bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influencia de la inteligencia emocional sobre las competencias laborales: un estudio empírico con empleados del nivel administrativo
Authors: Duque Ceballos José Luis , García Solarte Mónica , Hurtado Ayala Andrea
Published: September 2017

Este artículo tiene como objetivo analizar la influencia de la inteligencia emocional sobre el desarrollo de las competencias laborales, a través de la aplicación de una encuesta a 122 estudiantes de maestría con experiencia laboral superior a tres años y que se encuentran desempeñando cargos administrativos. La metodología utilizada es la regresión lineal estimando previamente un análisis factorial exploratorio para agrupar las aptitudes personales y sociales de la inteligencia emocional. En los resultados se comprueba que la inteligencia emocional representada en las aptitudes emocionales y sociales influye positivamente sobre las competencias laborales, encontrando que aspectos como el reconocimiento de emociones, el trabajo en equipo, la comunicación, la orientación al logro, la percepción y la negociación son características del individuo que favorecen la formación de competencias afectando el desempeño laboral.
Plastic products for construction: The importance of CE marking
Authors: Muedra Arsenio Navarro
Published: September 2017

CE marking means European Conformity and it is the evidence provided by the manufacturer that the product meets the minimum legal and technical requirements in terms of safety in the European Union.
Lessons Learned From Implementing an Incident Command System During a Local Multiagency Response to a Legionnaires’ Disease Cluster in Sydney, NSW
Authors: Quinn Emma , Johnstone Travers , Najjar Zeina , Cains Toni , Tan Geoff , Huhtinen Essi , Nilsson Sven , Burgess Stuart , Dunn Matthew , Gupta Leena
Published: September 2017

The incident command system (ICS) provides a common structure to control and coordinate an emergency response, regardless of scale or predicted impact. The lessons learned from the application of an ICS for large infectious disease outbreaks are documented. However, there is scant evidence on the application of an ICS to manage a local multiagency response to a disease cluster with environmental health risks. The Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit (PHU) in New South Wales, Australia, was notified of 5 cases of Legionnaires’ disease during 2 weeks in May 2016. This unusual incident triggered a multiagency investigation involving an ICS with staff from the PHU, 3 local councils, and the state health department to help prevent any further public health risk. The early and judicious use of ICS enabled a timely and effective response by supporting clear communication lines between the incident controller and field staff. The field team was key in preventing any ongoing public health risk through inspection, sampling, testing, and management of water systems identified to be at-risk for transmission of legionella. Good working relationships between partner agencies and trust in the technical proficiency of environmental health staff aided in the effective management of the response. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:539–542)
Preferential frequency and size effect of the Brownian force acting on a nanoparticle
Authors: Jin Hanhui , Liu Ningning , Ku Xiaoke , Fan Jianren
Published: September 2017

The Brownian motion of a nanoparticle in fluid depends on the molecular forces acting on it. Because of the small size and the high frequency, it is difficult to make experimental measurements of these forces. In the present work, Brownian forces acting on a nanoparticle are numerically investigated with the molecular dynamics method. Some new phenomena are disclosed. (i) The probability distribution shows that the Brownian forces conform to the Gaussian distribution and self-similarity of the probability distribution is also found for different $1/Kn$ numbers which are characterized with the particle radius and the mean path $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}$ of the gas molecule $(1/Kn=R/\unicode[STIX]{x1D706})$. (ii) The frequency spectrum distribution of the Brownian force is not a white noise spectrum, which is different from the assumption commonly used in Langevin model. The preferential frequency of the Brownian force is found. (iii) The size effect relating to the Brownian forces is not monotonically varying with $1/Kn=R/\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}$ and is also found. It first increases and then decreases after it reaches the maximum value at $1/Kn\approx 250$. The variation process for $1/Kn<250$ observed in the present work has not been reported in previous research to date.
Electromagnetically driven flow of electrolyte in a thin annular layer: axisymmetric solutions
Authors: Suslov Sergey A. , Pérez-Barrera James , Cuevas Sergio
Published: September 2017

Experimental observations of an azimuthal electrolyte flow driven by Lorentz force in a thin annular fluid layer placed on top of a magnet show that it develops a robust vortical system near the outer cylindrical wall. It appears to be a result of instabilities developing on a background of steady axisymmetric flow. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to establish a scene for a future comprehensive stability analysis of such a flow. We discuss popular depth-averaged and quasi-two-dimensional approximate solutions that take advantage of the thin-layer assumption first, and argue that they cannot lead to the observed flow patterns. Thus, three-dimensional toroidal flows are considered. Their similarities to various other well-studied rotating flow configurations are outlined, but no close match is found. Multiple axisymmetric solutions are detected numerically for the same governing parameters, indicating the possibility of subcritical bifurcations, namely type 1, consisting of a single torus, and type 2, developing a second counter-rotating toroidal flow near the outer cylinder. It is suggested that the transition between these two axisymmetric solutions is likely to be caused by the centrifugal instability, while the shear-type instability of the type 2 solution may be responsible for the observed vortex structures. However, a dedicated stability analysis which is currently underway and will be reported in a separate publication is required to confirm these hypotheses.
Of Meat, Men and Property: The Troubled Career of a Convert Nun in Eighteenth-Century Kiev
Authors: SHARIPOVA LIUDMYLA
Published: September 2017

