bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phosphorylation of the CAMTA3 transcription factor triggers its destabilization and nuclear export
Authors: Jiang Xiyuan , Hoehenwarter Wolfgang , Scheel Dierk , Lee Justin
Published: October 2019

The calmodulin-binding transcription activator 3 (CAMTA3) is a repressor of immunity-related genes but an activator of cold-induced genes in plants. Post-transcriptional or -translational mechanisms have been proposed to control CAMTA3’s role in the crosstalk between immune and chilling responses. Here, we show that treatment with the bacterial flg22 elicitor, but not cold stress, induces a phospho-mobility shift of CAMTA3 proteins. Correspondingly, CAMTA3 is directly phosphorylated by two flg22-responsive mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), MPK3 and MPK6, which triggers CAMTA3 nuclear export and destabilization. SR1IP1, a substrate E3 ubiquitin ligase adaptor required for pathogen-induced CAMTA3 degradation, is shown here to be likely plasma-membrane-localized and therefore cannot physically interact with the nuclear CAMTA3. Despite the flg22-inducible re-localization of CAMTA3 to the cytoplasm, we failed to detect CAMTA3-SR1IP1 complexes. Hence, the role of SR1IP1 for CAMTA3 degradation needs to be re-evaluated. Surprisingly, flg22 elicitation can still induce nuclear export and phospho-mobility shift of a phospho-null CAMTA3 that cannot be phosphorylated by MAPKs, suggesting the participation of additional flg22-responsive kinase(s). A constitutively-active calcium-dependent protein kinase, CPK5, can stimulate a phospho-mobility shift in CAMTA3 similar to that induced by flg22. Although CPK5 can interact with CAMTA3, it did not directly phosphorylate CAMTA3, suggesting the requirement of a still unidentified downstream kinase or additional components. Overall, at least two flg22-responsive kinase pathways target CAMTA3 to induce degradation that presumably serves to remove CAMTA3 from target promoters and de-repress expression of defence genes.

One sentence summary

Treatment with flg22 activates two independent kinase pathways that effect CAMTA3 phosphorylation and degradation.
Preparation for upcoming attentional states in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex
Authors: Günseli Eren , Aly Mariam
Published: October 2019

Goal-directed attention is usually studied by providing individuals with explicit instructions on what they should attend to. But in daily life, we often use past experiences to guide our attentional states. Given the importance of memory for predicting upcoming events, we hypothesized that memory-guided attention is supported by neural preparation for anticipated attentional states. We examined preparatory coding in the human hippocampus and mPFC, two regions that are important for memory-guided behaviors, in two tasks: one where attention was guided by memory and another in which attention was explicitly instructed. Hippocampus and mPFC exhibited higher activity for memory-guided vs. explicitly instructed attention. Furthermore, representations in both regions contained information about upcoming attentional states. In the hippocampus, this preparation was stronger for memory-guided attention, and occurred alongside stronger coupling with visual cortex during attentional guidance. These results highlight the mechanisms by which memories are used to prepare for upcoming attentional goals.

Competing Interests

None.
Cofilin loss inDrosophilacontributes to myopathy through defective sarcomerogenesis and aggregate formation during muscle growth
Authors: Balakrishnan Mridula , Yu Shannon F. , Chin Samantha M. , Soffar David B. , Windner Stefanie E. , Goode Bruce L. , Baylies Mary K.
Published: October 2019

Sarcomeres, the fundamental contractile units of muscles, are conserved structures composed of actin thin filaments and myosin thick filaments. How sarcomeres are formed and maintained is not well understood. Here, we show that knockdown ofDrosophilaCofilin (DmCFL), an actin depolymerizing factor, leads to the progressive disruption of sarcomere structure and muscle functionin vivo. Loss ofDmCFLalso results in the formation of sarcomeric protein aggregates and impairs sarcomere addition during growth. Strikingly, activation of the proteasome delayed muscle deterioration in our model. Further, we investigate how a point mutation in CFL2 that causes nemaline myopathy (NM) in humans, affects CFL function and leads to the muscle phenotypes observedin vivo. Our data provide significant insights to the role of CFLs during sarcomere formation as well as mechanistic implications for disease progression in NM patients.
ChpC controls twitching motility-mediated expansion ofPseudomonas aeruginosabiofilms in response to serum albumin, mucin and oligopeptides
Authors: Nolan Laura M. , McCaughey Laura C. , Merjane Jessica , Turnbull Lynne , Whitchurch Cynthia B.
Published: October 2019

