bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nitroso‐Oxidative Stress, Acute Phase Response, and Cytogenetic Damage in Wistar Rats Treated with Adrenaline
Authors: Radaković Milena , Borozan Sunčica , Djelić Ninoslav , Ivanović Saša , Miladinović Dejana Ćupić , Ristanić Marko , Spremo-Potparević Biljana , Stanimirović Zoran
Published: November 2018

This study is aimed at analysing biochemical and genetic endpoints of toxic effects after administration of adrenaline. For this purpose, the study was carried out on Wistar rats and three doses of adrenaline were used: 0.75 mg/kg, 1.5 mg/kg, and 3 mg/kg body weight. To achieve these aims, we investigated the effects of adrenaline on catalase (CAT), Cu, Zn‐superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitrite (NO2−), carbonyl groups (PCC), and nitrotyrosine (3‐NT). Total activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), its relative distribution (LDH1–LDH5) activity, level of acute phase proteins (APPs), and genotoxic effect were also evaluated. The obtained results revealed that all doses of adrenaline induced a significant rise in CAT activity, MDA level, PCC, NO2−, and 3‐NT and a significant decrease in SOD activity compared to control. Adrenaline exerted an increase in total activity of LDH, LDH1, and LDH2 isoenzymes. Further study showed that adrenaline significantly decreased serum albumin level and albumin‐globulin ratio, while the level of APPs (α1‐acid glycoprotein and haptoglobulin) is increased. The micronucleus test revealed a genotoxic effect of adrenaline at higher concentrations (1.5 mg/kg and 3 mg/kg body weight) compared to untreated rats. It can be concluded that adrenaline exerts oxidative and nitrative stress in rats, increased damage to lipids and proteins, and damage of cardiomyocytes and cytogenetic damage. Obtained results may contribute to better understanding of the toxicity of adrenaline with aims to preventing its harmful effects.
Antitumor Research of the Active Ingredients from Traditional Chinese Medical Plant Polygonum Cuspidatum
Authors: Wu Xinnan , Li Qi , Feng Yu , Ji Qing
Published: November 2018

In recent years, the utilization of Chinese native medicine and other plant extracts in the treatment of diseases has attracted extensive attention, especially in the area of malignant tumors. However, lots of herbal remedies active ingredients have not been found or have been discovered but not effectively developed and applied. Therefore, screening new Chinese medicine active components and determining their antitumor effects have become a new breakthrough in the prevention and treatment of tumor disease. In the past years, a large number of studies have demonstrated that Polygonum cuspidatum and its active components like resveratrol showed excellent antitumor activities, including our own antitumor studies about resveratrol in colorectal cancer. The purpose of this review is to summarize the research progress of Chinese herb Polygonum cuspidatum and its active components in tumor diseases and provide theoretical basis for further scientific experiments and clinical applications.
Robust Output Controllability Analysis and Control Design for Incomplete Boolean Networks with Disturbance Inputs
Authors: Deng Lei , Fu Shihua , Li Ying , Zhu Peiyong
Published: November 2018

This paper addresses the problems of robust-output-controllability and robust optimal output control for incomplete Boolean control networks with disturbance inputs. First, by resorting to the semi-tensor product technique, the system is expressed as an algebraic form, based on which several necessary and sufficient conditions for the robust output controllability are presented. Second, the Mayer-type robust optimal output control issue is studied and an algorithm is established to find a control scheme which can minimize the cost functional regardless of the effect of disturbance inputs. Finally, a numerical example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the obtained new results.
Pharmacokinetics and Tissue Distribution Study of Pinosylvin in Rats by Ultra‐High‐Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Linear Trap Quadrupole Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Fu Yuhang , Sun Xiaoya , Wang Lili , Chen Suiqing
Published: November 2018

Pinosylvin is a potential anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant compound and the major effective medicinal ingredient in the root of Lindera reflexa Hemsl. However, few investigations have been conducted regarding the pharmacokinetics, excretion, characteristics of tissue distribution, and major metabolites of pinosylvin in rats after oral administration. To better understand the behavior and mechanisms of action underlying the activity of pinosylvin in vivo, we established a simple, sensitive, and reliable ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐MS/MS) method for quantifying pinosylvin in rat plasma, urine, feces, and various tissues (including heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidneys, large intestine, small intestine, and stomach). Noncompartmental pharmacokinetic parameters indicated that pinosylvin is rapidly distributed and taken up by tissues. The time to peak (maximum) concentration (Tmax) was 0.137 h, and the apparent elimination half‐life (t1/2) was 1.347±0.01 h. The results of the tissue distribution study suggest that pinosylvin is widely distributed to various tissues; the highest concentration was observed after 10 min in the stomach, followed by the heart, lung, spleen, and kidneys. Results of the excretion study suggest that a small amount of pinosylvin is excreted from the urine and feces in the parent form; the 73 h accumulative excretion ratios of urine and feces were 0.82% and 0.11%, respectively. It is likely that pinosylvin is mostly metabolized in vivo. Nine metabolites were found, and the main metabolic pathways of pinosylvin in rats included glucuronidation, hydroxylation, and methylation. Four metabolites had higher concentrations in the stomach, suggesting that the stomach is a potential target organ of pinosylvin. In conclusion, the present study may provide a material basis for studying the pharmacological action of pinosylvin and provides meaningful information for the clinical treatment of chronic gastritis and gastric ulcers using Radix Linderae Reflexae.
The Impact of Failure Types in Construction Production Systems on Economic Risk Assessments in the Bidding Phase
Authors: Mirkovic Milan
Published: November 2018

