bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MARHYS (MARine HYdrothermal Solutions) Database: A Global Compilation of Marine Hydrothermal Vent Fluid, End Member, and Seawater Compositions
Authors: Diehl Alexander , Bach Wolfgang
Published: October 2020

We introduce a database of hydrothermal vent fluid compositions extracted from peer‐reviewed publications. The database includes general fluid parameters (e.g., temperature, salinity, and pH) as well as major‐, minor‐, and trace‐element concentrations (including rare earth elements) of dissolved cations, anions, reduced carbon compounds, and gases. In addition, isotopic compositions of elements and molecules are included. Each parameter in the database is given in a uniform unit and enables direct intercomparison of data from the incorporated sources. The database provides detailed information about geographic location, the date of sampling, and a broad set of supplementary information that enables clear identification of each individual sample and the original data source. This type of metadata was used to merge compositional data for discrete vent fluid samples that originate from different publications. Hence, the database provides a more complete set of compositional parameters than the original sources do. To facilitate operability, the database is provided as ®Excel sheet, which enables users to visualize, sort, filter, and evaluate the database in a straightforward way. The sample information metadata enables extraction of available vent fluid data for specific regions, tectonic settings, host rock types, etc. The database will be a useful tool in determining (1) mechanisms that set fluid chemistry, as well as (2) regional and global geochemical fluxes across the seabed. To demonstrate the extent of the database, we examine the global distribution of magnesium, chloride, and sodium concentrations in vent fluid samples that are incorporated in MARHYS Database.
Spatial Effects of Livestock Farming on Human Infections With Shiga Toxin‐Producing Escherichia coli O157 in Small but Densely Populated Regions: The Case of the Netherlands
Authors: Mulder A. C. , van de Kassteele J. , Heederik D. , Pijnacker R. , Mughini‐Gras L. , Franz E.
Published: October 2020

The role of environmental transmission of typically foodborne pathogens like Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157 is increasingly recognized. To gain more insights into spatially restricted risk factors that play a role in this transmission, we assessed the spatial association between sporadic STEC O157 human infections and the exposure to livestock (i.e. small ruminants, cattle, poultry, and pigs) in a densely populated country: the Netherlands. This was done for the years 2007–2016, using a state‐of‐the‐art spatial analysis method in which hexagonal areas with different sizes (90, 50, 25 and 10 km2) were used in combination with a novel probability of exposure metric: the population‐weighted number of animals per hexagon. To identify risk factors for STEC O157 infections and their population attributable fraction (PAF), a spatial regression model was fitted using integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA). Living in hexagonal areas of 25, 50 and 90 km2 with twice as much population‐weighted small ruminants was associated with an increase of the incidence rate of human STEC O157 infections in summer (RR of 1.09 [95%CI;1.01–1.17], RR of 1.17 [95%CI;1.07–1.28] and RR of 1.13 [95%CI;1.01–1.26]), with a PAF of 49% (95%CI;8–72%). Results suggest exposure to small ruminants to be a risk factor, although no evidence on the mode of transmission is provided. Therefore, the underlying mechanisms warrant further investigation and could offer new targets for control. The newly proposed exposure metric has potential to improve existing spatial modeling studies on infectious diseases related to livestock exposure, especially in densely populated countries like the Netherlands.
Twenty‐First Century Trends in Mixing Barriers and Eddy Transport in the Lower Stratosphere
Authors: Abalos M. , de la Cámara A.
Published: October 2020

Future trends in isentropic mixing in the lower stratosphere remain largely unexplored, in contrast with other aspects of stratospheric tracer transport. This study examines trends in effective diffusivity (κeff), a measure of the potential of the flow to produce isentropic mixing, in recent chemistry‐climate model simulations. The results highlight substantial reduction of κeff in the upper flanks of the subtropical jets from fall to spring, which are strengthened in response to greenhouse gas increases. This contrasts with stronger eddy transport, associated with increased wave drag in the region, peaking in summer near the critical lines. The key role of changes in tracer meridional gradients in addition to transport barriers for isentropic mixing trends is evidenced. The projected ozone recovery leads to enhanced κeff in polar austral spring and summer, associated with a weaker and shorter‐lived austral polar vortex by the end of the 21st century.
On the Type‐A and Type‐B 150‐km Radar Echoes
Authors: Patra A. K. , Chaitanya P. Pavan , Rao M. Durga , Reddy G. Janardana
Published: October 2020

Type‐A (weaker and wider Doppler spectra) and Type‐B (stronger and narrower Doppler spectra) echoes are inherent to the puzzling 150‐km echoing phenomenon. In this paper, we investigate the characteristics and possible origin of the Type‐A and Type‐B 150‐km echoes using high‐resolution 53‐MHz radar and Digisonde observations from Gadanki. Results show that the Type‐A echoes dominate the echoing phenomenon and they always precede the Type‐B echoes. Intriguingly, the Type‐B echoes are fundamentally not narrower than the Type‐A echoes as was originally thought. The primary reason that distinguishes the Type‐B echoes from the rest is the confinement of a few high PSD values at the center of the spectra, resulting in narrow spectral width. Spectral spreads of both types of echoes are found to increase with echo signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), and in fact, the spectral spreads of the Type‐B echoes are higher than those of the Type‐A echoes. Observations also show spectral evolution displaying the occurrence of Type‐A and Type‐B echoes in tune with the quasiperiodicity in the echo strength (SNR). We propose that both types of echoes primarily are of common origin, presumably linked with naturally enhanced incoherent scattering. Looking at the simultaneously observed short period variations in the lower F region electron density, we propose a gravity wave induced pathway as a plausible mechanism accounting for echo intensity modulation as well as spectral transition.
Glacial Drivers of Marine Biogeochemistry Indicate a Future Shift to More Corrosive Conditions in an Arctic Fjord
Authors: Cantoni Carolina , Hopwood Mark J. , Clarke Jennifer S. , Chiggiato Jacopo , Achterberg Eric P. , Cozzi Stefano
Published: October 2020

