bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Global Opportunities to Increase Agricultural Independence Through Phosphorus Recycling
Authors: Powers S. M. , Chowdhury R. B. , MacDonald G. K. , Metson G. S. , Beusen A. H. W. , Bouwman A. F. , Hampton S. E. , Mayer B. K. , McCrackin M. L. , Vaccari D. A.
Published: March 2019

Food production hinges largely upon access to phosphorus (P) fertilizer. Most fertilizer P used in the global agricultural system comes from mining of nonrenewable phosphate rock deposits located within few countries. However, P contained in livestock manure or urban wastes represents a recyclable source of P. To inform development of P recycling technologies and policies, we examined subnational, national, and global spatial patterns for two intersections of land use affording high P recycling potential: (a) manure‐rich cultivated areas and (b) populous cultivated areas. In turn, we examined overlap between P recycling potential and nation‐level P fertilizer import dependency. Populous cultivated areas were less abundant globally than manure‐rich cultivated areas, reflecting greater segregation between crops and people compared to crops and livestock, especially in the Americas. Based on a global hexagonal grid (290‐km2 grid cell area), disproportionately large shares of subnational “hot spots” for P recycling potential occurred in India, China, Southeast Asia, Europe, and parts of Africa. Outside of China, most of the remaining manure‐rich or populous cultivated areas occurred within nations that had relatively high imports of P fertilizer (net P import:consumption ratios ≥0.4) or substantial increases in fertilizer demand between the 2000s (2002–2006) and 2010s (2010–2014). Manure‐rich cultivated grid cells (those above the 75th percentiles for both manure and cropland extent) represented 12% of the global grid after excluding cropless cells. Annually, the global sum of animal manure P was at least 5 times that contained in human excreta, and among cultivated cells the ratio was frequently higher (median = 8.9). The abundance of potential P recycling hot spots within nations that have depended on fertilizer imports or experienced rising fertilizer demand could prove useful for developing local P sources and maintaining agricultural independence.
SST Dynamics at Different Scales: Evaluating the Oceanographic Model Resolution Skill to Represent SST Processes in the Southern Ocean
Authors: Skákala Jozef , Smyth Tim J. , Torres Ricardo , Buckingham Christian E. , Brearley Alexander , Hyder Pat , Coward Andrew C.
Published: March 2019

In this study we demonstrate the many strengths of scale analysis: we use it to evaluate the Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean model skill in representing sea surface temperature (SST) in the Southern Ocean by comparing three model resolutions: 1/12°, 1/4°, and 1°. We show that while 4–5 times resolution scale is sufficient for each model resolution to reproduce the magnitude of satellite Earth Observation (EO) SST spatial variability to within ±10%, the representation of ∼100‐km SST variability patterns is substantially (e.g., ∼50% at 750 km) improved by increasing model resolution from 1° to 1/12°. We also analyzed the dominant scales of the SST model input drivers (short‐wave radiation, air‐sea heat fluxes, wind stress components, wind stress curl, and bathymetry) variability with the purpose of determining the optimal SST model input driver resolution. The SST magnitude of variability is shown to scale with two power law regimes separated by a scaling break at ∼200‐km scale. The analysis of the spatial and temporal scales of dominant SST driver impact helps to interpret this scaling break as a separation between two different dynamical regimes: the (relatively) fast SST dynamics below ∼200 km governed by eddies, fronts, Ekman upwelling, and air‐sea heat exchange, while above ∼200 km the SST variability is dominated by long‐term (seasonal and supraseasonal) modes and the SST geography.
Geochemical Variability Along the Northern East Pacific Rise: Coincident Source Composition and Ridge Segmentation
Authors: Mallick Soumen , Salters Vincent J. M. , Langmuir Charles H.
Published: March 2019

New trace element abundances and isotope compositions for more than 100 mid‐ocean ridge basalts from 5.5°N to 19°N on the East Pacific Rise show step function variations in isotopic composition along the ridge axis that coincide with ridge discontinuities. Transform faults, overlapping spreading centers, and devals (deviation from axial linearity) mark the separation of individual clusters of distinct isotopic composition and trace element ratios that indicate source variations. This correlated chemical clustering and morphological segmentation indicates that source composition and segmentation can be closely related even on a fine scale. Substantial chemical variations within a segment are related to source composition. This suggests that even within segments the magma transport is mainly vertical, and there is limited along‐ridge transport, and there is little evidence for magma chambers that are well mixed along strike. Trace element concentrations show good correlations with isotopic compositions on a segment scale but less so on a regional scale. The trace element and isotopic variability along the northern East Pacific Rise can be explained by three mantle components: a depleted peridotite endmember, an enriched peridotite endmember, and a recycled gabbro‐like component. The gabbroic component has an isotopic signature indicating an ancient origin. The high‐resolution sampling indicates that within a segment the chemical variability is largely binary but that the endmembers of the binary mixing change from segment to segment. The endmembers of the binary variation within a segment are a combination of three of the endmembers.
A novel compound heterozygous mutation in TTC8 identified in a Japanese patient
Authors: Sato Shigeru , Morimoto Takeshi , Hotta Kikuko , Fujikado Takashi , Nishida Kohji
Published: March 2019