The aim of the paper is to research and analyze the impact of the type of failure on economic risks in the bidding phase, as the most important part in the management of construction projects. The survey included the impact of risk on the process of determining unit prices from the perspective of a potential contractor. Also, the failure rate and repair rate of the 34 machines from the machine park of the company for road construction were researched. On the basis of obtained parameters and depreciation periods, the operational availability of components of construction production systems was determined. The proposed methodology for estimating impact of the availability function is a modified method of the frequency balancing. It has been tested on a concrete project from the practice in the process of harmonizing construction norms of time that preceded the final adoption of the unit prices. Differences in prices are results of the system failure of construction machinery and plants and have justified a hypothesis of obtaining more realistic costs that can occur in the projects.
Proactive Two-Level Dynamic Distribution Routing Optimization Based on Historical Data
Authors: Ge Xianlong , Xue Guiqin , Wen Pengzhe
Published: November 2018

In view of the dynamic dispersion of e-commerce logistics demand, this paper uses the historical distribution data of logistics companies to study data-driven proactive vehicle routing optimization. First, based on the classic 2E-VRP problem, a single-node/multistage 2E-VRP mathematical model is constructed. Then, a framework for solving the proactive vehicle routing optimization problem is proposed in combination with the characteristics of the proposed model, including four modules: data-driven demand forecasting methods, customer clustering methods, proactive demand quotas and replenishment strategies, and vehicle routing optimization procedure. The significant feature of the proposed solution framework is that the response to dynamic customers is proactive rather than passive. The solution is applied to the distribution practice of a large logistics company in Chongqing. The results show that the proposed method has better dynamic scene adaptability and customer response capabilities in traffic limit.
An Attempt to Quantify the Lag Time of Hydrodynamic Action Based on the Long-Term Monitoring of a Typical Landslide, Three Gorges, China
Authors: Chen Guangfu , Zhang Guodong , Lu Shuqiang , Wang Xiang
Published: November 2018

Hydrodynamic action plays an important role in the development of reservoir bank accumulational landslides. Despite recent concern over hydrodynamic action’s hysteresis effects, there is still no unified efficient method for quantifying lag time, which is a critical input to landslide prediction and early warning systems. To address this shortcoming, we selected a typical landslide, located in Three Gorges Reservoir, China, as a case study. On the basis of long-term monitoring data, we suggest that correlation analysis may work and attempt to use linear correlation first to quantify the lag time. We conclude that, from the macroscopic behavior point of view, linear correlation analysis does not work; neither the daily reservoir water level and its variation nor the daily rainfall and its accumulation exhibit a linear relationship with the surface accumulative displacement. Future studies will use nonlinear correlation analysis to analyze data by different time segments as the hydrodynamic factors have different effects in different periods.
Anonymous Communication via Anonymous Identity‐Based Encryption and Its Application in IoT
Authors: Jiang Liaoliang , Li Tong , Li Xuan , Atiquzzaman Mohammed , Ahmad Haseeb , Wang Xianmin
Published: November 2018

Under the environment of the big data, the correlation between the data makes people have a greater demand for privacy. Moreover, the world has become more diversified and democratic than ever before. Freedom of speech is considered to be very important; thus, anonymity is also a very important security demand. The research of our paper proposes a scheme which can ensure both the privacy and the anonymity of a communication system, that is, the protection of message privacy while ensuring the users’ anonymity. It is based on anonymous identity‐based encryption (IBE), by which the users’ metadata are protected. We implement our scheme in JAVA with Java pairing‐based cryptography library (JPBC); the experiment shows that our scheme has significant advantage in efficiency compared with other anonymous communication system. Internet‐of‐Things (IoT) involves many devices, and privacy of devices is very significant. Anonymous communication system provides a secure environment without leaking metadata, which has many application scenarios in IoT.
Biogenetic Conversion of Wyerone and Dihydrowyerone into Wyerone Epoxide in Vicia faba Cotyledons and Screening of Antibacterial Activity
Authors: Al-Douri Nedhal A. , Haddadin Randa N. , Shakya Ashok K. , Oriquat Ghaleb A.
Published: November 2018

Background. Vicia faba is a plant that belongs to the family Fabaceae. Cotyledons of this plant produce compounds called phytoalexins as a result of fungal and bacterial infection or stress factors. The phytoalexins are furanoacetylenic compounds. They include wyerone, wyerol, wyerone acid, their dihydro derivatives, and wyerone epoxide. These compounds have antimicrobial activities mainly against fungi. Objective. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the biogenetic conversion of wyerone and dihydrowyerone to wyerone epoxide in V. faba and to investigate the antibacterial activities of some of these phytoalexins. Materials and Methods. Seeds of Vicia faba were used. Labelled wyerone and dihydrowyerone were obtained by treating CuCl2-induced cotyledons with sodium (2-14C) acetate and separated by TLC and HPLC. Labelled wyerone and dihydrowyerone were then applied to induced bean cotyledons to establish any possible interconversion to wyerone epoxide. Antibacterial activity of wyerone, wyerone acid, and wyerone epoxide was investigated by disc diffusion test against a panel of microorganisms. Zones of inhibition were reported. Results. The radiolabeling studies showed that 12.4% of 14C-wyerone, and 6.01% of 14C-dihydrowyerone were incorporated into wyerone epoxide. This indicates that wyerone epoxide was most probably derived from wyerone and dihydrowyerone. In addition, a new compound, 11-hydroxywyerone was isolated for the first time. Additionally, this study showed that wyerone, wyerone epoxide, and wyerone acid had no antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria but were active against Gram-positive bacteria.
Effects of Silica Nanoparticles and Silica-Zirconia Nanoclusters on Tribological Properties of Dental Resin Composites
Authors: Rodríguez Henry A. , Casanova Herley
Published: November 2018

