bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The productivity of mixed mountain forests comprised of Fagus sylvatica, Picea abies, and Abies alba across Europe
Authors: Hilmers Torben , Avdagić Admir , Bartkowicz Leszek , Bielak Kamil , Binder Franz , Bončina Andrej , Dobor Laura , Forrester David I , Hobi Martina L , Ibrahimspahić Aida , Jaworski Andrzej , Klopčič Matija , Matović Bratislav , Nagel Thomas A , Petráš Rudolf , del Rio Miren , Stajić Branko , Uhl Enno , Zlatanov Tzvetan , Tognetti Roberto , Pretzsch Hans
Published: May 2019

Mixed mountain forests of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst), and silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) cover a total area of more than 10 million hectares in Europe. Due to altitudinal zoning, these forests are particularly vulnerable to climate change. However, as little is known about the long-term development of the productivity and the adaptation and mitigation potential of these forest systems in Europe, reliable information on productivity is required for sustainable forest management. Using generalized additive mixed models this study investigated 60 long-term experimental plots and provides information about the productivity of mixed mountain forests across a variety of European mountain areas in a standardized way for the first time. The average periodic annual volume increment (PAI) of these forests amounts to 9.3 m3ha−1y−1. Despite a significant increase in annual mean temperature the PAI has not changed significantly over the last 30 years. However, at the species level, we found significant changes in the growth dynamics. While beech had a PAI of 8.2 m3ha−1y−1 over the entire period (1980–2010), the PAI of spruce dropped significantly from 14.2 to 10.8 m3ha−1y−1, and the PAI of fir rose significantly from 7.2 to 11.3 m3ha−1y−1. Consequently, we observed stable stand volume increments in relation to climate change.
Analysis of surface and seismic sources in dense array data with match field processing and Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling
Authors: Gradon Chloé , Moreau Ludovic , Roux Philippe , Ben-Zion Yehuda
Published: May 2019

We introduce a methodology based on array processing to detect and locate weak seismic events in a complex fault zone environment. The method is illustrated using data recorded by a dense array of 1108 vertical component geophones in a 600 m × 600 m area on the Clark branch of the San Jacinto Fault. Because surface and atmospheric sources affect weak ground motion, it is necessary to discriminate them from weak seismic sources at depth. Source epicentral positions and associated apparent velocities are extracted from continuous seismic waveforms using Match Field Processing (MFP). We implement MFP at specific frequencies targeting surface and subsurface sources, using for computational efficiency a forward model of acoustic source in a homogenous medium and Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling. Surface sources such as Betsy gun shots and a moving vehicle are successfully located. Weak seismic events are also detected outside of the array, and their backazimuth angle is retrieved and found to be consistent with the fault geometry. We also show that the homogeneous acoustic model does not yield satisfying results when extracting microseismic event depth, because of the ambiguity between depth and the apparent velocity based on surface data.
Stress-Free Evolution: The Nrf-Coordinated Oxidative Stress Response in Early Diverging Metazoans
Authors: Doonan Liam B , Hartigan Ashlie , Okamura Beth , Long Paul F
Published: May 2019

Environmental stress from ultraviolet radiation, elevated temperatures or metal toxicity can lead to reactive oxygen species in cells, leading to oxidative DNA damage, premature aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. The transcription factor nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) activates many cytoprotective proteins within the nucleus to maintain homeostasis during oxidative stress. In vertebrates, Nrf2 levels are regulated by the Kelch-family protein Keap1 (Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1) in the absence of stress according to a canonical redox control pathway. Little, however, is known about the redox control pathway used in early diverging metazoans. Our study examines the presence of known oxidative stress regulatory elements within non-bilaterian metazoans including free living and parasitic cnidarians, ctenophores, placozoans, and sponges. Cnidarians, with their pivotal position as the sister phylum to bilaterians, play an important role in understanding the evolutionary history of response to oxidative stress. Through comparative genomic and transcriptomic analysis our results show that Nrf homologs evolved early in metazoans, whereas Keap1 appeared later in the last common ancestor of cnidarians and bilaterians. However, key Nrf–Keap1 interacting domains are not conserved within the cnidarian lineage, suggesting this important pathway evolved with the radiation of bilaterians. Several known downstream Nrf targets are present in cnidarians suggesting that cnidarian Nrf plays an important role in oxidative stress response even in the absence of Keap1. Comparative analyses of key oxidative stress sensing and response proteins in early diverging metazoans thus provide important insights into the molecular basis of how these lineages interact with their environment and suggest a shared evolutionary history of regulatory pathways. Exploration of these pathways may prove important for the study of cancer therapeutics and broader research in oxidative stress, senescence, and the functional responses of early diverging metazoans to environmental change.
The Role of Developmental Integration and Historical Contingency in the Origin and Evolution of Cypriniform Trophic Novelties
Authors: Hernandez L P , Cohen K E
Published: May 2019

