bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decannulation in children affected by congenital central hypoventilation syndrome: A proposal of an algorithm from two European centers
Authors: Paglietti Maria Giovanna , Porcaro Federica , Sovtic Aleksandar , Cherchi Claudio , Verrillo Elisabetta , Pavone Martino , Bottero Sergio , Cutrera Renato
Published: July 2019

Rationale

Long‐life ventilatory assistance is necessary for survival in pediatric patients with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS). Invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) through tracheostomy is the most used method, especially in the first years of life when the central nervous system is maturing. Nevertheless, IMV via tracheostomy is not ideal because tracheostomy in children is associated with impaired speech and language development, also frequent infections of the lower airway tract occur.

Objective

Only few reports describe the transition from IMV to the noninvasive method, ending with decannulation in CCHS affected patients. We aim to provide our experience regarding decannulation program in CCHS affected children and to describe a proposal of an algorithm concerning transition from invasive to noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in CCHS patients.

Methods

The study has been conducted retrospectively. Four children from two European centers underwent tracheostomy removal and decannulation, upon request of patients and their families.

Results

All children were trained to carry out tracheostomy capping before decannulation and underwent endoscopic assessment of upper and lower airway. Subsequently they started training to NIV at mean age of 106.25 months (±40.7 SD). Decannulation occurred 12 months after and no patients needed the reintroduction of tracheal cannula in either short or long term follow up. Conclusions: our study shows that effective liberation from IMV, the transition to NIV and decannulation are possible in CCHS affected children and offers a proposal of an algorithm which can be applied in selected centers.
Linkage mapping an indoxacarb resistance locus in Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) by genotype‐by‐sequencing
Authors: Chen Yizhou , Bird Lisa , Woolley Lauren , Walsh Tom , Gordon Karl , Herron Grant
Published: July 2019

BACKGROUND

A major challenge to sustainable agricultural pest control is the rapid evolution of insecticide resistance. This is caused by mechanisms that reduce insecticide efficacy. Understanding the genetic mechanisms of resistance is essential for DNA‐based monitoring of resistance in field populations. One such insecticide is indoxacarb, an important selective control option for Helicoverpa armigera in a range of crops including grain, horticulture and cotton. Recently, a strain of H. armigera (GY7‐39) resistant to indoxacarb (198‐fold) was isolated from field‐collected moth.

RESULTS

To identify the indoxacarb resistance locus, GY7‐39 was backcrossed for six generations to susceptible strain New GR. In each generation, only resistant males were used to cross back to New GR. Genotype‐by‐sequencing was carried out on 95 H. armigera samples. In total, 13 203 tags with 8697 unique locations on the H. armigera genome were obtained. The indoxacarb resistance locus in strain GY7‐39 was mapped to a 2.6 Mbp region on chromosome 16. In this region, two closely linked loci (IndoR1 and IndoR2) were found to be associated with indoxacarb resistant GY7‐39.

CONCLUSIONS

We mapped indoxacarb resistance in GY7‐39 to two closely linked loci IndoR1 and IndoR2 in a narrowed 2.6 Mbp region of H. armigera chromosome 16. The results provide essential background data for future genetic investigations including fine mapping of the indoxacarb resistance gene and the eventual development of an effective DNA‐based diagnostic to support resistance management. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Hybrid approach for remaining useful life prediction of ball bearings
Authors: Wang Fu‐Kwun , Mamo Tadele
Published: July 2019

Remaining useful life (RUL) prediction plays an important role in predictive maintenance systems to support decision‐makers for arranging maintenance tasks and related resources. We propose a hybrid approach that is combined an exponential weighted moving average (EWMA) control chart for anomaly detection and machine learning models such as support vector regression (SVR) and random forest regression (RFR) with differential evolution (DE) algorithm to predict the RULs of ball bearings. Here, DE algorithm is used to find the optimal hyperparameters of SVR model. The datasets of ball bearings from the Prognostics Data Repository of NASA are used to compare the prediction performance of different methods. The degradation behavior of training data from the anomaly time to the end of life is used to transfer learning for the testing data in the SVR and RFR models. The results indicate that the proposed methods outperform the other four existing methods in terms of score. Therefore, the proposed hybrid approach is a reliable tool for the RUL prediction of ball bearings.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Paracetamol Drug Adsorption on Boron Nitride Nanotube: Effects of Temperature, Nanotube Length, Diameter, and Chirality
Authors: Iranmanesh‐Zarandy Zahra , Dehestani Maryam
Published: July 2019

The medicalapplications such as nanomedicine and drug delivery are one of the main advantages of the boron nitride nanotube (BNNT). It is important to investigate adsorption behavior of drug molecules on nanotube for progress of drug delivery in nanoscale. The aim of this study is to investigate the adsorption of 40 paracetamol molecules on single‐walled BNNTs with increment in the diameter and the length from 5.63 to 13.96 Å and from 2.2 to 6.3 nm, respectively in an aqueous solution using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Also the effect of temperature on adsorption is investigated. Finally, the dependence of the tube chirality on adsorption is examined. Inspection of the results of the radial distribution function, free energy and the Lennard‐Jones energy calculations implies that the paracetamol molecules have more tendency for adsorption on the surface of chiral and armchair nanotubes with the diameter 13.96 Å and length 4.2 nm. The adsorption of the paracetamol molecules on BNNT decreases with increasing in temperature.
Novel Efficient Pd‐Free Ni‐Layered Double Hydroxide Catalysts for a Suzuki C–C Coupling Reaction
Authors: Alzhrani Ghalia , Ahmed Nesreen S. , Aazam Elham S. , Saleh Tamer S. , Mokhtar Mohamed
Published: July 2019

