bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cognitive Assessment of Surgeons During Surgical Procedures: Influence of Time and Intraoperative Complications
Authors: Beneduzzi Juliana , Herbella Fernando A. M. , Schlottmann Francisco , Patti Marco G.
Published: August 2018

Introduction

Surgeon’s performance may be influenced by several factors that may affect skills and judgement, which ultimately represents surgeon´s cognition. Cognition refers to all forms of knowing and awareness, such as perceiving, conceiving, remembering, reasoning, judging, imagining, and problem solving. This report aims to evaluate the effect of operative time and operative complications on surgeon´s cognition.

Methods

Forty‐six surgeons (mean age 31 years, 78% males) assigned to an operation expected to last for at least 2 h, volunteered for the study. All participants underwent 3 cognitive tests at the beginning of the operation and hourly, until the end of the procedure: (a) concentration (serial sevens, counting down from 100 by sevens); (b) visual (fast counting, counting the number of circles with the same color among a series of circles); and (c) motor (trail making, connecting a set of numbered dots). Intraoperative complications were recorded.

Results

The visual test had a stable behavior along time. Concentration and motor tests tend to be performed faster. Intraoperative complications occurred in 5 (11%) cases (3 hemorrhage and 2 organ injuries). Performance time was stable for concentration and motor tests but visual test tends to be performed faster in cases with an intraoperative complication.

Conclusion

Our results showed that (1) time does not jeopardize surgeons’ cognition, but rather surgeons learned to perform the tests faster, and (2) complications do not decrease surgeons’ cognition.
Scapular Body Fracture in the Athlete: A Systematic Review
Authors: Neral Mithun , Knapik Derrick M. , Wetzel Robert J. , Salata Michael J. , Voos James E.
Published: August 2018

Background

Scapular body fractures generally occur as a result of high-energy, direct trauma to the shoulder sustained in automobile accidents. While such mechanisms have been well described, little is known about scapular body fractures sustained during sporting activities.

Questions/Purposes

We sought to systematically review the literature on scapular body fracture sustained during sporting activity, recording rates and mechanisms of injury, management strategies, and return-to-sport times.

Methods

Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we performed a systematic review of studies conducted between 1985 and 2017. Inclusion criteria were studies examining scapular body fractures sustained during sporting activity, fracture management, and patient outcomes. Exclusion criteria were studies on non-sporting-related fractures and those not reporting fracture management or patient outcomes.

Results

Nine studies encompassing ten cases of scapular body fracture sustained during sporting activity were identified, with acute trauma responsible for 70% of fractures. No patient sustained any associated injuries. Fractures were treated conservatively in 90% of cases, with no reported complications. Mean overall time to return to sport was 2.5 months, while no significant difference in return to sport was appreciated in athletes with acute versus fatigue fractures.

Conclusion

Scapular body fractures in athletes occur primarily from muscle contraction against a resisted force in the upper extremity during contact sports. Unlike non-sporting fractures, these fractures usually involve low-energy mechanisms without associated injury and conservative treatment is usually successful.
The Psychometric Properties of the Online Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale (OGSAS)
Authors: Kalkan Bilal , Griffiths Mark D.
Published: August 2018

Over the last decade, many psychometric instruments have been developed that assess various online problematic behaviors. Despite the many scales assessing gambling disorder (and its equivalents), no instrument assessing the consequences of problematic online gambling currently exists. In order to assess the symptoms and consequences of online gambling disorder, the Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale (G-SAS) was modified and its psychometric properties were assessed using exploratory factor analysis. The data were collected from 326 undergraduate and graduate students from a large public Midwestern university in the USA. Results suggest that the newly developed Online Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale (OGSAS) is reliable and valid as regards assessing the symptoms of online gambling disorder.
Paleoweathering and Paleoclimatic Reconstructions using Neoproterozoic Paleosol in the Eastern Margin of the Pranhita-Godavari Basin, India
Authors: Sharma Vijay , Pati Pitambar , Dora M. L. , Patel Narendra K. , Dash Chinmay , Alam Parvej , Verma Aditya K. , Gupta Ankit
Published: August 2018

A thin, weakly-developed palaeosol horizon within the Neoproterozoic Sullavai sandstone in the eastern margin of the Pranhita-Godavari basin was studied. Field observations, thin-section studies and geochemical analyses of the palaeosol horizon were carried out to reconstruct the palaeo-weathering and palaeoclimatic conditions. The palaeosol developed on sandstone parent rock. Morphological features of this palaeosol are not distinct, perhaps due to very ancient nature as well as thin occurrence. A few of which that can be mentioned include weakly developed peds and calcareous nodules of size <1 cm - .2 cm. The lower part of the profile preserves incipient parent rocklamination. Major micromorphological features of this palaeosol include weakly-developed sub-angular blocky structure and redoximorphic features showing redox enrichment and redox depletion of Fe oxides and oxyhydroxides. XRD analysis of the palaeosol reveals the presence of glauconite and illite, suggesting deposition of sediments under shallow marine conditions, and prevalence of cold climate, respectively. This is also supported from Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA)and presence of illite. Further, Chemical Index of Weathering (CIW), Clayeness, and Salinization data of the palaeosol clearly suggests an environment where chemical weathering was feeble and cold (11-14°C) palaeo-temperature. XRF results show abundance of K, Ca and Mg which suggest the area was poorly drained along with cooler palaeoclimate during the late Neoproterozoic. Al2O3 concentration at the middle of the soil profile suggests weakly-developed B-horizon, however it is hardly observed in the field. Parent material, cold climate and less time of exposure only resulted in the formation of a thin and weakly-developed soil profile. This ancient soil may represent an unconformity at the basin boundary suggesting a local regression and exposure of the fluvio-marine deposits along the basin boundary. It further needs detailed such studies at various spatio-temporal basinal scales.
Prediabetes and diabetes accelerate cognitive decline and predict microvascular lesions: A population‐based cohort study
Authors: Marseglia Anna , Fratiglioni Laura , Kalpouzos Grégoria , Wang Rui , Bäckman Lars , Xu Weili
Published: August 2018

