bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A genomic region transcribed into a long noncoding RNA interacts with the Prss42/Tessp‐2 promoter in spermatocytes during mouse spermatogenesis, and its flanking sequences can function as enhancers
Authors: Yoneda Ryoma , Satoh Yui , Yoshida Ikuya , Kawamura Shohei , Kotani Tomoya , Kimura Atsushi P.
Published: April 2016

Spermatogenesis is regulated by many meiotic stage‐specific genes, but how they coordinate the many individual processes is not fully understood. The Prss/Tessp gene cluster is located on mouse chromosome 9F2‐F3, and the three genes at this site (Prss42/Tessp‐2, Prss43/Tessp‐3, and Prss44/Tessp‐4) are specifically activated during meiosis in pachytene spermatocytes. We searched for DNase I hypersensitive sites (HSs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) at the Prss/Tessp locus to elucidate how they are activated. We found eight DNase I HSs, three of which were testis germ cell‐specific at or close to the Prss42/Tessp‐2 promoter, and a testis‐specific lncRNA, lncRNA‐HSVIII, that was transcribed from a region adjacent to the Prss42/Tessp‐2 gene. lncRNA‐HSVIII transcripts localized to nuclei of most pachytene spermatocytes and the cytosol of stage‐X pachytene spermatocytes and spermatids. Chromosome conformation capture revealed that the lncRNA‐HSVIII locus specifically interacted with the Prss42/Tessp‐2 promoter in primary and secondary spermatocytes. A 5.8‐kb genome sequence, encompassing the entire lncRNA‐HSVIII sequence and its flanking regions, significantly increased Prss42/Tessp‐2 promoter activity using a reporter‐gene assay, yet this construct did not change lncRNA‐HSVIII expression, indicating that the elevated promoter activity was likely through enhancer activity. Indeed, both upstream and downstream regions of the lncRNA‐HSVIII sequence significantly increased Prss42/Tessp‐2 promoter activity. Our data therefore identified the direct interaction of a genomic region in the lncRNA‐HSVIII locus with the Prss42/Tessp‐2 promoter in spermatocytes, and suggested that sequences adjacent to the lncRNA function as enhancers for the Prss42/Tessp‐2 gene. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 83: 541–557, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Unification of parametric and implicit methods for shape sensitivity analysis and optimization with fixed mesh
Authors: Zhang Weihong , Huang Qiangqiang
Published: April 2016

Parametric and implicit methods are traditionally thought to be two irrelevant approaches in structural shape optimization. Parametric method works as a Lagrangian approach and often uses the parametric boundary representation (B‐rep) of curves/surfaces, for example, Bezier and B‐splines in combination with the conformal mesh of a finite element model, while implicit method relies upon level‐set functions, that is, implicit functions for B‐rep, and works as an Eulerian approach in combination with the fixed mesh within the scope of extended finite element method or finite cell method. The original contribution of this work is the unification of both methods. First, a new shape optimization method is proposed by combining the features of the parametric and implicit B‐reps. Shape changes of the structural boundary are governed by parametric B‐rep on the fixed mesh to maintain the merit in computer‐aided design modeling and avoid laborious remeshing. Second, analytical shape design sensitivity is formulated for the parametric B‐rep in the framework of fixed mesh of finite cell method by means of the Hamilton–Jacobi equation. Numerical examples are solved to illustrate the unified methodology. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Systematic review and meta‐analysis of interventions targeting sleep and their impact on child body mass index, diet, and physical activity
Authors: Yoong Sze Lin , Chai Li Kheng , Williams Christopher M. , Wiggers John , Finch Meghan , Wolfenden Luke
Published: April 2016

Objective

This review aimed to examine the impact of interventions involving an explicit sleep component on child body mass index (BMI), diet, and physical activity.

Methods

A systematic search was undertaken in six databases to identify randomized controlled trials examining the impact of interventions with a sleep component on child BMI, dietary intake, and/or physical activity. A random effects meta‐analysis was conducted assessing the impact of included interventions on child BMI.

Results

Of the eight included trials, three enforced a sleep protocol and five targeted sleep as part of multicomponent behavioral interventions either exclusively or together with nutrition and physical activity. Meta‐analysis of three studies found that multicomponent behavioral interventions involving a sleep component were not significantly effective in changing child BMI (n = 360,−0.04 kg/m2 [−0.18, 0.11], I2 = 0%); however, only one study included in the meta‐analysis successfully changed sleep duration in children. There were some reported improvements to adolescent diet, and only one trial examined the impact on child physical activity, where a significant effect was observed.

Conclusions

Findings from the included studies suggest that where improvements in child sleep duration were achieved, a positive impact on child BMI, nutrition, and physical activity was also observed.
Prevalence of obesity and severe obesity in US children, 1999‐2014
Authors: Skinner Asheley Cockrell , Perrin Eliana M. , Skelton Joseph A.
Published: April 2016

Objective

Provide the most recent data on the prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among United States children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years.