Bardet–Biedl syndrome (BBS), characterized by rod-cone dystrophy, postaxial polydactyly, central obesity, hypogonadism, renal abnormalities, and mental retardation, is a rare autosomal recessive disorder. To date, 21 causative genes have been reported. Here we describe a Japanese BBS patient with a novel compound heterozygous mutation in TTC8. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of a BBS patient with a mutation in the TTC8 gene in Japan.
Organoid-derived C-Kit+/SSEA4− human retinal progenitor cells promote a protective retinal microenvironment during transplantation in rodents
Authors: Zou Ting , Gao Lixiong , Zeng Yuxiao , Li Qiyou , Li Yijian , Chen Siyu , Hu Xisu , Chen Xi , Fu Caiyun , Xu Haiwei , Yin Zheng Qin
Published: March 2019

Stem cell therapy may replace lost photoreceptors and preserve residual photoreceptors during retinal degeneration (RD). Unfortunately, the degenerative microenvironment compromises the fate of grafted cells, demanding supplementary strategies for microenvironment regulation. Donor cells with both proper regeneration capability and intrinsic ability to improve microenvironment are highly desired. Here, we use cell surface markers (C-Kit+/SSEA4−) to effectively eliminate tumorigenic embryonic cells and enrich retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) from human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived retinal organoids, which, following subretinal transplantation into RD models of rats and mice, significantly improve vision and preserve the retinal structure. We characterize the pattern of integration and materials transfer following transplantation, which likely contribute to the rescued photoreceptors. Moreover, C-Kit+/SSEA4− cells suppress microglial activation, gliosis and the production of inflammatory mediators, thereby providing a healthier host microenvironment for the grafted cells and delaying RD. Therefore, C-Kit+/SSEA4− cells from hESC-derived retinal organoids are a promising therapeutic cell source.
Phase transitions in few-monolayer spin ice films
Authors: Bovo L. , Rouleau C. M. , Prabhakaran D. , Bramwell S. T.
Published: March 2019

Vertex models are an important class of statistical mechanical system that admit exact solutions and exotic physics. Applications include water ice, ferro- and antiferro-electrics, spin ice and artificial spin ice. Here we show that it is possible to engineer spin ice films with atomic-layer precision down to the monolayer limit. Specific heat measurements show that these films, which have a fundamentally different symmetry to bulk spin ice, realise systems close to the two-dimensional F-model, with exotic phase transitions on topologically-constrained configurational manifolds. Our results show how spin ice thin films can release the celebrated Pauling entropy of spin ice without an anomaly in the specific heat. They also significantly expand the class of vertex models available to experiment.
TNFα is responsible for the canonical offspring number-size trade-off
Authors: Maslennikova S. O. , Gerlinskaya L. A. , Kontsevaya G. V. , Anisimova M. V. , Nedospasov S. A. , Feofanova N. A. , Moshkin M. P. , Moshkin Y. M.
Published: March 2019

There is a canonical life-history trade-off between quantity and quality of offspring, but molecular determinants for this are unknown. Here, we show that knockout of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-KO) in mice switched a relation between the number and size of developing embryos from expectedly negative to unexpectedly positive. Depletion of TNFα imbalanced humoral and trophic maintenance of embryo growth during gestation with respect to the litter size. The levels of embryotrophic GM-CSF cytokine and placental efficiency attained positive correlations with the number and size of embryos in TNF-KO females. Thus, TNFα oversees mother’s resource allocations to balance embryo growth with the number of offspring. Consequently, this suggests an intricate link between the number-size trade-off and immunity given a pivotal role of TNFα in immune homeostasis.
Automated real-time quantification of group locomotor activity in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Scaplen Kristin M. , Mei Nicholas J. , Bounds Hayley A. , Song Sophia L. , Azanchi Reza , Kaun Karla R.
Published: March 2019

Recent advances in neurogenetics have highlighted Drosophila melanogaster as an exciting model to study neural circuit dynamics and complex behavior. Automated tracking methods have facilitated the study of complex behaviors via high throughput behavioral screening. Here we describe a newly developed low-cost assay capable of real-time monitoring and quantifying Drosophila group activity. This platform offers reliable real-time quantification with open source software and a user-friendly interface for data acquisition and analysis. We demonstrate the utility of this platform by characterizing ethanol-induced locomotor activity in a dose-dependent manner as well as the effects of thermo and optogenetic manipulation of ellipsoid body neurons important for ethanol-induced locomotor activity. As expected, low doses of ethanol induced an initial startle and slow ramping of group activity, whereas high doses of ethanol induced sustained group activity followed by sedation. Advanced offline processing revealed discrete behavioral features characteristic of intoxication. Thermogenetic inactivation of ellipsoid body ring neurons reduced group activity whereas optogenetic activation increased activity. Together, these data establish the fly Group Activity Monitor (flyGrAM) platform as a robust means of obtaining an online read out of group activity in response to manipulations to the environment or neural activity, with an opportunity for more advanced post-processing offline.
Molybdenum-isotope signals and cerium anomalies in Palaeoproterozoic manganese ore survive high-grade metamorphism
Authors: Cabral Alexandre Raphael , Zeh Armin , Vianna Nívea Cristina , Ackerman Lukáš , Pašava Jan , Lehmann Bernd , Chrastný Vladislav
Published: March 2019

