bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Esophageal tissue engineering: from bench to bedside
Authors: Arakelian Lousineh , Kanai Nobuo , Dua Kulwinder , Durand Marlène , Cattan Pierre , Ohki Takeshi
Published: August 2018

For various esophageal diseases, the search for alternative techniques for tissue repair has led to significant developments in basic and translational research in the field of tissue engineering. Applied to the esophagus, this concept is based on the in vitro combination of elements judged necessary for in vivo implantation to promote esophageal tissue remodeling. Different methods are currently being explored to develop substitutes using cells, scaffolds, or a combination of both, according to the severity of lesions to be treated. In this review, we discuss recent advances in (1) cell sheet technology for preventing stricture after extended esophageal mucosectomy and (2) full‐thickness circumferential esophageal replacement using tissue‐engineered substitutes.
High ambient temperature antagonizes ethylene‐induced exaggerated apical hook formation in etiolated Arabidopsis seedlings
Authors: Jin Huanhuan , Pang Lei , Fang Shuang , Chu Jinfang , Li Ruixi , Zhu Ziqiang
Published: August 2018

Ethylene stimulates the exaggerated hook formation in etiolated seedlings. It has been reported that other phytohormones, such as jasmonate or gibberellins, could inhibit or coordinate hook formation, respectively. However, whether any environmental factors participate in this process is unknown. Here, we show that in darkness, high ambient temperature suppresses the ethylene‐triggered exaggerated hook formation in wild‐type plants and reduces the hook curvatures in constitutively ethylene responsive mutants. Interestingly, high temperature does not abrogate the activity of the central transcription factor EIN3, suggesting that high temperature acts downstream of ethylene signaling. Next, we show that the natural auxin levels in the hook regions are reduced and their asymmetric distributions are disturbed upon high temperature treatment. To explore the mechanisms for reducing auxin accumulation, we monitor the transcription of several genes encoding auxin biosynthesis related enzymes and find that most YUCCA genes are transcriptionally down‐regulated. Finally, we show that the currently reported plant thermo‐sensory components in light‐grown plants (phytochrome or PIF4) are not sufficient for thermo‐sensing in etiolated seedlings. We speculate that in darkness, plants sense high ambient temperature through a distinct mechanism. Taken together, we demonstrate that high temperature suppresses ethylene‐induced exaggerated hook formation via the inhibition of local auxin activities.
Estimating nonlinear additive models with nonstationarities and correlated errors
Authors: Vogt Michael , Walsh Christopher
Published: August 2018

In this paper, we study a nonparametric additive regression model suitable for a wide range of time series applications. Our model includes a periodic component, a deterministic time trend, various component functions of stochastic explanatory variables, and an AR(p) error process that accounts for serial correlation in the regression error. We propose an estimation procedure for the nonparametric component functions and the parameters of the error process based on smooth backfitting and quasimaximum likelihood methods. Our theory establishes convergence rates and the asymptotic normality of our estimators. Moreover, we are able to derive an oracle‐type result for the estimators of the AR parameters: Under fairly mild conditions, the limiting distribution of our parameter estimators is the same as when the nonparametric component functions are known. Finally, we illustrate our estimation procedure by applying it to a sample of climate and ozone data collected on the Antarctic Peninsula.
In vitro and in vivo activity of liposome‐encapsulated curcumin for naturally occurring canine cancers
Authors: Withers Sita S. , York Daniel , Johnson Eric , Al‐Nadaf Sami , Skorupski Katherine A. , Rodriguez Carlos O. , Burton Jenna H. , Guerrero Teri , Sein Kriste , Wittenburg Luke , Rebhun Robert B.
Published: August 2018

Curcumin has well‐established anti‐cancer properties in vitro, however, its therapeutic potential has been hindered by its poor bioavailability. Lipocurc is a proprietary liposome‐encapsulated curcumin formulation that enables intravenous delivery and has been shown to reach its highest concentration within lung tissue. The goal of this study was to characterize the anti‐cancer and anti‐angiogenic activity of Lipocurc in vitro, in addition to evaluating Lipocurc infusions in dogs with naturally occurring cancer. We therefore evaluated the effect of Lipocurc, relative to free curcumin, on the viability of canine osteosarcoma, melanoma and mammary carcinoma cell lines, as well as the ability of Lipocurc to inhibit endothelial cell viability, migration and tube formation. We also undertook a pilot clinical trial consisting of four weekly 8‐hour Lipocurc infusions in 10 cancer‐bearing dogs. Tumour cell proliferation was inhibited by curcumin at concentrations exceeding those achievable in the lung tissue of dogs. Similarly, equivalent high concentrations of Lipocurc and curcumin also inhibited endothelial cell viability, migration and tube formation. Four out of six dogs completing planned infusions of Lipocurc experienced stable disease; however, no radiographic responses were detected.
Analysis of the otic mycobiota in dogs with otitis externa compared to healthy individuals
Authors: Korbelik Juraj , Singh Ameet , Rousseau Joyce , Weese J. Scott
Published: August 2018

Background

Otitis externa is a common multifactorial disease with a prevalence in dogs as high as 10–20%. In humans, the diversity of the cutaneous mycobiota appears to increase in diseased states, whereas one canine study identified a decrease in diversity of the cutaneous mycobiota in atopic dogs compared to healthy individuals.

