bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trajectory-modulated hippocampal neurons persist throughout memory-guided navigation
Authors: Kinsky Nathaniel R. , Mau William , Sullivan David W. , Levy Samuel J. , Ruesch Evan A. , Hasselmo Michael E.
Published: May 2020

Trajectory-dependent splitter neurons in the hippocampus encode information about a rodent’s prior trajectory during performance of a continuous alternation task. As such, they provide valuable information for supporting memory-guided behavior. Here, we employed single-photon calcium imaging in freely moving mice to investigate the emergence and fate of trajectory-dependent activity through learning and mastery of a continuous spatial alternation task. In agreement with others, the quality of trajectory-dependent information in hippocampal neurons correlated with task performance. We thus hypothesized that, due to their utility, splitter neurons would exhibit heightened stability. We find that splitter neurons were more likely to remain active and retained more consistent spatial information across multiple days than other neurons. Furthermore, we find that both splitter neurons and place cells emerged rapidly and maintained stable trajectory-dependent/spatial activity thereafter. Our results suggest that neurons with useful functional coding exhibit heightened stability to support memory guided behavior.
Whole genome landscapes of uveal melanoma show an ultraviolet radiation signature in iris tumours
Authors: Johansson Peter A. , Brooks Kelly , Newell Felicity , Palmer Jane M. , Wilmott James S. , Pritchard Antonia L. , Broit Natasa , Wood Scott , Carlino Matteo S. , Leonard Conrad , Koufariotis Lambros T. , Nathan Vaishnavi , Beasley Aaron B. , Howlie Madeleine , Dawson Rebecca , Rizos Helen , Schmidt Chris W. , Long Georgina V. , Hamilton Hayley , Kiilgaard Jens F. , Isaacs Timothy , Gray Elin S. , Rolfe Olivia J. , Park John J. , Stark Andrew , Mann Graham J. , Scolyer Richard A. , Pearson John V. , van Baren Nicolas , Waddell Nicola , Wadt Karin W. , McGrath Lindsay A. , Warrier Sunil K. , Glasson William , Hayward Nicholas K.
Published: May 2020

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common intraocular tumour in adults and despite surgical or radiation treatment of primary tumours, ~50% of patients progress to metastatic disease. Therapeutic options for metastatic UM are limited, with clinical trials having little impact. Here we perform whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 103 UM from all sites of the uveal tract (choroid, ciliary body, iris). While most UM have low tumour mutation burden (TMB), two subsets with high TMB are seen; one driven by germline MBD4 mutation, and another by ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure, which is restricted to iris UM. All but one tumour have a known UM driver gene mutation (GNAQ, GNA11, BAP1, PLCB4, CYSLTR2, SF3B1, EIF1AX). We identify three other significantly mutated genes (TP53, RPL5 and CENPE).
Integrating molecular markers into metabolic models improves genomic selection for Arabidopsis growth
Authors: Tong Hao , Küken Anika , Nikoloski Zoran
Published: May 2020

The current trends of crop yield improvements are not expected to meet the projected rise in demand. Genomic selection uses molecular markers and machine learning to identify superior genotypes with improved traits, such as growth. Plant growth directly depends on rates of metabolic reactions which transform nutrients into the building blocks of biomass. Here, we predict growth of Arabidopsis thaliana accessions by employing genomic prediction of reaction rates estimated from accession-specific metabolic models. We demonstrate that, comparing to classical genomic selection on the available data sets for 67 accessions, our approach improves the prediction accuracy for growth within and across nitrogen environments by 32.6% and 51.4%, respectively, and from optimal nitrogen to low carbon environment by 50.4%. Therefore, integration of molecular markers into metabolic models offers an approach to predict traits directly related to metabolism, and its usefulness in breeding can be examined by gathering matching datasets in crops.
Purely in-plane ferroelectricity in monolayer SnS at room temperature
Authors: Higashitarumizu Naoki , Kawamoto Hayami , Lee Chien-Ju , Lin Bo-Han , Chu Fu-Hsien , Yonemori Itsuki , Nishimura Tomonori , Wakabayashi Katsunori , Chang Wen-Hao , Nagashio Kosuke
Published: May 2020

2D van der Waals ferroelectrics have emerged as an attractive building block with immense potential to provide multifunctionality in nanoelectronics. Although several accomplishments have been reported in ferroelectric switching for out-of-plane ferroelectrics down to the monolayer, a purely in-plane ferroelectric has not been experimentally validated at the monolayer thickness. Herein, an in-plane ferroelectricity is demonstrated for micrometer-size monolayer SnS at room temperature. SnS has been commonly regarded to exhibit the odd–even effect, where the centrosymmetry breaks only in the odd-number layers to exhibit ferroelectricity. Remarkably, however, a robust room temperature ferroelectricity exists in SnS below a critical thickness of 15 layers with both an odd and even number of layers, suggesting the possibility of controlling the stacking sequence of multilayer SnS beyond the limit of ferroelectricity in the monolayer. This work will pave the way for nanoscale ferroelectric applications based on SnS as a platform for in-plane ferroelectrics.
Germline variant burden in cancer genes correlates with age at diagnosis and somatic mutation burden
Authors: Qing Tao , Mohsen Hussein , Marczyk Michal , Ye Yixuan , O’Meara Tess , Zhao Hongyu , Townsend Jeffrey P. , Gerstein Mark , Hatzis Christos , Kluger Yuval , Pusztai Lajos
Published: May 2020