The Suzuki cross‐coupling reaction has developed as one of the foremost effectual approaches for the synthesis of biaryls or substituted aromatic moieties from aryl halides and arylboronic acids with a palladium‐catalyst in the past two eras. In this study, Pd‐free layered double hydroxides (LDHs) nickel‐containing catalysts were prepared by a coprecipitation method under ultrasonic irradiation and N2 atmosphere with different molar ratios of Ni:Mg:Al and coded as (1NiLDHs−Dr), (1.5NiLDHs−Dr) and (2NiLDHs−Dr). A series of reduced catalysts under 5% H2/N2 at 200 °C were coded as 1NiLDHs−R200, 1.5NiLDHs−R200 and 2NiLDHs−R200. Deep investigation of all catalysts was done using different techniques such as inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP‐OES), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), Fourier transfer infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) connected with energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and N2‐physisorption at –196 °C. The results attained verified that ɑ‐Ni(OH)2 was fashioned for a 2NiLDHs−Dr catalyst and that the enclosure of nickel ions in the cationic sheet of the layered structure was responsible for the fascinating catalytic efficacy rather than the basic nature of material. The Ni‐containing LDHs catalysts encourage forthcoming studies in Pd‐free catalyzed C−C coupling reactions.
Temporary colocation and collaborative discovery: Who confers at conferences
Authors: Chai Sen , Freeman Richard B.
Published: July 2019

Research Summary

The flow of knowledge is closely linked to proximity. While extensive works show that long‐term geographic proximity affects work behavior, little is known about the effect of short‐term colocation, such as conferences. Using participant data at Gordon Research Conferences, we estimate difference‐in‐differences and instrumental variable models, which show that attendees who have no prior within‐conference collaborations are more likely to collaborate with other attendees, and that the researchers who have worked previously with other attendees are more likely to continue their collaborations. We also find that researchers who are junior, are located closer to the conference venue, and have established prior ties to the conference draw more collaborative benefits from temporary colocation across organizations. Thus, going to a conference alters the creation of collaborations.

Managerial Summary

Managers face important decisions with long‐term strategic ramifications regarding where to locate offices, plants, and R&D centers, as well as how to lay out workspaces inside the firm to enhance knowledge spillover and collaboration. Permanent proximity, however, may be difficult and sometimes impossible to attain. One potential way of overcoming the distance disadvantage in knowledge spillover and tie formation is through temporary colocation events that bring together individuals from distant locations in an environment of temporary proximity. We find that individuals who attend temporary colocation events across organizational boundaries are more likely to collaborate with one another subsequently. Hence, managers of firms should pledge substantial funds for employees to participate in these events so as to impact the subsequent direction of R&D activities.
Magnetically Driven Undulatory Microswimmers Integrating Multiple Rigid Segments
Authors: Liao Pan , Xing Liuxi , Zhang Shiwu , Sun Dong
Published: July 2019

Mimicking biological locomotion strategies offers important possibilities and motivations for robot design and control methods. Among bioinspired microrobots, flexible microrobots exhibit remarkable efficiency and agility. These microrobots traditionally rely on soft material components to achieve undulatory propulsion, which may encounter challenges in design and manufacture including the complex fabrication processes and the interfacing of rigid and soft components. Herein, a bioinspired magnetically driven microswimmer that mimics the undulatory propulsive mechanism is proposed. The designed microswimmer consists of four rigid segments, and each segment is connected to the succeeding segment by joints. The microswimmer is fabricated integrally by 3D laser lithography without further assembly, thereby simplifying microrobot fabrication while enhancing structural integrity. Experimental results show that the microswimmer can successfully swim forward along guided directions via undulatory locomotion in the low Reynolds number (Re) regime. This work demonstrates for the first time that the flexible characteristic of microswimmers can be emulated by 3D structures with multiple rigid segments, which broadens possibilities in microrobot design. The proposed magnetically driven microswimmer can potentially be used in biomedical applications, such as medical diagnosis and treatment in precision medicine.
Keeping upbeat to prevent the heartbreak of anti‐Ro/SSA pregnancy
Authors: Cuneo B. F. , Buyon J. P.
Published: July 2019

Linked Comment: Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2019; 54: 87–95
Effects of a nutritional supplement in dogs affected by osteoarthritis
Authors: Musco Nadia , Vassalotti Giuseppe , Mastellone Vincenzo , Cortese Laura , della Rocca Giorgia , Molinari Maria Luce , Calabrò Serena , Tudisco Raffaella , Cutrignelli Monica Isabella , Lombardi Pietro
Published: July 2019