Introduction

The impact of prediabetes and diabetes on cognitive decline and the potential underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We investigated whether prediabetes and diabetes accelerate cognitive decline and brain aging, and the initial pathological changes linked to microvascular processes.

Methods

Nine‐year longitudinal data from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care‐Kungsholmen (n = 2746, age ≥60 years) and the magnetic resonance imaging subsample (n = 455) were used. Cognitive function was assessed with Mini‐Mental State Examination. Brain magnetic resonance imaging markers included total brain tissue, white matter, gray matter, white matter hyperintensities, and hippocampal volumes.

Results

Compared with diabetes‐free status, prediabetes and diabetes were independently associated with accelerated cognitive decline. Prediabetes was cross‐sectionally associated with smaller total brain tissue volume (P < .01), particularly smaller white matter volume. Diabetes was associated with larger white matter hyperintensities volume. Longitudinally, diabetes was associated with faster white matter hyperintensities accumulation. No associations between prediabetes or diabetes and hippocampal volume were found.

Discussion

Diabetes and prediabetes accelerate cognitive decline and might predict microvascular lesions among dementia‐free older adults.
PRICING OF CYBER INSURANCE CONTRACTS IN A NETWORK MODEL
Authors: Fahrenwaldt Matthias A. , Weber Stefan , Weske Kerstin
Published: August 2018

We develop a novel approach for pricing cyber insurance contracts. The considered cyber threats, such as viruses and worms, diffuse in a structured data network. The spread of the cyber infection is modeled by an interacting Markov chain. Conditional on the underlying infection, the occurrence and size of claims are described by a marked point process. We introduce and analyze a new polynomial approximation of claims together with a mean-field approach that allows to compute aggregate expected losses and prices of cyber insurance. Numerical case studies demonstrate the impact of the network topology and indicate that higher order approximations are indispensable for the analysis of non-linear claims.
Les incidents liés à la composition de la cour ou du tribunal dans le procès international
Authors: SAVADOGO LOUIS
Published: August 2018

Le thème de la présente étude en droit interne comme en droit international, se relie au procès dont l’aspect le plus élémentaire réside dans l’indépendance et l’impartialité du juge ou de l’arbitre. De telles qualités peuvent être affectées par des “situations spéciales” empêchant le membre de la cour ou du tribunal de participer au jugement d’une affaire déterminée. Il en résulte deux types d’incidents: la “récusation” et “l’abstention,” mécanismes du droit interne transposés — non sans réticences — dans le droit du contentieux international. Faut-il ajouter qu’il n’existe pas d’unité d’objectif des procédures étudiées. Elles peuvent avoir pour but de garantir l’impartialité du procès (déport ou récusation du membre de l’organe juridictionnel) ou de mettre en cause la possibilité même de mener un débat judicaire (“retrait” spontané de l’arbitre ou refus de siéger à l’instigation de l’État qui l’a constitué). Notre étude examine ces objections au travers des textes de base et de la pratique des juridictions internationales.
An optimal transportation approach to the decay of correlations for non-uniformly expanding maps
Authors: KLOECKNER BENOÎT R.
Published: August 2018

We consider the transfer operators of non-uniformly expanding maps for potentials of various regularity, and show that a specific property of potentials (‘flatness’) implies a Ruelle–Perron–Frobenius theorem and a decay of the transfer operator of the same speed as that entailed by the constant potential. The method relies neither on Markov partitions nor on inducing, but on functional analysis and duality, through the simplest principles of optimal transportation. As an application, we notably show that for any map of the circle which is expanding outside an arbitrarily flat neutral point, the set of Hölder potentials exhibiting a spectral gap is dense in the uniform topology. The method applies in a variety of situations, including Pomeau–Manneville maps with regular enough potentials, or uniformly expanding maps of low regularity with their natural potential; we also recover in a united fashion variants of several previous results.
Self Help Plus: study protocol for a cluster-randomised controlled trial of guided self-help with South Sudanese refugee women in Uganda
Authors: Brown F. L. , Carswell K. , Augustinavicius J. , Adaku A. , Leku M. R. , White R. G. , Ventevogel P. , Kogan C. S. , García-Moreno C. , Bryant R. A. , Musci R. J. , van Ommeren M. , Tol W. A.
Published: August 2018

Background.

Exposure to armed conflict and forced displacement constitute significant risks for mental health. Existing evidence-based psychological interventions have limitations for scaling-up in low-resource humanitarian settings. The WHO has developed a guided self-help intervention, Self Help Plus (SH+), which is brief, implemented by non-specialists, and designed to be delivered to people with and without specific mental disorders. This paper outlines the study protocol for an evaluation of the SH+ intervention in northern Uganda, with South Sudanese refugee women.