Cancers harbor many somatic mutations and germline variants, we hypothesized that the combined effect of germline variants that alter the structure, expression, or function of protein-coding regions of cancer-biology related genes (gHFI) determines which and how many somatic mutations (sM) must occur for malignant transformation. We show that gHFI and sM affect overlapping genes and the average number of gHFI in cancer hallmark genes is higher in patients who develop cancer at a younger age (r = −0.77, P = 0.0051), while the average number of sM increases in increasing age groups (r = 0.92, P = 0.000073). A strong negative correlation exists between average gHFI and average sM burden in increasing age groups (r = −0.70, P = 0.017). In early-onset cancers, the larger gHFI burden in cancer genes suggests a greater contribution of germline alterations to the transformation process while late-onset cancers are more driven by somatic mutations.
Mutations in the KIF21B kinesin gene cause neurodevelopmental disorders through imbalanced canonical motor activity
Authors: Asselin Laure , Rivera Alvarez José , Heide Solveig , Bonnet Camille S. , Tilly Peggy , Vitet Hélène , Weber Chantal , Bacino Carlos A. , Baranaño Kristin , Chassevent Anna , Dameron Amy , Faivre Laurence , Hanchard Neil A. , Mahida Sonal , McWalter Kirsty , Mignot Cyril , Nava Caroline , Rastetter Agnès , Streff Haley , Thauvin-Robinet Christel , Weiss Marjan M. , Zapata Gladys , Zwijnenburg Petra J. G. , Saudou Frédéric , Depienne Christel , Golzio Christelle , Héron Delphine , Godin Juliette D.
Published: May 2020

KIF21B is a kinesin protein that promotes intracellular transport and controls microtubule dynamics. We report three missense variants and one duplication in KIF21B in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders associated with brain malformations, including corpus callosum agenesis (ACC) and microcephaly. We demonstrate, in vivo, that the expression of KIF21B missense variants specifically recapitulates patients’ neurodevelopmental abnormalities, including microcephaly and reduced intra- and inter-hemispheric connectivity. We establish that missense KIF21B variants impede neuronal migration through attenuation of kinesin autoinhibition leading to aberrant KIF21B motility activity. We also show that the ACC-related KIF21B variant independently perturbs axonal growth and ipsilateral axon branching through two distinct mechanisms, both leading to deregulation of canonical kinesin motor activity. The duplication introduces a premature termination codon leading to nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. Although we demonstrate that Kif21b haploinsufficiency leads to an impaired neuronal positioning, the duplication variant might not be pathogenic. Altogether, our data indicate that impaired KIF21B autoregulation and function play a critical role in the pathogenicity of human neurodevelopmental disorder.
Black indium oxide a photothermal CO2 hydrogenation catalyst
Authors: Wang Lu , Dong Yuchan , Yan Tingjiang , Hu Zhixin , Ali Feysal M. , Meira Débora Motta , Duchesne Paul N. , Loh Joel Yi Yang , Qiu Chenyue , Storey Emily E. , Xu Yangfan , Sun Wei , Ghoussoub Mireille , Kherani Nazir P. , Helmy Amr S. , Ozin Geoffrey A.
Published: May 2020

Nanostructured forms of stoichiometric In2O3 are proving to be efficacious catalysts for the gas-phase hydrogenation of CO2. These conversions can be facilitated using either heat or light; however, until now, the limited optical absorption intensity evidenced by the pale-yellow color of In2O3 has prevented the use of both together. To take advantage of the heat and light content of solar energy, it would be advantageous to make indium oxide black. Herein, we present a synthetic route to tune the color of In2O3 to pitch black by controlling its degree of non-stoichiometry. Black indium oxide comprises amorphous non-stoichiometric domains of In2O3-x on a core of crystalline stoichiometric In2O3, and has 100% selectivity towards the hydrogenation of CO2 to CO with a turnover frequency of 2.44 s−1.
The unique interplay between copper and zinc during catalytic carbon dioxide hydrogenation to methanol
Authors: Zabilskiy Maxim , Sushkevich Vitaly L. , Palagin Dennis , Newton Mark A. , Krumeich Frank , van Bokhoven Jeroen A.
Published: May 2020

In spite of numerous works in the field of chemical valorization of carbon dioxide into methanol, the nature of high activity of Cu/ZnO catalysts, including the reaction mechanism and the structure of the catalyst active site, remains the subject of intensive debate. By using high-pressure operando techniques: steady-state isotope transient kinetic analysis coupled with infrared spectroscopy, together with time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction, and supported by electron microscopy and theoretical modeling, we present direct evidence that zinc formate is the principal observable reactive intermediate, which in the presence of hydrogen converts into methanol. Our results indicate that the copper–zinc alloy undergoes oxidation under reaction conditions into zinc formate, zinc oxide and metallic copper. The intimate contact between zinc and copper phases facilitates zinc formate formation and its hydrogenation by hydrogen to methanol.
Circulating SPINT1 is a biomarker of pregnancies with poor placental function and fetal growth restriction
Authors: Kaitu’u-Lino Tu’uhevaha J. , MacDonald Teresa M. , Cannon Ping , Nguyen Tuong-Vi , Hiscock Richard J. , Haan Nick , Myers Jenny E. , Hastie Roxanne , Dane Kirsten M. , Middleton Anna L. , Bittar Intissar , Sferruzzi-Perri Amanda N. , Pritchard Natasha , Harper Alesia , Hannan Natalie J. , Kyritsis Valerie , Crinis Nick , Hui Lisa , Walker Susan P. , Tong Stephen
Published: May 2020