Osteoarthritis is a form of chronic joint inflammation caused by the deterioration of the joint cartilage, accompanied by chronic pain, lameness and stiffness, particularly after prolonged activity. Alternative treatments of canine osteoarthritis would be desirable and, recently nutraceuticals, have been proposed for this purpose. Twenty cross breed adult dogs affected by osteoarthritis were enrolled and equally divided into two groups (control vs. experimental). The nutritional supplement (Dynamopet srl, Verone, Italy) was administered for 90 days to the dogs of the experimental group in order to evaluate its metabolic and locomotor effects. All the clinical signs (lameness, pain on manipulation and palpation, range of motion and joint swelling) significantly (p < 0.01) improved during the trial as regards the experimental group. This group showed a significantly lower joint score than the control group (mean value 7.40 vs. 3.80). With regard to haematology, the mean corpuscular volume resulted significantly (p < 0.01) higher in the experimental group, i.e. alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol and triglycerides values decreased and were significantly (p < 0.01) lower than the control one, thus suggesting an improvement in bone remodelling and lipid metabolism. A decrease in the reactive oxygen metabolites and an increase in the biological antioxidant potential demonstrated an improvement in oxidative stress during the trial in the experimental group compare to the control group. Interleukins 6 decreased in the experimental group, while interleukins 10 resulted in the opposite trend. Moreover, the administration of up to 3 months of the studied supplement was well tolerated in the dogs and caused no adverse effects.
Responsibility for climate change adaptation
Authors: Juhola Sirkku K.
Published: July 2019

As a policy process, climate change adaptation is rapidly advancing. Yet fundamental questions remain unanswered including, who is responsible for planned adaptation and when, who is liable for losses and damages resulting from climate change and how is responsibility distributed in a multilevel governance system? Responsibility can be evaluated in terms of the timing of particular events, the specific societal actors involved and the rules and norms used to attribute responsibility for dealing with those events. Four types of responsibility—care, liability, accountability, and responsiveness for adaptation—are identified, based on empirical studies and examples from the literature. This review demonstrates the need to further explore the normative implications of responsibility and how they should be considered in adaptation governance and policy.

This article is categorized under:

Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change > Values‐Based Approach to Vulnerability and Adaptation
Filtered actuator disks: Theory and application to wind turbine models in large eddy simulation
Authors: Shapiro Carl R. , Gayme Dennice F. , Meneveau Charles
Published: July 2019

The actuator disk model (ADM) continues to be a popular wind turbine representation in large eddy simulations (LES) of large wind farms. Computational restrictions typically limit the number of grid points across the rotor of each actuator disk and require spatial filtering to smoothly distribute the applied force distribution on discrete grid points. At typical grid resolutions, simulations cannot capture all of the vorticity shed behind the disk and subsequently overpredict power by upwards of 10%. To correct these modeling errors, we propose a vortex cylinder model to quantify the shed vorticity when a filtered force distribution is applied at the actuator disk. This model is then used to derive a correction factor for numerical simulations that collapses the power curve for simulations at various filter widths and grid resolutions onto the curve obtained using axial momentum theory. The proposed correction, which is analytically derived from first principles, facilitates accurate power measurements in LES without resorting to highly refined numerical grids or empirical correction factors.
A general method to estimate wind farm power using artificial neural networks
Authors: Yan Chi , Pan Yang , Archer Cristina L.
Published: July 2019

An artificial neural network (ANN) is trained and validated using a large dataset of observations of wind speed, direction, and power generated at an offshore wind farm (Lillgrund in Sweden). In its traditional form, the ANN is used to generate a new two‐dimensional power curve, which predicts with high accuracy (bias ∼−0.5% and absolute error ∼2%) the power of the entire Lillgrund wind farm based on wind speed and direction. By contrast, manufacturers only provide one‐dimensional power curves (i.e., power as a function of wind speed) for a single turbine. The second innovative application of the ANN is the use of a geometric model (GM) to calculate two simple geometric properties to replace wind direction in the ANN. The resulting GM‐ANN has the powerful feature of being applicable to any wind farm, not just Lillgrund. A validation at an onshore wind farm (Nørrekær in Denmark) demonstrates the high accuracy (bias ∼−0.7% and absolute error ∼6%) and transfer‐learning ability of the GM‐ANN.
A review of the energy–carbon–water nexus: Concepts, research focuses, mechanisms, and methodologies
Authors: Li Hao , Zhao Yuhuan , Lin Jiang
Published: July 2019

The energy–carbon–water (ECW) nexus has aroused increasing attention worldwide, as it is very important for sustainable development of socioeconomic systems. Researchers conducted a literature review of existing studies on the ECW nexus in terms of concepts, research focuses, mechanisms, and methodologies. Current research on the ECW nexus mainly focuses on the ECW flow accounting, the impact assessment of ECW‐related policies or measures, and the description of the nexus characteristics. ECW‐related measures may lead to a variety of cobenefits: economic growth, pollutant reduction, water quality improvement, and the carbon–water trade‐off—that is, that the adoption of water‐saving cooling technologies (such as wet cooling) could increase energy use and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. ECW‐related measures could also lead to the deployment of some low‐carbon power generation technologies, such as hydro, nuclear, and biofuel that could increase power sector water use. Nexus mechanisms of existing studies are mainly aimed at a specific sector; fewer studies consider the mechanisms from an economy‐wide perspective. Integrated models, such as computable general equilibrium‐based models and input–output (IO)‐based hybrid life cycle assessment models, should be used to assess the broad socioeconomic impacts of ECW‐related measures in future, in order to inspire policymakers to design and implement effective measures for integrated ECW management.

