bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unambiguous signal reconstruction for GEO‐LEO bistatic SAR with azimuth multichannel
Authors: Wang Yuekun , Lu Zheng , Xu Mingming , Zhu Yu , Li Zhenfang
Published: July 2019

Spaceborne bistatic multichannel synthetic aperture radar (MC‐SAR) system employed inclined geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) transmitter and low‐Earth‐orbit (LEO) receiver can provide fine spatial resolution and a vast area of surveillance, which presents great potentials for future Earth observation. Nevertheless, owing to special geometry and big differences of orbital characteristics, the conventional effective phase centre (EPC) operation for unambiguous SAR signal reconstruction cannot be directly used. To address the issue, starting from geometry model of GEO‐LEO bistatic MC‐SAR, the new effective positions of the receiving channels are obtained. Then, the time‐variant characteristics of residual phase error after the presented EPC processing is analysed. Finally, the method of reconstructing unambiguous SAR signal is presented. Simulation results show the validity of the proposed method, which can efficiently reconstruct the unambiguous signal for GEO‐LEO bistatic SAR.
Pulse interference method against PRI sorting
Authors: Nan Hao , Peng Shirui , Yu Jiaao , Wang Xiaoyan
Published: July 2019

Based on the purpose of proactive anti‐reconnaissance, the essential characteristics of several typical pulse repetition interval (PRI) sorting algorithms were analysed and the feasibility of counter‐deinterleaving was discussed. A method for disturbing arrival time sequence by using interference pulse was proposed, which changes the statistical properties of the radar PRI to disturb the deinterleaving results. The simulation results show that the pulse jamming method proposed in this paper can influence PRI sorting process effectively, which let signal processer make a misjudgment on PRI pattern of radar.
Improved entropy‐based autofocus correction for synthetic aperture radar
Authors: Lu Qianrong , Huang Penghui , Gao Yesheng , Liu Xingzhao
Published: July 2019

Autofocus is an essential step in order to obtain the well‐focused synthetic aperture radar image. Compared to the non‐parametric autofocus, the parametric way is not subjected to the prominent targets so much. Entropy is widely used in parametric autofocus. It is sensitive to the clutter and not a convex function either. In this article, the authors present a new modified entropy to improve the robust of the parametric autofocus by reducing the number of the local optimal solutions remarkably. During the searching process, the residual azimuth phase error (RAPE) is decomposed as the summation of the polynomials. Of course, the used first derivative of the new entropy with respect to the model coefficients is given in detail. Moreover, for applying azimuth subaperture strategy, the authors remove the linear difference of adjacent RAPE via estimating the Doppler centroid, which is more effective than the map‐drift method. Finally, real data experiment validates the authors’ approach.
Range migration compensation for moving targets in chirp radars with stepped frequency
Authors: Sen Wang , Qinglong Bao , Zengping Chen
Published: July 2019

Long‐time coherent pulse integration method has been extensively used in detecting weak targets, but the detection performance is affected by range migration (RM) due to high radial velocity. This study proposes a new modulation format of chirp radars with stepped frequency and a corresponding coherent integration method based on adjacent cross‐correlation operation (ACCO) to compensate RMs of moving targets with, respectively, arbitrary unknown constant velocity. Simulation results show that the method has higher range resolution compared with bandwidth variation modulation and shorter blind distance compared with duration variation modulation.
New light on the Gaia DR2 parallax zero-point: influence of the asteroseismic approach, in and beyond the Kepler field
Authors: Khan S. , Miglio A. , Mosser B. , Arenou F. , Belkacem K. , Brown A. G. A. , Katz D. , Casagrande L. , Chaplin W. J. , Davies G. R. , Rendle B. M. , Rodrigues T. S. , Bossini D. , Cantat-Gaudin T. , Elsworth Y. P. , Girardi L. , North T. S. H. , Vallenari A.
Published: July 2019

The importance of studying the Gaia DR2 parallax zero-point by external means was underlined by the articles that accompanied the release, and initiated by several works making use of Cepheids, eclipsing binaries, and asteroseismology. Despite a very efficient elimination of basic-angle variations, a small fluctuation remains and shows up as a small offset in the Gaia DR2 parallaxes. By combining astrometric, asteroseismic, spectroscopic, and photometric constraints, we undertake a new analysis of the Gaia parallax offset for nearly 3000 red-giant branch (RGB) and 2200 red clump (RC) stars observed by Kepler, as well as about 500 and 700 red giants (all either in the RGB or RC phase) selected by the K2 Galactic Archaeology Program in campaigns 3 and 6. Engaging in a thorough comparison of the astrometric and asteroseismic parallaxes, we are able to highlight the influence of the asteroseismic method, and measure parallax offsets in the Kepler field that are compatible with independent estimates from literature and open clusters. Moreover, adding the K2 fields to our investigation allows us to retrieve a clear illustration of the positional dependence of the zero-point, in general agreement with the information provided by quasars. Lastly, we initiate a two-step methodology to make progress in the simultaneous calibration of the asteroseismic scaling relations and of the Gaia DR2 parallax offset, which will greatly benefit from the gain in precision with the third data release of Gaia.
A 5D view of the α Per, Pleiades, and Praesepe clusters
Authors: Lodieu N. , Pérez-Garrido A. , Smart R. L. , Silvotti R.
Published: July 2019

Aims. Our scientific goal is to provide revised membership lists of the α Per, Pleiades, and Praesepe clusters exploiting the second data release of Gaia and produce five-dimensional maps (α, δ, π, μα cos δ, μδ) of these clusters.