The article is based on the case study of Sr Asklipiodata, a Jewish convert to Christianity, who became a member of the monastic community in one of Kiev's Orthodox convents in the second half of the eighteenth century. It explores the ways in which the non-communal way of life in Eastern Orthodox convents impacted both upon the praxis of monastic existence within the convent walls, and relations with the secular world without. Parallel to this consideration of a lasting centrality of property ownership in Orthodox female monasticism, the article addresses the largely neglected question of Jewish assimilation in the Russian Empire prior to the Partitions of Poland (1772–93), which brought the sizeable Jewish population of the Commonwealth's eastern borderlands into close contact with the Russian state.
Translanguaging pedagogies and English as a lingua franca
Authors: Cenoz Jasone
Published: September 2017

Multilingualism is widespread in the world today and English is, in many cases, one of the languages in the multilingual speaker's repertoire. English as a lingua franca (ELF) is used by multilingual speakers who can also communicate in other languages and use their multilingual and multicultural resources in creative ways. This paper aims at exploring the relationship between recent trends in multilingualism, particularly the proposal ‘Focus on Multilingualism’ and ELF. After a brief presentation of multilingualism as related to globalization and super-diversity, there will be an examination of the new trends that bring together the study of multilingualism in education and ELF. Then, similarities and differences between the two are discussed as related to the emerging paradigm that takes into consideration a new vision of language, speakers and repertoires and has translanguaging as a key concept. Translanguaging pedagogies based on the multilingual learner's repertoire are also discussed. The last section looks at achievements and challenges presented by the synergies that have been created and reinforced.
FROM MYSHKIN TO MARXISM: THE ROLE OF DOSTOEVSKY RECEPTION IN LUKÁCS'S REVOLUTIONARY ETHICS
Authors: WESTERMAN RICHARD
Published: September 2017

For European literati of the early twentieth century, Fyodor Dostoevsky represented a mythically Russian spirituality in contrast to a soulless, rationalized West. One such enthusiast was Georg Lukács, who in 1915 began a never-completed book about Dostoevsky's work, a model of spiritual community that could redeem a fallen world. Though framing his analysis in the language and themes of broader Dostoevsky reception, Lukács used this idiom innovatively to go beyond the reactionary implications this model might connote. Highlighting similarities with Max Weber's account of political ethics, I argue that Lukács developed an ethic derived from his reading of Dostoevsky, which focused on the idea of a hero defined by an ability to resolve the specific ethical dilemma of adherence to duty and moral law on the one hand, and, on the other, the need to restore spontaneous human community at a time when the social institutions embodying such laws had fallen into decay. Crucially, he deployed the same framework after his conversion to Marxism to justify revolutionary terror. However different his position from Dostoevsky's, it was through engagement with these novels that Lukács not only clarified his thought but also came to identify Lenin as a Dostoevskyan hero figure.
Multiple-Herbicide Resistance in a 2,4-D–Resistant Waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) Population from Nebraska
Authors: Crespo Roberto J. , Wingeyer Ana B. , Kruger Greg R. , Riggins Chance W. , Tranel Patrick J. , Bernards Mark L.
Published: September 2017

A 2,4-D-resistant tall waterhemp population (FS) from Nebraska was evaluated for resistance to other TIR1 auxin receptor herbicides and to herbicides having alternative mechanisms of action using greenhouse bioassays and genetic markers. Atrazine, imazethapyr, lactofen, mesotrione, glufosinate, and glyphosate were applied in a single-dose bioassay, and tissue was collected from marked plants for genetic analysis. The FS population was not injured by atrazine or by imazethapyr. Approximately 50% of the plants survived lactofen and were actively growing 28 d after treatment. The population was susceptible to mesotrione, glufosinate, and glyphosate. Ametryn, chlorimuron-ethyl, 2,4-D, aminocyclopyraclor, aminopyralid, and picloram were applied in dose–response studies. The FS population was sensitive to ametryn, and the Ser-264-Gly substitution in the D1 protein was not detected, suggesting the lack of response to atrazine is not due to a target-site mutation. The FS population exhibited less than 50% injury to chlorimuron-ethyl at application rates 20 times the labeled use rate. The Ser-653-Asn acetolactate synthase (ALS) substitution, which confers resistance to imidazolinone herbicides, was present in the FS population. However, this does not explain the lack of response to the sulfonylurea herbicide, chlorimuron-ethyl. Sequencing of a portion of thePPX2Lgene did not show the ΔG210 mutation that confers resistance to protoporphyrinogen oxidase–inhibiting herbicides, suggesting that other factors were responsible for waterhemp survival after lactofen application. The FS population was confirmed to be at least 30-fold resistant to 2,4-D relative to the susceptible populations. In addition, it was at least 3-fold less sensitive to aminopyralid and picloram, two other TIR1 auxin receptor herbicides, than the 2,4-D-susceptible populations were. These data indicated that the FS population contains both target and non–target site mechanisms conferring resistance to herbicides spanning at least three mechanisms of action: TIR1 auxin receptors, ALS inhibitors, and photosystem II inhibitors.
Der Titelrekognitionstest für das Vorschulalter (TRT-VS)
Authors: Grolig Lorenz , Cohrdes Caroline , Schroeder Sascha
Published: September 2017

