bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel heterozygous BPIFC variant in a Chinese pedigree with hereditary trichilemmal cysts
Authors: Fu Xian‐Guo , Huang Zhao , Zhou Su‐Juan , Yang Jing , Peng Yun‐Juan , Cao Luo‐Yuan , Guo Hua , Wu Guang‐Hui , Lin Ying‐Hua , Huang Bao‐Ying
Published: April 2019

Background

Trichilemmal cysts (TCs) are common intradermal or subcutaneous cysts, which are commonly sporadic and rarely autosomal dominantly inherited. However, little is known about the disease‐determining genes in families with TCs exhibiting Mendelian inheritance.

Objective

The aim of this study was to identify the causative gene in a family with TCs.

Methods

Whole‐exome sequencing was performed on a TCs family to identify the candidate gene. Sanger sequencing was conducted to validate the candidate variants and familial segregation.

Results

We identified the heterozygous variant c.3G>C (p.Met1?) within the BPIFC gene. Sanger sequencing confirmed the cosegregation of this variant with the TCs phenotype in the family by demonstrating the presence of the heterozygous variant in all the 12 affected and absence in all the seven unaffected individuals. This variant was found to be absent in dbSNP141, 1,000 Genomes database and 500 ethnicity matched controls.

Conclusion

Our results imply that BPIFC is a causative gene in this Chinese family with hereditary TCs. Further studies should be performed to validate the role of BPIFC in the pathogenesis of this disease.
The seminal acrosin‐inhibitor ClTI1/SPINK2 is a fertility‐associated marker in the chicken
Authors: Thélie Aurore , Rehault‐Godbert Sophie , Poirier Jean‐Claude , Govoroun Marina , Fouchécourt Sophie , Blesbois Elisabeth
Published: April 2019

The seminal plasma is a very complex fluid, which surrounds sperm in semen. It contains numerous proteins including proteases and protease inhibitors that regulate proteolytic processes associated with protein activation and degradation. We previously identified a seminal protein, chicken liver trypsin inhibitor 1 (ClTI‐1) over expressed in semen of roosters with high fertility, suggesting a role in male fertility. In the present study, we showed that ClTI‐1 gene is actually SPINK2. Using normal healthy adult roosters, we showed that SPINK2 amount in seminal plasma was positively correlated with male fertility in chicken lines with highly contrasted genetic backgrounds (broiler and layer lines). Using affinity chromatography combined to mass spectrometry analysis and kinetic assays, we demonstrated for the first time that two chicken acrosin isoforms (acrosin and acrosin‐like proteins) are the physiological serine protease targets of SPINK2 inhibitor. SPINK2 transcript was overexpressed all along the male tract, and the protein was present in the lumen as expected for secreted proteins. Altogether, these data emphasize the role of seminal SPINK2 Kazal‐type inhibitor as an important actor of fertility in birds through its inhibitory action on acrosin isoforms proteins.
Temperature and aging dependence of strain‐induced crystallization and cavitation in highly crosslinked and filled natural rubber
Authors: Demassieux Quentin , Berghezan Daniel , Cantournet Sabine , Proudhon Henry , Creton Costantino
Published: April 2019

We have investigated the structural changes occurring in highly crosslinked and carbon‐black filled natural rubber under uniaxial extension by small‐ and wide‐angle X‐ray scattering using synchrotron radiation. The experiments focused on strain‐induced crystallization (SIC) and nanocavitation and were carried out on a model series of materials as a function of temperature and aging conditions. We find that for all materials both SIC and cavitation decrease markedly with temperature and aging. However, the presence of carbon black filler shifts the ceiling temperature where SIC is observed to at least 120°C, presumably by a nucleating effect, maintaining the high strength of the elastomers. Interestingly, although in pure elastomers, the cavitation strength decreases with temperature, we find that in these filled elastomers the critical stress for the onset of cavitation increases significantly with temperature strongly suggesting that cavitation is due to the local confinement between fillers and supporting the idea of a glassy layer near the filler. Aging for 10 days at 110°C in oxygen‐free conditions decreases both SIC and cavitation and reduces the strength of the elastomer at high temperature. This is attributed to the formation of sulfur side chains hindering the crystallization. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019, 57, 780–793
P3HT Molecular Weight Determines the Performance of P3HT:O‐IDTBR Solar Cells
Authors: Khan Jafar Iqbal , Ashraf Raja Shahid , Alamoudi Maha A. , Nabi Mohammed N. , Mohammed Hamza N. , Wadsworth Andrew , Firdaus Yuliar , Zhang Weimin , Anthopoulos Thomas D. , McCulloch Iain , Laquai Frédéric
Published: April 2019

