bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Photovoltaic solar modules for autonomous heat and power supply
Authors: Panchenko V
Published: August 2019

The article presents solar modules of various types and designs, in the development and study of which the author took part. Along with planar photovoltaic solar modules with an extended term of nominal power, high-voltage matrix solar modules with an extended term of nominal power and electrical efficiency up to 28% are considered. Such modules are made with the help of encapsulation technology with a polysiloxane compound, which improves the performance of solar modules and increases their service life. For autonomous power supply of mobile and compact electrical devices in the field, folding and sectional solar modules are proposed, which, when parallel-sequential switching, allow to gain the necessary power. For architectural solutions, solar roofing panels are presented, which along with electrogeneration make it possible to generate heat energy, and the base can be made of recycled plastic, which has a positive effect on the environment. To reduce the number of solar cells used, a concentrating solar roofing panel has been proposed, which allows the use of thermal energy. For the cogeneration of electric energy and thermal energy, a concentrator solar photovoltaic thermal module with a paraboloid type concentrator is also proposed. Each type of solar modules is used in a stationary heat and electric power supply and mobile power generation.
Architectural and engineering solutions for high-rise residential buildings with nearly zero energy balance
Authors: Kuzhakova A , Kolgashkina V , Shilkin N
Published: August 2019

Optimization of consumption and distribution of resources, as well as power management efficiency improvement, are the top priority tasks for economy of most countries. Problems of world energy require innovative solutions in the area of constructing highly energy efficient buildings, based on alternative fuels. The article develops a concept of a high-rise nearly zero energy building. Due to architectural and engineering decisions, the building may autonomously produce the amount of energy which is necessary for its proper functioning.
Harmonization of a reservoir operating regime for sustainable water supply to a megalopolis
Authors: Tskhai A , Kirillov V
Published: August 2019

The study is aimed at sustainable water supply to a megalopolis through preserving the ecosystem of the reservoir – the source of water resources for the city. The novelty is in the approach, application of which can prevent mass zooplankton death caused by surplus water spills from the reservoir in summer and autumn. Structural-dynamic modeling of the reservoir ecosystem state is used to analyze the environmental impact of different options of water use schedule.
Problems and prospects of food security in the regions of the Russian Federation
Authors: Olgarenko G V , Ugryumova A A , Kapustina T A , Zamahovsky M P
Published: August 2019

The authors highlighted and substantiated the role and importance of import substitution of food for the Russian Federation in the context of the country’s food security. The study identified and classified the types of food threats to the Russian Federation which are arising from the high import intensity of the food market. The situation of territorial differentiation in the field of food supply is revealed and substantiated. The paper presents the author’s methodology, which are allowing to evaluate the contribution of each region to the import-substituting food potential of the country. The researchers used the ABC-analysis method as a result of the calculation of the import substitution’s composite index by federal districts of the Russian Federation for 2010–2012, which also revealed the positioning of individual regions in the field of import substitution and food security. The findings of regional differentiation gave a comparable result, which indicates the relevance of the study. Another significant result of the presented work was the conclusion that the climatic factor of the territory’s comfort does not guarantee that the federal districts fall into the leading group on import substitution. According to the authors of the studying, the leading factor which are ensuring the food security of the country as a whole and its individual regions is the level of socio-economic development.
A decay estimate for the eigenvalues of the Neumann-Poincaré operator using the Grunsky coefficients
Authors: Jung YoungHoon , Lim Mikyoung
Published: August 2019

We consider the decay property of the eigenvalues of the Neumann-Poincaré operator in two dimensions. As is well known, this operator admits only a sequence of eigenvalues that accumulates to zero as its spectrum for a bounded domain having

C

1
,
α

C^{1,\alpha }

boundary with

α
∈
(
0
,
1
)

\alpha \in (0,1)

. We show that the eigenvalues

λ
k

\lambda _k

of the Neumann-Poincaré operator ordered by size satisfy that

|

λ
k

|

=
O
(

k

−
p
−
α
+
1

/

2

)

|\lambda _k| = O(k^{-p-\alpha +1/2})

for an arbitrary simply connected domain having

C

1
+
p
,
α

C^{1+p,\alpha }

boundary with

p
≥
0
,
 
α
∈
(
0
,
1
)

p\geq 0,~ \alpha \in (0,1)

, and

p
+
α
>

1
2

p+\alpha >\frac {1}{2}

.
Dual graphs from noncommutative and quasisymmetric Schur functions
Authors: van Willigenburg S.
Published: August 2019

By establishing relations between operators on compositions, we show that the posets of compositions arising from the right and left Pieri rules for noncommutative Schur functions can each be endowed with both the structure of dual graded graphs and dual filtered graphs when paired with the poset of compositions arising from the Pieri rules for quasisymmetric Schur functions and its deformation.
Mediation by Placental DNA Methylation of the Association of Prenatal Maternal Smoking and Birth Weight
Authors: Cardenas Andres , Lutz Sharon M , Everson Todd M , Perron Patrice , Bouchard Luigi , Hivert Marie-France
Published: August 2019