Zusammenfassung. Studien haben gezeigt, dass bereits im Vorschulalter ein positiver Zusammenhang zwischen Lesevolumen und Sprachentwicklung besteht. Eine objektive und ökonomische Methode zur Erfassung des Lesevolumens sind Titelrekognitionstests. Hierbei geben die Teilnehmenden für eine Reihe von Buchtiteln an, ob ihnen diese bekannt sind. Um Ratetendenzen zu minimieren, enthält der Test auch fiktive Buchtitel. Wir beschreiben die Entwicklung des Titelrekognitionstests für das Vorschulalter (TRT-VS) und stellen anhand von 2 Validierungsstudien seine psychometrischen Eigenschaften vor. In Studie 1 untersuchen wir seine Reliabilität sowie Personen- und Itemkennwerte in einer Stichprobe von Kindern und jungen Erwachsenen. Studie 2 analysiert den Zusammenhang zwischen TRT-VS, häuslicher Lernumgebung und Vorläuferfertigkeiten des Lesens in einer Stichprobe von Vorschulkindern und deren Eltern. Die Studien belegen, dass der TRT-VS ein reliables Instrument zur Messung früher Leseerfahrungen ist und eine hohe Konstruktvalidität aufweist.
Entwicklung und Validierung einer Kurzversion des Fragebogeninventars für Freizeitinteressen (FIFI-K)
Authors: Nikstat Amelie , Höft Angelina , Lehnhardt Jessica , Hofmann Stephanie , Kandler Christian
Published: September 2017

Zusammenfassung. Mit dem Fragebogeninventar für Freizeitinteressen (FIFI; Piepenburg & Kandler, 2016 ) steht nun erstmals ein deutschsprachiges Messinstrument für das Erwachsenenalter zur Verfügung, welches Freizeittätigkeiten hinsichtlich ihrer intrinsischen Wertigkeit (Freizeitinteresse) und Häufigkeit ihrer Ausübung (Freizeitaktivität) erfasst. Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war die Entwicklung einer Kurzversion (FIFI-K), um die Ökonomie der Erfassung bei gleichbleibender Heterogenität der Freizeitbereiche zu erhöhen. Das FIFI-K umfasst 67 Items, an denen die Struktur von Freizeitinteressenbereichen (21 Primärfaktoren und 5 Sekundärfaktoren) des FIFI bei 840 Probandinnen und Probanden mittels konfirmatorischer Faktorenanalysen bestätigt werden konnte. Basierend auf einer Substichprobe von 443 Probandinnen und Probanden fanden sich gute Retest-Reliabilitäten für entsprechende Freizeitbereiche. Zudem konnten konvergente Validität zwischen Freizeitinteresse und Freizeitaktivität und diskriminante Validität zwischen den Freizeitbereichen sowie prädiktive Validität von Freizeitinteressen und -aktivitäten zur Vorhersage psychischen Wohlbefindens bescheinigt werden. Das FIFI-K kann demnach als ökonomisches, reliables und valides Messinstrument für die individuelle Erfassung von Freizeitinteressen und -aktivitäten in Forschung und Praxis angewandt werden.
Das Eltern-Belastungs-Inventar (EBI)
Authors: Irlbauer-Müller Viktoria , Eichler Anna , A. Donhauser Johanna , E. Poehlmann Nina , Stemmler Mark , H. Moll Gunther , Kratz Oliver
Published: September 2017

Zusammenfassung. Eltern-Kind-Interaktionen erfolgen natürlicherweise bidirektional. In der Folge sollte kinder- und jugendpsychiatrische / -psychotherapeutische (KJP–) Behandlung individuums- und kontextzentrierte Interventionen berücksichtigen. Dafür wurde eine dimensionale Erhebung elterlicher Belastung, wie sie mittels des Eltern-Belastungs-Inventars (EBI; Tröster, 2011 ) möglich ist, untersucht. Für N = 166 zu einem KJP-Erstkontakt vorstellige Kinder und Jugendliche (11 – 18 Jahre) wurden KJP-relevante Merkmale (inkl. kritischer Lebensereignisse), die elterliche Belastung (EBI) und drei Messungen der kindseitigen Symptomatik betrachtet (1. Elternurteil, 2. Selbsturteil, 3. klinisches Urteil). Zusätzlich wurde die Elternsicht auf die KJP-Behandlung als Be- oder Entlastung analysiert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine auffällig hohe elterliche Belastung. Diese Belastung korrelierte signifikant mit kritischen Lebensereignissen sowie mit dem Elternurteil. Verglichen mit dem Selbst- und dem klinischen Urteil erwies sich nur das Elternurteil als hoch signifikanter Prädiktor elterlicher Belastung, die für verschiedene KJP-Merkmale variierte. Die Inanspruchnahme der KJP-Behandlung wurde seitens der Eltern zumeist als Entlastung erlebt. Das EBI erlaubt folglich die Beschreibung eltern- bzw. familienbezogener Belastungen aus dimensionaler Perspektive, die eine fundierte kontextzentrierte Behandlungsplanung unterstützt.
Choose Your Words Wisely
Authors: Kotzur Patrick F. , Forsbach Nora , Wagner Ulrich
Published: September 2017

