bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physiologic and pathologic effects of dietary free fatty acids on cells of the joint
Authors: Harasymowicz Natalia S. , Dicks Amanda , Wu Chia‐Lung , Guilak Farshid
Published: January 2019

Fatty acids (FAs) are potent organic compounds that not only can be used as an energy source during nutrient deprivation but are also involved in several essential signaling cascades in cells. Therefore, a balanced intake of different dietary FAs is critical for the maintenance of cellular functions and tissue homeostasis. A diet with an imbalanced fat composition creates a risk for developing metabolic syndrome and various musculoskeletal diseases, including osteoarthritis (OA). In this review, we summarize the current state of knowledge and mechanistic insights regarding the role of dietary FAs, such as saturated FAs, omega‐6 polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs), and omega‐3 PUFAs on joint inflammation and OA pathogeneses. In particular, we review how different types of dietary FAs and their derivatives distinctly affect a variety of cells within the joint, including chondrocytes, osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and synoviocytes. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of FAs on metabolic behavior, anabolic, and catabolic processes, as well as the inflammatory response of joint cells, may help identify therapeutic targets for the prevention of metabolic joint diseases.
GeoTxt: A scalable geoparsing system for unstructured text geolocation
Authors: Karimzadeh Morteza , Pezanowski Scott , MacEachren Alan M. , Wallgrün Jan O.
Published: January 2019

In this article we present GeoTxt, a scalable geoparsing system for the recognition and geolocation of place names in unstructured text. GeoTxt offers six named entity recognition (NER) algorithms for place name recognition, and utilizes an enterprise search engine for the indexing, ranking, and retrieval of toponyms, enabling scalable geoparsing for streaming text. GeoTxt offers a flexible application programming interface (API), allowing for customized attribute and/or spatial ranking of retrieved toponyms. We evaluate the system on a corpus of manually geo‐annotated tweets. First, we benchmark the performance of the six NERs that GeoTxt provides access to. Second, we assess GeoTxt toponym resolution accuracy incrementally, demonstrating improvements in toponym resolution achieved (or not achieved) by adding specific heuristics and disambiguation methods. Compared to using the GeoNames web service, GeoTxt's toponym resolution demonstrates a 20% accuracy gain. Our results show that places mentioned in the same tweet do not tend to be geographically proximate.
Tailoring Plate Thickness of a Helmholtz Resonator for Improved Sound Attenuation
Authors: Kurdi Mohammad , Nudehi Shahin , Duncan Gregory Scott
Published: January 2019

In this work, the transmission loss of a Helmholtz resonator is maximized (optimized) by allowing the resonator end plate thickness to vary for two cases: (1) a nonoptimized baseline resonator and (2) a resonator with a uniform flexible endplate that was previously optimized for transmission loss and resonator size. To accomplish this, receptance coupling techniques were used to couple a finite element model of a varying thickness resonator end plate to a mass-spring-damper model of the vibrating air mass in the resonator. Sequential quadratic programming was employed to complete a gradient-based optimization search. By allowing the end plate thickness to vary, the transmission loss of the nonoptimized baseline resonator was improved significantly, 28%. However, the transmission loss of the previously optimized resonator for transmission loss and resonator size showed minimal improvement.
Three-Dimensional Finite Element Simulations on Impact Responses of Gels With Fractional Derivative Models
Authors: Fukunaga Masataka , Fujikawa Masaki , Shimizu Nobuyuki
Published: January 2019

Fractional derivative constitutive models, developed by the present authors (CND, vol.10, 061002, 2015), are implemented into a commercial finite element (FE) software, abaqus (referred to as a computational model) for solving dynamic problems of gel-like materials. This software is used to solve impact responses of gels, and the solutions are compared with the experimental results. The FE results reproduce well the experimental acceleration and displacement data from different types of gels whose properties are characterized by the fractional order and material parameters. Thus, the computational model presented here was validated. The fractional derivative model is compared with the Simo model (Computer Method in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, 60:153–173, 1987), which is an integer order derivative model. The response of the fractional derivative model can be approximated well when appropriate parameters of the Simo model are used. In the finite element method (FEM), compressibility is introduced artificially for simulations. Interpretations are given on the compressibility of materials in the FEM.
Effect of Fluke Inclination on Behavior of Drag Anchor in Uniform Clay Under Unidirectional and Combined Loading
Authors: Wu Xiaoni , Chow Yean Khow , Leung Chun Fai
Published: January 2019

Prediction of trajectory of drag anchor is important for the design and selection of drag anchor. Prediction based on yield envelope characterizing the anchor behavior under combined loading provides a promising method. However, the existing application of the yield envelope method ignores the effect of the fluke inclination angle by assuming a horizontally placed anchor fluke. This study aims to investigate the behavior of inclined fluke, which is the practical case during installation. The effects of the fluke inclination angle and embedment depth ratio on the anchor behavior in uniform clay under unidirectional loading and combined loading are investigated. It is found that the effect of the fluke inclination angle on the unidirectional capacity factors is mainly for anchor with embedment depth ratio less than 3. This results in the large difference of the size of the yield envelopes for fluke with same smaller embedment depth ratio but different fluke inclination angle, while the effect is minor on the shape of the yield envelope for such cases. However, there is large difference in the shape and size of the shallow yield envelopes for fluke with different embedment depth ratios and inclination angles.
Thickness dependences of acoustic bandgaps with different generation mechanisms in phononic crystals immersed in water
Authors: Kang Hwi Suk , Kim Wan-Gu , Yoon Suk Wang , Lee Kang Il
Published: January 2019