Methods

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2014, was used. Weight status was defined using measured height and weight and standard definitions as follows: overweight as ≥85th percentile for age‐ and sex‐specific BMI; class I obesity as ≥95th percentile; class II obesity as ≥120 of the 95th percentile, or BMI ≥35; and class III obesity as ≥140% of the 95th percentile, or BMI ≥40. This study reports the prevalence of obesity by 2‐year National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycle and Wald tests comparing the 2011–2012 cycle with the 2013–2014 cycle, as well as the linear trend from 1999 to 2014. Multivariable logistic regression models estimated odds ratios for differences by each 2‐year cycle.

Results

In 2013–2014, 17.4% of children met criteria for class I obesity, including 6.3% for class II and 2.4% for class III, none statistically different than 2011–2012. A clear, statistically significant increase in all classes of obesity continued from 1999 through 2014.

Conclusions

There is no evidence of a decline in obesity prevalence in any age group, despite substantial clinical and policy efforts targeting the issue.
Observing a late folding intermediate of Ubiquitin at atomic resolution by NMR
Authors: Surana Parag , Das Ranabir
Published: April 2016

The study of intermediates in the protein folding pathway provides a wealth of information about the energy landscape. The intermediates also frequently initiate pathogenic fibril formations. While observing the intermediates is difficult due to their transient nature, extreme conditions can partially unfold the proteins and provide a glimpse of the intermediate states. Here, we observe the high resolution structure of a hydrophobic core mutant of Ubiquitin at an extreme acidic pH by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. In the structure, the native secondary and tertiary structure is conserved for a major part of the protein. However, a long loop between the beta strands β3 and β5 is partially unfolded. The altered structure is supported by fluorescence data and the difference in free energies between the native state and the intermediate is reflected in the denaturant induced melting curves. The unfolded region includes amino acids that are critical for interaction with cofactors as well as for assembly of poly‐Ubiquitin chains. The structure at acidic pH resembles a late folding intermediate of Ubiquitin and indicates that upon stabilization of the protein's core, the long loop converges on the core in the final step of the folding process.
Engineered human angiogenin mutations in the placental ribonuclease inhibitor complex for anticancer therapy: Insights from enhanced sampling simulations
Authors: Cong Xiaojing , Cremer Christian , Nachreiner Thomas , Barth Stefan , Carloni Paolo
Published: April 2016

Targeted human cytolytic fusion proteins (hCFPs) represent a new generation of immunotoxins (ITs) for the specific targeting and elimination of malignant cell populations. Unlike conventional ITs, hCFPs comprise a human/humanized target cell‐specific binding moiety (e.g., an antibody or a fragment thereof) fused to a human proapoptotic protein as the cytotoxic domain (effector domain). Therefore, hCFPs are humanized ITs expected to have low immunogenicity. This reduces side effects and allows long‐term application. The human ribonuclease angiogenin (Ang) has been shown to be a promising effector domain candidate. However, the application of Ang‐based hCFPs is largely hampered by the intracellular placental ribonuclease inhibitor (RNH1). It rapidly binds and inactivates Ang. Mutations altering Ang's affinity for RNH1 modulate the cytotoxicity of Ang‐based hCFPs. Here we perform in total 2.7 µs replica‐exchange molecular dynamics simulations to investigate some of these mutations—G85R/G86R (GGRRmut), Q117G (QGmut), and G85R/G86R/Q117G (GGRR/QGmut). GGRRmut turns out to perturb greatly the overall Ang‐RNH1 interactions, whereas QGmut optimizes them. Combining QGmut with GGRRmut compensates the effects of the latter. Our results explain the in vitro finding that, while Ang GGRRmut‐based hCFPs resist RNH1 inhibition remarkably, Ang WT‐ and Ang QGmut‐based ones are similarly sensitive to RNH1 inhibition, whereas Ang GGRR/QGmut‐based ones are only slightly resistant. This work may help design novel Ang mutants with reduced affinity for RNH1 and improved cytotoxicity.
Development of Mechanistic Reasoning and Multilevel Explanations of Ecology in Third Grade Using Agent‐Based Models
Authors: DICKES AMANDA CATHERINE , SENGUPTA PRATIM , FARRIS AMY VOSS , BASU SATABDI
Published: April 2016

In this paper, we present a third‐grade ecology learning environment that integrates two forms of modeling––embodied modeling and agent‐based modeling (ABMs)––through the generation of mathematical representations that are common to both forms of modeling. The term “agent” in the context of ABMs indicates individual computational objects or actors that obey simple rules assigned or controlled by the user. It is the interactions between these agents that give rise to emergent, aggregate‐level behaviors in complex systems. While several researchers have argued for the effectiveness of ABMs for learning about complex systems, the design of classroom activity systems using ABMs, especially for elementary students, has received relatively less attention. In this paper, we report on a 2‐week long proof‐of‐concept study conducted in a third‐grade classroom of 15 students in which students began with an embodied modeling activity of foraging behavior, followed with the generation of mathematical inscriptions based on their embodied actions, and finally, conducted further inquiry of interdependence in an ecosystem using two separate ABMs. Furthermore, we show that the lens of mechanistic reasoning can be productively used to identify the process of students’ conceptual development of interdependence in an ecosystem as they engage in the modeling activities.
Teachers’ Pedagogical Design Capacity for Scientific Argumentation
Authors: KNIGHT‐BARDSLEY AMANDA , McNEILL KATHERINE L.
Published: April 2016

