De Meester Luc , Frilander Mikko J.
Published: May 2016

The full exploration of gene-environment interactions requires model organisms with well-characterized ecological interactions in their natural environment, manipulability in the laboratory and genomic tools. The waterfleaDaphnia magnais an established ecological and toxicological model species, central to the food webs of freshwater lentic habitats and sentinel for water quality. Its tractability and cyclic parthenogenetic life-cycle are ideal to investigate links between genes and the environment. Capitalizing on this unique model system, the STRESSFLEA consortium generated a comprehensive RNA-Seq data set by exposing two inbred genotypes ofD. magnaand a recombinant cross of these genotypes to a range of environmental perturbations. Gene models were constructed from the transcriptome data and mapped onto the draft genome ofD. magnausing EvidentialGene. The transcriptome data generated here, together with the available draft genome sequence ofD. magnaand a high-density genetic map will be a key asset for future investigations in environmental genomics.
BRAID: A Unifying Paradigm for the Analysis of Combined Drug Action
Authors: Twarog Nathaniel R. , Stewart Elizabeth , Hammill Courtney Vowell , Shelat Anang A.
Published: May 2016

With combination therapies becoming increasingly vital to understanding and combatting disease, a reliable method for analyzing combined dose response is essential. The importance of combination studies both in basic and translational research necessitates a method that can be applied to a wide range of experimental and analytical conditions. However, despite increasing demand, no such unified method has materialized. Here we introduce the Bivariate Response to Additive Interacting Doses (BRAID) model, a response surface model that combines the simplicity and intuitiveness needed for basic interaction classifications with the versatility and depth needed to analyze a combined response in the context of pharmacological and toxicological constraints. We evaluate the model in a series of simulated combination experiments, a public combination dataset, and several experiments on Ewing’s Sarcoma. The resulting interaction classifications are more consistent than those produced by traditional index methods, and show a strong relationship between compound mechanisms and nature of interaction. Furthermore, analysis of fitted response surfaces in the context of pharmacological constraints yields a more concrete prediction of combination efficacy that better agrees with in vivo evaluations.
The photon pair source that survived a rocket explosion
Authors: Tang Zhongkan , Chandrasekara Rakhitha , Tan Yue Chuan , Cheng Cliff , Durak Kadir , Ling Alexander
Published: May 2016

We report on the performance of a compact photon pair source that was recovered intact from a failed space launch. The source had been embedded in a nanosatellite and was designed to perform pathfinder experiments leading to global quantum communication networks using spacecraft. Despite the launch vehicle explosion soon after takeoff, the nanosatellite was successfully retrieved from the accident site and the source within it was found to be fully operational. We describe the assembly technique for the rugged source. Post-recovery data is compared to baseline measurements collected before the launch attempt and no degradation in brightness or polarization correlation was observed. The survival of the source through an extreme environment provides strong evidence that it is possible to engineer rugged quantum optical systems.
Event- and time-dependent decline of outcome information in the primate prefrontal cortex
Authors: Marcos Encarni , Tsujimoto Satoshi , Genovesio Aldo
Published: May 2016

The prefrontal cortex (PF) is involved in outcome-based flexible adaptation in a dynamically changing environment. The outcome signal dissipates gradually over time, but the temporal dynamics of this dissipation remains unknown. To examine this issue, we analyzed the outcome-related activity of PF neurons in 2 monkeys in a distance discrimination task. The initial prestimulus period of this task varied in duration, allowing us to dissociate the effects of time and event on the decline in previous outcome-related activity —previous correct versus previous error. We observed 2 types of decline in previous outcome representation: PF neurons that ceased to encode the previous outcome as time passed (time-dependent) and neurons that maintained their signal but it decreased rapidly after the occurrence of a new external event (event-dependent). Although the time-dependent dynamics explained the decline in a greater proportion of neurons, the event-dependent decline was also observed in a significant population of neurons.
Impacts of biogeographic history and marginal population genetics on species range limits: a case study of Liriodendron chinense
Authors: Yang Aihong , Dick Christopher W. , Yao Xiaohong , Huang Hongwen
Published: May 2016