Hypothesis/objectives

To describe the otic mycobiota in dogs with otitis externa compared to healthy dogs.

Animals

Samples were collected from six dogs with clinical and cytological evidence of otitis externa and five clinically normal dogs.

Methods and materials

Swabs were collected from the ears of six dogs with fungal otitis externa. DNA from each sample was isolated and Illumina sequencing was performed targeting the internal transcribed spacer region. Sequences were processed using the bioinformatics software MOTHUR.

Results

Fungi from ten different phyla were identified. The mycobiota of all affected ears was dominated by the generaMalassezia,which accounted for 55.7–98.4% of sequences (median 96.8%). Affected ears had significantly decreased observed richness, estimated richness and inverse Simpson's diversity index compared to controls (P= 0.008). Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis identified 42 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that were differentially abundant (P< 0.05). Three OTUs were over‐represented in the affected ears, includingM. pachydermatis,whereas 39 OTUs were over‐represented in healthy ears.

Conclusions

Reduced fungal richness and diversity was present in affected ears, with markedly higher relative abundances ofMalassezia. The otic fungal mycobiota is much more complex than has been identified with culture‐based studies.
Vocal alignment to native and non-native speakers of English
Authors: Lewandowski Eva M. , Nygaard Lynne C.
Published: August 2018

Research on vocal alignment, the tendency for language users to match another individual's speech productions, suggests that multiple factors contribute to this behavior. Social and motivational goals, aspects of cognitive architecture, and linguistic flexibility may all affect the extent to which vocal alignment occurs, suggesting complex underlying mechanisms. The present study capitalized on the social and linguistic characteristics of Spanish-accented English to examine the relationship among these contributors to vocal alignment. American English-speaking adults participated in a shadowing task. Degree of vocal alignment was assessed by both acoustic measures and independent raters' judgments. Participants aligned to both native English and Spanish-accented productions, despite differences in attitudes to and intelligibility of the different accents. Individual differences in shadowers' vowel dispersion were also related to extent of vocal alignment, with greater dispersion associated with greater alignment. Acoustic measures were related to perceptual assessments of alignment and differed by accent type, suggesting that patterns of alignment may differ across accents. Overall, the current study demonstrates vocal alignment between talkers of differing language backgrounds and highlights the importance of acoustic and linguistic components of alignment behavior.
Optimizing drug combinations against multiple myeloma using a quadratic phenotypic optimization platform (QPOP)
Authors: Rashid Masturah Bte Mohd Abdul , Toh Tan Boon , Hooi Lissa , Silva Aleidy , Zhang Yanzhou , Tan Pei Fang , Teh Ai Ling , Karnani Neerja , Jha Sudhakar , Ho Chih-Ming , Chng Wee Joo , Ho Dean , Chow Edward Kai-Hua
Published: August 2018

A drug discovery and optimization platform uncovered effective therapeutic combinations for bortezomib-resistant multiple myeloma.
Thy-1 (CD90) promotes bone formation and protects against obesity
Authors: Picke Ann-Kristin , Campbell Graeme M. , Blüher Matthias , Krügel Ute , Schmidt Felix N. , Tsourdi Elena , Winzer Maria , Rauner Martina , Vukicevic Vladimir , Busse Björn , Salbach-Hirsch Juliane , Tuckermann Jan P. , Simon Jan C. , Anderegg Ulf , Hofbauer Lorenz C. , Saalbach Anja
Published: August 2018

Thy-1 on mesenchymal stem cells promotes osteogenesis while inhibiting adipogenesis and obesity.
APX001A
In Vitro
Activity against Contemporary Blood Isolates and Candida auris Determined by the EUCAST Reference Method
Authors: Arendrup Maiken Cavling , Chowdhary Anuradha , Astvad Karen M. T. , Jørgensen Karin Meinike
Published: August 2018

APX001A is the active moiety of the first-in-class drug candidate APX001. So far, most susceptibility testing studies have examined ≤30 isolates/species, and only one used the EUCAST method.
Role of Common γ-Chain Cytokines in Lung Interleukin-22 Regulation after Acute Exposure to Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Reeder Kristen M. , Mackel Joseph J. , Godwin Matthew S. , Dunaway Chad W. , Blackburn Jonathan P. , Patel Rakesh P. , Steele Chad
Published: August 2018

Humans are constantly exposed to the opportunistic mold
Aspergillus fumigatus
, and disease caused by this pathogen is often determined by the magnitude of local and systemic immune responses. We have previously shown a protective role for interleukin-22 (IL-22) after acute
A. fumigatus
exposure.
Distinctive Roles for Type I and Type II Interferons and Interferon Regulatory Factors in the Host Cell Defense against Varicella-Zoster Virus
Authors: Sen Nandini , Sung Phillip , Panda Arjun , Arvin Ann M.
Published: August 2018