A detailed survey of a high Arctic glacier fjord (Kongsfjorden, Svalbard) was carried out in summer 2016, close to the peak of the meltwater season, in order to identify the effects of glacier runoff on nutrient distributions and the carbonate system. Short‐term weather patterns were found to exert a strong influence on freshwater content within the fjord. Freshwater inputs from glacier runoff and ice meltwater averaged (±SD) low nitrate (1.85 ± 0.47 μM; 0.41 ± 0.99 μM), orthophosphate (0.07 ± 0.27 μM; 0.02 ± 0.03 μM), dissolved organic carbon (27 ± 14 μM in glacier runoff), total alkalinity (708 ± 251 μmol kg−1; 173 ± 121 μmol kg−1), and dissolved inorganic carbon (622 ± 108 μmol kg−1; 41 ± 88 μmol kg−1), as well as a modest silicate concentration (3.71 ± 0.02 μM; 3.16 ± 5.41 μM). pCO2 showed a nonconservative behavior across the estuarine salinity gradient with a pronounced undersaturation in the inner‐fjord, leading to strong CO2 uptake from the atmosphere. The combined effect of freshwater dilution and atmospheric CO2 absorption was the lowering of aragonite saturation state to values that are known to negatively affect marine calcifiers (ΩAr, 1.07). Glacier discharge was therefore a strong local amplifier of ocean acidification. Future increases in discharge volume and the loss of marine productivity following the retreat of marine‐terminating glaciers inland are both anticipated to further lower ΩAr within inner‐fjord surface waters. This shift may be partially buffered by an increase in the mean freshwater total alkalinity as the fractional importance of iceberg melt to freshwater fjord inputs declines and runoff increases.
Bayesian Hierarchical Models for the Frequency of Winter Heavy Precipitation Events Over the Central United States: The Role of Atmospheric Rivers
Authors: Nayak Munir Ahmad , Cowles Mary Kathryn , Villarini Gabriele , Wafa Burhan Ul
Published: October 2020

Over the central United States, a large fraction of heavy precipitation and flood events have been tied to atmospheric rivers (ARs) and to two large‐scale atmospheric modes, the Pacific‐North American teleconnection pattern (PNA) and the Arctic Oscillation (AO). Here, we build on these insights to model the frequency of heavy precipitation events at 88 locations across the central United States. We use a Bayesian hierarchical modeling framework to develop and compare different models with varying degrees of complexity and nonstationary parameters that are conditioned on ARs and the prevalent climate. We show that Bayesian hierarchical models with a prior layer that allows spatially correlated parameters result in improved prediction skills over the traditional regression‐based modeling frameworks. While ARs, PNA, and AO have statistically significant relationships with the frequency of heavy precipitation events over large areas of the central United States, we find that ARs can significantly improve upon the other two covariates in the statistical modeling of extremes over the region.
Sorcin is an early marker of neurodegeneration, Ca2+ dysregulation and endoplasmic reticulum stress associated to neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Genovese Ilaria , Giamogante Flavia , Barazzuol Lucia , Battista Theo , Fiorillo Annarita , Vicario Mattia , D’Alessandro Giuseppina , Cipriani Raffaela , Limatola Cristina , Rossi Daniela , Sorrentino Vincenzo , Poser Elena , Mosca Luciana , Squitieri Ferdinando , Perluigi Marzia , Arena Andrea , van Petegem Filip , Tito Claudia , Fazi Francesco , Giorgi Carlotta , Calì Tito , Ilari Andrea , Colotti Gianni
Published: October 2020

Dysregulation of calcium signaling is emerging as a key feature in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Huntington’s disease (HD), and targeting this process may be therapeutically beneficial. Under this perspective, it is important to study proteins that regulate calcium homeostasis in the cell. Sorcin is one of the most expressed calcium-binding proteins in the human brain; its overexpression increases endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium concentration and decreases ER stress in the heart and in other cellular types. Sorcin has been hypothesized to be involved in neurodegenerative diseases, since it may counteract the increased cytosolic calcium levels associated with neurodegeneration. In the present work, we show that Sorcin expression levels are strongly increased in cellular, animal, and human models of AD, PD, and HD, vs. normal cells. Sorcin partially colocalizes with RyRs in neurons and microglia cells; functional experiments with microsomes containing high amounts of RyR2 and RyR3, respectively, show that Sorcin is able to regulate these ER calcium channels. The molecular basis of the interaction of Sorcin with RyR2 and RyR3 is demonstrated by SPR. Sorcin also interacts with other ER proteins as SERCA2 and Sigma-1 receptor in a calcium-dependent fashion. We also show that Sorcin regulates ER calcium transients: Sorcin increases the velocity of ER calcium uptake (increasing SERCA activity). The data presented here demonstrate that Sorcin may represent both a novel early marker of neurodegenerative diseases and a response to cellular stress dependent on neurodegeneration.
Correction: Gut microbiota patterns associated with somatostatin in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy: a prospective study
Authors: Li Guan-Qun , Zhang Tao , Yang Wei-Guang , Zhong Hao-Liang , Xiao Peng , Liu Li-Wei , Wang Yong-Wei , Chen Hua , Kong Rui , Wang Gang , Tan Hong-Tao , Bai Xue-Wei , Li Yi-Long , Li Le , Sun Bei
Published: October 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Phosphatidylethanolamine-phosphatidylserine binding synergy of seven coagulation factors revealed using Nanodisc arrays on silicon photonic sensors
Authors: Medfisch Sara M. , Muehl Ellen M. , Morrissey James H. , Bailey Ryan C.
Published: October 2020