Methods.

A two-arm, single-blind cluster-randomised controlled trial will be conducted in 14 villages in Rhino Camp refugee settlement, with at least 588 women experiencing psychological distress. Villages will be randomly assigned to receive either SH+ with enhanced usual care (EUC), or EUC alone. SH+ is a five-session guided self-help intervention delivered in workshops with audio-recorded materials and accompanying pictorial guide. The primary outcome is reduction in overall psychological distress over time, with 3 months post-treatment as the primary end-point. Secondary outcomes are self-defined psychosocial concerns, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, hazardous alcohol use, feelings of anger, interethnic relations, psychological flexibility, functional impairment and subjective wellbeing. Psychological flexibility is a hypothesised mediator, and past trauma history and intervention attendance will be explored as potential moderators.

Discussion.

This trial will provide important information on the effectiveness of a scalable, guided self-help intervention for improving psychological health and wellbeing among people affected by adversity.

Trial Registration:

ISRCTN50148022; registered 13/03/2017.
Emerging outbreaks associated with conflict and failing healthcare systems in the Middle East
Authors: Raad Issam I. , Chaftari Anne-Marie , Dib Rita Wilson , Graviss Edward A. , Hachem Ray
Published: August 2018

The escalating conflicts in the Middle East have been associated with the rapid collapse of the existing healthcare systems in affected countries. As millions of refugees flee their countries, they become vulnerable and exposed to communicable diseases that easily grow into epidemic crises. Here, we describe infectious disease epidemics that have been associated with conflicts in the Middle East, including cholera, poliomyelitis, measles, cutaneous leishmaniasis, and diphtheria, that call for appropriate preventive measures. Local ongoing wars and failing healthcare systems have resulted in regional and global health threats that warrant international medical interventions.
NAVIGATING NETWORKS: PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE IN SOUTHERN SONG CHINA, 1127–1279
Authors: Lin Zoe Shan
Published: August 2018

Forging and using personal networks were and still are common in the Chinese government. Scholars often connect officials’ networking to corruption and factionalism. This article, however, offers a different perspective, through an examination of how Southern Song local officials used personal connections to facilitate their official businesses. I argue that local officials operated networks as an informal means of dealing with governmental affairs outside the normative administrative system. This informal means enabled more efficient political communication that bypassed regular procedures. It also provided local officials with more effective negotiations, especially when defending the interest of their jurisdictions against other agents of the state. Furthermore, the article demonstrates that using connections for governmental affairs, in turn, consolidated and expanded officials’ networks. Altogether, the article depicts a political world in which the interest of “the public” intertwined with that of the “the private,” and the official and non-official means of governing were fused.
Reading and writing the scientific voyage: FitzRoy, Darwin and John Clunies Ross
Authors: ANDERSON KATHARINE
Published: August 2018

An unpublished satirical work, writtenc.1848–1854, provides fresh insight into the most famous scientific voyage of the nineteenth century. John Clunies Ross, settler of Cocos-Keeling – which HMSBeaglevisited in April 1836 – felt that Robert FitzRoy and Charles Darwin had ‘depreciated’ the atoll on which he and his family had settled a decade earlier. Producing a mock ‘supplement’ to a new edition of FitzRoy'sNarrative, Ross criticized their science and their casual appropriation of local knowledge. Ross's virtually unknown work is intriguing not only for its glimpse of theBeaglevoyage, but also as a self-portrait of an imperial scientific reader. An experienced merchant seaman and trader–entrepreneur with decades of experience in the region, Ross had a very different perspective from that of FitzRoy or Darwin. Yet he shared many of their assumptions about the importance of natural knowledge, embracing it as part of his own imperial projects. Showing the global reach of print culture, he used editing and revision as satirical weapons, insisting on his right to participate as both reader and author in scientific debate.
Mobilizing Market Power: Jurisdictional Expansion as Economic Statecraft
Authors: Kalyanpur Nikhil , Newman Abraham L.
Published: August 2018

States with large markets routinely compete with one another to shield domestic regulatory policies from global pressure, export their rules to other jurisdictions, and provide their firms with competitive advantages. Most arguments about market power tend to operationalize the concept in economic terms. In this paper, we argue that a state's ability to leverage or block these adjustment pressures is not only conditioned by their relative economic position but also by the political institutions that govern their markets. Specifically, we expect that where a state chooses to draw jurisdictional boundaries over markets directly shapes its global influence. When a state expands its jurisdiction, harmonizing rules across otherwise distinct subnational or national markets, for example, it can curtail a rival's authority. We test the theory by assessing how changes in internal governance within the European Union altered firm behavior in response to US extraterritorial pressure. Empirically, we examine foreign firm delisting decisions from US stock markets after the adoption of the Sarbanes–Oxley accounting legislation. The act, which included an exogenous compliance shock, follows the harmonization of stock market governance across various European jurisdictions. Econometric analysis of firm-level data illustrates that EU-based companies, which benefited from jurisdictional expansion, were substantially more likely to leave the American market and avoid adjustment pressures. Our findings contribute to debates on the role of political institutions in economic statecraft and suggest the conditions under which future regulatory conflicts will arise between status quo and rising economic powers.
Effects of mechanized dredging targeting Chamelea gallina, striped venus clams, on the associated discards in the northern Alboran Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea)
Authors: Urra Javier , García Teresa , León Estefanía , Gallardo-Roldán Helena , Lozano Matías , Rueda José L. , Baro Jorge
Published: August 2018