Twitching motility-mediated biofilm expansion occurs via coordinated, multi-cellular collective behaviour to allow bacteria to actively expand across surfaces. Type-IV pili (T4P) are cell-associated virulence factors which mediate this expansion via rounds of extension, surface attachment and retraction. The Chp chemosensory system is thought to respond to environmental signals to regulate the biogenesis, assembly and twitching motility function of T4P. In other well characterised chemosensory systems, methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs) feed environmental signals through a CheW adapter protein to the histidine kinase CheA to modulate motility. ThePseudomonas aeruginosaChp system has two CheW adapter proteins, PilI and ChpC, and an MCP PilJ that likely interacts via PilI with the histidine kinase ChpA. It is thought that ChpC associates with other MCPs to feed environmental signals into the system, however no such signals have been identified. In the current study we show that ChpC is involved in the response to host-derived signals serum albumin, mucin and oligopeptides. We demonstrate that these signals stimulate an increase in twitching motility, as well as in levels of 3’-5’-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and surface-assembled T4P. Interestingly, our data shows that changes in cAMP and surface piliation levels are independent of ChpC but that the twitching motility response to these environmental signals requires ChpC. Based upon our data we propose a model whereby ChpC associates with an MCP other than PilJ to feed these environmental signals through the Chp system to control twitching motility. The MCP PilJ and the CheW adapter PilI then modulate T4P surface levels to allow the cell to continue to undergo twitching motility. Our study is the first to link environmental signals to the Chp chemosensory system and refines our understanding of how this system controls twitching motility-mediated biofilm expansion inP. aeruginosa.
Biases in arginine codon usage correlate with genetic disease risk
Authors: Schulze Katharina V. , Hanchard Neil A. , Wangler Michael F.
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The persistence of hypermutable ‘CGN’ (CGG, CGA, CGC, CGU) arginine codons at high frequency suggests the possibility of negative selective pressure at these sites and that arginine codon usage could be a predictive indicator of human disease genes.

Methods

We analyzed arginine codons (CGN, AGG, AGA) from all ‘canonical’ Ensembl protein coding gene transcripts before comparing the frequency of CGN codons between genes with and without human disease associations and with gnomAD constraint metrics.

Results

The frequency of CGN codons among a gene’s total arginine codon count was higher in genes linked to syndromic autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to genes not associated with ASD. A comparison of genes annotated as dominant or recessive with control genes not matching either classification revealed a progressive increase in CGN codon frequency. Moreover, CGN frequency was positively correlated with a gene’s probability of loss-of-function intolerance (pLI) score and negatively correlated with ‘observed-over-expected’ ratios for both loss of function and missense mutations.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that genes utilizing CGN arginine codons rather than AGG or AGA are more likely to underlie single gene disorders, particularly for dominant phenotypes, and thus constitute candidate genes for the study of human genetic disease.
CloneSig can jointly infer intra-tumor heterogeneity and mutational signature activity in bulk tumor sequencing data
Authors: Abécassis Judith , Reyal Fabien , Vert Jean-Philippe
Published: October 2019

Systematic DNA sequencing of cancer samples has highlighted the importance of two aspects of cancer genomics: intra-tumor heterogeneity (ITH) and mutational processes. These two aspects may not always be independent, as different mutational processes could be involved in different stages or regions of the tumor, but existing computational approaches to study them largely ignore this potential dependency. Here, we present CloneSig, a computational method to jointly infer ITH and mutational processes in a tumor from bulk-sequencing data. Extensive simulations show that CloneSig outperforms current methods for ITH inference and detection of mutational processes when the distribution of mutational signatures changes between clones. Applied to a large cohort of 8,951 tumors with whole-exome sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas, and on a pan-cancer dataset of 2,632 whole-genome sequencing tumor samples from the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes initiative, CloneSig obtains results overall coherent with previous studies.
Identification of conserved proteomic networks in neurodegenerative dementia
Authors: Swarup Vivek , Chang Timothy S. , Duong Duc M. , Dammer Eric B. , Lah James J. , Johnson Erik E.C.B. , Seyfried Nicholas T. , Levey Allan I. , Geschwind Daniel H.
Published: October 2019

Data-driven analyses of human brain across neurodegenerative diseases possess the potential for identifying disease-specific and shared biological processes. We integrated functional genomics data from postmortem brain, including label-free quantitative proteomics and RNA-seq based transcriptomics in an unprecedented dataset of over 1000 individuals across 5 cohorts representing Alzheimer’s disease (AD), asymptomatic AD, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), and control patients, as a core analysis of the Accelerating Medicines Project – Alzheimer’s Disease (AMP-AD) consortium. We identified conserved, high confidence proteomic changes during the progression of dementias that were absent in other neurodegenerative disorders. We defined early changes in asymptomatic AD cases that included microglial, astrocyte, and immune response modules and later changes related to synaptic processes and mitochondria, many, but not all of which were conserved at the transcriptomic level. This included a novel module C3, which is enriched in MAPK signaling, and only identified in proteomic networks. To understand the relationship of core molecular processes with causal genetic drivers, we identified glial, immune, and cell-cell interaction processes in modules C8 and C10, which were robustly preserved in multiple independent data sets, up-regulated early in the disease course, and enriched in AD common genetic risk. In contrast to AD, PSP genetic risk was enriched in module C1, which represented synaptic processes, clearly demonstrating that despite shared pathology such as synaptic loss and glial inflammatory changes, AD and PSP have distinct causal drivers. These conserved, high confidence proteomic changes enriched in genetic risk represent new targets for drug discovery.

Highlights

We distinguish robust early and late proteomic changes in AD in multiple cohorts.

We identify changes in dementias that are not preserved in other neurodegenerative diseases.

AD genetic risk is enriched in early up-regulated glial-immune modules and PSP in synaptic modules.