Molybdenum (Mo) and its isotopes have been used to retrieve palaeoenvironmental information on the ocean–atmosphere system through geological time. Their application has so far been restricted to rocks least affected by severe metamorphism and deformation, which may erase or alter palaeoenvironmental signals. Environmental Mo-isotope signatures can be retrieved if the more manganese (Mn)-enriched rocks are isotopically depleted and the maximum range of δ98Mo values is close to the ~2.7‰ Mo-isotope fractionation known from Mo sorption onto Mn oxides at low temperature. Here, we show that the Morro da Mina Mn-ore deposit in Minas Gerais, Brazil, contains Mn-silicate–carbonate ore and associated graphitic schist that likely preserve δ98Mo of Palaeoproterozoic seawater, despite a metamorphic overprint of at least 600 °C. The extent of Mo-isotope fractionation between the Mn-silicate–carbonate ore and the graphitic schist is similar to modern Mn-oxide precipitates and seawater. Differences in δ98Mo signals are broadly reflected in cerium (Ce) anomalies, which suggest an oxic–anoxic-stratified Palaeoproterozoic ocean.
Renal expression of JAK2 is high in polycystic kidney disease and its inhibition reduces cystogenesis
Authors: Patera Foteini , Cudzich-Madry Alex , Huang Zhi , Fragiadaki Maria
Published: March 2019

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common renal genetic disorder, however it still lacks a cure. The discovery of new therapies heavily depends on understanding key signalling pathways that lead to ADPKD. The JAnus Kinase and Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway is aberrantly activated and contributes to ADPKD pathogenesis via enhancing epithelial proliferation. Yet the mechanisms underlying the upregulation of JAK/STAT activity in this disease context is completely unknown. Here, we investigate the role of JAK2 in ADPKD using a murine model of ADPKD (Pkd1nl/nl). In normal kidneys, JAK2 expression is limited to tubular epithelial and vascular cells with lesser staining in bowman’s capsule and remains below detection level in the interstitium. By contrast, in kidneys of mice with ADPKD, JAK2 is higher in cyst-lining cells when compared to normal tubules and critically, it is ectopically expressed in the interstitium, suggesting that ectopic JAK2 may contribute to ADPKD. JAK2 activity was inhibited using either curcumin, a natural compound with strong JAK2 inhibitor activity, or Tofacitinib, a clinically used selective JAK small molecule inhibitor. JAK2 inhibition led to significantly reduced tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3 and markedly reduced cystic growth of human and mouse ADPKD-derived cells in cystogenesis assays. Taken together, our results indicate that blockade of JAK2 shows promise as a novel therapeutic target in ADPKD.
Non-redundant functions of FAK and Pyk2 in intestinal epithelial repair
Authors: Thomas Keena S. , Owen Katherine A. , Conger Kathryn , Llewellyn Ryan A. , Bouton Amy H. , Casanova James E.
Published: March 2019

Adhesion signaling between epithelial cells and the extracellular matrix plays a critical role in maintaining tissue homeostasis and the response to tissue damage. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and its close relative Pyk2 are non-receptor tyrosine kinases that mediate adhesion signaling to promote cell proliferation, motility and survival. FAK has also been shown to act as a mechanosensor by modulating cell proliferation in response to changes in tissue compliance. We previously showed that mice lacking FAK in the intestinal epithelium are phenotypically normal under homeostatic conditions but hypersensitive to experimental colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Here we report that Pyk2-deficient mice are also phenotypically normal under homeostatic conditions and are similarly hypersensitive to DSS-induced colitis. These data indicate that normal intestinal development and homeostatic maintenance can occur in the presence of either FAK or Pyk2, but that both kinases are necessary for epithelial repair following injury. In contrast, mice lacking both FAK and Pyk2 develop spontaneous colitis with 100% penetrance by 4 weeks of age. Normal colonic phenotype and function are restored upon treatment of the double knockout mice with antibiotics, implicating commensal bacteria or bacterial products in the etiology of the spontaneous colitis exhibited by these mice.
Anisotropic manganese antimonide nanoparticle formation by solution–solid–solid growth mechanism: consequence of sodium borohydride addition towards reduced surface oxidation and enhanced magnetic moment
Authors: Hettiarachchi Malsha A. , Abdelhamid Ehab , Nadgorny Boris , Brock Stephanie L.
Published: March 2019

Novel synthetic route to synthesize solution-phase anisotropic MnSb nanoparticles was developed and the solution–solid–solid growth mechanism was elucidated.
Toward fiber-, paper-, and foam-based flexible solid-state supercapacitors: electrode materials and device designs
Authors: Liang Jing , Jiang Changzhong , Wu Wei
Published: March 2019

Efficient strategies for electrode and device designs toward fabricating fiber-, paper-, and foam-based flexible solid-state supercapacitors have been systematically summarized.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): antibiotic-resistance and the biofilm phenotype
Authors: Craft Kelly M. , Nguyen Johny M. , Berg Lawrence J. , Townsend Steven D.
Published: March 2019