Roughness and hardness are among the most important variables in the wear (resistance) performance of dental resin composites. In this study, silica nanoparticles and nanoclusters of silica and silica-zirconia nanoparticles were evaluated for use as reinforcement agents in dental resin composites. Nanoclusters with spherical morphology were obtained from aqueous dispersions of nanoparticles by spray drying. Roughness was measured through atomic force microscopy (AFM) while nanohardness was evaluated by nanoindentation. The roughness values obtained with silica nanoparticles were lower (22.6 ± 6.6 nm) than those obtained with silica and silica-zirconia nanoclusters (138.1 ± 36.6 nm, 116.2 ± 32.2 nm, resp.), while the hardness values of all composites were similar (nanoparticles = 0.24 ± 0.01 GPa, silica nanoclusters = 0.25 ± 0.04 GPa, and silica-zirconia nanoclusters = 0.22 ± 0.02 GPa). Based on this study, it can be established that particle size is a determining factor in the roughness of the final material, while the key variable for nanohardness was the concentration of the reinforcement materials.
Multiple Nontrivial Solutions for a Class of Biharmonic Elliptic Equations with Sobolev Critical Exponent
Authors: Qian Xiaoyong , Wang Jun , Zhu Maochun
Published: November 2018

In this paper, we study the existence and multiplicity of nontrivial solutions for a class of biharmonic elliptic equation with Sobolev critical exponent in a bounded domain. By using the idea of the previous paper, we generalize the results and prove the existence and multiplicity of nontrivial solutions of the biharmonic elliptic equations.
Study on Mechanics‐Based Cracking Resistance of Semiflexible Pavement Materials
Authors: Wang Duanyi , Liang Xiayi , Li Danning , Liang Hehao , Yu Huayang
Published: November 2018

Semiflexible mixture is a composite paving material combining the advantages of both asphalt and cement concrete materials. It consists of matrix asphalt skeleton and cement mortar. Due to the different volume characters between asphalt structure and cement mortar, stress concentration always happens in this semiflexible mixture, leading to internal cracking. The objective of this study is to alleviate the internal cracking concern of the semiflexible mixture by adjusting the material components. To this end, optimal material design and numerical simulation have been conducted. Matrix asphalt structures with four different air voids were incorporated with different dosages of cement mortar. The contraction strain and expansion strain of cement mortar as well as the indirect tensile strength of matrix asphalt structure were measured. The results were input into ABAQUS for numerical simulation. The results indicated that (1) the internal stress in this semiflexible mixture is mainly determined by the contraction of cement mortar, rather than expansion; (2) larger air void of matrix asphalt structure and less volumetric variation of cement mortar reduce the internal stress; (3) once the air void of matrix asphalt structure is decided, both maximum contraction and expansion deformations of cement mortar should meet specific requirement to ensure less internal cracking. This is a practical‐ready paper that provides reference for the anticracking design of semiflexible pavement.
3,5‐Dicaffeoyl‐Epi‐Quinic Acid Isolated from Edible Halophyte Atriplex gmelinii Inhibits Adipogenesis via AMPK/MAPK Pathway in 3T3‐L1 Adipocytes
Authors: Oh Jung Hwan , Lee Jung Im , Karadeniz Fatih , Seo Youngwan , Kong Chang-Suk
Published: November 2018

Atriplex gmelinii is an edible halophyte that has been suggested to possess various health benefits. In the present study, 3,5‐dicaffeoyl‐epi‐quinic acid (DEQA) isolated from A. gmelinii was tested for its ability to prevent adipogenesis in 3T3‐L1 cells. Also, the molecular mechanisms by which DEQA affects differentiation of 3T3‐L1 cells were investigated. The introduction of DEQA to differentiating 3T3‐L1 preadipocytes resulted in suppressed adipogenesis and lowered expression of adipogenesis‐related factors, PPARγ, C/EBPα, and SREBP‐1c. Treatment of 3T3‐L1 adipocytes with DEQA notably decreased the levels of phosphorylated p38, ERK, and JNK. In addition, presence of DEQA upregulated the levels of both inactive and phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) and its substrate, acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (ACC). Taken together, current results indicated that DEQA exhibited a significant antiadipogenesis activity by activation of AMPK and downregulation of MAPK signal pathways in 3T3‐L1 preadipocytes.
Surface Modification by Combination of Dip-Pen Nanolithography and Soft Lithography for Reduction of Bacterial Adhesion
Authors: Arango-Santander Santiago , Pelaez-Vargas Alejandro , Freitas Sidónio C. , García Claudia
Published: November 2018

Dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) and soft lithography are techniques suitable to modify the surface of biomaterials. Modified surfaces might play a role in modulating cells and reducing bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. The main objective of this study was threefold: first, to create patterns at microscale on model surfaces using DPN; second, to duplicate and transfer these patterns to a real biomaterial surface using a microstamping technique; and finally, to assess bacterial adhesion to these developed patterned surfaces using the cariogenic species Streptococcus mutans. DPN was used with a polymeric adhesive to create dot patterns on model surfaces. Elastomeric polydimethylsiloxane was used to duplicate the patterns and silica sol to transfer them to the medical grade stainless steel 316L surface by microstamping. Optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to characterize the patterns. S. mutans adhesion was assessed by colony-forming units (CFUs), MTT viability assay, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). DPN allowed creating microarrays from 1 to 5 µm in diameter on model surfaces that were successfully transferred to the stainless steel 316L surface via microstamping. A significant reduction up to one order of magnitude in bacterial adhesion to micropatterned surfaces was observed. The presented experimental approach may be used to create patterns at microscale on a surface and transfer them to other surfaces of interest. A reduction in bacterial adhesion to patterned surfaces might have a major impact since adhesion is a key step in biofilm formation and development of biomaterial-related infections.
A Software Defined Wireless Networking Approach for Managing Handoff in IEEE 802.11 Networks
Authors: Filho José Quaresma , Cunha Nailson , Lima Robertson , Anjos Eudisley , Matos Fernando
Published: November 2018

In Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) with more than one access point (AP), the handoff process plays a crucial role to guarantee the user service continuity. Usually initiated by the client’s equipment, it occurs smoothly on the order of seconds. However, despite being functional and well‐established, this process can be inadequate in scenarios where users are executing multimedia applications, such as real‐time video streaming or VoIP. For these applications, those few seconds may cause loss of packets, resulting in loss of essential information. Because of that, this study proposes a Software Defined Wireless Networking (SDWN) approach, in which a controller decides when to initiate the handoff process and chooses the AP the client’s device must connect. This approach was implemented in a testbed scenario and the results have shown its efficiency by decreasing the handoff delay and providing more stability to the process.
Carbon Exchange between the Atmosphere and a Subtropical Evergreen Mountain Forest in Taiwan
Authors: Maneke-Fiegenbaum Falk , Klemm Otto , Lai Yen-Jen , Hung Chih-Yuan , Yu Jui-Chu
Published: November 2018

Tropical, temperate, and boreal forests are the subject of various eddy covariance studies, but less is known about the subtropical region. As there are large areas of subtropical forests in the East Asian monsoon region with possibly high carbon uptake, we used three years (2011–2013) of eddy covariance data to estimate the carbon balance of a subtropical mountain forest in Taiwan. Two techniques of flux partitioning are applied to evaluate ecosystem respiration, thoroughly evaluate the validity of the estimated fluxes, and arrive at an estimate of the yearly net ecosystem exchange (NEE). We found that advection is a strong player at our site. Further, when used alone, the nighttime flux correction with the so-called u∗ method (u∗ = friction velocity) cannot avoid underestimating the nighttime respiration. By using a two-technique method employing both nighttime and daytime parameterizations for flux corrections, we arrive at an estimate of the three-year mean NEE of −561 (±standard deviation 114) g·C·m−2·yr−1. The corrected flux estimate represents a rather large uptake of CO2 for this mountain cloud forest, but the value is in good agreement with the few existing comparable estimates for other subtropical forests.
Unique Case of Myeloproliferative Neoplasm with Two Rare Clonal Abnormalities: Rare JAK2 Exon 12 Mutation and Rare e14a3 (b3a3) BCR/ABL Fusion Transcript
Authors: Swaminathan Mahesh , Patel Keyur P. , Huynh-Lu Julie , Tang Guilin , Zuo Zhuang , Miranda Roberto , Verstovsek Srdan
Published: November 2018

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are clonal disorders divided into Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) or Ph chromosome-negative MPNs. Co-occurrence of these disease entities is very rare and typically involves presence of common p190 or p210 BCR/ABL fusion transcript (responsible for CML) along with JAK2V617F mutation (most common driver mutation in Ph-negative MPNs). Because of the rarity of such cases, it is not clear if the outcomes are any different in these patients. In this article, we report a unique patient with polycythemia vera driven by a rare complex in-frame deletion-insertion mutation in JAK2 exon 12, and CML driven by uncommon p210 e14a3 (b3a3) BCR/ABL fusion transcript. We describe clinical and laboratory features, bone marrow pathology, treatment, and overall outcome.
Refining the Prediction and Prevention of Emergency Operative Deliveries with the Fetal Reserve Index
Authors: Britt David W. , Evans Mark I. , Schifrin Barry S. , Eden Robert D.
Published: November 2018

Electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) is a poor predictor of outcomes attributable to delivery problems. Contextualizing EFM by adding maternal, obstetrical, and fetal risk-related information to create an index called the Fetal Reserve Index (FRI) improves the predictive capacity and facilitates the timing of interventions. Here, we test critical assumptions of FRI as a clinical tool. Our conceptualization implies that the earlier one reaches the red zone (FRI ≤25) and the longer one spends in the red zone, the greater the likelihood of emergency operative deliveries (EOD). Methods: We analyzed 1,402 patients using logistic regression predicting the probability of EOD and employed qualitative methodology techniques to refine predictive capabilities. Results: Reaching the red zone early and staying there > 1 h increases the probability of EOD. When these risk factors are paired with intrauterine resuscitation (IR) in Stage 1, the reduction of EOD is substantial. Conclusion: FRI is a capable predictor of EOD because it accurately identifies the level of malleable risk. FRI analysis increases the risk of using IR in Stage 1. Matching risk and resources dramatically reduces the chances of EOD. Earlier IR improves the outcomes if the calculated risk is high.
MicroRNA-485 Modulates the TGF-β/ Smads Signaling Pathway in Chronic Asthmatic Mice by Targeting Smurf2
Authors: Wang Jing , Li Hong-Yan , Wang Hu-Shan , Su Zhen-Bo 
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Chronic respiratory conditions continue to plague millions of people worldwide. We aimed to elucidate the detailed mechanisms of microRNA-485 (miR-485) in airway smooth muscle cell (ASMC) proliferation and apoptosis in chronic asthmatic mice. Methods: A mouse model of chronic asthma was established. Ovalbumin was used to induce chronic asthma in the mice. The levels of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IL-17 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in mice were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassays (ELISAs). ASMCs were transfected with miR-485 mimic, miR-485 inhibitor and siRNA-Smurf2. The reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot analyses were applied to detect the mRNA and protein levels of Smurf2, α-SMA, TGF-β1 and decapentaplegic homolog (Smads). The MTT assay was utilized for cell proliferation, while flow cytometry was conducted to assess cell cycle distribution and apoptosis. Results: Lower expression of miR-485 and higher expression levels of TGF-β1, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IL-17 were detected in mice with chronic asthma. Smurf2 was identified as the target gene of miR-485. Upregulation of miR-485 mimic and downregulation of Smurf2 decreased expression levels of Smurf2, α-SMA, TGF-β1 and Smad3, inhibited cell proliferation and increased apoptosis, while contrary results were observed in ASMCs transfected with miR-485 inhibitor. Conclusion: Overexpressed miR-485 inhibits cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis of ASMCs through the Smurf2-mediated TGF-β/Smads signaling pathway in mice with chronic asthma.
Galectin-3- Mediated Transdifferentiation of Pulmonary Artery Endothelial Cells Contributes to Hypoxic Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling
Authors: Zhang Li , Li Yu-mei , Zeng Xi-xi , Wang Xiao-yan , Chen Shao-kun , Gui Long-xin , Lin Mo-Jun 
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Vascular muscularity is a key event in vessel remodeling during pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH). Endothelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation (EndMT) has been increasingly reported to play a role in disease occurrence. Galectin-3, a carbohydrate-binding protein regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, migration and neovascularization. However, whether galectin-3 controls endothelial cell transdifferentiation during the development of PAH is unknown. Methods: Rats were exposed to normoxic or hypoxic conditions (fraction of inspired O2 0.10) for 21 d to establish PAH models. Hemodynamic changes were evaluated through surgery of the right jugular vein and ultrasound biomicroscopy inviVue. And vessel pathological alterations were detected by H&E staining. Galectin-3 (Gal-3)-induced pulmonary artery endothelium cell (PAEC) dynamic alterations were measured by MTT assays, Cell immunofluorescence, Flow cytometry, Real-time PCR and Western blot. Results: Our study demonstrated that Gal-3 was expressed in hypoxic pulmonary vascular adventitia and intima. The increased Gal-3 expression was responsible for hypoxic vessel remodeling and PAH development in vivo. Gal-3 was found to inhibit cell proliferation and apoptosis in cultured endothelial cells. Meanwhile endothelial cell morphology was altered and exhibited smooth muscle-like cell features as demonstrated by the expression of α-SMA after Gal-3 treatment. Gal-3 activated Jagged1/Notch1 pathways and induced MyoD and SRF. When MyoD or SRF were silenced with siRNAs, Gal-3-initiated transdifferentiation in endothelial cells was blocked as indicated by a lack of α-SMA. Conclusion: These results suggest that Gal-3 induces PAECs to acquire an α-SMA phenotype via a transdifferentiation process which depends on the activation of Jagged1/Notch1 pathways that mediate MyoD and SRF expression.
The Exact VC Dimension of the WiSARD n-Tuple Classifier
Authors: Carneiro Hugo C. C. , Pedreira Carlos E. , França Felipe M. G. , Lima Priscila M. V.
Published: November 2018

The Wilkie, Stonham, and Aleksander recognition device (WiSARD) [Formula: see text]-tuple classifier is a multiclass weightless neural network capable of learning a given pattern in a single step. Its architecture is determined by the number of classes it should discriminate. A target class is represented by a structure called a discriminator, which is composed of [Formula: see text] RAM nodes, each of them addressed by an [Formula: see text]-tuple. Previous studies were carried out in order to mitigate an important problem of the WiSARD [Formula: see text]-tuple classifier: having its RAM nodes saturated when trained by a large data set. Finding the VC dimension of the WiSARD [Formula: see text]-tuple classifier was one of those studies. Although no exact value was found, tight bounds were discovered. Later, the bleaching technique was proposed as a means to avoid saturation. Recent empirical results with the bleaching extension showed that the WiSARD [Formula: see text]-tuple classifier can achieve high accuracies with low variance in a great range of tasks. Theoretical studies had not been conducted with that extension previously. This work presents the exact VC dimension of the basic two-class WiSARD [Formula: see text]-tuple classifier, which is linearly proportional to the number of RAM nodes belonging to a discriminator, and exponentially to their addressing tuple length, precisely [Formula: see text]. The exact VC dimension of the bleaching extension to the WiSARD [Formula: see text]-tuple classifier, whose value is the same as that of the basic model, is also produced. Such a result confirms that the bleaching technique is indeed an enhancement to the basic WiSARD [Formula: see text]-tuple classifier as it does no harm to the generalization capability of the original paradigm.
Helferella oborili sp. nov. from Indonesia (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Polycestinae: Haplostethini)
Authors: BÍLÝ SVATOPLUK , NAKLÁDAL OTO
Published: November 2018