Prenatal maternal smoking is a risk factor for lower birth weight. We performed epigenome-wide association analyses of placental DNA methylation (DNAm) at 720,077 cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites and prenatal maternal smoking among 441 mother-infant pairs (2010–2014) and evaluated whether DNAm mediates the association between smoking and birth weight using mediation analysis. Mean birth weight was 3,443 (standard deviation, 423) g, and 38 mothers (8.6%) reported smoking at a mean of 9.4 weeks of gestation. Prenatal maternal smoking was associated with a 175-g lower birth weight (95% confidence interval (CI): −305.5, −44.8) and with differential DNAm of 71 CpGs in placenta, robust to latent-factor adjustment reflecting cell types (Bonferroni-adjusted P < 6.94 × 10−8). Of the 71 CpG sites, 7 mediated the association between prenatal smoking and birth weight (on MDS2, PBX1, CYP1A2, VPRBP, WBP1L, CD28, and CDK6 genes), and prenatal smoking × DNAm interactions on birth weight were observed for 5 CpG sites. The strongest mediator, cg22638236, was annotated to the PBX1 gene body involved in skeletal patterning and programming, with a mediated effect of 301-g lower birth weight (95% CI: −543, −86) among smokers but no mediated effect for nonsmokers (β = −38 g; 95% CI: −88, 9). Prenatal maternal smoking might interact with placental DNAm at specific loci, mediating the association with lower infant birth weight.
The Cultural Economies of Digital Books
Authors: Wilkens Matthew
Published: August 2019

An examination of the possible relations between literature and the digital. Each of three recent books, including Zara Dinnen’s The Digital Banal (2018), Andrew Piper’s Enumerations (2018), and Joel Waldfogel’s Digital Renaissance (2018), addresses a distinct aspect of the problem. Dinnen’s study considers the representational effects of social media on literary realism. Waldfogel traces the consequences of digital production and distribution on the culture industries. And Piper demonstrates the evidentiary value of quantitative analysis of literary collections. All three are persuasive within their domains, but none offers the comprehensive theory of the digital that was once the presumptive end of the study of digital books. The article suggests that the implicit renunciation of such a theory in recent work represents a new phase in the investigation of digital literature.
Drivers of the relative richness of naturalized and invasive plant species on Earth
Authors: Essl Franz , Dawson Wayne , Kreft Holger , Pergl Jan , Pyšek Petr , Van Kleunen Mark , Weigelt Patrick , Mang Thomas , Dullinger Stefan , Lenzner Bernd , Moser Dietmar , Maurel Noëlie , Seebens Hanno , Stein Anke , Weber Ewald , Chatelain Cyrille , Inderjit  , Genovesi Piero , Kartesz John , Morozova Olga , Nishino Misako , Nowak Pauline M , Pagad Shyama , Shu Wen-Sheng , Winter Marten
Published: August 2019

Biological invasions are a defining feature of the Anthropocene, but the factors that determine the spatially uneven distribution of alien plant species are still poorly understood. Here, we present the first global analysis of the effects of biogeographic factors, the physical environment and socio-economy on the richness of naturalized and invasive alien plants. We used generalized linear mixed-effects models and variation partitioning to disentangle the relative importance of individual factors, and, more broadly, of biogeography, physical environment and socio-economy. As measures of the magnitude of permanent anthropogenic additions to the regional species pool and of species with negative environmental impacts, we calculated the relative richness of naturalized (= RRN) and invasive (= RRI) alien plant species numbers adjusted for the number of native species in 838 terrestrial regions. Socio-economic factors (per-capita gross domestic product (GDP), population density, proportion of agricultural land) were more important in explaining RRI (~50 % of the explained variation) than RRN (~40 %). Warm-temperate and (sub)tropical regions have higher RRN than tropical or cooler regions. We found that socio-economic pressures are more relevant for invasive than for naturalized species richness. The expectation that the southern hemisphere is more invaded than the northern hemisphere was confirmed only for RRN on islands, but not for mainland regions nor for RRI. On average, islands have ~6-fold RRN, and >3-fold RRI compared to mainland regions. Eighty-two islands (=26 % of all islands) harbour more naturalized alien than native plants. Our findings challenge the widely held expectation that socio-economic pressures are more relevant for plant naturalization than for invasive plants. To meet international biodiversity targets and halt the detrimental consequences of plant invasions, it is essential to disrupt the connection between socio-economic development and plant invasions by improving pathway management, early detection and rapid response.
What makes motion dazzle markings effective against predation?
Authors: Kodandaramaiah Ullasa , Palathingal Shuaib , Bindu Kurup Gayathri , Murali Gopal
Published: August 2019