Almost half of the variance in protein expression reflects gene expression, but an equal fraction is post-transcriptional or -translational.
Bidirectional modulation of human emotional conflict resolution using intracranial stimulation
Authors: Paulk Angelique C. , Yousefi Ali , Ellard Kristen K. , Farnes Kara , Peled Noam , Crocker Britni , Zelmann Rina , Vallejo-Lopez Deborah , Belok Gavin , Zorowitz Sam , Basu Ishita , Afzal Afsana , Gilmour Anna , Weisholtz Daniel S. , Cosgrove G. Reese , Chang Bernard S. , Arle Jeffrey E. , Williams Ziv M. , Eden Uri T. , Deckersbach Thilo , Dougherty Darin D. , Eskandar Emad N. , Widge Alik S. , Cash Sydney S.
Published: October 2019

The ability to regulate emotions in the service of meeting ongoing goals and task demands is a key aspect of adaptive human behavior in our volatile social world. Consequently, difficulties in processing and responding to emotional stimuli underlie many psychiatric diseases ranging from depression to anxiety, the common thread being effects on behavior. Behavior, which is made up of shifting, difficult to measure hidden states such as attention and emotion reactivity, is a product of integrating external input and latent mental processes. Directly measuring, and differentiating, separable hidden cognitive, emotional, and attentional states contributing to emotion conflict resolution, however, is challenging, particularly when only using task-relevant behavioral measures such as reaction time. State-space representations are a powerful method for investigating hidden states underlying complex systems. Using state-space modeling of behavior, we identified relevant hidden cognitive states and predicted behavior in a standardized emotion regulation task. After identifying and validating models which best fit the behavior and narrowing our focus to one model, we used targeted intracranial stimulation of the emotion regulation-relevant neurocircuitry, including prefrontal structures and the amygdala, to causally modulate separable states. Finally, we focused on this one validated state-space model to perform real-time, bidirectional closed-loop adaptive stimulation in a subset of participants. These approaches enable an improved understanding of how to sample and understand emotional processing in a way which could be leveraged in neuromodulatory therapy for disorders of emotional regulation.
A performant bridge between fixed-size and variable-size seeding
Authors: Kutzner Arne , Kim Pok-Son , Schmidt Markus
Published: October 2019

Background

Seeding is usually the initial step of high-throughput sequence aligners. Two popular seeding strategies are fixed-size seeding (k-mers, minimizers) and variable-size seeding (MEMs, SMEMs, maximal spanning seeds). The former strategy supports fast seed computation, while the latter one benefits from a high seed entropy. Algorithmic bridges between instances of both seeding strategies are of interest for combining their respective advantages.

Results

We introduce an efficient strategy for computing MEMs out of fixed-size seeds (k-mers or minimizers). In contrast to previously proposed extend-purge strategies, our merge-extend strategy prevents the creation and filtering of duplicate MEMs. Further, we describe techniques for extracting SMEMs or maximal spanning seeds out of MEMs. A comprehensive benchmarking shows the applicability, strengths, shortcomings and computational requirements of all discussed seeding techniques. Additionally, we report the effects of seed occurrence filters in the context of these techniques.

Aside from our novel algorithmic approaches, we analyze hierarchies within fixed-size and variable-size seeding along with a mapping between instances of both seeding strategies.

Conclusion

Benchmarking shows that our proposed merge-extend strategy for MEM computation outperforms previous extend-purge strategies in the context of PacBio reads. The observed superiority grows with increasing read size and read quality. Further, the presented filters for extracting SMEMs or maximal spanning seeds out of MEMs outperform FMD-index based extension techniques. All code used for benchmarking is available via GitHub at https://github.com/ITBE-Lab/seed-evaluation.
TnFLX: a third-generation mariner-based transposon system forBacillus subtilis
Authors: Dempwolff Felix , Sanchez Sandra , Kearns Daniel B.
Published: October 2019

Random transposon mutagenesis is a powerful genetic tool to answer fundamental biological questions in an unbiased approach. Here, we introduce an improvedmariner-basedtransposon system with higher stability, and with versatile applications. We take advantage of the lower frequency of unintended recombination during vector construction and propagation in a low copy number system inE. colito improve construct integrity. We generated a variety of transposons allowing for gene disruption or artificial overexpression each in combination with one of four different antibiotic resistance markers. In addition, we provide transposons that will report gene/protein expression due to transcriptional or translational coupling. We believe that the TnFLX system will help enhance flexibility of future transposon modification and application inBacillusand other organisms.

Importance

The optimization of transposase encoding vectors in terms of stability during cloning and propagation is crucial for the reliable application of this system in any host organism. With an increased number of antibiotic resistance markers and the possibility to detect translational activity, the TnFLX transposon system will significantly help the implication of forward genetic methods in the field of cellular biology.
PUF family proteins FBF-1 and FBF-2 regulate germline stem and progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation inC. elegans
Authors: Wang Xiaobo , Ellenbecker Mary , Hickey Benjamin , Day Nicholas J. , Voronina Ekaterina
Published: October 2019

