bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A chromosome-scale reference genome of Aquilegia oxysepala var. kansuensis
Authors: Xie Jinghe , Zhao Haifeng , Li Kunpeng , Zhang Rui , Jiang Yongchao , Wang Meimei , Guo Xuelian , Yu Ben , Kong Hongzhi , Jiao Yuannian , Xu Guixia
Published: June 2020

The genus Aquilegia (Ranunculaceae) has been cultivated as ornamental and medicinal plants for centuries. With petal spurs of strikingly diverse size and shape, Aquilegia has also been recognized as an excellent system for evolutionary studies. Pollinator‐mediated selection for longer spurs is believed to have shaped the evolution of this genus, especially the North American taxa. Recently, however, an opposite evolutionary trend was reported in an Asian lineage, where multiple origins of mini- or even nonspurred morphs have occurred. Interesting as it is, the lack of genomic resources has limited our ability to decipher the molecular and evolutionary mechanisms underlying spur reduction in this special lineage. Using long-read sequencing (PacBio Sequel), in combination with optical maps (BioNano DLS) and Hi–C, we assembled a high-quality reference genome of A. oxysepala var. kansuensis, a sister species to the nonspurred taxon. The final assembly is approximately 293.2 Mb, 94.6% (277.4 Mb) of which has been anchored to 7 pseudochromosomes. A total of 25,571 protein-coding genes were predicted, with 97.2% being functionally annotated. When comparing this genome with that of A. coerulea, we detected a large rearrangement between Chr1 and Chr4, which might have caused the Chr4 of A. oxysepala var. kansuensis to partly deviate from the “decaying” path that was taken before the split of Aquilegia and Semiaquilegia. This high-quality reference genome is fundamental to further investigations on the development and evolution of petal spurs and provides a strong foundation for the breeding of new horticultural Aquilegia cultivars.
Germplasm resources and genetic breeding of Paeonia: a systematic review
Authors: Yang Yong , Sun Miao , Li Shanshan , Chen Qihang , Teixeira da Silva Jaime A. , Wang Ajing , Yu Xiaonan , Wang Liangsheng
Published: June 2020

Members of the genusPaeonia, which consists of globally renowned ornamentals and traditional medicinal plants with a rich history spanning over 1500 years, are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Since 1900, over 2200 new horticulturalPaeoniacultivars have been created by the discovery and breeding of wild species. However, information pertaining toPaeoniabreeding is considerably fragmented, with fundamental gaps in knowledge, creating a bottleneck in effective breeding strategies. This review systematically introducesPaeoniagermplasm resources, including wild species and cultivars, summarizes the breeding strategy and results of eachPaeoniacultivar group, and focuses on recent progress in the isolation and functional characterization of structural and regulatory genes related to important horticultural traits. Perspectives pertaining to the resource protection and utilization, breeding and industrialization ofPaeoniain the future are also briefly discussed.
The increasing likelihood of temperatures above 30 to 40 °C in the United Kingdom
Authors: Christidis Nikolaos , McCarthy Mark , Stott Peter A.
Published: June 2020

As European heatwaves become more severe, summers in the United Kingdom (UK) are also getting warmer. The UK record temperature of 38.7 °C set in Cambridge in July 2019 prompts the question of whether exceeding 40 °C is now within reach. Here, we show how human influence is increasing the likelihood of exceeding 30, 35 and 40 °C locally. We utilise observations to relate local to UK mean extremes and apply the resulting relationships to climate model data in a risk-based attribution methodology. We find that temperatures above 35 °C are becoming increasingly common in the southeast, while by 2100 many areas in the north are likely to exceed 30 °C at least once per decade. Summers which see days above 40 °C somewhere in the UK have a return time of 100-300 years at present, but, without mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, this can decrease to 3.5 years by 2100.
A framework for on-implant spike sorting based on salient feature selection
Authors: Shaeri MohammadAli , Sodagar Amir M.
Published: June 2020

On-implant spike sorting methods employ static feature extraction/selection techniques to minimize the hardware cost. Here we propose a novel framework for real-time spike sorting based on dynamic selection of features. We select salient features that maximize the geometric-mean of between-class distances as well as the associated homogeneity index effectively to best discriminate spikes for classification. Wave-shape classification is performed based on a multi-label window discrimination approach. An external module calculates the salient features and discrimination windows through optimizing a replica of the on-implant operation, and then configures the on-implant spike sorter for real-time online operation. Hardware implementation of the on-implant online spike sorter for 512 channels of concurrent extra-cellular neural signals is reported, with an average classification accuracy of ~88%. Compared with other similar methods, our method shows reduction in classification error by a factor of ~2, and also reduction in the required memory space by a factor of ~5.
Structural characterization of a novel human adeno-associated virus capsid with neurotropic properties
Authors: Hsu Hung-Lun , Brown Alexander , Loveland Anna B. , Lotun Anoushka , Xu Meiyu , Luo Li , Xu Guangchao , Li Jia , Ren Lingzhi , Su Qin , Gessler Dominic J. , Wei Yuquan , Tai Phillip W. L. , Korostelev Andrei A. , Gao Guangping
Published: June 2020

Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) are currently considered the safest and most reliable gene delivery vehicles for human gene therapy. Three serotype capsids, AAV1, AAV2, and AAV9, have been approved for commercial use in patients, but they may not be suitable for all therapeutic contexts. Here, we describe a novel capsid identified in a human clinical sample by high-throughput, long-read sequencing. The capsid, which we have named AAVv66, shares high sequence similarity with AAV2. We demonstrate that compared to AAV2, AAVv66 exhibits enhanced production yields, virion stability, and CNS transduction. Unique structural properties of AAVv66 visualized by cryo-EM at 2.5-Å resolution, suggest that critical residues at the three-fold protrusion and at the interface of the five-fold axis of symmetry likely contribute to the beneficial characteristics of AAVv66. Our findings underscore the potential of AAVv66 as a gene therapy vector.
A proposal for reconciling diverse experiments on the superconducting state in Sr2RuO4
Authors: Kivelson Steven Allan , Yuan Andrew Chang , Ramshaw Brad , Thomale Ronny
Published: June 2020

A variety of precise experiments have been carried out to establish the character of the superconducting state in Sr2RuO4. Many of these appear to imply contradictory conclusions concerning the symmetries of this state. Here we propose that these results can be reconciled if we assume that there is a near-degeneracy between a $${d}_{{x}^{2}-{y}^{2}}$$

d

x

2

−

y

2

(B1g in group theory nomenclature) and a $${g}_{xy({x}^{2}-{y}^{2})}$$

g

x
y

(

x

2

−

y

2

)

(A2g) superconducting state. From a weak-coupling perspective, such an accidental degeneracy can occur at a point at which a balance between the on-site and nearest-neighbor repulsions triggers a d-wave to g-wave transition.
Analysis of the influence of flame sterilization included in sampling operations on shake-flask cultures of microorganisms
Authors: Takahashi Masato , Honzawa Takafumi , Tominaga Ryuichi , Aoyagi Hideki
Published: June 2020

Shake-flask cultures of microorganisms involve flame sterilization during sampling, which produces combustion gas with high CO2 concentrations. The gaseous destination has not been deeply analyzed. Our aim was to investigate the effect of flame sterilization on the headspace of the flask and on the shake-flask culture. In this study, the headspace CO2 concentration was found to increase during flame sterilization ~0.5–2.0% over 5–20 s empirically using the Circulation Direct Monitoring and Sampling System. This CO2 accumulation was confirmed theoretically using Computational Fluid Dynamics; it was 9% topically. To evaluate the influence of CO2 accumulation without interference from other sampling factors, the flask gas phase formed by flame sterilization was reproduced by aseptically supplying 99.8% CO2 into the headspace, without sampling. We developed a unit that can be sampled in situ without interruption of shaking, movement to a clean bench, opening of the culture-plug, and flame sterilization. We observed that the growth behaviour of Escherichia coli, Pelomonas saccharophila, Acetobacter pasteurianus, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was different depending on the CO2 aeration conditions. These results are expected to contribute to improving microbial cell culture systems.
Numerical material testing for discontinuous fiber composites using statistically similar representative volume elements
Authors: Sasagawa Takashi , Tanaka Masato , Omote Ryuji , Balzani Daniel
Published: June 2020

A computational method is proposed in order to predict mechanical properties of discontinuous fiber composites (DFCs) based on computational homogenization with statistically similar representative volume elements (SSRVEs). The SSRVEs are obtained by reducing the complexity of real microstructures based on statistical measures. Specifically, they are constructed by minimizing an objective function defined in terms of differences between the power spectral density of target microstructures and that of the SSRVEs. In this paper, an extended construction method is proposed based on the reformulation of the objective function by integer design variables. The proposed method is applied to the representation of a real material, namely glass fiber reinforced nylon 6. The results show that the mechanical properties computed by numerical material tests using the SSRVEs agree with experimental results. Therefore, it is found that the nonlinear mechanical properties of the DFC can be suitably predicted by the proposed method without any special calibration to experiments performed on the composites.
Detecting differences in the topology of scale-free networks grown under time-dynamic topological fitness
Authors: Tsiotas Dimitrios
Published: June 2020

The fitness model was introduced in the literature to expand the Barabasi-Albert model’s generative mechanism, which produces scale-free networks under the control of degree. However, the fitness model has not yet been studied in a comprehensive context because most models are built on invariant fitness as the network grows and time-dynamics mainly concern new nodes joining the network. This mainly static consideration restricts fitness in generating scale-free networks only when the underlying fitness distribution is power-law, a fact which makes the hybrid fitness models based on degree-driven preferential attachment to remain the most attractive models in the literature. This paper advances the time-dynamic conceptualization of fitness, by studying scale-free networks generated under topological fitness that changes as the network grows, where the fitness is controlled by degree, clustering coefficient, betweenness, closeness, and eigenvector centrality. The analysis shows that growth under time-dynamic topological fitness is indifferent to the underlying fitness distribution and that different topological fitness generates networks of different topological attributes, ranging from a mesh-like to a superstar-like pattern. The results also show that networks grown under the control of betweenness centrality outperform the other networks in scale-freeness and the majority of the other topological attributes. Overall, this paper contributes to broadening the conceptualization of fitness to a more time-dynamic context.
Crystal orientation and crystal structure of paramagnetic α-Al under a pulsed electromagnetic field
Authors: Bai Qingwei , Wang Jun , Xing Shuqing , Ma Yonglin , Bao Xinyu
Published: June 2020

