bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
Authors: Lito Melina
Published: May 2018

Those who have been following international headlines for the past year can observe the increased prevalence of discussions on nuclear weapons, including between the United States and North Korea. In the margins of the discussions, the law and policy discussions around nuclear non-proliferation become very relevant. After all, the devastating humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons are very clear. “Studies have shown that the detonation of nuclear weapons would cause widespread death, injury and damage, especially if it occurred in or near a populated area.” There would be extensive casualties from severe burns and blunt force trauma that would occur in the moments after the detonation, as a result of blast effects and the release of thermal radiation. As such, most communities would not necessarily have the capacity to enact appropriate response mechanisms. “[A]ssessments undertaken by the ICRC have highlighted that there is a lack of capacity in most countries and at the international level to adequately respond to a nuclear detonation, and to provide assistance that would benefit a substantial portion of survivors in the aftermath.” Amid these considerations, the first-ever nuclear ban treaty, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (Treaty), was negotiated in the halls of the UN headquarters in New York. Before analyzing the Treaty itself, a word on how it came about and the legal framework that preceded it.
The earliest Elcanidae (Insecta, Orthoptera) from the Upper Triassic of North America
Authors: Fang Yan , Muscente A.D. , Heads Sam W. , Wang Bo , Xiao Shuhai
Published: May 2018

A new genus and species of the Elcanidae (Orthoptera, Elcanoidea), Cascadelcana virginiana n. gen. n. sp., is described based on a forewing specimen from the Upper Triassic (Norian) Cow Branch Formation in the Solite Quarry Lagerstätte near the North Carolina-Virginia boundary, USA. It is distinguished from other elcanid species by its RP+MA1 with six branches, M with two branches before stem MA1 fused with RP, and short CuA almost vertical against the posterior margin. This fossil represents the earliest definitive record of the family Elcanidae and the first orthopteran described from the Triassic of North America. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses show that the veins and a pterostigma-like structure on the wing of C. virginiana n. gen. n. sp. are preserved as carbonaceous compressions. The presence of a pterostigma-like structure in elcanids indicates that they may have evolved a particular flight mechanism distinct from those of other orthopterans.

UUID: http://zoobank.org/49526c99-5da4-48e3-ba6e-7018b8f9b1ae
The Challenge of Garveyism Studies
Authors: Ewing Adam
Published: May 2018

The past two decades have witnessed a resurgence of work on Marcus Garvey, Garveyism, and the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in the American academy. Building on a first wave of Garveyism scholarship (1971–1988), and indebted to the archival and curatorial work of Robert A. Hill and the editors of the Marcus Garvey and Universal Negro Improvement Association Papers, this new work has traced the resonance of Garveyism across a staggering number of locations: from the cities and farms of North America to the labor compounds and immigrant communities of Central America to the colonial capitals of the Caribbean and Africa. It has pushed the temporal dimensions of Garveyism, connecting it backward to pan-African and black nationalist discourses and mobilizations as early as the Age of Revolution, and forward to the era of decolonization and Black Power. It has revealed the ways that Garveyism, a mass movement rooted in community aspirations, ideals, debates, and prejudices, offers a forum for excavating African diasporic discourses, particularly their contested gender politics. It has revealed that much more work remains to be done in Brazil, West Africa, Britain, France, and elsewhere.
r-Process Nucleosynthesis in the Early Universe Through Fast Mergers of Compact Binaries in Triple Systems
Authors: Bonetti Matteo , Perego Albino , Capelo Pedro R. , Dotti Massimo , Miller M. Coleman
Published: May 2018

Surface abundance observations of halo stars hint at the occurrence of r-process nucleosynthesis at low metallicity ([Fe/H] < -3), possibly within the first 108 yr after the formation of the first stars. Possible loci of early-Universe r-process nucleosynthesis are the ejecta of either black hole–neutron star or neutron star–neutron star binary mergers. Here, we study the effect of the inclination–eccentricity oscillations raised by a tertiary (e.g. a star) on the coalescence time-scale of the inner compact object binaries. Our results are highly sensitive to the assumed initial distribution of the inner binary semi-major axes. Distributions with mostly wide compact object binaries are most affected by the third object, resulting in a strong increase (by more than a factor of 2) in the fraction of fast coalescences. If instead the distribution preferentially populates very close compact binaries, general relativistic precession prevents the third body from increasing the inner binary eccentricity to very high values. In this last case, the fraction of coalescing binaries is increased much less by tertiaries, but the fraction of binaries that would coalesce within 108 yr even without a third object is already high. Our results provide additional support to the compact-binary merger scenario for r-process nucleosynthesis.
Issues with choice architecture, environmental ethics, and globalization
Authors: Sankowski Edward
Published: May 2018

Cass R. Sunstein’s bookThe Ethics of Influenceappears to have three ideological features notable for purposes of this essay. The book emphasizes choice architecture (and related notions such as nudges and defaults), which should be ethically scrutinized to guard against ethical abuses and to assist us in ethically desirable uses of scientific psychology and behavioral economics. (1) This particular book focuses more on scrutinizing nation-state government than on corporate activities. (2) This book focuses more on domestically directed governmental action than on externally directed governmental action. (3) This book focuses more on certain developed liberal democracies than on the more comprehensive global situation. Sunstein is especially interested in environmental issues, particularly energy policy, global warming, and climate change. This essay argues that Sunstein’s conceptual scheme can be fruitfully expanded to progress toward a normative environmental ethics that can be integrated with the insights of global political economy.
Radiocarbon and Stable Carbon Isotopes of Labile and Inert Organic Carbon in the Critical Zone Observatory in Illinois, USA
Authors: Wang Hong , Stumpf Andrew J. , Kumar Praveen
Published: May 2018