Placental insufficiency can cause fetal growth restriction and stillbirth. There are no reliable screening tests for placental insufficiency, especially near-term gestation when the risk of stillbirth rises. Here we show a strong association between low circulating plasma serine peptidase inhibitor Kunitz type-1 (SPINT1) concentrations at 36 weeks’ gestation and low birthweight, an indicator of placental insufficiency. We generate a 4-tier risk model based on SPINT1 concentrations, where the highest risk tier has approximately a 2-5 fold risk of birthing neonates with birthweights under the 3rd, 5th, 10th and 20th centiles, whereas the lowest risk tier has a 0-0.3 fold risk. Low SPINT1 is associated with antenatal ultrasound and neonatal anthropomorphic indicators of placental insufficiency. We validate the association between low circulating SPINT1 and placental insufficiency in two other cohorts. Low circulating SPINT1 is a marker of placental insufficiency and may identify pregnancies with an elevated risk of stillbirth.
Diastereoselective desymmetric 1,2-cis-glycosylation of meso-diols via chirality transfer from a glycosyl donor
Authors: Tanaka Masamichi , Sato Koji , Yoshida Ryoki , Nishi Nobuya , Oyamada Rikuto , Inaba Kazuki , Takahashi Daisuke , Toshima Kazunobu
Published: May 2020

Chemical desymmetrization reactions of meso-diols are highly effective for the precise and efficient synthesis of chiral molecules. However, even though enzyme-catalyzed desymmetric glycosylations are frequently found in nature, there is no method for highly diastereoselective desymmetric chemical glycosylation of meso-diols. Herein, we report a highly diastereoselective desymmetric 1,2-cis-glycosylation of meso-diols found in myo-inositol 1,3,5-orthoesters using a boronic acid catalyst based on predictions of regioselectivity by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The enantiotopic hydroxyl groups of the meso-diols are clearly differentiated by the stereochemistry at the C2 position of the glycosyl donor with excellent regioselectivities. In addition, the present method is successfully applied to the synthesis of core structures of phosphatidylinositolmannosides (PIMs) and glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchors, and common β-mannoside structures of the LLBM-782 series of antibiotics.
Selective electroreduction of CO2 to acetone by single copper atoms anchored on N-doped porous carbon
Authors: Zhao Kun , Nie Xiaowa , Wang Haozhi , Chen Shuo , Quan Xie , Yu Hongtao , Choi Wonyong , Zhang Guanghui , Kim Bupmo , Chen Jingguang G.
Published: May 2020

Efficient electroreduction of CO2 to multi-carbon products is a challenging reaction because of the high energy barriers for CO2 activation and C–C coupling, which can be tuned by designing the metal centers and coordination environments of catalysts. Here, we design single atom copper encapsulated on N-doped porous carbon (Cu-SA/NPC) catalysts for reducing CO2 to multi-carbon products. Acetone is identified as the major product with a Faradaic efficiency of 36.7% and a production rate of 336.1 μg h−1. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the coordination of Cu with four pyrrole-N atoms is the main active site and reduces the reaction free energies required for CO2 activation and C–C coupling. The energetically favorable pathways for CH3COCH3 production from CO2 reduction are proposed and the origin of selective acetone formation on Cu-SA/NPC is clarified. This work provides insight into the rational design of efficient electrocatalysts for reducing CO2 to multi-carbon products.
Simulating Raman spectra by combining first-principles and empirical potential approaches with application to defective MoS2
Authors: Kou Zhennan , Hashemi Arsalan , Puska Martti J. , Krasheninnikov Arkady V. , Komsa Hannu-Pekka
Published: May 2020

Successful application of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides in optoelectronic, catalytic, or sensing devices heavily relies on the materials’ quality, that is, the thickness uniformity, presence of grain boundaries, and the types and concentrations of point defects. Raman spectroscopy is a powerful and nondestructive tool to probe these factors but the interpretation of the spectra, especially the separation of different contributions, is not straightforward. Comparison to simulated spectra is beneficial, but for defective systems first-principles simulations are often computationally too expensive due to the large sizes of the systems involved. Here, we present a combined first-principles and empirical potential method for simulating Raman spectra of defective materials and apply it to monolayer MoS2 with random distributions of Mo and S vacancies. We study to what extent the types of vacancies can be distinguished and provide insight into the origin of different evolutions of Raman spectra upon increasing defect concentration. We apply to our simulated spectra the phonon confinement model used in previous experiments to assess defect concentrations, and show that the simplest form of the model is insufficient to fully capture peak shapes, but a good match is obtained when the type of phonon confinement and the full phonon dispersion relation are accounted for.
Cognitive function in people with and without freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Morris Rosie , Smulders Katrijn , Peterson Daniel S. , Mancini Martina , Carlson-Kuhta Patricia , Nutt John G. , Horak Fay B.
Published: May 2020