Stem cells support tissue maintenance, but the mechanisms that balance the rate of stem cell self-renewal with differentiation at a population level remain uncharacterized. Through investigating the regulation of germline stem cells by two PUF family RNA-binding proteins FBF-1 and FBF-2 inC. elegans, we find that FBF-1 restricts differentiation, while FBF-2 promotes both proliferation and differentiation. FBFs act on a shared set of target mRNAs; however, FBF-1 destabilizes target transcripts, while FBF-2 promotes their accumulation. These regulatory differences result in complementary effects of FBFs on stem cells. We identify a mitotic cyclin as one of the targets affecting stem cell homeostasis. FBF-1-mediated translational control requires the activity of CCR4-NOT deadenylase. Distinct abilities of FBFs to cooperate with CCR4-NOT depend on protein sequences outside of the conserved PUF family RNA-binding domain. We propose that the combination of FBF activities regulates the dynamics of germline stem cell proliferation and differentiation.
Right-lateralized fronto-parietal network and phasic alertness in healthy aging
Authors: Haupt Marleen , Ruiz-Rizzo Adriana L. , Sorg Christian , Finke Kathrin
Published: October 2019

Phasic alerting cues temporarily increase the brain’s arousal state. In younger and older participants, visual processing speed in a whole report task, estimated based on the theory of visual attention (TVA), is increased in cue compared to no-cue conditions. The present study assessed whether older participants’ ability to profit from warning cues is related to iFC in the cingulo-opercular and/or right fronto-parietal network. We obtained resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data from 31 older participants. By combining an independent component analysis and dual regression, we investigated iFC in both networks. A voxel-wise multiple regression in older participants revealed that higher phasic alerting effects on visual processing speed were significantly associated with lower right fronto-parietal network iFC. We then compared healthy older participants to a previously reported sample of healthy younger participants to assess whether behaviour-iFC relationships are age group specific. The comparison revealed that the association between phasic alerting and cingulo-opercular network iFC is significantly lower in older than in younger adults. Additionally, it yielded a stronger association between phasic alerting and right fronto-parietal network iFC in older versus younger participants. The results support a particular role of the right fronto-parietal network in maintaining phasic alerting capabilities in aging.
Natively Oxidized Amino Acid Residues in the Spinach PS I-LHC I Supercomplex
Authors: Kale Ravindra , Sallans Larry , Frankel Laurie K. , Bricker Terry M.
Published: November 2019

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production is an unavoidable byproduct of electron transport under aerobic conditions. Photosystem II (PS II), the cytochrome b6f complex and Photosystem I (PS I) are all demonstrated sources of ROS. It has been proposed that PS I produces substantial levels of a variety of ROS including 1O2, H2O2 and, possibly, , however, the site(s) of ROS production within PS I has been the subject of significant debate. We hypothesize that amino acid residues close to the sites of ROS generation will be more susceptible to oxidative modification than distant residues. In this study, we have identified oxidized amino acid residues in spinach PS I which was isolated from field-grown spinach. The modified residues were identified by high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. As expected, many of the modified residues lie on the surface of the complex. However, a well-defined group of oxidized residues, both buried and surface-exposed, lead from the chl a’ of P700 to the surface of PS I. These residues (PsaB: 609F, 611E, 617M, 619W, 620L, and PsaF: 139L, 142A,143D) may identify a preferred route for ROS, probably 1O2, to egress the complex from the vicinity of P700. Additionally, two buried residues located in close proximity to A1B (PsaB:712H and 714S) were modified, which may be consistent with A1B being a source of . Surprisingly, no oxidatively modified residues were identified in close proximity to the 4Fe-FS clusters FX, FA or FB. These cofactors had been identified as a principal targets for ROS damage in the photosystem. Finally, a large number of residues located in the hydrophobic cores of Lhca1-Lhca4 are oxidatively modified. These appear to be the result of 1O2 production by the distal antennae for the photosystem.
The Pipeline for Digital Analysis of IHC Images from NSCLC Xenograft Tissues
Authors: Kandru Rachana , Desai Bina
Published: November 2019

Multiple small molecule inhibitors and immunotherapy advances have shown success by prolonging patient’s survival in NSCLC but patient with metastasis or advanced stage of cancer often experiences relapse. Cancer associated fibroblast (CAFs), a major cellular component of tumor microenvironment plays key role in shaping solid tumors. In-vitro studies have reported that CAFs can blunt the effect of targeted therapies in tumor cells. The current study focuses on evaluating the impact of stromal protection by analyzing immunohistochemistry (IHC) images from xenograft experiment. The study investigates if the HGF-driven CAF mediated stromal protection in cancer cell contributes to the development of resistance to Alectinib. We utilized QuPath, a digital software to automatize the readout of proliferation rate of tumor cells and evaluate the impact of stromal protection.
Glucose metabolism distinguishes TE from ICM fate during mammalian embryogenesis
Authors: Chi Fangtao , Sharpley Mark S. , Nagaraj Raghavendra , Roy Shubhendu Sen , Banerjee Utpal
Published: November 2019

The mouse embryo undergoes compaction at the 8-cell stage and its transition to 16 cells generates polarity such that the outer apical cells are trophectoderm (TE) precursors and the inner cell mass (ICM) gives rise to the embryo. We report here, that this first cell fate specification event is controlled by glucose metabolism. Glucose does not fuel mitochondrial ATP (energy) generation and glycolysis is dispensable for blastocyst formation. Glucose does not help synthesize amino acids, fatty acids, and nucleobases. Instead, glucose metabolized by the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) allows nuclear localization of YAP1, and the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), along with sphingolipid (S1P) signaling, activates mTOR and allows translation of AP-2γ. YAP1, TEAD4 and AP-2γ physically interact to form a nuclear complex that controls TE-specific gene transcription. Glucose signaling has no role in ICM specification, but this cascade of events constituting “Developmental Metabolism” specifically controls the fate of TE cells.
An iterative reconstruction algorithm for pole figure inversion using total variation regularization
Authors: Singh Saransh , Kc Prabhat , Kashyap Sridhar Shivram , De Graef Marc
Published: October 2019