Methods. We implemented the kinematic method combined with the statistical treatment of parallaxes and proper motions to identify astrometric member candidates of three of the most nearby and best studied open clusters in the sky.

Results. We cross-correlated the Gaia catalogue with large-scale public surveys to complement the astrometry of Gaia with multi-band photometry from the optical to the mid-infrared. We identified 517, 1248, and 721 bona fide astrometric member candidates inside the tidal radius of α Per, the Pleiades, and Praesepe, respectively. We cross-matched our final samples with catalogues from previous surveys to address the level of completeness. We update the main physical properties of the clusters, including mean distance and velocity, as well as core, half-mass, and tidal radii. We infer updated ages from the white dwarf members of the Pleiades and Praesepe. We derive the luminosity and mass functions of the three clusters and compare them to the field mass function. We compute the positions in space of all member candidates in the three regions to investigate their distribution in space.

Conclusions. We provide updated distances and kinematics for the three clusters. We identify a list of members in the α Per, Pleiades, and Praesepe clusters from the most massive stars all the way down to the hydrogen-burning limit with a higher confidence and better astrometry than previous studies. We produce complete 5D maps of stellar and substellar bona fide members in these three regions. The photometric sequences derived in several colour–magnitude diagrams represent benchmark cluster sequences at ages from 90 to 600 Myr. We note the presence of a stream around the Pleiades cluster extending up to 40 pc from the cluster centre.
Comparative Stiffness of an Equine Distal Sesamoid Bone Fracture Model Stabilized with 3.5-mm versus 4.5-mm Cortical Bone Screws in Lag Fashion
Authors: Mampe Jessica R. , Tatarniuk Dane M. , Suarez-Fuentes David G. , Kraus Karl H.
Published: July 2019

Objective The aim of this study was to to determine the comparative stiffness following repair of an axial sagittal fracture model in equine distal sesamoid bones using either a single 3.5-mm or 4.5-mm cortical bone screw placed in lag fashion.

Study Design The present study was an in vitro biomechanical study.

Results The mean (±standard deviation) stiffness value for the 4.5-mm screw–bone construct (522.49 N/mm ± 168.21) was significantly greater than the 3.5-mm screw-bone construct (408.46 N/mm ± 131.13) (p = 0.047). This represents a 28% difference in mean stiffness.

Conclusions In vitro, the 4.5-mm screw–bone construct creates a stiffer repair of fractured distal sesamoid bones by a margin of 28%. The 4.5-mm cortical bone screw may better withstand forces imparted on the distal sesamoid bone sustained during anaesthetic recovery, normal weight bearing and athletic exercise, thereby minimizing the risk of implant failure.
Evaluation of a Novel Bone Substitute Injection Technique for Potential Treatment of Impact Injury to the Equine Palmar Metacarpal Condyle
Authors: Rice Hilary C. , Brokken Matthew T. , Hostnik Eric T. , Bertone Alicia L.
Published: July 2019

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the injection of a bone substitute material (BSM) into an impact lesion in the palmar condyle of the third metacarpal bone.

Study Design This was an in vivo controlled study performed on six horses.

Materials and Methods Medial metacarpal condyles were exposed via arthrotomy and a compressive lesion created in anaesthetized horses using 80 psi (27.6 MPa) onto the articular surface (n = 12). Paired limbs were randomly selected as a control or for extra-articular injection of BSM towards the subchondral bone near the compressive lesion. Parameters of the surgical techniques and BSM distribution outcomes were evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging analysis, histology and histomorphometry.

Results Injection of the BSM required significant pressure, as well as the use of a pilot hole. The BSM was visible in all magnetic resonance imagings in treatment limbs. Post-impact treatment limbs had greater average grey scale values than controls (p = 0.041), and greater average grey scale values than pre-impact treatment limbs (p = 0.004). Histology demonstrated haemorrhage and microfractures at the site of compression with no evidence of bone disruption from BSM injection.

Conclusion Injection of BSM into the dense subchondral bone of the equine palmar condyle could be targeted to a site of injury, distributed subchondrally and without further injury to bone or cartilage.

Clinical Significance This procedure has potential for the treatment of clinical impact injury or osteoarthritis in horses, and long-term studies are warranted.
Cephalometric and Pharyngometric Evaluation in Snoring Children with Sleep-Disordered Breathing and Adenotonsillar Hypertrophy Under an Orthodontic or Orthopedic Treatment
Authors: Nunes Jr Walter Ribeiro , Gozal David , Di Francesco Renata C.
Published: July 2019

