bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Responses to relaxed and reverse selection in strains artificially selected for duration of death-feigning behavior in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum
Authors: Matsumura Kentarou , Miyatake Takahisa
Published: April 2018

Divergent lines selected artificially for many generations make it possible to answer two questions: (1) whether genetic variation still exists within the selected population; and (2) whether the selection itself is costly for the selected strain. In previous studies, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum was divergently selected artificially for duration of death-feigning, and strains selected for longer (L-strain) and shorter (S-strain) durations of death-feigning have been established (Miyatake et al. 2004, 2008). Because the selection experiments have been conducted for more than 27 generations, genetic variation may be eroded. Furthermore, because another previous study reported physiological costs to L-strains, the L-strains selected artificially for longer duration of death-feigning may have suffered more costs than the S-strains. In the present study, therefore, we relaxed the selection pressure after the 27th or 30th generation of S- and L-strains. We also carried out reverse selection during the most recent eight generations of S- and L-strains. The results showed that each strain clearly responded to relaxation of selection and reverse selection, suggesting that (1) additive genetic variation still existed in both strains after long-term selection, and (2) selection for shorter and longer duration of death-feigning was costly. These results suggest that anti-predator behavior is controlled by many loci, and longer or shorter duration of death-feigning is costly in a laboratory without predators.
Correction to: Tree hollows can affect epiphyte species composition
Authors: Tatsumi Shinichi , Ohgue Takayuki , Azuma Wakana , Tuovinen Veera , Imada Yume , Mori Akira S. , Thor Göran , Ranlund Åsa
Published: April 2018

Tree hollows often harbor animals and microorganisms, thereby storing nutritive resources derived from their biological activities. The outflows from tree hollows can create unique microenvironments, which may affect communities of epiphytic organisms on trunk surfaces below the hollows. In this study, we tested whether the species richness and composition of epiphytic bryophytes (liverworts and mosses) and lichens differ above and below tree hollows of Aria japonica and Cercidiphyllum japonicum in a Japanese temperate forest. The species richness of epiphytic bryophytes and lichens did not differ above and below hollows; however, the species composition of bryophytes differed significantly above and below hollows. Indicator species analyses showed that the moss species Anomodon tristis and the liverwort species Porella vernicosa were significantly more common below than above hollows, while the liverwort species Radula japonica and four lichen species, including Leptogium cyanescens, occurred more frequently above than below hollows. Our results highlight that tree hollows can produce unique microenvironments on trunk surfaces that potentially contribute to the maintenance of epiphytic diversity on a local scale.
Correction to: Integrating isotopic, microbial, and modeling approaches to understand methane dynamics in a frequently disturbed deep reservoir in Taiwan
Authors: Itoh Masayuki , Kojima Hisaya , Ho Pei‐Chi , Chang Chun‐Wei , Chen Tzong‐Yueh , Hsiao Silver Sung‐Yun , Kobayashi Yuki , Fujibayashi Megumu , Kao Shuh‐Ji , Hsieh Chih‐hao , Fukui Manabu , Okuda Noboru , Miki Takeshi , Shiah Fuh‐Kwo
Published: April 2018

The article “Integrating isotopic, microbial, and modeling approaches to understand methane dynamics in a frequently disturbed deep reservoir in Taiwan”, written by Masayuki Itoh, Hisaya Kojima, Pei‐Chi Ho, Chun‐Wei Chang, Tzong‐Yueh Chen, Silver Sung‐Yun Hsiao, Yuki Kobayashi, Megumu Fujibayashi, Shuh‐Ji Kao, Chih‐hao Hsieh, Manabu Fukui, Noboru Okuda, Takeshi Miki, Fuh‐Kwo Shiah, was originally published electronically on the publisher's internet portal (currently SpringerLink) on 18 September 2017 without open access.
Retinal oxygen metabolism in patients with mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Olafsdottir Olof Birna , Saevarsdottir Hrafnhildur Sif , Hardarson Sveinn Hakon , Hannesdottir Kristin Hanna , Traustadottir Valgerdur Dora , Karlsson Robert Arnar , Einarsdottir Anna Bryndis , Jonsdottir Katrin Dilja , Stefansson Einar , Snaedal Jon
Published: April 2018

Introduction

We have previously reported that retinal vessel oxygen saturation is increased in mild‐to‐moderate dementia of Alzheimer's type when compared with healthy individuals. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the predementia stage of the disease. The main purpose was to investigate if these changes are seen in MCI.

Methods

Retinal vessel oxygen saturation was measured in 42 patients with MCI and 42 healthy individuals with a noninvasive retinal oximeter, Oxymap T1. The groups were paired according to age.

Results

Arteriolar and venular oxygen saturation was increased in MCI patients compared to healthy individuals (arterioles: 93.1 ± 3.7% vs. 91.1 ± 3.4%, P = .01; venules: 59.6 ± 6.1% vs. 54.9 ± 6.4%, P = .001). Arteriovenous difference was decreased in MCI compared to healthy individuals (33.5 ± 4.5% vs. 36.2 ± 5.2%, P = .01).