Blood coagulation is regulated through protein–protein and protein–lipid interactions that occur at the sub-endothelium following vascular damage. Soluble clotting proteins bind to membrane components in a phosphatidylserine (PS) dependent manner to assemble multi-protein complexes that regulate clot formation; however, PS is of limited abundance physiologically. In this manuscript, we investigate synergy between PS and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)—a lipid of much higher abundance naturally. Using a label-free, silicon photonic technology, we constructed arrays of Nanodiscs having variable lipid composition and probed the binding interactions of seven different clotting factors with GLA domains that have never been studied in tandem experiments before. The factors studied were prothrombin, activated factor VII, factor IX, factor X, activated protein C, protein S, and protein Z. Equilibrium dissociation constants (Kd) for each coagulation factor binding to Nanodiscs with unique compositions of PE and PS were determined. While all factors showed greater binding affinities in the presence of PS and PE, the most dramatic improvements in binding were observed when PS quantities were lowest. This demonstrates that synergy is effective in promoting coagulation factor binding under physiological lipid compositions, as opposed to the artificially high PS content probed in most in vitro activity studies.
Precise measurement of correlations between frequency coupling and visual task performance
Authors: Young Joseph , Dragoi Valentin , Aazhang Behnaam
Published: October 2020

Functional connectivity analyses focused on frequency-domain relationships, i.e. frequency coupling, powerfully reveal neurophysiology. Coherence is commonly used but neural activity does not follow its Gaussian assumption. The recently introduced mutual information in frequency (MIF) technique makes no model assumptions and measures non-Gaussian and nonlinear relationships. We develop a powerful MIF estimator optimized for correlating frequency coupling with task performance and other relevant task phenomena. In light of variance reduction afforded by multitaper spectral estimation, which is critical to precisely measuring such correlations, we propose a multitaper approach for MIF and compare its performance with coherence in simulations. Additionally, multitaper MIF and coherence are computed between macaque visual cortical recordings and their correlation with task performance is analyzed. Our multitaper MIF estimator produces low variance and performs better than all other estimators in simulated correlation analyses. Simulations further suggest that multitaper MIF captures more information than coherence. For the macaque data set, coherence and our new MIF estimator largely agree. Overall, we provide a new way to precisely estimate frequency coupling that sheds light on task performance and helps neuroscientists accurately capture correlations between coupling and task phenomena in general. Additionally, we make an MIF toolbox available for the first time.
Enhanced physical and cognitive performance in active duty Airmen: evidence from a randomized multimodal physical fitness and nutritional intervention
Authors: Zwilling Christopher E. , Strang Adam , Anderson Evan , Jurcsisn Jennifer , Johnson Erica , Das Tapas , Kuchan Matthew J. , Barbey Aron K.
Published: October 2020

Achieving military mission objectives requires high levels of performance from Airmen who operate under extreme physical and cognitive demands. Thus, there is a critical need to establish scientific interventions to enhance physical fitness and cognitive performance—promoting the resilience of Airmen and aiding in mission success. We therefore conducted a comprehensive, 12-week randomized controlled trial in active-duty Air Force Airmen (n = 148) to compare the efficacy of a multimodal intervention comprised of high-intensity interval aerobic fitness and strength training paired with a novel nutritional supplement [comprised of β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate (HMB), lutein, phospholipids, DHA and selected micronutrients including B12 and folic acid] to high-intensity interval aerobic fitness and strength training paired with a standard of care placebo beverage. The exercise intervention alone improved several dimensions of physical fitness [strength and endurance (+ 7.8%), power (+ 1.1%), mobility and stability (+ 18.3%), heart rate (− 1.3%) and lean muscle mass (+ 1.1%)] and cognitive function [(episodic memory (+ 19.9%), processing efficiency (+ 4.6%), executive function reaction time (− 5.8%) and fluid intelligence accuracy (+ 11.0%)]. Relative to exercise training alone, the multimodal fitness and nutritional intervention further improved working memory (+ 11.2%), fluid intelligence reaction time (− 6.2%), processing efficiency (+ 4.3%), heart rate (− 2.3%) and lean muscle mass (+ 1.6%). These findings establish the efficacy of a multimodal intervention that incorporates aerobic fitness and strength training with a novel nutritional supplement to enhance military performance objectives and to provide optimal exercise training and nutritional support for the modern warfighter.
Legislators’ roll-call voting behavior increasingly corresponds to intervals in the political spectrum
Authors: Schoch David , Brandes Ulrik
Published: October 2020