This paper describes a new discrete method for inverting X-ray pole figures to estimate the orientation distribution function (ODF). The method employs the equal-volume `cubochoric' representation for uniform discretization of orientation space, SO(3). The forward-projection model is combined with an anisotropic total variation term to iteratively determine the ODF. The efficacy of the new method is evaluated with both model and experimental data and compared with existing discrete and series expansion methods.
Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of (E)-6-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxystyryl)-4,5-dihydropyridazin-3(2H)-one
Authors: Daoui Said , Baydere Cemile , El Kalai Fouad , Saddik Rafik , Dege Necmi , Karrouchi Khalid , Benchat Noureddine
Published: October 2019

In the title compound, C13H14N2O3, the dihydropyridazine ring (r.m.s. deviation = 0.166 Å) has a screw-boat conformation. The dihedral angle between its mean plane and the benzene ring is 0.77 (12)°. In the crystal, intermolecular O—H...O hydrogen bonds generate C(5) chains and N—H...O hydrogen bonds produce R
2
2(8) motifs. These types of interactions lead to the formation of layers parallel to (12\overline{1}). The three-dimensional network is achieved by C—H...O interactions, including R
2
4(8) motifs. Intermolecular interactions were additionally investigated using Hirshfeld surface analysis and two-dimensional fingerprint plots. The most significant contributions to the crystal packing are by H...H (43.3%), H...C/C...H (19.3%), H...O/H...O (22.6%), C...N/N...C (3.0%) and H...N/N...H (5.8%) contacts. C—H...π interactions and aromatic π–π stacking interactions are not observed.
Crystal structures of 2-(2-bromo-5-fluorophenyl)-8-ethoxy-3-nitro-2H-thiochromene and 2-(2-bromo-5-fluorophenyl)-7-methoxy-3-nitro-2H-thiochromene
Authors: Pham Chien Thang , Mac Dinh Hung , Bui Thai Thanh Thu
Published: October 2019

Two thiochromene compounds containing Br and F atoms, namely 2-(2-bromo-5-fluorophenyl)-8-ethoxy-3-nitro-2H-thiochromene (C17H13BrFNO3S, A) and 2-(2-bromo-5-fluorophenyl)-7-methoxy-3-nitro-2H-thiochromene (C16H11BrFNO3S, B), were prepared via the condensation reaction between 2-mercaptobenzaldehyde and nitrostyrene derivatives. In both compounds, the thiochromene plane is almost perpendicular to the phenyl ring. In the structure of A, molecules are assembled via π–π stacking and C—H...O and C—F...π interactions. In the crystal packing of B, molecules are linked by C—H...F, C—H...O, C—H...π and π–π interactions.
Synthesis and crystal structure of (E)-2-({2-[azaniumylidene(methylsulfanyl)methyl]hydrazinylidene}methyl)benzene-1,4-diol hydrogen sulfate
Authors: Nehar Oussama , Louhibi Samira , Roisnel Thierry
Published: October 2019

The title molecular salt, C9H12N3O2S+·HSO4
−, was obtained through the protonation of the azomethine N atom in a sulfuric acid medium. The crystal comprises two entities, a thiosemicarbazide cation and a hydrogen sulfate anion. The cation is essentially planar and is further stabilized by a strong intramolecular O—H...N hydrogen bond. In the crystal, a three-dimensional network is established through O—H...O and N—H...O hydrogen bonds. A weak intermolecular C—H...O hydrogen bond is also observed. The hydrogen sulfate anion exhibits disorder over two sets of sites and was modelled with refined occupancies of 0.501 (6) and 0.499 (6).
Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 2,2′-{(1E,1′E)-[ethane-1,2-diylbis(azanylylidene)]bis(methanylylidene)}bis[4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenol]copper(II) hydroquinone hemisolvate
Authors: Kansiz Sevgi , Meral Seher , Dege Necmi , Agar Aysen Alaman , Fritsky Igor O.
Published: October 2019

In the title complex, [Cu(C18H12F6N2O4)]·0.5C6H6O2, the CuII ion has a square-planar coordination geometry, being ligated by two N and two O atoms of the tetradentate open-chain Schiff base ligand 6,6′-{(1E,1′E)-[ethane-1,2-diylbis(azanylylidene)]bis(methanylylidene)}bis[2-(trifluoromethoxy)phenol]. The crystal packing is stabilized by intramolecular O—H...O and intermolecular C—H...F, C—H...O and C—H...π hydrogen bonds. In addition, weak π–π interactions form a three-dimensional structure. Hirshfeld surface analysis and two-dimensional fingerprint plots were performed and created to analyze the intermolecular interactions present in the crystal, indicating that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from F...H/H...F (25.7%), H...H (23.5%) and C...H/H...C (12.6%) interactions.
Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 2-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-oxoethyl 2-chlorobenzoate
Authors: Sheshadri S. N. , Chidan Kumar C. S. , Naveen S. , Veeraiah M. K. , Raghava Reddy Kakarla , Warad Ismail
Published: October 2019