We applied the high temperature pyrolysis-combustion technique to partition the total soil organic carbon (SOC) into labile and inert carbon pools for accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS 14C) dating and stable carbon isotope (δ13C), SOC, and carbonate carbon (CC) content analyses to examine SOC variability at a Critical Zone Observatory site in Illinois, USA. The AMS 14C dates of labile and inert carbon in the top 1.55 m overlap except in the Bt horizon. Below 1.55 m the labile carbon is younger by 8000–14,800 years. The SOC content decreases from 3.61% to 0.12% and CC content increases from 0% to 19.16% at this depth. Results indicate that SOC production exceeds its loss in the weathering zone causing a continuous turnover of both SOC pools. A small amount of modern SOC infiltrates into deeper sediment below 1.55 m, making the labile carbon pool much younger. Their difference of AMS 14C contents, ΔF14C, reveals 3−5% more modern carbon in the labile SOC pools except in the Bt horizon, further quantifying that <3−5% modern carbon with potential pollutants is translocated into the unweathered sediments. The δ13C reveals the sources for SOC cycling dynamics in both carbon pools at this site.
FERTILISER APPLICATION PRACTICES AND NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES IN SMALLHOLDER OIL PALM PLANTATIONS IN INDONESIA
Authors: WOITTIEZ LOTTE S. , TURHINA SRI , DECCY DESNAWATY , SLINGERLAND MAJA , VAN NOORDWIJK MEINE , GILLER KEN E.
Published: May 2018

Oil palm has become an important source of revenue for smallholders in Indonesia, but productivity of smallholder plantations is generally poor. Nutrient limitations have been suggested as an important agronomic constraint to yield. Our research aimed to quantify fertiliser use, soil and tissue nutrient status, and palm growth and yield in a sample of independent smallholder plantations. We selected 49 plantations in Indonesia in two provinces with contrasting soils. For all plantations, we obtained self-reported fertiliser use and yield data, collected soil and tissue samples, and analysed vegetative growth. More than 170 kg N ha−1year−1was applied in one site, and P was applied in excess of recommended quantities in both sites, but on average farmers applied less than 100 kg K ha−1year−1. Soils in the palm circle were poor in N, P and K in 29, 40 and 82% of the plantations, and deficiencies were measured in 57, 61 and 80% of the leaflet samples, respectively. We found statistically significant correlations between tissue nutrient concentrations and vegetative growth, but a large part of the variation in the data remained unaccounted for. Single leaf area was reduced in >80% of the plantations. Average yields were estimated to be 50‒70% of the water-limited potential. Our results demonstrate that widespread nutrient imbalances and deficiencies, especially potassium and phosphorus, occur in smallholder oil palm plantations, due to inadequate and unbalanced fertiliser application practices. These deficiencies may be an important underlying cause of the overall poor productivity, which threatens the economic and environmental sustainability of the smallholder sector.
Interactions betweenBactra verutanaand the Development of Purple Nutsedge(Cyperus rotundus)Grown Under Three Temperature Regimes
Authors: Frick K. E. , Williams R. D. , Wilson R. F.
Published: May 2018

For effective biological control through augmentation,Bactra verutanaZeller, would have to be released against purple nutsedge(Cyperus rotundusL.) in May and June when temperatures are cooler than they are from late July through September when maximal natural populations of this biological control agent occur.Bactralarvae exposed to simulated mid-May (24/13 C) and mid-June (29/18 C) temperature regimes developed more slowly than larvae exposed to the mid-July (32/26 C) temperature regime, but nutsedge plant growth was also slower. Thus, the relative amounts of feeding injury were similar at all three regimes. Larval feeding generally increased the number of shoots slightly, but not significantly, reduced significantly the production of inflorescences, and reduced the weight of total dry matter produced between 28 and 49%.
Suppression of Root Diseases and Weeds in Peas(Pisum sativum)Treated with Dinitrophenol and Dinitroaniline Herbicides
Authors: Sacher R. F. , Hopen H. J. , Jacobsen B. J.
Published: May 2018

Dinoseb (2-sec-butyl-4,6-dinitrophenol) and certain dinitroaniline herbicides suppressed root rot caused byAphanomyces euteichesDrechs. and other fungal pathogens in peas(Pisum sativumL.). Dinoseb was the most effective. At 6.72 kg/ha pre-plant incorporated (PPI) it reduced the disease severity index (DSI) in glasshouse bioassays to the level considered safe for general use by commercial growers. In fields tests disease severity was reduced and yield of peas was increased with dinoseb. Dinitroaniline herbicides reduced DSI values to the level considered safe for early crop peas. A simplified DSI method of measuring root rot based on mid-season root symptoms was found to be effective. Weed control was superior with the dinitroanilines and propachlor (2-chloro-N-isoproylacetanilide). Dinoseb significantly reduced weed populations relative to untreated plots. Several dinitroaniline treatments caused stunting and stand reduction.
Effects of Field Applications of Nitrate on Weed Seed Germination and Dormancy
Authors: Fawcett R. S. , Slife F. W.
Published: May 2018