Large‐scale production of organic solar modules requires low‐cost and reliable materials with reproducible batch‐to‐batch properties. In case of polymers, their (photo)physical properties depend strongly on the polymers’ molecular weight (MW). Herein, the impact of the MW of the donor polymer poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) on the photophysics is studied in blends with a recently developed rhodanine‐endcapped indacenodithiophene nonfullerene acceptor (IDTBR), a bulk heterojunction (BHJ) system that potentially fulfills the aforementioned criteria for large‐scale production. It is found that the power conversion efficiency (PCE) increases when the weight‐average MW is increased from 17 kDa (PCE: 4.0%) to 34 kDa (PCE: 6.6%), whereas a further increase in MW leads to a reduced PCE of 4.4%. It is demonstrated that the charge generation efficiency, as estimated from time‐delayed collection field experiments, varies with the P3HT MW and is the reason for the differences in photocurrent and device performance. These findings provide insight into the fundamental photophysical reasons of the MW dependence of the PCE, which is taken into account when using polymer‐based nonfullerene acceptor blends in solar cell devices and modules.
Molecular Genetic and Immune Functional Responses Distinguish Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Hepatic Stellate Cells
Authors: Chinnadurai Raghavan , Sands Jenna , Rajan Devi , Liu Xiao , Arafat Dalia , Das Rahul , Anania Frank A. , Gibson Greg , Kisseleva Tatiana , Galipeau Jacques
Published: April 2019

Defining the immune physiology of culture-adapted mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) derived from distinct tissue compartments informs their potential utility as pharmaceuticals. Here, we have investigated the comparative immune plasticity of MSCs and hepatic stellate cells (HeSCs) isolated from human and murine bone marrow (BM) and liver, respectively. Although both BM–MSCs and HeSCs share mesenchymal phenotype and overall molecular genetic responses to inflammatory cues, HeSCs differ from BM–MSCs in a meaningful manner. We show that culture–adapted HeSCs express substantially higher levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), matrix metalloproteinase–1, and chemokine (C—C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) than BM–MSCs. Both human BM–MSCs and HeSCs inhibit T–cell proliferation by a shared indoleamine 2,3–dioxygenase (IDO)–dependent mechanism. However, HeSCs are distinct from BM–MSCs by their significant differential expression of HGF, CCL2, IL–8, CCL11, and GMCSF when cocultured with and/or without activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We have investigated MSCs and HeSCs derived from murine systems to describe interspecies comparability. Murine BM–MSCs inhibit T–cell proliferation through inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) but not IDO. However, murine HeSCs inhibit T–cell proliferation through a mechanism distinct from either IDO or iNOS. Altogether, these results suggest that although culture–adapted BM–MSCs and HeSCs display a similar phenotype, their secretome and immune plasticity are in part distinct likely mirroring their tissular origins. In addition, the discordance in immune biology between mouse and human sourced HeSC and BM–MSCs speaks to the importance of comparative biology when interrogating rodent systems for human translational insights. Stem Cells  2019;37:1075–1082
An approximate method for separated spectral analysis of connected buildings with added damping
Authors: Andalibi Mostafa , Behnamfar Farhad
Published: April 2019

The problem of determining maximum seismic responses, or spectral analysis, of connected adjacent structures is studied in this research. The goal of the study is twofold. First, determining when the dynamic coupling is important in such a problem and, second, establishing how to analyze each of the two structures separately when coupling is important. For tall buildings in many cases, the connecting link is intentionally accommodated with an added damping to suppress the lateral displacements. Therefore, effect of the localized damping is also accounted for in the analysis. Using essentials of modal analysis, a criterion is developed for estimation of the dynamic coupling of the two adjacent structures. Also, a procedure is developed for separated analysis of each structure incorporating the stiffness and inertial effects of the adjacent structures when coupling is important. The representative examples confirm good accuracy of the presented method.
Poisson-Lie T-plurality revisited. Is T-duality unique?
Authors: Hlavatý Ladislav , Petr Ivo
Published: April 2019

Abstract

We investigate (non-)Abelian T-duality from the perspective of Poisson-Lie T-plurality. We show that sigma models related by duality/plurality are given not only by Manin triples obtained from decompositions of Drinfel’d double, but also by their particular embeddings, i.e. maps that relate bases of these decompositions. This allows us to get richer set of dual or plural sigma models than previously thought. That’s why we ask how T-duality is defined and what should be the “canonical” duality or plurality transformation.
Like it or Not, Unilateral Sanctions Are Here to Stay
Authors: Cohen David S. , Goldman Zachary K.
Published: April 2019

Financial and economic sanctions are often adopted to serve multiple ends, including deterrence and prevention, but they are best understood as a tool to incentivize change in a target's behavior. In pursuit of this coercive objective, it is generally—but not always—the case that sanctions are more effective when they are imposed multilaterally, and the broader the coalition the better. This is because multilateral sanctions leverage the diverse sources of pressure that coalition partners can bring to bear on a target and carry with them the legitimacy of broad international support. Taken to its extreme, this argument may suggest that sanctions should always be multilateral, whether adopted through the United Nations, another forum, or an ad hoc coalition. But as we explain below, there are at least two significant reasons that militate in favor of unilateral sanctions. First, within the broad limits of international law, every country must retain the authority to impose sanctions to protect its sovereign security interests, even when it cannot muster a coalition of like-minded allies or a sufficient number of votes—and avoid a veto—on the UN Security Council. Second, imposing “smart” sanctions is actually a difficult business, requiring a complex administrative apparatus to design, build, implement, enforce, and defend them. International institutions, including the United Nations, are inherently less able to build the necessary structures to effectively enforce sanctions. For all of these reasons, two systems of sanctions—one national, one supranational—will likely coexist into the future.
Medieval Property Investors, ca. 1300–1500
Authors: BELL ADRIAN R. , BROOKS CHRIS , KILLICK HELEN
Published: April 2019