The title compound, C15H10ClNO5, is relatively planar with the two aromatic rings being inclined to each other by 3.56 (11)°. The central —C(=O)—C–O—C(=O)— bridge is slightly twisted, with a C—C—O—C torsion angle of 164.95 (16)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked by C—H...O and C—H...Cl hydrogen bonds, forming layers parallel to the (101) plane. The layers are linked by a further C—H...O hydrogen bond, forming a three-dimensional supramolecular structure. There are a number of offset π–π interactions present between the layers [intercentroid distances vary from 3.8264 (15) to 3.9775 (14) Å]. Hirshfeld surface analyses, the d
norm surfaces, electrostatic potential and two-dimensional fingerprint plots were examined to verify the contributions of the different intermolecular contacts within the supramolecular structure. The shape-index surface shows that two sides of the molecule are involved in the same contacts with neighbouring molecules, and the curvedness plot shows flat surface patches that are characteristic of planar stacking.
Synthesis and crystal structure of (E)-1,2-bis[2-(methylsulfanyl)phenyl]diazene
Authors: Hoffmann Jonas , Kuczmera Thomas J. , Lork Enno , Staubitz Anne
Published: October 2019

The title compound, C14H14N2S2, was obtained by transmetallation of 2,2′-bis(trimethylstannyl)azobenzene with methyl lithium, and subsequent quenching with dimethyl disulfide. The asymmetric unit comprises two half-molecules, the other halves being completed by inversion symmetry at the midpoint of the azo group. The two molecules show only slight differences with respect to N=N, S—N and aromatic C=C bonds or angles. Hirshfeld surface analysis reveals that except for one weak H...S interaction, intermolecular interactions are dominated by van der Waals forces only.
Quality of Life and Emotional Distress in Peritoneal Dialysis and Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Hiramatsu Takeyuki , Okumura Shota , Asano Yuko , Mabuchi Masatsuna , Iguchi Daiki , Furuta Shinji
Published: October 2019

Cardiovascular disease‐associated morbidity and mortality are reportedly higher in hemodialysis (HD) patients compared with peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. However, few studies have estimated changes in state of depression and cognitive impairment in patients undergoing HD and PD. The present study evaluated the impact of HD or PD on patients' quality of life (QoL), cognitive impairment, and depression status over 2 years. This 24‐month observational, prospective study included 45 HD and 30 PD patients. Patients were assessed before and every 12 months after starting dialysis for 24 months. Measurements included QoL (36‐Item Short‐Form Health Survey [SF‐36]), cognitive impairment (Mini‐Mental State Examination [MMSE]), depressive state (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale [CES‐D]), grip strength, and 24‐h urine volume (UV). Physical and social component scores of the SF‐36 significantly improved in PD patients at 24 months compared with those observed at baseline (42.8 vs. 39.4; P < 0.05 and 46.4 vs. 37.3; P < 0.05, respectively); however, scores remained unchanged in HD patients. MMSE scores were significantly decreased at 12 and 24 months in HD patients (29.0 vs. 26.0, 25.0; P < 0.05), but remained unchanged in PD patients. Moreover, CES‐D scores significantly worsened at 24 months in HD patients (12.8 vs. 16.5), but remained unchanged in PD. Preservation of UV and grip strength was associated with SF‐36, CES‐D, and MMSE scores. Our findings indicate that PD is associated with higher QoL and recovery from cognitive failure compared with HD.
Washington's privatization of liquor: effects on household alcohol purchases from Initiative 1183
Authors: Barnett Sarah Beth L. , Coe Norma B. , Harris Jeffrey R. , Basu Anirban
Published: October 2019

Background and Aims

Washington Initiative 1183 (I‐1183), a 2012 law that privatized liquor retail sales and distribution in Washington State, USA, has had two opposing effects on liquor purchases: it has increased access to liquor and imposed new fees on retailers and distributors. This study aimed to estimate the effect of I‐1183 on monthly alcohol purchases during the post‐I‐1183 period (June 2012–December 2014) compared with the pre‐I‐1183 period (January 2010–May 2012).

Design

Differences‐in‐differences study

Setting and participants

The study included households participating in the Nielsen Consumer Panel Dataset living in metropolitan and surrounding areas in Washington State and 10 control states.

Measurements

Outcomes were alcohol purchases by type (ounces of liquor, wine, beer and total alcohol or ethanol).

Findings

I‐1183 was associated with a 6.34‐ounce (P < 0.001) and a 2.01‐ounce (P < 0.001) increase in monthly liquor and ethanol purchases, respectively, per household in the post‐policy period spanning 31 months compared with monthly purchases in control states. In a longitudinal subgroup analysis, low and moderate alcohol purchasers increased monthly purchases of ethanol and high purchasers decreased purchases of ethanol.