Despite being identified as an essential scientific practice, argumentation is rarely integrated into instruction. This could be influenced by teachers’ pedagogical design capacity (PDC), which considers teaching as a design activity influenced by both instructional resources (such as tools and professional development (PD)) and teacher resources (such as beliefs and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK)). In this study, we investigated how the development of five upper elementary and middle school teachers’ beliefs and PCK impacted their design and integration of argumentation within their instruction. Data sources included pre‐ and postsurveys, videotaped lessons, and interviews. Our analyses resulted in two groups of teachers. While several teachers offloaded some of their lesson design by using PD resources, others adapted the PD resources and renamed an aspect of their current instruction as argumentation. Moreover, the teachers who offloaded some of their lesson design exhibited argumentation within their instruction and greater change in their beliefs or PCK for argumentation. This suggests the importance of future teacher education experiences supporting teachers’ PDC by providing multiple opportunities to offload, try out, and reflect on instruction. Future research should explore whether teachers understanding of the PDC framework supports their understanding of argumentation.
Influence of Lachancea thermotolerans on cv. Emir wine fermentation
Authors: Balikci Eren Kemal , Tanguler Hasan , Jolly Neil P. , Erten Huseyin
Published: April 2016

The present paper describes the behaviour of Lachancea thermotolerans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae in pure, co‐cultured and sequential fermentations in cv. Emir grape must. Faster fermentation rates were observed in wine made with a pure culture of S. cerevisiae and wine produced with simultaneously inoculated cultures of L. thermotolerans and S. cerevisiae. Both L. thermotolerans and S. cerevisiae gave high population numbers. The use of L. thermotolerans in mixed and sequential cultures led to an increase in final total acidity content in the wines, varying in the range 5.40–6.28 g/l (as tartaric acid), compared to pure culture S. cerevisiae, which gave the lowest level of total acidity (5 g/l). The increase was in the order of 1.18–2.06 g/l total acidity. Increase in final acidity by the use of L. thermotolerans might be useful to improve wines with low acidity due to global climate change. Volatile acidity levels (as acetic acid) were in the range 0.53–0.73 g/l, while the concentration of ethyl alcohol varied in the range 10.76–11.62% v/v. Sequential fermentations of wines and pure culture fermentation of L. thermotolerans resulted in reduction in the concentrations of acetaldehyde and higher alcohols, with exception of N‐propanol and esters. According to the sensory analysis, wine obtained with sequential inoculation of L. thermotolerans followed by inoculation of S. cerevisiae after 24 h, and simultaneous inoculation of these yeasts, was the most preferred. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Amputation Versus Limb‐Salvage Surgery in Patients with Osteosarcoma: A Meta‐analysis
Authors: Han Gang , Bi Wen‐Zhi , Xu Meng , Jia Jin‐Peng , Wang Yan
Published: April 2016

Background

This meta‐analysis compared survival and function in patients with limb osteosarcoma treated with limb‐salvage surgery (LSS) versus amputation or rotationplasty.

Methods

Medline, Cochrane, EMBASE, and Google Scholar were searched until November 30, 2015 for studies reporting Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) scores and survival rates in osteosarcoma patients. Differences between patients undergoing LSS versus ablative surgery were analyzed based on MSTS scores and postoperative survival rates.

Results

Of 1330 patients in the studies analyzed, 934 underwent LSS, and 662 were treated with amputation. A random‐effects model was applied due to heterogeneity among studies (Q statistic = 1.829, I2 = 0 %, p = 0.767). No difference was found in post‐operative local recurrence rate between amputees and patients receiving LSS. The 5‐year survival rate was significantly lower with amputation compared with LSS (OR 0.628; 95 % CI 0.431–0.913, p = 0.015). The 2‐year survival rate was not different between amputation and LSS. In addition, amputees had lower MSTS scores than those undergoing LSS (difference in means = −4.46 %, 95 % CI 6.49–2.45 %, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

LSS results in higher 5‐year survival rates and better functional outcomes as indicated by MSTS scores in patients with limb osteosarcomas.
Enhanced isopropanol and n-butanol production by supplying exogenous acetic acid via co-culturing two clostridium strains from cassava bagasse hydrolysate
Authors: Zhang Shaozhi , Qu Chunyun , Huang Xiaoyan , Suo Yukai , Liao Zhengping , Wang Jufang
Published: April 2016