The thickness dependences of acoustic bandgaps were theoretically and experimentally investigated in two-dimensional phononic crystals (PCs) immersed in water. The acoustic pressure transmission coefficients were measured as a function of the PC thickness in order to understand the characteristics of the transmission loss through the PCs. The acoustic bandgaps can be classified into two types of generation mechanisms from the perspective of acoustic diffraction modes: Bragg bandgap and non-zeroth order diffraction (NZOD) bandgap. The NZOD bandgaps show larger transmission losses and shorter decay lengths with increasing PC thickness than the Bragg bandgaps.
Prokaryotic Community Structure of Long-Term Fertilization Field Andisols in Central Japan
Authors: Mise Kazumori , Moro Hitoshi , Kunito Takashi , Senoo Keishi , Otsuka Shigeto
Published: January 2019

Long-term fertilization experiments are a useful way to elucidate the impacts of fertilization on soil ecosystems. Here, we report the prokaryotic community structure in experimental field soil after 80 years of successive fertilization.
Faster oxygen uptake, heart rate, and ventilatory kinetics in stepping compared with cycle ergometry in patients with COPD during moderate-intensity exercise
Authors: Müller Paulo de Tarso , Nogueira João Henrique Zardetti , Augusto Tiago Rodrigues de Lemos , Chiappa Gaspar Rogério
Published: January 2019

Step tests are a stressful and feasible cost-effective modality to evaluate aerobic performance. However, the eccentric in addition to concentric muscle contractions of the legs on stepping emerge as a potential speeding factor for cardioventilatory and metabolic adjustments towards a steady-state, since eccentric contractions would prompt an earlier and stronger mechanoreceptor activation, as well as higher heart rate/cardiac output adjustments to the same metabolic demand. Moreover, shorter tests are ideal for exercise-limited subjects. Nine subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were invited to participate in comprehensive lung function tests and constant work tests performed on different days at a 90% gas exchange threshold for 6 min, in single-step tests or cycle ergometry. After careful monoexponential regression modelling, statistically relevant faster phase II time constants for oxygen uptake (45 ± 18 s vs 53 ± 17 s, p = 0.017) and minute ventilation (61 ± 13 s vs 74 ± 17 s, p = 0.027) were observed in the 6-min step tests compared with cycle ergometry, respectively. Despite an absence of heart rate time constant difference (43 ± 20 s vs 69 ± 46 s, p = 0.167), there was a significantly faster rate constant toward a steady state for heart rate (p = 0.02). In addition, 4-min compared with 6-min analysis presented similar results (p > 0.05), providing an appropriate steady-state. We conclude that step tests might elicit faster time constants compared with cycle ergometry, at the same average metabolic level, and 4-min analysis has similar mean errors compared with 6-min analysis within an acceptable range. New studies, comprising mechanisms and detailed physiological backgrounds, are necessary.
Lie point symmetries exact solutions and conservation laws of perturbed Zakharov–Kuznetsov equation with higher-order dispersion term
Authors: Ali Muhammad Nasir , Seadawy Aly R. , Husnine Syed Muhammad
Published: January 2019

In this paper, Zakharov–Kuznetsov equation is investigated for exact solutions and conservation laws. The well-known Zakharov–Kuznetsov equation contains third-order dispersion, so its validity is restricted to the waves of small amplitudes only. When the amplitude of the wave increases, the velocity and the width of the soliton deviate from the prediction of this equation. To overcome this deficiency, higher-order dispersion term is added to the Zakharov–Kuznetsov equation. We obtain Lie point symmetries and conservation laws for this new model. Wave transformation is applied to convert the nonlinear partial differential equation into another nonlinear ordinary differential equation. Then exact solutions are computed for this with sine–cosine method and modified Kudryashov methods. Obtained solutions are new and are of significant importance in the field of plasma physics.
Light propagation and optical scalars in torsion theories of gravity
Authors: Akhshabi Siamak
Published: January 2019

We investigate the propagation of light rays and evolution of optical scalars in gauge theories of gravity where torsion is present. Recently, the modified Raychaudhuri equation in the presence of torsion has been derived. We use this result to derive the basic equations of geometric optics for several different interesting solutions of the Poincaré gauge theory of gravity. The results show that the focusing effects for neighboring light rays will be different than general relativity. This in turn has practical consequences in the study of gravitational lensing effects and also in determining the angular diameter distance for cosmological objects.
Temperature dependence of conduction and low frequency noise characteristics in hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin film transistors
Authors: Zhong Kai , Liu Yuan , Cai Shu-Ting , Xiong Xiao-Ming
Published: January 2019

The transfer and low frequency noise characteristics of hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin film transistors (a-Si:H TFTs) were measured in the temperature range of 230–430 K. The variation of threshold voltage, field effect mobility and sub-threshold swing with increasing temperatures were then extracted and analyzed. Moreover, the shifts of low frequency noise in the a-Si:H TFT under various temperatures are reported for the first time. The variation of flatband voltage noise power spectral density with temperature is also calculated and discussed.
Characteristics of the breathers, rogue waves and soliton waves in a (2 + 1)-dimensional generalized Nizhnik–Novikov–Veselov equation
Authors: Wang Xiu-Bin , Han Bo
Published: January 2019