While both type I and type II IFNs are involved in the control of herpesvirus infections in the human host, to our knowledge, their relative contributions to the restriction of viral replication and spread have not been assessed. We report that IFN-γ has more potent activity than IFN-α against VZV. Findings from this comparative analysis show that the IFN-α–IRF9 axis functions as a first line of defense to delay the onset of viral replication and spread, whereas the IFN-γ–IRF1 axis has the capacity to block the infectious process. Our findings underscore the importance of IRFs in IFN regulation of herpesvirus infection and account for the clinical experience of the initial control of VZV skin infection attributable to IFN-α production, together with the requirement for induction of adaptive IFN-γ-producing VZV-specific T cells to resolve the infection.
Complete Genome Sequence of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia AB550, an Environmental Solar Radiation- and Multidrug-Resistant Strain Isolated in Western Australia
Authors: Permala Ratish R. , Glady-Croue Julie , Watkin Elizabeth L. J. , Ramsay Joshua P. , Croue Jean-Philippe
Published: August 2018

We report here the complete genome sequence of
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
AB550, a multidrug- and solar radiation-resistant strain isolated from the effluents of an urban wastewater treatment plant in Western Australia. The genome consists of a single 4.9-Mb chromosome.
Radiation in a monopole–antimonopole collision
Authors: Calucci Giorgio
Published: August 2018

The radiation of photons by a colliding monopole–antimonopole pair is studied. The process is described in terms of classical trajectories for the incoming pair and quantized field for the produced particles. The investigation is performed in order to complete a previous one, where the monopole–antimonopole pair formed a bound state.
(Anti-)chiral supervariable approach to nilpotent and absolutely anticommuting conserved charges of reparametrization invariant theories: A couple of relativistic toy models as examples
Authors: KUMAR S. , Chauhan B. , Malik R. P.
Published: August 2018

We exploit the potential and power of the Becchi–Rouet–Stora–Tyutin (BRST) and anti-BRST invariant restrictions on the (anti-)chiral supervariables to derive the proper nilpotent (anti-)BRST symmetries for the reparametrization invariant one (0[Formula: see text]+[Formula: see text]1)-dimensional (1D) toy models of a free relativistic particle as well as a free spinning (i.e. supersymmetric) relativistic particle within the framework of (anti-)chiral supervariable approach to BRST formalism. Despite the (anti-)chiral super expansions of the (anti-)chiral supervariables, we observe that the (anti-)BRST charges, for the above toy models, turn out to be absolutely anticommuting in nature. This is one of the novel observations of our present endeavor. For this proof, we utilize the beauty and strength of Curci–Ferrari (CF)-type restriction in the context of a spinning relativistic particle but no such restriction is required in the case of a free scalar relativistic particle. We have also captured the nilpotency property of the conserved charges as well as the (anti-)BRST invariance of the appropriate Lagrangian(s) of our present toy models within the framework of (anti-)chiral supervariable approach.
Superposition of single-mode para-Bose coherent states: Generation and nonclassical properties
Authors: Mojaveri B. , Dehghani A. , Bahrbeig R. Jafarzadeh
Published: August 2018

In this paper, we introduce two classes of superposed states generated by a superposition of two single-mode para-Bose coherent states (CS) with arbitrary relative phase factors. The first class is superposition of two opposite para-Bose CS and second class consists of two para-Bose CS, [Formula: see text] out of phase with each other. These states are reduced to the well-known superposed single-mode CS of the simple harmonic oscillator when the deformation parameter tends to one. We study the nonclassical properties of the introduced states by evaluating their para-Bose Fock state distribution, second-order squeezing, Klyshko’s and Mandel’s parameters. We investigate the essential role of coherent and deformation parameters on their nonclassicality. We show that some nonclassical properties of these states are different from those of the even and odd coherent states. Finally, we present a simple scheme for the physical generation of the introduced states.
Anticipated Synchronization and Zero-Lag Phases in Population Neural Models
Authors: Dima Germán César , Copelli Mauro , Mindlin Gabriel Bernardo
Published: August 2018

Anticipated synchronization is a counterintuitive synchronization regime between a master and a slave dynamical system in which there is a negative phase difference between the driver and the driven system. By studying a set of simple neural oscillators, we unveil the dynamical mechanisms required to generate this phenomenon. We study master–slave configurations where the slave system is, when uncoupled, in a quiescent excitable state. We exemplify our results by describing the dynamics of a dynamical system proposed to model the part of a songbird’s brain involved in song production.
Dissipative Solitons and Metastable States in a Chain of Active Particles
Authors: Chetverikov Alexandr P. , Sergeev Konstantin S. , del Rio Ezequiel
Published: August 2018

The dynamics of a chain of interacting active particles of Rayleigh-type is studied. Particles are interconnected via Morse potential forces. The steady-state modes (attractors) of the chain with periodic boundary conditions look like cnoidal waves with a uniform distribution of the particles’ density maxima along the chain. However, if the system starts from random initial conditions, a metastable state with nonuniform distribution of density maxima is formed. Characteristics of metastable states, excitation probability of different modes and their lifetimes are studied by numerical simulation.
Dynamic Analysis of a Bistable Bi-Local Active Memristor and Its Associated Oscillator System
Authors: Chang Hui , Wang Zhen , Li Yuxia , Chen Guanrong
Published: August 2018