This paper uses a data set of freehold land and property transactions from medieval England to highlight the growing commercialization of the economy during that time. By drawing on the legal records, we are able to demonstrate that the medieval real estate market provided the opportunity for investors to profit. Careful analysis of the data provides evidence of group purchases, multiple transactions, and investors buying outside their own localities. The identification of these “investors” and their buying behaviors, set within the context of the English medieval economy, contributes to the early commercialization debate.
Comparison between super-hydrophobic, liquid infused and rough surfaces: a direct numerical simulation study
Authors: Arenas Isnardo , García Edgardo , Fu Matthew K. , Orlandi Paolo , Hultmark Marcus , Leonardi Stefano
Published: April 2019

Direct numerical simulations of two superposed fluids in a channel with a textured surface on the lower wall have been carried out. A parametric study varying the viscosity ratio between the two fluids has been performed to mimic both idealised super-hydrophobic and liquid-infused surfaces and assess its effect on the frictional, form and total drag for three different textured geometries: longitudinal square bars, transversal square bars and staggered cubes. The interface between the two fluids is assumed to be slippery in the streamwise and spanwise directions and not deformable in the vertical direction, corresponding to the ideal case of infinite surface tension. To identify the role of the fluid–fluid interface, an extra set of simulations with a single fluid has been carried out. Comparison with the cases with two fluids reveals the role of the interface in suppressing turbulent transport between the lubricating layer and the overlying flow decreasing the overall drag. In addition, the drag and the maximum wall-normal velocity fluctuations were found to be highly correlated for all the surface configurations, whether they reduce or increase the drag. This implies that the structure of the near-wall turbulence is dominated by the total shear and not by the local boundary condition of the super-hydrophobic, liquid infused or rough surfaces.
An optimised gravitational wave follow-up strategy with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder
Authors: Dobie D. , Murphy T. , Kaplan D. L. , Ghosh S. , Bannister K. W. , Hunstead R. W.
Published: April 2019

The detection of a neutron star merger by the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory and Advanced Virgo gravitational wave detectors, and the subsequent detection of an electromagnetic counterpart have opened a new era of transient astronomy. With upgrades to the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory and Advanced Virgo detectors and new detectors coming online in Japan and India, neutron star mergers will be detected at a higher rate in the future, starting with the O3 observing run which will begin in early 2019. The detection of electromagnetic emission from these mergers provides vital information about merger parameters and allows independent measurement of the Hubble constant. The Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder is expected to become fully operational in early 2019, and its 30 deg2 field of view will enable us to rapidly survey large areas of sky. In this work we explore prospects for detecting both prompt and long-term radio emission from neutron star mergers with Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder and determine an observing strategy that optimises the use of telescope time. We investigate different strategies to tile the sky with telescope pointings in order to detect radio counterparts with limited observing time, using 475 simulated gravitational wave events. Our results show a significant improvement in observing efficiency when compared with a naïve strategy of covering the entire localisation above some confidence threshold, even when achieving the same total probability covered.
From Jerusalem to the Rest of the West Bank: Israel's Strategies of Annexation
Authors: Shehadeh Raja
Published: April 2019

Since 1967, despite international legal restrictions, Israel has sought to annex Eastern Jerusalem. Fifty-one years later, it publicly declared in its Nation State Law: “Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel.” In the West Bank, Israel initiated on the ground changes that furthered annexation without formally declaring any part of it as annexed. For decades, Al-Haq has documented the gradual encroachment of occupation by successive Israeli administrations. And yet the Palestinian leadership failed to successfully utilize the law to support its case. Nor could the 190 states, parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, be convinced to enforce the provision in the Convention which bids the High Contracting Parties to “ensure respect for the present convention in all circumstances.” During the Oslo negotiations, Israel succeeded in leaving Jerusalem and the Jewish settlements outside of the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority. Given these patterns across nearly a half-century of history, it seems likely that Israel will declare the full annexation of the West Bank in part or in its entirety precisely because it has succeeded in accomplishing this in the case of Jerusalem.
Outcomes and change processes of an established family education program for carers of adults diagnosed with a serious mental health condition
Authors: Farhall John , Cugnetto Marilyn L. , Mathews Stephanie , Ratcliff Kirk , Farnan Sue , Higgins Kate , Constantine Emma
Published: April 2019

Background

Family education programs (FEPs) target caregiving-related psychological distress for carers of relatives/friends diagnosed with serious mental health conditions. While FEPs are efficacious in reducing distress, the mechanisms are not fully known. Peer group support and greater mental health knowledge are proposed to reduce carers' psychological distress by reducing stigmatising attitudes and self-blame, and strengthening carers' relationship with their relative.