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is an asymptomatic colonizer of 30% of all human beings. It is also the most dangerous of all Staphylococcal bacteria.
Slow polymer diffusion on brush-patterned surfaces in aqueous solution
Authors: Clarkson Christopher G. , Johnson Alexander , Leggett Graham J. , Geoghegan Mark
Published: March 2019

A model system for the investigation of diffusional transport in compartmentalized nanosystems is described.
Nickel-catalyzed fluoroethylation of arylboronic acids via Suzuki-type coupling
Authors: Yang Yi , Cai Junjie , Luo Gen , Jiang Yan , Su Yumei , Su Yang , Li Chaolin , Zheng Yubin , Zeng Jijiao , Liu Yingle
Published: March 2019

A new and step-economic method for the synthesis of homobenzylic fluorides through nickel-catalyzed Suzuki-type fluoroethylation coupling is developed.
Secondary amines as coupling partners in direct catalytic asymmetric reductive amination
Authors: Wu Zitong , Du Shaozhi , Gao Guorui , Yang Wenkun , Yang Xiongyu , Huang Haizhou , Chang Mingxin
Published: March 2019

Direct asymmetric reductive amination utilizing secondary amines as an efficient tool for one-step construction of tertiary chiral amines.
Reversible redox switching of magnetic order and electrical conductivity in a 2D manganese benzoquinoid framework
Authors: Liu Lujia , DeGayner Jordan A. , Sun Lei , Zee David Z. , Harris T. David
Published: March 2019

We report a 2D manganese benzoquinoid network that undergoes simultaneous redox switching of magnetic order and electrical conductivity.
MicroRNA-26a reduces synovial inflammation and cartilage injury in osteoarthritis of knee joints through impairing the NF-κB signaling pathway
Authors: Zhao Zhi , Dai Xiu-Song , Wang Zhi-Yan , Bao Zheng-Qi , Guan Jian-Zhong
Published: March 2019

Objective: Inflammation is closely implicated in the process of osteoarthritis (OA) and affects disease progression and pain. Herein, the present study explored the effect of microRNA-26a (miR-26a) on the synovial inflammation and cartilage injury in OA, with the involvement with the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Methods: Rat models of OA were established by anterior cruciate ligament transection, which were then treated with miR-26a mimics/inhibitors or BMS-345541 (inhibitor of NF-κB pathway). The expression of miR-26a and activator proteins of NF-κB pathway (P-IκBα and P-P65) in synovial tissues was determined. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was adopted to observe pathological changes of knee joints, synovial tissues, and cartilage of femoral condyle. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining was used to detect the apoptosis of synoviocytes and chondrocytes.

Results: Poorly expressed miR-26a and increased protein levels of P-IκBα and P-P65 were identified in synovial tissues of OA rats. Besides, OA rats showed obvious synovial tissue hyperplasia, inflammation and cartilage injury of femoral condyle, as well as increased inflammation and cartilage injury scores, and apoptosis of synoviocytes and chondrocytes. In response to miR-26a mimics, protein levels of P-IκBα and P-P65 were reduced; meanwhile, synovial tissue hyperplasia, inflammation and cartilage injury of femoral condyle were ameliorated, with decreased inflammation and cartilage injury scores, and apoptosis of synoviocytes and chondrocytes.

Conclusion: MiR-26a suppressed the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, by which mechanism the synovial inflammation and cartilage injury in OA rats were alleviated.
Osteogenic protein-1 alleviates high glucose microenvironment-caused degenerative changes in nucleus pulposus cells
Authors: Liu Ziming , Zhang Zhiwen , Zhang Ali , Zhang Fan , Du Wennan , Zhang Yongqiang , Zhang Rongfeng , Xu Jiagang , Wu Xiangkun , Zhang Chengmin , Li Ning , Tan Qi , Huang Wei
Published: March 2019

Increasing evidence has indicated a close relationship between diabetes mellitus (DM) and disc degeneration. As a potential therapeutic growth factor, osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1) has lots of protective effects on the healthy disc cell’s biology. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of OP-1 on degenerative changes of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells in a high glucose culture. Rat NP cells were cultured in the baseline medium or the high glucose (0.2 M) culture medium. OP-1 was added into the high glucose culture medium to investigate whether its has some protective effects against degenerative changes of NP cells in the high glucose culture. NP cell apoptosis ratio, caspase-3/9 activity, expression of apoptosis-related molecules (Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3), matrix macromolecules (aggrecan and collagen II), and matrix remodeling enzymes (MMP-3, MMP-13, and ADAMTS-4), and immuno-staining of NP matrix proteins (aggrecan and collagen II) were evaluated. Compared with the baseline culture, high glucose culture significantly increased NP cell apoptosis ratio, caspase-3/9 activity, up-regulated expression of Bax, caspase-3, MMP-3, MMP-13 and ADAMTS-4, down-regulated expression of Bcl-2, aggrecan and collagen II, and decreased staining intensity of aggrecan and collagen II. However, the results of these parameters were partly reversed by the addition of OP-1 in the high glucose culture. OP-1 can alleviate high glucose microenvironment-induced degenerative changes of NP cells. The present study provides that OP-1 may be promising in retarding disc degeneration in DM patients.
Development of therapeutic genome engineering in laminin-α2-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy
Authors: Kemaladewi Dwi U. , Cohn Ronald D.
Published: March 2019