The intermittent electromagnetic fields with a large $$\partial \mathrm{B}/\partial \mathrm{t}$$∂B/∂t can enhance the properties of ferromagnetic materials and significantly affect paramagnetic materials. In this study, the effect of a pulsed electromagnetic field on the crystal orientation of the primary phase and microstructure evolution of an Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy was investigated. A mathematical model was developed to describe crystal rotation under a pulsed electromagnetic field. The model predictions show that the magnetic energy difference generated by the magnetic anisotropy of the primary crystal produces primary phases with sizes of 225–100 μm to rotate into a <111> preferred orientation. The lattice constant, the interplanar spacing, and the microstrain increase with the duty cycle of the pulsed magnetic field, especially for the (111) and (200) crystal planes. This study provides preliminary theoretical support for using pulsed electromagnetic fields to control the orientation and microscopic properties of materials.
The changing demography of the cystic fibrosis population: forecasting future numbers of adults in the UK
Authors: Keogh Ruth H. , Tanner Kamaryn , Simmonds Nicholas J. , Bilton Diana
Published: June 2020

Improvements in management of cystic fibrosis (CF) through specialist centres in the UK have been associated with a step-change in life expectancy. With increasing numbers of adult patients there is a need to review health care provision to ensure it is sufficient to meet future needs. We used UK CF Registry data to project the number of patients aged 16–17 and 18 and older  up to 2030, and numbers therefore requiring specialist adult CF care. Survival modelling was used to estimate age-specific mortality rates. New-diagnosis rates were estimated using diagnoses observed in the Registry and national population figures. Uncertainty in projections was captured through 95% prediction intervals (PI). The number of adults (aged 18 and older) is expected to increase by 28% from 6,225 in 2017 to 7,988 in 2030 (95% PI 7,803–8,169), assuming current mortality rates. If mortality rates improve at the rate seen over recent years, the projected number increases to 8,579 (95% PI 8,386–8,764). The age distribution is also expected to change, with 36% of CF adults being over 40 in 2030, versus 21% in 2017. There is an urgent requirement to review adult CF health care provision, due to both increasing numbers and the changing care needs of an older population.
Blast-induced hearing impairment in rats is associated with structural and molecular changes of the inner ear
Authors: Wang Ying , Urioste Rodrigo T. , Wei Yanling , Wilder Donna M. , Arun Peethambaran , Sajja Venkatasivasaisujith , Gist Irene D. , Fitzgerald Tracy S. , Chang Weise , Kelley Matthew W. , Long Joseph B.
Published: June 2020

Auditory dysfunction is the most prevalent injury associated with blast overpressure exposure (BOP) in Warfighters and civilians, yet little is known about the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. To gain insights into these injuries, an advanced blast simulator was used to expose rats to BOP and assessments were made to identify structural and molecular changes in the middle/inner ears utilizing otoscopy, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and histopathological analysis. Deficits persisting up to 1 month after blast exposure were observed in the distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and the auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) across the entire range of tested frequencies (4–40 kHz). During the recovery phase at sub-acute time points, low frequency (e.g. 4–8 kHz) hearing improved relatively earlier than for high frequency (e.g. 32–40 kHz). Perforation of tympanic membranes and middle ear hemorrhage were observed at 1 and 7 days, and were restored by day 28 post-blast. A total of 1,158 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly altered in the cochlea on day 1 (40% up-regulated and 60% down-regulated), whereas only 49 DEGs were identified on day 28 (63% up-regulated and 37% down-regulated). Seven common DEGs were identified at both days 1 and 28 following blast, and are associated with inner ear mechanotransduction, cytoskeletal reorganization, myelin development and axon survival. Further studies on altered gene expression in the blast-injured rat cochlea may provide insights into new therapeutic targets and approaches to prevent or treat similar cases of blast-induced auditory damage in human subjects.
Benefit of diverse surgical approach on short-term outcomes of MEN1-related hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Choi Hye Ryeon , Choi Sun Hyung , Choi Soon Min , Kim Jin Kyong , Lee Cho Rok , Kang Sang-Wook , Lee Jandee , Jeong Jong Ju , Nam Kee-Hyun , Chung Woong Youn , Lee Seunghyun , Hong Namki , Rhee Yumie
Published: June 2020

Surgical excision is the preferred treatment for multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1)-related primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), although controversy regarding the surgical strategy exists. We retrospectively investigated the short-term outcomes of PHPT by various surgical extents. Thirty-three patients who underwent parathyroidectomy due to MEN1-related PHPT at Yonsei Severance Hospital between 2005 and 2018 were included (age [mean ± SD], 43.4 ± 14.1 [range, 23–81] years). Total parathyroidectomy with auto-transplantation to the forearm (TPX) was the most common surgical method (17/33), followed by less-than-subtotal parathyroidectomy (LPX; 12/33) and subtotal parathyroidectomy (SPX; 4/33). There was no postoperative persistent hyperparathyroidism. Recurrence was high in the LPX group without significance (1 in TPX, 2 in SPX, and 3 in LPX, p = 0.076). Permanent and transient hypoparathyroidism were more common in TPX (n = 6/17, 35.3%, p = 0.031; n = 4/17, 23.5%, p = 0.154, respectively). Parathyroid venous sampling (PVS) was introduced in 2013 for preoperative localisation of hyperparathyroidism at our hospital; nine among 19 patients operated on after 2013 underwent pre-parathyroidectomy PVS, with various surgical extents, and no permanent hypoparathyroidism (p = 0.033) or post-LPX recurrence was observed. Although TPX with auto-transplantation is the standard surgery for MEN1-related PHPT, surgical extent individualisation is necessary, given the postoperative hypoparathyroidism rate of TPX and feasibility of PVS.
Crustal processes sustain Arctic abiotic gas hydrate and fluid flow systems
Authors: Waghorn K. A. , Vadakkepuliyambatta S. , Plaza-Faverola A. , Johnson J. E. , Bünz S. , Waage M.
Published: June 2020