Methods

Adult carers (n = 1016) who participated in Wellways Australia's FEP from 2009 to 2016 completed self-report questionnaires at the core program's start and end, during the consolidation period, and at a 6-month follow-up. Those who enrolled early completed questionnaires prior to a wait-list period. We used linear mixed-effects modelling to assess the program's effectiveness using a naturalistic wait-list control longitudinal design, and multivariate latent growth modelling to test a theory-based process change model.

Results

While there was no significant change over the wait-list period, psychological distress, self-blame and stigmatising attitudes significantly decreased, and communication and relationship quality/feelings increased from the core program's start to its end. Changes were maintained throughout the consolidation period and follow-up. Peer group support significantly predicted the declining trajectory of distress. Peer group support and greater knowledge significantly predicted declining levels of self-blame and stigmatising attitudes, and increasing levels of communication.

Conclusions

This is the first study to quantitatively validate the mechanisms underlying the effect of FEPs on carers' psychological distress. Peer group support is key in modifying carers' appraisals of their friend/relatives' condition. Continued implementation of FEPs within mental health service systems is warranted.
Infant language predicts fathers’ vocabulary in infant-directed speech
Authors: QUIGLEY Jean , NIXON Elizabeth
Published: April 2019

Research on sources of individual difference in parental Infant-Directed Speech (IDS) is limited and there is a particular lack of research on fathers’ compared to mothers’ speech. This study examined the predictive relations between infant characteristics and variability in paternal lexical diversity (LD) in dyadic free play with two-year-olds (M = 24.1 months, SD = 1.39, 35 girls). Ten minutes of interaction for sixty-four father–infant dyads were transcribed and multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the effects of a set of distal and proximal sources of infant influence on paternal LD. Fathers’ LD was predicted only by infant language, both standardised language scores and dynamic language measures, and was not predicted by infant age, gender, executive function, or temperament. Findings are discussed in the light of the complex interplay of factors contributing to variability in IDS and the infant's linguistic environment.
Evidence for functional GABAA but not GABAC receptors in mouse cone photoreceptors
Authors: Deniz Sercan , Wersinger Eric , Picaud Serge , Roux Michel J.
Published: April 2019

At the first retinal synapse, horizontal cells (HCs) contact both photoreceptor terminals and bipolar cell dendrites, modulating information transfer between these two cell types to enhance spatial contrast and mediate color opponency. The synaptic mechanisms through which these modulations occur are still debated. The initial hypothesis of a GABAergic feedback from HCs to cones has been challenged by pharmacological inconsistencies. Surround antagonism has been demonstrated to occur via a modulation of cone calcium channels through ephaptic signaling and pH changes in the synaptic cleft. GABAergic transmission between HCs and cones has been reported in some lower vertebrates, like the turtle and tiger salamander. In these reports, it was revealed that GABA is released from HCs through reverse transport and target GABA receptors are located at the cone terminals. In mammalian retinas, there is growing evidence that HCs can release GABA through conventional vesicular transmission, acting both on autaptic GABA receptors and on receptors expressed at the dendritic tips of the bipolar cells. The presence of GABA receptors on mammalian cone terminals remains equivocal. Here, we looked specifically for functional GABA receptors in mouse photoreceptors by recording in the whole-cell or amphotericin/gramicidin-perforated patch clamp configurations. Cones could be differentiated from rods through morphological criteria. Local GABA applications evoked a Cl− current in cones but not in rods. It was blocked by the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline methiodide and unaffected by the GABAC receptor antagonist TPMPA [(1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridin-4-yl)methylphosphinic acid]. The voltage dependency of the current amplitude was as expected from a direct action of GABA on cone pedicles but not from an indirect modulation of cone currents following the activation of the GABA receptors of HCs. This supports a direct role of GABA released from HCs in the control of cone activity in the mouse retina.
Emotion dysregulation: A theme in search of definition
Authors: Thompson Ross A.
Published: April 2019

Emotion dysregulation is defined as patterns of emotional experience or expression that interfere with goal-directed activity. This paper considers this functionalist definition from a developmental perspective with the goal of elaborating this approach with respect to its central questions. What are the goals that are impeded by emotionally dysregulated responding, and what alternative goals might motivate emotion dysregulation? What are the developmental processes by which these goals take shape, and what are the influences of the family context, and especially of central relationships in the family, in their emergence? How does this functionalist account address the complex interaction of experience and developing biological processes that also influence emotion regulation and dysregulation? Drawing on research literature concerning children at risk for affective psychopathology and considering relevant examples of the interaction of biology and context, this discussion offers a portrayal of emotion dysregulation as a biologically dynamic, experience-based aspect of adaptation to environments and relationships that, in conditions of risk for the emergence of developmental psychopathology, motivates patterns of emotional responding that serve immediate coping often at the cost of long-term maladaptation. Implications for emotions theory and the study of developmental psychopathology are also considered.
The full-reducing Krivine abstract machine KN simulates pure normal-order reduction in lockstep: A proof via corresponding calculus
Authors: GARCÍA-PÉREZ ÁLVARO , NOGUEIRA PABLO
Published: April 2019