Altered craniofacial growth has been implicated in sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in children. The authors aimed to evaluate the cephalometric measurements and pharyngeal dimensions related to SDB in snoring children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy (ATH) treated with an orthodontic and orthopedic oral appliance (OOA). Forty habitually snoring children, 6 to 9 years old with evidence of grade 3 to 4 ATH, maxillary constriction, and class II dental malocclusion were enrolled, with 24 children being treated with OOA, and 16 remaining untreated children as controls. All children underwent a cephalometric X-ray and acoustic pharyngometry for airway measurements at the start and 6 months after. Cephalometric measurements related to SDB reduced in the treated group (p < 0.01) as follows: maxillary–mandibular relationship: –2.2 ± 1.70°; maxillary–mandibular planes angle: –2.4 ± 3.80°; and hyoid bone position: –4 ± 3.8 mm (p < 0.001). OOA treatment revealed improvements in pharyngeal minimum cross-section area (MCA) (0.2 ± 0.2 cm2) and volume (V) (3.15 ± 2.5 cm3), while reductions in MCA (–0.2 ± 0.3 cm2) and in V (–1.25 ± 1.3 cm3) occurred in controls (p < 0.001 vs. OOA). Six months of OOA treatment in snoring children with SDB promotes enlargement of the pharyngeal dimensions and beneficial cephalometric changes.
A herbivore-induced homoterpene volatile is emitted from Basella alba leaves
Authors: Aboshi Takako , Toda Ayaka , Ashitani Tatsuya , Murayama Tetsuya
Published: July 2019

An irregular C11 homoterpene, (E)-4,8-dimethylnona-1,3,7-triene (DMNT) was identified as a major component of the volatile compounds emitted from Basella alba leaves induced by herbivore. The terpenes including DMNT were not detected from the leaves infected by Botrytis cinerea. These results suggested that volatile emission from B. alba leaves was induced by herbivory but not by a fungal infection.
Thigh positioned wearable resistance affects step frequency not step length during 50 m sprint‐running
Authors: Macadam Paul , Nuell Sergi , Cronin John B. , Uthoff Aaron M. , Nagahara Ryu , Neville Jono , Graham Scott P. , Tinwala Farhan
Published: July 2019

This study determined the acute changes in spatio‐temporal and impulse variables when wearable resistance (WR) of 2% body mass was attached distally to the thighs during 50 m maximal sprint‐running. Fifteen sub‐elite male sprinters performed sprints with and without WR over 50 m of in‐ground force platforms in a randomised order. A paired t‐test was used to determine statistical differences (p < .05), with effect sizes (ES) calculated between conditions over steps: 1–4, 5–14, and 15–23. WR resulted in small increased 10 and 50 m sprint times (1.0%, ES = 0.31, 0.9%, ES = 0.44, respectively, p > .05) compared to the unloaded sprint condition. For spatio‐temporal variables, the WR condition resulted in moderate ES changes in step frequency (−2.8%, ES = −0.53, steps 5–14, p > .05), and contact time (2.5%, ES = 0.57, steps 5–14, and 3.2%, ES = 0.51, average of 23 steps, p > .05), while step length was unaffected during all step phases of the sprint (ES = 0.02–0.07, p > .05). Regarding kinetics, during steps 5–14, WR resulted in a moderate decrease (−4.8%, ES = −0.73, p < .05) in net anterior‐posterior impulses and a moderate decrease in vertical stiffness (−5.7%, ES = −0.57, p > .05). For athletes seeking to overload step frequency and develop anterior‐posterior impulse during mid to late accelerated sprinting, WR enables the application of a sprint‐specific form of resistance training to be completed without decreasing step length.
Molecular Genetics in the Diagnosis and Biology of Lymphoid Neoplasms
Authors: Lim Megan S , Bailey Nathanael G , King Rebecca L , Piris Miguel
Published: July 2019

Objectives

The 2017 Workshop of the Society for Hematopathology/European Association for Haematopathology reviewed the role of molecular genetics in the diagnosis and biology of lymphoid neoplasms.

Methods

The Workshop Panel reviewed 82 cases.

Results

Molecular genetic testing reveals alterations that expand the spectrum of diseases such as DUSP22 rearrangement in ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma, large B-cell lymphoma with IRF4 rearrangement, MYD88 mutations in B-cell lymphomas, Burkitt-like lymphoma with 11q aberrations, and diagnostic criteria for high-grade B-cell lymphomas. Therapeutic agents and natural tumor progression may be associated with transcriptional reprogramming that lead to transdifferentiation and lineage switch.

Conclusions

Application of emerging technical advances has revealed the complexity of genetic events in lymphomagenesis, progression, and acquired resistance to therapies. They also contribute to enhanced understanding of the biology of indolent vs aggressive behavior, clonal evolution, tumor progression, and transcriptional reprogramming associated with transdifferentiation events that may occur subsequent to therapy.
Comparison of single and module-based methods for modeling gene regulatory networks
Authors: Hernaez Mikel , Blatti Charles , Gevaert Olivier
Published: July 2019

Motivation

Gene regulatory networks describe the regulatory relationships among genes, and developing methods for reverse engineering these networks is an ongoing challenge in computational biology. The majority of the initially proposed methods for gene regulatory network discovery create a network of genes and then mine it in order to uncover previously unknown regulatory processes. More recent approaches have focused on inferring modules of co-regulated genes, linking these modules with regulatory genes and then mining them to discover new molecular biology.

Results

In this work we analyze module-based network approaches to build gene regulatory networks, and compare their performance to single gene network approaches. In the process, we propose a novel approach to estimate gene regulatory networks drawing from the module-based methods. We show that generating modules of co-expressed genes which are predicted by a sparse set of regulators using a variational Bayes method, and then building a bipartite graph on the generated modules using sparse regression, yields more informative networks than previous single and module-based network approaches as measured by: (i) the rate of enriched gene sets, (ii) a network topology assessment, (iii) ChIP-Seq evidence and (iv) the KnowEnG Knowledge Network collection of previously characterized gene-gene interactions.