The focus of this study was to produce isopropanol and butanol (IB) from dilute sulfuric acid treated cassava bagasse hydrolysate (SACBH), and improve IB production by co-culturing Clostridium beijerinckii (C. beijerinckii) with Clostridium tyrobutyricum (C. tyrobutyricum) in an immobilized-cell fermentation system. Concentrated SACBH could be converted to solvents efficiently by immobilized pure culture of C. beijerinckii. Considerable solvent concentrations of 6.19 g/L isopropanol and 12.32 g/L butanol were obtained from batch fermentation, and the total solvent yield and volumetric productivity were 0.42 g/g and 0.30 g/L/h, respectively. Furthermore, the concentrations of isopropanol and butanol increased to 7.63 and 13.26 g/L, respectively, under the immobilized co-culture conditions when concentrated SACBH was used as the carbon source. The concentrations of isopropanol and butanol from the immobilized co-culture fermentation were, respectively, 42.62 and 25.45 % higher than the production resulting from pure culture fermentation. The total solvent yield and volumetric productivity increased to 0.51 g/g and 0.44 g/L/h when co-culture conditions were utilized. Our results indicated that SACBH could be used as an economically favorable carbon source or substrate for IB production using immobilized fermentation. Additionally, IB production could be significantly improved by co-culture immobilization, which provides extracellular acetic acid to C. beijerinckii from C. tyrobutyricum. This study provided a technically feasible and cost-efficient way for IB production using cassava bagasse, which may be suitable for industrial solvent production.
Appropriateness of newborn screening for classic galactosaemia: a systematic review
Authors: Varela‐Lema L. , Paz‐Valinas L. , Atienza‐Merino G. , Zubizarreta‐Alberdi R. , Villares R. Vizoso , López‐García M.
Published: April 2016

Currently, there is no universal agreement on galactosaemia screening, fundamentally because of the risk‐benefit uncertainties. We conducted two exhaustive systematic searches in the main electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, etc.) to recover relevant information about the disease and screening test/s in order to support decision making in Spain. All of the 45 studies identified that covered disease issues were retrospective case series or cross‐sectional analysis (level‐4 evidence). Studies consistently found that the majority of patients presented characteristic symptomatology before diagnosis. Long term disabilities were not significantly correlated with age of diagnosis, onset of dietary restriction or strict diet compliance. The five studies that provided accuracy data used different cut‐off points and verification tests, and thus differed in their definitions of a positive case (level‐3b evidence). The estimated sensitivity was 100 % and the specificity 99.9 %. The false‐positive rate ranged from 0.0005 % to 0.25 %, and the PPV from 0 % to 64.3 %. The comparative clinical effectiveness in relation to not screening or implementation of other programs is unknown. In summary, existing evidence remains insufficient to establish the appropriateness of newborn screening for galactosaemia screening, although health benefits could be expected if early diagnosis and treatment is achieved. If screening is implemented in Spain, it would be important that a pilot programme be implemented to assess false positive rate and ensure that early diagnosis is not delayed.
Links between energy access and food security in sub Saharan Africa: an exploratory review
Authors: Sola Phosiso , Ochieng Caroline , Yila Jummai , Iiyama Miyuki
Published: April 2016

Three quarters of the population in Sub Saharan Africa lacks access to modern energy, and relies instead on biomass fuels for cooking and heating. The environment and health implications of the use of biomass fuel has been widely documented in the literature, and has raised the topic of energy access in various policy and development arenas. Still, the impact of energy access on food security at the household level has not been explored in detail; consequently the two sectoral policies remain unaligned. Our aims for this review were to document how lack of access to energy can impact on food security through influence on dietary choices and cooking practices; and how reallocation of household resources from food to energy procurement causes a switch to biomass energy forms of lower grade. We searched the literature for published peer-reviewed articles available through major online publication databases, initially identifying 132 articles but finally reviewing a set of 19 that met our criteria. While most studies suggested that fuelwood scarcity can affect food security through three hypothesised pathways, very few of them provided empirical data to support this argument. Overall, the review found coping measures for woodfuel scarcity to be highly contextual and influenced by geography, household economy and labour availability. Due to the limited number of studies with detailed data, it was not possible to perform a comparative analysis that could support or refute a hypothesis that lack of access to energy can impact on food security. More rigorous studies on this topic are needed which could provide evidence for policy action.
Estrategia e innovación en las Mipymes colombianas ganadoras del premio Innova 2010-2013
Authors: Tarapuez Edwin , Guzmán Beatriz Elena , Parra Hernández Ramiro
Published: April 2016

Esta investigación, de tipo exploratorio y descriptivo, tiene como objetivo indagar acerca de la asociación entre algunas variables de estrategia y de innovación, en las Mipymes colombianas ganadoras del premio Innova del Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo, en el periodo 2010-2013. El método utilizado fue análisis de correspondencias múltiples, mediante el cual se hallaron asociaciones entre modalidades. Los resultados más importantes de la investigación muestran que existe una marcada asociación de las empresas que realizan un proceso integral de direccionamiento estratégico (formulación, implementación y seguimiento) con los resultados positivos de la innovación (licenciamiento de patentes y generación de utilidades), con un estilo proactivo o preactivo en la gestión empresarial y con una estructura organizacional flexible, entre otros aspectos.
Varieties of populism: insights from the Italian case
Authors: Caiani Manuela , Graziano Paolo R.
Published: April 2016