We exploit the idea of proving properties of an abstract machine by using a corresponding semantic artefact better suited to their proof. The abstract machine is an improved version of Pierre Crégut’s full-reducing Krivine machine KN. The original version works with closed terms of the pure lambda calculus with de Bruijn indices. The improved version reduces in similar fashion but works on closures where terms may be open. The corresponding semantic artefact is a structural operational semantics of a calculus of closures whose reduction relation is purposely a reduction strategy. As shown in previous work, improved KN and the structural operational semantics ‘correspond’, i.e. both artefacts realise the same reduction strategy. In this paper, we prove in the calculus of closures that the reduction strategy simulates in lockstep (at every reduction step) the complete and standard normal-order strategy (i.e. leftmost reduction to normal form) of the pure lambda calculus. The simulation is witnessed by a substitution function from closures of the closure calculus to pure terms of the pure lambda calculus. Thus, KN also simulates normal-order in lockstep by the correspondence. This result is stronger than the known proof that KN is complete, for in the pure lambda calculus there are complete but non-standard strategies. The lockstep simulation proof consists of straightforward structural inductions, thanks to three properties of the closure calculus we call ‘index alignment’, ‘parameters-as-levels’ and ‘balanced derivations’. The first two come from KN. Thanks to these properties, a proof in a calculus of closures involving de Bruijn indices and de Bruijn levels is unproblematic. There is no lexical adjustment at binding lookup, on-the-fly alpha-conversion or recursive traversals of the term to deal with bound and free variables as in other calculi. This paper contributes to the framework for environment machines of Biernacka and Danvy a full-reducing open-terms closure calculus, its corresponding abstract machine, and a lockstep simulation proof via a substitution function.
Militarized masculinities beyond methodological nationalism: charting the multiple masculinities of an Indonesian jihadi
Authors: Duriesmith David , Ismail Noor Huda
Published: April 2019

Studies of masculinity and armed conflict have struggled to capture the complex interaction between globalized militarized masculinities and local gender formations. Particularly in conflicts characterized by a high degree of combatant mobility (in the form of foreign fighters, massed displacement, or significant diaspora involvement) locating the relevant gender dynamics can prove to be a difficult step in understanding the character of armed groups. Based on fieldwork with Indonesian former foreign fighters, we make the case that feminist international relations have tended to unreflectively default to the nation when locating gender hierarchies. Exploring the multiple articulations of masculinity present in former fighters’ lives, we suggest that efforts must be made to resist methodological nationalism in understanding the relationship between gender hierarchies and armed conflict. Charting how foreign fighters traverse local constructions of gender, national gender hierarchies, and transnational social structures to participate in the conflict, we argue that adopting a conscious consideration of scale in our research method is needed to move beyond methodological nationalism.
Mobilizing transdisciplinary collaborations: collective reflections on decentering academia in knowledge production
Authors: Alonso-Yanez Gabriela , House-Peters Lily , Garcia-Cartagena Martin , Bonelli Sebastian , Lorenzo-Arana Ignacio , Ohira Marcella
Published: April 2019

Non-technical summary

Global sustainability challenges and their impact on society have been well-documented in recent years, such as more intense extreme weather events, environmental degradation, as well as ecosystem and biodiversity loss. These challenges require a united effort of scientists from multiple disciplines with stakeholders, including government, non-government organizations, corporate industry, and members of the general public, with the aim to generate integrated knowledge with real-world applicability. Yet, there continues to be challenges for these types of collaboration. In this commentary, we describe processes of collective unlearning that serve to decenter academia in collaborations leading to a more equitable positioning of practitioners engaged in collaborative global sustainability research.
Pacific Anthropogenic Carbon Between 1991 and 2017
Authors: Carter B. R. , Feely R. A. , Wanninkhof R. , Kouketsu S. , Sonnerup R. E. , Pardo P. C. , Sabine C. L. , Johnson G. C. , Sloyan B. M. , Murata A. , Mecking S. , Tilbrook B. , Speer K. , Talley L. D. , Millero F. J. , Wijffels S. E. , Macdonald A. M. , Gruber N. , Bullister J. L.
Published: April 2019

We estimate anthropogenic carbon (Canth) accumulation rates in the Pacific Ocean between 1991 and 2017 from 14 hydrographic sections that have been occupied two to four times over the past few decades, with most sections having been recently measured as part of the Global Ocean Ship‐based Hydrographic Investigations Program. The rate of change of Canth is estimated using a new method that combines the extended multiple linear regression method with improvements to address the challenges of analyzing multiple occupations of sections spaced irregularly in time. The Canth accumulation rate over the top 1,500 m of the Pacific increased from 8.8 (±1.1, 1σ) Pg of carbon per decade between 1995 and 2005 to 11.7 (±1.1) PgC per decade between 2005 and 2015. For the entire Pacific, about half of this decadal increase in the accumulation rate is attributable to the increase in atmospheric CO2, while in the South Pacific subtropical gyre this fraction is closer to one fifth. This suggests a substantial enhancement of the accumulation of Canth in the South Pacific by circulation variability and implies that a meaningful portion of the reinvigoration of the global CO2 sink that occurred between ~2000 and ~2010 could be driven by enhanced ocean Canth uptake and advection into this gyre. Our assessment suggests that the accuracy of Canth accumulation rate reconstructions along survey lines is limited by the accuracy of the full suite of hydrographic data and that a continuation of repeated surveys is a critical component of future carbon cycle monitoring.
How Much of the Sediment in Gale Crater's Central Mound Was Fluvially Transported?
Authors: Thomson Bradley J. , Buczkowski Debra L. , Crumpler Larry S. , Seelos Kimberly D. , Fassett Caleb I.
Published: April 2019