Freezing of gait (FOG) is common in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) which is extremely debilitating. One hypothesis for the cause of FOG episodes is impaired cognitive control, however, this is still in debate in the literature. We aimed to assess a comprehensive range of cognitive tests in older adults and people with Parkinson’s with and without FOG and associate FOG severity with cognitive performance. A total of 227 participants took part in the study which included 80 healthy older adults, 81 people with PD who did not have FOG and 66 people with PD and FOG. A comprehensive battery of neuropsychological assessments tested cognitive domains of global cognition, executive function/attention, working memory, and visuospatial function. The severity of FOG was assessed using the new FOG questionnaire and an objective FOG severity score. Cognitive performance was compared between groups using an ANCOVA adjusting for age, gender, years of education and disease severity. Correlations between cognitive performance and FOG severity were analyzed using partial correlations. Cognitive differences were observed between older adults and PD for domains of global cognition, executive function/attention, and working memory. Between those with and without FOG, there were differences for global cognition and executive function/attention, but these differences disappeared when adjusting for covariates. There were no associations between FOG severity and cognitive performance. This study identified no significant difference in cognition between those with and without FOG when adjusting for covariates, particularly disease severity. This may demonstrate that complex rehabilitation programs may be undertaken in those with FOG.
Quality of spirometry and related diagnosis in primary care with a focus on clinical use
Authors: van de Hei S. J. , Flokstra-de Blok B. M. J. , Baretta H. J. , Doornewaard N. E. , van der Molen T. , Patberg K. W. , Ruberg E. C. M. , Schermer T. R. J. , Steenbruggen I. , van den Berg J. W. K. , Kocks J. W. H.
Published: May 2020

American and European societies’ (ATS/ERS) criteria for spirometry are often not met in primary care. Yet, it is unknown if quality is sufficient for daily clinical use. We evaluated quality of spirometry in primary care based on clinical usefulness, meeting ATS/ERS criteria and agreement on diagnosis between general practitioners (GPs) and pulmonologists. GPs included ten consecutive spirometry tests and detailed history questionnaires of patients who underwent spirometry as part of usual care. GPs and two pulmonologists assessed the spirometry tests and questionnaires on clinical usefulness and formulated a diagnosis. In total, 149 participants covering 15 GPs were included. Low agreements were found on diagnosis between GPs and pulmonologists 1 (κ = 0.39) and 2 (κ = 0.44). GPs and pulmonologists rated >88% of the tests as clinically useful, although 13% met ATS/ERS criteria. This real-life study demonstrated that clinical usefulness of routine primary care spirometry tests was high, although agreement on diagnosis was low.
Materials with strong spin-textured bands
Authors: Liao Zhaoliang , Jiang Peiheng , Zhong Zhicheng , Li Run-Wei
Published: May 2020

The materials that exhibit strong spin-textured bands are rapidly attracting more and more attention in past few years. In this new class of quantum materials, the band structures are strongly influenced by spin/magnetization direction, affording new twist to control topological behaviors, quantum anomalous Hall effect, transport, and optical properties by rotating the spin/magnetization. The control of spin direction in spin-textured band materials can be considered as a fundamentally new route toward desired properties compared with conventional spin ordering control. In this article, we will review the research progress on spin-textured band materials from both theoretical and experimental aspects, providing the critical ingredient of this new type of materials, united theory, challenging, and perspective for future research.
A modified live bat influenza A virus-based vaccine prototype provides full protection against HPAIV H5N1
Authors: Schön Jacob , Ran Wei , Gorka Marco , Schwemmle Martin , Beer Martin , Hoffmann Donata
Published: May 2020

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) of subtype H5 are a major threat for poultry holdings worldwide, here especially the zoonotic Asian H5N1 viruses. These HPAIVs have caused more than 500 fatal spillover infections from poultry to humans, with a looming danger of a new pandemic by establishing human-to-human transmissions. Besides culling measures in infected farms in endemic areas, vaccination is the major tool against HPAIV. However, the mainly used inactivated preparations have several limitations, like application to the individual animal by injection and a reduced efficiency. Here we present a modified live influenza vaccine prototype, which is based on the H17N10 bat influenza virus. The new chimeric vaccine strain R65mono/H17N10 was able to provide full protection against a lethal challenge infection with HPAIV H5N1 of juvenile and subadult chickens, as well as ferrets after oronasal immunization. In addition, the H5 vaccine prototype cannot reassort with avian influenza viruses and therefore is a promising tool against HPAIV H5 infection, allowing new vaccination strategies for efficient disease control.
A data set of sea surface stereo images to resolve space-time wave fields
Authors: Guimarães Pedro Veras , Ardhuin Fabrice , Bergamasco Filippo , Leckler Fabien , Filipot Jean-François , Shim Jae-Seol , Dulov Vladimir , Benetazzo Alvise
Published: May 2020

Stereo imaging of the sea surface elevation provides unique field data to investigate the geometry and dynamics of oceanic waves. Typically, this technique allows retrieving the 4-D ocean topography (3-D space + time) at high frequency (up to 15–20 Hz) over a sea surface region of area ~104 m2. Stereo data fill the existing wide gap between sea surface elevation time-measurements, like the local observation provided by wave-buoys, and large-scale ocean observations by satellites. The analysis of stereo images provides a direct measurement of the wavefield without the need of any linear-wave theory assumption, so it is particularly interesting to investigate the nonlinearities of the surface, wave-current interaction, rogue waves, wave breaking, air-sea interaction, and potentially other processes not explored yet. In this context, this open dataset aims to provide, for the first time, valuable stereo measurements collected in different seas and wave conditions to invite the ocean-wave scientific community to continue exploring these data and to contribute to a better understanding of the nature of the sea surface dynamics.
Allosteric inhibitor of β-catenin selectively targets oncogenic Wnt signaling in colon cancer
Authors: Cheltsov Anton , Nomura Natsuko , Yenugonda Venkata M. , Roper Jatin , Mukthavaram Rajesh , Jiang Pengfei , Her Nam-Gu , Babic Ivan , Kesari Santosh , Nurmemmedov Elmar
Published: May 2020