Mechanized dredging impact on discards was assessed along the northern Alboran Sea (W Mediterranean Sea). Data from 101 dredging operations were analysed for contrasting spatial and seasonal variability of damage, with the use of a three-level damage scale. 4.5% of discarded individuals displayed intermediate damage, whereas 11.3% displayed severe damage. Echinoderms displayed the highest level of damage (~75% of total collected individuals) and Echinocardium cf. mediterraneum was the most susceptible discarded species (85% with severe damage), followed by bivalves (7.3%) and crustaceans (3.3%). The target Chamelea gallina showed a low proportion of damaged individuals, probably due to their thick protective shell, which promotes the survival of discarded undersized target individuals. Spatial differences in damage level on discards were linked to some gear characteristics, to the higher amount of gravels and to longer tow durations, whereas damage was generally higher in cold months and partly related to higher quantities of hard shelled molluscs, in both cases increasing the abrasion and damage to retained organisms. Data suggest that dredges with a lower number of narrower iron teeth and towed for a shorter time could decrease the damage rate in discards of this fishery. A spatial management plan based on the type of grounds would be useful in order to improve efficiency of these fisheries and minimize their impact to soft bottoms with different commercial catches and biological communities.
Sexuality, Political Polarization, and Survey Reports of Religious Nonaffiliation
Authors: Brenner Philip S.
Published: August 2018

Survey estimates of the religiously unaffiliated in the United States—between 20% and 25%—make this group one of the largest “religious” categories in the country. Recent research argues that political polarization pushes political liberals and moderates to report no religious affiliation to distance themselves from religious conservatives. One key point of polarization behind this phenomenon is sexuality-focused politics, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) rights and discrimination. The current research uses a split-ballot survey experiment to investigate sexuality-focused political polarization as a cause of the reports of religious nonaffiliation. A sample of 2,238 respondents, stratified by sexual orientation (half LGBQ, half straight), completed a brief web survey starting with two randomly ordered series of questions on religion and sexuality. Findings suggest that sexuality-focused political polarization is not likely to be a primary cause of survey respondents’ claims of religious nonaffiliation.
The first attempts in Mexico and Central America to address the phenomenon of missing and disappeared migrants
Authors: Citroni Gabriella
Published: August 2018

The phenomenon of missing migrants, including victims of enforced disappearance, presents exceptional challenges due to its specific features and transnational scope. This article analyzes the case of missing and disappeared migrants in Mexico and illustrates the obstacles faced by their families, mostly residing in Central America, in their efforts to establish the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones and to obtain justice and redress. The article describes the process which led to the establishment of three mechanisms – a Forensic Commission, an Investigative Unit on Crimes against Migrants and an External Mechanism of Support for Search and Investigation – that aim at providing innovative responses and tackling the transnational dimension of the issue. The first significant achievements are presented, along with the remaining pitfalls.
Prenatal exposure to an environmentally relevant mixture of Canadian Arctic contaminants decreases male reproductive function in an aging rat model
Authors: Maurice C. , Kaczmarczyk M. , Côté N. , Tremblay Y. , Kimmins S. , Bailey J. L.
Published: August 2018

Elevated levels of organochlorines (OC) have been reported in Inuit populations in the Arctic. We hypothesized that prenatal exposure to a Canadian Arctic OC mixture adversely affects male reproductive function and health with age. Sprague–Dawley female rats (F0) were gavaged with an environmentally relevant concentration of an Arctic OC mixture or corn oil (Control) during mating with untreated males until parturition (F1 litters). After postnatal day (PND) 90, the weights of the OC F1 males differed dramatically relative to Controls (P<0.05;n=10) and they exhibited respiratory distress. Except for possible thinning of the alveolar barrier, histological observation of the lungs revealed no apparent pathology to explain the respiratory distress. At PND 365, OC F1 males had reduced relative reproductive organ weights and lower sperm quality than Controls (P<0.05). At PND 90, OC F1 males were subfertile (P<0.05), but were infertile at PND 365. In conclusion, environmentally relevant prenatal OC exposure reduced reproductive function and health in aging male rats, providing new insight into the effects of early-life exposures to these contaminants.
Extension of the crRNA enhances Cpf1 gene editing in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Park Hyo Min , Liu Hui , Wu Joann , Chong Anthony , Mackley Vanessa , Fellmann Christof , Rao Anirudh , Jiang Fuguo , Chu Hunghao , Murthy Niren , Lee Kunwoo
Published: August 2018

Engineering of the Cpf1 crRNA has the potential to enhance its gene editing efficiency and non-viral delivery to cells. Here, we demonstrate that extending the length of its crRNA at the 5′ end can enhance the gene editing efficiency of Cpf1 both in cells and in vivo. Extending the 5′ end of the crRNA enhances the gene editing efficiency of the Cpf1 RNP to induce non-homologous end-joining and homology-directed repair using electroporation in cells. Additionally, chemical modifications on the extended 5′ end of the crRNA result in enhanced serum stability. Also, extending the 5′ end of the crRNA by 59 nucleotides increases the delivery efficiency of Cpf1 RNP in cells and in vivo cationic delivery vehicles including polymer nanoparticle. Thus, 5′ extension and chemical modification of the Cpf1 crRNA is an effective method for enhancing the gene editing efficiency of Cpf1 and its delivery in vivo.
An intrinsic tumour eviction mechanism in Drosophila mediated by steroid hormone signalling
Authors: Jiang Yanrui , Seimiya Makiko , Schlumpf Tommy Beat , Paro Renato
Published: August 2018