Abstract. Differences in word connotations can have far-reaching consequences. We investigated the content, and emotional and behavioral consequences of the social perception of fled people as a function of their label (“refugees” vs. “asylum seekers”; “war refugees” vs. “economic refugees” vs. “refugees”) using a factorial survey (n = 389). Based on qualitative data on perceived intentions associated with the labels, we deducted predictions regarding differences in the Stereotype Content Model and Behavior from Intergroup Affect and Stereotypes Map. Participants evaluated refugees and asylum seekers similarly. Economic refugees were evaluated more negatively than war refugees or refugees, while the profiles of war refugees and refugees matched. These findings suggest that the choice of words to refer to fled people has profound consequences.
Loss of the vitamin D receptor in human breast and prostate cancers strongly induces cell apoptosis through downregulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling
Authors: Zheng Yu , Trivedi Trupti , Lin Ruby CY , Fong-Yee Colette , Nolte Rick , Manibo Jeline , Chen Yunzhao , Hossain Musharraf , Horas Konstantin , Dunstan Colin , Zhou Hong , Seibel Markus J
Published: September 2017

Vitamin D co-regulates cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis in numerous tissues, including cancers. The known anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic actions of the active metabolite of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] are mediated through binding to the vitamin D receptor (VDR). Here, we report on the unexpected finding that stable knockdown of VDR expression in the human breast and prostate cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and PC3, strongly induces cell apoptosis and inhibits cell proliferation in vitro. Implantation of these VDR knockdown cells into the mammary fat pad (MDA-MB-231), subcutaneously (PC3) or intra-tibially (both cell lines) in immune-incompetent nude mice resulted in reduced tumor growth associated with increased apoptosis and reduced cell proliferation compared with controls. These growth-retarding effects of VDR knockdown occur in the presence and absence of vitamin D and are independent of whether cells were grown in bone or soft tissues. Transcriptome analysis of VDR knockdown and non-target control cell lines demonstrated that loss of the VDR was associated with significant attenuation in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In particular, cytoplasmic and nuclear β-catenin protein levels were reduced with a corresponding downregulation of downstream genes such as Axin2, Cyclin D1, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-8. Stabilization of β-catenin using the GSK-3β inhibitor BIO partly reversed the growth-retarding effects of VDR knockdown. Our results indicate that the unliganded VDR possesses hitherto unknown functions to promote breast and prostate cancer growth, which appear to be operational not only within but also outside the bone environment. These novel functions contrast with the known anti-proliferative nuclear actions of the liganded VDR and may represent targets for new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in breast and prostate cancer.
Electrically conductive pili from pilin genes of phylogenetically diverse microorganisms
Authors: Walker David J F , Adhikari Ramesh Y , Holmes Dawn E , Ward Joy E , Woodard Trevor L , Nevin Kelly P , Lovley Derek R
Published: September 2017

The possibility that bacteria other than Geobacter species might contain genes for electrically conductive pili (e-pili) was investigated by heterologously expressing pilin genes of interest in Geobacter sulfurreducens. Strains of G. sulfurreducens producing high current densities, which are only possible with e-pili, were obtained with pilin genes from Flexistipes sinusarabici, Calditerrivibrio nitroreducens and Desulfurivibrio alkaliphilus. The conductance of pili from these strains was comparable to native G. sulfurreducens e-pili. The e-pili derived from C. nitroreducens, and D. alkaliphilus pilin genes are the first examples of relatively long (>100 amino acids) pilin monomers assembling into e-pili. The pilin gene from Candidatus Desulfofervidus auxilii did not yield e-pili, suggesting that the hypothesis that this sulfate reducer wires itself with e-pili to methane-oxidizing archaea to enable anaerobic methane oxidation should be reevaluated. A high density of aromatic amino acids and a lack of substantial aromatic-free gaps along the length of long pilins may be important characteristics leading to e-pili. This study demonstrates a simple method to screen pilin genes from difficult-to-culture microorganisms for their potential to yield e-pili; reveals new sources for biologically based electronic materials; and suggests that a wide phylogenetic diversity of microorganisms may use e-pili for extracellular electron exchange.
Tbx3-dependent amplifying stem cell progeny drives interfollicular epidermal expansion during pregnancy and regeneration
Authors: Ichijo Ryo , Kobayashi Hiroki , Yoneda Saori , Iizuka Yui , Kubo Hirokazu , Matsumura Shigeru , Kitano Satsuki , Miyachi Hitoshi , Honda Tetsuya , Toyoshima Fumiko
Published: September 2017

The skin surface area varies flexibly in response to body shape changes. Skin homeostasis is maintained by stem cells residing in the basal layer of the interfollicular epidermis. However, how the interfollicular epidermal stem cells response to physiological body shape changes remains elusive. Here, we identify a highly proliferative interfollicular epidermal basal cell population in the rapidly expanding abdominal skin of pregnant mice. These cells express Tbx3 that is necessary for their propagation to drive skin expansion. The Tbx3+ basal cells are generated from Axin2+ interfollicular epidermal stem cells through planar-oriented asymmetric or symmetric cell divisions, and express transit-amplifying cell marker CD71. This biased division of Axin2+ interfollicular epidermal stem cells is induced by Sfrp1 and Igfbp2 proteins secreted from dermal cells. The Tbx3+ basal cells promote wound repair, which is enhanced by Sfrp1 and Igfbp2. This study elucidates the interfollicular epidermal stem cell/progeny organisation during pregnancy and suggests its application in regenerative medicine.
3D calcite heterostructures for dynamic and deformable mineralized matrices
Authors: Yi Jaeseok , Wang Yucai , Jiang Yuanwen , Jung Il Woong , Liu Wenjun , De Andrade Vincent , Xu Ruqing , Parameswaran Ramya , Peters Ivo R. , Divan Ralu , Xiao Xianghui , Sun Tao , Lee Youjin , Park Won Il , Tian Bozhi
Published: September 2017