The Svyatogor Ridge and surroundings, located on the sediment-covered western flank of the Northern Knipovich Ridge, host extensive gas hydrate and related fluid flow systems. The fluid flow system here manifests in the upper sedimentary sequence as gas hydrates and free gas, indicated by bottom simulating reflections (BSRs) and amplitude anomalies. Using 2D seismic lines and bathymetric data, we map tectonic features such as faults, crustal highs, and indicators of fluid flow processes. Results indicate a strong correlation between crustal faults, crustal highs and fluid accumulations in the overlying sediments, as well as an increase in geothermal gradient over crustal faults. We conclude here that gas generated during the serpentinization of exhumed mantle rocks drive the extensive occurrence of gas hydrate and fluid flow systems in the region and transform faults act as an additional major pathway for fluid circulation.
Genome-wide screening of microsatellites in golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana), for the development of a standardized genetic marker system
Authors: Cai YanSen , Yu HaoYang , Liu Hua , Jiang Cong , Sun Ling , Niu LiLi , Liu XuanZhen , Li DaYong , Li Jing
Published: June 2020

Golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) is an endangered primate endemic to China. The lack of standardized genetic markers limits its conservation works. In the present study, a total of 1,400,552 perfect STRs was identified in the reference genome of R. roxellana. By comparing it with the 12 resequencing genomes of four geographical populations, a total of 1,927 loci were identified as perfect tetranucleotides and shared among populations. We randomly selected 74 loci to design primer pairs. By using a total of 64 samples from the Chengdu Zoo captive population and the Pingwu wild population, a set of 14 novel STR loci were identified with good polymorphism, strong stability, high repeatability, low genotyping error rate that were suitable for non-invasive samples. These were used to establish a standardized marker system for golden snub-nosed monkeys. The genetic diversity analysis showed the average HO, HE, and PIC was 0.477, 0.549, and 0.485, respectively, in the Chengdu Zoo population; and 0.516, 0.473, and 0.406, respectively, in Pingwu wild population. Moreover, an individual identification method was established, which could effectively distinguish individuals with seven markers. The paternity tests were conducted on seven offspring with known mothers from two populations, and their fathers were determined with high confidence. A genotyping database for the captive population in the Chengdu Zoo (n = 25) and wild population in Pingwu country (n = 8) was acquired by using this marker system.
Trapped air metamaterial concept for ultrasonic sub-wavelength imaging in water
Authors: Laureti Stefano , Hutchins David A. , Astolfi Lorenzo , Watson Richard L. , Thomas Peter J. , Burrascano Pietro , Nie Luzhen , Freear Steven , Askari Meisam , Clare Adam T. , Ricci Marco
Published: June 2020

Acoustic metamaterials constructed from conventional base materials can exhibit exotic phenomena not commonly found in nature, achieved by combining geometrical and resonance effects. However, the use of polymer-based metamaterials that could operate in water is difficult, due to the low acoustic impedance mismatch between water and polymers. Here we introduce the concept of “trapped air” metamaterial, fabricated via vat photopolymerization, which makes ultrasonic sub-wavelength imaging in water using polymeric metamaterials highly effective. This concept is demonstrated for a holey-structured acoustic metamaterial in water at 200–300 kHz, via both finite element modelling and experimental measurements, but it can be extended to other types of metamaterials. The new approach, which outperforms the usual designs of these structures, indicates a way forward for exploiting additive-manufacturing for realising polymer-based acoustic metamaterials in water at ultrasonic frequencies.
Co-expression based cancer staging and application
Authors: Yu Xiangchun , Cao Sha , Zhou Yi , Yu Zhezhou , Xu Ying
Published: June 2020

A novel method is developed for predicting the stage of a cancer tissue based on the consistency level between the co-expression patterns in the given sample and samples in a specific stage. The basis for the prediction method is that cancer samples of the same stage share common functionalities as reflected by the co-expression patterns, which are distinct from samples in the other stages. Test results reveal that our prediction results are as good or potentially better than manually annotated stages by cancer pathologists. This new co-expression-based capability enables us to study how functionalities of cancer samples change as they evolve from early to the advanced stage. New and exciting results are discovered through such functional analyses, which offer new insights about what functions tend to be lost at what stage compared to the control tissues and similarly what new functions emerge as a cancer advances. To the best of our knowledge, this new capability represents the first computational method for accurately staging a cancer sample. The R source code used in this study is available at GitHub (https://github.com/yxchspring/CECS).
Modelling sexually deceptive orchid species distributions under future climates: the importance of plant–pollinator interactions
Authors: Tsiftsis Spyros , Djordjević Vladan
Published: June 2020