In this work, a (2 + 1)-dimensional generalized Nizhnik–Novikov–Veselov (GNNV) equation, which can be reduced to several integrable equations, is under investigation. By virtue of Bell’s polynomials, an effective and straightforward way is presented to succinctly construct its two bilinear forms. Furthermore, based on the bilinear formalism and the extended homoclinic test, the breather wave solution, rogue-wave solution and solitary-wave solution of the equation are well constructed. The results can be used to enrich the dynamical behavior of the (2 + 1)-dimensional nonlinear wave fields.
Statistical analysis of the stability of bus vehicles based on GPS trajectory data
Authors: Zhang Hui , Shi Baiying , Song Shuguang , Zhao Quanman , Yao Xiangming , Wang Wei
Published: January 2019

High quality bus service is considered as an efficient way to mitigate traffic congestion in big cities. Global positioning system (GPS) data provide sufficient sources to evaluate the performance of bus vehicles that both passengers and operator concern about. This paper aims to propose a framework to assess the operational performance of bus routes based on the GPS trajectory data collected from Jinan, China. Several important indicators of bus operation including travel time of routes, section running time, dwell time and bus bunching have been studied. The results show that the travel time of routes follow right skewed distributions. Moreover, section running time between two consecutive stations varies in different time period and it is larger in evening peak hours. Additionally, the dwell time has been discussed and the results show that there is no big variation in most stations except some stations, which provides a help to identify the key stations. Furthermore, we propose an approach to detect the bunching points. The results indicate the bunching points are easy to occur in the peak hours and the congested road section.
An analytical method for soliton solutions of perturbed Schrödinger’s equation with quadratic-cubic nonlinearity
Authors: Ghanbari Behzad , Raza Nauman
Published: January 2019

In this study, we acquire some new exact traveling wave solutions to the nonlinear Schrödinger’s equation in the presence of Hamiltonian perturbations. The compendious integration tool, generalized exponential rational function method (GERFM), is utilized in the presence of quadratic-cubic nonlinear media. The obtained results depict the efficiency of the proposed scheme and are being reported for the first time.
Optical solitons for paraxial wave equation in Kerr media
Authors: Ali Kashif , Rizvi Syed Tahir Raza , Nawaz Badar , Younis Muhammad
Published: January 2019

This paper retrieves Jacobi elliptic, periodic, bright and singular solitons for paraxial nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE) in Kerr media. We use extended trial equation method to obtain these solitons solutions. For the existence of the soliton solutions, constraint conditions are also presented.
The magnetocaloric effect of a paramagnetic salt from the point of view of Tsallis thermostatistics
Authors: de Oliveira Isaías G. , de Araújo Moisés M. , Abreu Everton M. C. , Neves M. J.
Published: January 2019

In this work, we have studied the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) of a paramagnetic salt under the view of the Tsallis thermostatistics formalism. In order to model the paramagnetic salt we have used the simple two-level model. Within this model, it is possible to realize the role of the Tsallis parameter q for all thermodynamics variables calculated here, i.e. the internal energy, the specific heat, the entropy, and the magnetocaloric potential. The main result presented in this work is the relation between the total heat related to the MCE and the q-parameter of the Tsallis theory. There is a threshold value of q where, above this value, the total heat change is constant for all q while below this value, there is a quick decreasing.
Effect of Mg dopant on SnO2 thin films grown by spray pyrolysis technique
Authors: İskenderoğlu Demet , Güney Harun
Published: January 2019

The undoped and magnesium (Mg)-doped Tin (IV) oxide (SnO2) thin films were grown on glass substrate by spray pyrolysis technique. In order to observe the effect on the optical, structural, morphological, and hydrogen (H2) gas answer properties of SnO2 by Mg doping, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), ultraviolet–visible (UV) spectrometer, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and hydrogen (H2) gas, measurements were taken. The absorption measurements of undoped and Mg-doped SnO2 thin films demonstrated that band gaps varied with the changing Mg dopant ratio and this variation may be from Burstein–Moss (BM) effect. XRD measurements showed that the samples were tetragonal structures and have (110), (101), (200), (211), (220), (310) planes. The surface morphology of SnO2 showed that samples was affected considerably by Mg dopant. The H2 gas sensor response improves with the increase of 1%, 2% and 3% Mg doping ratio in SnO2.
Effects of symmetrical potential on particle transport in the presence of a periodic channel
Authors: Guo Peirong , Xu Wei , Wang Haiyan
Published: January 2019