Application of 112 to 336 kg/ha N as ammonium nitrate [NH4(NO−3)] failed to affect population numbers of common lambsquarters(Chenopodium albumL.), giant foxtail(Setaria faberiHerrm.), velvetleaf(Abutilon theophrastiMedic.), jimsonweed(Datura stramoniumL.), or redroot pigweed(Amaranthus retroflexusL.). Common lambsquarters seeds harvested from NO−3-treated plots were less dormant than control seeds. Seed germination in the laboratory increased from 3.0% for control seeds to 34.0% for seeds harvested from plots treated with 280 kg/ha N as NH4(NO−3). Nitrate concentration in common lambsquarters seeds increased as nitrogen fertilization increased. Seeds from nonfertilized plots contained 18.7 μg/g NO−3, while seeds from plots fertilized with 280 kg/ha N contained 126.3 μg/g. Adding exogenous NO−3to the germination medium brought the germination of most seed lots to a similar level, except for control seeds which germinated at a lower rate. In contrast to common lambsquarters, nitrogen fertilization did not greatly affect dormancy or NO−3accumulation in velvetleaf seeds. Exogenous NO−3failed to stimulate velvetleaf germination because dormant velvetleaf seeds did not imbibe.
Suppression of Pea(Pisum sativum)Root Rot by Dinitroaniline Herbicides
Authors: Teasdale J. R. , Harvey R. G. , Hagedorn D. J.
Published: May 2018

Nine substituted dinitronaline herbicides were studied to determine their effectiveness in controlling common root rot of peas(Pisum sativumL.) caused byAphanomyces euteichesDrechs. under field conditions. Most of the dinitroaniline herbicide treatments increased plant stand, plant fresh weight, and shelled pea yield due to root rot suppression in each of the three years studied. Weed control was good in all plots and did not contribute to yield differences. Root rot suppression and crop injury were the primary determinants of yields. The greatest yield increases when compared with the weeded control were 82% for 0.56 kg/ha of dinitramine(N4,N4-diethyl-α,α,α-trifluoro-3,5-dinitrotoluene-2,4-diamine) in 1974, 80% for 0.84 kg/ha of fluchloralin [N-(2-chloroethyl)-2,6-dinitro-N-propyl-4-(trifluoromethyl) aniline] in 1975, and 26% for 1.68 kg/ha of pendimethalin [N-(1-ethylpropyl)-3,4-dimethyl-2,6-dinitrobenzenamine] in 1976. The best average yield increases over all years were 54% for the combination of trifluralin (α,α,α-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-p-toluidine) and oryzalin (3,5-dinitro-N4,N4-dipropylsulfanilamide) at 0.56 + 0.56 kg/ha, 49% for fluchloralin at 0.84 kg/ha, and 43% for pendimethalin at 0.84 kg/ha. Annual applications of 0.84 kg/ha of trifluralin delayed the rate of pathogen infestation of a field repeatedly planted to peas.
Effect of Calcium and Nitrogen on Soybean(Glycine max)Root Fatty Acid Composition and Uptake of Linuron
Authors: Rivera C. M. , Penner Donald
Published: May 2018

The effect of calcium and nitrogen level on the uptake of linuron [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methylurea] from nutrient solution by soybean [Glycine max(L.) Merr.] seedlings was determined and related to root membrane fatty acid composition. Calcium levels in the nutrient solution were 0.4, 4.0, or 8.0 mM and nitrogen levels were 4.0, 16.0, or 32.0 mM with the pH adjusted to 6.5. As calcium concentration increased, linuron uptake decreased. The reverse was true for nitrogen. These changes were not related to transpiration. Increasing calcium concentration increased palmitic acid and decreased linolenic acid in the plasmalemma of the soybean roots resulting in a greater degree of saturation. Nitrogen likewise increased the degree of saturation in the plasmalemma, but the effect was mainly seen in the balance between stearic and linoleic acids. In the mitochondria, however, the trends were inconclusive. High levels of linolenic acid were observed in the mitochondria regardless of treatment.
Protection of Corn (Zea mays) from Acetanilide Herbicidal Injury with the Antidote R-25788
Authors: Leavitt J. R. C. , Penner Donald
Published: May 2018

The antidote R-25788 (N,N-diallyl-2,2-dichloroacetamide) protected corn (Zea mays L. ‘DeKalb 315A’) seedlings from injury caused by the acetanilide herbicides, alachlor [2-chloro-2′,6′-diethyl-N-(methoxymethyl)acetanilide], metolachlor [2-chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxy-1-methylethyl)acetamide], H-22234 [N-chloroacetyl-N-(2,6-diethylphenyl)glycine ethyl ester], and H-26910 [N-chloroacetyl-N-(2-methyl-6-ethylphenyl)glycine isopropyl ester] in a greenhouse study. R-25788, however, did not protect four weed species tested. R-25788 only partially protected corn from injury caused by acetochlor [2-chloro-N-(ethoxymethyl)-6′-ethyl-o-acetotoluidide]. R-25788 was an effective antidote whether applied preemergence, preplant-incorporated, or as a tank mix. Injury symptoms caused by EPTC (S-ethyl dipropylthiocarbamate) and the acetanilide herbicides were similar; both caused leaf twisting and rolling, and at high rates leaves failed to emerge through the coleoptile.
Field Bindweed(Convolvulus arvensis)Control in Corn(Zea mays)and Sorghum(Sorghum bicolor)with Dicamba and 2,4-D
Authors: Schweizer E. E. , Swink J. F. , Heikes P. E.
Published: May 2018