Motion dazzle markings comprise patterns such as stripes and zig-zags that are postulated to protect moving prey by making predators misjudge the prey’s speed or trajectory. Recent experiments have provided conflicting results on their effect on speed perception and attack success. We focus on motion dazzle stripes and investigate the influence of four parameters—stripe orientation, stripe contrast, target size, and target speed—on perceived speed and attack success using a common experimental paradigm involving human “predators” attacking virtual moving targets on a computer touchscreen. We found that high-contrast stripes running parallel or perpendicular to the direction of motion reduce attack success compared to conspicuous uniform targets. Surprisingly, parallel stripes induced underestimation of speed, while perpendicular stripes induced overestimation of speed in relation to uniform black, suggesting that misjudgment of speed per se is sufficient to reduce attack accuracy. Across all the experiments, we found some support for parallel stripes inducing underestimation of target speed but these stripes reduced attack success only when targets were small, moved at an intermediate speed, and had high internal contrast. We suggest that prey features (e.g., size or speed) are an important determinant of capture success and that distortion of speed perception by a color pattern does not necessarily translate to reduced capture success of the prey. Overall, our results support the idea that striped patterns in prey animals can reduce capture in motion but are effective under a limited set of conditions.
HiLight-PTM: an online application to aid matching peptide pairs with isotopically labelled PTMs
Authors: Whitwell Harry J , DiMaggio Peter
Published: August 2019

Motivation

Database searching of isotopically labelled PTMs can be problematic and we frequently find that only one, or neither in a heavy/light pair are assigned. In such cases, having a pair of MS/MS spectra that differ due to an isotopic label can assist in identifying the relevant m/z values that support the correct peptide annotation or can be used for de novo sequencing.

Results

We have developed an online application that identifies matching peaks and peaks differing by the appropriate mass shift (difference between heavy and light PTM) between two MS/MS spectra. Furthermore, the application predicts, from the exact-match peaks, the mass of their complementary ions and highlights these as high confidence matches between the two spectra. The result is a tool to visually compare two spectra, and downloadable peaks lists that can be used to support de novo sequencing.

Availability and implementation

HiLight-PTM is released using shinyapps.io by RStudio, and can be accessed from any internet browser at https://harrywhitwell.shinyapps.io/hilight-ptm/.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
CRDS: Consensus Reverse Docking System for target fishing
Authors: Lee Aeri , Kim Dongsup
Published: August 2019

Motivation

Identification of putative drug targets is a critical step for explaining the mechanism of drug action against multiple targets, finding new therapeutic indications for existing drugs and unveiling the adverse drug reactions. One important approach is to use the molecular docking. However, its widespread utilization has been hindered by the lack of easy-to-use public servers. Therefore, it is vital to develop a streamlined computational tool for target prediction by molecular docking on a large scale.

Results

We present a fully automated web tool named Consensus Reverse Docking System (CRDS), which predicts potential interaction sites for a given drug. To improve hit rates, we developed a strategy of consensus scoring. CRDS carries out reverse docking against 5254 candidate protein structures using three different scoring functions (GoldScore, Vina and LeDock from GOLD version 5.7.1, AutoDock Vina version 1.1.2 and LeDock version 1.0, respectively), and those scores are combined into a single score named Consensus Docking Score (CDS). The web server provides the list of top 50 predicted interaction sites, docking conformations, 10 most significant pathways and the distribution of consensus scores.

Availability and implementation

The web server is available at http://pbil.kaist.ac.kr/CRDS.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Monocentric chromosomes in Juncus (Juncaceae) and implications for the chromosome evolution of the family
Authors: Guerra Marcelo , Ribeiro Tiago , Felix Leonardo P
Published: August 2019

Holocentric chromosomes are rare among angiosperms, but have been suggested to be shared by all or most of the species of Cyperaceae and Juncaceae. However, no clear demonstration of the centromere type in Juncus, the largest genus of Juncaceae, has so far been published. Thus, we conducted a detailed chromosomal investigation of four Juncus spp. aiming to identify their centromere type. Mitotic chromosomes were analysed using the fluorochromes CMA and DAPI, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with rDNA probes and immunodetection of histones H3 phosphorylated at serine 10 (H3-S10ph) and H2A phosphorylated at threonine 133 (H2A-T133ph). DAPI-stained chromosomes of all species displayed typical primary constrictions, which were not related to AT-poor CMA+ heterochromatin or rDNA sites (usually negatively stained with DAPI). Immunodetection with H3-S10ph and H2A-T133ph revealed hyperphosphorylation of pericentromeric and centromeric regions, respectively, in a restricted area, as observed in monocentric chromosomes. Meiotic analyses in J. microcephalus showed no indication of inverted meiosis, commonly found in plants with holocentric chromosomes. Since the species investigated here belong to four different sections of Juncus and all of them display typical monocentric chromosomes, it seems that this kind of centromere is common in the genus and may represent the standard centromere organization for Juncus. If Juncus has monocentric chromosomes, there is no reason to hypothesize that other genera of Juncaceae for which centromeres have not been carefully investigated have holocentric chromosomes.
TTTCA repeat insertions in an intron of YEATS2 in benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy type 4
Authors: Yeetong Patra , Pongpanich Monnat , Srichomthong Chalurmpon , Assawapitaksakul Adjima , Shotelersuk Varote , Tantirukdham Nithiphut , Chunharas Chaipat , Suphapeetiporn Kanya , Shotelersuk Vorasuk
Published: August 2019

Benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy (BAFME) is an autosomal disorder characterized by adult-onset cortical tremor and generalized seizures. Using whole genome sequencing, Yeetong et al. identify the causative mutation for type 4 of the disorder (BAFME4), providing insights into the underlying pathogenesis.
Hereditary nodo-paranodopathies: genomic variants, not just autoantibodies, hit the protein
Authors: Karakaya Mert , Wirth Brunhilde
Published: August 2019

The scientific commentary refers to ‘Biallelic mutations in neurofascin cause neurodevelopmental impairment and peripheral demyelination’, by Efthymiou et al. (doi:10.1093/brain/awz248).
A Desirable Future: Uber as Image-Making in Winnipeg
Authors: Gibbings Sheri L , Taylor Jessica
Published: August 2019

This paper investigates the sociotechnical imaginary surrounding Uber’s supposedly imminent arrival in Winnipeg, through an examination of communication in the public sphere. We examine how actors mobilized their communicative resources in efforts to either bring ride-hailing or keep it away. For some advocates, ride-hailing technology was less important than Uber’s symbolic value of building Winnipeg’s image as an innovative city. Media coverage contrasted innovation and Uber with Winnipeg’s anxieties about being behind other cities and its taxi industry’s reputation as stuck in the past. These visions of Winnipeg’s future addressed an unspoken White, middle-class city dweller. While Winnipeg’s transportation industry was shaped by the socially located experiences of racialized immigrant men as taxi drivers and Indigenous women as passengers, these actors had less power to shape the imaginary. Our analysis suggests that cities like Winnipeg view Uber as an image-making product as much as a beneficial service for their citizens.
Tight Coupling between Morphological Features of the Central Sulcus and Somatomotor Body Representations: A Combined Anatomical and Functional MRI Study
Authors: Germann Jürgen , Chakravarty M Mallar , Collins D Louis , Petrides Michael
Published: August 2019

Pioneering research established the concept of somatotopic organization of the primary motor and somatosensory cortex along the central sulcus as depicted in the widely known schematic illustration (the “homunculus”) by Penfield and colleagues. With the exception of the hand, however, a precise relationship between morphological features of the central sulcus and the representation of various parts of the body has not been addressed. To investigate whether such relations between anatomical features and functional body representations exist, we first examined central sulcus morphology in detail and then conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment to establish somatomotor representations. This study established that the central sulcus is composed of five distinct sulcal segments and demonstrated that each segment relates systematically to the sensorimotor representation of distinct parts of the body. Thus, local morphology predicts the localization of body representations with precision, raising fundamental questions regarding functional and morphological differentiation.
What Do We Really Know about the Transatlantic Current Account?
Authors: Braml Martin T , Felbermayr Gabriel J
Published: August 2019

Do the USA have a current account surplus or a deficit with the EU? Since 2009, official sources disagree: The U.S. Department of Commerce claims a consistent US surplus while Eurostat reports the opposite. International transactions are notoriously difficult to measure accurately, but the size of the transatlantic discrepancy is extremely substantial: over the last 10 years, it has grown to a cumulated 1 Trillion USD. In times of severe trade policy disagreements across the Atlantic, this gap is obviously problematic. This article tries to dissect the transatlantic reporting gap. Two country-pairs—USA-UK and USA-Netherlands—account for almost the entire transatlantic discrepancy, which, in 2017, stood at about 180 billion USD. In the former case, national statistics on net services trade disagree by as much as 55 billion USD; in the latter case, there is a reporting difference in net primary income of about 60 billion USD. In contrast, data provided by the Bundesbank for the German-US current account closely mirror US data. Nonrandom measurement error and, possibly, deliberate manipulation seem to cause the observed discrepancies. (JEL codes: F14, F32, H26)
Polypharmacy and Drug–Drug Interactions in People Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the Region of Madrid, Spain: A Population-Based Study
Authors: López-Centeno Beatriz , Badenes-Olmedo Carlos , Mataix-Sanjuan Ángel , McAllister Katie , Bellón José M , Gibbons Sara , Balsalobre Pascual , Pérez-Latorre Leire , Benedí Juana , Marzolini Catia , Aranguren-Oyarzábal Ainhoa , Khoo Saye , Calvo-Alcántara María J , Berenguer Juan
Published: August 2019

Background

Drug–drug interactions (DDIs) that involve antiretrovirals (ARVs) tend to cause harm if unrecognized, especially in the context of comorbidity and polypharmacy.

Methods

A linkage was established between the drug dispensing registry of Madrid and the Liverpool human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) DDI database (January 2017–June 2017). Polypharmacy was defined as the use of ≥5 non-HIV medications, and DDIs were classified by a traffic-light ranking for severity.

Results

A total of 22 945 people living with HIV (PLWH) and 6 613 506 individuals without HIV had received medications. ARV regimens were predominantly based on integrase inhibitors (51.96%). Polypharmacy was higher in PLWH (32.94%) than individuals without HIV (22.16%; P < .001); this difference was consistently observed across all age strata except for individuals ≥75 years. Polypharmacy was more common in women than men in both PLWH and individuals without HIV. The prevalence of contraindicated combinations involving ARVs was 3.18%. Comedications containing corticosteroids, quetiapine, or antithrombotic agents were associated with the highest risk for red-flag DDI, and the use of raltegravir- or dolutegravir-based antiretroviral therapy was associated with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.72 (95% confidence interval, .60–.88; P = .001) for red-flag DDI.