Availability and implementation

The code is written in R and can be downloaded from https://github.com/mikelhernaez/linker.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
VeriNA3d: an R package for nucleic acids data mining
Authors: Gallego Diego , Darré Leonardo , Dans Pablo D , Orozco Modesto
Published: July 2019

veriNA3d is an R package for the analysis of nucleic acids structural data, with an emphasis in complex RNA structures. In addition to single-structure analyses, veriNA3d also implements functions to handle whole datasets of mmCIF/PDB structures that could be retrieved from public/local repositories. Our package aims to fill a gap in the data mining of nucleic acids structures to produce flexible and high throughput analysis of structural databases.

Availability and implementation

http://mmb.irbbarcelona.org/gitlab/dgallego/veriNA3d.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Bayesian inference and hallucinations in schizophrenia
Authors: Siemerkus Jakob , Tomiello Sara , Stephan Klaas Enno
Published: July 2019

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Acquisition of visual priors and induced hallucinations in chronic schizophrenia’, by Valton et al. (doi:10.1093/brain/awz171).
Control of p21Cip by BRCA1-associated protein is critical for cardiomyocyte cell cycle progression and survival
Authors: Volland Cornelia , Schott Peter , Didié Michael , Männer Jörg , Unsöld Bernhard , Toischer Karl , Schmidt Carla , Urlaub Henning , Nickels Katrin , Knöll Ralph , Schmidt Albrecht , Guan Kaomei , Hasenfuß Gerd , Seidler Tim
Published: July 2019

Aims

Identifying the key components in cardiomyocyte cell cycle regulation is of relevance for the understanding of cardiac development and adaptive and maladaptive processes in the adult myocardium. BRCA1-associated protein (BRAP) has been suggested as a cytoplasmic retention factor for several proteins including Cyclin-dependent-kinase inhibitor p21Cip. We observed profound expressional changes of BRAP in early postnatal myocardium and investigated the impact of BRAP on cardiomyocyte cell cycle regulation.

Methods and results

General knockout of Brap in mice evoked embryonic lethality associated with reduced myocardial wall thickness and lethal cardiac congestion suggesting a prominent role for BRAP in cardiomyocyte proliferation. αMHC-Cre driven cardiomyocyte-specific knockout of Brap also evoked lethal cardiac failure shortly after birth. Likewise, conditional cardiomyocyte-specific Brap deletion using tamoxifen-induced knockout in adult mice resulted in marked ventricular dilatation and heart failure 3 weeks after induction. Several lines of evidence suggest that Brap deletion evoked marked inhibition of DNA synthesis and cell cycle progression. In cardiomyocytes with proliferative capacity, this causes developmental arrest, whereas in adult hearts loss of BRAP-induced apoptosis. This is explained by altered signalling through p21Cip which we identify as the link between BRAP and cell cycle/apoptosis. BRAP deletion enhanced p21Cip expression, while BRAP overexpression in cardiomyocyte-specific transgenic mice impeded p21Cip expression. That was paralleled by enhanced nuclear Ki-67 expression and DNA synthesis.

Conclusion

By controlling p21Cip activity BRAP expression controls cell cycle activity and prevents developmental arrest in developing cardiomyocytes and apoptosis in adult cardiomyocytes.
Delineating the Asphondylia prosopidis Complex (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae): Possible Biological Control Agents of Honey Mesquite
Authors: Park Ikju , Thompson David C
Published: July 2019

The Asphondylia prosopidis Cockrell complex with its fungal associate produces four distinct bud galls on honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa). They are considered as potential biological control agents to reduce seed production of invasive mesquites. Previous studies suggest that the complex may consist of more than one gall midge species or biotype. Therefore, before conducting host specificity tests, it is essential to understand the relationships among the gall midges in the complex. Each gall type was collected from sympatric regions in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas for four years. Here we show that midges producing each gall type were clearly separated based on phylogenetic analysis using DNA sequences in the cytochrome oxidase subunit I region. Furthermore, we confirmed that morphological differences between pupae from each gall type were discernible, although variable, using a scanning electron microscope. Based on these differences, we suggest that the A. prosopidis complex consists of four different gall midge species, three of which are cryptic species. Among them, Asphondylia species producing a barrel gall type and A. prosopidis producing the original gall type are potential biological control agents of P. glandulosa because they are multivoltine species with four to five generations per year that complete their annual life cycle exclusively on flower buds of mesquite.
An investigation of seismic anisotropy in the lowermost mantle beneath Iceland
Authors: Wolf Jonathan , Creasy Neala , Pisconti Angelo , Long Maureen D , Thomas Christine
Published: July 2019