Species ranges are influenced by past climate oscillations, geographical constraints and adaptive potential to colonize novel habitats at range limits. This study used Liriodendron chinense, an important temperate Asian tree species, as a model system to evaluate the roles of biogeographic history and marginal population genetics in determining range limits. We examined the demographic history and genetic diversity of 29 L. chinense populations using both chloroplast and nuclear microsatellite loci. Significant phylogeographic structure was recovered with haplotype clusters coinciding with major mountain regions. Long-term demographical stability was suggested by mismatch distribution analyses, neutrality tests and ecological niche models (ENM) and suggested the existence of LGM refuges within mountain regions. Differences in genetic diversity between central and marginal populations were not significant for either genomic region. However, asymmetrical gene flow was inferred from central populations to marginal populations, which could potentially limit range adaptation and expansion of L. chinense.
Origin of giant piezoelectric effect in lead-free K1−xNaxTa1−yNbyO3 single crystals
Authors: Tian Hao , Meng Xiangda , Hu Chengpeng , Tan Peng , Cao Xilong , Shi Guang , Zhou Zhongxiang , Zhang Rui
Published: May 2016

A series of high-quality, large-sized (maximum size of 16 × 16 × 32 mm3) K1−xNaxTa1−yNbyO3 (x = 0.61, 0.64 and 0.70 and corresponding y = 0.58, 0.60 and 0.63) single crystals were grown using the top-seed solution growth method. The segregation of the crystals, which allowed for precise control of the individual components of the crystals during growth, was investigated. The obtained crystals exhibited excellent properties without being annealed, including a low dielectric loss (0.006), a saturated hysteresis loop, a giant piezoelectric coefficient d33 (d33 = 416 pC/N, determined by the resonance method and d33* = 480 pC/N, measured using a piezo-d33 meter) and a large electromechanical coupling factor, k33 (k33 = 83.6%), which was comparable to that of lead zirconate titanate. The reason the piezoelectric coefficient d33 of K0.39Na0.61Ta0.42Nb0.58O3 was larger than those of the other two crystals grown was elucidated through first-principles calculations. The obtained results indicated that K1−xNaxTa1−yNbyO3 crystals can be used as a high-quality, lead-free piezoelectric material.
Removing entorhinal cortex input to the dentate gyrus does not impede low frequency oscillations, an EEG-biomarker of hippocampal epileptogenesis
Authors: Meyer Martin , Kienzler-Norwood Friederike , Bauer Sebastian , Rosenow Felix , Norwood Braxton A.
Published: May 2016

Following prolonged perforant pathway stimulation (PPS) in rats, a seizure-free “latent period” is observed that lasts around 3 weeks. During this time, aberrant neuronal activity occurs, which has been hypothesized to contribute to the generation of an “epileptic” network. This study was designed to 1) examine the pathological network activity that occurs in the dentate gyrus during the latent period, and 2) determine whether suppressing this activity by removing the main input to the dentate gyrus could stop or prolong epileptogenesis. Immediately following PPS, continuous video-EEG monitoring was used to record spontaneous neuronal activity and detect seizures. During the latent period, low frequency oscillations (LFOs), occurring at a rate of approximately 1 Hz, were detected in the dentate gyrus of all rats that developed epilepsy. LFO incidence was apparently random, but often decreased in the hour preceding a spontaneous seizure. Bilateral transection of the perforant pathway did not impact the incidence of hippocampal LFOs, the latency to epilepsy, or hippocampal neuropathology. Our main findings are: 1) LFOs are a reliable biomarker of hippocampal epileptogenesis, and 2) removing entorhinal cortex input to the hippocampus neither reduces the occurrence of LFOs nor has a demonstrable antiepileptogenic effect.
A Stochastic Point Cloud Sampling Method for Multi-Template Protein Comparative Modeling
Authors: Li Jilong , Cheng Jianlin
Published: May 2016