Conclusions

Enacting 'Washington Initiative 1183', a law that privatized sale and distribution of liquor and imposed new fees on retailers and distributors, appears to have been associated with an approximate 82% increase in monthly liquor purchases and 26% increase in monthly ethanol purchases by households in metropolitan and surrounding areas in Washington State, USA.
Room temperature/Corcoran/Dow Corning™—Silicone plastination process
Authors: Starchik Dmitry , Henry Robert W.
Published: October 2019

For 20 years, the cold temperature/S10/von Hagens' plastination technique was used to preserve biological specimens without challenge. It became the “gold standard” for preservation of beautiful, dry biological specimens. Near the end of the 21st century, a group from the University of Michigan and environs and Dow Corning™, USA, combined silicone ingredients, similar to the von Hagens' plastination products, however in a different sequence. The new polymer (Cor‐tech) was combined with the cross‐linker to design the “impregnation mix” which would invade the cellular structure of the specimen and yet was stable at room temperature. Later, curing would be by application of the catalyst onto the impregnated specimen. This unique sequencing of products would become the “Room temperature/Dow Corning™/Corcoran—Silicone plastination technique.” The results of this room temperature technique provided similar plastinates, beautiful and practical for demonstration, containing no toxic chemical residues and forever preserved. As the name implies, impregnation of this silicone mix could be done at room temperature, without having to be kept cold. Both processes (cold and room temperature) required the same four basic steps for plastination. As well, both processes used similar basic polymers and additives to produce plastinates. However, they were combined in a different sequence. Cold temperature combines polymer and catalyst/chain extender, which is not stable and therefore must be kept colder than −15°C, while room temperature combines polymer with cross‐linker which is stable, and likely forever.
Screening for small‐for‐gestational‐age fetuses
Authors: Hansen Ditte N. , Odgaard Helle S. , Uldbjerg Niels , Sinding Marianne , Sørensen Anne
Published: October 2019

Introduction

It is well established that correct antenatal identification of small‐for‐gestational‐age (SGA) fetuses reduces their risk of adverse perinatal outcome with long‐term consequences. Ultrasound estimates of fetal weight (EFWus) are the ultimate tool for this identification. It can be conducted as a “universal screening”, that is, all pregnant women at a specific gestational age. However, in Denmark it is conducted as “selective screening”, that is, only on clinical indication. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of the Danish national SGA screening program and the consequences of false‐positive and false‐negative SGA cases.

Material and methods

In this retrospective cohort study, we included 2928 women with singleton pregnancies with due dates in 2015. We defined “risk of SGA” by an EFWus ≤ −15% of expected for the gestational age and “SGA” as birthweight ≤−22% of expected for gestational age.

Results

At birth, the prevalence of SGA was 3.3%. The overall sensitivity of the Danish screening program was 62% at a false‐positive rate of 5.6%. Within the entire cohort, 63% had an EFWus compared with 79% of the SGA cases. The sensitivity was 79% for those born before 37 weeks of gestation but only 40% for those born after 40 weeks of gestation. The sensitivity was also associated with birthweight deviation; 73% among extreme SGA cases (birthweight deviation ≤−33%) and 55% among mild SGA (birthweight deviation between −22% and −27%). False diagnosis of SGA was associated with an increased rate of induction of labor (ORadj = 2.51, 95% CI 1.70‐3.71) and cesarean section (ORadj = 1.44, 95% CI 0.96‐2.18).

Conclusions

The performance of the Danish national screening program for SGA based on selective EFWus on clinical indication has improved considerably over the last 20 years. Limitations of the program are the large proportion of women referred to ultrasound scan and the low performance post‐term.
Effect of different biocompatible implant materials on the mechanical stability of dental implants under excessive oblique load
Authors: Bataineh Khaled , Al Janaideh Mohammad
Published: October 2019

Background

Metallic implants such as titanium are much harder than the neighboring bone. This high difference may generate larger stress at the bone‐implant interface during load transfer which leads to implant failure. The use of biocompatible polymer such as CRF‐polyether ether ketone (PEEK) with strength comparable with the bone might lead to lower and better stress distribution to the supporting peri‐implant bone.

Purpose

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of using carbon reinforced PEEK composite material for fixture/abutment on stress distribution in peri‐implant bone.

Materials and Methods

Three‐dimensional (3D) model of dental implant placed in the first mandibular molar is constructed from computed tomography scan. Five distinct models using a combination of titanium, CRF‐PEEK, lithium disilicate for implant/abutment materials are studied. 3D finite element analysis (FEA) is used to evaluate the stress distribution at implant‐bone interface under excessive oblique load. The physical interaction between several contacting bodies is numerically investigated. The effect of friction coefficients between the indenter and occlusal surface and between the implant and peri‐implant bone is determined.

Results

FEA results show that there is no significant difference in the distribution pattern of stress at implant‐bone interface among the different material models studied. The highest maximum and lowest minimum principal stresses were always located in the cortical bone and never in the cancellous bone which is consistent with the existing literature. Off‐axis loading can result in unfavorable forces on the implant, jeopardizing the long‐term success because of excessive lateral loads. Current FEA results agree with previously published work.