Biotic interactions play an important role in species distribution models, whose ignorance may cause an overestimation of species' potential distributions. Species of the family Orchidaceae are almost totally dependent on mycorrhizal symbionts and pollinators, with sexually deceptive orchids being often highly specialized, and thus the interactions with their pollinators are expected to strongly affect distribution predictions. We used Maxent algorithm to explore the extent of current and future habitat suitability for two Greek endemic sexually deceptive orchids (Ophrys argolicaandOphrys delphinensis) in relation to the potential distribution of their unique pollinator (Anthophora plagiata). Twelve climate change scenarios were used to predict future distributions. Results indicated that the most important factors determining potential distribution were precipitation seasonality forO. argolicaand geological substrate forO. delphinensis. The current potential distribution of the two orchids was almost of the same extent but spatially different, without accounting for their interaction withA. plagiata. When the interaction was included in the models, their potentially suitable area decreased for both species. Under future climatic conditions, the effects of the orchid-pollinator interaction were more intense. Specifically,O. argolicawas restricted in specific areas of southern Greece, whereasO. delphinensiswas expected to become extinct. Our findings highlighted the significant role of plant–pollinator interactions in species distribution models. Failing to study such interactions might expose plant species to serious conservation issues.
The dominant seagrass herbivore Sarpa salpa shifts its shoaling and feeding strategies as they grow
Authors: Buñuel Xavier , Alcoverro Teresa , Pagès Jordi F. , Romero Javier , Ruiz Juan M. , Arthur Rohan
Published: June 2020

The relative benefits of group foraging change as animals grow. Metabolic requirements, competitive abilities and predation risk are often allometric and influenced by group size. How individuals optimise costs and benefits as they grow can strongly influence consumption patterns. The shoaling fish Sarpa salpa is the principal herbivore of temperate Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows. We used in-situ observations to describe how ontogeny influenced S. salpa individual feeding behaviour, shoaling behaviour and group foraging strategies, and its potential consequences to seagrass meadows. Shoaling was strongly influenced by body length: shoals were highly length-assorted and there was a clear positive relationship between body length and shoal size. Foraging strategies changed dramatically with shoal size. Small shoals foraged simultaneously and scattered over large areas. In contrast, larger shoals (made of larger individuals) employed a potentially cooperative strategy where individuals fed rotationally and focused in smaller areas for longer times (spot feeding). Thus, as individuals grew, they increased their potential impact as well, not merely because they consumed more, but because they formed larger shoals capable of considerably concentrating their grazing within the landscape. Our results indicate that ontogenetic shifts in group foraging strategies can have large ecosystem-wide consequences when the species is an important ecosystem modifier.
Author Correction: Growth, health aspects and histopathology of brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus L.): replacing fishmeal with soybean meal and brewer’s yeast
Authors: Matulić Daniel , Barišić Josip , Aničić Ivica , Tomljanović Tea , Safner Roman , Treer Tomislav , Gao Jian , Glojnarić Ines , Čož-Rakovac Rozelindra
Published: June 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Developmental onset distinguishes three types of spontaneous recognition memory in mice
Authors: Cruz-Sanchez Arely , Dematagoda Shadini , Ahmed Ridda , Mohanathaas Sakhithya , Odenwald Nicole , Arruda-Carvalho Maithe
Published: June 2020

Spontaneous recognition memory tasks build on an animal’s natural preference for novelty to assess the what, where and when components of episodic memory. Their simplicity, ethological relevance and cross-species adaptability make them extremely useful to study the physiology and pathology of memory. Recognition memory deficits are common in rodent models of neurodevelopmental disorders, and yet very little is known about the expression of spontaneous recognition memory in young rodents. This is exacerbated by the paucity of data on the developmental onset of recognition memory in mice, a major animal model of disease. To address this, we characterized the ontogeny of three types of spontaneous recognition memory in mice: object location, novel object recognition and temporal order recognition. We found that object location is the first to emerge, at postnatal day (P)21. This was followed by novel object recognition (24 h delay), at P25. Temporal order recognition was the last to emerge, at P28. Elucidating the developmental expression of recognition memory in mice is critical to improving our understanding of the ontogeny of episodic memory, and establishes a necessary blueprint to apply these tasks to probe cognitive deficits at clinically relevant time points in animal models of developmental disorders.
1/f2 spectra of decoherence noise on 75As nuclear spins in bulk GaAs
Authors: Sasaki Susumu , Miura Takanori , Ikeda Kosuke , Sakai Masahiro , Sekikawa Takuya , Saito Masaki , Yuge Tatsuro , Hirayama Yoshiro
Published: June 2020

To identify the decoherence origin, frequency spectra using multiple π-pulses have been extensively studied. However, little has been discussed on how to define the spectral intensities from multiple-echo decays and how to incorporate the Hahn-echoT2in the noise spectra. Here, we show that experiments based on two theories solve these issues. As proved in the previous theory, the spectral intensity is given as the decay in the long-time limit. Unlike the initial process of decays, this definition is not only theoretically proven but also validated experimentally, since long-time behaviors are generally free from experimental artifacts. The other is the fluctuation–dissipation theory, with which the Hahn-echoT2is utilized as the zero-frequency limit of the noise spectrum and as an answer to the divergent issue on the 1/fnnoises. As a result, arsenic nuclear spins are found to exhibit 1/f2dependences over two orders of magnitude in all the substrates of un-doped, Cr-doped semi-insulating and Si-doped metallic GaAs at 297 K. The 1/f2dependence indicates that the noise is dominated by a single source with characteristic frequencyfcun = 170 ± 10 Hz,fcCr = 210 ± 10 Hz andfcSi = 460 ± 30 Hz. Thesefcvalues are explained by a model that the decoherence is caused by the fluctuations of next-nearest-neighboring nuclear spins.
In-vitro propagation, callus culture and bioactive lignan production in Phyllanthus tenellus Roxb: a new source of phyllanthin, hypophyllanthin and phyltetralin
Authors: Nikule Harichandra A. , Nitnaware Kirti M. , Chambhare Mahadev R. , Kadam Nitin S. , Borde Mahesh Y. , Nikam Tukaram D.
Published: June 2020