Scaling techniques such as the well known NOMINATE position political actors in a low dimensional space to represent the similarity or dissimilarity of their political orientation based on roll-call voting patterns. Starting from the same kind of data we propose an alternative, discrete, representation that replaces positions (points and distances) with niches (boxes and overlap). In the one-dimensional case, this corresponds to replacing the left-to-right ordering of points on the real line with an interval order. As it turns out, this seemingly simplistic one-dimensional model is sufficient to represent the similarity of roll-call votes by U.S. senators in recent years. In a historic context, however, low dimensionality represents the exception which stands in contrast to what is suggested by scaling techniques.
Intracellular optical doppler phenotypes of chemosensitivity in human epithelial ovarian cancer
Authors: Li Zhe , An Ran , Swetzig Wendy M. , Kanis Margaux , Nwani Nkechiyere , Turek John , Matei Daniela , Nolte David
Published: October 2020

Development of an assay to predict response to chemotherapy has remained an elusive goal in cancer research. We report a phenotypic chemosensitivity assay for epithelial ovarian cancer based on Doppler spectroscopy of infrared light scattered from intracellular motions in living three-dimensional tumor biopsy tissue measured in vitro. The study analyzed biospecimens from 20 human patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. Matched primary and metastatic tumor tissues were collected for 3 patients, and an additional 3 patients provided only metastatic tissues. Doppler fluctuation spectra were obtained using full-field optical coherence tomography through off-axis digital holography. Frequencies in the range from 10 mHz to 10 Hz are sensitive to changes in intracellular dynamics caused by platinum-based chemotherapy. Metastatic tumor tissues were found to display a biodynamic phenotype that was similar to primary tissue from patients who had poor clinical outcomes. The biodynamic phenotypic profile correctly classified 90% [88–91% c.i.] of the patients when the metastatic samples were characterized as having a chemoresistant phenotype. This work suggests that Doppler profiling of tissue response to chemotherapy has the potential to predict patient clinical outcomes based on primary, but not metastatic, tumor tissue.
Distribution of disease-causing germline mutations in coiled-coils implies an important role of their N-terminal region
Authors: Kalman Zsofia E. , Mészáros Bálint , Gáspári Zoltán , Dobson Laszlo
Published: October 2020

Next-generation sequencing resulted in the identification of a huge number of naturally occurring variations in human proteins. The correct interpretation of the functional effects of these variations necessitates the understanding of how they modulate protein structure. Coiled-coils are α-helical structures responsible for a diverse range of functions, but most importantly, they facilitate the structural organization of macromolecular scaffolds via oligomerization. In this study, we analyzed a comprehensive set of disease-associated germline mutations in coiled-coil structures. Our results suggest an important role of residues near the N-terminal part of coiled-coil regions, possibly critical for superhelix assembly and folding in some cases. We also show that coiled-coils of different oligomerization states exhibit characteristically distinct patterns of disease-causing mutations. Our study provides structural and functional explanations on how disease emerges through the mutation of these structural motifs.
Dog ownership and adults’ objectively-assessed sedentary behaviour and physical activity
Authors: Koohsari Mohammad Javad , Shibata Ai , Ishii Kaori , Kurosawa Sayaka , Yasunaga Akitomo , Hanibuchi Tomoya , Nakaya Tomoki , McCormack Gavin R. , Oka Koichiro
Published: October 2020

Evidence suggests a positive effect of dog ownership on physical activity. However, most previous studies used self-reported physical activity measures. Additionally, it is unknown whether owning a dog is associated with adults’ sedentary behaviour, an emerging health risk factor. In this study, physical activity and sedentary behaviour were objectively collected between 2013 and 2015 from 693 residents (aged 40–64 years) living in Japan using accelerometer devices. Multivariable linear regression models were used, adjusted for several covariates. The means of total sedentary time and the number of long (≥ 30 min) sedentary bouts were 26.29 min/day (95% CI − 47.85, − 4.72) and 0.41 times/day (95% CI − 0.72, − 0.10) lower for those who owned a dog compared to those not owning a dog, respectively. Compared with non-owners, dog-owners had significantly higher means of the number of sedentary breaks (95% CI 0.14, 1.22), and light-intensity physical activity (95% CI 1.31, 37.51). No significant differences in duration of long (≥ 30 min) sedentary bouts, moderate, vigorous, and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity were observed between dog-owners and non-owners. A novel finding of this study is that owning a dog was associated with several types of adults’ sedentary behaviours but not medium-to-high-intensity physical activities. These findings provide new insights for dog-based behavioural health interventions on the benefits of dog ownership for reducing sedentary behaviour.
De novo transcriptome analysis of Chlorella sorokiniana: effect of glucose assimilation, and moderate light intensity
Authors: Azaman Siti Nor Ani , Wong Darren C. J. , Tan Sheau Wei , Yusoff Fatimah M. , Nagao Norio , Yeap Swee Keong
Published: October 2020