Control of field bindweed(Convolvulus arvensisL.) on irrigated land was studied by application of herbicides once in the fall and then only in the spring for the next 4 yr. Control of field bindweed 8 months after a fall application of 2.2 kg/ha of dicamba (3,6-dichloro-o-anisic acid) or 3.4 kg/ha of 2,4-D [(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid] was 90 and 83%, respectively. Spring applications of 0.28 kg/ha of dicamba, 0.56 kg of 2,4-D, or the mixture of these two herbicides suppressed the growth of field bindweed similarly each year. By the fall of the fourth year, field bindweed covered an average of 9% of the soil surface in the plots that received both fall- and spring-applied herbicide treatments, 72% in plots that received only fall-applied herbicide treatments, and 80% in the untreated plots. Yield of corn(Zea maysL. ‘Pioneer 3306’) was significantly higher in all treated plots than in the untreated check plots in 1 out of 2 yr. Yield of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor(L.) Moench ‘Pioneer 833’] was not increased significantly in any treated plots, but in 1 yr the mixture of 0.28 kg/ha of dicamba plus 0.56 kg/ha of 2,4-D reduced yield significantly when this mixture was applied twice at these same rates in the spring.
Some Aspects of Glyphosate Action in Purple Nutsedge(Cyperus rotundus)
Authors: Abu-Irmaileh B. E. , Jordan L. S.
Published: May 2018

Research was conducted to determine effects of glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] on the chlorophyll and carotenoid and on the catalase specific activity in purple nutsedge(Cyperus rotundusL.). The isopropylamine salt of glyphosate caused chlorosis to appear on the center leaves of plants maintained under lighted conditions after treatment. Glyphosate-induced chlorosis was delayed by darkness but occurred when treated plants were placed in the light. Glyphosate caused significant reducations in the chlorophyll and carotenoids content of purple nutsedge leaves. Based on levels in untreated plants, carotenoid content was reduced more rapidly than chlorophyll in glyphosate-treated plants. The catalase specific activity was reduced by glyphosate to about 70% of the level in untreated plants. Interrelationships among the effects of glyphosate on the carotenoid and chlorophyll content and catalase activity were not determined but possible interactions are discussed.
LAS SUBVENCIONES ADICIONALES EN LA COMPAÑÍA FERROVIARIA MZA
Authors: Narbón David Carlos Castellvi , Gil Rafael Barquín
Published: May 2018

The construction of the rail network in Spain was supported by public aid. A part of them were “subvenciones adicionales”, which came from the exemption of the payment of customs duties on the imports of railway equipment. The exact amount of these grants is only known after 1870 when they were rather small. In this paper, we quantified them for the period 1857-1886 in the company MZA, by then the largest in the country. Moreover, we estimate the costs of the construction of the railway lines of that company until 1869 and how much did each of the sources of funding, public and private contributed. The main conclusion is that in MZA the State’s grants were higher than the shareholders’ investment.
Sociodemographic and geographical inequalities in under- and overnutrition among children and mothers in Bangladesh: a spatial modelling approach to a nationally representative survey
Authors: Mia Mohammad Nahid , Rahman M Shafiqur , Roy Paritosh K
Published: May 2018

Objective

To investigate the sociodemographic and geographical variation in under- and overnutrition prevalence among children and mothers.

Design

Data from the 2014 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey were analysed. Stunting and wasting for children and BMI<18·5 kg/m2for mothers were considered as undernutrition; overweight was considered as overnutrition for both children and mothers. We estimated the prevalence and performed simple logistic regression analyses to assess the associations between outcome variables and predictors. Bayesian spatial models were applied to estimate region-level prevalence to identify the regions (districts) prone to under- and overnutrition.

Settings/Subjects

Children aged<5 years and their mothers aged 15–49 years in Bangladesh.

Results

A significant difference (P<0·001) was observed in both under- and overnutrition prevalence between poor and rich. A notable regional variation was also observed in under- and overnutrition prevalence. Stunting prevalence ranged from 20·3 % in Jessore to 56·2 % in Sunamgonj, wasting from 10·6 % in Dhaka to 19·2 % in Bhola, and overweight from 0·8 % in Shariatpur to 2·6 % in Dhaka. Of the sixty-four districts, twelve had prevalence of stunting and thirty-two districts had prevalence of wasting higher than the WHO critical threshold levels. Similarly, fifty-three districts had prevalence of maternal underweight higher than the national level. In contrast, the prevalence of overweight was comparatively high in the industrially equipped metropolitan districts.