This article is categorized under:

Energy and Climate > Economics and Policy

Concentrating Solar Power > Climate and Environment
Diversity of yeasts in the soil adjacent to fruit trees of the Rosaceae family
Authors: Vadkertiová Renáta , Dudášová Hana , Stratilová Eva , Balaščáková Marta
Published: July 2019

Yeasts are common constituents of different types of soil. Their diversity depends on the season, the type and depth of the soil, the plant species, and the locality. In this study, diversity of yeasts isolated from the soil adjacent to five fruit trees (apple, appricot, peach, pear, and plum) in two localities (in Slovakia) in four sampling periods was examined. Our results demonstrated differences in the species richness and evenness among the yeast populations, which inhabited the soil beneath individual fruit tree species in both localities. Altogether, 32 ascomycetous and 27 basidiomycetous yeast species were discovered. The highest species richness was found in the soil adjacent to the apricot trees. Galactomyces candidum, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Schwanniomyces capriottii, and Tausonia pullulans, as well as the genus Apiotrichum, were present in soil samples in all samplings. Two species of the genus Holtermanniella (H. festucosa and H. takashimae) were exclusively isolated during Sampling IV in April. Cyberlindnera spp., Clavispora reshetovae, S. capriottii, and Trichosporon asahii were found only in one of two localities. Ascomycetous yeasts were present more frequently than their basidiomycetous counterparts in the three samplings (one in June and two in October); they formed from 65.6% to 70.8% of the total yeast population, whereas basidiomycetous yeasts prevailed in the April sampling (61.2%).
Notes on entanglement wedge cross sections
Authors: Jokela Niko , Pönni Arttu
Published: July 2019

Abstract

We consider the holographic candidate for the entanglement of purification E

P
, given by the minimal cross sectional area of an entanglement wedge E

W
. The E

P
is generally very complicated quantity to obtain in field theories, thus to establish the conjectured relationship one needs to test if E

W
and E

P
share common features. In this paper the entangling regions we consider are slabs, concentric spheres, and creases in field theories in Minkowski space. The latter two can be mapped to regions in field theories defined on spheres, thus corresponding to entangled caps and orange slices, respectively. We work in general dimensions and for slabs we also consider field theories at finite temperature and confining theories. We find that E

W
is neither a monotonic nor continuous function of a scale. We also study a full ten-dimensional string theory geometry dual to a non-trivial RG flow of a three-dimensional Chern-Simons matter theory coupled to fundamentals. We show that also in this case E

W
behaves non-trivially, which if connected to E

P
, lends further support that the system can undergo purification simply by expansion or reduction in scale.
Minding the treatment gap: results of the Singapore Mental Health Study
Authors: Subramaniam Mythily , Abdin Edimansyah , Vaingankar Janhavi Ajit , Shafie Saleha , Chua Hong Choon , Tan Weng Mooi , Tan Kelvin Bryan , Verma Swapna , Heng Derrick , Chong Siow Ann
Published: July 2019

Purpose

To establish the 12-month treatment gap and its associated factors among adults with mental disorders in the Singapore resident population using data from the second Singapore Mental Health Study and to examine the changes since the last mental health survey conducted in 2010.

Methods

6126 respondents were administered selected modules of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, to assess major depressive disorder (MDD), dysthymia, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) (which included alcohol abuse and dependence). Past year treatment gap was defined as the absolute difference between the prevalence of a particular mental disorder in the past 12 months preceding the interview and those who had received treatment for that disorder.

Results

The prevalence of overall 12-month treatment gap in this population was high (78.6%). A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed significantly higher odds of treatment gap among those diagnosed with OCD (compared to those with MDD) and in those with a comorbid chronic physical disorder; while those who had primary education and below and those who were unemployed were less likely to have a treatment gap as compared to those with post-secondary education and those employed, respectively.

Conclusions

The high treatment gap in the population is concerning and highlights the need to promote help-seeking and uptake of treatment. Given the unique demographic characteristics, i.e., those with higher education and employed were more likely not to seek treatment, targeted interventions in the educational and workplace settings should be implemented.
Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Frostbite: 2019 Update
Authors: McIntosh Scott E. , Freer Luanne , Grissom Colin K. , Auerbach Paul S. , Rodway George W. , Cochran Amalia , Giesbrecht Gordon G. , McDevitt Marion , Imray Christopher H. , Johnson Eric L. , Pandey Prativa , Dow Jennifer , Hackett Peter H.
Published: July 2019