While functional morphologists have long studied the evolution of anatomical structures, the origin of morphological novelties has received less attention. When such novelties first originate they must become incorporated into an integrated system to be rendered fully functional. Thus, developmental integration is key at the origin of morphological novelties. However, given enough evolutionary time such integration may be broken, allowing for a division of labor that is facilitated by subsequent decoupling of structures. Cypriniformes represent a diverse group of freshwater fishes characterized by several trophic novelties that include: kinethmoid-mediated premaxillary protrusion, a muscular palatal and post-lingual organ, hypertrophied lower pharyngeal jaws that masticate against the base of the neurocranium, novel pharyngeal musculature controlling movement of the hypertrophied lower pharyngeal jaws, and in a few species an incredibly complex epibranchial organ used to aggregate filtered phytoplankton. Here, we use the wealth of such trophic novelties in different cypriniform fishes to present case studies in which developmental integration allowed for the origin of morphological innovations. As proposed in case studies 1 and 2 trophic innovations may be associated with both morphological and lineage diversification. Alternatively, case studies 3 and 4 represent a situation where ecological niche was expanded but with no concomitant increase in species diversity.
Linking Bioenergetics and Parasite Transmission Models Suggests Mismatch Between Snail Host Density and Production of Human Schistosomes
Authors: Malishev Matthew , Civitello David J
Published: May 2019

The consequences of parasite infection for individual hosts depend on key features of host–parasite ecology underpinning parasite growth and immune defense, such as age, sex, resource supply, and environmental stressors. Scaling these features and their underlying mechanisms from the individual host is challenging but necessary, as they shape parasite transmission at the population level. Translating individual-level mechanisms across scales could inherently improve the way we think about feedbacks among parasitism, the mechanisms driving transmission, and the consequences of human impact and disease control efforts. Here, we use individual-based models (IBMs) based on general metabolic theory, Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) theory, to scale explicit life-history features of individual hosts, such as growth, reproduction, parasite production, and death, to parasite transmission at the population level over a range of resource supplies focusing on the major human parasite, Schistosoma mansoni, and its intermediate host snail, Biomphalaria glabrata. At the individual level, infected hosts produce fewer parasites at lower resources as competition increases. At the population level, our DEB–IBM predicts brief, but intense parasite peaks early during the host growth season when resources are abundant and infected hosts are few. The timing of these peaks challenges the status quo that high densities of infected hosts produce the highest parasite densities. As expected, high resource supply boosts parasite output, but parasite output also peaks at modest to high host background mortality rates, which parallels overcompensation in stage-structured models. Our combined results reveal the crucial role of individual-level physiology in identifying how environmental conditions, time of the year, and key feedbacks within host–parasite ecology interact to define periods of elevated risk. The testable forecasts from this physiologically-explicit epidemiological model can inform disease management to reduce human risk of schistosome infection.
Lethal Organ Donation: Would the Doctor Intend the Donor’s Death?
Authors: Bronner Ben
Published: May 2019

Lethal organ donation is a hypothetical procedure in which vital organs are removed from living donors, resulting in their death. An important objection to lethal organ donation is that it would infringe the prohibition on doctors intentionally causing the death of patients. I present a series of arguments intended to undermine this objection. In a case of lethal organ donation, the donor’s death is merely foreseen, and not intended.
Healthcare Rationing Cutoffs and Sorites Indeterminacy
Authors: Rosoff Philip M
Published: May 2019

Rationing is an unavoidable mechanism for reining in healthcare costs. It entails establishing cutoff points that distinguish between what is and is not offered or available to patients. When the resource to be distributed is defined by vague and indeterminate terms such as “beneficial,” “effective,” or even “futile,” the ability to draw meaningful boundary lines that are both ethically and medically sound is problematic. In this article, I draw a parallel between the challenges posed by this problem and the ancient Greek philosophical conundrum known as the “sorites paradox.” I argue, like the paradox, that the dilemma is unsolvable by conventional means of logical analysis. However, I propose another approach that may offer a practical solution that could be applicable to real-life situations in which cutoffs must be decided (such as rationing).
A Preliminary Study of U.S. Air Force Pilot Perceptions of the Pilot–Flight Surgeon Relationship
Authors: Nowadly Craig D , Blue Rebecca S , Albaugh Harry M , Mayes Ryan S , Robb Douglas J
Published: May 2019

Introduction

Flight surgeons play a vital role in U.S. Air Force aviation operations by ensuring that pilots are medically prepared to meet the demands of military aviation. However, there is natural tension between pilots and flight surgeons. A pilot may be reluctant to share medical information with a flight surgeon who could negatively impact the pilot’s career or flight status. In this preliminary study, we sought to identify pilot-perceived strengths and weaknesses in the relationship between U.S. Air Force aviators and their flight surgeons.