The origin of the sedimentary mound within Gale crater, the landing site for the Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity, remains enigmatic. Here we examine the total potential contribution of fluvial material by conducting a volume‐based analysis. On the basis of these results, the mound can be divided into three zones: lower, intermediate, and upper zones. The top boundary of the lowermost zone is defined by maximal contribution of water‐lain sediments, which are ~13% to 20% of the total mound volume. The upper zone is defined by the elevation of the unbreached rim to the north (–2.46 km); sediments above this elevation cannot have been emplaced by flowing water. These volume balance calculations indicate that mechanisms other than flowing water are required to account for the overwhelming majority of the sediments transported into Gale crater. The most likely candidate process is settling from eolian suspension.
Retrieving Precipitable Water Vapor From Shipborne Multi‐GNSS Observations
Authors: Wang Jungang , Wu Zhilu , Semmling Maximilian , Zus Florian , Gerland Sebastian , Ramatschi Markus , Ge Maorong , Wickert Jens , Schuh Harald
Published: April 2019

Precipitable water vapor (PWV) is an important parameter for climate research and a crucial factor to achieve high accuracy in satellite geodesy and satellite altimetry. Currently Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) PWV retrieval using static Precise Point Positioning is limited to ground stations. We demonstrated the PWV retrieval using kinematic Precise Point Positioning method with shipborne GNSS observations during a 20‐day experiment in 2016 in Fram Strait, the region of the Arctic Ocean between Greenland and Svalbard. The shipborne GNSS PWV shows an agreement of ~1.1 mm with numerical weather model data and radiosonde observations, and a root‐mean‐square of ~1.7 mm compared to Satellite with ARgos and ALtiKa PWV. An improvement of 10% is demonstrated with the multi‐GNSS compared to the Global Positioning System solution. The PWV retrieval was conducted under different sea state from calm water up to gale. Such shipborne GNSS PWV has the promising potential to improve numerical weather forecasts and satellite altimetry.
USP10 modulates the SKP2/Bcr-Abl axis via stabilizing SKP2 in chronic myeloid leukemia
Authors: Liao Yuning , Liu Ningning , Xia Xiaohong , Guo Zhiqiang , Li Yanling , Jiang Lili , Zhou Ruiqing , Tang Daolin , Huang Hongbiao , Liu Jinbao
Published: April 2019

Constitutive activation of tyrosine kinase Bcr-Abl is the leading cause of the development and progression of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Currently, the application of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting the Bcr-Abl is the primary therapy for CML patients. However, acquired resistance to TKIs that develops overtime in the long-term administration renders TKIs ineffective to patients with advanced CML. Therefore, increasing studies focus on the amplified expression or activation of Bcr-Abl which is proposed to contribute to the advanced phase. Here, we show that S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (SKP2) acts as a co-regulator of Bcr-Abl by mediating its K63-linked ubiquitination and activation. Further investigations show that USP10 as a novel deubiquitinase of SKP2 amplifies the activation of Bcr-Abl via mediating deubiquitination and stabilization of SKP2 in CML cells. Moreover, inhibition of USP10 significantly suppresses the proliferation of both imatinib-sensitive and imatinib-resistant CML cells, which likely depends on SKP2 status. This findings are confirmed in primary CML cells because these cells are over-expressed with USP10 and SKP2 and are sensitive to a USP10 inhibitor. Taken together, the present study not only provides a novel insight into the amplified activation of Bcr-Abl in CML, but also demonstrates that targeting the USP10/SKP2/Bcr-Abl axis is a potential strategy to overcome imatinib resistance in CML patients.
Concomitant opening of a bulk-gap with an emerging possible Majorana zero mode
Authors: Grivnin Anna , Bor Ella , Heiblum Moty , Oreg Yuval , Shtrikman Hadas
Published: April 2019

Majorana quasiparticles are generally detected in a 1D topological superconductor by tunneling electrons into its edge, with an emergent zero-bias conductance peak (ZBCP). However, such a ZBCP can also result from other mechanisms, hence, additional verifications are required. Since the emergence of a Majorana must be accompanied by an opening of a topological gap in the bulk, two simultaneous measurements are performed: one in the bulk and another at the edge of a 1D InAs nanowire coated with epitaxial aluminum. Only under certain experimental parameters, a closing of the superconducting bulk-gap that is followed by its reopening, appears simultaneously with a ZBCP at the edge. Such events suggest the occurrence of a topologically non-trivial phase. Yet, we also find that ZBCPs are observed under different tuning parameters without simultaneous reopening of a bulk-gap. This demonstrates the importance of simultaneous probing of bulk and edge in the identification of Majorana edge-states.
Age- and sex-specific prevalence of chronic comorbidity in adult patients with asthma: A real-life study
Authors: Veenendaal Mathijs , Westerik Janine A. M. , van den Bemt Lisette , Kocks Janwillem W. H. , Bischoff Erik W. , Schermer Tjard R.
Published: April 2019