This paper proposes a new type of memristor with two distinct stable pinched hysteresis loops and twin symmetrical local activity domains, named as a bistable bi-local active memristor. A detailed and comprehensive analysis of the memristor and its associated oscillator system is carried out to verify its dynamic behaviors based on nonlinear circuit theory and Hopf bifurcation theory. The local-activity domains and the edge-of-chaos domains of the memristor, which are both symmetric with respect to the origin, are confirmed by utilizing the mathematical cogent theory. Finally, the subcritical Hopf bifurcation phenomenon is identified in the subcritical Hopf bifurcation region of the memristor.
Rotten Apples or Bad Harvest? What We Are Measuring When We Are Measuring Abuse
Authors: Tajalizadehkhoob Samaneh , Böhme Rainer , Gañán Carlos , Korczyński Maciej , Eeten Michel Van
Published: August 2018

Internet security and technology policy research regularly uses technical indicators of abuse to identify culprits and to tailor mitigation strategies. As a major obstacle, current inferences from abuse data that aim to characterize providers with poor security practices often use a
naive
normalization of abuse (abuse counts divided by network size) and do not take into account other inherent or structural properties of providers. Even the size estimates are subject to measurement errors relating to attribution, aggregation, and various sources of heterogeneity. More precise indicators are costly to measure at Internet scale. We address these issues for the case of hosting providers with a statistical model of the abuse data generation process, using phishing sites in hosting networks as a case study. We decompose error sources and then estimate key parameters of the model, controlling for heterogeneity in size and business model. We find that 84% of the variation in abuse counts across 45,358 hosting providers can be explained with structural factors alone. Informed by the fitted model, we systematically select and enrich a subset of 105 homogeneous “statistical twins” with additional explanatory variables, unreasonable to collect for
all
hosting providers. We find that abuse is positively associated with the popularity of websites hosted and with the prevalence of popular content management systems. Moreover, hosting providers who charge higher prices (after controlling for level differences between countries) witness less abuse. These structural factors together explain a further 77% of the remaining variation. This calls into question premature inferences from raw abuse indicators about the security efforts of actors, and suggests the adoption of similar analysis frameworks in all domains where network measurement aims at informing technology policy.
The Rise of Learning Engineering
Authors: Wagner Ellen , Lis Jodi
Published: August 2018

The Industry Connections Industry Consortium on Learning Engineering (ICICLE) was formed in 2017 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) as a community-driven platform across sectors to advocate and support the development of the professional and academic disciplines of learning engineering. This article is an invitation to participate.
Microglia and the Brain: Complementary Partners in Development and Disease
Authors: Hammond Timothy R. , Robinton Daisy , Stevens Beth
Published: August 2018

An explosion of findings driven by powerful new technologies has expanded our understanding of microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS). This wave of discoveries has fueled a growing interest in the roles that these cells play in the development of the CNS and in the neuropathology of a diverse array of disorders. In this review, we discuss the crucial roles that microglia play in shaping the brain—from their influence on neurons and glia within the developing CNS to their roles in synaptic maturation and brain wiring—as well as some of the obstacles to overcome when assessing their contributions to normal brain development. Furthermore, we examine how normal developmental functions of microglia are perturbed or remerge in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disease.
The Effects of Tropical Vegetation on Rainfall
Authors: Spracklen D.V. , Baker J.C.A. , Garcia-Carreras L. , Marsham J.H.
Published: August 2018

Vegetation modifies land-surface properties, mediating the exchange of energy, moisture, trace gases, and aerosols between the land and the atmosphere. These exchanges influence the atmosphere on local, regional, and global scales. Through altering surface properties, vegetation change can impact on weather and climate. We review current understanding of the processes through which tropical land-cover change (LCC) affects rainfall. Tropical deforestation leads to reduced evapotranspiration, increasing surface temperatures by 1–3 K and causing boundary layer circulations, which in turn increase rainfall over some regions and reduce it elsewhere. On larger scales, deforestation leads to reductions in moisture recycling, reducing regional rainfall by up to 40%. Impacts of future tropical LCC on rainfall are uncertain but could be of similar magnitude to those caused by climate change. Climate and sustainable development policies need to account for the impacts of tropical LCC on local and regional rainfall.
Gifted Students
Authors: Worrell Frank C. , Subotnik Rena F. , Olszewski-Kubilius Paula , Dixson Dante D.
Published: August 2018

Gifted students are individuals who are recognized for performance that is superior to that of their peers. Although giftedness is typically associated with schooling, gifted individuals exist across academic and nonacademic domains. In this review, we begin by acknowledging some of the larger debates in the field of gifted education and provide brief summaries of major conceptual frameworks applied to gifted education, dividing them into three categories: frameworks focused on ability, frameworks focused on talent development, and integrative frameworks. We then discuss common practices used to identify gifted students, giving specific attention to the identification of those in underrepresented groups, followed by brief overviews of the numbers of students who are classified as gifted, programming options for gifted students, and social and emotional issues associated with being gifted. We conclude with a discussion of several unresolved issues in the field.
High-fat diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in CYP4a14−/− mice is mediated by 20-HETE
Authors: Gilani Ankit , Pandey Varunkumar , Garcia Victor , Agostinucci Kevin , Singh Shailendra P. , Schragenheim Joseph , Bellner Lars , Falck John R. , Paudyal Mahesh P. , Capdevila Jorge H. , Abraham Nader G. , Laniado Schwartzman Michal
Published: August 2018