Conclusions

Observed sociodemographic and geographical inequalities imply slow progress in the overall improvement of both under- and overnutrition. Therefore, effective intervention programmes and policies need to be designed urgently targeting the grass-roots level of such regions.
Measuring the results of a workshop on installing anaerobic digesters on smaller livestock farms
Authors: Welsh Rick , Webb Michaele E. , Grimberg Stefan , Rogers Shane
Published: May 2018

It is accepted generally that anaerobic digesters (AD) are efficacious technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock operations (Pronto and Gooch, 2009). In addition, AD technology has a number of other potential benefits including: energy production for use on the farm and for sale, separation of manure solids for ease of use or export off-farm, pathogen reduction leading to healthier labor and herd outcomes and odor control. It is also clear that in the USA, research and extension efforts, including public financing of AD technology installations, have disproportionally been focused on larger farms- e.g., dairy farms with at least 500 milking cows. The latter has begun to change as more resources are being invested in AD technology for smaller livestock farms. We present the results of a pre and post survey implemented at four workshops on small-scale AD technology for livestock farmers in northeastern New York State. Results indicate that information presented shifted farmers’ attitudes such that they viewed AD technology as not overly complex; and, they became less interested in selling generated surplus power off-farm.
Interactive Online Maps Make Satellite Ocean Data Accessible
Authors: Mikelsons Karlis , Wang Menghua
Published: May 2018

A new online resource from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides an interactive view of global satellite ocean color and true-color imagery.
Initial Expansion of C4 Vegetation in Australia During the Late Pliocene
Authors: Andrae J. W. , McInerney F. A. , Polissar P. J. , Sniderman J. M. K. , Howard S. , Hall P. A. , Phelps S. R.
Published: May 2018

Since the late Miocene, plants using the C4 photosynthetic pathway have increased to become major components of many tropical and subtropical ecosystems. However, the drivers for this expansion remain under debate, in part because of the varied histories of C4 vegetation on different continents. Australia hosts the highest dominance of C4 vegetation of all continents, but little is known about the history of C4 vegetation there. Carbon isotope ratios of plant waxes from scientific ocean drilling sediments off north‐western Australia reveal the onset of Australian C4 expansion at ~3.5 Ma, later than in many other regions. Pollen analysis from the same sediments reveals increasingly open C3‐dominated biomes preceding the shift to open C4‐dominated biomes by several million years. We hypothesize that the development of a summer monsoon climate beginning in the late Pliocene promoted a highly seasonal precipitation regime favorable to the expansion of C4 vegetation.
Grainyhead-like 2 (GRHL2) knockout abolishes oral cancer development through reciprocal regulation of the MAP kinase and TGF-β signaling pathways
Authors: Chen Wei , Kang Kyung L. , Alshaikh Abdullah , Varma Saaket , Lin Yi-Ling , Shin Ki-Hyuk , Kim Reuben , Wang Cun-Yu , Park No-Hee , Walentin Katharina , Schmidt-Ott Kai M. , Kang Mo K.
Published: May 2018

Grainyhead-Like 2 (GRHL2) is an epithelial-specific transcription factor that regulates epithelial morphogenesis and differentiation. Prior studies suggested inverse regulation between GRHL2 and TGF-β in epithelial plasticity and potential carcinogenesis. Here, we report the role of GRHL2 in oral carcinogenesis in vivo using a novelGrhl2knockout (KO) mouse model and the underlying mechanism involving its functional interaction with TGF-β signaling. We developed epithelial-specificGrhl2conditional KO mice by crossingGrhl2floxed mice with those expressing CreER driven by the K14 promoter. After induction ofGrhl2KO, we confirmed the loss of GRHL2 and its target proteins, whileGrhl2KO strongly induced TGF-β signaling molecules. When exposed to 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO), a strong chemical carcinogen,Grhl2wild-type (WT) mice developed rampant oral tongue tumors, whileGrhl2KO mice completely abolished tumor development. In cultured oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines, TGF-β signaling was notably induced by GRHL2 knockdown while being suppressed by GRHL2 overexpression. GRHL2 knockdown or KO in vitro and in vivo, respectively, led to loss of active p-Erk1/2 and p-JNK MAP kinase levels; moreover, ectopic overexpression of GRHL2 strongly induced the MAP kinase activation. Furthermore, the suppressive effect of GRHL2 on TGF-β signaling was diminished in cells exposed to Erk and JNK inhibitors. These data indicate that GRHL2 activates the Erk and JNK MAP kinases, which in turn suppresses the TGF -β signaling. This novel signaling represents an alternative pathway by which GRHL2 regulates carcinogenesis, and is distinct from the direct transcriptional regulation by GRHL2 binding at its target gene promoters, e.g., E-cadherin, hTERT, p63, and miR-200 family genes. Taken together, the current study provides the first genetic evidence to support the role of GRHL2 in carcinogenesis and the underlying novel mechanism that involves the functional interaction between GRHL2 and TGF-β signaling through the MAPK pathways.
NOTCH signaling specifies arterial-type definitive hemogenic endothelium from human pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Uenishi Gene I. , Jung Ho Sun , Kumar Akhilesh , Park Mi Ae , Hadland Brandon K. , McLeod Ethan , Raymond Matthew , Moskvin Oleg , Zimmerman Catherine E. , Theisen Derek J. , Swanson Scott , J. Tamplin Owen , Zon Leonard I. , Thomson James A. , Bernstein Irwin D. , Slukvin Igor I.
Published: May 2018

NOTCH signaling is required for the arterial specification and formation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and lympho-myeloid progenitors in the embryonic aorta-gonad-mesonephros region and extraembryonic vasculature from a distinct lineage of vascular endothelial cells with hemogenic potential. However, the role of NOTCH signaling in hemogenic endothelium (HE) specification from human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) has not been studied. Here, using a chemically defined hPSC differentiation system combined with the use of DLL1-Fc and DAPT to manipulate NOTCH, we discover that NOTCH activation in hPSC-derived immature HE progenitors leads to formation of CD144+CD43−CD73−DLL4+Runx1 + 23-GFP+ arterial-type HE, which requires NOTCH signaling to undergo endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition and produce definitive lympho-myeloid and erythroid cells. These findings demonstrate that NOTCH-mediated arterialization of HE is an essential prerequisite for establishing definitive lympho-myeloid program and suggest that exploring molecular pathways that lead to arterial specification may aid in vitro approaches to enhance definitive hematopoiesis from hPSCs.
In situ coherent diffractive imaging
Authors: Lo Yuan Hung , Zhao Lingrong , Gallagher-Jones Marcus , Rana Arjun , J. Lodico Jared , Xiao Weikun , Regan B. C. , Miao Jianwei
Published: May 2018