Chlorella can produce an unusually wide range of metabolites under various nutrient availability, carbon source, and light availability. Glucose, an essential molecule for the growth of microorganisms, also contributes significantly to the metabolism of various metabolic compounds produced by Chlorella. In addition, manipulation of light intensity also induces the formation of secondary metabolites such as pigments, and carotenoids in Chlorella. This study will focus on the effect of glucose addition, and moderate light on the regulation of carotenoid, lipid, starch, and other key metabolic pathways in Chlorella sorokiniana. To gain knowledge about this, we performed transcriptome profiling on C. sorokiniana strain NIES-2168 in response to moderate light stress supplemented with glucose under mixotrophic conditions. A total of 60,982,352 raw paired-end (PE) reads 100 bp in length was obtained from both normal, and mixotrophic samples of C. sorokiniana. After pre-processing, 93.63% high-quality PE reads were obtained, and 18,310 predicted full-length transcripts were assembled. Differential gene expression showed that a total of 937, and 1124 genes were upregulated, and downregulated in mixotrophic samples, respectively. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the mixotrophic condition caused upregulation of genes involved in carotenoids production (specifically lutein biosynthesis), fatty acid biosynthesis, TAG accumulation, and the majority of the carbon fixation pathways. Conversely, starch biosynthesis, sucrose biosynthesis, and isoprenoid biosynthesis were downregulated. Novel insights into the pathways that link the enhanced production of valuable metabolites (such as carotenoids in C. sorokiniana) grown under mixotrophic conditions is presented.
Assessment of threat and negativity bias in virtual reality
Authors: Baker Christopher , Pawling Ralph , Fairclough Stephen
Published: October 2020

Negativity bias, i.e., tendency to respond strongly to negative stimuli, can be captured via behavioural and psychophysiological responses to potential threat. A virtual environment (VE) was created at room-scale wherein participants traversed a grid of ice blocks placed 200 m above the ground. Threat was manipulated by increasing the probability of encountering ice blocks that disintegrated and led to a virtual fall. Participants interacted with the ice blocks via sensors placed on their feet. Thirty-four people were recruited for the study, who were divided into High (HN) and Low (LN) Neuroticism groups. Movement data were recorded alongside skin conductance level and facial electromyography from the corrugator supercilii and zygomaticus major. Risk-averse behaviours, such as standing on ‘safe’ blocks and testing blocks prior to movement, increased when threat was highest. HN individuals exhibited more risk-averse behaviour than the LN group, especially in the presence of high threat. In addition, activation of the corrugator muscle was higher for HN individuals in the period following a movement to an ice block. These findings are discussed with respect to the use of room-scale VE as a protocol for emotion induction and measuring trait differences in negativity bias within VR.
Long-term access to live black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) stimulates activity and reduces fearfulness of broilers, without affecting health
Authors: Ipema Allyson F. , Bokkers Eddie A. M. , Gerrits Walter J. J. , Kemp Bas , Bolhuis J. Elizabeth
Published: October 2020

Commercially housed broilers frequently experience limited environmental stimulation and various health issues, compromising their welfare. Providing environmental enrichment can alleviate these problems by facilitating natural behaviour and activity. We investigated the effect of providing live black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) to broilers housed at commercial densities (33 kg/m2) on behaviour, fearfulness, health and performance. One-day-old broilers were distributed over five treatments with eight pens/treatment: a control treatment without BSFL; two treatments where 5% of the daily nutrient intake was replaced with live BSFL, provided four or seven times a day; and two treatments where 10% of the daily dietary intake was replaced with live BSFL provided four times a day or in transparent, movable tubes with holes. In all BSFL treatments foraging behaviour, and thereby broiler activity, was increased. Prolonged access to live BSFL, either by providing larvae seven times a day or in tubes, caused the largest increase in activity while also decreasing the time spend in tonic immobility, indicating reduced fearfulness. Broiler final weight and health were not affected. Overall, long-term access to live BSFL seems most effective in improving broiler welfare by facilitating natural behaviour and reducing fearfulness, without hindering broiler performance and health.
Construction of TUATinsecta database that integrated plant and insect database for screening phytophagous insect metabolic products with medicinal potential
Authors: Nakane Wakana , Nakamura Hisashi , Nakazato Takeru , Kaminaga Natsuki , Nakano Miho , Sakamoto Takuma , Nishiko Maaya , Bono Hidemasa , Ogiwara Isao , Kitano Yoshikazu , Iwabuchi Kikuo , Kinoshita Kaoru , Simpson Richard J. , Tabunoki Hiroko
Published: October 2020

Phytophagous insect larvae feed on plants containing secondary metabolic products with biological activity against other predatory organisms. Phytophagous insects can use their specialised metabolic systems to covert these secondary metabolic products into compounds with therapeutic properties useful to mankind. Some Asians drink tea decoctions made from phytophagous insect frass which is believed to be effective against inflammatory diseases. However, insects that can convert plant-derived secondary metabolic products into useful human therapeutic agents remain poorly studied. Here, we constructed the TUATinsecta database by integrating publicly plant/insect datasets for the purpose of selecting insect species. Using TUAT-insecta we selected the Asian swallowtail butterfly, Papilio xuthus larvae fed on several species of Rutaceous plants and examined whether the plant-derived secondary metabolites, especially those present in frass, were chemically altered or not. We extracted metabolic products from frass using three organic solvents with different polarities, and evaluated solvent fractions for their cytotoxic effects against several human cell lines. We found that chloroform frass extracts from P. xuthus larvae fed on Poncirus trifoliata leaves contained significant cytotoxic activity. Our findings demonstrate that screening of insect species using the ‘TUATinsecta’ database provides an important pipeline for discovering novel therapeutic agents that might be useful for mankind.
Homogeneous single-label cGMP detection platform for the functional study of nitric oxide-sensitive (soluble) guanylyl cyclases and cGMP-specific phosphodiesterases
Authors: Kopra Kari , Sharina Iraida , Martin Emil , Härmä Harri
Published: October 2020