20-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) has been shown to positively correlate with body mass index, hyperglycemia, and plasma insulin levels. This study seeks to identify a causal relationship between 20-HETE and obesity-driven insulin resistance. Cyp4a14−/− male mice, a model of 20-HETE overproduction, were fed a regular or high-fat diet (HFD) for 15 wk. 20-SOLA [2,5,8,11,14,17-hexaoxanonadecan-19-yl 20-hydroxyeicosa-6( Z),15( Z)-dienoate], a 20-HETE antagonist, was administered from week 0 or week 7 of HFD. HFD-fed mice gained significant weight (16.7 ± 3.2 vs. 3.8 ± 0.35 g, P < 0.05) and developed hyperglycemia (157 ± 3 vs. 121 ± 7 mg/dl, P < 0.05) and hyperinsulinemia (2.3 ± 0.4 vs. 0.5 ± 0.1 ng/ml, P < 0.05) compared with regular diet-fed mice. 20-SOLA attenuated HFD-induced weight gain (9.4 ± 1 vs. 16.7 ± 3 g, P < 0.05) and normalized the hyperglycemia (157 ± 7 vs. 102 ± 5 mg/dl, P < 0.05) and hyperinsulinemia (1.1 ± 0.1 vs. 2.3 ± 0.4 ng/ml, P < 0.05). The impaired glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance in HFD-fed mice evidenced by reduced insulin and glucose tolerance were also ameliorated by 20-SOLA. Circulatory and adipose tissue 20-HETE levels significantly increased in HFD-fed mice correlating with impaired insulin signaling, including reduction in insulin receptor tyrosine (Y972) phosphorylation and increased serine (S307) phosphorylation of the insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1). 20-SOLA treatments prevented changes in insulin signaling. These findings indicate that 20-HETE contributes to HFD-induced obesity, insulin resistance, and impaired insulin signaling.
Renal functional reserve capacity before and after living kidney donation
Authors: van Londen Marco , Kasper Nicolien , Hessels Niek R. , Messchendorp A. Lianne , Bakker Stephan J. L. , Sanders Jan-Stephan , Berger Stefan P. , de Borst Martin H. , Navis Gerjan
Published: August 2018

Compensatory gomerular filtration rate (GFR) increase after kidney donation results in a GFR above 50% of the predonation value. The renal functional reserve (RFR) assessed by the renal response to dopamine infusion (RFRdopa) is considered to reflect functional reserve capacity and is thought to be a tool for living donor screening. However, it is unknown if the RFRdopapredicts long-term kidney function. Between 1984 and 2017, we prospectively measured GFR (125I-iothalamate) and RFR by dopamine infusion in 937 living kidney donors. We performed linear regression analysis of predonation RFRdopaand postdonation GFR. In donors with 5-yr follow-up after donation we assessed the association with long-term GFR. Mean donor age was 52  yr (SD 11); 52% were female. Mean predonation GFR was 114  ml/min (SD 22), GFRdopawas 124 ml/min (SD 24), resulting in an RFR of 9 ml/min (SD 10). Three months postdonation, GFR was 72 ml/min (SD 15) and GFRdopawas 75 ml/min (SD 15), indicating that donors still had RFRdopa[3 ml/min (SD 6), P < 0.001]. Predonation RFRdopawas not associated with predonation GFR [standardized (st.) β −0.009, P = 0.77] but was positively associated with GFR 3 mo after donation (st. β 0.12, P < 0.001). In the subgroup of donors with 5-yr follow-up data ( n = 383), RFRdopawas not associated with GFR at 5 yr postdonation (st. β 0.05, P = 0.35). In conclusion, RFRdopais a predictor of short-term GFR after living kidney donation but not of long-term kidney function. Therefore, measurement of the RFRdopais not a useful tool for donor screening. Studies investigating long-term renal adaptation are warranted to study the effects of living kidney donation and improve donor screening.
Section-specific expression of acid-base and ammonia transporters in the kidney tubules of the goldfishCarassius auratusand their responses to feeding
Authors: Fehsenfeld Sandra , Wood Chris M.
Published: August 2018