Coherent diffractive imaging (CDI) has been widely applied in the physical and biological sciences using synchrotron radiation, X-ray free-electron laser, high harmonic generation, electrons, and optical lasers. One of CDI’s important applications is to probe dynamic phenomena with high spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we report the development of a general in situ CDI method for real-time imaging of dynamic processes in solution. By introducing a time-invariant overlapping region as real-space constraint, we simultaneously reconstructed a time series of complex exit wave of dynamic processes with robust and fast convergence. We validated this method using optical laser experiments and numerical simulations with coherent X-rays. Our numerical simulations further indicated that in situ CDI can potentially reduce radiation dose by more than an order of magnitude relative to conventional CDI. With further development, we envision in situ CDI could be applied to probe a range of dynamic phenomena in the future.
Translational study identifies XPF and MUS81 as predictive biomarkers for oxaliplatin-based peri-operative chemotherapy in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma
Authors: MacGregor T. P. , Carter R. , Gillies R. S. , Findlay J. M. , Kartsonaki C. , Castro-Giner F. , Sahgal N. , Wang L. M. , Chetty R. , Maynard N. D. , Cazier J. B. , Buffa F. , McHugh P. J. , Tomlinson I. , Middleton M. R. , Sharma R. A.
Published: May 2018

Oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy is used to treat patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), but no biomarkers are currently available for patient selection. We performed a prospective, clinical trial to identify potential biomarkers associated with clinical outcomes. Tumor tissue was obtained from 38 patients with resectable EAC before and after 2 cycles of oxaliplatin-fluorouracil chemotherapy. Pre-treatment mRNA expression of 280 DNA repair (DNAR) genes was tested for association with histopathological regression at surgery, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). High expression of 13 DNA damage repair genes was associated with DFS less than one year (P < 0.05); expression of 11 DNAR genes were associated with worse OS (P < 0.05). From clinical associations with outcomes, two genes,ERCC1andEME1, were identified as candidate biomarkers. In cell linesin vitro, we showed the mechanism of action related to repair of oxaliplatin-induced DNA damage by depletion and knockout of protein binding partners of the candidate biomarkers, XPF and MUS81 respectively. In clinical samples from the clinical trial, pre-treatment XPF protein levels were associated with pathological response, and MUS81 protein was associated with 1-year DFS. XPF and MUS81 merit further validation in prospective clinical trials as biomarkers that may predict clinical response of EAC to oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy.
A Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Environment for In-Situ Observation of Chemical Processes
Authors: Hayward Dominic W. , Chiappisi Leonardo , Prévost Sylvain , Schweins Ralf , Gradzielski Michael
Published: May 2018

A new sample environment for the observation of ongoing chemical reactions is introduced for small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments which enables structural changes to be followed continuously across a wide Q-range in response to changes in the chemical environment. The approach is demonstrated and validated by performing single and multiple potentiometric titrations on an aqueous anionic surfactant solution (oligo-oxyethylene alkylether carboxylic acid in D2O) with addition times varying from 1 s to 2 h. It is shown that the continuous flow set-up offers considerable advantages over classical ‘static’ measurements with regards to sample throughput, compositional precision and the ability to observe fast structural transitions. Finally, the capabilities and ongoing optimisation of the sample environment are discussed with reference to potential applications in the fields of biology, colloidal systems and complex soft matter.
Time-to-death approach to reveal chronic and cumulative toxicity of a fungicide for honeybees not revealed with the standard ten-day test
Authors: Simon-Delso Noa , San Martin Gilles , Bruneau Etienne , Hautier Louis
Published: May 2018

Synthetic fungicides are pesticides widely used in agriculture to control phytopathogenic fungi. The systemicity, persistency and intense application of some of these fungicides, such as boscalid, leads to long periods of exposure for honeybees via contaminated water, pollen and nectar. We exposed adult honeybees in the lab to food contaminated with boscalid for 33 days instead of the standard 10-day test. Most of the toxic effects were observed after 10 days. The median time to death (LT50) ranged from 24.9 days (lowest concentration) to 7.1 days (highest concentration) and was significantly shorter in all cases than with the control (32.0 days). The concentration and dietary doses of boscalid inducing 50% mortality (LC50 and LDD50, respectively) decreased strongly with the time of exposure: LC50 = 14,729 and 1,174 mg/l and LDD50 = 0.318 and 0.0301 mg bee−1 day−1 at days 8 and 25, respectively. We found evidence of reinforced toxicity when exposure is prolonged, but with an unusual pattern: no cumulative toxicity is observed until 17–18 days, when a point of inflexion appears that suggests a reduced capacity of bees to deal with the toxicant. Our results show the importance of time-to-death experiments rather than fixed-duration studies for evaluating chronic toxicity.
Author Correction: Identification of a novel cAMP dependent protein kinase A phosphorylation site on the human cardiac calcium channel
Authors: Szappanos Henrietta Cserne , Muralidharan Padmapriya , Ingley Evan , Petereit Jakob , Millar A. Harvey , Hool Livia C.
Published: May 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.
Author Correction: The Irish DNA Atlas: Revealing Fine-Scale Population Structure and History within Ireland
Authors: Gilbert Edmund , O’Reilly Seamus , Merrigan Michael , McGettigan Darren , Molloy Anne M. , Brody Lawrence C. , Bodmer Walter , Hutnik Katarzyna , Ennis Sean , Lawson Daniel J. , Wilson James F. , Cavalleri Gianpiero L.
Published: May 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.
A Cluster-then-label Semi-supervised Learning Approach for Pathology Image Classification
Authors: Peikari Mohammad , Salama Sherine , Nofech-Mozes Sharon , Martel Anne L.
Published: May 2018