Abnormal regulation of β-catenin initiates an oncogenic program that serves as a main driver of many cancers. Albeit challenging, β-catenin is an attractive drug target due to its role in maintenance of cancer stem cells and potential to eliminate cancer relapse. We have identified C2, a novel β-catenin inhibitor, which is a small molecule that binds to a novel allosteric site on the surface of β-catenin. C2 selectively inhibits β-catenin, lowers its cellular load and significantly reduces viability of β-catenin-driven cancer cells. Through direct binding to β-catenin, C2 renders the target inactive that eventually activates proteasome system for its removal. Here we report a novel pharmacologic approach for selective inhibition of β-catenin via targeting a cryptic allosteric modulation site. Our findings may provide a new perspective for therapeutic targeting of β-catenin.
Digital Holographic Multimodal Cross-Sectional Fluorescence and Quantitative Phase Imaging System
Authors: Kumar Manoj , Quan Xiangyu , Awatsuji Yasuhiro , Tamada Yosuke , Matoba Osamu
Published: May 2020

We present a multimodal imaging system based on simple off-axis digital holography, for simultaneous recording and retrieval of cross-sectional fluorescence and quantitative phase imaging of the biological specimen. Synergism in the imaging capabilities can be achieved by incorporating two off-axis digital holographic microscopes integrated to record different information at the same time. The cross-sectional fluorescence imaging is realized by a common-path configuration of the single-shot off-axis incoherent digital holographic system. The quantitative phase imaging, on the other hand, is achieved by another off-axis coherent digital holographic microscopy operating in transmission mode. The fundamental characteristics of the proposed multimodal system are confirmed by performing various experiments on fluorescent beads and fluorescent protein-labeled living cells of the moss Physcomitrella patens lying at different axial depth positions. Furthermore, the cross-sectional live fluorescence and phase imaging of the fluorescent beads are demonstrated by the proposed multimodal system. The experimental results presented here corroborate the feasibility of the proposed system and indicate its potential in the applications to analyze the functional and structural behavior of biological cells and tissues.
Defective defence in Daphnia daughters: silver nanoparticles inhibit anti-predator defence in offspring but not in maternal Daphnia magna
Authors: Hartmann Sarah , Beasley Anna , Mozhayeva Darya , Engelhard Carsten , Witte Klaudia
Published: May 2020

One major environmental problem of our time are emerging contaminants in the aquatic environment. While nanoparticles exhibit attractive features such as antimicrobial properties in the case of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), earlier studies suggest that NPs are not completely filtered out at wastewater treatment plants and may therefore be continuously introduced into the aquatic environment. Although adverse effects of AgNPs on aquatic organisms have been extensively studied, there is still a lack of knowledge on how this chemical stressor interacts with natural cues on the maternal and subsequent generation of aquatic organisms. We tested whether AgNPs (NM-300K, 14.9 ± 2.4 nm, concentration range: 2.5 µg/L – 20 µg/L) affect the kairomone-induced adaptive anti-predator defence mechanism in maternal Daphnia and their offspring. While maternal Daphnia developed typical anti-predator defence mechanisms when exposed to kairomones and AgNPs, their offspring could not develop such adaptive defensive traits. The lack of this defence mechanism in offspring could have dramatic negative consequences (e.g. reduced Daphnia population) for the entire complex food web in the aquatic ecosystem. For a realistic risk assessment, it is extremely important to test combinations of chemical stressors because aquatic organisms are exposed to several natural and artificial chemical stressors at the same time.
Direct Measurement of the Radiative Pattern of Bright and Dark Excitons and Exciton Complexes in Encapsulated Tungsten Diselenide
Authors: Schneider Lorenz Maximilian , Esdaille Shanece S. , Rhodes Daniel A. , Barmak Katayun , Hone James C. , Rahimi-Iman Arash
Published: May 2020

The optical properties of particularly the tungsten-based transition-metal dichalcogenides are strongly influenced by the presence of dark excitons. Recently, theoretical predictions as well as indirect experimental insights have shown that two different dark excitons exist within the light cone. While one is completely dark, the other one is only dipole forbidden out-of-plane, hence referred to as grey exciton. Here, we present angle-resolved spectroscopic data of a high-quality hexagonal-BN-encapsulated WSe2monolayer with which we directly obtain the radiation pattern of this grey exciton that deviates from that of the bright exciton and other exciton complexes obtained at cryogenic temperatures.
Effect of Fe3O4 nanoparticles on germination of seeds and concentration of elements in Helianthus annuus L. under constant magnetic field
Authors: Kornarzyński Krzysztof , Sujak Agnieszka , Czernel Grzegorz , Wiącek Dariusz
Published: May 2020