In teleost fishes, renal contributions to acid-base and ammonia regulation are often neglected compared with the gills. In goldfish, increased renal acid excretion in response to feeding was indicated by increased urine ammonia and inorganic phosphate concentrations and decreased urine pH. By microdissecting the kidney tubules and performing quantitative real-time PCR and/or immunohistochemistry, we profiled the section-specific expression of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), glutamine synthetase (GS), Na+/H+-exchanger 3 (NHE3), carbonic anhydrase II (CAIIa), V-H+-ATPase subunit 1b, Cl−/[Formula: see text]-exchanger 1 (AE1), Na+/[Formula: see text]-cotransporter 1 (NBC1), Na+/K+-ATPase subunit 1α, and Rhesus-proteins Rhbg, Rhcg1a, and Rhcg1b. Here, we show for the first time that 1) the proximal tubule appears to be the major site for ammoniagenesis, 2) epithelial transporters are differentially expressed along the renal tubule, and 3) a potential feeding-related “acidic tide” results in the differential regulation of epithelial transporters, resembling the mammalian renal response to a metabolic acidosis. Specifically, GDH and NHE3 mRNAs were upregulated and GS downregulated in the proximal tubule upon feeding, suggesting this section as a major site for ammoniagenesis and acid secretion. The distal tubule may play a major role in renal ammonia secretion, with feeding-induced upregulation of mRNA and protein for apical NHE3, cytoplasmic CAIIa, universal Rhcg1a and apical Rhcg1b, and downregulation of basolateral Rhbg and AE1. Changes in mRNA expression of the Wolffian ducts and bladder suggest supporting roles in fine-tuning urine composition. The present study verifies an important renal contribution to acid-base balance and emphasizes that studies looking at the whole kidney may overlook key section-specific responses.
A locomotor learning paradigm using distorted visual feedback elicits strategic learning
Authors: French Margaret A. , Morton Susanne M. , Charalambous Charalambos C. , Reisman Darcy S.
Published: August 2018

Distorted visual feedback (DVF) during locomotion has been suggested to result in the development of a new walking pattern in healthy individuals through implicit learning processes. Recent work in upper extremity visuomotor rotation paradigms suggest that these paradigms involve implicit and explicit learning. Additionally, in upper extremity visuomotor paradigms, the verbal cues provided appear to impact how a behavior is learned and when this learned behavior is used. Here, in two experiments in neurologically intact individuals, we tested how verbal instruction impacts learning a new locomotor pattern on a treadmill through DVF, the transfer of that pattern to overground walking, and what types of learning occur (i.e., implicit vs. explicit learning). In experiment 1, we found that the instructions provided impacted the amount learned through DVF, but not the size of the aftereffects or the amount of the pattern transferred to overground walking. Additionally, the aftereffects observed were significantly different from the baseline walking pattern, but smaller than the behavior changes observed during learning, which is uncharacteristic of implicit sensorimotor adaptation. Thus, experiment 2 aimed to determine the cause of these discrepancies. In this experiment, when VF was not provided, individuals continued using the learned walking pattern when instructed to do so and returned toward their baseline pattern when instructed to do so. Based on these results, we conclude that DVF during locomotion results in a large portion of explicit learning and a small portion of implicit learning.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY The results of this study suggest that distorted visual feedback during locomotor learning involves the development of an explicit strategy with only a small component of implicit learning. This is important because previous studies using distorted visual feedback have suggested that locomotor learning relies primarily on implicit learning. This paradigm, therefore, provides a new way to examine a different form of learning in locomotion.
Bistratified starburst amacrine cells in Sox2 conditional knockout mouse retina display ON and OFF responses
Authors: Stincic Todd L. , Keeley Patrick W. , Reese Benjamin E. , Taylor W. Rowland
Published: August 2018

Cell-intrinsic factors, in conjunction with environmental signals, guide migration, differentiation, and connectivity during early development of neuronal circuits. Within the retina, inhibitory starburst amacrine cells (SBACs) comprise ON types with somas in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) and dendrites stratifying narrowly in the inner half of the inner plexiform layer (IPL) and OFF types with somas in the inner nuclear layer (INL) and dendrites stratifying narrowly in the outer half of the IPL. The transcription factor Sox2 is crucial to this subtype specification. Without Sox2, many ON-type SBACs destined for the GCL settle in the INL while many that reach the GCL develop bistratified dendritic arbors. This study asked whether ON-type SBACs in Sox2-conditional knockout retinas exhibit selective connectivity only with ON-type bipolar cells or their bistratified morphology allows them to connect to both ON and OFF bipolar cells. Physiological data demonstrate that these cells receive ON and OFF excitatory inputs, indicating that the ectopically stratified dendrites make functional synapses with bipolar cells. The excitatory inputs were smaller and more transient in Sox2-conditional knockout compared with wild type; however, inhibitory inputs appeared largely unchanged. Thus dendritic stratification, rather than cellular identification, may be the major factor that determines ON vs. OFF connectivity.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Conditional knockout of the transcription factor Sox2 during early embryogenesis converts a monostratifying starburst amacrine cell into a bistratifying starburst cell. Here we show that these bistratifying starburst amacrine cells form functional synaptic connections with both ON and OFF bipolar cells. This suggests that normal ON vs. OFF starburst connectivity may not require distinct molecular specification. Proximity alone may be sufficient to allow formation of functional synapses.
EMG characteristics of the external anal sphincter guarding reflex and effects of a unilateral ventral root avulsion injury in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)
Authors: Chang Huiyi H. , Lee Una , Vu Timothy , Pikov Victor , Nieto Jaime H. , Christe Kari L. , Havton Leif A.
Published: August 2018