Completely labeled pathology datasets are often challenging and time-consuming to obtain. Semi-supervised learning (SSL) methods are able to learn from fewer labeled data points with the help of a large number of unlabeled data points. In this paper, we investigated the possibility of using clustering analysis to identify the underlying structure of the data space for SSL. A cluster-then-label method was proposed to identify high-density regions in the data space which were then used to help a supervised SVM in finding the decision boundary. We have compared our method with other supervised and semi-supervised state-of-the-art techniques using two different classification tasks applied to breast pathology datasets. We found that compared with other state-of-the-art supervised and semi-supervised methods, our SSL method is able to improve classification performance when a limited number of labeled data instances are made available. We also showed that it is important to examine the underlying distribution of the data space before applying SSL techniques to ensure semi-supervised learning assumptions are not violated by the data.
Monitoring the past and choosing the future: the prefrontal cortical influences on voluntary action
Authors: Phillips H. N. , Cope T. E. , Hughes L. E. , Zhang J. , Rowe J. B.
Published: May 2018

Choosing between equivalent response options requires the resolution of ambiguity. One could facilitate such decisions by monitoring previous actions and implementing transient or arbitrary rules to differentiate response options. This would reduce the entropy of chosen actions. We examined voluntary action decisions during magnetoencephalography, identifying the spatiotemporal correlates of stimulus- and choice-entropy. Negative correlations between frontotemporal activity and entropy of past trials were observed after participants’ responses, reflecting sequential monitoring of recent events. In contrast, choice entropy correlated negatively with prefrontal activity, before and after participants’ response, consistent with transient activation of latent response-sets ahead of a decision and updating the monitor of recent decisions after responding. Individual differences in current choices were related to the strength of the prefrontal signals that reflect monitoring of the statistical regularities in previous events. Together, these results explain individual expressions of voluntary action, through differential engagement of prefrontal areas to guide sequential decisions.
Using all-cause mortality to define severe RV dilation with RV/LV volume ratio
Authors: Altmayer Stephan P. L. , Han Q. Joyce , Addetia Karima , Patel Amit R. , Forfia Paul R. , Han Yuchi
Published: May 2018

Right ventricular (RV) end-diastolic volume (EDV) to left ventricular (LV) EDV ratio using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is an important parameter for RV size evaluation in additional to indexed EDV. We explore the severity partition for RV dilation using mortality in a population of 62 patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Cine short-axis images were acquired with a 1.5 T MR scanner using a steady-state free precession sequence. The optimal cutoff to classify severe RV dilation was determined by a receiver-operating curve (ROC) analysis based on mortality. We further defined mild and moderate categories by the standard deviation distance between normal and severely dilated and found the categories RV dilation by RV/LV volume ratio to be “mild” (1.27–1.69), “moderate” (1.70–2.29) and “severe” (≥2.30). There were significant differences in RVEDV and RV ejection fraction between “mild”, “moderate” and “severe” groups (p < 0.001). The “severe” category had a significantly higher mortality when compared to the “non-severe” categories (p < 0.001) while there was no difference among the “non-severe” dilated groups. We have shown that severe RV dilation partition can be defined using mortality with RV/LV volume ratio, which offers an outcome based grading of the “severe” category of RV dilation.
Apple procyanidins promote mitochondrial biogenesis and proteoglycan biosynthesis in chondrocytes
Authors: Masuda Isao , Koike Masato , Nakashima Shohei , Mizutani Yu , Ozawa Yusuke , Watanabe Kenji , Sawada Yoko , Sugiyama Hiroshi , Sugimoto Atsushi , Nojiri Hidetoshi , Sashihara Koichi , Yokote Koutaro , Shimizu Takahiko
Published: May 2018

Apples are well known to have various benefits for the human body. Procyanidins are a class of polyphenols found in apples that have demonstrated effects on the circulatory system and skeletal organs. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a locomotive syndrome that is histologically characterized by cartilage degeneration associated with the impairment of proteoglycan homeostasis in chondrocytes. However, no useful therapy for cartilage degeneration has been developed to date. In the present study, we detected beneficial effects of apple polyphenols or their procyanidins on cartilage homeostasis. An in vitro assay revealed that apple polyphenols increased the activities of mitochondrial dehydrogenases associated with an increased copy number of mitochondrial DNA as well as the gene expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-α (PGC-1α), suggesting the promotion of PGC-1α-mediated mitochondrial biogenesis. Apple  procyanidins also enhanced proteoglycan biosynthesis with aggrecan upregulation in primary chondrocytes. Of note, oral treatment with apple procyanidins prevented articular cartilage degradation in OA model mice induced by mitochondrial dysfunction in chondrocytes. Our findings suggest that apple procyanidins are promising food components that inhibit OA progression by promoting mitochondrial biogenesis and proteoglycan homeostasis in chondrocytes.
Consensus Bayesian assessment of protein molecular mass from solution X-ray scattering data
Authors: Hajizadeh Nelly R. , Franke Daniel , Jeffries Cy M. , Svergun Dmitri I.
Published: May 2018