The presence of comorbidity can be associated with poorer asthma outcomes. Previous prevalence studies focused on a limited selection of comorbid conditions in asthma only. We aimed to determine age- and sex-specific prevalence estimates for the full range of chronic comorbid conditions in adult asthma patients by performing a retrospective cohort study based on 32,787 medical records of patients aged ≥16 years with asthma from 179 general practices in the Netherlands. Age- and sex-specific prevalence estimates of 76 chronic comorbidities and 14 disease categories based on International Classification of Primary Care codes were determined. Chronic comorbidity was present in 65.3% of male asthma patients and 72.8% of female asthma patients, with female patients having a higher mean (SD) of 2.0 (2.1) comorbidities compared to male patients (1.7 (2.0)). This mean increased to 5.0 (2.7) conditions in the 75+ age group. Most prevalent comorbidities were hypertension (20.1%), osteoarthritis (11.5%), eczema (11.5%) and dyspepsia (10.7%). Compared to male asthma patients, female asthma patients showed higher odds for the presence of other chronic conditions in eight disease categories. Neurological (odds ratio [OR]; 95% confidence interval 2.01; 1.76–2.29), blood forming/lymphatics (OR 1.83; 1.38–2.42) and musculoskeletal diseases (OR 1.82; 1.69–1.95) showed the highest association with female sex. In conclusion, the presence of chronic comorbidity is the norm in adults with asthma and it is more prevalent in female than in male asthma patients. The odds of having a specific comorbid condition may differ between the sexes. Attention in guidelines on how to handle comorbidities may lead to a more targeted treatment for comorbidities and more patient-centred asthma management.
Superconductivity from valley fluctuations and approximate SO(4) symmetry in a weak coupling theory of twisted bilayer graphene
Authors: You Yi-Zhuang , Vishwanath Ashvin
Published: April 2019

Abstarct

The recent discovery of the Mott insulating and superconducting phases in twisted bilayer graphene has generated tremendous research interest. Here, we develop a weak coupling approach to the superconductivity in twisted bilayer graphene, starting from the Fermi liquid regime. A key observation is that near half filling, the fermiology consists of well nested Fermi pockets derived from opposite valleys, leading to enhanced valley fluctuation, which in turn can mediate superconductivity. This scenario is studied within the random phase approximation. We find that inter-valley electron pairing with either chiral (d + id mixed with p−ip) or helical form factor is the dominant instability. An approximate SO(4) spin-valley symmetry implies a near degeneracy of spin-singlet and triplet pairing. On increasing interactions, commensurate inter-valley coherence wave (IVCW) order can arise, with simultaneous condensation at the three M points in the Brillouin Zone, and a 2 × 2 pattern in real space. In simple treatments though, this leads to a full gap at fillings ± (1/2 + 1/8), slightly away from half-filling. The selection of spin-singlet or spin triplet orders, both for the IVCW and the superconductor, arise fcase corresponds to the Hundsrom SO(4) symmetry breaking terms. Mott insulators derived from phase fluctuating superconductors are also discussed, which exhibit both symmetry protected and intrinsic topological orders.
Unconventional spin-phonon coupling via the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction
Authors: Son Jaeseok , Park Byung Cheol , Kim Choong H. , Cho Hwanbeom , Kim So Yeun , Sandilands Luke J. , Sohn Changhee , Park Je-Geun , Moon Soon Jae , Noh Tae Won
Published: April 2019

Spin-phonon coupling (SPC) plays a critical role in numerous intriguing phenomena of transition metal oxides (TMOs). In 3d and 4d TMOs, the coupling between spin and lattice degrees of freedom is known to originate from the exchange interaction. On the other hand, the origin of SPC in 5d TMOs remains to be elucidated. To address this issue, we measured the phonon spectra of the 5d pyrochlore iridate Y2Ir2O7 using optical spectroscopy. Three infrared-active phonons soften below the Néel temperature of TN ≈ 170 K, indicating the existence of strong SPC. Simulations using density functional theory showed that the coupling is closely related to the Ir–O–Ir bond angle. A tight-binding model analysis reveals that this SPC is mainly mediated by the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction rather than the usual exchange interaction. We suggest that such unconventional SPC may be realized in other 5d TMOs with non-collinear magnetic order.
A multi-species repository of social networks
Authors: Sah Pratha , Méndez José David , Bansal Shweta
Published: April 2019