Academic attention to populism has sharply increased in recent years. Yet, a commonly accepted definition is still lacking, with scholars disagreeing on categorization, labels, and boundaries between its different manifestations. In this article, through an analysis of Euromanifestos and party statutes, we address the interactions between Italian political parties and populism by adopting the various definitions available in populism theory, that is, populism as (i) ideology, (ii) rhetoric, (iii) communication style, and (iv) organization. Our aim is to identify all major attributes linked to populism and empirically investigate them with lower level indicators, measuring and comparing them across Italian parties and over time. The empirical analysis, conducted through a formalized content analysis of the European electoral programmes and party statutes, considers populism not as a discrete concept but rather as a continuous one and therefore enables us to undercover the variety of populisms within the Italian parties. The main finding of the article is that over the last decades all Italian parties have shown some signs of populism and that the intensification of populist features is strongly linked to the exarcebation of the financial and economic crisis, and its governance.
Conditional Representation: Presidential Rhetoric, Public Opinion, and the Representation of African American Interests
Authors: Nteta Tatishe M. , Rhodes Jesse H. , Tarsi Melinda R.
Published: April 2016

Conventional theories of presidential representation suggest that presidents avoid courting African Americans for fear of alienating white voters, leading to the underrepresentation of “black interests.” We argue that presidential representation of black interests is conditional: when (1) African Americans prioritize issues other than economic redistribution and civil rights and (2) when these priorities overlap with those of whites, presidents should provide considerable representation of those interests. We test our theory using two new sources of data: a dataset of black and white perceptions of the US's most important problem between 1968 and 2012; and a quantitative content analysis of over 200 major presidential speeches from 1969-2012. We find that presidents provide substantial representation of black interests, but only when these interests center on non-racialized concerns and overlap with the priorities of whites. We also find that presidential priorities are often independent of the chief concerns of both African Americans and whites.
Deliberative Capacity Building through International Organizations: The Case of the Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights
Authors: Milewicz Karolina M. , Goodin Robert E.
Published: April 2016

Theories of deliberation, developed largely in the context of domestic politics, are becoming increasingly relevant for international politics. The recently established Universal Periodic Review (UPR) operating under the auspices of the UN’s Human Rights Council is an excellent illustration. Our analysis of responses to its reports and recommendations suggests that the deliberative processes surrounding the UPR do indeed evoke co-operative responses even from countries with poor human rights records. Its highly inclusive, deliberative, repeated-play and peer-to-peer nature can serve as a model for how international organizations more generally can enhance deliberative capacity across the international system.
Do Men and Women Have Different Policy Preferences in Africa? Determinants and Implications of Gender Gaps in Policy Prioritization
Authors: Gottlieb Jessica , Grossman Guy , Robinson Amanda Lea
Published: April 2016

Policies designed to increase women’s representation in Africa are often motivated by the assumption that men and women have different policy preferences. This article finds that gender differences in policy priorities are actually quite small on average, but vary significantly across policy domains and countries. The study leverages this variation to show that the economic and social empowerment of women influences the size of gender gaps in the prioritization of two important domains. In particular, women’s participation in the labor force – an indicator of economic empowerment – narrows the gender gap in the prioritization of infrastructure investment and access to clean water, while social vulnerability widens the gap on prioritizing infrastructure investment. Finally, the article shows that the places where women and men have the most divergent policy preferences – and thus where formal representation is most important – are precisely the places where women are currently the most poorly represented and least active in formal politics.
Relationship between human disturbance and Endangered giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca habitat use in the Daxiangling Mountains
Authors: Zhao Cheng , Yue Bisong , Ran Jianghong , Moermond Timothy , Hou Ning , Yang Xuyu , Gu Xiaodong
Published: April 2016

The Endangered giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca is one of the most threatened mammals. The species has experienced declines in its population and habitat as a result of human disturbance. We investigated the influence of human disturbance on habitat use by giant pandas in the Daxiangling Mountains, in China's Sichuan Province. We mapped all signs of giant panda and all locations of seven types of human disturbance in the study area. We used correlation analysis, generalized linear models, and Akaike information criteria to analyse the influence of the various types of human disturbances on habitat use by the giant panda. Our results showed that habitat use was positively correlated with elevation and distance from roads, residences, hydropower stations and logging or tree-felling sites, but negatively correlated with distance from bamboo shoot collection sites and trap sites. We found that the road-effect zone spanned a distance of c. 1,200 m and that human residence could affect the intensity of habitat use by giant pandas at distances > 2,500 m. The effect of roads on habitat use was probably influenced by the association of roads with residences, hydropower stations and mines. In the area occupied by giant pandas, we recommend increased regulation to minimize the expansion and impact of roads, residences, hydropower stations and logging activities.
Regional differences in long-term cycles and seasonality of Puumala virus infections, Finland, 1995–2014
Authors: SANE J. , OLLGREN J. , MAKARY P. , VAPALAHTI O. , KUUSI M. , LYYTIKÄINEN O.
Published: April 2016

Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) causes haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in humans, an endemic disease in Finland. We aimed to study recent trends in PUUV infections in Finland, to evaluate whether there are regional differences in seasonality and long-term cycles and whether the patterns have changed over time. We analysed serologically confirmed acute PUUV infections reported to the National Infectious Disease Register from 1 April 1995 to 31 March 2014. A total of 30 942 cases of PUUV infections were identified during the study period. The average annual incidence was 31 cases/100 000 person-years with the highest in Eastern Finland and the lowest in Southwestern Finland. Throughout Finland there was not an increasing trend in incidence but changes in incidence, seasonality and long-term cycles differed regionally. Long-term cycles supported by high Bayesian posterior probabilities (73–100%) differed between the south and the north, shifting from 3 to 4 years, respectively. Temporal changes in seasonality were most prominent in Southwestern Finland. The pattern of human PUUV infection epidemiology probably primarily reflects the spatio-temporal interaction between bank-vole population dynamics and climate.
Unusual rotavirus genotypes in humans and animals with acute diarrhoea in Northeast India
Authors: CHAKRABORTY P. , BHATTACHARJEE M. J. , SHARMA I. , PANDEY P. , BARMAN N. N.
Published: April 2016

Rotavirus (RV) infection causes acute infantile diarrhoea in humans and animals and remains a major concern for vaccine development. The close proximity of humans to animals may foster cross-species infection resulting in the emergence of novel/unusual strains by genetic reassortment. In this study, we characterized 500 diarrhoeal samples for group A rotaviruses (RVA) from children (n= 290), piglets (n= 95) and calves (n= 115) in Northeast India during 2012–2013. The data showed that 142/500 (28·4%) faecal samples were positive for RVA with the highest level of infection detected in piglets (57/142, 40·1%) followed by children (51/142, 35·9%) and calves (34/142, 23·9%). Sequence-based G- and P-typing showed G1P[8] (25%) and G1P[7] (35%) were the prevailing genotypes in both humans and animals. Single cases of unusual genotypes, i.e. G9P[8], G5P[8] in humans and G1P[13], G1P[23] and G3P[7] in animals were also identified. Cluster analyses of the sequences showed regional strains were genetically closer to their homologous strains. However, human G5P[8] and porcine G1P[8] strains showed homology to heterologous hosts of their prototype strains. The subsequent global spread of unusual RV strains may result in their establishment over time, presenting challenges to future vaccine evaluation programmes. More studies on emerging genotypes are required to elucidate how RVA strains evolve post-vaccination. This study supports the need for continuous surveillance of RVA infections after detecting from diverse hosts in a common setting.
CAN RBC MODELS EXPLAIN BUSINESS CYCLES IN KOREA?
Authors: Rhee Wooheon
Published: April 2016

I examine whether an RBC model can generate a higher volatility of consumption relative to output, a strong negative correlation between output and the trade balance, and a weak countercyclicality of the real interest rate, phenomena that have been observed in the business cycles of emerging economies, including Korea. From an RBC model with recursive utility, I show that it is not the degree of relative risk aversion, but the elasticity of intertemporal substitution (EIS), that governs the movements of the variables of the model in the log linearized environment. The Bayesian estimation results based on Korean data from the period 1987 to 2013 suggest that there are some elements of success in describing the Korean economy based on the simple RBC model both with the EIS larger than one and with an error term for the real interest rate equation. An EIS larger than one improves the performance of the simple RBC model mainly in the direction of raising the volatility of consumption relative to output. Simulation results show that the error term for the real interest rate process mostly reflects the endogenous channel of financial frictions where the domestic real interest rate depends negatively on the expected (transitory) productivity shock.
The effects of risk aversion and density of contribution on comparisons of administrative charges in individual account pension systems
Authors: CHAVEZ-BEDOYA LUIS
Published: April 2016

This paper studies the effects of risk aversion and density of contribution (DoC) on comparisons of proportional charges on flow (contributions) and balance (assets) during the accumulation phase of a defined-contribution pension plan in a system of individual retirement accounts. If the participant's degree of risk aversion increases and both charges yield the same expected terminal wealth, then the charge on balance improves with respect to the charge on flow when performing comparisons that examine the ratio between the resulting expected utilities of terminal wealth. When this methodology is applied to the Peruvian Private Pension System, empirical results demonstrate that the aforementioned result also holds for arbitrary charges on flow and balance and that the effect of DoC on these comparisons is nearly negligible for most of the assessed scenarios.
Super-wideband and compact omnidirectional antenna with simple structure and improved radiation properties
Authors: Chen X. , Yang L. , Wang L. , Fu G.
Published: April 2016

A super-wideband (SWB) omnidirectional antenna is reported in Lau et al. in 2005 and 2008, but the antenna structure was complex and the radiation properties were unsatisfactory. In this paper, a SWB omnidirectional antenna with simple structure and improved radiation properties is presented. The antenna just consists of a two-stage inverted cone and two shorting pins. The proposed two-stage cone can improve the impedance matching in super-wide bandwidth, and the optimized shorting pins can reduce the cut-off frequency more than 50%. The calculated and measured results are investigated to confirm the antenna performances. The impedance bandwidth of the antenna for voltage standing wave ratio ≤ 2 achieves more than 1:22.1, covering 0.905 GHz to the above band. The smaller sizes than those referred by Lau et al. in 2008 are obtained. The profile of the antenna is 0.078λc, and the diameter of the radiation body is 0.217λc (λc is the wavelength of the cut-off frequency of the antenna). In addition, the radiation properties of the kind of SWB omnidirectional antenna are improved obviously. In the whole band, the ripple levels in horizontal radiation patterns are not more than 6.6 dB, and the cross-polarized levels are reduced by 9 dB.
Elasticity-induced force reversal between active spinning particles in dense passive media
Authors: Aragones J. L. , Steimel J. P. , Alexander-Katz A.
Published: April 2016