Polycomb group proteins are epigenetic regulators maintaining transcriptional memory during cellular proliferation. In Drosophila larvae, malfunction of Polyhomeotic (Ph), a member of the PRC1 silencing complex, results in neoplastic growth. Here, we report an intrinsic tumour suppression mechanism mediated by the steroid hormone ecdysone during metamorphosis. Ecdysone alters neoplastic growth into a nontumorigenic state of the mutant ph cells which then become eliminated during adult stage. We demonstrate that ecdysone exerts this function by inducing a heterochronic network encompassing the activation of the microRNA lethal-7, which suppresses its target gene chronologically inappropriate morphogenesis. This pathway can also promote remission of brain tumours formed in brain tumour mutants, revealing a restraining of neoplastic growth in different tumour types. Given the conserved role of let-7, the identification and molecular characterization of this innate tumour eviction mechanism in flies might provide important clues towards the exploitation of related pathways for human tumour therapy.
SUMOylation of VEGFR2 regulates its intracellular trafficking and pathological angiogenesis
Authors: Zhou Huanjiao Jenny , Xu Zhe , Wang Zongren , Zhang Haifeng , Zhuang Zhen W. , Simons Michael , Min Wang
Published: August 2018

Regulation of VEGFR2 represents an important mechanism for the control of angiogenesis. VEGFR2 activity can be regulated by post-translational modifications such as ubiquitination and acetylation. However, whether VEGFR2 can be regulated by SUMOylation has not been investigated. Here we show that endothelial-specific deletion of the SUMO endopeptidase SENP1 reduces pathological angiogenesis and tissue repair during hindlimb ischemia, and VEGF-induced angiogenesis in the cornea, retina, and ear. SENP1-deficient endothelial cells show increased SUMOylation of VEGFR2 and impaired VEGFR2 signalling. SUMOylation at lysine 1270 retains VEGFR2 in the Golgi and reduces its surface expression, attenuating VEGFR2-dependent signalling. Moreover, we find that SENP1 is downregulated and VEGFR2 hyper-SUMOylated in diabetic settings and that expression of a non-SUMOylated form of VEGFR2 rescues angiogenic defects in diabetic mice. These results show that VEGFR2 is regulated by deSUMOylation during pathological angiogenesis, and propose SENP1 as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of diabetes-associated angiogenesis.
Divergent global-scale temperature effects from identical aerosols emitted in different regions
Authors: Persad Geeta G. , Caldeira Ken
Published: August 2018

The distribution of anthropogenic aerosols’ climate effects depends on the geographic distribution of the aerosols themselves. Yet many scientific and policy discussions ignore the role of emission location when evaluating aerosols’ climate impacts. Here, we present new climate model results demonstrating divergent climate responses to a fixed amount and composition of aerosol—emulating China’s present-day emissions—emitted from 8 key geopolitical regions. The aerosols’ global-mean cooling effect is fourteen times greater when emitted from the highest impact emitting region (Western Europe) than from the lowest (India). Further, radiative forcing, a widely used climate response proxy, fails as an effective predictor of global-mean cooling for national-scale aerosol emissions in our simulations; global-mean forcing-to-cooling efficacy differs fivefold depending on emitting region. This suggests that climate accounting should differentiate between aerosols emitted from different countries and that aerosol emissions’ evolving geographic distribution will impact the global-scale magnitude and spatial distribution of climate change.
Mathematical modelling of the impact of expanding levels of malaria control interventions on Plasmodium vivax
Authors: White Michael T. , Walker Patrick , Karl Stephan , Hetzel Manuel W. , Freeman Tim , Waltmann Andreea , Laman Moses , Robinson Leanne J. , Ghani Azra , Mueller Ivo
Published: August 2018

Plasmodium vivax poses unique challenges for malaria control and elimination, notably the potential for relapses to maintain transmission in the face of drug-based treatment and vector control strategies. We developed an individual-based mathematical model of P. vivax transmission calibrated to epidemiological data from Papua New Guinea (PNG). In many settings in PNG, increasing bed net coverage is predicted to reduce transmission to less than 0.1% prevalence by light microscopy, however there is substantial risk of rebounds in transmission if interventions are removed prematurely. In several high transmission settings, model simulations predict that combinations of existing interventions are not sufficient to interrupt P. vivax transmission. This analysis highlights the potential options for the future of P. vivax control: maintaining existing public health gains by keeping transmission suppressed through indefinite distribution of interventions; or continued development of strategies based on existing and new interventions to push for further reduction and towards elimination.
mTOR-dependent phosphorylation controls TFEB nuclear export
Authors: Napolitano Gennaro , Esposito Alessandra , Choi Heejun , Matarese Maria , Benedetti Valerio , Di Malta Chiara , Monfregola Jlenia , Medina Diego Luis , Lippincott-Schwartz Jennifer , Ballabio Andrea
Published: August 2018