In the course of his long-term stay on Tanimbar, our colleague M. Obořil (Brno, Czech Republic) collected a large number of specimens of an undescribed species of the genus Helferella Cobos, 1957 (tribe Haplostethini), which is described below.
A new species and a new record of the genus Homidia Börner, 1906 from East China (Collembola: Entomobryidae)
Authors: SHI SHI-DI , PAN ZHI-XIANG , ZHANG FENG
Published: November 2018

A new species, Homidia apigmenta n. sp. from East China is described. It is easily separated from the other Homidia species by absence of pigment on the dorsal tergites, presence of leaf-like modified setae on labium and ventral part of head, particular chaetotaxy of macrochaetae on posterior side of Abd. IV, and 5–8 (mostly 5) smooth setae on posterior face and 6–7 smooth setae on lateral flap of ventral tube. A table on characters of five closely related Homidia species is provided. A new record for China, the subspecies H. sauteri formosana Uchida, is redescribed and raised to the species level. A table showing the differences between H. sauteri Börner, and H. formosana Uchida, n. comb. is also provided.
Water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from the hyporheic waters of the Selwyn River (New Zealand), with descriptions of nine new species
Authors: PESIC VLADIMIR , SMIT HARRY , DATRY THIBAULT
Published: November 2018

New records of water mite species (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from hyporheic waters of Selwyn River (South Island, New Zealand) are reported. One new genus, Canterburaturus Pesic & Smit n. gen. (Aturidae) and nine new species are described: Taintaturus selwynus Pesic & Smit n. sp., T. rostratus Pesic & Smit n. sp., T. waikirikiri Pesic & Smit n. sp., Colobaturus selwynus Pesic & Smit n. sp., Canterburaturus minutus Pesic & Smit n. sp., C. cooki Pesic & Smit n. sp., C. novaeseelandicus Pesic & Smit n. sp., Abelaturus schwoerbeli Pesic & Smit n. sp., and Zelandalbia longipalpis Pesic & Smit n. sp. A first description of the male is given for Piotaturus bovalus Cook, 1983. A list is given of all known hyporheic species of New Zealand.
New species and records of Scissurellidae and Anatomidae from the Americas (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Vetigastropoda)
Authors: Geiger DANIEL L. , MCLEAN JAMES H.
Published: November 2018

New Scissurellidae and Anatomidae from the geographic and political Americas are described, with many long-standing misidentifications being corrected, and some comparisons to described species complementing the contribution. Sinezona kayae n. sp., previously mis-identified as the South African Sin. insignis, and Sin. hawaiiensis n. sp. without a selenizone, are described from Hawaii. Sinezona carolarum n. sp. is added to the Panamic province with a more depressed shell than the more common Sin. rimuloides (Carpenter, 1865), and a proportionally shorter selenizone. Coronadoa demisispira n. sp. from the Panamic and northeastern Pacific provinces is the third species in the genus, living sympatrically in the southern range of C. simonsae Bartsch, 1946. The new species is characterized by a shell with lower profile and a wider umbilicus. Anatoma alternatisculpta n. sp. from the Caribbean is most similar to A. proxima (Dall, 1927), but has conspicuously different sculpture on shoulder and base. Anatoma plicatazona n. sp. from the Caribbean has markedly upturned keels of the selenizone. Anatoma disciformis (Golikov & Sirenko, 1980) is reported from Alaska and illustrated for the first time by SEM. Thieleella kelseyi (Dall, 1905) is resurrected for what has previously been misidentified as the European Anatoma crispata (Fleming, 1828) in the northeastern Pacific, with a neotype designated, as the holotype is missing. Thieleella peruviana n. sp. from Peru is similar to T. kelseyi but has a taller shell and differs in the morphology of lateral tooth 5 of the radula. Thieleella bathypacifica n. sp. from the Panamic province is a deep-water species (2500 m), and known from a single specimen only. The species shows a marked angulation on teleoconch I at the spiral cord in the position of the selenizone; additionally it has a radula with marginal teeth showing a distinct posterior food groove. The bodies of two species (T. kelseyi, T. peruviana) were examined by SEM. An accessory cephalic tentacle between the anterior most epipodial tentacle and the eye stalk was encountered. The epipodial sense organ is recognized for the first time in Anatomidae, and the presence of bursicles on the gill is confirmed.
A new family for Sotoplax robertsi Guinot, 1984, with a diagnosis and key to the Goneplacoidea Macleay, 1838 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura)
Authors: CASTRO PETER , GUINOT DANIÈLE , NG PETER K. L.
Published: November 2018

Sotoplacidae nov. fam. is described for Sotoplax robertsi Guinot, 1984, a goneplacoid crab from the western Atlantic that had been provisionally placed in the family Euryplacidae Stimpson, 1871. Sotoplax is characterised by a suite of characters, particularly related to the thoracic sternum, male abdomen, and to the protection of the penis, which places it as a taxon independent from the Euryplacidae and the other 10 families currently grouped in the superfamily Goneplacoidea MacLeay, 1838. A diagnosis of the Goneplacoidea, a detailed table of characters diagnostic to the 11 goneplacoid families, and a key to these families are also given.
The identity of Pentalonia nigronervosa Coquerel and P. caladii van der Goot (Hemiptera: Aphididae) based on molecular and morphometric analysis
Authors: FOOTTIT R. G. , MAW H. E. L. , PIKE K. S. , MILLER R. H.
Published: November 2018