The self-organization of active particles is governed by their dynamic effective interactions. Such interactions are controlled by the medium in which such active agents reside. Here we study the interactions between active agents in a dense non-active medium. Our system consists of actuated, spinning, active particles embedded in a dense monolayer of passive, or non-active, particles. We demonstrate that the presence of the passive monolayer alters markedly the properties of the system and results in a reversal of the forces between active spinning particles from repulsive to attractive. The origin of such reversal is due to the coupling between the active stresses and elasticity of the system. This discovery provides a mechanism for the interaction between active agents in complex and structured media, opening up opportunities to tune the interaction range and directionality via the mechanical properties of the medium.
Line tension at lipid phase boundaries as driving force for HIV fusion peptide-mediated fusion
Authors: Yang Sung-Tae , Kiessling Volker , Tamm Lukas K.
Published: April 2016

Lipids and proteins are organized in cellular membranes in clusters, often called ‘lipid rafts’. Although raft-constituent ordered lipid domains are thought to be energetically unfavourable for membrane fusion, rafts have long been implicated in many biological fusion processes. For the case of HIV gp41-mediated membrane fusion, this apparent contradiction can be resolved by recognizing that the interfaces between ordered and disordered lipid domains are the predominant sites of fusion. Here we show that line tension at lipid domain boundaries contributes significant energy to drive gp41-fusion peptide-mediated fusion. This energy, which depends on the hydrophobic mismatch between ordered and disordered lipid domains, may contribute tens of kBT to fusion, that is, it is comparable to the energy required to form a lipid stalk intermediate. Line-active compounds such as vitamin E lower line tension in inhomogeneous membranes, thereby inhibit membrane fusion, and thus may be useful natural viral entry inhibitors.
Strong nonlinear terahertz response induced by Dirac surface states in Bi2Se3 topological insulator
Authors: Giorgianni Flavio , Chiadroni Enrica , Rovere Andrea , Cestelli-Guidi Mariangela , Perucchi Andrea , Bellaveglia Marco , Castellano Michele , Di Giovenale Domenico , Di Pirro Giampiero , Ferrario Massimo , Pompili Riccardo , Vaccarezza Cristina , Villa Fabio , Cianchi Alessandro , Mostacci Andrea , Petrarca Massimo , Brahlek Matthew , Koirala Nikesh , Oh Seongshik , Lupi Stefano
Published: April 2016

Electrons with a linear energy/momentum dispersion are called massless Dirac electrons and represent the low-energy excitations in exotic materials such as graphene and topological insulators. Dirac electrons are characterized by notable properties such as a high mobility, a tunable density and, in topological insulators, a protection against backscattering through the spin–momentum locking mechanism. All those properties make graphene and topological insulators appealing for plasmonics applications. However, Dirac electrons are expected to present also a strong nonlinear optical behaviour. This should mirror in phenomena such as electromagnetic-induced transparency and harmonic generation. Here we demonstrate that in Bi2Se3 topological insulator, an electromagnetic-induced transparency is achieved under the application of a strong terahertz electric field. This effect, concomitantly determined by harmonic generation and charge-mobility reduction, is exclusively related to the presence of Dirac electron at the surface of Bi2Se3, and opens the road towards tunable terahertz nonlinear optical devices based on topological insulator materials.
Protein-directed self-assembly of a fullerene crystal
Authors: Kim Kook-Han , Ko Dong-Kyun , Kim Yong-Tae , Kim Nam Hyeong , Paul Jaydeep , Zhang Shao-Qing , Murray Christopher B. , Acharya Rudresh , DeGrado William F. , Kim Yong Ho , Grigoryan Gevorg
Published: April 2016

Learning to engineer self-assembly would enable the precise organization of molecules by design to create matter with tailored properties. Here we demonstrate that proteins can direct the self-assembly of buckminsterfullerene (C60) into ordered superstructures. A previously engineered tetrameric helical bundle binds C60in solution, rendering it water soluble. Two tetramers associate with one C60, promoting further organization revealed in a 1.67-Å crystal structure. Fullerene groups occupy periodic lattice sites, sandwiched between two Tyr residues from adjacent tetramers. Strikingly, the assembly exhibits high charge conductance, whereas both the protein-alone crystal and amorphous C60are electrically insulating. The affinity of C60for its crystal-binding site is estimated to be in the nanomolar range, with lattices of known protein crystals geometrically compatible with incorporating the motif. Taken together, these findings suggest a new means of organizing fullerene molecules into a rich variety of lattices to generate new properties by design.
miR-22 has a potent anti-tumour role with therapeutic potential in acute myeloid leukaemia
Authors: Jiang Xi , Hu Chao , Arnovitz Stephen , Bugno Jason , Yu Miao , Zuo Zhixiang , Chen Ping , Huang Hao , Ulrich Bryan , Gurbuxani Sandeep , Weng Hengyou , Strong Jennifer , Wang Yungui , Li Yuanyuan , Salat Justin , Li Shenglai , Elkahloun Abdel G. , Yang Yang , Neilly Mary Beth , Larson Richard A. , Le Beau Michelle M. , Herold Tobias , Bohlander Stefan K. , Liu Paul P. , Zhang Jiwang , Li Zejuan , He Chuan , Jin Jie , Hong Seungpyo , Chen Jianjun
Published: April 2016