The Wilderness Medical Society convened an expert panel to develop a set of evidence-based guidelines for prevention and treatment of frostbite. We present a review of pertinent pathophysiology. We then discuss primary and secondary prevention measures and therapeutic management. Recommendations are made regarding each treatment and its role in management. These recommendations are graded on the basis of the quality of supporting evidence and balance between the benefits and risks or burdens for each modality according to methodology stipulated by the American College of Chest Physicians. This is an updated version of the guidelines published in 2014.
Sex-specific markers for waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri)
Authors: Montgomery Jacob S. , Sadeque Ahmed , Giacomini Darci A. , Brown Patrick J. , Tranel Patrick J.
Published: July 2019

Waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus(Moq.) J. D. Sauer] and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeriS. Watson) are troublesome weeds of row-crop production in the United States. Their dioecious reproductive systems ensure outcrossing, facilitating rapid evolution and distribution of resistances to multiple herbicides. Little is known, however, about the genetic basis of dioecy inAmaranthusspecies. In this work, we use restriction site–associated DNA sequencing (RAD-Seq) to investigate the genetic basis of sex determination inA. tuberculatusandA. palmeri. For each species, approximately 200 plants of each sex were sampled and used to create RAD-Seq libraries. The resulting libraries were separately bar-coded and then pooled for sequencing with the Illumina platform, yielding millions of 64-bp reads. These reads were analyzed to identify sex-specific and sex-biased sequences. We identified 345 male-specific sequences from theA. palmeridata set and 2,754 male-specific sequences inA. tuberculatus. An unexpected 723 female-specific sequences were identified in a subset of theA. tuberculatusfemales; subsequent research, however, indicated female specificity of these markers was limited to the population from which they were identified. Primer sets designed to specifically amplify male-specific sequences were tested for accuracy on multiple, geographically distinct populations ofA. tuberculatusandA. palmeri, as well as otherAmaranthusspecies. Two primer sets forA. palmeriand four primer sets forA. tuberculatuswere each able to distinguish between male and female plants with at least 95% accuracy. In the near term, sex-specific markers will be useful to theA. tuberculatusandA. palmeriresearch communities (e.g., to predict sex for crossing experiments). In the long-term, this research will provide the foundational tools for detailed investigations into the molecular biology and evolution of dioecy in weedyAmaranthusspecies.
New Insights Into Processes Controlling the δ30Si of Sinking Diatoms: A Seasonally Resolved Box Model Approach
Authors: Closset Ivia , Cardinal Damien , Trull Thomas W. , Fripiat François
Published: July 2019

In the Southern Ocean, the silicon (Si) biogeochemical cycle is dominated by processes such as the supply of Si into the surface waters, Si uptake into diatom frustules, and their subsequent dissolution and export. Due to the incomplete assimilation of the silicic acid pool (DSi) and isotopic fractionation during silicification, the Si isotopic composition (δ30Si) of biogenic silica (BSi) is closely linked to the degree of Si utilization in the mixed layer (ML). In this study, we combined modelling approaches and seasonal sediment trap records of δ30Si of exported BSi to investigate the magnitude, timing, and isotopic composition of the flux of siliceous particles transferred from the surface to the deep ocean. We implemented a box model to describe the temporal evolution of DSi and BSi concentrations and δ30Si in the ML and at depth. The model allows us to quantify fluxes of Si in and out of the ML associated with export, dissolution, and mixing. It highlights that the time‐integrated δ30Si of exported BSi measured in the sediments reflects the extent of DSi consumption at the time when net BSi production and diatom accumulation are maximal in the ML and confirms that the δ30Si of diatoms is a reliable proxy for past Si utilization.
Tree Ring Reconstructions of Stemwood Biomass Indicate Increases in the Growth Rate of Black Spruce Trees Across Boreal Forests of Canada
Authors: Hember Robbie A. , Kurz Werner A. , Girardin Martin P.
Published: July 2019

The claim that changes in atmospheric composition and climate have enhanced the growth rate of trees is prevalent in science, yet it is not supported by many recent tree ring studies. In this study, we analyzed historical time trends in stemwood biomass growth derived from black spruce (Picea mariana(Mill.) BSP) trees at 248 plots across Canada. The sample consisted of trees that were live and dominant at the time of sampling (LDS). Observations of stemwood biomass of LDS trees at a reference age of 75 years (Bsw75,LDS) increased by 154 to 321% over 1901–2001 depending on the method of trend estimation. Simulations from a calibrated individual‐based Growth and Yield model—forced with varying degrees of hypothetical trend in tree growth—were used to estimate the proportion of trend that could be attributed to intrinsic factors, including artefacts introduced by sampling from LDS trees instead of from the population of trees. Imposing no time trend in simulated tree growth, stemwood biomass of 75‐year‐old LDS trees (Bsw75,LDS,Model) increased by 63% (41 to 85% CI). We conclude that the remaining variation in growth of LDS trees (154 to 321% minus 63% = 91 to 258%) can be attributed to net extrinsic forcing. The scaling relationship between LDS and population trees further suggested that stemwood biomass growth of the population (Gsw75,POP) increased by 47 to 82%. By accounting for both natural dynamics and artefacts of the sampling design in estimation of net intrinsic forcing, we gained confidence that growth rate of black spruce trees across Canada increased significantly over 1901–2001. While growth enhancement is consistent with beneficial effects of increasing levels of reactive nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and warming, there remains uncertainty in the degree that applied procedures fully account for known sampling artefacts.
Wave Normal Angle Distribution of Fast Magnetosonic Waves: A Survey of Van Allen Probes EMFISIS Observations
Authors: Zou Zhengyang , Zuo Pingbing , Ni Binbin , Wei Fengsi , Zhao Zhengyu , Cao Xing , Fu Song , Gu Xudong
Published: July 2019