Muscular dystrophies are a heterogeneous group of genetic muscle diseases that are often characterized by pathological findings of muscle fiber degeneration and the replacement of muscle fibers with fibrotic/connective tissues. In spite of the genetic causes of many of these conditions having been identified, curative treatments are still lacking. Recently, genome engineering technologies, including targeted gene editing and gene regulation, have emerged as attractive therapeutic tools for a variety of muscular dystrophies. This review summarizes the genome engineering strategies that are currently under preclinical evaluation for the treatment of LAMA2-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy. In particular, we focus on the applications of CRISPR/Cas9 to correct a splice site mutation in LAMA2 and to up-regulate a disease-modifying gene LAMA1. Finally, the challenges faced in the clinical translation of these strategies are discussed.
The Therapeutic Hypothermia in Treatment of Hyperammonemic Encephalopathy due to Urea Cycle Disorders and Organic Acidemias
Authors: Ninković Dorotea , Mustapić Željka , Bartoniček Dorotea , Benjak Vesna , Ćuk Mario , Buljević Andrea , Grčić Boris , Fumić Ksenija , Grizelj Ruža , Lehman Ivan , Ramadža Danijela , Sarnavka Vladimir , Slaviček Jasna , Kastelić Jasminka , Barišić Nina , Barić Ivo
Published: March 2019

Background Hyperammonemic encephalopathy in newborns with urea cycle disorders and certain organic acidurias can cause severe brain injury, coma and death. Standard therapy includes protein restriction, nitrogen-scavenging drugs, prevention of catabolism and hemodialysis. Neuroprotective hypothermia as part of the treatment has been reported only 3 times. It has been suggested that mild systemic hypothermia can contribute to better neurological outcomes in hyperammonemic encephalopathy. However, the limited experience precludes accurate conclusions on safety and efficacy.

Methods Whole body therapeutic hypothermia was included in the standard treatment of hyperammonemic encephalopathy in 4 neonates with urea cycle disorder or organic aciduria.

Results Two patients survived the initial crisis. One patient has a developmental quotient of 0.8, while the other shows severe developmental delay. The cooling protocol had to be discontinued in 3 patients due to the otherwise untreatable complications (hypotension and hemorrhage).

Conclusion The efficacy and safety of therapeutic hypothermia in the treatment of neonatal hyperammonemic encephalopathy depend on various factors, requiring further evaluation.
Marktüberblick: Trends in der Gesundheitswirtschaft
Authors: Schmidt Anton J.
Published: March 2019

Überdurchschnittliche Wachstumsraten, starker Job-Zuwachs und hohe technische Innovationskraft: Die blanken Zahlen zeigen die Gesundheitswirtschaft als Wachstumstreiber und Jobmotor. Und doch steht die Branche in der Kritik, Gesundheit sei zu teuer, das System ineffizient und neue Behandlungsmethoden kommen nicht beim Patienten an. Ein kritischer Blick auf die heutigen Strukturen zeigt, welche Faktoren über den Erfolg und die Zukunft der Branche entscheiden werden.
Bioengineering adult human heart tissue: How close are we?
Authors: Mills Richard J. , Hudson James E.
Published: March 2019

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have extensive applications in fundamental biology, regenerative medicine, disease modelling, and drug discovery/toxicology. Whilst large numbers of cardiomyocytes can be generated from hPSCs, extensive characterization has revealed that they have immature cardiac properties. This has raised potential concerns over their usefulness for many applications and has led to the pursuit of driving maturation of hPSC-cardiomyocytes. Currently, the best approach for driving maturity is the use of tissue engineering to generate highly functional three-dimensional heart tissue. Although we have made significant progress in this area, we have still not generated heart tissue that fully recapitulates all the properties of an adult heart. Deciphering the processes driving cardiomyocyte maturation will be instrumental in uncovering the mechanisms that govern optimal heart function and identifying new therapeutic targets for heart disease.
Suppression of anisotropy and inversion symmetry effects by magnetic charge density points to better motors
Authors: Arrott Anthony S. , Templeton Terry L.
Published: March 2019

It is proposed to use periodically patterned polycrystalline Iron in motors, generators and transformers to operate at a higher fraction of the saturation magnetization [Schäfer, Soldatov, and Araid, Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Material 474, 221 (2019)].
Stretchable sensors for environmental monitoring
Authors: Yang Yang , Deng Zhiqun Daniel
Published: March 2019

The development of flexible and stretchable sensors has been receiving increasing attention in recent years. In particular, stretchable, skin-like, wearable sensors are desirable for a variety of potential applications such as personalized health monitoring, human-machine interfaces, and environmental sensing. In this paper, we review recent advancements in the development of mechanically flexible and stretchable sensors and systems that can be used to quantitatively assess environmental parameters including light, temperature, humidity, gas, and pH. We discuss innovations in the device structure, material selection, and fabrication methods which explain the stretchability characteristics of these environmental sensors and provide a detailed and comparative study of their sensing mechanisms, sensor characteristics, mechanical performance, and limitations. Finally, we provide a summary of current challenges and an outlook on opportunities for possible future research directions for this emerging field.
Jiles–Atherton model prediction and compensation of the hysteresis inside magnetic shields
Authors: Peng Xiangkai , Li Lin , Ren Wei , Ji Jingwei , Xiang Jingfeng , Zhao Jianbo , Ye Meifeng , Zhao Xin , Wang Bin , Qu Qiuzhi , Li Tang , Liu Liang , Lü Desheng
Published: March 2019