Materials and Methods

An online survey regarding pilot–flight surgeon confidence and perceived values was distributed electronically to a convenience sample of U.S. Air Force aviators. Participants included U.S. Air Force active duty and Air Reserve Component (Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard) military aviators in addition to U.S. Air Force Academy aviation cadets.

Results

One hundred and seventy-three aviators participated in the survey. Respondents reported variable comfort in approaching flight surgeons with medical concerns and suggested that they believed other pilots might be withholding medical information from flight surgeons or seeking care from civilian physicians for career protection.

Conclusions

We sought to examine the pilot–flight surgeon relationship and its impact on daily flying operations. While limited, results suggest that there may be gaps in trust between pilots and their flight surgeons. These findings could present an opportunity to improve the pilot–flight surgeon relationship by identifying factors that contribute to closer pilot–flight surgeon relationships.
Polarization studies of rotating radio transients
Authors: Caleb M , van Straten W , Keane E F , Jameson A , Bailes M , Barr E D , Flynn C , Ilie C D , Petroff E , Rogers A , Stappers B W , Venkatraman Krishnan V , Weltevrede P
Published: May 2019

We study the polarization properties of 22 known rotating radio transients (RRATs) with the 64-m Parkes radio telescope and present the Faraday rotation measures (RMs) for the 17 with linearly polarized flux exceeding the off-pulse noise by 3σ. Each RM was estimated using a brute-force search over trial RMs that spanned the maximum measurable range $\pm 1.18 \times 10^5 \, \mathrm{rad \, m^2}$ (in steps of 1 $\mathrm{rad \, m^2}$), followed by an iterative refinement algorithm. The measured RRAT RMs are in the range |RM| 1–950 rad m−2 with an average linear polarization fraction of 40 per cent. Individual single pulses are observed to be up to 100 per cent linearly polarized. The RMs of the RRATs and the corresponding inferred average magnetic fields (parallel to the line of sight and weighted by the free electron density) are observed to be consistent with the Galactic plane pulsar population. Faraday rotation analyses are typically performed on accumulated pulsar data, for which hundreds to thousands of pulses have been integrated, rather than on individual pulses. Therefore, we verified the iterative refinement algorithm by performing Monte Carlo simulations of artificial single pulses over a wide range of S/N and RM. At and above an S/N of 17 in linearly polarized flux, the iterative refinement recovers the simulated RM value 100 per cent of the time with a typical mean uncertainty of 5 rad m−2. The method described and validated here has also been successfully used to determine reliable RMs of several fast radio bursts (FRBs) discovered at Parkes.
Trying not to Lose Ground: State and Local Government Advocacy during Passage of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
Authors: Wesley Leckrone J
Published: May 2019

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) was the first major federal tax reform in a generation. This article examines the priority issues of fifty-seven intergovernmental advocacy organizations during the legislation’s passage. These groups played defense from the start, in response to efforts by President Trump and congressional Republicans to streamline the tax code by eliminating tax expenditures. Blocking the potential elimination of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction and preserving the tax exempt status of municipal bond interest represented priorities for most organizations. Ultimately, the TCJA preserved many tax expenditures important to intergovernmental advocacy organizations. However, the SALT deduction was capped at $10,000, representing a big loss. This case study evaluates when and under what conditions the intergovernmental lobby influences federal policy-making. It finds that while state and local groups use a variety of tactics, their ability to navigate partisan politics and harness the self-interest of members of Congress is necessary to success.
Telephone outreach by community workers to improve uptake of NHS Health Checks in more deprived localities and minority ethnic groups: a qualitative investigation of implementation
Authors: Stone T J , Brangan E , Chappell A , Harrison V , Horwood J
Published: May 2019

Background

NHS Health Checks is a national cardiovascular risk assessment and management programme in England. To improve equity of uptake in more deprived, and Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, a novel telephone outreach intervention was developed. The outreach call included an invitation to an NHS Health Check appointment, lifestyle questions, and signposting to lifestyle services. We examined the experiences of staff delivering the intervention.

Methods

Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 10 community Telephone Outreach Workers (TOWs) making outreach calls, and 5 Primary Care Practice (PCP) staff they liaised with. Normalization Process Theory was used to examine intervention implementation.

Results

Telephone outreach was perceived as effective in engaging patients in NHS Health Checks and could reduce related administration burdens on PCPs. Successful implementation was dependent on support from participating PCPs, and tensions between the intervention and other PCP priorities were identified. Some PCP staff lacked clarity regarding the intervention aim and this could reduce the potential to capitalize on TOWs’ specialist skills.