Generating tertiary structural models for a target protein from the known structure of its homologous template proteins and their pairwise sequence alignment is a key step in protein comparative modeling. Here, we developed a new stochastic point cloud sampling method, called MTMG, for multi-template protein model generation. The method first superposes the backbones of template structures, and the Cα atoms of the superposed templates form a point cloud for each position of a target protein, which are represented by a three-dimensional multivariate normal distribution. MTMG stochastically resamples the positions for Cα atoms of the residues whose positions are uncertain from the distribution, and accepts or rejects new position according to a simulated annealing protocol, which effectively removes atomic clashes commonly encountered in multi-template comparative modeling. We benchmarked MTMG on 1,033 sequence alignments generated for CASP9, CASP10 and CASP11 targets, respectively. Using multiple templates with MTMG improves the GDT-TS score and TM-score of structural models by 2.96–6.37% and 2.42–5.19% on the three datasets over using single templates. MTMG’s performance was comparable to Modeller in terms of GDT-TS score, TM-score, and GDT-HA score, while the average RMSD was improved by a new sampling approach. The MTMG software is freely available at: http://sysbio.rnet.missouri.edu/multicom_toolbox/mtmg.html.
Chemical State Mapping of Degraded B4C Control Rod Investigated with Soft X-ray Emission Spectrometer in Electron Probe Micro-analysis
Authors: Kasada R. , Ha Y. , Higuchi T. , Sakamoto K.
Published: May 2016

B4C is widely used as control rods in light water reactors, such as the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, because it shows excellent neutron absorption and has a high melting point. However, B4C can melt at lower temperatures owing to eutectic interactions with stainless steel and can even evaporate by reacting with high-temperature steam under severe accident conditions. To reduce the risk of recriticality, a precise understanding of the location and chemical state of B in the melt core is necessary. Here we show that a novel soft X-ray emission spectrometer in electron probe microanalysis can help to obtain a chemical state map of B in a modeled control rod after a high-temperature steam oxidation test.
TonEBP suppresses IL-10-mediated immunomodulation
Authors: Choi Soo Youn , Lee Hwan Hee , Lee Jun Ho , Ye Byeong Jin , Yoo Eun Jin , Kang Hyun Je , Jung Gyu Won , An Seung Min , Lee-Kwon Whaseon , Chiong Mario , Lavandero Sergio , Kwon Hyug Moo
Published: May 2016

TonEBP is a key transcriptional activator of M1 phenotype in macrophage, and its high expression is associated with many inflammatory diseases. During the progression of the inflammatory responses, the M1 to M2 phenotypic switch enables the dual role of macrophages in controlling the initiation and resolution of inflammation. Here we report that in human and mouse M1 macrophages TonEBP suppresses IL-10 expression and M2 phenotype. TonEBP knockdown promoted the transcription of the IL-10 gene by enhancing chromatin accessibility and Sp1 recruitment to its promoter. The enhanced expression of M2 genes by TonEBP knockdown was abrogated by antagonism of IL-10 by either neutralizing antibodies or siRNA-mediated silencing. In addition, pharmacological suppression of TonEBP leads to similar upregulation of IL-10 and M2 genes. Thus, TonEBP suppresses M2 phenotype via downregulation of the IL-10 in M1 macrophages.
Synthesis of a highly water-soluble acacetin prodrug for treating experimental atrial fibrillation in beagle dogs
Authors: Liu Hui , Wang Ya-Jing , Yang Lei , Zhou Mei , Jin Man-Wen , Xiao Guo-Sheng , Wang Yan , Sun Hai-Ying , Li Gui-Rong
Published: May 2016

We previously reported that duodenal administration of the natural flavone acacetin can effectively prevent the induction of experimental atrial fibrillation (AF) in canines; however, it may not be used intravenously to terminate AF due to its poor water-solubility. The present study was to design a water-soluble prodrug of acacetin and investigate its anti-AF effect in beagle dogs. Acacetin prodrug was synthesized by a three-step procedure. Aqueous solubility, bioconversion and anti-AF efficacy of acacetin prodrug were determined with different methodologies. Our results demonstrated that the synthesized phosphate sodium salt of acacetin prodrug had a remarkable increase of aqueous solubility in H2O and clinically acceptable solution (5% glucose or 0.9% NaCl). The acacetin prodrug was effectively converted into acacetin in ex vivo rat plasma and liver microsome and in vivo beagle dogs. Intravenous infusion of acacetin prodrug (3, 6 and 12 mg/kg) terminated experimental AF without increasing ECG QTc interval in beagle dogs. The intravenous LD50 of acacetin prodrug was 721 mg/kg in mice. Our preclinical study indicates that the synthesized acacetin prodrug is highly water-soluble and safe; it effectively terminates experimental AF in beagle dogs and therefore may be a promising drug candidate for clinical trial to treat patients with acute AF.
Soil metaproteomics reveals an inter-kingdom stress response to the presence of black truffles
Authors: Zampieri Elisa , Chiapello Marco , Daghino Stefania , Bonfante Paola , Mello Antonietta
Published: May 2016