Using Van Allen Probe Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science (EMFISIS) wave observations from September 2012 to May 2018, we statistically investigate the distributions of power‐weighted wave normal angle (WNA) of fast magnetosonic (MS) waves from L = 2–6 within ±15° geomagnetic latitudes. The spatial distributions show that the MS WNAs are mainly confined within 87–89° near the geomagnetic equator and decrease with increasing magnetic latitude. Further quantitative investigation demonstrates that the WNAs normally distribute as a mixture of two Gaussian distributions ranging from 85° to 88°, and the tangent of it can decrease as a Kappa distribution function when the waves propagate to higher latitudes. Our study completes the survey of spatial distributions of MS WNAs and provides quantitative dependence of the WNA distribution on the magnetic latitude in the inner magnetosphere, which can be readily useful in future global simulations of radiation belt particle dynamics.
Multiple signaling pathways in Sertoli cells: recent findings in spermatogenesis
Authors: Ni Fei-Da , Hao Shuang-Li , Yang Wan-Xi
Published: July 2019

The functions of Sertoli cells in spermatogenesis have attracted much more attention recently. Normal spermatogenesis depends on Sertoli cells, mainly due to their influence on nutrient supply, maintenance of cell junctions, and support for germ cells’ mitosis and meiosis. Accumulating evidence in the past decade has highlighted the dominant functions of the MAPK, AMPK, and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways during spermatogenesis. Among these pathways, the MAPK signaling pathway regulates dynamics of tight junctions and adherens junctions, proliferation and meiosis of germ cells, proliferation and lactate production of Sertoli cells; the AMPK and the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways both affect dynamics of tight junctions and adherens junctions, as well as the proliferation of Sertoli cells. The AMPK signaling pathway also regulates lactate supply. These signaling pathways combine to form a complex regulatory network for spermatogenesis. In testicular tumors or infertile patients, the activities of these signaling pathways in Sertoli cells are abnormal. Clarifying the mechanisms of signaling pathways in Sertoli cells on spermatogenesis provides new insights into the physiological functions of Sertoli cells in male reproduction, and also serves as a pre-requisite to identify potential therapeutic targets in abnormal spermatogenesis including testicular tumor and male infertility.
Predictive metabolomic profiling of microbial communities using amplicon or metagenomic sequences
Authors: Mallick Himel , Franzosa Eric A. , Mclver Lauren J. , Banerjee Soumya , Sirota-Madi Alexandra , Kostic Aleksandar D. , Clish Clary B. , Vlamakis Hera , Xavier Ramnik J. , Huttenhower Curtis
Published: July 2019

Microbial community metabolomics, particularly in the human gut, are beginning to provide a new route to identify functions and ecology disrupted in disease. However, these data can be costly and difficult to obtain at scale, while amplicon or shotgun metagenomic sequencing data are readily available for populations of many thousands. Here, we describe a computational approach to predict potentially unobserved metabolites in new microbial communities, given a model trained on paired metabolomes and metagenomes from the environment of interest. Focusing on two independent human gut microbiome datasets, we demonstrate that our framework successfully recovers community metabolic trends for more than 50% of associated metabolites. Similar accuracy is maintained using amplicon profiles of coral-associated, murine gut, and human vaginal microbiomes. We also provide an expected performance score to guide application of the model in new samples. Our results thus demonstrate that this ‘predictive metabolomic’ approach can aid in experimental design and provide useful insights into the thousands of community profiles for which only metagenomes are currently available.
Dynamic shortening of disorder potentials in anharmonic halide perovskites
Authors: Gehrmann Christian , Egger David A.
Published: July 2019

Halide perovskites are semiconductors that exhibit sharp optical absorption edges and small Urbach energies allowing for efficient collection of sunlight in thin-film photovoltaic devices. However, halide perovskites also exhibit large nuclear anharmonic effects and disorder, which is unusual for efficient optoelectronic materials and difficult to rationalize in view of the small Urbach energies that indicate a low amount of disorder. To address this important issue, the disorder potential induced for electronic states by the nuclear dynamics in various paradigmatic halide perovskites is studied with molecular dynamics and density functional theory. We find that the disorder potential is dynamically shortened due to the nuclear motions in the perovskite, such that it is short-range correlated, which is shown to lead to favorable distributions of band edge energies. This dynamic mechanism allows for sharp optical absorption edges and small Urbach energies, which are highly desired properties of any solar absorber material.
Social dynamics of short term variability in key measures of household and community wellbeing in Bangladesh
Authors: Tamal Md. Ehsanul Haque , Bell Andrew R. , Killilea Mary E. , Ward Patrick S.
Published: July 2019