Conclusion

Substitution of titanium implant by PEEK implant does not provide any advantages in regards to better stress distribution to the peri‐implant bone. The strain thresholds of Frost's mechanostat theory that are suitable for long bone could not be applied for alveolar bone.
MOVE MORE, GAIN LESS: EFFECT OF A RECREATIONAL TRAIL SYSTEM ON CHILDHOOD BMI
Authors: Kim Bongkyun , Thomsen Michael R. , Nayga Rodolfo M. , Fang Di , Goudie Anthony
Published: October 2019

We investigate the effect of residential proximity to recreational trails on childhood body mass index (BMI). We find that children living within 0.5 miles of recreational trails have BMI z‐scores that are 0.0412 to 0.0507 standard deviations lower than those who do not live within 0.5 miles of trails. We also find that living nearby trails reduces the probability of becoming obese by 1.6 percentage points. The impact for BMI z‐score is larger for children qualifying for free or reduced‐price meals and for Hispanic children. These findings suggest that improving neighborhood amenities conducive to physical activity may help reduce disparities in childhood obesity. (JEL I10, R10)
Can intensity in strength training change caloric expenditure? Systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: João Gustavo Allegretti , Rodriguez Daniel , Tavares Lucas D. , Carvas Junior Nelson , Miranda Maria Luiza , Reis Victor M. , Bocalini Danilo Sales , Baker Julien S. , Figueira Aylton J.
Published: November 2019

Introduction

Strength training (ST) is considered an important strategy for maintaining body weight, as it promotes an increase in total energy expenditure (EE). However, the combination and manipulation of variables (intensity and volume) allow for different training adaptations. However, it remains unclear as to what is the most important variable between volume or intensity for example number of sets, repetitions, or total load for maximizing EE during ST. Several studies have analyzed the EE response in ST, but still unclear the variable is able to increase EE in the ST.

Objective

This review aimed to investigate the effect of ST on EE in adults using a systematic literature review and subsequent meta‐analysis.

Methods

The search was performed on the electronic databases using the following keywords: strength training (resistance training; strength training; strength training method) and energy expenditure (energy metabolism; energy expenditure; caloric expenditure, caloric cost) with ‘AND’ and ‘OR’ combination. Manual searches of references were also conducted for additional relevant studies. After evaluating the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the selected studies were analysed according to strength training methods and the training variables used to measure EE.

Results

We identified two ST methods from the literature review: circuit training (CT) and traditional training (TT). Meta‐analysis showed a significant effect on EE increase, which favour TT when compared with CT [−0·99 (95%CI: −1·96, −0·02), P<0·01] with I2 of 89% (P<0·01). After adjusting for bias risk, no significant differences were found in EE associated with intensity [−0·40, 95% CI (0·98, 0·18), P = 0·18).

Conclusion

The present review and meta‐analysis indicated that the intensity of exercise does not seem to be associated with an increase of EE in ST.
Physicians' level of hindrance by body hair in dermatoscopy and clinical benefit of an automated hair removal algorithm
Authors: Fink Christine , Uhlmann Lorenz , Vogt Karsten , Schneiderbauer Roland , Menzer Christian , Toberer Ferdinand , Schank Timo E. , Enk Alexander , Haenssle Holger A.
Published: October 2019

Background and objectives

Dermatoscopy may be hindered by body hair, and the development of an automated hair removal algorithm (AuHRA) might improve the diagnostic accuracy. However, the physicians' exact level of hindrance and the clinical benefit attained by AuHRA has not been assessed. The objectives of this study are to quantify the physicians' level of hindrance by body hair and the level of improvement in the visibility of underlying dermatoscopic patterns after application of AuHRA to digital images of hair‐covered nevi.

Patients and methods

A cross‐sectional reader study including 59 sets of dermatoscopic images of benign nevi that were presented to six dermatologists. Each set included three images of one individual nevus (unshaved/physically shaved/digitally shaved with AuHRA), which were compared to each other within each set to assess the level of improvement caused by hair removal.

Results

In comparison to unshaved lesions, dermatologists attributed the highest mean level of improvement to a physical shave (+1.36, p < 0.001) followed by AuHRA's digital shave (+0.79, p < 0.001). The majority of dermatologists considered the application of AuHRA as helpful and confirmed a medical need.

Conclusions

The dermatologists in our study confirmed a substantial impairment of the dermatoscopic examination by body hair. We demonstrated a clinical benefit attained by AuHRA in comparison to unshaved or physically shaved lesions.
Concurrently burrowing host fly larvae reciprocally enhance pupation depth to minimise parasitism risk
Authors: Okuyama Toshinori
Published: November 2019

1. Variation in parasitism risk among hosts is a key factor influencing host–parasitoid interactions; however, within‐patch variation (as opposed to between‐patch variation) in parasitism risk has hardly been studied. This study investigated the mechanisms of within‐patch variation in parasitism risk in the oriental fruit fly,Bactrocera dorsalis(Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae).

2.Bactrocera dorsalispupates underground. Previous studies have shown that pupae at greater depths have a reduced risk of parasitism by a pupal parasitoidDirhinus giffardii(Silvestri) (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae). When a pupa near the ground surface is parasitised, the victim may decrease the risk of parasitism risk for pupae located at deeper depths. It was hypothesised that larvae will pupate at greater depths when they perceive the presence of conspecifics because of the benefit of pupating deeper than other individuals.

3. In a series of laboratory experiments, the effects of three factors on pupation depth were examined, including: (i) the density of larvae during development; (ii) the density of concurrently burrowing larvae; and (iii) the presence of pre‐existing pupae in the pupation substrate. Only the density of concurrently burrowing larvae influenced pupation depth, which suggests that when a burrowing larva perceives the presence of other burrowing larvae, it aims to burrow deeper than them.

4. This study shows not only that parasitism risk is variable among pupae within a patch, but also that it is density‐dependent. A commonly made assumption (i.e. the absence of within‐patch variability in parasitism risk) needs to be re‐evaluated in a wide range of host–parasitoid systems.