Iceland represents one of the most well-known examples of hotspot volcanism, but the details of how surface volcanism connects to geodynamic processes in the deep mantle remain poorly understood. Recent work has identified evidence for an ultra-low velocity zone in the lowermost mantle beneath Iceland and argued for a cylindrically symmetric upwelling at the base of a deep mantle plume. This scenario makes a specific prediction about flow and deformation in the lowermost mantle, which can potentially be tested with observations of seismic anisotropy. Here we present an investigation of seismic anisotropy in the lowermost mantle beneath Iceland, using differential shear wave splitting measurements of S–ScS and SKS–SKKS phases. We apply our techniques to waves propagating at multiple azimuths, with the goal of gaining good geographical and azimuthal coverage of the region. Practical limitations imposed by the suboptimal distribution of global seismicity at the relevant distance ranges resulted in a relatively small data set, particularly for S–ScS. Despite this, however, our measurements of ScS splitting due to lowermost mantle anisotropy clearly show a rotation of the fast splitting direction from nearly horizontal for two sets of paths that sample away from the low velocity region (implying VSH > VSV) to nearly vertical for a set of paths that sample directly beneath Iceland (implying VSV > VSH). We also find evidence for sporadic SKS–SKKS discrepancies beneath our study region; while the geographic distribution of discrepant pairs is scattered, those pairs that sample closest to the base of the Iceland plume tend to be discrepant. Our measurements do not uniquely constrain the pattern of mantle flow. However, we carried out simple ray-theoretical forward modelling for a suite of plausible anisotropy mechanisms, including those based on single-crystal elastic tensors, those obtained via effective medium modelling for partial melt scenarios, and those derived from global or regional models of flow and texture development in the deep mantle. These simplified models do not take into account details such as possible transitions in anisotropy mechanism or deformation regime, and test a simplified flow field (vertical flow beneath the plume and horizontal flow outside it) rather than more detailed flow scenarios. Nevertheless, our modelling results demonstrate that our ScS splitting observations are generally consistent with a flow scenario that invokes nearly vertical flow directly beneath the Iceland hotspot, with horizontal flow just outside this region.
‘Maternal deaths should simply be 0’: politicization of maternal death reporting and review processes in Ethiopia
Authors: Melberg Andrea , Mirkuzie Alemnesh Hailemariam , Sisay Tesfamichael Awoke , Sisay Mitike Molla , Moland Karen Marie
Published: July 2019

The Maternal Death Surveillance and Response system (MDSR) was implemented in Ethiopia in 2013 to record and review maternal deaths. The overall aim of the system is to identify and address gaps in order to prevent future death but, to date, around 10% of the expected number of deaths are reported. This article examines practices and reasoning involved in maternal death reporting and review practices in Ethiopia, building on the concept of ‘practical norms’. The study is based on multi-sited fieldwork at different levels of the Ethiopian health system including interviews, document analysis and observations, and has documented the politicized nature of MDSR implementation. Death reporting and review are challenged by the fact that maternal mortality is a main indicator of health system performance. Health workers and bureaucrats strive to balance conflicting demands when implementing the MDSR system: to report all deaths; to deliver perceived success in maternal mortality reduction by reporting as few deaths as possible; and to avoid personalized accountability for deaths. Fear of personal and political accountability for maternal deaths strongly influences not only reporting practices but also the care given in the study sites. Health workers report maternal deaths in ways that minimize their number and deflect responsibility for adverse outcomes. They attribute deaths to community and infrastructural factors, which are often beyond their control. The practical norms of how health workers report deaths perpetuate a skewed way of seeing problems and solutions in maternal health. On the basis of our findings, we argue that closer attention to the broader political context is needed to understand the implementation of MDSR and other surveillance systems.
Discorrelation Between Primes in Short Intervals and Polynomial Phases
Authors: Matomäki Kaisa , Shao Xuancheng
Published: July 2019

Let $H = N^{\theta }, \theta> 2/3$ and $k \geq 1$. We obtain estimates for the following exponential sum over primes in short intervals: $$\begin{equation*} \sum_{N < n \leq N+H} \Lambda(n) \mathrm e(g(n)), \end{equation*}$$where $g$ is a polynomial of degree $k$. As a consequence of this in the special case $g(n) = \alpha n^k$, we deduce a short interval version of the Waring–Goldbach problem.
Mechanisms of antimicrobial-induced nephrotoxicity in children
Authors: Downes Kevin J , Hayes Molly , Fitzgerald Julie C , Pais Gwendolyn M , Liu Jiajun , Zane Nicole R , Goldstein Stuart L , Scheetz Marc H , Zuppa Athena F
Published: July 2019

Drug-induced nephrotoxicity is responsible for 20% to 60% of cases of acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in both children and adults. Antimicrobials are one of the most common classes of medications prescribed globally and also among the most common causes of nephrotoxicity. A broad range of antimicrobial agents have been associated with nephrotoxicity, but the features of kidney injury vary based on the agent, its mechanism of injury and the site of toxicity within the kidney. Distinguishing nephrotoxicity caused by an antimicrobial agent from other potential inciting factors is important to facilitate both early recognition of drug toxicity and prompt cessation of an offending drug, as well as to avoid unnecessary discontinuation of an innocuous therapy. This review will detail the different types of antimicrobial-induced nephrotoxicity: acute tubular necrosis, acute interstitial nephritis and obstructive nephropathy. It will also describe the mechanism of injury caused by specific antimicrobial agents and classes (vancomycin, aminoglycosides, polymyxins, antivirals, amphotericin B), highlight the toxicodynamics of these drugs and provide guidance on administration or monitoring practices that can mitigate toxicity, when known. Particular attention will be paid to paediatric patients, when applicable, in whom nephrotoxin exposure is an often-underappreciated cause of kidney injury.
Identification of the crucial parameters regarding the efficacy of ribavirin therapy in Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Arab-Bafrani Zahra , Jabbari Ali , Mostakhdem Hashemi Mohammad , Arabzadeh Ali Mohammad , Gilanipour Atena , Mousavi Elham
Published: July 2019

Objectives

Recently, ribavirin has been suggested as a therapeutic approach in Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) patients; however, there are controversial findings about its efficacy. In the current study, a meta-analysis was systematically performed to assess the effectiveness of ribavirin administration regarding CCHF patient survival and to explore the most important influential parameters for its efficacy.