Pentalonia nigronervosa (sensu Hardy 1931) samples from banana and from Zingiberaceae and Araceae species exhibit fixed differences in DNA sequence in mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (“DNA barcode”) and in the nuclear gene elongation factor 1α, and have morphometric differences, including non-overlapping ranges in the length of the distal rostral segment. It is thus proposed that the name P. nigronervosa Coquerel be restricted to banana-feeding ‘nigronervosa’ specimens, and that the name Pentalonia caladii van der Goot be restored to full species status for specimens typically feeding on Zingiberaceae and Araceae.
Revision of the genus Leptohyphes Eaton (Ephemeroptera: Leptohyphidae) in North and Central America
Authors: BAUMGARDNER D. E. , MCCAFFERTY W. P.
Published: November 2018

Changes to the taxonomy of North and Central America Leptohyphes (Ephemeroptera: Leptohyphidae) include the following. Leptohyphes ferruginus and L. apache are revalidated. The adult stage of L. ferruginus is diagnosed based upon subimagos and a reared female adult and a partially emerged male adult. Leptohyphes piraticus is placed as a junior synonym of L. ferruginus. Leptohyphes vulturnus and L. zelus are shown to be junior synonyms of L. zalope. Leptohyphes hispidus, L. lumas, L. spiculatus, and L. succinus are placed as junior synonyms of L. apache. Leptohyphes castaneus, L. tarsos, and L. consortis are placed as junior synonyms of L. sabinas. Leptohyphes brunneus is placed as a junior synonym of L. musseri. Leptohyphes lestes is newly reported from the USA. Numerous problems and errors asssociated with original descriptions of Leptohyphes species are discussed. A taxonomic key is presented to all known larval stages of North and Central American species of Leptohyphes.
Type specimens of sawflies (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Symphyta) housed in the Museo de La Plata, Argentina
Authors: ABRAHAMOVICH ALBERTO H. , LUCIA MARIANO , ALVAREZ LEOPOLDO J. , SMITH DAVID R.
Published: November 2018

The primary and secondary type specimens of 27 species of sawflies housed at the Museo de La Plata (División Entomología), Argentina are listed. Information on kinds of types, collection data, and current status are provided. The types belong to species described by P. Jörgensen, C. Schrottky, and D. R. Smith. Two new synonymies are recognized: Aphilodyctium nigripenne Schrottky, 1913 syn. nov. of Waldheimia nigripennis Jörgensen 1913 and Siobla argentina Schrottky, 1913 syn. nov. of Stromboceros argentinus Jörgensen 1913.
A taxonomic revision of the tarantula spider genus Lyrognathus Pocock 1895 (Araneae, Theraphosidae), with notes on the Selenocosmiinae
Authors: WEST RICK C. , NUNN STEVEN C.
Published: November 2018

The tarantula genus Lyrognathus Pocock 1895 is revised with three new species described: L. achilles sp. nov. from Gunung Nibung, Borneo; L. fuscus sp. nov. from Simpang Kubur, Borneo and L. lessunda sp. nov. from Lombok Island, Indonesia. The male of L. robustus Smith 1988 is described for the first time, the female is redescribed. L. crotalus Pocock 1895 is considered a senior synonym of L. pugnax Pocock 1900. Several new characters are discussed, with Lyrognathus keyed to species. The diagnosis of the Selenocosmiinae is amended. Zoogeographic distribution, natural history and subfamilial relationships with proposed sister genera Selenocosmia Ausserer 1871 and Coremiocnemis Simon 1892 are discussed. Lyrognathus saltator is redescribed. Selenocosmia lyra Strand 1913 is considered a nomen dubium.
Neodolichodorus sinensis sp. nov. (Nematoda: Dolichodoridae) from China
Authors: ZHUO KAN , WANG HONGHONG , LIAO JINLING
Published: November 2018

Neodolichodorus Andrássy, 1976 currently encompasses eleven species of plant ectoparasites, including pathogenic species such as N. australis Hodda & Nambiar, 2005 associated with damage to carrot (Hodda and Nambiar 2005). The genus has not to date been reported in China. In 2008, during a survey of marine nematodes in Futian Mangrove Reserve of Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, specimens of a bisexual population of Neodolichodorus were isolated from soil in the rhizosphere of Kandelia candel. Detailed studies of the nematode revealed that it differed from all other nominal species in the genus and it is herein described as a new species.
Taxonomic revision of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Atractus (Reptilia: Serpentes: Dipsadidae)
Authors: PASSOS PAULO , FERNANDES RONALDO , BÉRNILS RENATO S. , DE MOURA-LEITE JULIO C.
Published: November 2018

Dipsadine snakes of the genus Atractus are endemic to the Neotropical region, occurring from Panama to Argentina. Currently, the taxonomic status of most species of the genus is unclear and previous attempts of taxonomic revisions have been local in scale. In this paper we evaluate the taxonomic status of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest species of Atractus based on meristic, morphometric, maxillary dentition, and hemipenis characters. Quantitative and qualitative analyses suggest the recognition of one new species (A. caete sp. nov.) from the state of Alagoas, another (A. francoi sp. nov.) from the mountainous regions of the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and the synonymy of A. kangueryensis with A. thalesdelemai. Specimens previously assigned to A. taeniatus in Argentina and Brazil are here considered A. paraguayensis. A key to the Atlantic Forest Atractus is provided and three new species groups are proposed for some cisAndean Atractus, mainly on the basis of hemipenial morphology: the A. emmeli, A. maculatus, and A. pantostictus species groups.
Anacroneuria (Plecoptera, Perlidae) from the Mantiqueira Mountains, São Paulo State, Brazil
Authors: FROEHLICH CLAUDIO G.
Published: November 2018