Conclusions

To maximize the potential of telephone outreach to impact equity, purposeful recruitment and training of TOWs is vital, along with support and integration of TOWs, and the telephone outreach intervention, in participating PCPs.
Reproduction Ability and Growth Effect of Pin Nematode, Paratylenchus nanus, With Selected Field Pea Cultivars
Authors: Upadhaya Arjun , Yan Guiping , Pasche Julie
Published: May 2019

Greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the reproductive ability and effect of the pin nematode Paratylenchus nanus from North Dakota on field pea cultivars. Reproduction of P. nanus was determined on seven field pea cultivars using naturally infested field soils at low (1,500/kg of soil) and high (4,500/kg soil) initial pin nematode densities. Nematode effect on plant growth and seed yield was evaluated at 4,500 P. nanus per 1 kg of soil by artificially inoculating P. nanus on six field pea cultivars. Reproductive factor (RF) of P. nanus was observed to be greater at the low density than the high density of the nematode. At the low population density, RF values ranged from 1.10 to 11.20, whereas at the high density, RF ranged from 1.20 to 2.50. In experiments evaluating P. nanus effects on cultivar growth, the nematode (4,500 P. nanus per 1 kg soil) caused reduction (P < 0.05) of plant height in most cultivars tested, and it also significantly impacted dry shoot weight and dry seed weight in some experiments. Plant height and shoot weight reductions were the highest in the cultivar Arcadia (up to 37 and 53%, respectively), with a dry seed weight reduction up to 32%. This research demonstrated for the first time the negative impact of P. nanus on field peas in controlled greenhouse conditions, which is an important step toward developing effective management strategies to improve the productivity of this leguminous crop.
Audio cues enhance mirroring of arm motion when visual cues are scarce
Authors: Lee Edward D. , Esposito Edward , Cohen Itai
Published: May 2019

Swing in a crew boat, a good jazz riff, a fluid conversation: these tasks require extracting sensory information about how others flow in order to mimic and respond. To determine what factors influence coordination, we build an environment to manipulate incoming sensory information by combining virtual reality and motion capture. We study how people mirror the motion of a human avatar’s arm as we occlude the avatar. We efficiently map the transition from successful mirroring to failure using Gaussian process regression. Then, we determine the change in behaviour when we introduce audio cues with a frequency proportional to the speed of the avatar’s hand or train individuals with a practice session. Remarkably, audio cues extend the range of successful mirroring to regimes where visual information is sparse. Such cues could facilitate joint coordination when navigating visually occluded environments, improve reaction speed in human–computer interfaces or measure altered physiological states and disease.
Evolution of simple multicellular life cycles in dynamic environments
Authors: Pichugin Yuriy , Park Hye Jin , Traulsen Arne
Published: May 2019

The mode of reproduction is a critical characteristic of any species, as it has a strong effect on its evolution. As any other trait, the reproduction mode is subject to natural selection and may adapt to the environment. When the environment varies over time, different reproduction modes could be optimal at different times. The natural response to a dynamic environment seems to be bet hedging, where multiple reproductive strategies are stochastically executed. Here, we develop a framework for the evolution of simple multicellular life cycles in a dynamic environment. We use a matrix population model of undifferentiated multicellular groups undergoing fragmentation and ask which mode maximizes the population growth rate. Counterintuitively, we find that natural selection in dynamic environments generally tends to promote deterministic, not stochastic, reproduction modes.
Quantum advantage of unitary Clifford circuits with magic state inputs
Authors: Yoganathan Mithuna , Jozsa Richard , Strelchuk Sergii
Published: May 2019

We study the computational power of unitary Clifford circuits with solely magic state inputs (CM circuits), supplemented by classical efficient computation. We show that CM circuits are hard to classically simulate up to multiplicative error (assuming polynomial hierarchy non-collapse), and also up to additive error under plausible average-case hardness conjectures. Unlike other such known classes, a broad variety of possible conjectures apply. Along the way, we give an extension of the Gottesman–Knill theorem that applies to universal computation, showing that for Clifford circuits with joint stabilizer and non-stabilizer inputs, the stabilizer part can be eliminated in favour of classical simulation, leaving a Clifford circuit on only the non-stabilizer part. Finally, we discuss implementational advantages of CM circuits.
Four-dimensional Fano quiver flag zero loci
Authors: Kalashnikov Elana
Published: May 2019

Quiver flag zero loci are subvarieties of quiver flag varieties cut out by sections of representation theoretic vector bundles. We prove the Abelian/non-Abelian correspondence in this context: this allows us to compute genus zero Gromov–Witten invariants of quiver flag zero loci. We determine the ample cone of a quiver flag variety, and disprove a conjecture of Craw. In the appendices (which can be found in the electronic supplementary material), which are joint work with Tom Coates and Alexander Kasprzyk, we use these results to find four-dimensional Fano manifolds that occur as quiver flag zero loci in ambient spaces of dimension up to 8, and compute their quantum periods. In this way, we find at least 141 new four-dimensional Fano manifolds.
Emergence of correlated proton tunnelling in water ice
Authors: Pusuluk Onur , Farrow Tristan , Deliduman Cemsinan , Vedral Vlatko
Published: May 2019