Scales are rooted in soft tissues, and are regenerated by specialized cells. The realization of dynamic synthetic analogues with inorganic materials has been a significant challenge, because the abiological regeneration sites that could yield deterministic growth behavior are hard to form. Here we overcome this fundamental hurdle by constructing a mutable and deformable array of three-dimensional calcite heterostructures that are partially locked in silicone. Individual calcite crystals exhibit asymmetrical dumbbell shapes and are prepared by a parallel tectonic approach under ambient conditions. The silicone matrix immobilizes the epitaxial nucleation sites through self-templated cavities, which enables symmetry breaking in reaction dynamics and scalable manipulation of the mineral ensembles. With this platform, we devise several mineral-enabled dynamic surfaces and interfaces. For example, we show that the induced growth of minerals yields localized inorganic adhesion for biological tissue and reversible focal encapsulation for sensitive components in flexible electronics.
Heparan sulfate proteoglycans present PCSK9 to the LDL receptor
Authors: Gustafsen Camilla , Olsen Ditte , Vilstrup Joachim , Lund Signe , Reinhardt Anika , Wellner Niels , Larsen Torben , Andersen Christian B. F. , Weyer Kathrin , Li Jin-ping , Seeberger Peter H. , Thirup Søren , Madsen Peder , Glerup Simon
Published: September 2017

Coronary artery disease is the main cause of death worldwide and accelerated by increased plasma levels of cholesterol-rich low-density lipoprotein particles (LDL). Circulating PCSK9 contributes to coronary artery disease by inducing lysosomal degradation of the LDL receptor (LDLR) in the liver and thereby reducing LDL clearance. Here, we show that liver heparan sulfate proteoglycans are PCSK9 receptors and essential for PCSK9-induced LDLR degradation. The heparan sulfate-binding site is located in the PCSK9 prodomain and formed by surface-exposed basic residues interacting with trisulfated heparan sulfate disaccharide repeats. Accordingly, heparan sulfate mimetics and monoclonal antibodies directed against the heparan sulfate-binding site are potent PCSK9 inhibitors. We propose that heparan sulfate proteoglycans lining the hepatocyte surface capture PCSK9 and facilitates subsequent PCSK9:LDLR complex formation. Our findings provide new insights into LDL biology and show that targeting PCSK9 using heparan sulfate mimetics is a potential therapeutic strategy in coronary artery disease.
Falling upward with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Buetow Stephen A. , Martínez-Martín Pablo , McCormack Brendan
Published: September 2017

Falls can injure, even kill. No one with Parkinson’s disease (PD) wants to fall by accident. However, the potential nastiness of falls does not preclude a more nuanced understanding of the personal meaning that falls can have. Rather than view falls as a problem to fear and manage solely by preventing and repairing harm, people with PD and those who care for them may recast falls as a mixed blessing. Falls may be a resource, skill, and catalyst for personal growth. We discuss how falls may give rise to opportunities in interrelated domains: capabilities, credo, character, creativity, chronemics, and connectedness. Clinicians could incorporate a positive focus across these domains to help people with PD to ‘fall upward’ in the sense of flourish.
Intense natural selection preceded the invasion of new adaptive zones during the radiation of New World leaf-nosed bats
Authors: Rossoni Daniela M. , Assis Ana Paula A. , Giannini Norberto P. , Marroig Gabriel
Published: September 2017

The family Phyllostomidae, which evolved in the New World during the last 30 million years, represents one of the largest and most morphologically diverse mammal families. Due to its uniquely diverse functional morphology, the phyllostomid skull is presumed to have evolved under strong directional selection; however, quantitative estimation of the strength of selection in this extraordinary lineage has not been reported. Here, we used comparative quantitative genetics approaches to elucidate the processes that drove cranial evolution in phyllostomids. We also quantified the strength of selection and explored its association with dietary transitions and specialization along the phyllostomid phylogeny. Our results suggest that natural selection was the evolutionary process responsible for cranial diversification in phyllostomid bats. Remarkably, the strongest selection in the phyllostomid phylogeny was associated with dietary specialization and the origination of novel feeding habits, suggesting that the adaptive diversification of phyllostomid bats was triggered by ecological opportunities. These findings are consistent with Simpson’s quantum evolutionary model of transitions between adaptive zones. The multivariate analyses used in this study provides a powerful tool for understanding the role of evolutionary processes in shaping phenotypic diversity in any group on both micro- and macroevolutionary scales.
Persistence of Zika virus in conjunctival fluid of convalescence patients
Authors: Tan Jeslin J. L. , Balne Praveen K. , Leo Yee-Sin , Tong Louis , Ng Lisa F. P. , Agrawal Rupesh
Published: September 2017