This is the first report on identification and quantification of important hepatoprotective and anticancer polyphenolic lignans such as phyllanthin (PH), hypophyllanthin (HPH), niranthin (NH) and phyltetralin (PT) in natural plant and in vitro cultures of Phyllanthus tenellus Roxb. The identification of lignans was carried out by Liquid Chromatography–High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC–HRMS) and quantified using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). In addition, an efficient protocol has been developed for multiple shoot induction in nodal explants of in vitro derived shoots of P. tenellus. Maximum number of shoot regeneration (7.83 ± 0.15) was achieved on medium incorporated with 1.0 mg/l 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP). The medium containing Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) 2 mg/l was superior for induction of rooting in in vitro raised shoots. The plantlets were acclimatized to the field condition with 100% survival. The quantitative HPLC analysis showed that the lignan content was variable with the auxins and cytokinins incorporated in the medium. The lignan content was higher in callus grown on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium + 2.0 mg/l Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). The reported protocol can be used for mass propagation and application of biotechnological approaches for improvement of P. tenellus. The results indicate intriguing possibilities for the utilization of P. tenellus plant parts as an alternative source and of callus culture to scale up bioactive lignan production for pharmaceutical applications.
The Great Acceleration of fragrances and PAHs archived in an ice core from Elbrus, Caucasus
Authors: Vecchiato Marco , Gambaro Andrea , Kehrwald Natalie M. , Ginot Patrick , Kutuzov Stanislav , Mikhalenko Vladimir , Barbante Carlo
Published: June 2020

The Great Acceleration of the anthropogenic impact on the Earth system is marked by the ubiquitous distribution of anthropogenic materials throughout the global environment, including technofossils, radionuclides and the exponential increases of methane and carbon dioxide concentrations. However, personal care products as direct tracers of human domestic habits are often overlooked. Here, we present the first research combining fragrances, as novel personal care products, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as combustion and industrial markers, across the onset of the Great Acceleration in the Elbrus, Caucasus, ice core. This archive extends from the 1930s to 2005, spanning the profound changes in the relationship between humans and the environment during the twentieth century. Concentrations of both fragrances and PAHs rose throughout the considered period, reflecting the development of the Anthropocene. However, within this rising trend, remarkable decreases of the tracers track the major socioeconomic crises that occurred in Eastern Europe during the second half of the twentieth century.
Combined and independent effects of hypoxia and tributyltin on mRNA expression and physiology of the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica)
Authors: Barnett Ann Fairly , Gledhill James H. , Griffitt Robert J. , Slattery Marc , Gochfeld Deborah J. , Willett Kristine L.
Published: June 2020

Oyster reefs are vital to estuarine health, but they experience multiple stressors and globally declining populations. This study examined effects of hypoxia and tributyltin (TBT) on adult Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) exposed either in the laboratory or the field following a natural hypoxic event. In the laboratory, oysters were exposed to either hypoxia followed by a recovery period, or to hypoxia combined with TBT. mRNA expression of HIF1-α and Tβ-4 along with hemocyte counts, biomarkers of hypoxic stress and immune health, respectively, were measured. In field-deployed oysters, HIF1-α and Tβ-4 expression increased, while no effect on hemocytes was observed. In contrast, after 6 and 8 days of laboratory-based hypoxia exposure, both Tβ-4 expression and hemocyte counts declined. After 8 days of exposure to hypoxia + TBT, oysters substantially up-regulated HIF1-α and down-regulated Tβ-4, although hemocyte counts were unaffected. Results suggest that hypoxic exposure induces immunosuppression which could increase vulnerability to pathogens.
Impact of Lorentz force on the pulsatile flow of a non-Newtonian Casson fluid in a constricted channel using Darcy’s law: a numerical study
Authors: Ali Amjad , Farooq Hamayun , Abbas Zaheer , Bukhari Zainab , Fatima Attia
Published: June 2020

The present paper examines the flow behavior and separation region of a non-Newtonian electrically conducting Casson fluid through a two-dimensional porous channel by using Darcy’s law for the steady and pulsatile flows. The vorticity-stream function approach is employed for the numerical solution of the flow equations. The effects of various emerging parameters on wall shear stress and stream-wise velocity are displayed through graphs and discussed in detail. It is noticed the increasing values of the magnetic field parameter (Hartman number) cause vanishing of the flow separation region and flattening of the stream-wise velocity component. The study also reveals that the non-Newtonian character of Casson fluid bears the potential of controlling the flow separation region in both steady and pulsating flow conditions.
Quantitative analysis of tumor-specific BCL2 expression in DLBCL: refinement of prognostic relevance of BCL2
Authors: Roh Jin , Cho Hyungwoo , Yoon Dok Hyun , Hong Jung Yong , Lee A-Neum , Eom Hyeon Seok , Lee Hyewon , Park Weon Seo , Han Jae Ho , Jeong Seong Hyun , Park Joon Seong , Pak Hyo-Kyung , Kim So-Woon , Kim Sang-Yeob , Suh Cheolwon , Huh Jooryung , Park Chan-Sik
Published: June 2020