In a varying low-frequency external magnetic field, such as that experienced by a satellite in low Earth orbit, the effect of hysteresis should be considered for any magnetic-field-sensitive device placed inside a magnetic shield. We divided the residual magnetic field inside the shielding into two parts: an attenuated magnetic field and a magnetization-induced magnetic field. To calculate the residual magnetic field accurately, we introduced the hysteresis Jiles–Atherton model to predict and calculate the magnetization-induced magnetic field. To mimic the varying magnetic field of low Earth orbits, we developed a quasi-Helmholtz coil by controlling the coil current and placed a magnetic-field-sensitive device—a cold atom clock—inside the coil. This clock was operating inside three layers of magnetic shielding. For the Jiles–Atherton model, we adjusted the current of the compensation coil in real time to maintain a stable magnetic field inside the shield. With this compensation strategy, the test result showed that the field variation is reduced from 14.8nT to 1.4nT. Compared with other strategies, this method provides a more accurate and more universal magnetic-field compensation scheme.
The role of the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) as an umbrella species for Andean ecoregions
Authors: Crespo-Gascón Sofía , Guerrero-Casado José
Published: March 2019

Context
The concept of umbrella species has been proposed as a surrogate for the conservation of a wider range of species and ecosystems. This concept has, however, frequently been questioned by researchers because of the lack of empirical evidence to support it.

Aims
The aim of the present study was to test the role of the spectacled bear, Tremarctos ornatus (FG Cuvier, 1825), also known as Andean bear, as a putative umbrella species for the 12 Andean ecoregions it inhabits.

Methods
The number of threatened vertebrates, as well as the total number of vertebrate species (mammals and birds) existing in areas where the spectacled bear is present (distribution range) and absent, were compared within each ecoregion to assess the role of spectacled bear as an umbrella species, using geographical information systems.

Key results
In absolute terms, the spectacled bear could be considered an umbrella species, because 20.6% of the area of the 12 ecoregions was covered by the bear’s distribution range, and the total numbers of both vertebrate species richness and threatened species were higher in areas where the bears were present than in those where they were absent. However, the results showed that the differences with regard to the number of species in areas in which the bears were present and absent depended on the ecoregion and the targeted taxa.

Conclusions
These results suggest that the effectiveness of the spectacled bear as an umbrella species is not widespread, because conserving the areas in which bears are present may not always equate to greater conservation benefits (higher species richness) in all the ecoregions for all the taxa.

Implications
If spectacled bear is used as an umbrella species, it is necessary to consider both the ecoregions and the targeted taxa whose conservation would be improved as a result of the preservation of the spectacled bear’s distribution range.
Desiccation tolerance: an unusual window into stress biology
Authors: Koshland Douglas , Tapia Hugo
Published: March 2019

Climate change has accentuated the importance of understanding how organisms respond to stresses imposed by changes to their environment, like water availability. Unusual organisms, called anhydrobiotes, can survive loss of almost all intracellular water. Desiccation tolerance of anhydrobiotes provides an unusual window to study the stresses and stress response imposed by water loss. Because of the myriad of stresses that could be induced by water loss, desiccation tolerance seemed likely to require many established stress effectors. The sugar trehalose and hydrophilins (small intrinsically disordered proteins) had also been proposed as stress effectors against desiccation because they were found in nearly all anhydrobiotes, and could mitigate desiccation-induced damage to model proteins and membranes in vitro. Here, we summarize in vivo studies of desiccation tolerance in worms, yeast, and tardigrades. These studies demonstrate the remarkable potency of trehalose and a subset of hydrophilins as the major stress effectors of desiccation tolerance. They act, at least in part, by limiting in vivo protein aggregation and loss of membrane integrity. The apparent specialization of individual hydrophilins for desiccation tolerance suggests that other hydrophilins may have distinct roles in mitigating additional cellular stresses, thereby defining a potentially new functionally diverse set of stress effectors.
CyTOFmerge: integrating mass cytometry data across multiple panels
Authors: Abdelaal Tamim , Höllt Thomas , van Unen Vincent , Lelieveldt Boudewijn P F , Koning Frits , Reinders Marcel J T , Mahfouz Ahmed
Published: March 2019

Motivation

High-dimensional mass cytometry (CyTOF) allows the simultaneous measurement of multiple cellular markers at single-cell level, providing a comprehensive view of cell compositions. However, the power of CyTOF to explore the full heterogeneity of a biological sample at the single-cell level is currently limited by the number of markers measured simultaneously on a single panel.

Results

To extend the number of markers per cell, we propose an in silico method to integrate CyTOF datasets measured using multiple panels that share a set of markers. Additionally, we present an approach to select the most informative markers from an existing CyTOF dataset to be used as a shared marker set between panels. We demonstrate the feasibility of our methods by evaluating the quality of clustering and neighborhood preservation of the integrated dataset, on two public CyTOF datasets. We illustrate that by computationally extending the number of markers we can further untangle the heterogeneity of mass cytometry data, including rare cell-population detection.