Several experimental and theoretical studies report instances of concerted or correlated multiple proton tunnelling in solid phases of water. Here, we construct a pseudo-spin model for the quantum motion of protons in a hexameric H
2
O ring and extend it to open system dynamics that takes environmental effects into account in the form of O–H stretch vibrations. We approach the problem of correlations in tunnelling using quantum information theory in a departure from previous studies. Our formalism enables us to quantify the coherent proton mobility around the hexagonal ring by one of the principal measures of coherence, the
l
1
norm of coherence. The nature of the pairwise pseudo-spin correlations underlying the overall mobility is further investigated within this formalism. We show that the classical correlations of the individual quantum tunnelling events in long-time limit is sufficient to capture the behaviour of coherent proton mobility observed in low-temperature experiments. We conclude that long-range intra-ring interactions do not appear to be a necessary condition for correlated proton tunnelling in water ice.
Storyline approach to the construction of regional climate change information
Authors: Shepherd Theodore G.
Published: May 2019

Climate science seeks to make statements of confidence about what has happened, and what will happen (conditional on scenario). The approach is effective for the global, thermodynamic aspects of climate change, but is ineffective when it comes to aspects of climate change related to atmospheric circulation, which are highly uncertain. Yet, atmospheric circulation strongly mediates climate impacts at the regional scale. In this way, the confidence framework, which focuses on avoiding type 1 errors (false alarms), raises the prospect of committing type 2 errors (missed warnings). This has ethical implications. At the regional scale, however, where information on climate change has to be combined with many other factors affecting vulnerability and exposure—most of which are highly uncertain—the societally relevant question is not ‘What will happen?’ but rather ‘What is the impact of particular actions under an uncertain regional climate change?’ This reframing of the question can cut the Gordian knot of regional climate change information, provided one distinguishes between epistemic and aleatoric uncertainties—something that is generally not done in climate projections. It is argued that the storyline approach to climate change—the identification of physically self-consistent, plausible pathways—has the potential to accomplish precisely this.
Basin bifurcations, oscillatory instability and rate-induced thresholds for Atlantic meridional overturning circulation in a global oceanic box model
Authors: Alkhayuon Hassan , Ashwin Peter , Jackson Laura C. , Quinn Courtney , Wood Richard A.
Published: May 2019

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) transports substantial amounts of heat into the North Atlantic sector, and hence is of very high importance in regional climate projections. The AMOC has been observed to show multi-stability across a range of models of different complexity. The simplest models find a bifurcation associated with the AMOC ‘on’ state losing stability that is a saddle node. Here, we study a physically derived global oceanic model of Wood
et al.
with five boxes, that is calibrated to runs of the FAMOUS coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model. We find the loss of stability of the ‘on’ state is due to a subcritical Hopf for parameters from both pre-industrial and doubled CO
2
atmospheres. This loss of stability via subcritical Hopf bifurcation has important consequences for the behaviour of the basin of attraction close to bifurcation. We consider various time-dependent profiles of freshwater forcing to the system, and find that rate-induced thresholds for tipping can appear, even for perturbations that do not cross the bifurcation. Understanding how such state transitions occur is important in determining allowable safe climate change mitigation pathways to avoid collapse of the AMOC.
Emergence of plasmid-borne bla
oxa-181 gene in Ochrobactrum intermedium: first report from India
Authors: Shanthini Thamaraiselvan , Manohar Prasanth , Samna Sagadevan , Srividya Rajendran , Bozdogan Bulent , Rameshpathy Manian , Ramesh Nachimuthu
Published: May 2019

Wastewater has become a potential habitat for multi-drug-resistant bacteria. The present study aims to screen for the presence of carbapenem-resistant bacteria in sewage water samples collected from hospital and non-hospital sources. From a total of 19 sewage water samples collected, 100 carbapenem-resistant non-lactose-fermenting Gram-negative bacteria (CR-NF-GNB) were isolated using MacConkey agar cultured with 8 mg l−1 of meropenem. On screening for beta-lactamase resistance genes (bla
NDM, bla
OXA-48-like, bla
IMP, bla
VIM and bla
KPC), one isolate,

Ochrobactrum intermedium

, was found to carry the plasmid-borne bla
OXA-48-like gene. To the best of our knowledge, we provide the first report of the rare and emerging opportunistic pathogen

Ochrobactrum intermedium

encoding the OXA-181 gene in its plasmid.
Synthetic design of farnesyl-electrostatic peptides for development of a protein kinase A membrane translocation switch
Authors: Kim Allen K. , Wu Helen D. , Inoue Takanari
Published: May 2019