During starvation the transcriptional activation of catabolic processes is induced by the nuclear translocation and consequent activation of transcription factor EB (TFEB), a master modulator of autophagy and lysosomal biogenesis. However, how TFEB is inactivated upon nutrient refeeding is currently unknown. Here we show that TFEB subcellular localization is dynamically controlled by its continuous shuttling between the cytosol and the nucleus, with the nuclear export representing a limiting step. TFEB nuclear export is mediated by CRM1 and is modulated by nutrient availability via mTOR-dependent hierarchical multisite phosphorylation of serines S142 and S138, which are localized in proximity of a nuclear export signal (NES). Our data on TFEB nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling suggest an unpredicted role of mTOR in nuclear export.
Accelerated vortex dynamics across the magnetic 3D-to-2D crossover in disordered superconductors
Authors: Eley Serena , Willa Roland , Miura Masashi , Sato Michio , Leroux Maxime , Henry Michael David , Civale Leonardo
Published: August 2018

Disorder can have remarkably disparate consequences in superconductors, driving superconductor–insulator transitions in ultrathin films by localizing electron pairs and boosting the supercurrent carrying capacity of thick films by localizing vortices (magnetic flux lines). Though the electronic 3D-to-2D crossover at material thicknesses d ~ ξ (coherence length) is well studied, a similarly consequential magnetic crossover at d ~ Lc (pinning length) that should drastically alter material properties remains largely underexamined. According to collective pinning theory, vortex segments of length Lc bend to adjust to energy wells provided by point defects. Consequently, if d truncates Lc, a change from elastic to rigid vortex dynamics should increase the rate of thermally activated vortex motion S. Here, we characterize the dependence of S on sample thickness in Nb and cuprate films. The results for Nb are consistent with collective pinning theory, whereas creep in the cuprate is strongly influenced by sparse large precipitates. We leverage the sensitivity of S to d to determine the generally unknown scale Lc, establishing a new route for extracting pinning lengths in heterogeneously disordered materials.
Transcriptional insights into the pyramided resistance to rice bacterial blight
Authors: Gao Lifen , Fang Zhiwei , Zhou Junfei , Li Lun , Lu Long , Li Lili , Li Tiantian , Chen Lihong , Zhang Weixiong , Zhai Wenxue , Peng Hai
Published: August 2018

The pyramiding of resistance (R) genes provides broad-spectrum and durable resistance to plant diseases. However, the genetic basis for bacterial blight (BB) resistance remains unclear. The BB R gene pyramided line IRBB54, which expressesxa5andXa21, possessed a higher level of resistance than both singleRgene lines. Large-scale genotyping of genetic markers in this study revealed similar genetic backgrounds among the near-isogenic lines (NILs), suggesting that resistance in the resistant NILs was mainly conferred by the individual R genes or the interaction between them. Transcriptome analysis demonstrated that more than 50% of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and more than 70% of the differentially expressed functions, were shared between IRBB54 and IRBB5 or IRBB21. Most of the DEGs in the resistant NILs were downregulated and are predicted to function in cellular and biological process. The DEGs common among the resistant NILs mainly showed non-additive expression patterns and enrichment in stress-related pathways. The differential expression of agronomic trait-controlled genes in the resistant NILs, especially in IRBB54, indicated the existence of potential side-effects resulting from gene pyramiding. Our findings contribute to the understanding of R gene pyramiding, as well as its effects on targeted and non-targeted trait(s).
Controlling Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interaction via Chirality Dependent Atomic-Layer Stacking, Insulator Capping and Electric Field
Authors: Yang Hongxin , Boulle Olivier , Cros Vincent , Fert Albert , Chshiev Mairbek
Published: August 2018

Using first-principles calculations, we demonstrate several approaches to control Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interaction (DMI) in ultrathin films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. First, we find that DMI is significantly enhanced when the ferromagnetic (FM) layer is sandwiched between nonmagnetic (NM) layers inducing additive DMI in NM1/FM/NM2 structures. For instance, when two NM layers are chosen to induce DMI of opposite chirality in Co, e.g. NM1 representing Au, Ir, Al or Pb, and NM2 being Pt, the resulting DMI in NM1/Co/Pt trilayers is enhanced compared to Co/Pt bilayers. Moreover, DMI can be significantly enhanced further in case of using FM layer comprising Fe and Co layers. Namely, it is found that the DMI in Ir/Fe/Co/Pt structure can be enhanced by 80% compared to that of Co/Pt bilayers reaching a very large DMI amplitude of 5.59 meV/atom. Our second approach for enhancing DMI is to use oxide capping layer. We show that DMI is enhanced by 60% in Oxide/Co/Pt structures compared to Co/Pt bilayers. Moreover, we unveiled the DMI mechanism at Oxide/Co interface due to Rashba effect, which is different to Fert-Levy DMI at FM/NM interfaces. Finally, we demonstrate that DMI amplitude can be modulated using an electric field with an efficiency factor comparable to that of the electric field control of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in transition metal/oxide interfaces. These approaches of DMI controlling pave the way for skyrmion and domain wall motion-based spintronic applications.
Analyses of the three 1-Cys Peroxiredoxins from Aspergillus fumigatus reveal that cytosolic Prx1 is central to H2O2 metabolism and virulence
Authors: Rocha Marina Campos , de Godoy Krissia Franco , Bannitz-Fernandes Renata , Fabri João H. T. Marilhano , Barbosa Mayra M. Ferrari , de Castro Patrícia Alves , Almeida Fausto , Goldman Gustavo Henrique , da Cunha Anderson Ferreira , Netto Luis E. S. , de Oliveira Marcos Antonio , Malavazi Iran
Published: August 2018