MicroRNAs are subject to precise regulation and have key roles in tumorigenesis. In contrast to the oncogenic role of miR-22 reported in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and breast cancer, here we show that miR-22 is an essential anti-tumour gatekeeper in de novo acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) where it is significantly downregulated. Forced expression of miR-22 significantly suppresses leukaemic cell viability and growth in vitro, and substantially inhibits leukaemia development and maintenance in vivo. Mechanistically, miR-22 targets multiple oncogenes, including CRTC1, FLT3 and MYCBP, and thus represses the CREB and MYC pathways. The downregulation of miR-22 in AML is caused by TET1/GFI1/EZH2/SIN3A-mediated epigenetic repression and/or DNA copy-number loss. Furthermore, nanoparticles carrying miR-22 oligos significantly inhibit leukaemia progression in vivo. Together, our study uncovers a TET1/GFI1/EZH2/SIN3A/miR-22/CREB-MYC signalling circuit and thereby provides insights into epigenetic/genetic mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of AML, and also highlights the clinical potential of miR-22-based AML therapy.
Change in brain network topology as a function of treatment response in schizophrenia: a longitudinal resting-state fMRI study using graph theory
Authors: Hadley Jennifer Ann , Kraguljac Nina Vanessa , White David Matthew , Ver Hoef Lawrence , Tabora Janell , Lahti Adrienne Carol
Published: April 2016

A number of neuroimaging studies have provided evidence in support of the hypothesis that faulty interactions between spatially disparate brain regions underlie the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, but it remains unclear to what degree antipsychotic medications affect these. We hypothesized that the balance between functional integration and segregation of brain networks is impaired in unmedicated patients with schizophrenia, but that it can be partially restored by antipsychotic medications. We included 32 unmedicated patients with schizophrenia (SZ) and 32 matched healthy controls (HC) in this study. We obtained resting-state scans while unmedicated, and again after 6 weeks of treatment with risperidone to assess functional integration and functional segregation of brain networks using graph theoretical measures. Compared with HC, unmedicated SZ showed reduced global efficiency and increased clustering coefficients. This pattern of aberrant functional network integration and segregation was modulated with antipsychotic medications, but only in those who responded to treatment. Our work lends support to the concept of schizophrenia as a dysconnectivity syndrome, and suggests that faulty brain network topology in schizophrenia is modulated by antipsychotic medication as a function of treatment response.
SCSPOD14, a South China Sea physical oceanographic dataset derived from in situ measurements during 1919–2014
Authors: Zeng Lili , Wang Dongxiao , Chen Ju , Wang Weiqiang , Chen Rongyu
Published: April 2016

In addition to the oceanographic data available for the South China Sea (SCS) from the World Ocean Database (WOD) and Array for Real-time Geostrophic Oceanography (Argo) floats, a suite of observations has been made by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO) starting from the 1970s. Here, we assemble a SCS Physical Oceanographic Dataset (SCSPOD14) based on 51,392 validated temperature and salinity profiles collected from these three datasets for the period 1919–2014. A gridded dataset of climatological monthly mean temperature, salinity, and mixed and isothermal layer depth derived from an objective analysis of profiles is also presented. Comparisons with the World Ocean Atlas (WOA) and IFREMER/LOS Mixed Layer Depth Climatology confirm the reliability of the new dataset. This unique dataset offers an invaluable baseline perspective on the thermodynamic processes, spatial and temporal variability of water masses, and basin-scale and mesoscale oceanic structures in the SCS. We anticipate improvements and regular updates to this product as more observations become available from existing and future in situ networks.
The zinc spark is an inorganic signature of human egg activation
Authors: Duncan Francesca E. , Que Emily L. , Zhang Nan , Feinberg Eve C. , O’Halloran Thomas V. , Woodruff Teresa K.
Published: April 2016

Egg activation refers to events required for transition of a gamete into an embryo, including establishment of the polyspermy block, completion of meiosis, entry into mitosis, selective recruitment and degradation of maternal mRNA and pronuclear development. Here we show that zinc fluxes accompany human egg activation. We monitored calcium and zinc dynamics in individual human eggs using selective fluorophores following activation with calcium-ionomycin, ionomycin, or hPLCζ cRNA microinjection. These egg activation methods, as expected, induced rises in intracellular calcium levels and also triggered the coordinated release of zinc into the extracellular space in a prominent “zinc spark.” The ability of the gamete to mount a zinc spark response was meiotic-stage dependent. Moreover, chelation of intracellular zinc alone was sufficient to induce cell cycle resumption and transition of a meiotic cell into a mitotic one. Together, these results demonstrate critical functions for zinc dynamics and establish the zinc spark as an extracellular marker of early human development.