Cardiovascular diseases are the number one death worldwide. Nitric oxide (NO)—NO-sensitive (soluble) guanylyl cyclase (sGC)—cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway regulates diverse set of important physiological functions, including maintenance of cardiovascular homeostasis. Resting and activated sGC enzyme converts guanosine triphosphate to an important second messenger cGMP. In addition to traditional NO generators, a number of sGC activators and stimulators are currently in clinical trials aiming to support or increase sGC activity in various pathological conditions. cGMP-specific phosphodiesterases (PDEs), which degrade cGMP to guanosine monophosphate, play key role in controlling the cGMP level and the strength or length of the cGMP-dependent cellular signaling. Thus, PDE inhibitors also have clear clinical applications. Here, we introduce a homogeneous quenching resonance energy transfer (QRET) for cGMP to monitor both sGC and PDE activities using high throughput screening adoptable method. We demonstrate that using cGMP-specific antibody, sGC or PDE activity and the effect of small molecules modulating their function can be studied with sub-picomole cGMP sensitivity. The results further indicate that the method is suitable for monitoring enzyme reactions also in complex biological cellular homogenates and mixture.
Reproducibility of abnormality detection on chest radiographs using convolutional neural network in paired radiographs obtained within a short-term interval
Authors: Cho Yongwon , Kim Young-Gon , Lee Sang Min , Seo Joon Beom , Kim Namkug
Published: October 2020

We evaluated the reproducibility of computer-aided detections (CADs) with a convolutional neural network (CNN) on chest radiographs (CXRs) of abnormal pulmonary patterns in patients, acquired within a short-term interval. Anonymized CXRs (n = 9792) obtained from 2010 to 2016 and comprising five types of disease patterns, including the nodule (N), consolidation (C), interstitial opacity (IO), pleural effusion (PLE), and pneumothorax (PN), were included. The number of normal and abnormal CXRs was 6068 and 3724, respectively. The number of CXRs (region of interests, ROIs) of N, C, IO, PLE, and PN was 944 (1092), 550 (721), 280 (538), 1361 (1661), and 589 (622), respectively. CXRs were randomly allocated to training, tuning, and test sets in 70:10:20 ratios. Two thoracic radiologists labeled and delineated the ROIs of each disease pattern. The CAD system was developed using eDenseYOLO. For the reproducibility evaluation of developed CAD, paired CXRs of various diseases (N = 121, C = 28, IO = 12, PLE = 67, and PN = 20), acquired within a short-term interval from the test sets without any changes confirmed by thoracic radiologists, were used to evaluate CAD reproducibility. Percent positive agreement (PPAs) and Chamberlain’s percent positive agreement (CPPAs) were used to evaluate CAD reproducibility. The figure of merit (FOM) of five classes based on eDenseYOLO showed N-0.72 (0.68–0.75), C-0.41 (0.33–0.43), IO-0.97 (0.96–0.98), PLE-0.94 (0.92–95), and PN-0.87 (0.76–0.93). The PPAs of the five disease patterns including N, C, IO, PLE, and PN were 83.39%, 74.14%, 95.12%, 96.84%, and 84.58%, respectively, whereas the values of CPPAs were 71.70%, 59.13%, 91.16%, 93.91%, and 74.17%, respectively. The reproducibility of abnormal pulmonary patterns from CXRs, based on deep learning-based CAD, showed different results; this is important for assessing the reproducible performance of CAD in clinical settings.
Author Correction: Sex-biased patterns shaped the genetic history of Roma
Authors: García-Fernández C. , Font-Porterias N. , Kučinskas V. , Sukarova-Stefanovska E. , Pamjav H. , Makukh H. , Dobon B. , Bertranpetit J. , Netea M. G. , Calafell F. , Comas D.
Published: October 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Turmeric – Active Ingredients Other than Curcuminoids
Authors: Amalraj Augustine , Sukumaran Nimisha Pulikkal , Gopi Sreeraj
Published: October 2020

Turmeric, (Curcuma longa L., Zingiberaceae) a commercially important spice, is extensively used as a dietary ingredient throughout India, Asia and western countries. It has always been well-known for its therapeutic and medicinal effects against a variety of illnesses as described in traditional, herbal and other alternate forms of conventional medicine. Curcuminoids, a bioactive component of turmeric, is fabled for its numerous pharmacological properties. Recent research efforts have indicated that active ingredients other than curcuminoids in turmeric are also effective, like curcuminoids. This chapter summarizes the presence of active ingredients in turmeric and their chemical structures and also highlights the importance of turmeric.
DyIII single-molecule magnets from ligands incorporating both amine and acylhydrazine Schiff base groups: the centrosymmetric {Dy2} displaying dual magnetic relaxation behaviors
Authors: Su Sen-Da , Li Jia-Xin , Xu Fan , Wang Chen-Xiao , Wang Kai , Li Yan , Zhang Shu-Hua , Zhang Xiu-Qing , Zhang Yi-Quan , Liang Fu-Pei
Published: October 2020