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe-NPs) on the germination of sunflower seeds, early growth of seedlings and the concentration of selected elements in seedlings. The influence of constant magnetic fields in systems with and without Fe-NPs was investigated. Experiments were done on seeds subjected to germination under constant magnetic field (0 (control), 5, 25 and 120 mT) for 7 days in the presence of solution containing 0, 50 or 500 ppm Fe-NPs. No significant effect of Fe-NPs and the magnetic field on germination of seeds and the growth of seedlings has been demonstrated. In most cases, a decrease in germination parameters was observed. For the majority of samples the relative decrease in the concentrations of elements was demonstrated mainly for samples without Fe-NPs. Interestingly, a significant decrease in the concentrations of trivalent (including iron - Fe) and toxic elements in samples containing Fe-NPs in relation to control samples was observed. The authors suggest that in this case the binding (adsorption) of these elements in the roots and seeds of the sunflower by Fe-NPs took place. This explains the lower iron content in seedlings than in seeds prior to sowing.
Experimental Demonstration of Supervised Learning in Spiking Neural Networks with Phase-Change Memory Synapses
Authors: Nandakumar S. R. , Boybat Irem , Le Gallo Manuel , Eleftheriou Evangelos , Sebastian Abu , Rajendran Bipin
Published: May 2020

Spiking neural networks (SNN) are computational models inspired by the brain’s ability to naturally encode and process information in the time domain. The added temporal dimension is believed to render them more computationally efficient than the conventional artificial neural networks, though their full computational capabilities are yet to be explored. Recently, in-memory computing architectures based on non-volatile memory crossbar arrays have shown great promise to implement parallel computations in artificial and spiking neural networks. In this work, we evaluate the feasibility to realize high-performance event-driven in-situ supervised learning systems using nanoscale and stochastic analog memory synapses. For the first time, the potential of analog memory synapses to generate precisely timed spikes in SNNs is experimentally demonstrated. The experiment targets applications which directly integrates spike encoded signals generated from bio-mimetic sensors with in-memory computing based learning systems to generate precisely timed control signal spikes for neuromorphic actuators. More than 170,000 phase-change memory (PCM) based synapses from our prototype chip were trained based on an event-driven learning rule, to generate spike patterns with more than 85% of the spikes within a 25 ms tolerance interval in a 1250 ms long spike pattern. We observe that the accuracy is mainly limited by the imprecision related to device programming and temporal drift of conductance values. We show that an array level scaling scheme can significantly improve the retention of the trained SNN states in the presence of conductance drift in the PCM. Combining the computational potential of supervised SNNs with the parallel compute power of in-memory computing, this work paves the way for next-generation of efficient brain-inspired systems.
Multi-photon attenuation-compensated light-sheet fluorescence microscopy
Authors: Veettikazhy Madhu , Nylk Jonathan , Gasparoli Federico , Escobet-Montalbán Adrià , Hansen Anders Kragh , Marti Dominik , Andersen Peter Eskil , Dholakia Kishan
Published: May 2020

Attenuation of optical fields owing to scattering and absorption limits the penetration depth for imaging. Whilst aberration correction may be used, this is difficult to implement over a large field-of-view in heterogeneous tissue. Attenuation-compensation allows tailoring of the maximum lobe of a propagation-invariant light field and promises an increase in depth penetration for imaging. Here we show this promising approach may be implemented in multi-photon (two-photon) light-sheet fluorescence microscopy and, furthermore, can be achieved in a facile manner utilizing a graded neutral density filter, circumventing the need for complex beam shaping apparatus. A “gold standard” system utilizing a spatial light modulator for beam shaping is used to benchmark our implementation. The approach will open up enhanced depth penetration in light-sheet imaging to a wide range of end users.
Study of a classification algorithm for AIEC identification in geographically distinct E. coli strains
Authors: Camprubí-Font Carla , Bustamante Paula , Vidal Roberto M. , O’Brien Claire L. , Barnich Nicolas , Martinez-Medina Margarita
Published: May 2020

Adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) have been extensively implicated in Crohn’s disease pathogenesis. Currently, AIEC is identified phenotypically, since no molecular marker specific for AIEC exists. An algorithm based on single nucleotide polymorphisms was previously presented as a potential molecular tool to classify AIEC/non-AIEC, with 84% accuracy on a collection of 50 strains isolated in Girona (Spain). Herein, our aim was to determine the accuracy of the tool using AIEC/non-AIEC isolates from different geographical origins and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) strains. The accuracy of the tool was significantly reduced (61%) when external AIEC/non-AIEC strains from France, Chile, Mallorca (Spain) and Australia (82 AIEC, 57 non-AIEC and 45 ExPEC strains in total) were included. However, the inclusion of only the ExPEC strains showed that the tool was fairly accurate at differentiating these two close pathotypes (84.6% sensitivity; 79% accuracy). Moreover, the accuracy was still high (81%) for those AIEC/non-AIEC strains isolated from Girona and Mallorca (N = 63); two collections obtained from independent studies but geographically close. Our findings indicate that the presented tool is not universal since it would be only applicable for strains from similar geographic origin and demonstrates the need to include strains from different origins to validate such tools.
Impact of Sub-Retinal Fluid on the Long-Term Incidence of Macular Atrophy in Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration under Treat & Extend Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Inhibitors
Authors: Siedlecki Jakob , Fischer Cheryl , Schworm Benedikt , Kreutzer Thomas C. , Luft Nikolaus , Kortuem Karsten U. , Schumann Ricarda G. , Wolf Armin , Priglinger Siegfried G.
Published: May 2020