Seven species of Anacroneuria Klapálek are considered; of these 4 were known, A. debilis (Pictet, 1841), A. flintorum Froehlich, 2002, A. toriba Froehlich, 2002 (the female is described herein), and A. vanini Froehlich, 2004. Three are new: A. mantiqueirae, A. simulans, and A. tabatae.
A review of the Macropes Motschulsky (Hemiptera: Lygaeoidea: Blissidae) from China, with descriptions of three new species
Authors: GAO CUIQING , BU WENJUN
Published: November 2018

Eighteen species of the genus Macropes Motschulsky from China are treated in the paper, in which M. varipennis (Walker, 1872) and M. dilutus Distant, 1901 are newly recorded from China; M. bambusiphilus Zheng & Zou, 1982 and M. slateri Zheng & Wang, 1987 are treated as new junior synonymies of M. robustus Zheng & Zou, 1982; three of them, M. complanus sp. nov., M. testaceus sp. nov., and M. peculiaris sp. nov., are described as new to science. Photographs of all eighteen species and drawings of genitalia of new species and newly recorded species from China are illustrated, along with those modified parts of the key to the World species of Macropes in Slater (1979). The type specimens of the new species are deposited in the Institute of Entomology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
A new species of the genus Protoplotina Miyatake (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from India
Authors: POORANI J.
Published: November 2018

Protoplotina nigrosuturalis sp. n. and Protoplotina near vietnamica Miyatake are reported from India. This is the first record of this genus from India.
Haplomunnidae (Crustacea: Isopoda) reviewed, with a description of an intact specimen of Thylakogaster Wilson & Hessler, 1974
Authors: CUNHA MARINA R. , WILSON GEORGE D.F.
Published: November 2018

The distribution and ecology of the isopod family Haplomunnidae Wilson, 1976 are reviewed with new records given for Thylakogaster Wilson & Hessler, 1974, Mid-Atlantic Ridge and east Pacific Ocean, and for Munella Bonnier, 1896, Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the eastern Atlantic near the African coast. The specimens of these two genera, collected from Lucky Strike (Mid-Atlantic Ridge), are the first record of the family from hydrothermal vent habitats. The systematics of the Haplomunnidae is updated and the synonymy of Aryballurops Gamô, 1983 with Haplomunna Richardson, 1908 is proposed. Thylakogaster lobotourus Wilson & Hessler, 1974 is redrawn from the first known intact specimen and additional description of the appendages is provided.
Giant assassin in the cave: a new species of the genus Myiophanes from Sri Lanka (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae)
Authors: GHATE HEMANT V. , KULKARNI SIDDHARTH , BENJAMIN SURESH P.
Published: November 2018

A new thread-legged assassin bug species, Myiophanes (Myiophanes) wygodzinskyi sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae: Emesini), collected from Ravana Cave in Uva Province of Sri Lanka, is described. It is the largest species of the genus described so far.
100 Years of Progress in Understanding the General Circulation of the Atmosphere
Authors: Held Isaac M.
Published: November 2018

Some of the advances of the past century in our understanding of the general circulation of the atmosphere are described, starting with a brief summary of some of the key developments from the first half of the twentieth century, but with a primary focus on the period beginning with the midcentury breakthrough in baroclinic instability and quasigeostrophic dynamics. In addition to baroclinic instability, topics touched upon include the following: stationary wave theory, the role played by the two-layer model, scaling arguments for the eddy heat flux, the subtlety of large-scale eddy momentum fluxes, the Eliassen–Palm flux and the transformed Eulerian mean formulation, the structure of storm tracks, and the controls on the Hadley cell.
Coupled Data Assimilation and Ensemble Initialization with Application to Multiyear ENSO Prediction
Authors: O’Kane Terence J. , Sandery Paul A. , Monselesan Didier P. , Sakov Pavel , Chamberlain Matthew A. , Matear Richard J. , Collier Mark A. , Squire Dougal T. , Stevens Lauren
Published: November 2018

We develop and compare variants of coupled data assimilation (DA) systems based on ensemble optimal interpolation (EnOI) and ensemble transform Kalman filter (ETKF) methods. The assimilation system is first tested on a small paradigm model of the coupled tropical–extratropical climate system, then implemented for a coupled general circulation model (GCM). Strongly coupled DA was employed specifically to assess the impact of assimilating ocean observations [sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height (SSH), and sea surface salinity (SSS), Argo, XBT, CTD, moorings] on the atmospheric state analysis update via the cross-domain error covariances from the coupled-model background ensemble. We examine the relationship between ensemble spread, analysis increments, and forecast skill in multiyear ENSO prediction experiments with a particular focus on the atmospheric response to tropical ocean perturbations. Initial forecast perturbations generated from bred vectors (BVs) project onto disturbances at and below the thermocline with similar structures to ETKF perturbations. BV error growth leads ENSO SST phasing by 6 months whereupon the dominant mechanism communicating tropical ocean variability to the extratropical atmosphere is via tropical convection modulating the Hadley circulation. We find that bred vectors specific to tropical Pacific thermocline variability were the most effective choices for ensemble initialization and ENSO forecasting.