Molecular switches that respond to a biochemical stimulus in cells have proven utility as a foundation for developing molecular sensors and actuators that could be used to address important biological questions. Developing a molecular switch unfortunately remains difficult as it requires elaborate coordination of sensing and actuation mechanisms built into a single molecule. Here, we rationally designed a molecular switch that changes its subcellular localization in response to an intended stimulus such as an activator of protein kinase A (PKA). By arranging the sequence for Kemptide in tandem, we designed a farnesylated peptide whose localization can dramatically change upon phosphorylation by PKA. After testing a different valence number of Kemptide as well as modulating the linker sequence connecting them, we identified an efficient peptide switch that exhibited dynamic translocation between plasma membranes and internal endomembranes in a PKA activity dependent manner. Due to the modular design and small size, our PKA switch can have versatile utility in future studies as a platform for visualizing and perturbing signal transduction pathways, as well as for performing synthetic operations in cells.
Autonomous induction of hepatic polarity to construct single cell liver
Authors: Zhang Yue , de Mets Richard , Monzel Cornelia , Toh Pearlyn , Van Hul Noemi , Ng Soon Seng , Tamir Rashid S. , Viasnoff Virgile
Published: May 2019

Symmetry breaking of protein distribution and cytoskeleton organization is an essential aspect for development of apico-basal polarity. In embryonic cells this process is largely cell autonomous, while differentiated epithelial cells collectively polarize during epithelium formation. We report here that the de novo polarization of mature hepatocytes is a cell autonomous process. Single hepatocytes developed bona fide secretory hemi-apical lumens upon adhesion to finely tuned substrates bio-functionalized with cadherin and extra cellular matrix. The creation of this single cell liver allows unprecedented control and imaging resolution of the lumenogenesis process. We demonstrate that the density and localization of cadherins along the initial cell-cell contact acted as a key factor triggering the reorganization from lateral to apical actin cortex. Consequently, we established why hepatocytes could form asymmetric lumens in heterotypic doublets involving another ectopic epithelial cell originating from kidney, breast, or colon.
metaFlye: scalable long-read metagenome assembly using repeat graphs
Authors: Kolmogorov Mikhail , Rayko Mikhail , Yuan Jeffrey , Polevikov Evgeny , Pevzner Pavel
Published: May 2019

Long-read sequencing technologies substantially improved assemblies of many isolate bacterial genomes as compared to fragmented assemblies produced with short-read technologies. However, assembling complex metagenomic datasets remains a challenge even for the state-of-the-art long-read assemblers. To address this gap, we present the metaFlye assembler and demonstrate that it generates highly contiguous and accurate metagenome assemblies. In contrast to short-read metagenomics assemblers that typically fail to reconstruct full-length 16S RNA genes, metaFlye captures many 16S RNA genes within long contigs, thus providing new opportunities for analyzing the microbial “dark matter of life”. We also demonstrate that long-read metagenome assemblers significantly improve full-length plasmid and virus reconstruction as compared to short-read assemblers and reveal many novel plasmids and viruses.
Antibiotic treatment shapes antigen presentation during chronic TB infection, offering novel targets for therapeutic vaccination
Authors: Chuang Yu-Min , Dutta Noton K. , Pinn Michael L. , Hung Chien-Fu , Karakousis Petros C.
Published: May 2019

The lengthy and complicated current regimen required to treat drug-susceptible tuberculosis (TB) reflects the ability ofMycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb) to persist in host tissues. The stringent response pathway, governed by the dual (p)ppGpp synthetase/hydrolase, RelMtb, is a major mechanism underlying Mtb persistence and antibiotic tolerance. In the current study, we addressed the hypothesis that RelMtbis a “persistence antigen” presented during TB chemotherapy and that enhanced T-cell immunity to RelMtbcan enhance the tuberculocidal activity of the first-line anti-TB drug, isoniazid, which has reduced efficacy against Mtb persisters, C57BL/6 mice and Hartley guinea pigs were aerosol-infected withMycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb) and, 4 weeks later, received either human-equivalent daily doses of isoniazid alone, or isoniazid in combination with a DNA vaccine targetingrelMtb. After isoniazid treatment, the total number of Mtb antigen-specific CD4+T cells remained stable in mouse lungs and spleens, as did the number of RelMtb-specific T cells, although there was a significant reduction in dominant antigen ESAT6-specific CD4+or TB10.4-specific CD8+T cells in the lungs and spleens of mice, Therapeutic vaccination enhanced the activity of isoniazid in Mtb-infected C57BL/6 mice and guinea pigs. When treatment with isoniazid was discontinued, mice immunized with therelMtbDNA vaccine showed a lower mean lung bacterial burden at relapse compared to the control group. Our work shows that antitubercular treatment shapes antigen presentation and antigen-specific T-cell responses, and that therapeutic vaccination targeting the Mtb stringent response may represent a novel approach to enhance immunity against Mtb persisters, with the ultimate goal of shortening curative TB treatment.
A design studio experience: impacts of social sustainability
Authors: Ceylan Salih , Soygeniş Murat Deniz
Published: May 2019

Purpose

Sustainability, especially in terms of development and growth, has been in the agenda of the world community for several decades. However, apparently not all the aspects of sustainability are given equal importance. Ecologic and economic components of sustainability have been in the focal point of many theoretical and practical works, as the social aspect has been mostly left out of emphasis. The purpose of this paper is to examine the social aspects of sustainability and its relation to architecture, with respect to the strong connection between the society and the built environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The core of the paper consists of a case study conducted at a design studio course for third-year architecture students whereas the outcomes of the student works on the design problem are evaluated as examples for design approaches to reflect the effects of the built environment on social sustainability. The case study is supported with a literature review and examination of existing approaches to similar subjects regarding social sustainability.