In this paper, we aim to investigate influences of an asymmetrical potential on particle transport in the presence of a periodic channel by calculating particle current and effective diffusion coefficient. First, influences of external force on transport behaviors are researched. Results reveal that with the increase of the external force, particle current increases, and the effective diffusion coefficient decreases first and then increases. That is, large external forces can promote the movement of particles. Second, influences of potential asymmetry and amplitude on particle transport are studied. These two factors have a more complex mechanism of influence on particle transport. For example, an increase of positive amplitude value leads to a decrease of particle current, while a negative value makes particle current increase first and then decreases. In other words, the effect of amplitude depends on its sign and value. For positive amplitude, the larger its value is, the greater the suppression effect on particle transport. While for negative amplitude, as its value increases, it promotes particle transport. When its value increased to a certain extent, the effect of the amplitude on the particle motion changes from promotion to suppression. For asymmetry, it can promote particle transport for positive amplitude while suppress the transport for negative amplitude. These results can provide some bases for understanding biological systems and controlling particle transport.
Breaking symmetry in focusing nonlinear Klein-Gordon equations with potential
Authors: Georgiev Vladimir , Lucente Sandra
Published: January 2019

We study the dynamics for the focusing nonlinear Klein–Gordon equation, [Formula: see text] with positive radial potential [Formula: see text] and initial data in the energy space. Under suitable assumption on the potential, we establish the existence and uniqueness of the ground state solution. This enables us to define a threshold size for the initial data that separates global existence and blow-up. An appropriate Gagliardo–Nirenberg inequality gives a critical exponent depending on [Formula: see text]. For subcritical exponent and subcritical energy global existence vs blow-up conditions are determined by a comparison between the nonlinear term of the energy solution and the nonlinear term of the ground state energy. For subcritical exponents and critical energy some solutions blow-up, other solutions exist for all time due to the decomposition of the energy space of the initial data into two complementary domains.
Low-Resource Machine Transliteration Using Recurrent Neural Networks
Authors: Le Ngoc Tan , Sadat Fatiha , Menard Lucie , Dinh Dien
Published: January 2019

Grapheme-to-phoneme models are key components in automatic speech recognition and text-to-speech systems. With low-resource language pairs that do not have available and well-developed pronunciation lexicons, grapheme-to-phoneme models are particularly useful. These models are based on initial alignments between grapheme source and phoneme target sequences. Inspired by sequence-to-sequence recurrent neural network--based translation methods, the current research presents an approach that applies an alignment representation for input sequences and pretrained source and target embeddings to overcome the transliteration problem for a low-resource languages pair. Evaluation and experiments involving French and Vietnamese showed that with only a small bilingual pronunciation dictionary available for training the transliteration models, promising results were obtained with a large increase in BLEU scores and a reduction in Translation Error Rate (TER) and Phoneme Error Rate (PER). Moreover, we compared our proposed neural network--based transliteration approach with a statistical one.
Advances in Spray-Drying Encapsulation of Food Bioactive Ingredients: From Microcapsules to Nanocapsules
Authors: Assadpour Elham , Jafari Seid Mahdi
Published: January 2019

Many natural food bioactive ingredients are sensitive to processing and environmental conditions and thus it is necessary to improve their stability to create products with long shelf lives. Encapsulation by spray drying is a widely used economical strategy to tackle this issue, and many scientists and manufacturers are using it in their research, development, and production activities. In this review, the spray-drying process is described, as are recent trends in the encapsulation of fish oils, essential fatty acids, probiotics, phenolic compounds, and natural food colorants. The formulation and process conditions used in previous research and the results obtained are tabulated. Also, new innovations in bioactive encapsulation using nano–spray drying are described.
TRPV2 channels mediate insulin secretion induced by cell swelling in mouse pancreatic β-cells
Authors: Sawatani Toshiaki , Kaneko Yukiko K. , Doutsu Isao , Ogawa Ai , Ishikawa Tomohisa
Published: January 2019

β-Cell swelling induces membrane depolarization, which has been suggested to be caused at least partly by the activation of cation channels. Here, we show the identification of the cation channels. In isolated mouse pancreatic β-cells, the exposure to 30% hypotonic solution elicited an increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c). The [Ca2+]c elevation was partially inhibited by ruthenium red, a blocker of several Ca2+-permeable channels including transient receptor potential vanilloid receptors [transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V (TRPV)], and by nicardipine, but not by the depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores with thapsigargin and caffeine. The hypotonic stimulation also increased insulin secretion from isolated mouse islets, which was significantly suppressed by ruthenium red. Expression of TRPV2 and TRPV4 was confirmed in mouse pancreatic islets and the MIN6 β-cell line by RT-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemical analyses. However, neither 4α-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate nor GSK1016790A, TRPV4 activators, showed any apparent effect on [Ca2+]c in isolated mouse β-cells or in MIN6 cells. In contrast, probenecid, a TRPV2 activator, induced an increase in [Ca2+]c in MIN6 cells, which was attenuated by ruthenium red. Moreover, the [Ca2+]c elevation induced by 30% hypotonic stimulation was significantly reduced by knockdown of TRPV2 with siRNA and by tranilast, a TRPV2 inhibitor. The knockdown of TRPV2 also decreased insulin secretion induced by the hypotonic stimulation. In addition, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was also significantly reduced in the TRPV2-knockdown MIN6 cells. These results suggest that osmotic cell swelling activates TRPV2 in mouse β-cells, thereby causing membrane depolarization and subsequent activation of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels and insulin secretion.
Inhibition of Smurf2 translation by miR-322/503 protects from ischemia-reperfusion injury by modulating EZH2/Akt/GSK3β signaling
Authors: Dong Wei , Xie Fei , Chen Xuan-Ying , Huang Wei-Lin , Zhang Yu-Zhen , Luo Wen-Bo , Chen Jin , Xie Ming-Tuan , Peng Xiao-Ping
Published: January 2019