The external anal sphincter (EAS) is important for the maintenance of bowel continence and may be compromised by a variety of neuropathic conditions. However, large animal models for the study of EAS functions have been sparse. The EAS guarding reflex was examined by electromyography (EMG) in neurologically intact rhesus macaques ( n = 6) and at 4–6 wk after a unilateral EAS denervation from an L6–S3 ventral root avulsion (VRA) injury ( n = 6). Baseline EAS EMG recordings were quiescent in all subjects, and evoked responses showed an initial large-amplitude EMG activity, which gradually returned to baseline within 1–2 min. At 4–6 wk postoperatively, the EAS guarding reflex showed a significantly reduced EMG response duration of 47 ± 15 s and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.198 ± 0.097 mV·s compared with the corresponding evoked EAS EMG duration of 102 ± 19 s and AUC of 0.803 ± 0.225 mV·s ( P < 0.05) in the control group. Detailed time- and frequency-domain analysis of the evoked EAS EMG responses for the first 40 s showed no difference between groups for the maximum amplitude but a significant decrease for the mean amplitude across the study period and an early AUC reduction for the first 10 s in the VRA injury group. Time-frequency analysis and power spectrum plots indicated decreased intensity and a narrower midrange of frequencies in the VRA injury group. We conclude that the EAS guarding reflex in rhesus macaques shows characteristic EMG features in control subjects and signs of partial target denervation after a unilateral L6–S3 VRA injury.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY The external anal sphincter guarding reflex showed initial large-amplitude peaks and a gradual return to a quiescent baseline after a rectal probe stimulus in rhesus macaques. At 4–6 wk after a unilateral ventral root avulsion (VRA) injury, the electromyography duration, mean amplitude, and area under the curve measurements were decreased. Time-frequency analysis and power spectrum plots indicated decreased intensity and a narrowed midrange of frequencies in the VRA injury cohort.
Real-time slacking as a default mode of grip force control: implications for force minimization and personal grip force variation
Authors: Smith Brendan W. , Rowe Justin B. , Reinkensmeyer David J.
Published: August 2018

During trial-to-trial movement adaptation, the motor system systematically reduces extraneous muscle forces when kinematic errors experienced on previous movements are small, a phenomenon termed “slacking.” There is also growing evidence that the motor system slacks continuously (i.e., in real-time) during arm movement or grip force control, but the initiation of this slacking is not well-characterized, obfuscating its physiological cause. Here, we addressed this issue by asking participants ( n = 32) to track discrete force targets presented visually using isometric grip force, then applying a brief, subtle error-clamp to that visual feedback on random trials. Participants reduced their force in an exponential fashion, on these error-clamp trials, except when the target force was <10% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). This force drift began <250 ms after the onset of the error-clamp, consistent with slacking being an ongoing process unmasked immediately after the motor system finished reacting to the last veridical feedback. Above 10% MVC, the slacking rate increased linearly with grip force magnitude. Grip force variation was approximately 50–100% higher with veridical feedback, largely due to heightened signal power at ~1 Hz, the band of visuomotor feedback control. Finally, the slacking rate measured for each participant during error-clamp trials correlated with their force variation during control trials. That is, participants who slacked more had greater force variation. These results suggest that real-time slacking continuously reduces grip force until visual error prompts correction. Whereas such slacking is suited for force minimization, it may also account for ~30% of the variability in personal grip force variation.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY We provide evidence that a form of slacking continuously conditions real-time grip force production. This slacking is well-suited to promote efficiency but is expected to increase force variation by triggering additional feedback corrections. Moreover, we show that the rate at which a person slacks is substantially correlated with the variation of their grip force. In combination, at the neurophysiological level, our results suggest slacking is caused by one or more relatively smooth neural adaptations.
Large-Scale Cu Nanowire Synthesis by PVP-Ethylene Glycol Route
Authors: Cuya Huaman Jhon L. , Urushizaki Iori , Jeyadevan Balachandran
Published: August 2018

Cu nanowire (NW) is a promising cost-benefit conducting material that could be considered for the development of transparent conducting films (TCF). However, the development of Cu NW as an alternating material for Ag or Au is not only limited by its stability in atmospheric conditions in the nanometer range but also due to the nonavailability of a simple synthetic route to produce them in high yields and in large-scale. Here, a scheme to synthesize Cu NWs by reducing Cu nitrate in a Cl− ion-polyvinylpyrrolidine- (PVP-) ethylene glycol (EG) system is proposed. Cu NWs with average diameter around 60 nm and average length of about 40 μm was obtained under optimized experimental conditions. Furthermore, the formation of Cu NW was elucidated to be through the progression of the following sequential reduction steps: at first, Cu ions underwent partial reduction to form spherical Cu2O. Then, the spherical Cu2O particles were redissolved and reduced to metallic Cu0 atoms that subsequently formed the Cu seeds. Thereafter, Cu seeds underwent etching to form multiply-twinned particles (MTP). Finally, these Cu MTP grew unidirectionally to form metallic Cu NWs.
Comparison of Epidemiology, Clinical Features, and Outcomes of Patients with Reported Ewing Sarcoma and PNET over 40 Years Justifies Current WHO Classification and Treatment Approaches
Authors: Campbell Kevin , Shulman David , Janeway Katherine A. , DuBois Steven G.
Published: August 2018