Using ligands incorporating both amine and acylhydrazine Schiff base groups, two {Dy2} and a {Dy6} SMMs are synthesized. Two {Dy2} show dual magnetic relaxation behaviors, which could be ascribed to the joint contributions of single ion anisotropy and magnetic interactions.
Selective functionalization at N2-position of guanine in oligonucleotides via reductive amination
Authors: Bhoge Bapurao A. , Mala Purnima , Kurian Jo S. , Srinivasan Varadharajan , Saraogi Ishu
Published: October 2020

We have employed reductive amination for guanine-specific labeling of nucleic acids.
A novel one-pot strategy to rapidly synthesize bright red emitting upconversion nanocrystals with core–shell–shell structure
Authors: Cheng Zhiyuan , Lin Hao , Liu Tong , Li Yongjin , Yang Shenghong , Zhang Yueli
Published: October 2020

By growing NaYbF4 and NaYF4 on β-NaErF4:0.005Tm in one pot, the upconversion intensity was tremendously enhanced.
Complex diffusion-based kinetics of photoluminescence in semiconductor nanoplatelets
Authors: Kurilovich A. A. , Mantsevich V. N. , Stevenson K. J. , Chechkin A. V. , Palyulin V. V.
Published: October 2020

We present a diffusion-based simulation and theoretical models for explanation of the photoluminescence (PL) emission intensity in semiconductor nanoplatelets.
Does addition of 1-octanol as a phase modifier provide radical scavenging radioprotection for N,N,N′,N′-tetraoctyldiglycolamide (TODGA)?
Authors: Horne Gregory P. , Zarzana Christopher A. , Rae Cathy , Cook Andrew R. , Mezyk Stephen P. , Zalupski Peter R. , Wilden Andreas , Mincher Bruce J.
Published: October 2020

The incorporation of 1-octanol as a phase modifier in TODGA solvent system formulations promotes TODGA radiolysis under organic-only conditions, and radioprotection under biphasic nitric acid conditions.
Enhanced robustness of half-metallicity in VBr3 nanowires by strains and transition metal doping
Authors: Yu Xing , Chen Fanqiang , Yu Zhizhou , Li Yafei
Published: October 2020

The study of half-metallic behavior for transition metal tribromide nanowires is of great significance to the basic research and application in spintronics.
Vibrational circular dichroism towards asymmetric catalysis: chiral induction in substrates coordinated with copper(ii) ions
Authors: Sato Hisako , Takimoto Kazuyoshi , Yoshida Jun , Yamagishi Akihiko
Published: October 2020

The VCD method was applied for searching the origin of chirality selection in the asymmetric catalysis by Cu(ii) complexes. When 1-phenyl-1,3-butanedionato was coordinated, it was transformed to a twisted chiral form under the steric control.
Gamma radiation-assisted in situ synthesis of palladium nanoparticles supported on ethylenediamine-functionalized polypropylene fabric as an efficient catalyst for reduction of 4-nitrophenol
Authors: Lopez Girlie Eunice P. , Madrid Jordan F. , Camacho Drexel H.
Published: October 2020

Immobilization of Pd nanometals on a functionalized non-woven polypropylene fabric offers heterogenous catalytic activity in many chemical transformations and convenient separation from the reaction mixture.
Effects of ozone treatment on the antioxidant capacity of postharvest strawberry
Authors: Zhang Huijie , Li Kunlun , Zhang Xiaojun , Dong Chenghu , Ji Haipeng , Ke Runhui , Ban Zhaojun , Hu Yunfeng , Lin Shaohua , Chen Cunkun
Published: October 2020

Strawberries are highly popular around the world because of their juicy flesh and unique taste.
Synergistic lignin construction of a long-chain branched polypropylene and its properties
Authors: Tian Bo , Li Jinfeng , Li Zhigang , Xu Ningdi , Yao Gang , Zhang Nan , Dong Wei , Liu Yuguang , Di Mingwei
Published: October 2020

Polypropylene with long chain branching behavior was constructed by lignin, which foaming property and polarity were improved.
Aggregation induced emission in one easy step: pyridinium AIEgens and counter ion effect
Authors: Leduskrasts Kaspars , Suna Edgars
Published: October 2020

Protonation of planar organic luminophores with perchloric acid turns on high solid state luminescence.
Correction: Facile synthesis of CuS mesostructures with high photothermal conversion efficiency
Authors: Tan Lianjiang , Wu Zhongyu , Wang Xiaojing , Sun Jie
Published: October 2020

Correction for ‘Facile synthesis of CuS mesostructures with high photothermal conversion efficiency’ by Lianjiang Tan et al., RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 35317–35324. DOI: 10.1039/C5RA01835H.
Correction: Ultrasound-assisted leaching of vanadium from fly ash using lemon juice organic acids
Authors: Rahimi G. , Rastegar S. O. , Rahmani F. , Gu T.
Published: October 2020

Correction for ‘Ultrasound-assisted leaching of vanadium from fly ash using lemon juice organic acids’ by G. Rahimi et al., RSC Adv., 2020, 10, 1685–1696, DOI: 10.1039/C9RA09352G.
Synergistic effect in improving the electrical conductivity in polymer nanocomposites by mixing spherical and rod-shaped fillers
Authors: Qu Fan , Sun Wei , Li Bin , Li Fanzhu , Gao Yangyang , Zhao Xiuying , Zhang Liqun
Published: October 2020