High-frequency social data collection may facilitate improved recall, more inclusive reporting, and improved capture of intra-period variability. Although there are examples of small studies collecting particular variables at high frequency in the social science literature, to date there have been no significant efforts to collect a wide range of variables with high frequency. We have implemented the first such effort with a smartphone-based data collection approach, systematically varying the frequency of survey task and recall period, allowing the analysis of the relative merit of high-frequency data collection for different key variables in household surveys. This study of 480 farmers from northwestern Bangladesh over approximately one year of continuous data on key measures of household and community wellbeing could be particularly useful for the design and evaluation of development interventions and policies. While the data discussed here provide a snapshot of what is possible, we also highlight their strength for providing opportunities for interdisciplinary research in the household agricultural production, practices, seasonal hunger, etc., in a low-income agrarian society.
A macaque connectome for large-scale network simulations in TheVirtualBrain
Authors: Shen Kelly , Bezgin Gleb , Schirner Michael , Ritter Petra , Everling Stefan , McIntosh Anthony R.
Published: July 2019

Models of large-scale brain networks that are informed by the underlying anatomical connectivity contribute to our understanding of the mapping between the structure of the brain and its dynamical function. Connectome-based modelling is a promising approach to a more comprehensive understanding of brain function across spatial and temporal scales, but it must be constrained by multi-scale empirical data from animal models. Here we describe the construction of a macaque (Macaca mulatta and Macaca fascicularis) connectome for whole-cortex simulations in TheVirtualBrain, an open-source simulation platform. We take advantage of available axonal tract-tracing datasets and enhance the existing connectome data using diffusion-based tractography in macaques. We illustrate the utility of the connectome as an extension of TheVirtualBrain by simulating resting-state BOLD-fMRI data and fitting it to empirical resting-state data.
Activation of KEAP1/NRF2/P62 signaling alleviates high phosphate-induced calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells by suppressing reactive oxygen species production
Authors: Wei Ran , Enaka Mayu , Muragaki Yasuteru
Published: July 2019

Vascular calcification is a complication of diseases and conditions such as chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and aging. Previous studies have demonstrated that high concentrations of inorganic phosphate (Pi) can induce oxidative stress and vascular smooth muscle cell calcification. KEAP1 (Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1)/NF-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2) signaling has been shown to play important roles in protecting cells from oxidative stress. The current study aims to investigate the possible involvement of the KEAP1/NRF2/P62 -mediated antioxidant pathway in vascular calcification induced by high Pi levels. Exposure of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) to high Pi concentrations promoted the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the nuclear translocation of NRF2, along with an increase in P62 levels and a decrease in KEAP1 levels. A classic NRF2 activator, tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ), significantly decreased ROS levels and calcium deposition in VSMCs by promoting the nuclear translocation of NRF2 and upregulating P62 and KEAP1 expression. In contrast, silencing NRF2 and P62 with siRNAs increased the levels of ROS and calcium deposition in VSMCs. In conclusion, VSMC calcification can be alleviated by the activation of the KEAP1/NRF2/P62 antioxidative pathway, which could have a protective role when it is exogenously activated by tBHQ.
Exposure of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana B.) to silver nanoparticles in vitro: transport and accumulation
Authors: Castro-González Celia G. , Sánchez-Segura Lino , Gómez-Merino Fernando C. , Bello-Bello Jericó J.
Published: July 2019

The impact of nanotechnology in the field of agricultural sciences creates the need to study in greater detail the effect of products offering nanoparticles for application in plant species of agricultural interest. The objective of this study was to determine the response of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana B.) in vitro to different concentrations of AgNPs (silver nanoparticles), as well as to characterize and identify their absorption, translocation and accumulation mechanisms. Nodal segments of stevia grown in MS medium supplemented with AgNPs (0,12.5, 25, 50,100 and 200 mg L−1) were used. After 30 days of in vitro shoot proliferation, the number of shoots per explant, shoot length, chlorophyll content, dry matter content and the metallic silver (Ag) content of the plants were quantified. In addition, characterization, transport and accumulation of silver nanoparticles were performed by microscopic analysis. AgNPs were shown to be present in epidermal stem cells, within vascular bundles and in intermembrane spaces. In leaves, they were observed in ribs and stomata. The current and future use of AgNPs in agricultural sciences opens up the possibility of studying their effects on different plant species.
Differential expression of acetylcholinesterase 1 in response to various stress factors in honey bee workers
Authors: Kim Sanghyeon , Kim Kyungmun , Lee Jae Ho , Han Seung Hee , Lee Si Hyeock
Published: July 2019