Findings

The findings resulted in a better understanding of social sustainability in architectural education which is reflected on the built environment through several architectural strategies.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature by providing a holistic understanding of sustainability including its social aspects and creating an awareness for the importance of social sustainability in architectural education.
Superior grey relational analysis on blood lipids and hematological parameters
Authors: Yan Jingyi , Zhu Jin-Xiu , Lu Nan , Gao Shanshan , Ye Jianfeng , Yu Chengzhi , Yue Minghui , Tan Xuerui
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the superior relationship between blood lipid- and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related hematological parameters using superior grey relational analysis (GRA).

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 294 individuals who underwent simultaneous routine blood examination and blood lipid examination in the Physical Examination Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College were included in this study. Superior GRA was performed to find out the superior factor in CVD-related hematological parameters and blood lipids. CVD-related hematological parameters included red blood cell distribution width, white cell count, and platelet count, platelet distribution width, mean platelet volume, as well as platelet crit. The indicators of blood lipids analyzed here consist of low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, triglyceride and total cholesterol.

Findings

The results showed that all the grey relational degree of hematological parameters and blood lipids were over 0.8; the superior factor in hematological parameters was PLT, whereas TC was the superior factor in blood lipids.

Practical implications

Findings of this study suggested that hematological parameters are closely related to blood lipids and a potential role for hematological parameters in the prediction of dyslipidemia, which need further study; TC has the greatest influence on hematological parameters, whereas TG displays a minimal impact.

Originality/value

To the authors’ best knowledge, it was the first study to analyze the relationship between various CVD-related hematological parameters and blood lipids via superior GRA.
Application of quasi-oppositional symbiotic organisms search based extreme learning machine for stock market prediction
Authors: Rath Smita , Sahu Binod Kumar , Nayak Manoj Ranjan
Published: May 2019

Purpose

Forecasting of stock indices is a challenging issue because stock data are dynamic, non-linear and uncertain in nature. Selection of an accurate forecasting model is very much essential to predict the next-day closing prices of the stock indices. The purpose of this paper is to develop an efficient and accurate forecasting model to predict the next-day closing prices of seven stock indices.

Design/methodology/approach

A novel strategy called quasi-oppositional symbiotic organisms search-based extreme learning machine (QSOS-ELM) is proposed to forecast the next-day closing prices effectively. Accuracy in the prediction of closing price depends on output weights which are dependent on input weights and biases. This paper mainly deals with the optimal design of input weights and biases of the ELM prediction model using QSOS and SOS optimization algorithms.

Findings

Simulation is carried out on seven stock indices, and performance analysis of QSOS-ELM and SOS-ELM prediction models is done by taking various statistical measures such as mean square error, mean absolute percentage error, accuracy and paired samplet-test. Comparative performance analysis reveals that the QSOS-ELM model outperforms the SOS-ELM model in predicting the next-day closing prices more accurately for all the seven stock indices under study.

Originality/value

The QSOS-ELM prediction model and SOS-ELM are developed for the first time to predict the next-day closing prices of various stock indices. The pairedt-test is also carried out for the first time in literature to hypothetically prove that there is a zero mean difference between the predicted and actual closing prices.
LSTM based prediction algorithm and abnormal change detection for temperature in aerospace gyroscope shell
Authors: Shi Haoqiang , Hu Shaolin , Zhang Jiaxu
Published: May 2019

Purpose

Abnormal changes in temperature directly affect the stability and reliability of a gyroscope. Predicting the temperature and detecting the abnormal change is great value for timely understanding of the working state of the gyroscope. Considering that the actual collected gyroscope shell temperature data have strong non-linearity and are accompanied by random noise pollution, the prediction accuracy and convergence speed of the traditional method need to be improved. The purpose of this paper is to use a predictive model with strong nonlinear mapping ability to predict the temperature of the gyroscope to improve the prediction accuracy and detect the abnormal change.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, an double hidden layer long-short term memory (LSTM) is presented to predict temperature data for the gyroscope (including single point and period prediction), and the evaluation index of the prediction effect is also proposed, and the prediction effects of shell temperature data are compared by BP network, support vector machine (SVM) and LSTM network. Using the estimated value detects the abnormal change of the gyroscope.

Findings

By combined simulation calculation with the gyroscope measured data, the effect of different network hyperparameters on shell temperature prediction of the gyroscope is analyzed, and the LSTM network can be used to predict the temperature (time series data). By comparing the performance indicators of different prediction methods, the accuracy of the shell temperature estimation by LSTM is better, which can meet the requirements of abnormal change detection. Quick and accurate diagnosis of different types of gyroscope faults (steps and drifts) can be achieved by setting reasonable data window lengths and thresholds.