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) is a common and lethal disease that threatens people’s life worldwide. The underlying mechanisms are under intensive study and yet remain unclear. Here, we explored the function of miR-322/503 in myocardial I/R injury. We used isolated rat perfused heart as an in vivo model and H9c2 cells subjected with the oxygen and glucose deprivation followed by reperfusion as in vitro model to study myocardial I/R injury. 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was used to measure the infarct size, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP-mediated nick-end label (TUNEL) staining was used to examine apoptosis. Quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot were used to determine expression levels of miR-322/503, Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor 2 (Smurf2), enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), p-Akt, and p-GSK3β. Overexpression of miR-322/503 decreased infarct size, inhibited cell apoptosis, and promoted cell proliferation through upregualtion of p-Akt and p-GSK3β. Thus the expression of miR-322/503 was reduced during I/R process. On the molecular level, miR-322/503 directly bound Smurf2 mRNA and suppressed its translation. Smurf2 ubiquitinated EZH2 and degraded EZH2, which could activate Akt/GSK3β signaling. Our study demonstrates that miR-322/503 plays a beneficial role in myocardial I/R injury. By inhibition of Smurf2 translation, miR-322/503 induces EZH2 expression and activates Akt/GSK3β pathway, thereby protecting cells from ischemia reperfusion injury.
Smooth muscle cell-specific knockout of neuropilin-1 impairs postnatal lung development and pathological vascular smooth muscle cell accumulation
Authors: Mahmoud Marwa , Evans Ian M. , Mehta Vedanta , Pellet-Many Caroline , Paliashvili Ketevan , Zachary Ian
Published: January 2019

Neuropilin 1 (NRP1) is important for neuronal and cardiovascular development due to its role in conveying class 3 semaphorin and vascular endothelial growth factor signaling, respectively. NRP1 is expressed in smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and mediates their migration and proliferation in cell culture and is implicated in pathological SMC remodeling in vivo. To address the importance of Nrp1 for SMC function during development, we generated conditional inducible Nrp1 SMC-specific knockout mice. Induction of early postnatal SMC-specific Nrp1 knockout led to pulmonary hemorrhage associated with defects in alveogenesis and revealed a specific requirement for Nrp1 in myofibroblast recruitment to the alveolar septae and PDGF-AA-induced migration in vitro. Furthermore, SMC-specific Nrp1 knockout inhibited PDGF-BB-stimulated SMC outgrowth ex vivo in aortic ring assays and reduced pathological arterial neointima formation in vivo. In contrast, we observed little significant effect of SMC-specific Nrp1 knockout on neonatal retinal vascularization. Our results point to a requirement of Nrp1 in vascular smooth muscle and myofibroblast function in vivo, which may have relevance for postnatal lung development and for pathologies characterized by excessive SMC and/or myofibroblast proliferation.
Exercise training impacts skeletal muscle gene expression related to the kynurenine pathway
Authors: Allison David J. , Nederveen Joshua P. , Snijders Tim , Bell Kirsten E. , Kumbhare Dinesh , Phillips Stuart M. , Parise Gianni , Heisz Jennifer J.
Published: January 2019

Exercise positively impacts mood and symptoms of depression; however, the mechanisms underlying these effects are not fully understood. Recent evidence highlights a potential role for skeletal muscle-derived transcription factors to influence tryptophan metabolism, along the kynurenine pathway, which has important implications in depression. This has important consequences for older adults, whose age-related muscle deterioration may influence this pathway and may increase their risk for depression. Although exercise training has been shown to improve skeletal muscle mass in older adults, whether this also translates into improvements in transcription factors and metabolites related to the kynurenine pathway has yet to be examined. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of a 12-wk exercise program on skeletal muscle gene expression of transcription factors, kynurenine aminotransferase (KAT) gene expression, and plasma concentrations of tryptophan metabolites (kynurenines) in healthy older men over 65 yr of age. Exercise training significantly increased skeletal muscle gene expression of transcription factors (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-δ: 1.77, 1.99, 2.18-fold increases, respectively, P < 0.01] and KAT isoforms 1–4 (6.5, 2.1, 2.2, and 2.6-fold increases, respectively, P ≤ 0.01). Concentrations of plasma kynurenines were not altered. These results demonstrate that 12 wk of exercise training significantly altered skeletal muscle gene expression of transcription factors and gene expression related to the kynurenine pathway, but not circulating kynurenine metabolites in older men. These findings warrant future research to determine whether distinct exercise modalities or varying intensities could induce a shift in the kynurenine pathway in depressed older adults.
A comparison of neural responses in the primary auditory cortex, amygdala, and medial prefrontal cortex of cats during auditory discrimination tasks
Authors: Zhao Zhenling , Ma Lanlan , Wang Yifei , Qin Ling
Published: January 2019