Conclusions

Polypharmacy was more frequent among PLWH across all age groups except those aged ≥75 years and was more common in women. The detection of contraindicated medications in PLWH suggests a likely disconnect between hospital and community prescriptions. Switching to alternative unboosted integrase regimens should be considered for patients with risk of harm from DDIs.
Determinants of Latent Tuberculosis Treatment Acceptance and Completion in Healthcare Personnel
Authors: Swift Melanie D , Molella Robin G , Vaughn Andrew I S , Breeher Laura E , Newcomb Richard D , Abdellatif Shahnaz , Murad M Hassan
Published: August 2019

Background

US public health strategy for eliminating tuberculosis (TB) prioritizes treatment of latent TB infection (LTBI). Healthcare personnel (HCP) are less willing to accept treatment than other populations. Little is known about factors associated with HCP LTBI therapy acceptance and completion.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective chart review to identify all employees with LTBI at time of hire at a large academic medical center during a 10-year period. Personal demographics, occupational factors, and clinic visit variables were correlated with LTBI treatment acceptance and completion rates using multivariate logistic regression.

Results

Of 470 HCP with LTBI for whom treatment was recommended, 193 (41.1%) accepted treatment, while 137 (29.1%) completed treatment. Treatment adherence was better with 4 months of rifampin than 9 months of isoniazid (95% vs 68%, P < .005). Increased age of the healthcare worker was independently associated with lower rates of treatment acceptance (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.97 [0.94–0.99] per year), as was having an occupation of clinician (0.47 [0.26–0.85]) or researcher (0.34 [0.19–0.64]). Male gender was associated with higher treatment acceptance (1.90 [1.21–2.99]). Treatment completion was associated with being from a low- (9.49 [2.06–43.73]) or medium- (8.51 [3.93–18.44]) TB-burden country.

Conclusions

Geographic and occupational factors affect acceptance and completion of LTBI therapy. Short-course regimens may improve adherence. Physicians, researchers, and HCP from high-TB-burden countries have lower treatment rates than other HCP. Improving LTBI treatment in HCP will require attending to cultural and occupational differences.
Sex steroid hormones and behavior reveal seasonal reproduction in a resident fin whale population
Authors: Carone Erica , Pardo Mario A , Atkinson Shannon , Mashburn Kendall , Pérez-Puig Héctor , Enríquez-Paredes Luis , Gendron Diane
Published: August 2019

Fin whales in the Gulf of California constitute a resident population genetically isolated from the rest of the North Pacific Ocean. Its small population size and the scarce information available about its dynamics in a semi-enclosed sea underline the importance of conducting studies about its reproduction. Given the monsoonal regime that dominates the oceanographic habitat of this region, we hypothesized seasonality in the population’s reproductive activity. To test this, we validated and assayed testosterone and progesterone from blubber biopsies of free-ranging individuals. Lactating females exhibited low progesterone concentrations, whereas a group of females of unknown reproductive stage, but with extremely high progesterone concentrations, showed strong evidence of separation and were considered to be likely ovulating or pregnant. A seasonal model of testosterone concentrations showed a high peak during the late summer. This trend was supported by the first documentation of courtship events and by the recording of a female with high progesterone concentration during summer and re-sighted with a calf 1 year later. Therefore, the breeding in this resident population would be seasonal, as it is in migratory baleen whales, but occurring during the summer/autumn, which is the least productive season in the Gulf of California. Our study represents an important input to assist in future management policies of this protected population.
Fasting in the ureotelic Lake Magadi tilapia, Alcolapia grahami, does not reduce its high metabolic demand, increasing its vulnerability to siltation events
Authors: De Boeck Gudrun , Wood Chris M , Brix Kevin V , Sinha Amit K , Matey Victoria , Johannsson Ora E , Bianchini Adalto , Bianchini Lucas F , Maina John N , Kavembe Geraldine D , Papah Michael B , Kisipan Mosiany L , Ojoo Rodi O
Published: August 2019

Lake Magadi, Kenya, is one of the most extreme aquatic environments on Earth (pH~10, anoxic to hyperoxic, high temperatures). Recently, increased water demand and siltation have threatened the viable hot springs near the margins of the lake where Alcolapia grahami, the only fish surviving in the lake, live. These Lake Magadi tilapia largely depend on nitrogen-rich cyanobacteria for food and are 100% ureotelic. Their exceptionally high aerobic metabolic rate, together with their emaciated appearance, suggests that they are energy-limited. Therefore, we hypothesized that during food deprivation, Magadi tilapia would economize their energy expenditure and reduce metabolic rate, aerobic performance and urea-N excretion. Surprisingly, during a 5-day fasting period, routine metabolic rates increased and swimming performance (critical swimming speed) was not affected. Urea-N excretion remained stable despite the lack of their N-rich food source. Their nitrogen use switched to endogenous sources as liver and muscle protein levels decreased after a 5-day fast, indicating proteolysis. Additionally, fish relied on carbohydrates with lowered muscle glycogen levels, but there were no signs indicating use of lipid stores. Gene expression of gill and gut urea transporters were transiently reduced as were gill rhesus glycoprotein Rhbg and Rhcg-2. The reduction in gill glutamine synthetase expression concomitant with the reduction in Rh glycoprotein gene expression indicates reduced nitrogen/ammonia metabolism, most likely decreased protein synthesis. Additionally, fish showed reduced plasma total CO2, osmolality and Na+ (but not Cl−) levels, possibly related to reduced drinking rates and metabolic acidosis. Our work shows that Lake Magadi tilapia have the capacity to survive short periods of starvation which could occur when siltation linked to flash floods covers their main food source, but their seemingly hardwired high metabolic rates would compromise long-term survival.
How free-ranging ungulates with differing water dependencies cope with seasonal variation in temperature and aridity
Authors: Boyers Melinda , Parrini Francesca , Owen-Smith Norman , Erasmus Barend F N , Hetem Robyn S
Published: August 2019