Methods

All of the outcomes of the clinically studied CCHF patients who were treated with ribavirin were included in the meta-analysis.

Results

Overall, 24 studies met our criteria. Although the studies did not have high quality there was no heterogeneity and publication bias across studies. The results indicated that the administration of ribavirin to CCHF patients significantly decreased the mortality rate (by 1.7-fold) compared with those who did not receive this medication. Furthermore, it was found that the prescription of ribavirin in the initial phase of disease was more effective, and a delay in the start of treatment resulted in a 1.6-fold increase in mortality rate. In addition, interventional therapy resulted in an ∼2.3-fold reduction in the mortality rate of those who received ribavirin along with corticosteroids compared with those who were treated with ribavirin monotherapy.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis reveals that ribavirin should be considered as a crucial antiviral drug in the therapeutic approach used for CCHF patients, especially in early phases of the disease. Additionally, it seems that the administration of corticosteroids alongside ribavirin can play an effective role in alleviation of the disease status, particularly in haemorrhagic phases.
Genetic variance of metabolomic features and their relationship with body weight and body weight gain in Holstein cattle1
Authors: Aliakbari Amir , Ehsani Alireza , Vaez Torshizi Rasoul , Løvendahl Peter , Esfandyari Hadi , Jensen Just , Sarup Pernille
Published: July 2019

In recent years, metabolomics has been used to clarify the biology underlying biological samples. In the field of animal breeding, investigating the magnitude of genetic control on the metabolomic profiles of animals and their relationships with quantitative traits adds valuable information to animal improvement schemes. In this study, we analyzed metabolomic features (MFs) extracted from the metabolomic profiles of 843 male Holstein calves. The metabolomic profiles were obtained using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. We investigated 2 alternative methods to control for peak shifts in the NMR spectra, binning and aligning, to determine which approach was the most efficient for assessing genetic variance. Series of univariate analyses were implemented to elucidate the heritability of each MF. Furthermore, records on BW and ADG from 154 to 294 d of age (ADG154–294), 294 to 336 d of age (ADG294–336), and 154 to 336 d of age (ADG154–336) were used in a series of bivariate analyses to establish the genetic and phenotypic correlations with MFs. Bivariate analyses were only performed for MFs that had a heritability significantly different from zero. The heritabilities obtained in the univariate analyses for the MFs in the binned data set were low (<0.2). In contrast, in the aligned data set, we obtained moderate heritability (0.2 to 0.5) for 3.5% of MFs and high heritability (more than 0.5) for 1% of MFs. The bivariate analyses showed that ~12%, ~3%, ~9%, and ~9% of MFs had significant additive genetic correlations with BW, ADG154–294, ADG294–336, and ADG154–336, respectively. In all of the bivariate analyses, the percentage of significant additive genetic correlations was higher than the percentage of significant phenotypic correlations of the corresponding trait. Our results provided insights into the influence of the underlying genetic mechanisms on MFs. Further investigations in this field are needed for better understanding of the genetic relationship among the MFs and quantitative traits.
Bta-miR-34b regulates milk fat biosynthesis by targeting mRNA decapping enzyme 1A (DCP1A) in cultured bovine mammary epithelial cells1
Authors: Wang Yujuan , Guo Wenli , Tang Keqiong , Wang Yaning , Zan Linsen , Yang Wucai
Published: July 2019

Milk fat is a main nutritional component of milk, and it has become one of the important traits of dairy cow breeding. Recently, there is increasing evidence that microRNAs (miRNA) play significant roles in the process of milk fat synthesis in the mammary gland. Primary bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMEC) were harvested from midlactation cows and cultured in DMEM/F-12 medium with 10% fetal bovine serum, 100 units/mL penicillin, 100 µg/mL streptomycin, 5 µg/mL bovine insulin, 1 µg/mL hydrocortisone, and 2 µg/mL bovine prolactin. We found that miR-34b mimic transfection in BMEC reduced the content of intracellular triacylglycerol (TAG) and lipid droplet accumulation via triacylglycerol assay and Oil Red O staining; meanwhile, overexpression of miR-34b inhibited mRNA expression of lipid metabolism-related genes such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), fatty acid synthase (FASN), fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), and CCAAT enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPα). Whereas miR-34b inhibitor resulted in completely opposite results. Furthermore, q-PCR and western blot analysis revealed the mRNA and protein expression levels of DCP1A were downregulated in miR-34b mimic transfection group and upregulated in miR-34b inhibitor group. Moreover, luciferase reporter assays verified that DCP1A was the direct target of miR-34b and DCP1A gene silencing in BMEC-inhibited TAG accumulation and suppressed lipid droplet formation. In conclusion, these findings revealed a novel miR-34b–DCP1A axis that has a significant role in regulating milk fat synthesis and suggested that miR-34b may be used to improve the beneficial ingredients in milk.
Characterization and Biological Action of Avermectin Granules on the Moroccan Locust, Dociostaurus maroccanus (Orthoptera: Acrididae)
Authors: Alekseev Alexander , Tyurin Maxim , Khairov Khuramjon , Kotina Oxana , Odeyanko Vyacheslav , Danilov Viktor , Kryukov Vadim , Glupov Viktor
Published: July 2019