Social network analysis is an invaluable tool to understand the patterns, evolution, and consequences of sociality. Comparative studies over a range of social systems across multiple taxonomic groups are particularly valuable. Such studies however require quantitative social association or interaction data across multiple species which is not easily available. We introduce the Animal Social Network Repository (ASNR) as the first multi-taxonomic repository that collates 790 social networks from more than 45 species, including those of mammals, reptiles, fish, birds, and insects. The repository was created by consolidating social network datasets from the literature on wild and captive animals into a consistent and easy-to-use network data format. The repository is archived at https://bansallab.github.io/asnr/. ASNR has tremendous research potential, including testing hypotheses in the fields of animal ecology, social behavior, epidemiology and evolutionary biology.
Altered cognitive control network is related to psychometric and biochemical profiles in covert hepatic encephalopathy
Authors: Tsai Chia-Fen , Tu Pei-Chi , Wang Yen-Po , Chu Chi-Jen , Huang Yi-Hsiang , Lin Han-Chieh , Hou Ming-Chih , Lee Fa-Yauh , Liu Pei-Yi , Lu Ching-Liang
Published: April 2019

The cognitive control network (CCN) is a network responsible for multiple executive functions, which are impaired in covert hepatic encephalopathy (CHE). We aimed to use functional connectivity (FC) magnetic resonance imaging to test the hypothesis that CHE manifested with disconnection within the CCN, which is associated with impaired neuropsychiatric and biochemical profiles. CHE was detected with abnormally low psychometric hepatic encephalopathy scores (PHES) (total cut-off score <−4). Two seeds in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) were used to calculate the FC map within the CCN. Pearson correlation analysis was performed between the CCN and psychometric, biochemical profiles including ammonia, Interleukin (IL)-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Eighteen CHE, 36 non-HE (NHE) cirrhotic patients and 36 controls were studied. Significant differences in FC were noted among groups, which revealed CHE patients had a lower FC in the bilateral lateral occipital cortex (seed in the bilateral dACC) and in the right lateral occipital and precuneus cortices (seed in the left DLPFC) (P < 0.05, corrected) compared with NHE. Progressively decreased FC in the left precentral gyrus within the CCN was noted from control, NHE to CHE. PHES positively and biochemistry negatively correlated with FC in the CCN. In conclusion, CHE patients showed aberrant FC within the CCN which is correlated with both cognitive dysfunction and biochemical profiles. Ammonia and pro-inflammatory cytokines may contribute to the occurrence of aberrant connectivity. Impaired FC within the CCN may serve as a complementary biomarker for CHE.
Raman spectroscopy on live mouse early embryo while it continues to develop into blastocyst in vitro
Authors: Perevedentseva Elena , Krivokharchenko Alexander , Karmenyan Artashes V. , Chang Hsin-Hou , Cheng Chia-Liang
Published: April 2019

Laser based spectroscopic methods can be versatile tools in investigating early stage mammalian embryo structure and biochemical processes in live oocytes and embryos. The limiting factor for using the laser methods in embryological studies is the effect of laser irradiation on the ova. The aim of this work is to explore the optimal parameters of the laser exposure in Raman spectroscopic measurements applicable for studying live early embryos in vitro without impacting their developmental capability. Raman spectra from different areas of mouse oocytes and 2-cells embryos were measured and analyzed. The laser power and exposure time were varied and further embryo development was evaluated to select optimal conditions of the measurements. This work demonstrates safe laser irradiation parameters can be selected, which allow acquisition of Raman spectra suitable for further analysis without affecting the early mouse embryo development in vitro up to morphologically normal blastocyst. The estimation of living embryo state is demonstrated via analysis and comparison of the spectra from fertilized embryo with the spectra from unfertilized oocytes or embryos subjected to UV laser irradiation. These results demonstrate the possibility of investigating preimplantation mammalian embryo development and estimating its state/quality. It will have potential in developing prognosis of mammalian embryos in assisted reproductive technologies.
Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell extracts ameliorate atopic dermatitis in mice by reducing the T cell responses
Authors: Song Ji-young , Kang Hyo Jeong , Ju Hyun Min , Park Arum , Park Hyojung , Hong Joon Seok , Kim Chong Jai , Shim Jae-Yoon , Yu Jinho , Choi Jene
Published: April 2019

Mesenchymal stem cells derived from Wharton’s jelly of the umbilical cord (UC-MSCs) have immunomodulatory properties. The aim of this study was to explore whether extracts of MSCs (MSC-Ex) could augment the low therapeutic efficacy of the whole cells in an Aspergillus fumigatus (Af)-induced atopic dermatitis (AD) model. LPS- or TNF-α/IFN-γ-stimulated keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) were treated with MSC-Ex, and the Af-induced AD model was established in BALB/c mice. In HaCaT cells, MSC-Ex treatment significantly reduced the inflammatory cytokine (IL-6, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5 and TNF-α), iNOS and NF-κB levels, and upregulated the anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β1). In the AD mice, the MSC-Ex group showed greatly reduced dermatitis, and lower clinical symptom scores and IgE levels. The histological dermatitis scores were also markedly lower in the MSC-Ex-treated animals compared with the MSC-treated group. Decreased levels of IFN-γ (Th1) and IL-17 (Th17), IL-4 and IL-13 (Th2) were detected in T cells and the skin tissue from the MSC-Ex treated AD mice. The therapeutic capacity of MSC-Ex was preserved after lyophilization and reconstitution. MSC-Ex treatment reproducibly suppresses dermatitis and inhibits the induction of inflammatory cytokines in the skin of AD mice. MSC-Ex is therefore a potential new treatment agent for AD.