Molecular mass (MM) is one of the key structural parameters obtained by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) of proteins in solution and is used to assess the sample quality, oligomeric composition and to guide subsequent structural modelling. Concentration-dependent assessment of MM relies on a number of extra quantities (partial specific volume, calibrated intensity, accurate solute concentration) and often yields limited accuracy. Concentration-independent methods forgo these requirements being based on the relationship between structural parameters, scattering invariants and particle volume obtained directly from the data. Using a comparative analysis on 165,982 unique scattering profiles calculated from high-resolution protein structures, the performance of multiple concentration-independent MM determination methods was assessed. A Bayesian inference approach was developed affording an accuracy above that of the individual methods, and reports MM estimates together with a credibility interval. This Bayesian approach can be used in combination with concentration-dependent MM methods to further validate the MM of proteins in solution, or as a reliable stand-alone tool in instances where an accurate concentration estimate is not available.
A micromechanics-based analytical solution for the effective thermal conductivity of composites with orthotropic matrices and interfacial thermal resistance
Authors: Lee Sangryun , Lee Jinyeop , Ryu Byungki , Ryu Seunghwa
Published: May 2018

We obtained an analytical solution for the effective thermal conductivity of composites composed of orthotropic matrices and spherical inhomogeneities with interfacial thermal resistance using a micromechanics-based homogenization. We derived the closed form of a modified Eshelby tensor as a function of the interfacial thermal resistance. We then predicted the heat flux of a single inhomogeneity in the infinite media based on the modified Eshelby tensor, which was validated against the numerical results obtained from the finite element analysis. Based on the modified Eshelby tensor and the localization tensor accounting for the interfacial resistance, we derived an analytical expression for the effective thermal conductivity tensor for the composites by a mean-field approach called the Mori-Tanaka method. Our analytical prediction matched very well with the effective thermal conductivity obtained from finite element analysis with up to 10% inhomogeneity volume fraction.
No system-size anomalies in entropy of bcc iron at Earth’s inner-core conditions
Authors: Schultz Andrew J. , Moustafa Sabry G. , Kofke David A.
Published: May 2018

New molecular modeling data show that the entropy of bcc iron exhibits no system-size anomalies, implying that it should be feasible to compute accurate free energies of this system using first-principles methods without requiring a prohibitively large number of atoms. Conclusions are based on rigorous calculations of size-dependent free energies for a Sutton-Chen model of iron previously fit to ab initio calculations, and refute statements recently appearing in the literature indicating that the size of the simulation cell is critical for stabilization of the bcc phase.
The role of cations in the interactions between anionic N-heterocycles and SO2
Authors: Li Chenchen , Lu Dongmei , Wu Chao
Published: May 2018

Our study shows that cation plays a more important role in the interactions between anionic N-heterocycles and SO2 than in the NHC-CO2 case. The adducts of NHC, SO2 and cation often exhibit multiple stable configurations with close energies rather than the only reported “CO2-sandwiched” planar NHC-CO2-cation structure. The structural diversity makes the models omitting cation inappropriate for predicting the SO2 capture products, which also leads to less clear trends of the cation effects than those observed in the CO2 case. The detailed cation effects are discussed in the text.
Circulating Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 Levels are Associated with an Increased Risk of Anemia Development in Patients with Nondialysis Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Nam Ki Heon , Kim Hyoungnae , An Seong Yeong , Lee Misol , Cha Min-Uk , Park Jung Tak , Yoo Tae-Hyun , Lee Kyu-Beck , Kim Yeong-Hoon , Sung Su-Ah , Lee Joongyub , Kang Shin-Wook , Choi Kyu Hun , Ahn Curie , Han Seung Hyeok
Published: May 2018

Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) is an established biomarker of adverse outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Several cross-sectional studies have suggested a possible association between FGF23 and anemia in these patients. In this large-scale prospective cohort study, we investigated this relationship and examined whether high FGF23 levels increase the risk of incident anemia. This prospective longitudinal study included 2,089 patients from the KoreaN cohort study for Outcome in patients With CKD. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin level <13.0 g/dl (men) and <12.0 g/dl (women). Log-transformed FGF23 significantly correlated with hepcidin but inversely correlated with iron profiles and hemoglobin. Multivariate logistic regression showed that log-transformed FGF23 was independently associated with anemia (odds ratio [OR], 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.24, P = 0.01). Among 1,164 patients without anemia at baseline, 295 (25.3%) developed anemia during a median follow-up of 21 months. In fully adjusted multivariable Cox models, the risk of anemia development was significantly higher in the third (hazard ratio [HR], 1.66; 95% CI, 1.11–2.47; P = 0.01) and fourth (HR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.23–2.76; P = 0.001) than in the first FGF23 quartile. In conclusion, high serum FGF23 levels were associated with an increased risk for anemia in patients with nondialysis CKD.