Discriminating biologically relevant sounds is crucial for survival. The neurophysiological mechanisms that mediate this process must register both the reward significance and the physical parameters of acoustic stimuli. Previous experiments have revealed that the primary function of the auditory cortex (AC) is to provide a neural representation of the acoustic parameters of sound stimuli. However, how the brain associates acoustic signals with reward remains unresolved. The amygdala (AMY) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) play keys role in emotion and learning, but it is unknown whether AMY and mPFC neurons are involved in sound discrimination or how the roles of AMY and mPFC neurons differ from those of AC neurons. To examine this, we recorded neural activity in the primary auditory cortex (A1), AMY, and mPFC of cats while they performed a Go/No-go task to discriminate sounds with different temporal patterns. We found that the activity of A1 neurons faithfully coded the temporal patterns of sound stimuli; this activity was not affected by the cats’ behavioral choices. The neural representation of stimulus patterns decreased in the AMY, but the neural activity increased when the cats were preparing to discriminate the sound stimuli and waiting for reward. Neural activity in the mPFC did not represent sound patterns, but it showed a clear association with reward and was modulated by the cats’ behavioral choices. Our results indicate that the initial auditory representation in A1 is gradually transformed into a stimulus–reward association in the AMY and mPFC to ultimately generate a behavioral choice.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY We compared the characteristics of neural activities of primary auditory cortex (A1), amygdala (AMY), and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) while cats were performing the same auditory discrimination task. Our results show that there is a gradual transformation of the neural code from a faithful temporal representation of the stimulus in A1, which is insensitive to behavioral choices, to an association with the predictive reward in AMY and mPFC, which, to some extent, is correlated with the animal’s behavioral choice.
Saccade selection and inhibition: motor and attentional components
Authors: Jonikaitis Donatas , Dhawan Saurabh , Deubel Heiner
Published: January 2019

Motor responses are fundamentally spatial in their function and neural organization. However, studies of inhibitory motor control, focused on global stopping of all actions, have ignored whether inhibitory control can be exercised selectively for specific actions. We used a new approach to elicit and measure motor inhibition by asking human participants to either look at (select) or avoid looking at (inhibit) a location in space. We found that instructing a location to be avoided resulted in an inhibitory bias specific to that location. When compared with the facilitatory bias observed in the Look task, it differed significantly in both its spatiotemporal dynamics and its modulation of attentional processing. While action selection was evident in oculomotor system and interacted with attentional processing, action inhibition was evident mainly in the oculomotor system. Our findings suggest that action inhibition is implemented by spatially specific mechanisms that are separate from action selection.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY We show that cognitive control of saccadic responses evokes separable action selection and inhibition processes. Both action selection and inhibition are represented in the saccadic system, but only action selection interacts with the attentional system.
Beverage Intake and Its Effect on Body Weight Status among WIC Preschool-Age Children
Authors: Charvet Andrea , Huffman Fatma G.
Published: January 2019

Given the prevalence and consequences of childhood obesity, efforts are being made to identify risk factors and design evidence-based interventions to reduce its impact. Food and beverage consumption habits are established early in life, making preschool-age children an important group to focus on. This cross-sectional study explored beverage intake and its association with body weight status among low-income preschool-age children enrolled in the Special Supplementation Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Authorized representatives for children between the ages of 3 and 4.9 years were interviewed at WIC clinics in Broward County, Florida. Anthropometric data were collected from the WIC data system. The intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), particularly fruit drinks, was significantly higher in overweight/obese children when compared with their under/normal weight counterparts. Independent of body weight status, the preschool-age children were consuming on average over twice as much as the recommended intake of 100% fruit juice per day for that age group. Close to 80% of the overweight/obese children consumed low-fat or fat-free milk most often than any other type of milk. The intake of SSB was positively correlated with both the intakes of 100% fruit juice and milk, and negatively correlated with the intake of water. When body weight status, race/ethnicity, and intake of other beverages were held constant, SSB intake was positively associated with milk intake and negatively associated with water intake. Results from this study support the need to encourage water intake and discourage SSB intake in an effort to reduce the risk for overweight and obesity in WIC-participating preschool-age children. Emphasizing the need to follow the recommendation to limit 100% fruit juice intake to 4 to 6 oz. per day is important when counseling families with young children. Efforts to increase awareness of the health consequences associated with consuming high-fat milk should continue.
A Straightforward and High-Yielding Synthesis of 1,2,4-Oxadiazoles from Chiral N-Protected α-Amino Acids and Amidoximes in Acetone-Water: An Eco-Friendly Approach
Authors: Sauer André C. , Wolf Lucas , Quoos Natália , Rodrigues Mariele B. , Braga Antônio L. , Rodrigues Oscar E. D. , Dornelles Luciano
Published: January 2019

A straightforward and high-yielding methodology for the synthesis of a high structural diversity of 1,2,4-oxadiazoles from different chiral N-protected α-amino acids and amidoximes under microwave (MW) irradiation is described herein. This greener approach gives the desired products using acetone/water as solvent in very short reaction times.
Identification of Genes Regulating Breast Cancer Dormancy in 3D Bone Endosteal Niche Cultures
Authors: McGrath Julie , Panzica Louis , Ransom Ryan , Withers Henry G. , Gelman Irwin H.
Published: January 2019