Large mammals respond to seasonal changes in temperature and precipitation by behavioural and physiological flexibility. These responses are likely to differ between species with differing water dependencies. We used biologgers to contrast the seasonal differences in activity patterns, microclimate selection, distance to potential water source and body temperature of the water-independent gemsbok (Oryx gazella gazella) and water-dependent blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), free-living in the arid Kalahari region of Botswana. Gemsbok were more active nocturnally during the hot seasons than in the cold-dry season, while wildebeest showed no seasonal difference in their nocturnal activity level. Both species similarly selected shaded microclimates during the heat of the day, particularly during the hot seasons. Wildebeest were further than 10 km from surface water 30% or more of the time, while gemsbok were frequently recorded >20 km from potential water sources. In general, both species showed similar body temperature variation with high maximum 24-h body temperature when conditions were hot and low minimum 24-h body temperatures when conditions were dry, resulting in the largest amplitude of 24-h body temperature rhythm during the hot-dry period. Wildebeest thus coped almost as well as gemsbok with the fairly typical seasonal conditions that occurred during our study period. They do need to access surface water and may travel long distances to do so when local water sources become depleted during drought conditions. Thus, perennial water sources should be provided judiciously and only where essential.
The likely effects of thermal climate change on vertebrate skeletal muscle mechanics with possible consequences for animal movement and behaviour
Authors: James Rob S , Tallis Jason
Published: August 2019

Changes in temperature, caused by climate change, can alter the amount of power an animal’s muscle produces, which could in turn affect that animal’s ability to catch prey or escape predators. Some animals may cope with such changes, but other species could undergo local extinction as a result.
Only as strong as the weakest link: structural analysis of the combined effects of elevated temperature and pCO2 on mussel attachment
Authors: Newcomb Laura A , George Matthew N , O’Donnell Michael J , Carrington Emily
Published: August 2019

Predicting how combinations of stressors will affect failure risk is a key challenge for the field of ecomechanics and, more generally, ecophysiology. Environmental conditions often influence the manufacture and durability of biomaterials, inducing structural failure that potentially compromises organismal reproduction, growth, and survival. Species known for tight linkages between structural integrity and survival include bivalve mussels, which produce numerous byssal threads to attach to hard substrate. Among the current environmental threats to marine organisms are ocean warming and acidification. Elevated pCO2 exposure is known to weaken byssal threads by compromising the strength of the adhesive plaque. This study uses structural analysis to evaluate how an additional stressor, elevated temperature, influences byssal thread quality and production. Mussels (Mytilus trossulus) were placed in controlled temperature and pCO2 treatments, and then, newly produced threads were counted and pulled to failure to determine byssus strength. The effects of elevated temperature on mussel attachment were dramatic; mussels produced 60% weaker and 65% fewer threads at 25°C in comparison to 10°C. These effects combine to weaken overall attachment by 64–88% at 25°C. The magnitude of the effect of pCO2 on thread strength was substantially lower than that of temperature and, contrary to our expectations, positive at high pCO2 exposure. Failure mode analysis localized the effect of temperature to the proximal region of the thread, whereas pCO2 affected only the adhesive plaques. The two stressors therefore act independently, and because their respective target regions are interconnected (resisting tension in series), their combined effects on thread strength are exactly equal to the effect of the strongest stressor. Altogether, these results show that mussels, and the coastal communities they support, may be more vulnerable to the negative effects of ocean warming than ocean acidification.
Financial Toxicity as an Unforeseen Side Effect of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Hobbs Misty , Thakur Kshitij
Published: August 2019

“Financial toxicity” refers to the adverse impacts of cost on a patient’s disease experience and outcomes. Although the focus of financial toxicity thus far has been in the context of cancer care, it is reasonable to suspect that other chronic illnesses are afflicted by this same concept. In this article, we discuss a case of financial toxicity in a patient with ulcerative colitis, which ultimately lead to not only insufficient disease management, but also paradoxically increased cost. Our case serves to illustrate the phenomenon of financial toxicity and its consequences in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
Commonly Used Immunosuppressives Affect Mesenchymal Stem Cell Viability and Function: Should We Rethinking Clinical Trial Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria?
Authors: Lightner Amy L , Du Zeji , Peterson Timothy E , Shi Ao , Li Mark , Romero Arocha Sinibaldo Rafael , Behfar Atta
Published: August 2019

Background

Clinical trials utilizing mesenchymal stem cells (MCSs) for the treatment of perianal Crohn disease are expanding. Most enrolled Crohn patients are being actively treated with corticosteroids, immunomodulators, and biologic therapy for their luminal and perianal disease at the time of enrollment and treatment.