BCL2 overexpression has been reported to be associated with poor prognosis in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, currently there is no consensus on the evaluation of BCL2 expression and only the proportion of BCL2 positive cells are evaluated for the determination of BCL2 positivity. This study aimed to define BCL2 positivity by quantitative analysis integrating both the intensity and proportion of BCL2 expression. BCL2 expression of 332 patients (221 patients for the training set and 111 patients for the validation set) with newly diagnosed DLBCL who received R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) were analyzed using the tumor-specific automated quantitative analysis (AQUA) scoring method based on multiplex immunofluorescence. In the training set, high BCL2 AQUA score (N = 86, 38.9%) was significantly associated with poor prognosis (p = 0.01, HR 2.00; 95% CI [1.15–3.49]) independent of international prognostic index, cell of origin, and MYC expression. The poor prognostic impact of the high BCL2 AQUA score was validated in the validation set. AQUA scoring of BCL2 expression incorporating both the intensity and proportion of BCL2 positive cells was independently associated with survival outcomes of patients with primary DLBCL treated with R-CHOP.
Distinctive roles of Abi1 in regulating actin-associated proteins during human smooth muscle cell migration
Authors: Wang Ruping , Liao Guoning , Wang Yinna , Tang Dale D.
Published: June 2020

Smooth muscle cell migration is essential for many diverse biological processes such as pulmonary/cardiovascular development and homeostasis. Abi1 (Abelson interactor 1) is an adapter protein that has been implicated in nonmuscle cell migration. However, the role and mechanism of Abi1 in smooth muscle migration are largely unknown. Here, Abi1 knockdown by shRNA reduced human airway smooth muscle cell migration, which was restored by Abi1 rescue. Abi1 localized at the tip of lamellipodia and its protrusion coordinated with F-actin at the leading cell edge of live cells. In addition, we identified profilin-1 (Pfn-1), a G-actin transporter, as a new partner for Abi1. Abi1 knockdown reduced the recruitment of Pfn-1 to the leading cell edge. Moreover, Abi1 knockdown reduced the localization of the actin-regulatory proteins c-Abl (Abelson tyrosine kinase) and N-WASP (neuronal Wiskott–Aldrich Syndrome Protein) at the cell edge without affecting other migration-related proteins including pVASP (phosphorylated vasodilator stimulated phosphoprotein), cortactin and vinculin. Furthermore, we found that c-Abl and integrin β1 regulated the positioning of Abi1 at the leading edge. Taken together, the results suggest that Abi1 regulates cell migration by affecting Pfn-1 and N-WASP, but not pVASP, cortactin and focal adhesions. Integrin β1 and c-Abl are important for the recruitment of Abi1 to the leading edge.
Parvalbumin-, substance P- and calcitonin gene-related peptide-immunopositive axons in the human dental pulp differ in their distribution of varicosities
Authors: Park Sook Kyung , Choi Seung Ki , Kim Youn Gyung , Choi So Young , Kim Jin Wook , Seo Sang Hyeok , Lee Ji Hyun , Bae Yong Chul
Published: June 2020

Information on the frequency and spatial distribution of axonal varicosities associated with release of neurotransmitters in the dental pulp is important to help elucidate the peripheral mechanisms of dental pain, mediated by myelinated versus unmyelinated fibers. For this, we investigated the distribution of axonal varicosities in the human dental pulp using light- and electron-microscopic immunohistochemistry for the vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2), which is involved in the glutamatergic transmission, and syntaxin-1 and synaptosomal nerve-associated protein 25 (SNAP-25), combined with parvalbumin (PV), which is expressed mostly in myelinated axons, and substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which are expressed mostly in unmyelinated axons. We found that the varicosities of the SP- and CGRP-immunopositive (+) axons were uniformly distributed throughout the dental pulp, whereas those of PV+ axons were only dense in the peripheral pulp, and that the expression of PV, VGLUT2, syntaxin-1, SNAP-25, SP and CGRP was significantly higher in the varicosities than in the axonal segments between them. These findings are consistent with the release of glutamate and neuropeptides by axonal varicosities of SP+ and CGRP+ unmyelinated fibers, involved in pulpal pain throughout the human dental pulp, and by varicosities of PV+ fibers, arising from parent myelinated fibers, and involved in dentin sensitivity primarily in the peripheral pulp.
Atelocollagen promotes chondrogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Kim Seon Ae , Sur Yoo Joon , Cho Mi-La , Go Eun Jeong , Kim Yun Hwan , Shetty Asode Ananthram , Kim Seok Jung
Published: June 2020