A widespread epidemic of Zika fever, caused by Zika virus (ZIKAV) has spread throughout the Pacific islands, the Americas and Southeast Asia. The increased incidences of ocular anomalies observed in ZIKAV-infected infants and adults may be associated with the rapid spread of ZIKAV. The objective of this study was to check if ZIKAV could be detected in human tears after the first week of infection. Twenty-nine patients with PCR confirmed ZIKAV infection during the Singapore August 2016 ZIKAV outbreak were enrolled for the study. Detection and quantification of ZIKAV RNA was performed on conjunctival swabs collected from both eyes of these patients at the late convalescent phase (30 days post-illness). Efficiency of viral isolation from swab samples was confirmed by the limit of detection (as low as 0.1 PFU/µL, equivalent to copy number of 4.9) in spiked swabs with different concentrations of ZIKAV (PFU/µL). Samples from three patients were found positive by qRT-PCR for ZIKAV and the viral RNA copy numbers detected in conjunctival swabs ranged from 5.2 to 9.3 copies respectively. ZIKAV could persist in the tears of infected patients for up to 30 days post-illness, and may therefore possess a potential public health risk of transmission.
A duality principle for the multi-block entanglement entropy of free fermion systems
Authors: Carrasco J. A. , Finkel F. , González-López A. , Tempesta P.
Published: September 2017

The analysis of the entanglement entropy of a subsystem of a one-dimensional quantum system is a powerful tool for unravelling its critical nature. For instance, the scaling behaviour of the entanglement entropy determines the central charge of the associated Virasoro algebra. For a free fermion system, the entanglement entropy depends essentially on two sets, namely the set A of sites of the subsystem considered and the set K of excited momentum modes. In this work we make use of a general duality principle establishing the invariance of the entanglement entropy under exchange of the sets A and K to tackle complex problems by studying their dual counterparts. The duality principle is also a key ingredient in the formulation of a novel conjecture for the asymptotic behavior of the entanglement entropy of a free fermion system in the general case in which both sets A and K consist of an arbitrary number of blocks. We have verified that this conjecture reproduces the numerical results with excellent precision for all the configurations analyzed. We have also applied the conjecture to deduce several asymptotic formulas for the mutual and r-partite information generalizing the known ones for the single block case.
Blood triglyceride levels are associated with DNA methylation at the serine metabolism gene PHGDH
Authors: Truong Vinh , Huang Siying , Dennis Jessica , Lemire Mathieu , Zwingerman Nora , Aïssi Dylan , Kassam Irfahan , Perret Claire , Wells Philip , Morange Pierre-Emmanuel , Wilson Michael , Trégouët David-Alexandre , Gagnon France
Published: September 2017

Efficient interventions to reduce blood triglycerides are few; newer and more tolerable intervention targets are needed. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying blood triglyceride levels variation is key to identifying new therapies. To explore the role of epigenetic mechanisms on triglyceride levels, a blood methylome scan was conducted in 199 individuals from 5 French-Canadian families ascertained on venous thromboembolism, and findings were replicated in 324 French unrelated patients with venous thromboembolism. Genetic context and functional relevance were investigated. Two DNA methylation sites associated with triglyceride levels were identified. The first one, located in the ABCG1 gene, was recently reported, whereas the second one, located in the promoter of the PHGDH gene, is novel. The PHGDH methylation site, cg14476101, was found to be associated with variation in triglyceride levels in a threshold manner: cg14476101 was inversely associated with triglyceride levels only when triglyceride levels were above 1.12 mmol/L (discovery P-value = 8.4 × 10−6; replication P-value = 0.0091). Public databases findings supported a functional role of cg14476101 on PHGDH expression. PHGDH catalyses the first step in the serine biosynthesis pathway. These findings highlight the role of epigenetic regulation of the PHGDH gene in triglyceride metabolism, providing novel insights on putative intervention targets.
Description of two three-gendered nematode species in the new genus Auanema (Rhabditina) that are models for reproductive mode evolution
Authors: Kanzaki Natsumi , Kiontke Karin , Tanaka Ryusei , Hirooka Yuuri , Schwarz Anna , Müller-Reichert Thomas , Chaudhuri Jyotiska , Pires-daSilva Andre
Published: September 2017

The co-existence of males, females and hermaphrodites, a rare mating system known as trioecy, has been considered as an evolutionarily transient state. In nematodes, androdioecy (males/hermaphrodites) as found in Caenorhabditis elegans, is thought to have evolved from dioecy (males/females) through a trioecious intermediate. Thus, trioecious species are good models to understand the steps and requirements for the evolution of new mating systems. Here we describe two new species of nematodes with trioecy, Auanema rhodensis and A. freiburgensis. Along with molecular barcodes, we provide a detailed analysis of the morphology of these species, and document it with drawings and light and SEM micrographs. Based on morphological data, these free-living nematodes were assigned to a new genus, Auanema, together with three other species described previously. Auanema species display convergent evolution in some features with parasitic nematodes with complex life cycles, such as the production of few males after outcrossing and the obligatory development of dauers into self-propagating adults.
Induction of high titred, non-neutralising antibodies by self-adjuvanting peptide epitopes derived from the respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein
Authors: Jaberolansar Noushin , Chappell Keith J. , Watterson Daniel , Bermingham Imogen M. , Toth Istvan , Young Paul R. , Skwarczynski Mariusz
Published: September 2017