φNR0 and φNS0 are volume fraction of nanorods and nanospheres in the system respectively. TD = The NR–NS tunneling distance.
Conductive hydrogel composites with autonomous self-healing properties
Authors: Li Xiaohui , Huang Xia , Mutlu Hatice , Malik Sharali , Theato Patrick
Published: October 2020

Functional copolymer decorated with pyrene and phenylboronicacid groups was synthesized and utilized to evenly disperse SWCNTs in water. Additionally, a self-healing and conductive hydrogel was prepared by dynamic cross-linking of the functional copolymer, PVA and SWCNTs in aqueous solution.
Stable electrically conductive, highly flame-retardant foam composites generated from reduced graphene oxide and silicone resin coatings
Authors: Wu Qian , Liu Chun , Tang Longcheng , Yan Yue , Qiu Huayu , Pei Yongbing , Sailor Michael J. , Wu Lianbin
Published: October 2020

Reduced graphene oxide and silicone resin coated polyurethane foam composites with stable electrical conductivity and high flame retardancy.
Performance analysis of an adaptive OFDMA‐based CSMA/CA scheme on a wireless network
Authors: Dube Prisca , Walingo Tom
Published: October 2020

The conventional carrier‐sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) IEEE 802.11 protocol uses the rigid binary exponential backoff algorithm of the distribution coordination function (DCF) for channel access. The protocol poorly performs under loss by wireless links with high packet error rates and dense networks with numerous collisions from hidden nodes. Furthermore, the scheme is not cognisant of the state of the wireless link in its operation. This work develops hybrid adaptive orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) CSMA/CA (hybrid AO–CSMA/CA) protocol that adapts the backoff and congestion window size according to the knowledge of the wireless channel conditions to mitigate against the effects of the loss by wireless links. The protocol utilises OFDM for effective resource allocation and solving the problem of the hidden terminal node on an OFDMA IEEE 802.11‐based wireless network. The teletraffic performance analysis of the developed protocol is investigated in terms of throughput and delay metrics on a real dynamic Markovian wireless channel. The performance results indicate that the developed hybrid protocols perform better than the DCF protocol on the lossy wireless communication links.
Multi‐objective emperor penguin handover optimisation for IEEE 802.21 in heterogeneous networks
Authors: Naresh Muddamalla , Venkat Reddy Dasari , Ramalinga Reddy Katta
Published: October 2020

IEEE concentrates on the development of effective media independent handover (IEEE 802.21 MIH) services. The major aim of IEEE 802.21 MIH is to optimise the handover process to make an uninterrupted handover service with less delay. The handover process is categorised into two types a horizontal and vertical process. Among them, vertical handover (VH) needs parameter optimisation for better performance. The optimised result depends on the parameter selection to avoid the rate of handover failure. Although the availability of various optimisation procedures for VH management, many existing works consider one/two parameters for VH optimisation. So that resultant optimal handover solution will not be better in terms of failure rate, latency, and accuracy. Thus, a method of multi‐objective emperor penguin handover optimisation (MOEPHO) is developed in the proposed work, which includes almost overall network parameters for VH optimisation. So that, accurate handover with less delay and the minimum energy consumption is achieved in this work. Network simulator 2 working platform is used for the research evaluation. The resultant performances are compared with whale optimisation algorithm‐based neural network, adaptive cross‐layer design, fuzzy intelligent decision making and novel type 2‐fuzzy logic controller to show the effectiveness of MOEPHO.
Joint spectrum sensing, power, and bandwidth allocation for multiband cognitive radio systems
Authors: Karimi Mohammad , Ahmadi Shadi
Published: October 2020

Multiband cognitive radio (CR) signalling allows CR networks to efficiently take advantage of the unused frequency bands. On the other hand, joint spectrum sensing and power allocation in CR systems has been shown to enable higher opportunities for CR transmission. In this work, the authors perform joint spectrum sensing and resource allocation (power and bandwidth) in a multiband CR system. This is achieved by defining an optimisation problem, which is formulated to maximise the average opportunistic CR data rate under constraints on interference, power budget, and total available bandwidth leading to a non‐convex optimisation problem. As the original formulated optimisation problem is inherently non‐convex, they convert it into a convex problem where the optimal solution is obtained using the Lagrange multipliers method and linear programming. For performance comparison, they consider the classical method based on equal bandwidth allocation for each subchannel. They provide several numerical results to contrast the performance of the proposed method compared to the classical method in terms of the average achievable CR data rate.
Impact of antenna correlation on the physical layer security of cooperative relaying with OSTBC system
Authors: Torabi Mohammad , Haccoun David
Published: October 2020

This study presents an analysis for evaluating the physical layer (PHY) security performance of a two‐hop amplify‐and‐forward cooperative relaying system employing Alamouti orthogonal space–time block coding (OSTBC) in the presence of an eavesdropper, where the transmit antennas for OSTBC are assumed to be spatially correlated. It is also assumed that the authorised main channels as well as the non‐authorised eavesdropper channels follow Rayleigh fading distribution. Closed‐form mathematical expressions are derived for three performance metrics for evaluating the PHY security, namely the probability of non‐zero secrecy capacity, the secrecy outage probability, and the average secrecy capacity. Using the extensive numerical results obtained from the derived mathematical expressions, the impact of antennas correlation on the PHY secrecy performance of the system is studied and evaluated under different parameters. It is also shown that the antennas correlation corresponding to the main channels has more impact than the antennas correlation corresponding to the eavesdropper channels.