Practical implications

The LSTM model is a deep neural network model with multiple non-linear mapping levels, and can abstract the input signal layer by layer and extract features to discover deeper underlying laws. The improved method has been used to solve the problem of strong non-linearity and random noise pollution in time series, and the estimated value can detect the abnormal change of the gyroscope.

Originality/value

In this paper, based on the LSTM network, an double hidden layer LSTM is presented to predict temperature data for the gyroscope (including single point and period prediction), and validate the effectiveness and feasibility of the algorithm by using shell temperature measurement data. The prediction effects of shell temperature data are compared by BP network, SVM and LSTM network. The LSTM network has the best prediction effect, and is used to predict the temperature of the gyroscope to improve the prediction accuracy and detect the abnormal change.
The dynamic capabilities of public construction clients in the healthcare sector
Authors: Adam Abderisak , Lindahl Göran , Leiringer Roine
Published: May 2019

Purpose

Previous research within the dynamic capabilities literature has primarily targeted the strategic innovation of technology firms and significantly less interest has been given to project-based organizations that operate in the construction sector. A recent study by Davies and Brady (2016) places the dynamic capabilities concept in a project-based context, drawing upon research on dynamic capabilities and organizational ambidexterity. The purpose of this paper is to apply the aforementioned framework in a case involving public construction clients with the aim of examining their approaches for maintaining or developing project capabilities depending on the volatility of the environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a case study of a decentralized association of 16 healthcare client organizations in Swedish counties, which was compared to a centralized unit for healthcare planning and construction in Norway. In total, 19 interviews were conducted, alongside two workshops and a feedback questionnaire.

Findings

The interviewees emphasized the lack of adequate support to handle the increasingly more complex projects. Results indicate the need for a more segmented approach for understanding how dynamic capabilities are managed in client organizations based not merely on the level of stability in the environment, but also taking into account the resources that are utilized. It is further argued that there is a need for a more granular research approach to studying the development of capabilities in a case-based setting, an approach that more specifically links the development of dynamic capabilities with their relevant antecedent activities.

Originality/value

The study sheds light on how the various approaches for maintaining/developing project capabilities available to the public sector construction client depend on the volatility of the environment and the resources they require.
Integrated marketing channel relationships: integration dimensions and channel performance
Authors: Hara Yoritoshi
Published: May 2019

Purpose

Inter-firm integration is a multidimensional concept. This study aims to examine the performance effects of two aspects of inter-firm integration, coordination integration and authority integration, and their co-alignment with strategic and contextual factors.

Design/methodology/approach

The author conducted a quantitative empirical study using survey data of Japanese manufacturing companies’ relationships with their wholesalers to test hypotheses based on a literature review.

Findings

Coordination integration has a positive performance effect. There is co-alignment between high (low) coordination integration and high (low) product uniqueness. High (low) coordination integration is associated with high (low) demand uncertainty. High (low) authority integration is consistent with high (low) behavioral uncertainty.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes theoretically to marketing channel and business-to-business marketing literature by holistically examining the linkages among governance forms, marketing-strategic factors, exchange-contextual factors and inter-firm performance. A limitation of this study is that the research data were collected in only one country, Japan. Thus, country-specific factors might affect the analytical outcomes.

Practical implications

Appropriate co-alignment among governance, strategies and contexts significantly influences performance. The findings have significant implications for manufacturing firms’ channel strategies.

Originality/value

This study tests the influences of two distinct dimensions of inter-firm integration on inter-firm outcomes, which few previous studies address. It comprehensively examines the linkages among governance forms, strategic factors, environmental factors and performance.
Empowering leadership and trust on team learning behavior
Authors: Wibowo Amin , Hayati Neuneung Ratna
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a model for the relationship between learning behavior in groups and empowerment leadership using trust among group members as a specific context factor that influences the relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a quantitative survey that involves 78 working groups from various types of teams and diverse business fields in Indonesia. Data analysis was carried out at the group level, and, for the hypothesis testing, hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used.

Findings

The empirical results of the testing show that empowerment leadership has a positive influence on learning behavior in groups, and trust among group members is proven to be a moderating variable that strengthens the influence of these variables.

Research limitations/implications

The process of generalizing findings must be carried out carefully considering that the model testing carried out was in the context of specific groups and included the existence of common method bias risk.

Originality/value

This paper provides an understanding of the interaction between the presence of group leaders who have an empowerment leadership style and the existence of trust among group members that will encourage the emergence of learning behavior in groups. It contributes to the current literature by filling a gap from social information processing perspective. Individuals collectively will have attitudes and behavior based on information from coworkers while developing self-leadership that leads to sharing knowledge and sharing experience within the group.