Standing among the front defense strategies against pathogens, host phagocytic cells release various oxidants. Therefore, pathogens have to cope with stressful conditions at the site of infection. Peroxiredoxins (Prx) are highly reactive and abundant peroxidases that can support virulence and persistence of pathogens in distinct hosts. Here, we revealed that the opportunistic human pathogen A. fumigatus presents three 1-Cys Prx (Prx6 subfamily), which is unprecedented. We showed that PrxB and PrxC were in mitochondria, while Prx1 was in cytosol. As observed for other Prxs, recombinant Prx1 and PrxC decomposed H2O2 at elevated velocities (rate constants in the 107 M−1s−1 range). Deletion mutants for each Prx displayed higher sensitivity to oxidative challenge in comparison with the wild-type strain. Additionally, cytosolic Prx1 was important for A. fumigatus survival upon electron transport dysfunction. Expression of Prxs was dependent on the SakAHOG1 MAP kinase and the Yap1YAP1 transcription factor, a global regulator of the oxidative stress response in fungi. Finally, cytosolic Prx1 played a major role in pathogenicity, since it is required for full virulence, using a neutropenic mouse infection model. Our data indicate that the three 1-Cys Prxs act together to maintain the redox balance of A. fumigatus.
Complete chloroplast genome sequence of Fagopyrum dibotrys: genome features, comparative analysis and phylogenetic relationships
Authors: Wang Xumei , Zhou Tao , Bai Guoqing , Zhao Yuemei
Published: August 2018

Fagopyrum dibotrys, belongs to Polygonaceae family, is one of national key conserved wild plants of China with important medicinal and economic values. Here, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of F. dibotrys is reported. The cp genome size is 159,919 bp with a typical quadripartite structure and consisting of a pair of inverted repeat regions (30,738 bp) separated by large single copy region (85,134 bp) and small single copy region (13,309 bp). Sequencing analyses indicated that the cp genome encodes 131 genes, including 80 protein-coding genes, 28 tRNA genes and 4 rRNA genes. The genome structure, gene order and codon usage are typical of angiosperm cp genomes. We also identified 48 simple sequence repeats (SSR) loci, fewer of them are distributed in the protein-coding sequences compared to the noncoding regions. Comparison of F. dibotrys cp genome to other Polygonaceae cp genomes indicated the inverted repeats (IRs) and coding regions were more conserved than single copy and noncoding regions, and several variation hotspots were detected. Coding gene sequence divergence analyses indicated that five genes (ndhK, petL rpoC2, ycf1, ycf2) were subject to positive selection. Phylogenetic analysis among 42 species based on cp genomes and 50 protein-coding genes indicated a close relationship between F. dibotrys and F. tataricum. In summary, the complete cp genome sequence of F. dibotrys reported in this study will provide useful plastid genomic resources for population genetics and pave the way for resolving phylogenetic relationships of order Caryophyllales.
Impact of the hypoxic phenotype on the uptake and efflux of nanoparticles by human breast cancer cells
Authors: Brownlee William J. , Seib F. Philipp
Published: August 2018

Breast cancer cells adapt to the hypoxic tumoral environment by undergoing changes in metabolism, cell signalling, endo-lysosomal receptor uptake and recycling. The resulting hypoxic cell phenotype has the potential to undermine the therapeutic efficacy of nanomedicines designed for endocytic uptake and specific intracellular trafficking. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of hypoxia and simulated reperfusion on the in vitro uptake and release of nanomedicines by human breast cancer cells. Cells were exposed to a hypoxic preconditioning treatment in 1% oxygen for 6 and 24 hours to induce temporal changes in the hypoxic circuit (e.g. HIF-1α expression). The preconditioned cells were then dosed with nanoparticles for 45 or 180 minutes emulating nanomedicine access following tumor reperfusion. Hypoxic preconditioning significantly increased nanoparticle retention by up to 10% when compared to normoxic cultures, with the greatest relative difference between normoxic and hypoxic cultures occurring with a 45 minute dosing interval. Exocytosis studies indicated that the preconditioned cells had a significantly increased nanoparticle efflux (up to 9%) when compared to normoxic cells. Overall, we were able to show that hypoxic preconditioning regulates both the endocytosis and exocytosis of nanomedicines in human breast cancer cells.
High expression of EZH2 as a marker for the differential diagnosis of malignant and benign myogenic tumors
Authors: Zhang Ning , Zeng Zhi , Li Shaobo , Wang Fei , Huang Peng
Published: August 2018