Aim

We sought to broaden the understanding of the effect of corticosteroids, immunomodulators, and biologic therapy on the viability and function of MCSs. This information is important for tailoring inclusion and exclusion criteria of clinical trials.

Methods

Human adipose–derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAMCSs) were harvested and isolated from healthy patient donors. At Passage 3, hAMCSs were treated with 7 commonly used immunosuppressive therapies used to treat Crohn disease at increasing concentrations: dexamethasone, methotrexate, azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine, infliximab, vedolizumab, and ustekinumab. Cell proliferation, migration, and cytokine secretion were analyzed at Day 4.

Results

Dexamethasone and azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurien affected cell proliferation and migration. Dexamethasone even resulted in cell death at high physiologic concentrations. The same drugs also had the most profound impacts on IL-6, IL-8, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 secretion profiles. Biologic therapies, including anti-tumor necrosis factor, anti-interleukin, and anti-integrins, had the smallest impact on hAMSC proliferation, migration, and cytokine secretion profile.

Conclusions

In clinical trials with MCSs, a washout period may be recommended for corticosteroids and immunomodulators to minimize any effect of systemic immunosuppression on MSC function and efficacy.
Elevated Pretreatment Plasma Oncostatin M Is Associated With Poor Biochemical Response to Infliximab
Authors: Minar Phillip , Lehn Christina , Tsai Yi-Ting , Jackson Kimberly , Rosen Michael J , Denson Lee A
Published: August 2019

Background

We hypothesized that elevations of plasma Oncostatin M (OSM) would be associated with infliximab nonresponse.

Methods

Plasma OSM was measured in Crohn disease patients pre-infliximab with biochemical response (>50% reduction in fecal calprotectin) as the primary outcome.

Results

The median OSM in biochemical responders was 86 (69–148) pg/mL compared with 166 (74–1766) pg/mL in nonresponders (P = 0.03). Plasma OSM > 143.5 pg/mL was 71% sensitive and 78% specific for biochemical nonresponse (area under the curve 0.71). Early biochemical nonremission was also associated with an elevated neutrophil CD64 expression (odds ratio 8.9, P = 0.011).

Conclusions

Elevated preinfliximab plasma OSM and nCD64 surface expression were both associated with poor biochemical outcomes.
Oxidized low-density lipoproteins induce tissue factor expression in T-lymphocytes via activation of lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1
Authors: Cimmino Giovanni , Cirillo Plinio , Conte Stefano , Pellegrino Grazia , Barra Giusi , Maresca Lucio , Morello Andrea , Calì Gaetano , Loffredo Francesco , De Palma Raffaele , Arena Giulia , Sawamura Tatsuya , Ambrosio Giuseppe , Golino Paolo
Published: August 2019

Aims

T-lymphocytes plays an important role in the pathophysiology of acute coronary syndromes. T-cell activation in vitro by pro-inflammatory cytokines may lead to functional tissue factor (TF) expression, indicating a possible contribution of immunity to thrombosis. Oxidized low-density lipoproteins (oxLDLs) are found abundantly in atherosclerotic plaques. We aimed at evaluating the effects of oxLDLs on TF expression in T cells and the role of the lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1).

Methods and results

CD3+ cells were isolated from healthy volunteers. Gene, protein, and surface expression of TF, as well as of LOX-1, were assessed at different time-points after oxLDL stimulation. To determine whether oxLDL-induced TF was LOX-1 dependent, T cells were pre-incubated with an LOX-1 inhibiting peptide (L-RBP) or with an anti-LOX-1 blocking antibody. To exclude that TF expression was mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, oxLDL-stimulated T cells were pre-incubated with superoxide dismutase + catalase or with 4-Hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (Tempol), an intracellular free radical scavenger. Finally, to determine if the observed findings in vitro may have a biological relevance, the presence of CD3+/TF+/LOX-1+ cells was evaluated by immunofluorescence in human carotid atherosclerotic lesions. oxLDLs induced functionally active TF expression in T cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, independently on ROS generation. No effect was observed in native LDL-treated T cells. LOX-1 expression was also induced by oxLDLs in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Pre-incubation with L-RBP or anti-LOX-1 antibody almost completely inhibited oxLDL-mediated TF expression. Interestingly, human carotid plaques showed significant infiltration of CD3+ cells (mainly CD8+ cells), some of which were positive for both TF and LOX-1.