Granules composed of alfalfa and sunflower meal that were impregnated with avermectins (AVMs) were developed for use against the Moroccan locust, Dociostaurus maroccanus (Thunberg). Laboratory experiments with granules containing 0.15% of AVMs fed to locust nymphs resulted in 100% death within 5 d. The quantification of AVM loss after exposure of AVM-containing preparative forms to UV light for various time periods was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed no loss of AVMs from the granules after 3 h of their exposure to UV light. The effect of UV radiation on a thin layer of the AVM solution led to the rapid degradation of AVMs. Only 0.2% of the initial AVM amount was detected after 3 h of exposure. In the granulated form, the AVM content remained stable for 10 mo when stored at room temperature in the dark. A method combining solid-phase extraction with HPLC was developed for the quantification of AVMs in locust nymphs. The granulated AVMs are characterized by their high resistance to UVB radiation. The use of plant-based granules impregnated with AVMs can be considered a very promising tool for locust control.
High Frequency of Multiple Paternity in Eastern Red Bats, Lasiurus borealis, Based on Microsatellite Analysis
Authors: Ammerman Loren K , Lee Dana N , Jones Brittney A , Holt Morgan P , Harrison Samuel J , Decker Sydney K
Published: July 2019

Most species of bats give birth to only 1 pup each year, although Eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis) can produce up to 5 pups per litter. Offspring in a single litter have been documented to be at different stages of development, suggesting that multiple paternity occurs. We tested the null hypothesis of genetic monogamy in red bats using 6 autosomal microsatellites and 1 X-linked microsatellite from 31 parent/offspring groups for a total of 128 bats. We sampled both pregnant females and mothers with pups that were obtained from bats submitted to departments of health in Oklahoma and Texas for rabies testing. Multiple paternity was assessed using a maximum-likelihood approach, hypothesis testing, and X-linked locus exclusion. The mean polymorphic information content of our markers was high (0.8819) and combined non-exclusion probability was low (0.00027). Results from the maximum-likelihood approach showed that 22 out of 31 (71%) parent/offspring groups consisted of half siblings, hypothesis testing rejected full sibship in 61% of parent/offspring groups, and X-linked locus exclusion suggested multiple paternity in at least 12 parent/offspring groups, rejecting our hypothesis of genetic monogamy. This frequency of multiple paternity is the highest reported thus far for any bat species. High levels of multiple paternity have the potential to impact interpretations of genetic estimates of effective population size in this species. Further, multiple paternity might be an adaptive strategy to allow for increased genetic variation and large litter size, which would be beneficial to a species threatened by population declines from wind turbines.
Vertical Transmission of Zika Virus (Flaviviridae, Flavivirus) in Amazonian Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Delays Egg Hatching and Larval Development of Progeny
Authors: Chaves Barbara Aparecida , Junior Ademir Bentes Vieira , Silveira Karine Renata Dias , Paz Andreia da Costa , Vaz Evelyn Beatriz da Costa , Araujo Raphaela Guedes Pereira , Rodrigues Nilton Barnabe , Campolina Thais Bonifacio , Orfano Alessandra da Silva , Nacif-Pimenta Rafael , Villegas Luis Eduardo Martinez , Melo Fabrício Freire de , Silva Breno de Mello , Monteiro Wuelton Marcelo , Guerra Maria das Graças Vale Barbosa , Lacerda Marcus Vinicius Guimarães de , Norris Douglas Eric , Secundino Nagila Francinete Costa , Pimenta Paulo Filemon Paolucci
Published: July 2019

Zika virus (ZIKV) has emerged as a globally important arbovirus and has been reported from all states of Brazil. The virus is primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of an infective Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) or Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1895). However, it is important to know if ZIKV transmission also occurs from Ae. aegypti through infected eggs to her offspring. Therefore, a ZIKV and dengue virus (DENV) free colony was established from eggs collected in Manaus and maintained until the third–fourth generation in order to conduct ZIKV vertical transmission (VT) experiments which used an infectious bloodmeal as the route of virus exposure. The eggs from ZIKV-infected females were allowed to hatch. The resulting F1 progeny (larvae, pupae, and adults) were quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assayed for ZIKV. The viability of ZIKV vertically transmitted to F1 progeny was evaluated by cultivation in C6/36 cells. The effects of ZIKV on immature development of Ae. aegypti was assessed and compared with noninfected mosquitoes. AmazonianAe. aegypti were highly susceptible to ZIKV infection (96.7%), and viable virus passed to their progeny via VT. Moreover, eggs from the ZIKV-infected mosquitoes had a significantly lower hatch rate and the slowest hatching. In addition, the larval development period was slower when compared to noninfected, control mosquitoes. This is the first study to illustrate VT initiated by oral infection of the parental population by using mosquitoes, which originated from the field and a ZIKV strain that is naturally circulating in-country. Additionally, this study suggests that ZIKV present in the Ae. aegypti can modify the mosquito life cycle. The data reported here suggest that VT of ZIKV to progeny from naturally infected females may have a critical epidemiological role in the dissemination and maintenance of the virus circulating in the vector.
Clues on Arp 142: The spiral–elliptical merger
Authors: Mora Marcelo D , Torres-Flores Sergio , Firpo Verónica , Hernandez-Jimenez Jose A , Urrutia-Viscarra Fernanda , Mendes de Oliveira Claudia
Published: July 2019