Effective engineering approaches for cartilage regeneration involve a combination of cells and biomaterial scaffolds. Multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are important sources for cartilage regeneration. Atelocollagen provides a suitable substrate for MSC attachment and enhancing chondrogenic differentiation. Here, we assessed the chondrogenic potential of adipose tissue derived human MSCs (hMSCs) mixed with atelocollagen gel. We observed cell attachment, viability, and microstructures by electron microscopy over 21 days. The levels of Sox9, type II collagen, aggrecan, type I collagen, Runx2, type X collagen, ALP, Osterix, and MMP13 were measured by RT-qPCR. Cartilage matrix-related proteins were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), histology, and immunohistochemistry. hMSCs of all groups exhibited well-maintained cell survival, distribution and morphology. Abundant type II collagen fibers developed on day 21; whileSox9, type II collagen, and aggrecan expression increased over time in the atelocollagen group. However, type I collagen,RUNX2, type X collagen (CoL10A1),Osterix, and ALP were not expressed. These results corroborated the protein expression detected by ELISA. Further, histological analysis revealed lacunae-like structures, while staining demonstrated glycosaminoglycan accumulation. Cumulatively, these results indicate that atelocollagen scaffolds improve hMSC chondrogenic differentiation and are a potential approach for cartilage regeneration.
Author Correction: Serotonin transporter binding is increased in Tourette syndrome with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Authors: Müller-Vahl K. R. , Szejko N. , Wilke F. , Jakubovski E. , Geworski L. , Bengel F. , Berding G.
Published: June 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Author Correction: A spatial similarity of stereochemical environments formed by amino acid residues defines a common epitope of two non-homologous proteins
Authors: Nakashima Kentaro , Iwashita Shintaro , Suzuki Takehiro , Kato Chieko , Kohno Toshiyuki , Kamei Yasutomi , Sasaki Motoki , Urayama Osamu , Ohno-Iwashita Yoshiko , Dohmae Naoshi , Song Si-Young
Published: June 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Author Correction: Amylin and pramlintide modulate γ-secretase level and APP processing in lipid rafts
Authors: Mousa Youssef M. , Abdallah Ihab M. , Hwang Misako , Martin Douglas R. , Kaddoumi Amal
Published: June 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Publisher Correction: Sharing of hand kinematic synergies across subjects in daily living activities
Authors: Gracia-Ibáñez Verónica , Sancho-Bru Joaquín L. , Vergara Margarita , Jarque-Bou Néstor J. , Roda-Sales Alba
Published: June 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Shape-control growth of 2D-In2Se3with out-of-plane ferroelectricity by chemical vapor deposition
Authors: Rashid Rashad , Ling Francis Chi-Chung , Wang Shuang-Peng , Xiao Ke , Cui Xiaodong , Chan T. H. , Ong H. C. , Azeem Waqar , Younas Muhammad
Published: June 2020

Influences of growth parameters on the shape and ferroelectric properties of a 2D-In2Se3layered structure grown by CVD were systematically studied.
High activity of NiCo2O4 promoted Pt on three-dimensional graphene-like carbon for glycerol electrooxidation in an alkaline medium
Authors: Liu Bo-Cai , Chen Shao-Li , Ling Xiao-Yu , Li Qiao-Xian , Xu Chang-Wei , Liu Zi-Li
Published: June 2020

Spinel oxide NiCo2O4 supported on a three-dimensional hierarchically porous graphene-like carbon (3D HPG) material has been firstly used to enhance the activity of Pt for glycerol electrooxidation.
Fast and precise quantification of serum biomarkers and simultaneous recognition of multiple diseases enabled by a stable isotope-labelled peptides assisted high-throughput MRM strategy
Authors: Hu Anqi , Wang Zhenxin , Xie Juanjuan , Lin Ling , Yang Pengyuan , Zhang Lei , Shen Huali , Cao Yi-ou
Published: June 2020

We constructed an MS strategy that enables fast and precise quantification of serum biomarkers through coupling high-throughput scheduled MRM strategy with stable isotope labelled peptides panel and simultaneous recognition of multiple diseases.
Determination of prescribed and designer benzodiazepines and metabolites in influent wastewater
Authors: Bade Richard , Ghetia Maulik , White Jason M. , Gerber Cobus
Published: June 2020

With illicit and designer benzodiazepines becoming more prevalent in the community, this work presents the validation and application of an analytical method for prescribed benzodiazepines and metabolites in wastewater.
An in vitro site-specific cleavage assay of CRISPR-Cas9 using a personal glucose meter
Authors: Gong Shaohua , Chen Yuanyuan , Pan Wei , Li Na , Tang Bo
Published: June 2020

Personal glucose meter has been applied to sensitively and cost-effectively detect the in vitro site-specific cleavage efficiency of CRISPR-Cas9.
Design of a graphene nitrene two-dimensional catalyst providing a well-defined site accommodating up to three metals, with application to N2 reduction electrocatalysis
Authors: Li Li , Xu Lai
Published: June 2020

We studied NRR catalytic performance of metal cluster doped on the C2N monolayer, the homonuclear metal cluster (Rh3) and heteronuclear metal cluster (Co2Mo) were screened out, which have excellent catalytic performance.
Understanding the effect of interfacial interaction on metal/metal oxide electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution and hydrogen oxidation reactions on the basis of first-principles calculations
Authors: Zheng Xingqun , Li Li , Deng Mingming , Li Jing , Ding Wei , Nie Yao , Wei Zidong
Published: June 2020

Interfacial M–O and M–TM interactions of M/TMO contribute differently to the surface properties and HER/HOR pathway.
Self-assembly of tetranuclear 3d–4f helicates as highly efficient catalysts for CO2 cycloaddition reactions under mild conditions
Authors: Yang Huan , Gao Guoshu , Chen Wanmin , Wang Li , Liu Weisheng
Published: June 2020

A series of 4-nuclear lanthanide clusters supported by organic ligands Zn3LnL4 (Ln = Dy(1), Gd(2), Er(3)) were synthesized. These helicates could be used to convert CO2 into cyclic carbonates with TOF up to 38 000 h−1, without being influenced by moisture or air.