Sub-retinal fluid (SRF) has been discussed as a protective factor against macular atrophy in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).To gauge the impact of SRF on macular atrophy, a database of 310 nAMD eyes was screened for eyes manifesting an SRF-only phenotype under treat & extend anti-VEGF treatment, defined as nAMD expressing CNV exudation beyond the three monthly anti-VEGF loading doses by SRF only without any signs of exudative intra-retinal fluid (IRF) for ≥3 years. Incidence of macular atrophy and treatment responses were evaluated on multimodal imaging, including optical coherence tomography (OCT), blue autofluorescence (BAF) and near-infrared (NIR) confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and fluorescence and indocyanine green angiography (FAG/ICGA). In total, 27 eyes (8.7%) of 26 patients with a mean follow-up of 4.2 ± 0.9 (3–5) years met the inclusion criteria. Mean age was 72 ± 6 (range: 61–86) years. The SRF only phenotype was seen from baseline in 14 eyes (52%), and in 13 eyes (48%) after a mean 1.0 ± 1.3 (1–3) injections. In years 1 to 5, mean 7.5, 5.9, 6.1, 6.1 and 7.0 anti-VEGF injections were given (p = 0.33). Cumulative macular atrophy incidence was 11.5% at year 1, 15.4% throughout years 2 to 4, and 22.4% at year 5. In conclusion, eyes manifesting activity by SRF only in treat & extend anti-VEGF regimen for nAMD seem to exhibit rather low rates of macular atrophy during long-term follow-up. SRF might be an indicator of a more benign form of nAMD.
Novel clostridial lineages recovered from metagenomes of a hot oil reservoir
Authors: Christman Glenn D. , León-Zayas Rosa I. , Zhao Rui , Summers Zarath M. , Biddle Jennifer F.
Published: May 2020

Oil reservoirs have been shown to house numerous microbial lineages that differ based on the in-situ pH, salinity and temperature of the subsurface environment. Lineages of Firmicutes, including Clostridiales, have been frequently detected in oil reservoirs, but are typically not considered impactful or relevant due to their spore-forming nature. Here we show, using metagenomics, a high temperature oil reservoir of marine salinity contains a microbial population that is predominantly from within the Order Clostridiales. These organisms form an oil-reservoir specific clade based on the phylogenies of both 16S rRNA genes and ribosomal proteins, which we propose to name UPetromonas tenebris, meaning they are single-celled organisms from dark rocks. Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of these Petromonas sp. were obtained and used to determine that these populations, while capable of spore-formation, were also likely replicating in situ in the reservoir. We compared these MAGs to closely related genomes and show that these subsurface Clostridiales differ, from the surface derived genomes, showing signatures of the ability to degrade plant-related compounds, whereas subsurface genomes only show the ability to process simple sugars. The estimation of in-situ replication from genomic data suggest that UPetromonas tenebris lineages are functional in-situ and may be specifically adapted to inhabit oil reservoirs.
Antidepressants during and after Menopausal Transition: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wu Ching-Kuan , Tseng Ping-Tao , Wu Ming-Kung , Li Dian-Jeng , Chen Tien-Yu , Kuo Fu-Chen , Stubbs Brendon , Carvalho Andre F. , Chen Yen-Wen , Lin Pao-Yen , Cheng Yu-Shian , Sun Cheuk-Kwan
Published: May 2020

To assess the therapeutic benefits of antidepressants in depressive women during and after menopausal transition, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE and Science Direct were systematically searched from inception to February 1, 2020 for randomized controlled trials examining antidepressants compared to placebo. Primary outcome was change in depressive symptom severity, while secondary outcomes were rates of response/remission rates and dropout/discontinuation due to adverse events. Seven trials involving 1,676 participants (mean age = 52.6 years) showed significant improvement in depressive symptoms (k = 7, Hedges’ g = 0.44, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.32 to 0.57, p < 0.001) relative to that in controls. Furthermore, response (k = 3, odds ratio (OR) = 2.53, 95% CI = 1.24 to 5.15, p = 0.01) and remission (k = 3, OR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.32 to 2.57, p < 0.001) rates were significantly higher in antidepressant-treated groups compared to those with controls. Although dropout rates did not differ between antidepressant and control groups (k = 6, OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.70 to 1.26, p = 0.68), the rate of discontinuation due to adverse events was significantly higher in antidepressant-treated groups (k = 6, OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.35 to 0.86, p = 0.01). Subgroup analysis indicated that antidepressants were also efficacious for depressive symptoms in those without diagnosis of MDD. The results demonstrated that antidepressants were efficacious for women with depressive syndromes during and after menopausal transition but associated with a higher risk of discontinuation due to adverse events.
An Automated Segmentation Pipeline for Intratumoural Regions in Animal Xenografts Using Machine Learning and Saturation Transfer MRI
Authors: Lam Wilfred W. , Oakden Wendy , Karami Elham , Koletar Margaret M. , Murray Leedan , Liu Stanley K. , Sadeghi-Naini Ali , Stanisz Greg J.
Published: May 2020