Tumor cell dormancy is a significant clinical problem in breast cancer. We used a three-dimensional (3D) in vitro model of the endosteal bone niche (EN), consisting of endothelial, bone marrow stromal cells, and fetal osteoblasts in a 3D collagen matrix (GELFOAM), to identify genes required for dormancy. Human triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, but not the bone-tropic metastatic variant, BoM1833, established dormancy in 3D-EN cultures in a p38-MAPK–dependent manner, whereas both cell types proliferated on two-dimensional (2D) plastic or in 3D collagen alone. “Dormancy-reactivation suppressor genes” (DRSG) were identified using a genomic short hairpin RNA (shRNA) screen in MDA-MB-231 cells for gene knockdowns that induced proliferation in the 3D-EN. DRSG candidates enriched for genes controlling stem cell biology, neurogenesis, MYC targets, ribosomal structure, and translational control. Several potential DRSG were confirmed using independent shRNAs, including BHLHE41, HBP1, and WNT3. Overexpression of the WNT3/a antagonists secreted frizzled-related protein 2 or 4 (SFRP2/4) and induced MDA-MB-231 proliferation in the EN. In contrast, overexpression of SFRP3, known not to antagonize WNT3/a, did not induce proliferation. Decreased WNT3 or BHLHE41 expression was found in clinical breast cancer metastases compared with primary-site lesions, and the loss of WNT3 or BHLHE41 or gain of SFRP1, 2, and 4 in the context of TP53 loss/mutation correlated with decreased progression-free and overall survival.

Implications:

These data describe several novel, potentially targetable pathways controlling breast cancer dormancy in the EN.
Large Cell Acanthoma of the Conjunctiva: Clinicopathologic and Immunohistochemical Features
Authors: Jakobiec Frederick A. , Cortes Barrantes Paula , Ma Lina , Mandeville John
Published: January 2019

Large cell acanthoma (LCA) was first described as a lesion on sun-exposed skin. All LCAs feature keratinocytes twice the size of normal cells (cytomegaly). Although infrequently diagnosed in the skin, it has been even more rarely described by ophthalmic pathologists in the eyelid skin and the conjunctiva. This report describes the third case of a conjunctival epithelial LCA, with the first published clinical photograph highlighting its leukoplakic and well-circumscribed character, as well as the most thorough analysis of the immunohistochemical features of this lesion. It is contrasted with squamous dysplasias and papillomas of the conjunctiva. A review of previous conjunctival LCA lesions discloses frequent recurrences after initial surgery and the remote but real potential for squamous dysplastic transformation. Immunohistochemical stains for certain cytokeratins, p53, and Ki-67 (proliferation index) will in the future be particularly helpful in establishing an early and accurate diagnosis of conjunctival LCA.
A Novel Model of Chronic Kidney Disease in Rats: Dietary Adenine in Combination with Unilateral Nephrectomy
Authors: Muñoz Abellán Cristina , Mangold-Gehring Sandra , Micus Sina , Beddies Gerald , Moritz Andreas , Hartmann Elke , Lehmann Waldemar , Eitner Frank
Published: January 2019

Background: Adenine at 0.75% in the diet (AD) triggers renal impairment in rats. This model of kidney disease is largely reversible when AD feeding is stopped. Testing of novel drugs parallel to AD administration may result in unwanted interference. Objectives: We hypothesized that combining AD with unilateral nephrectomy (UNx) would result in progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD) even after cessation of AD. Methods: In an explorative study, 16 rats with UNx (AD-1K rats) and 10 sham-operated rats (AD-2K rats) received AD-supplemented feed for 3 weeks, followed by 4 weeks of standard chow. Ten sham-operated rats receiving only standard chow served as controls. Laboratory parameters in blood and urine were frequently assessed during and after cessation of AD feeding. Comprehensive pathological examinations were performed in all rats at the end of the experiment. Results: Rats with UNx were more affected by impaired glomerular filtration rate, anemia, hyperphosphatemia, and hypocalcemia. After cessation of AD feeding, recovery was poorest in AD-1K rats, paralleled by increased proteinuria indicative of progressive CKD. Scores in histopathological damage of the kidneys indicative of CKD were seen in both AD-fed groups, with key parameters being more affected in AD-1K rats. Histopathological changes in the heart were most prominent in AD-1K rats. Conclusions: Combining AD feeding with UNx provides a time window after cessation of AD feeding for the testing of drugs without interference. Our findings in rats may have implications for research in other target animal species as well.
Myxidium finnmarchicum n. sp. (Myxosporea: Myxidiidae) from the gall bladder of whiting Merlangius merlangus (L.) (Pisces: Teleostei) in North Norway
Authors: MACKENZIE KEN , COLLINS CATHERINE , KALAVATI CHAGANTI , HEMMINGSEN WILLY
Published: January 2019

A new species of myxosporean is described from the gall bladder of whiting Merlangius merlangus (L.) (Pisces: Teleostei) caught at the northernmost extremity of the range of this fish off the northwest coast of Finnmark county, North Norway. The new species, Myxidium finnmarchicum, is described morphologically and genetically and compared with other similar species of Myxidium reported from the gall bladders of gadid fish in the North Atlantic - M. sphaericum, M. gadi and M. bergense. Both the morphological and molecular descriptions support the status of Myxidium finnmarchicum as a new species. Myxidium sphaericum is a parasite of whiting in the North Sea, but the two species are separated geographically by an intervening area in the northern North Sea north of 58° N where no whiting has been found infected with any species of Myxidium. Based upon 18S rRNA analysis, M. finnmarchicum shows closest sequence identity to M. gadi. The confusion in the literature regarding the validity and host specificities of M. sphaericum, M. gadi, M. bergense and M. incurvatum is highlighted and discussed. We suggest that a more detailed investigation of the range of morphological and molecular variation in these parasites from their various reported host species is required.
A new species of miniature catfish from the Malay Peninsula (Teleostei: Bagridae: Nanobagrus)
Authors: NG HEOK HEE
Published: January 2019