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes severe lower respiratory tract illness in infants and young children. The significant morbidity and mortality rates associated with RSV infection make an effective RSV vaccine development a priority. Two neutralising antibody binding sites, Ø and II, located on the pre-fusion RSV F glycoprotein are prime candidates for epitope-focused vaccine design. We report on a vaccine strategy that utilises a lipid core peptide (LCP) delivery system with self-adjuvanting properties in conjunction with either the antigenic site Ø or II (B cell epitopes) along with PADRE as a T helper cell epitope. These LCP constructs adopted the desired helical conformation in solution and were recognised by their cognate antibodies D25 and Motavizumab, specific for site Ø and II on RSV F protein, respectively. The LCP constructs were capable of eliciting higher levels of antigen specific antibodies than those induced by antigens administered with complete Freund’s adjuvant, demonstrating the potent adjuvanting properties of LCP delivery. However, the antibodies induced failed to recognise native F protein or neutralise virus infectivity. These results provide a note of caution in assuming that peptide vaccines, successfully designed to structurally mimic minimal linear B cell epitopes, will necessarily elicit the desired immune response.
Soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma risk: multiplex analysis of serum markers
Authors: Chen Vincent L. , Le An K. , Podlaha Ondrej , Estevez Jacqueline , Li Biao , Vutien Philip , Chang Ellen T. , Rosenberg-Hasson Yael , Pflanz Stefan , Jiang Zhaoshi , Ge Dongliang , Gaggar Anuj , Nguyen Mindie H.
Published: September 2017

Individualized assessment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk in chronic liver disease remains challenging. Serum biomarkers including cytokines may offer helpful adjuncts to standard parameters for risk prediction. Our aim was to identify markers associated with increased HCC incidence. This was a prospective cohort study of 282 patients with both viral or non-viral chronic liver disease. Baseline serum cytokines and other markers were measured in multiplex with a commercially-available Luminex-based system. Patients were followed until death or HCC diagnosis. We performed Lasso-based survival analysis to determine parameters associated with HCC development. Cytokine mean florescence intensity (MFI) was the primary predictor and HCC development the primary outcome. 25 patients developed HCC with total follow-up of 1,363 person-years. Parameters associated with increased HCC incidence were cirrhosis, hepatic decompensation, and soluble serum intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1) MFI. No other molecules increased predictive power for HCC incidence. On univariate analysis, the parameters associated with HCC incidence in patients with cirrhosis were age, antiviral treatment, and high sICAM-1 MFI; on multivariate analysis, sICAM-1 remained associated with HCC development (adjusted HR = 2.75). On unbiased screening of serum cytokines and other markers in a diverse cohort, baseline sICAM-1 MFI is associated with HCC incidence.
Microbial colonization is required for normal neurobehavioral development in zebrafish
Authors: Phelps Drake , Brinkman Nichole E. , Keely Scott P. , Anneken Emily M. , Catron Tara R. , Betancourt Doris , Wood Charles E. , Espenschied Scott T. , Rawls John F. , Tal Tamara
Published: September 2017

Changes in resident microbiota may have wide-ranging effects on human health. We investigated whether early life microbial disruption alters neurodevelopment and behavior in larval zebrafish. Conventionally colonized, axenic, and axenic larvae colonized at 1 day post fertilization (dpf) were evaluated using a standard locomotor assay. At 10 dpf, axenic zebrafish exhibited hyperactivity compared to conventionalized and conventionally colonized controls. Impairment of host colonization using antibiotics also caused hyperactivity in conventionally colonized larvae. To determine whether there is a developmental requirement for microbial colonization, axenic embryos were serially colonized on 1, 3, 6, or 9 dpf and evaluated on 10 dpf. Normal activity levels were observed in axenic larvae colonized on 1–6 dpf, but not on 9 dpf. Colonization of axenic embryos at 1 dpf with individual bacterial species Aeromonas veronii or Vibrio cholerae was sufficient to block locomotor hyperactivity at 10 dpf. Exposure to heat-killed bacteria or microbe-associated molecular patterns pam3CSK4 or Poly(I:C) was not sufficient to block hyperactivity in axenic larvae. These data show that microbial colonization during early life is required for normal neurobehavioral development and support the concept that antibiotics and other environmental chemicals may exert neurobehavioral effects via disruption of host-associated microbial communities.
Room temperature self-assembled growth of vertically aligned columnar copper oxide nanocomposite thin films on unmatched substrates
Authors: Wang Y. , Ghanbaja J. , Bruyère S. , Soldera F. , Horwat D. , Mücklich F. , Pierson J. F.
Published: September 2017

In this work, we report the self-assembled growth of vertically aligned columnar Cu2O + Cu4O3 nanocomposite thin films on glass and silicon substrates by reactive sputtering at room temperature. Microstructure analyses show that each phase in nanocomposite films has the columnar growth along the whole thickness, while each column exhibits the single phase characteristics. The local epitaxial growth behavior of Cu2O is thought to be responsible for such an unusual microstructure. The intermediate oxygen flow rate between those required to synthesize single phase Cu2O and Cu4O3 films produces some Cu2O nuclei, and then the local epitaxial growth provides a strong driving force to promote Cu2O nuclei to grow sequentially, giving rise to Cu2O columns along the whole thickness. Lower resistivity has been observed in such kind of nanocomposite thin films than that in single phase thin films, which may be due to the interface coupling between Cu2O and Cu4O3 columns.
Elongation factor Tu is a multifunctional and processed moonlighting protein
Authors: Widjaja Michael , Harvey Kate Louise , Hagemann Lisa , Berry Iain James , Jarocki Veronica Maria , Raymond Benjamin Bernard Armando , Tacchi Jessica Leigh , Gründel Anne , Steele Joel Ricky , Padula Matthew Paul , Charles Ian George , Dumke Roger , Djordjevic Steven Philip
Published: September 2017