The honey bee acetylcholinesterase 1 (AmAChE1) has been suggested to be related to stress response as judged from its elevated expression level under brood rearing-suppressed conditions. To further investigate the involvement of AmAChE1 expression in the stress response and its physiological functions, we analyzed altered expression profiles of AmAChE1 induced by diverse stress factors. In addition, transcription profiles of several heat shock protein (Hsp) genes (hsps) and the vitellogenin (Vg) gene (vg) known as general stress markers were investigated as positive references. Among the tested stress conditions, AmAChE1 expression was induced under the brood rearing-suppressed, crowding and heat shock conditions. The hsps, particularly hsp70 and hsp90, responded to seven of nine stress conditions tested, confirming that hsp expression profiles can serve as a general stress marker. Taken together, AmAChE1 expression is not suitable for using as a stress marker due to its limited response. Nevertheless, AmAChE1 expression appears to be connected, at least in part, to heat shock response and other pathways. Considering that AmAChE1 likely regulates the ACh titer particularly in non-neuronal tissues, thereby modulating the signal cascades mediated by mAChR, the AmAChE1 expression profile under different conditions likely provides important information on its physiological roles in honey bees.
Application of Chaotic Laws to Improve Haplotype Assembly Using Chaos Game Representation
Authors: Olyaee Mohammad Hossein , Khanteymoori Alireza , Khalifeh Khosrow
Published: July 2019

Sequence data are deposited in the form of unphased genotypes and it is not possible to directly identify the location of a particular allele on a specific parental chromosome or haplotype. This study employed nonlinear time series modeling approaches to analyze the haplotype sequences obtained from the NGS sequencing method. To evaluate the chaotic behavior of haplotypes, we analyzed their whole sequences, as well as several subsequences from distinct haplotypes, in terms of the SNP distribution on their chromosomes. This analysis utilized chaos game representation (CGR) followed by the application of two different scaling methods. It was found that chaotic behavior clearly exists in most haplotype subsequences. For testing the applicability of the proposed model, the present research determined the alleles in gap positions and positions with low coverage by using chromosome subsequences in which 10% of each subsequence’s alleles are replaced by gaps. After conversion of the subsequences’ CGR into the coordinate series, a Local Projection (LP) method predicted the measure of ambiguous positions in the coordinate series. It was discovered that the average reconstruction rate for all input data is more than 97%, demonstrating that applying this knowledge can effectively improve the reconstruction rate of given haplotypes.
Garnet U-Pb and O isotopic determinations reveal a shear-zone induced hydrothermal system
Authors: Zang Zhongjiang , Dong Leilei , Liu Wei , Zhao Han , Wang Xinshui , Cai Keda , Wan Bo
Published: July 2019

The absolute crystallization ages of minerals from hydrothermal fluids measured in situ can unravel the timing of key events leading to the formation of, for instance, ore deposits and hydrothermally derived geological terrains. In this study, a skarn iron deposit from northwest (NW) China is shown to have U-Pb garnet and U-Pb zircon ages of 254.2 ± 1.7 Ma and 255.5 ± 1.0 Ma, respectively, which are both significantly younger than magmatism and metamorphism of the region. This skarn age instead correlates with the occurrence of strike-slip and thrust faulting in the region. The water/rock mass ratio of 0.065~0.115 suggests the δ18O garnet composition is ~1‰ at temperatures ranging from 250–450 °C. The low oxygen isotopic composition indicates the role of meteoric water in the garnet formation. These measurements can be interpreted as the shear along faults circulating meteoric water ~10 km below the hanging wall of meta-volcanic sedimentary rock. Meteoric water in this hydrothermal system would leach cations from the meta-volcano-sedimentary rocks necessary for mineralization. Silica-rich hydrothermal fluid reacts with calcic-rich materials in the meta-volcano-sedimentary rocks, depositing the garnet and magnetite. Our work suggests that the shear zone is rich in ores, rendering this deposit for NW China a prospective source for future mineral resource exploration.
Force, impulse and energy during falling with and without knee protection: an in-vitro study
Authors: Schwarze Michael , Hurschler Christof , Welke Bastian
Published: July 2019

The mechanics of protective knee padding mitigating injury from a high-force fall have not been investigated in real-life scenarios to date. This study compares the effect of wearing knee pads to unprotected impact on a hard surface. We hypothesized that knee pads reduce the force and energy transmitted to the bony structures of the knee cap compared with unprotected conditions. Eight human knee cadaver specimens were embedded and fixed with a flexion angle of 100 degrees in a custom-made drop testing device (75 kg including the knee). The usage of a knee pad led to an average peak force attenuation on impact of 15% (no pad: 5932 N SD: 2472 N; pad: 4210 N SD: 2199 N; p < 0.001). Contact time on the plate was higher with a knee pad (no pad: 0.015 s SD: 0.009 s; pad: 0.028 s SD: 0.014 s; p < 0.001). Therefore, the observed impulse was also increased (no pad: 62.2 Ns SD: 17.8 Ns; pad: 74.6 Ns SD: 18.6 Ns; p < 0.001). This effect diminished as drop height was increased. Energy dissipation, defined as the difference between kinetic energy pre-impact and peak potential energy post-impact, was higher without a knee pad (no pad: 10.5 J SD: 6.2 J; pad: 4.2 J SD: 5.0 J; p < 0.001). The results from this study illustrate the magnitude of influence that knee pads have on peak forces, transmitted impulse, and energy transfer from a high-force impact in real-life scenarios. Contrary to expectations, the knee pad did not act as a mechanical damper. The mechanical behavior more closely resembled a spring that temporarily stores energy and consequentially reduces peak forces upon impact. Based on this study, future developments in padding might benefit from focusing on the aspect of energy storage and temporarily delayed energy dissipation.