Nanobagrus lemniscatus, a new species of miniature bagrid catfish from the Malay Peninsula is described here. It can be distinguished from congeners in having the following combination of characters: large cream patches on a brown body frequently coalescing to form broad transverse band, length of adipose-fin base 24.0–27.1% SL, body depth at anus 13.1–14.0% SL, 35–36 vertebrae, pectoral spine with length 16.1–18.7% SL and 7–9 serrations on its posterior margin, and a convex neurocranium. Nanobagrus stellatus is also recorded from the Malay Peninsula for the first time in this study.
A revision of the genus Podaena Ordish (Insecta: Coleoptera: Hydraenidae)
Authors: DELGADO JUAN A. , PALMA RICARDO L.
Published: January 2019

The New Zealand endemic genus Podaena Ordish, 1984 is revised. Eleven species are recognized of which four are described as new, and the remainder redescribed. The new species are: Podaena aotea from Great Barrier Island, Podaena hauturu from Little Barrier Island, Podaena mariae from the west coast of the South Island, and Podaena moanaiti from Lake Waikaremoana. The most useful characters to separate species are the shape of the maxillary palps and the shape and chaetotaxy of the foretibiae in males; these characters are illustrated for all the species. Unlike most genera of Hydraenidae, male genitalia in Podaena are not diagnostic for all species. The known geographical distribution of some species is expanded, and the complete collecting data for the type series of all the species described by Ordish (1984) are given, together with distribution maps.
Three new species of earthworms belonging to the genus Amynthas (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae) from Hainan Island, China
Authors: SUN JING , ZHAO QI , QIU JIANG-PING
Published: January 2019

This paper describes three new species of earthworms from Hainan Island, China: Amynthas trapezoides sp. nov., Amynthas conchipapillatus sp. nov. and Amynthas dongfangensis sp. nov. Amynthas trapezoides has no pigment, and has two pairs of spermathecal pores in 6/7 and 7/8 arranged trapezoidally near the mid-ventral line, a complicated glandular region on ventral side of 1/2XVII–1/4XIX, developed prostates and repeatedly curved prostatic ducts close to ventral midline. Amynthas conchipapillatus sp. nov. has no pigment, and has a pair of large convex smooth shellfish-like papillae in male pore region, only one pair of spermathecal pores in 5/6 and undeveloped thin prostates which closely adherent to the body wall. Amynthas dongfangensis sp. nov. has a pair of male pores on the centre of a flat-topped conical protuberance surrounded by three to five circular folds, and five pairs of spermathecal pores in 4/5–8/9.
Nephtyidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) from southern Europe
Authors: RAVARA ASCENSÃO , CUNHA MARINA R. , PLEIJEL FREDRIK
Published: January 2019

Eighteen nephtyid species belonging to four different genera are known from southern Europe. In this study we revise the nephtyids from this area and provide descriptions of all the known species. Geographical and bathymetrical distributions are given, together with ecological notes. Inermonephtys foretmontardoi, new species, is described, Micronephthys maryae is newly synonymized with M. stammeri and Aglaophamus rubellus with A. agilis. New diagnoses are provided for southern European genera and a key to all species from the region is included.
Type locality and identity of Acrossocheilus kreyenbergii (Regan, 1908), a senior synonym of Acrossocheilus cinctus (Lin, 1931) (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)
Authors: YUAN LE–YANG , ZHANG E
Published: January 2019

Although Acrossocheilus kreyenbergii has been treated as a valid species since its original description, the type locality and identity of this species have hitherto remained uncertain. It is shown in this study that its precise location of ‘Tinghsiang’ or ‘Pinghsiang,’ the type locality of Gymnostoma kreyenbergii Regan, is the present Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province, in the Gan Jiang, a tributary flowing to the Boyang Lake system, or in the Yangtze River drainage. Observation of the type specimens of this species and further comparison with those of other barred congeners reveal that G. kreyenbergii is in fact a senior synonym of Barbus cinctus Lin.
The Influence of Vertical Wind Shear on the Evolution of Mountain-Wave Momentum Flux
Authors: Durran Dale R. , Menchaca Maximo Q.
Published: January 2019

The influence of vertical shear on the evolution of mountain-wave momentum fluxes in time-varying cross-mountain flows is investigated by numerical simulation and analyzed using ray tracing and the WKB approximation. The previously documented tendency of momentum fluxes to be strongest during periods of large-scale cross-mountain flow acceleration can be eliminated when the cross-mountain wind increases strongly with height. In particular, the wave packet accumulation mechanism responsible for the enhancement of the momentum flux during periods of cross-mountain flow acceleration is eliminated by the tendency of the vertical group velocity to increase with height in a mean flow with strong forward shear, thereby promoting vertical separation rather than concentration of vertically propagating wave packets.