Availability and implementation

Implementation is available on GitHub (https://github.com/tabdelaal/CyTOFmerge).

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Computerized Cognitive Training for Older Adults at Higher Dementia Risk due to Diabetes: Findings From a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Bahar-Fuchs Alex , Barendse Marjolein E A , Bloom Rachel , Ravona-Springer Ramit , Heymann Anthony , Dabush Hai , Bar Lior , Slater-Barkan Shirel , Rassovsky Yuri , Schnaider Beeri Michal
Published: March 2019

Background

To evaluate the effects of adaptive and tailored computerized cognitive training on cognition and disease self-management in older adults with diabetes.

Methods

This was a single-blind trial. Eighty-four community-dwelling older adults with diabetes were randomized into a tailored and adaptive computerized cognitive training or a generic, non-tailored or adaptive computerized cognitive training condition. Both groups trained for 8 weeks on the commercially available CogniFit program and were supported by a range of behavior change techniques. Participants in each condition were further randomized into a global or cognition-specific self-efficacy intervention, or to a no self-efficacy condition. The primary outcome was global cognition immediately following the intervention. Secondary outcomes included diabetes self-management, meta-memory, mood, and self-efficacy. Assessments were conducted at baseline, immediately after the training, and at a 6-month follow-up.

Results

Adherence and retention were lower in the generic computerized cognitive training condition, but the self-efficacy intervention was not associated with adherence. Moderate improvements in performance on a global cognitive composite at the posttreatment assessments were observed in both cognitive training conditions, with further small improvement observed at the 6-month follow-up. Results for diabetes self-management showed a modest improvement on self-rated diabetes care for both intervention conditions following the treatment, which was maintained at the 6-month follow-up.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that older adults at higher dementia risk due to diabetes can show improvements in both cognition and disease self-management following home-based multidomain computerized cognitive training. These findings also suggest that adaptive difficulty and individual task tailoring may not be critical components of such interventions.

Trial registration

NCT02709629.
Lack of NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation Reduces Age-Dependent Sarcopenia and Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Favoring the Prophylactic Effect of Melatonin
Authors: Sayed Ramy K A , Fernández-Ortiz Marisol , Diaz-Casado María E , Aranda-Martínez Paula , Fernández-Martínez José , Guerra-Librero Ana , Escames Germaine , López Luis C , Alsaadawy Reem M , Acuña-Castroviejo Darío
Published: March 2019

To investigate the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in muscular aging, we evaluated here the morphological and functional markers of sarcopenia in the NLRP3-knockout mice, as well as the beneficial effect of melatonin supplementation. The gastrocnemius muscles of young (3 months), early-aged (12 months), and old-aged (24 months) NLRP3-knockout female mice were examined. Moreover, locomotor activity and apoptosis were assessed. The results revealed early markers of sarcopenia at the age of 12 months, including reduction of lactate, ratio of muscle weight to body weight, muscle fibers number, and mitochondrial number. Increased interstitial tissues, apoptosis, and muscle fibers area, as well as mitochondrial damage were detected, with little muscular activity effects. In the old-aged, these alterations progressed with a reduction in locomotor activity, mitochondrial cristae destruction, nuclear fragmentation, tubular aggregates (TAs) formation, and increased frailty index. Oral melatonin supplementation preserved the normal muscular structure, muscle fibers number, and muscular activity in old age. Melatonin enhanced lactate production, recovered mitochondria, inhibited TAs formation, reduced apoptosis, and normalized frailty index. The fewer sarcopenic changes as well as the highly detectable prophylactic effects of melatonin treatment reported here in the muscle of NLRP3-knockout mice comparing with that previously detected in wild-type mice, confirming NLRP3 inflammasome implication in muscular aging and sarcopenia onset and progression.
An Overview of Ethics and Public Health Data Collection
Authors: Taylor Holly A.
Published: March 2019

Collection of data is essential to the practice of public health. This chapter provides a brief introduction to ethics and public health data collection, as well as an overview of chapters in the related section of The Oxford Handbook on Public Health Ethics. A key ethics challenge has been, and will remain, how best to balance the health of the community with the respect owed to individual citizens. The four chapters in this section examine various aspects of those ethics challenges, including those related to the scope of public health surveillance activities, the distinction between public health practice and public health research, community-based participatory research (CBPR), and the use of big data to answer public health research questions.
Framing Public Health Research Ethics
Authors: Taylor Holly A.
Published: March 2019

The systematic collection and analysis of data is central to public health. Some public health activities are easily classified as either research or nonresearch, while the distinction is more nuanced for other activities. How an activity gets classified has ethical implications—additional oversight, requirements for consent of participants, and potentially whether the activity can be undertaken at all. Scholarly analysis of this issue suggests that an important aspect distinguishing research from other public health data collection activities is to consider the intent of the activity and whether experimentation is involved. The three ethical principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and (distributive) justice guide researchers in their relationships with individual participants. Because public health research can be directed at an entire community, this chapter posits that these three principles must be extended to appropriately include and consider the community as a stakeholder.
Public Health Genomics, Biobanking, and Ethics
Authors: Meagher Karen M. , Cadigan R. Jean , Henderson Gail E. , Juengst Eric
Published: March 2019