Many bacterial moonlighting proteins were originally described in medically, agriculturally, and commercially important members of the low G + C Firmicutes. We show Elongation factor Tu (Ef-Tu) moonlights on the surface of the human pathogens Staphylococcus aureus (SaEf-Tu) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MpnEf-Tu), and the porcine pathogen Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (MhpEf-Tu). Ef-Tu is also a target of multiple processing events on the cell surface and these were characterised using an N-terminomics pipeline. Recombinant MpnEf-Tu bound strongly to a diverse range of host molecules, and when bound to plasminogen, was able to convert plasminogen to plasmin in the presence of plasminogen activators. Fragments of Ef-Tu retain binding capabilities to host proteins. Bioinformatics and structural modelling studies indicate that the accumulation of positively charged amino acids in short linear motifs (SLiMs), and protein processing promote multifunctional behaviour. Codon bias engendered by an A + T rich genome may influence how positively-charged residues accumulate in SLiMs.
The role of the secretin/secretin receptor axis in inflammatory cholangiocyte communication via extracellular vesicles
Authors: Sato Keisaku , Meng Fanyin , Venter Julie , Giang Thao , Glaser Shannon , Alpini Gianfranco
Published: September 2017

Small and large intrahepatic bile ducts consist of small and large cholangiocytes, respectively, and these cholangiocytes have different morphology and functions. The gastrointestinal peptide hormone, secretin (SCT) that binds to secretin receptor (SR), is a key mediator in cholangiocyte pathophysiology. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound vesicles and cell-cell EV communication is recognized as an important factor in liver pathology, although EV communication between cholangiocytes is not identified to date. Cholangiocytes secrete proinflammatory cytokines during bacterial infection leading to biliary inflammation and hyperplasia. We demonstrate that cholangiocytes stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which is a membrane component of gram-negative bacteria, secrete more EVs than cholangiocytes incubated with vehicle. These LPS-derived EVs induce inflammatory responses in other cholangiocytes including elevated cytokine production and cell proliferation. Large but not small cholangiocytes show inflammatory responses against large but not small cholangiocyte-derived EVs. Large cholangiocytes with knocked down either SCT or SR by short hairpin RNAs show reduced EV secretion during LPS stimulation, and EVs isolated from SCT or SR knocked down cholangiocytes fail to induce inflammatory reactions in control large cholangiocytes. This study identifies cholangiocyte EV communication during LPS stimulation, and demonstrates that the SCT/SR axis may be important for this event.
In silico prediction of drug-target interaction networks based on drug chemical structure and protein sequences
Authors: Li Zhengwei , Han Pengyong , You Zhu-Hong , Li Xiao , Zhang Yusen , Yu Haiquan , Nie Ru , Chen Xing
Published: September 2017

Analysis of drug–target interactions (DTIs) is of great importance in developing new drug candidates for known protein targets or discovering new targets for old drugs. However, the experimental approaches for identifying DTIs are expensive, laborious and challenging. In this study, we report a novel computational method for predicting DTIs using the highly discriminative information of drug-target interactions and our newly developed discriminative vector machine (DVM) classifier. More specifically, each target protein sequence is transformed as the position-specific scoring matrix (PSSM), in which the evolutionary information is retained; then the local binary pattern (LBP) operator is used to calculate the LBP histogram descriptor. For a drug molecule, a novel fingerprint representation is utilized to describe its chemical structure information representing existence of certain functional groups or fragments. When applying the proposed method to the four datasets (Enzyme, GPCR, Ion Channel and Nuclear Receptor) for predicting DTIs, we obtained good average accuracies of 93.16%, 89.37%, 91.73% and 92.22%, respectively. Furthermore, we compared the performance of the proposed model with that of the state-of-the-art SVM model and other previous methods. The achieved results demonstrate that our method is effective and robust and can be taken as a useful tool for predicting DTIs.
Gut microbiota composition is associated with polypharmacy in elderly hospitalized patients
Authors: Ticinesi Andrea , Milani Christian , Lauretani Fulvio , Nouvenne Antonio , Mancabelli Leonardo , Lugli Gabriele Andrea , Turroni Francesca , Duranti Sabrina , Mangifesta Marta , Viappiani Alice , Ferrario Chiara , Maggio Marcello , Ventura Marco , Meschi Tiziana
Published: September 2017

Reduced biodiversity and increased representation of opportunistic pathogens are typical features of gut microbiota composition in aging. Few studies have investigated their correlation with polypharmacy, multimorbidity and frailty. To assess it, we analyzed the fecal microbiota from 76 inpatients, aged 83 ± 8. Microbiome biodiversity (Chao1 index) and relative abundance of individual bacterial taxa were determined by next-generation 16S rRNA microbial profiling. Their correlation with number of drugs, and indexes of multimorbidity and frailty were verified using multivariate linear regression models. The impact of gut microbiota biodiversity on mortality, rehospitalizations and incident sepsis was also assessed after a 2-year follow-up, using Cox regression analysis. We found a significant negative correlation between the number of drugs and Chao1 Index at multivariate analysis. The number of drugs was associated with the average relative abundance of 15 taxa. The drug classes exhibiting the strongest association with single taxa abundance were proton pump inhibitors, antidepressants and antipsychotics. Conversely, frailty and multimorbidity were not significantly associated with gut microbiota biodiversity. Very low Chao1 index was also a significant predictor of mortality, but not of rehospitalizations and sepsis, at follow-up. In aging, polypharmacy may thus represent a determinant of gut microbiota composition, with detrimental clinical consequences.