Overlap in morphologic features between malignant and benign myogenic tumors, such as leiomyosarcoma (LMS) vs. leiomyoma as well as rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) vs. rhabdomyoma, often makes differential diagnosis difficult and challenging. Here the expressions of Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2), Suppressor of Zeste 12 (SUZ12), retinoblastoma protein associated protein 46 (RbAp46), Embryonic Ectoderm Development (EED) and ki-67 protein were detected by immunohistochemistry to evaluate their values in differential diagnosis. The expression of EZH2 mRNA was investigated by analyzing the Gene Expression Omnibus Datasets. The results demonstrated that EZH2 protein was detected in 81.25% (26/32) of LMS and 70.58% (36/51) of RMS, whereas none of leiomyoma (n = 16), rhabdomyoma (n = 15) and normal tissues (n = 31) showed positive immunostaining (p < 0.05). EZH2 protein was found to have a sensitivity of 91.30% and specificity of 100% in distinguishing well-differentiated LMS from cellular leiomyoma, and a sensitivity of 92.86% and specificity of 100% in distinguishing well-differentiated embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) from fetal rhabdomyoma. Besides, the expression of EZH2 mRNA was higher in LMS and RMS than in benign tumors (p < 0.05). The expressions of SUZ12 and RbAp46 protein were higher in RMS than in rhabdomyoma (p < 0.05). Conclusively, the high expression of EZH2 is a promising marker in distinguishing well–differentiated LMS from cellular leiomyoma, or well–differentiated ERMS from fetal rhabdomyoma, and the upregulation of EZH2 protein expression may occur at transcriptional level.
Including planocerid flatworms in the diet effectively toxifies the pufferfish, Takifugu niphobles
Authors: Itoi Shiro , Ueda Hiroyuki , Yamada Riko , Takei Mitsuki , Sato Tatsunori , Oshikiri Shotaro , Wajima Yoshiki , Ogata Ryuya , Oyama Hikaru , Shitto Takahiro , Okuhara Kazuya , Tsunashima Tadasuke , Sawayama Eitaro , Sugita Haruo
Published: August 2018

Beginning with the larval stages, marine pufferfish such as Takifugu niphobles contain tetrodotoxin (TTX), an extremely potent neurotoxin. Although highly concentrated TTX has been detected in adults and juveniles of these fish, the source of the toxin has remained unclear. Here we show that TTX in the flatworm Planocera multitentaculata contributes to the toxification of the pufferfish throughout the life cycle of the flatworm. A species-specific PCR method was developed for the flatworm, and the specific DNA fragment was detected in the digesta of wild pufferfish adults. Predation experiments showed that flatworm larvae were eaten by the pufferfish juveniles, and that the two-day postprandial TTX content in these pufferfish was 20–50 μg/g. Predation experiments additionally showed flatworm adults were also eaten by pufferfish young, and after two days of feeding, TTX accumulated in the skin, liver and intestine of the pufferfish.
Towards the geometric structure of small supported Au9 clusters on Si
Authors: Chekrygina D. , Rothkirch A. , Baev I. , Kielgast F. , Pandit P. , Wurth W. , Martins M.
Published: August 2018

Ultra-small clusters containing few atoms are of high interest in both fundamental research and applications due to their specific functional, magnetic or chemical properties which depend on size and composition. The experimental results of the morphology of the size-selected clusters, consisting of few atoms can be an ideal benchmark for sophisticated theoretical models. With this motivation we have investigated the geometrical structure of mass-selected Au9 clusters deposited on a silicon substrate prepared by soft-landing conditions. We present results obtained experimentally by Grazing-Incidence Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (GISAXS). Considering the ultra-small size of the clusters and small quantities of material on the surface, we combined advanced techniques which allowed us to investigate the surface structure of the sample. The resulting structural sizes are in concordance with cluster theory. Using a model-based approach, the advanced X-ray techniques allow for understanding how to resolve the possible cluster structure, identify optimal experimental conditions and obtain the probable morphological information which is challenging to be obtained otherwise.
Thymosin Alpha1-Fc Modulates the Immune System and Down-regulates the Progression of Melanoma and Breast Cancer with a Prolonged Half-life
Authors: Wang Fanwen , Yu Tingting , Zheng Heng , Lao Xingzhen
Published: August 2018

Thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) is a biological response modifier that has been introduced into markets for treating several diseases. Given the short serum half-life of Tα1 and the rapid development of Fc fusion proteins, we used genetic engineering method to construct the recombinant plasmid to express Tα1-Fc (Fc domain of human IgG4) fusion protein. A single-factor experiment was performed with different inducers of varying concentrations for different times to get the optimal condition of induced expression. Pure proteins higher than 90.3% were obtained by using 5 mM lactose for 4 h with a final production about 160.4 mg/L. Thein vivoserum half-life of Tα1-Fc is 25 h, almost 13 times longer than Tα1 in mice models. Also, the long-acting protein has a stronger activity in repairing immune injury through increasing number of lymphocytes. Tα1-Fc displayed a more effective antitumor activity in the 4T1 and B16F10 tumor xenograft models by upregulating CD86 expression, secreting IFN-γ and IL-2, and increasing the number of tumor-infiltrating CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells. Our study on the novel modified Tα1 with the Fc segment provides valuable information for the development of new immunotherapy in cancer.
Controlled hydroxy-fluorination reaction of anatase to promote Mg2+ mobility in rechargeable magnesium batteries
Authors: Ma Jiwei , Koketsu Toshinari , Morgan Benjamin. J. , Legein Christophe , Body Monique , Strasser Peter , Dambournet Damien
Published: August 2018

Fluorination of anatase as an effective way to tune Mg2+ intercalation properties.
Incorporation of STED technique into single-molecule spectroscopy to break the concentration limit of diffusing molecules in single-molecule detection
Authors: Kim Namdoo , Kwon Jiwoong , Lim Youngbin , Kang Jooyoun , Bae Sohyeon , Kim Seong Keun
Published: August 2018

Incorporation of STED into ALEX-FRET increases the concentration limit of single-molecule detection by 100-fold to 5 nM.