As large-scale biobanks are developed for translational genomic research and health care quality improvement, they are also becoming attractive as sites for public health interventions, such as population-based preventive sequencing for actionable variants. With the rapid advance of next-generation sequencing, the feasibility of such population health interventions is also increasing. The resulting confluence of public health norms, fiduciary clinical obligations, and ethical expectations for research creates a number of challenges. This chapter on public health genomics examines three examples of projects facing such challenges, in order to anticipate the ethical and policy issues that public health uses of research biobanks raise for those responsible for their design and governance. The chapter looks at issues of informed consent, return of results, and community engagement.
Responsible Resource Allocation, Public Health Stewardship, and Ethics
Authors: Hecht Robert , Arias Daniel , Krubiner Carleigh
Published: March 2019

This chapter discusses the terms stewardship and governance at the intersection of ethics and public health. Within the context of public health, governance broadly refers to the political processes by which decisions are reached and upheld, and stewardship refers to the technical processes that inform those decisions. The two concepts encompass a range of morally relevant considerations found in prominent public health ethics frameworks, including promoting utility, value for money, equity, accountability, and norms of distributive and procedural justice. This chapter takes a closer look at these considerations and explores how stewardship and governance enable and empower health systems to make ethical decisions. It further explores ethical challenges and negative consequences to health that arise in systems lacking good stewardship and governance.
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis and Disability Discrimination
Authors: Bognar Greg
Published: March 2019

Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) is an analytical tool in health economics. One of the most important objections to it is that its use can lead to unjust discrimination against people with disabilities. This chapter evaluates this objection. It begins by clarifying its nature, then it examines some alleged forms of discrimination. It argues that they are either not cases of unjust discrimination, or they are based on misunderstandings of CEA. However, the chapter does point out that there is one case in which the use of CEA may disadvantage people with disabilities. It goes on to consider several proposals for explaining the wrongness of discrimination but argues that none of them accommodates this case. It concludes that the case should not be thought as a matter of unjust discrimination; rather, it should be thought of as raising an issue for justice in the allocation of health-care resources.
Central Banking’s Long March over the Decades
Authors: Mayes David G. , Siklos Pierre L. , Sturm Jan-Egbert
Published: March 2019

This chapter covers central bank topics including governance, independence, balance-sheet and crisis management, and challenges in macroeconomic modeling. It is intended as a summary of current and potential challenges faced by central banks in monetary policy and maintenance of financial system stability. The chapter covers a variety of views about past and present behavior and performance of central banks around the world, providing a state-of-the-art perspective on likely future challenges to be faced by this critical institution. The chapter points out gaps where future research is likely to be fruitful and the questions and issues that remain unanswered. One motivation for the book is the financial crisis of 2007–2009. Nevertheless, several themes covered and analyzed predate the crisis. The aftermath of the crisis also raised new questions about the scope, influence, and response of central banks in a changing macroeconomic landscape. The chapter also touches on fintech and digital currencies.
Transparency of Monetary Policy in the Postcrisis World
Authors: Dincer Nergiz , Eichengreen Barry , Geraats Petra
Published: March 2019

This chapter analyzes whether and to what extent central banks have continued to be more transparent in their conduct of monetary policy in the postcrisis period. It presents a monetary policy transparency index, that measures the degree of information disclosure about various aspects of the policymaking process for 112 central banks from 1998 until 2015. Compared to previous research, the index has been updated, revised and refined to better capture developments since the global financial crisis, with and explicit focus on monetary policy, more emphasis on the timely disclosure of information, and greater granularity, including for forward guidance. The development and challenges of increasing monetary policy transparency are further analyzed in case studies of the European Central Bank, the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England, which illustrate how these prominent central banks have deployed greater transparency as a policy tool in the aftermath of the financial crisis.
Real Estate, Construction, Money, Credit, and Finance
Authors: Sinclair Peter
Published: March 2019

This chapter examines the interactions between real estate markets on the one side and, on the other, interest rates, credit, and financial variables. A simple model is set up to analyze the key ideas, which will yield long run equilibrium values for the housing stock and the price of dwellings. It also shows the path that these variables will take toward the long run equilibrium, provided there are no further shocks, from any initial position of the housing stock. Next, the model is extended to explore complications. The chapter then turns to the recent historical record of the links between real estate and financial crises and to relevant policy issues.
Inside the Bank Box
Authors: Gambacorta Leonardo , Mizen Paul
Published: March 2019

Central bank policy operates first through financial markets and then through banks as they adjust their interest rates. This chapter discusses the transmission of policy in this first step of the monetary transmission mechanism, known as interest-rate pass-through. Historically, the focus of attention has been the interest-rate channel. We show the origins of this channel via a microfounded model of interest-rate setting by deposit-taking institutions that are Cournot oligopolists facing adjustment costs. We then examine other channels such as the bank lending channel and the bank capital channel and the role of central bank communications, signaling, and forward guidance over future interest rates. Each is shown to influence the setting of current short-term interest rates. The chapter closes with some issues for the future of pass-through in the transmission process.