Background. As of 2013, the WHO has classified peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) within the umbrella of Ewing sarcoma family of tumors (ESFTs) given their shared biology. Histologic features differ between PNET and Ewing sarcoma (ES), and potential clinical differences between PNET and ES have not been fully elucidated. Methods. Through the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, we identified 3,575 patients identified with histologic diagnosis of ES or PNET from 1973 to 2014. We used Fisher's exact tests to compare patient and tumor characteristics between groups. Kaplan–Meier methods were used to estimate overall survival. Results. Patients with ES were more likely to be male, ≤18 years old at diagnosis, white, and hispanic compared to patients with PNET (p=0.016 for sex; p<0.001 for all other variables). Patients with PNET were more likely to have soft tissue primary tumors (p<0.001), and among those with bone tumors, a lower rate of axial or pelvic tumors (p<0.001). Patients with PNET had significantly worse 5-year survival compared to ES patients, though the absolute difference was small (51.3% versus 55.5%; p<0.001). Survival of patients with PNET diagnosed in the 1990s or later more closely approximated patients with ES, while patients with PNET diagnosed in the 1980's and earlier had inferior outcomes. Conclusions. Despite shared underlying biology, patients with PNET and ES show differences in clinical presentation and overall survival, with the latter differences largely mitigated in more recent decades.
Inaccuracy-Tolerant Sparse-to-Dense Depth Propagation for Semiautomatic 2D-to-3D Conversion
Authors: Yuan Hongxing
Published: August 2018

Current semiautomatic 2D-to-3D methods assume that user input is perfectly accurate. However, it is difficult to get 100% accurate user scribbles and even small errors in the input will degrade the conversion quality. This paper addresses the issue with scribble confidence that considers color differences between labeled pixels and their neighbors. First, it counts the number of neighbors which have similar and different color values for each labeled pixels, respectively. The ratio between these two numbers at each labeled pixel is regarded as its scribble confidence. Second, the sparse-to-dense depth conversion is formulated as a confident optimization problem by introducing a confident weighting data cost term and the local and k-nearest depth consistent regularization terms. Finally, the dense depth-map is obtained by solving sparse linear equations. The proposed approach is compared with existing methods on several representative images. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can tolerate some errors from use input and can reduce depth-map artifacts caused by inaccurate user input.
An Experimental Study on Mechanical Behavior of Parallel Joint Specimens under Compression Shear
Authors: Wang Fei , Cao Ping , Chen Yu , Gao Qing-peng , Wang Zhu
Published: August 2018

In order to investigate the influence of the joint on the failure mode, peak shear strength, and shear stress‐strain curve of rock mass, the compression shear test loading on the parallel jointed specimens was carried out, and the acoustic emission system was used to monitor the loading process. The joint spacing and joint overlap were varied to alter the relative positions of parallel joints in geometry. Under compression‐shear loading, the failure mode of the joint specimen can be classified into four types: coplanar shear failure, shear failure along the joint plane, shear failure along the shear stress plane, and similar integrity shear failure. The joint dip angle has a decisive effect on the failure mode of the specimen. The joint overlap affects the crack development of the specimen but does not change the failure mode of the specimen. The joint spacing can change the failure mode of the specimen. The shear strength of the specimen firstly increases and then decreases with the increase of the dip angle and reaches the maximum at 45°. The shear strength decreases with the increase of the joint overlap and increases with the increase of the joint spacing. The shear stress‐displacement curves of different joint inclination samples have differences which mainly reflect in the postrupture stage. From monitoring results of the AE system, the variation regular of the AE count corresponds to the failure mode, and the peak value of the AE count decreases with the increase of joint overlap and increases with the increase of joint spacing.
An Efficient Reliability Analysis Method Combining Improved EIF Active Learning Mechanism and Kriging Metamodel
Authors: Zhang Dawei , Wu Xiaohua , Li Weilin , Lv Xiaofeng
Published: August 2018

Complex implicit performance functions widely exist in many engineering problems. The reliability analysis of these problems has always been a challenge. Using surrogate model instead of real performance function is one of the methods to solve this kind of problem. Kriging is one of the surrogate models with precise interpolation technique. In order to make the kriging model achieve higher accuracy using a small number of samples, i.e., improve its practicability and feasibility in practical engineering problems, some active learning equations are wildly studied. Expected improvement function (EIF) is one of them. However, the EIF has a great disadvantage in selecting the added sample point. Therefore, a joint active learning mechanism, J-EIF, is proposed to obtain the ideal added point. The J-EIF active learning mechanism combines the two active learning mechanisms and makes full use of the characters of kriging model. It overcomes the shortcoming of EIF active learning mechanism in the selection of added sample points. Then, using Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) results as a reference, the reliability of two examples is estimated. The results are discussed showing that the learning efficiency and accuracy of the improved EIF are both higher than those of the traditional EIF.
Dynamic Behaviors of a Nonautonomous Impulsive Competitive System with the Effect of Toxic Substance
Authors: Chen Lijuan , Chen Fengde , Chen Liujuan
Published: August 2018

We firstly propose a nonautonomous impulsive Lotka-Volterra competitive system with the effect of toxic substance. Only one of the two species could produce toxic substance. Sufficient condition which guarantees the extinction of one of the species and the global attractivity of the other species is obtained. We also present an example to verify our main results, which show that species still is possibly driven to extinction when only one of the two species produces toxic substances. The results of this paper supplement the existing results.