Conclusion

oxLDLs induce functional TF expression in T-lymphocytes in vitro via interaction of oxLDLs with LOX-1. Human carotid atherosclerotic plaques contain CD3+/CD8+cells that express both TF and LOX-1, indicating that also in patients these mechanisms may play an important role.
Dispossession and the 1970s Trans-Genre: A Reading of Judy Grahn’s “The Psychoanalysis of Edward the Dyke”
Authors: Irwin Catherine
Published: August 2019

While Judy Grahn’s 1978 prose poem “The Psychoanalysis of Edward the Dyke” has been examined through a cisgendered lesbian feminist lens, this essay argues that Grahn’s poem is more productively interpreted as a satirical trans-genre that critiques not just the clinical treatment of lesbians, but the clinical treatment of trans persons as well. Through a close reading, this essay analyzes the various social and medical encounters in “Edward the Dyke” to address how transphobic and homophobic discourses of this historical period are parodied and used as satirical elements to critique the clinical establishment. A reading of Grahn’s work as trans-genre contributes to a body of work that illustrates the dispossession of both gender variant lesbians and trans subjectivities and the historical intersections of non-normative genders and sexualities in literature.
At Will: The Queer Possibility of Jen Bervin’s Nets
Authors: Gold Alexandra J
Published: August 2019

Exploring Jen Bervin’s 2004 revision of the Shakespearean sonnets, this essay situates her project Nets within a visual and verbal tradition of erasure art past and contemporary and underscores her work’s queer potential. Through Bervin’s creative-critical intervention, Nets reorients the spatio-temporal boundaries of the Bard’s infamous sequence, unsettling its most entrenched assumptions of subjectivity and form. Her erasure not only unearths disparate meanings in but imagines alternative possibilities for Shakespeare’s sonnets, cultivating new pleasures and beauties therein. Doing so, Nets begins to reveal how erasure can function as a powerful poetic mode for those whose subjectivities and voices have long been excluded from official literary and cultural histories: how erasure becomes a bold act of will.
DeepScreening: a deep learning-based screening web server for accelerating drug discovery
Authors: Liu Zhihong , Du Jiewen , Fang Jiansong , Yin Yulong , Xu Guohuan , Xie Liwei
Published: August 2019

Deep learning contributes significantly to researches in biological sciences and drug discovery. Previous studies suggested that deep learning techniques have shown superior performance to other machine learning algorithms in virtual screening, which is a critical step to accelerate the drug discovery. However, the application of deep learning techniques in drug discovery and chemical biology are hindered due to the data availability, data further processing and lacking of the user-friendly deep learning tools and interface. Therefore, we developed a user-friendly web server with integration of the state of art deep learning algorithm, which utilizes either the public or user-provided dataset to help biologists or chemists perform virtual screening either the chemical probes or drugs for a specific target of interest. With DeepScreening, user could conveniently construct a deep learning model and generate the target-focused de novo libraries. The constructed classification and regression models could be subsequently used for virtual screening against the generated de novo libraries, or diverse chemical libraries in stock. From deep models training to virtual screening, and target focused de novo library generation, all those tasks could be finished with DeepScreening. We believe this deep learning-based web server will benefit to both biologists and chemists for probes or drugs discovery.
Evaluation of an automatic article selection method for timelier updates of the Comet Core Outcome Set database
Authors: Norman Christopher R , Gargon Elizabeth , Leeflang Mariska M G , Névéol Aurélie , Williamson Paula R
Published: August 2019

Curated databases of scientific literature play an important role in helping researchers find relevant literature, but populating such databases is a labour intensive and time-consuming process. One such database is the freely accessible Comet Core Outcome Set database, which was originally populated using manual screening in an annually updated systematic review. In order to reduce the workload and facilitate more timely updates we are evaluating machine learning methods to reduce the number of references needed to screen. In this study we have evaluated a machine learning approach based on logistic regression to automatically rank the candidate articles. Data from the original systematic review and its four first review updates were used to train the model and evaluate performance. We estimated that using automatic screening would yield a workload reduction of at least 75% while keeping the number of missed references around 2%. We judged this to be an acceptable trade-off for this systematic review, and the method is now being used for the next round of the Comet database update.
RiceRelativesGD: a genomic database of rice relatives for rice research
Authors: Mao Lingfeng , Chen Meihong , Chu Qinjie , Jia Lei , Sultana Most Humaira , Wu Dongya , Kong Xiangdong , Qiu Jie , Ye Chu-Yu , Zhu Qian-Hao , Chen Xi , Fan Longjiang
Published: August 2019

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important crops worldwide. Its relatives, including phylogenetically related species of rice and paddy weeds with a similar ecological niche, can provide crucial genetic resources (such as resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and high photosynthetic efficiency) for rice research. Although many rice genomic databases have been constructed, a database providing large-scale curated genomic data from rice relatives and offering specific gene resources is still lacking. Here, we present RiceRelativesGD, a user-friendly genomic database of rice relatives. RiceRelativesGD integrates large-scale genomic resources from 2 cultivated rice and 11 rice relatives, including 208 321 specific genes and 13 643 genes related to photosynthesis and responsive to external stimuli. Diverse bioinformatics tools are embedded in the database, which allow users to search, visualize and download the information of interest. To our knowledge, this is the first genomic database providing a centralized genetic resource of rice relatives. RiceRelativesGD will serve as a significant and comprehensive knowledgebase for the rice community.