For some truffle species of the Tuber genus, the symbiotic phase is often associated with the presence of an area of scant vegetation, commonly known as the brûlé, around the host tree. Previous metagenomics studies have identified the microorganisms present inside and outside the brûlé of a Tuber melanosporum truffle-ground, but the molecular mechanisms that operate in this ecological niche remain to be clarified. To elucidate the metabolic pathways present in the brûlé, we conducted a metaproteomics analysis on the soil of a characterized truffle-ground and cross-referenced the resulting proteins with a database we constructed, incorporating the metagenomics data for the organisms previously identified in this soil. The soil inside the brûlé contained a larger number of proteins and, surprisingly, more proteins from plants, compared with the soil outside the brûlé. In addition, Fisher’s Exact Tests detected more biological processes inside the brûlé; these processes were related to responses to multiple types of stress. Thus, although the brûlé has a reduced diversity of plant and microbial species, the organisms in the brûlé show strong metabolic activity. Also, the combination of metagenomics and metaproteomics provides a powerful tool to reveal soil functioning.
Social stress increases the susceptibility to infection in the ant Harpegnathos saltator
Authors: Schneider Sebastian A. , Scharffetter Charlotte , Wagner Anika E. , Boesch Christine , Bruchhaus Iris , Rimbach Gerald , Roeder Thomas
Published: May 2016

Aggressive interactions between members of a social group represent an important source of social stress with all its negative follow-ups. We used the ponerine ant Harpegnathos saltator to study the effects of frequent aggressive interactions on the resistance to different stressors. In these ants, removal or death of reproducing animals results in a period of social instability within the colony that is characterized by frequent ritualized aggressive interactions leading to the establishment of a new dominance structure. Animals are more susceptible to infections during this period, whereas their resistance against other stressors remained unchanged. This is associated with a shift from glutathione-S-transferase activities towards glutathione peroxidase activities, which increases the antioxidative capacity at the expense of their immune competence.
The efficacy of contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography in diagnosing gallbladder cancer
Authors: Sugimoto Mitsuru , Takagi Tadayuki , Konno Naoki , Suzuki Rei , Asama Hiroyuki , Hikichi Takuto , Watanabe Ko , Waragai Yuichi , Kikuchi Hitomi , Takasumi Mika , Ohira Hiromasa
Published: May 2016

The aim of this study was to review the efficacy of contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography (CH-EUS) in diagnosing gallbladder (GB)-protruded lesions. Thirty-eight patients underwent CH-EUS for the diagnosis of GB-protruded lesions. Twenty-four patients whose major axes of their largest lesions were longer than 10 mm were recruited. The ability of CH-EUS to diagnose malignant or benign lesions was reviewed. We treated lesions with brindled enhanced patterns as malignant and those with uniformly enhanced or unenhanced patterns as benign. Furthermore, three gastroenterologists who were not familiar with pancreaticobiliary EUS compared the diagnostic abilities of CH-EUS and conventional EUS using photographs. The sensitivity, specificity and malignant accuracy of CH-EUS were 100, 94.4 and 95.8%, respectively. The number of lesions that presented with enhanced patterns was significantly different between the malignant lesions and the benign lesions (P < 0.001). In the comparison of diagnostic abilities between CH-EUS and conventional EUS by the three gastroenterologists, CH-EUS was significantly superior to conventional EUS in terms of sensitivity, specificity and accuracy (76.1 vs. 42.9%, P = 0.029; 66.7 vs. 39.2%, P = 0.005; and 69.4 vs. 40.3%, P < 0.001; respectively). In conclusion, CH-EUS was useful for diagnosing malignant and benign GB-protruded lesions.