Saturation transfer MRI can be useful in the characterization of different tumour types. It is sensitive to tumour metabolism, microstructure, and microenvironment. This study aimed to use saturation transfer to differentiate between intratumoural regions, demarcate tumour boundaries, and reduce data acquisition times by identifying the imaging scheme with the most impact on segmentation accuracy. Saturation transfer-weighted images were acquired over a wide range of saturation amplitudes and frequency offsets along with T1 and T2 maps for 34 tumour xenografts in mice. Independent component analysis and Gaussian mixture modelling were used to segment the images and identify intratumoural regions. Comparison between the segmented regions and histopathology indicated five distinct clusters: three corresponding to intratumoural regions (active tumour, necrosis/apoptosis, and blood/edema) and two extratumoural (muscle and a mix of muscle and connective tissue). The fraction of tumour voxels segmented as necrosis/apoptosis quantitatively matched those calculated from TUNEL histopathological assays. An optimal protocol was identified providing reasonable qualitative agreement between MRI and histopathology and consisting of T1 and T2 maps and 22 magnetization transfer (MT)-weighted images. A three-image subset was identified that resulted in a greater than 90% match in positive and negative predictive value of tumour voxels compared to those found using the entire 24-image dataset. The proposed algorithm can potentially be used to develop a robust intratumoural segmentation method.
Modelling and synthesis of Magnéli Phases in ordered titanium oxide nanotubes with preserved morphology
Authors: Malik Hammad , Sarkar Sayan , Mohanty Swomitra , Carlson Krista
Published: May 2020

The presence of Magnéli phases in titanium oxide nanotubes (NTs) can open up frontiers in many applications owing to their electrical and optical properties. Synthesis of NTs with Magnéli phases have posed a challenge due to the degradation and loss of morphology in NTs upon high-temperature treatments (>600 °C) in a reducing environment. This study reports on the synthesis of anodically formed NTs containing Magnéli phases through a double annealing route: oxygen (O2) annealing followed by annealing in 2% hydrogen with a nitrogen balance (2%H2-N2). The nucleation, growth, and transformation of anodized amorphous NTs into crystalline phases was investigated. The NTs obtained through this route were highly ordered and composed of mixed phases of anatase, rutile, and the Magnéli phase (Ti4O7). Experimental results from scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning transmission electron microscopy (S/TEM), and Raman spectroscopy were combined with first principle calculations to develop an understanding of the sequential phase transformations during annealing. A predictive model was developed using density functional theory (DFT) to potentially predict the titanium oxides formed and their stability with reference to the mole fraction of oxygen. The change in the density of states (DOS), band structure, optical properties, and stability of phases are also discussed using DFT simulations. The combination of experimental characterization and modelling helped to understand the nucleation of anatase and rutile and the reorganization of these phases to form Magnéli phases on the anodized amorphous NTs through annealing treatment.
Osteoarthritis of the Temporomandibular Joint can be diagnosed earlier using biomarkers and machine learning
Authors: Bianchi Jonas , de Oliveira Ruellas Antônio Carlos , Gonçalves João Roberto , Paniagua Beatriz , Prieto Juan Carlos , Styner Martin , Li Tengfei , Zhu Hongtu , Sugai James , Giannobile William , Benavides Erika , Soki Fabiana , Yatabe Marilia , Ashman Lawrence , Walker David , Soroushmehr Reza , Najarian Kayvan , Cevidanes Lucia Helena Soares
Published: May 2020

After chronic low back pain, Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders are the second most common musculoskeletal condition affecting 5 to 12% of the population, with an annual health cost estimated at $4 billion. Chronic disability in TMJ osteoarthritis (OA) increases with aging, and the main goal is to diagnosis before morphological degeneration occurs. Here, we address this challenge using advanced data science to capture, process and analyze 52 clinical, biological and high-resolution CBCT (radiomics) markers from TMJ OA patients and controls. We tested the diagnostic performance of four machine learning models: Logistic Regression, Random Forest, LightGBM, XGBoost. Headaches, Range of mouth opening without pain, Energy, Haralick Correlation, Entropy and interactions of TGF-β1 in Saliva and Headaches, VE-cadherin in Serum and Angiogenin in Saliva, VE-cadherin in Saliva and Headaches, PA1 in Saliva and Headaches, PA1 in Saliva and Range of mouth opening without pain; Gender and Muscle Soreness; Short Run Low Grey Level Emphasis and Headaches, Inverse Difference Moment and Trabecular Separation accurately diagnose early stages of this clinical condition. Our results show the XGBoost + LightGBM model with these features and interactions achieves the accuracy of 0.823, AUC 0.870, and F1-score 0.823 to diagnose the TMJ OA status. Thus, we expect to boost future studies into osteoarthritis patient-specific therapeutic interventions, and thereby improve the health of articular joints.
Thermopower scaling in conducting polymers
Authors: Lepinoy Morgan , Limelette Patrice , Schmaltz Bruno , Van François Tran
Published: May 2020

By directly converting heat into electricity, thermoelectric effects provide a unique physical process from heat waste to energy harvesting. Requiring the highest possible power factor defined as α2σ, with the thermopower α and the electrical conductivity σ, such a technology necessitates the best knowledge of transport phenomena in order to be able to control and optimize both α and σ. While conducting polymers have already demonstrated their great potentiality with enhanced thermoelectric performance, the full understanding of the transport mechanisms in these compounds is still lacking. Here we show that the thermoelectric properties of one of the most promising conducting polymer, the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with tosylate ions (PEDOT-Tos), follows actually a very generic behavior with a scaling relation as α ∝ σ−1/4. Whereas conventional transport theories have failed to explain such an exponent, we demonstrate that it is in fact a characteristic of massless pseudo-relativistic quasiparticles, namely Dirac fermions, scattered by unscreened ionized impurities.