Nearby merging pairs are unique laboratories in which one can study the gravitational effects on the individual interacting components. In this manuscript, we report the characterization of selected H ii regions along the peculiar galaxy NGC 2936, member of the galaxy pair Arp 142, an E+S interaction, known as ‘The Penguin’. Using Gemini South spectroscopy, we have derived a high enhancement of the global star formation rate (SFR) = 35.9 M⊙ yr−1 probably stimulated by the interaction. Star-forming regions on this galaxy display oxygen abundances that are consistent with solar metallicities. The current data set does not allow us to conclude any clear scenario for NGC 2936. Diagnostic diagrams suggest that the central region of NGC 2936 is ionized by active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity and the eastern tidal plume in NGC 2936 is experiencing a burst of star formation, which may be triggered by the gas compression due to the interaction event with its elliptical companion galaxy: NGC 2937. The ionization mechanism of these sources is consistent with shock models of low velocities of 200–300 km s −1. The isophotal analysis shows tidal features on NGC 2937: at inner radii non-concentric (or off-centring) isophotes, and at large radii, a faint excess of the surface brightness profile with respect to de Vaucouleurs law. By comparing the radial velocity profiles and morphological characteristics of Arp 142 with a library of numerical simulations, we conclude that the current stage of the system would be about 50 ± 25 Myr after the first pericentre passage.
Chemodynamics of newly identified giants with a globular cluster like abundance patterns in the bulge, disc, and halo of the Milky Way
Authors: Fernández-Trincado José G , Beers Timothy C , Tang Baitian , Moreno Edmundo , Pérez-Villegas Angeles , Ortigoza-Urdaneta Mario
Published: July 2019

The latest edition of the APOGEE-2/DR14 survey catalogue and the first Payne data release of APOGEE abundance determinations by Ting et al. are examined. We identify 31 previously unremarked metal-poor giant stars with anomalously high levels of [N/Fe] abundances, which is not usually observed among metal-poor stars in the Milky Way. We made use of the Brussels Automatic Stellar Parameter (BACCHUS) code to re-derive manually the chemical abundances of 31 field stars in order to compile the main element families, namely the light elements (C, N), a-elements (O, Mg, Si), iron-peak element (Fe), s-process elements (Ce, Nd), and the light odd-Z element (Na, Al). We have found all these objects have a [N/Fe] ≳ +0.5, and are thus identified here as nitrogen-rich stars. An orbital analysis of these objects revealed that a handful of them shares the orbital properties of the bar/bulge, and possibly linked to tidal debris of surviving globular clusters trapped into the bar component. Three of the 31 stars are actually halo interlopers into the bulge area, which suggests that halo contamination is not insignificant when studying N-rich stars found in the inner Galaxy, whereas the rest of the N-rich stars share orbital properties with the halo population. Most of the newly identified population exhibits chemistry similar to the so-called second-generation globular cluster stars (enriched in aluminum, [Al/Fe] ≳ +0.5), whereas a handful of them exhibit lower abundances of aluminum, [Al/Fe] < +0.5, which are thought to be chemically associated with the first generation of stars, as seen in globular clusters, or compatible with origin from a tidally disrupted dwarf galaxy.
The relation between the turbulent Mach number and observed fractal dimensions of turbulent clouds
Authors: Beattie James R , Federrath Christoph , Klessen Ralf S , Schneider Nicola
Published: July 2019

Supersonic turbulence is a key player in controlling the structure and star formation potential of molecular clouds (MCs). The three-dimensional (3D) turbulent Mach number, $\operatorname{\mathcal {M}}$, allows us to predict the rate of star formation. However, determining Mach numbers in observations is challenging because it requires accurate measurements of the velocity dispersion. Moreover, observations are limited to two-dimensional (2D) projections of the MCs and velocity information can usually only be obtained for the line-of-sight component. Here we present a new method that allows us to estimate $\operatorname{\mathcal {M}}$ from the 2D column density, Σ, by analysing the fractal dimension, $\mathcal {D}$. We do this by computing $\mathcal {D}$ for six simulations, ranging between 1 and 100 in $\operatorname{\mathcal {M}}$. From this data we are able to construct an empirical relation, $\log \operatorname{\mathcal {M}}(\mathcal {D}) = \xi _1(\operatorname{erfc}^{-1} [(\mathcal {D}-\operatorname{\mathcal {D}_\text{min}})/\Omega ] + \xi _2),$ where $\operatorname{erfc}^{-1}$ is the inverse complimentary error function, $\operatorname{\mathcal {D}_\text{min}}= 1.55 \pm 0.13$ is the minimum fractal dimension of Σ, Ω = 0.22 ± 0.07, ξ1 = 0.9 ± 0.1, and ξ2 = 0.2 ± 0.2. We test the accuracy of this new relation on column density maps from Herschel observations of two quiescent subregions in the Polaris Flare MC, ‘saxophone’ and ‘quiet’. We measure $\operatorname{\mathcal {M}}\sim 10$ and $\operatorname{\mathcal {M}}\sim 2$ for the subregions, respectively, which are similar to previous estimates based on measuring the velocity dispersion from molecular line data. These results show that this new empirical relation can provide useful estimates of the cloud kinematics, solely based upon the geometry from the column density of the cloud.