Discussion

Increased retinal vessel oxygen saturation and decreased arteriovenous difference in MCI could reflect less oxygen extraction by retinal tissue. This indicates that retinal oxygen metabolism may be affected in patients with MCI.
Prostate Health Index (PHI) improves prostate cancer detection at initial biopsy in Taiwanese men with PSA 4–10 ng/mL
Authors: Hsieh Po‐Fan , Chang Chao‐Hsiang , Yang Chi‐Rei , Huang Chi‐Ping , Chen Wen‐Chi , Yeh Chin‐Chung , Chou Eric Chieh‐Lung , Chen Kuo‐Liang , Lien Chi‐Shun , Chen Guang‐Heng , Hsiao Po‐Jen , Chang Yi‐Huei , Wu Hsi‐Chin
Published: April 2018

In this study, we aimed to validate the Prostate Health Index (PHI) for the detection of prostate cancer (PCa). We prospectively enrolled patients aged 50–75 years with a serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) level of 4–10 ng/mL undergoing transrectal biopsy of the prostate between April 2016 and May 2017. The primary outcome was the diagnostic performance of various PSA derivatives (total PSA, free PSA, %fPSA, p2PSA, %p2PSA, and PHI) to predict PCa. The secondary outcome was comparisons of PSA derivatives between patients with a Gleason score (GS) 6 and GS 7. PCa was diagnosed in 36 of 154 (23.4%) patients, and 26 (16.9%) had a GS 7. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves were significantly greater in %p 2PSA and PHI than in PSA (0.76 vs. 0.57, p = 0.015 and 0.77 vs. 0.57, p = 0.004, respectively). Patients with a GS 7PCa had marginally higher %p2PSA and PHI than those with a GS of 6 (17.8 vs. 12.73, p = 0.06; 46.58 vs. 31.55, p = 0.05). At a PHI cutoff value of 29.6, the sensitivity and specificity were 77.8% and 67.8% in detecting PCa, respectively. In addition, 57.1% of the patients avoided an unnecessary biopsy, while three patients (1.9%) with GS 7 PCa were missed. In conclusion, the ability of %p2PSA and PHI to predict prostate biopsy outcome was better than that of PSA and %fPSA in the initial biopsy in Taiwanese men with serum PSA between 4 and 10 ng/mL.
Immunities and International Crimes before the ILC: Looking for Innovative Solutions
Authors: Forteau Mathias
Published: April 2018

The International Law Commision's (ILC's) work on Immunity of State officials from Criminal Jurisdiction, which started ten years ago, has generated over time high expectations. In light of progress in international criminal law, the ILC is expected to strike a reasonable balance between the protection of sovereign equality and the fight against impunity in case of international crimes. It requires the Commission to determine whether or not immunity from criminal jurisdiction applies or should apply when international crimes are at stake. At its 2017 session, the ILC eventually adopted Draft Article 7 on this issue, which proved quite controversial and did not meet states’ approval. The purpose of this essay is to shed some light on the main shortcomings of this provision and to identify possible alternatives that could permit the ILC to overcome the deadlock concerning its adoption.
A parametric study of laminar and transitional oblique shock wave reflections
Authors: Giepman R. H. M. , Schrijer F. F. J. , van Oudheusden B. W.
Published: April 2018

High-resolution particle image velocimetry measurements were performed on laminar and transitional oblique shock wave reflections for a range of Mach numbers ($M=1.6{-}2.3$), Reynolds numbers ($Re_{x_{sh}}=1.4\times 10^{6}{-}3.5\times 10^{6}$) and flow deflection angles ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D703}=1^{\circ }{-}5^{\circ }$ or $p_{3}/p_{1}=1.11{-}1.64$). The laminar interactions revealed a long, flat and triangular shaped separation bubble. For relatively strong interactions ($p_{3}/p_{1}>1.2$), the bubble grows linearly in the upstream direction with increasing shock strength. Under these conditions, the boundary layer keeps an on average laminar velocity profile up to the shock impingement location, followed by a quick transition and subsequent reattachment of the boundary layer. For weaker interactions ($p_{3}/p_{1}<1.2$), the boundary layer is able to remain laminar further downstream of the bubble, which consequently results in a later reattachment of the boundary layer. The pressure distribution at the interaction onset for all laminar cases shows excellent agreement with the free-interaction theory, therefore supporting its validity even for incipiently separated laminar oblique shock wave reflections.
THE SHARP BOUND FOR THE HANKEL DETERMINANT OF THE THIRD KIND FOR CONVEX FUNCTIONS
Authors: KOWALCZYK BOGUMIŁA , LECKO ADAM , SIM YOUNG JAE
Published: April 2018

We prove the sharp inequality$|H_{3,1}(f)|\leq 4/135$for convex functions, that is, for analytic functions$f$with$a_{n}:=f^{(n)}(0)/n!,~n\in \mathbb{N}$, such that$$\begin{eqnarray}Re\bigg\{1+\frac{zf^{\prime \prime }(z)}{f^{\prime }(z)}\bigg\}>0\quad \text{for}~z\in \mathbb{D}:=\{z\in \mathbb{C}:|z|<1\},\end{eqnarray}$$where$H_{3,1}(f)$is the third Hankel determinant$$\begin{eqnarray}H_{3,1}(f):=\left|\begin{array}{@{}ccc@{}}a_{1} & a_{2} & a_{3}\\ a_{2} & a_{3} & a_{4}\\ a_{3} & a_{4} & a_{5}\end{array}\right|.\end{eqnarray}$$
OCCURRENCE, DAMAGE PATTERN AND STATUS OF THE RICE LEAF FOLDER CNAPHALOCROCIS RURALIS WALKER (LEPIDOPTERA: CRAMBIDAE) IN ERIANTHUS SPP. IN INDIA
Authors: MAHESH P. , SRIKANTH J. , CHANDRAN K. , SINGARAVELU B. , SALIN K. P. , JAYABOSE C. , BALAN S.
Published: April 2018

We investigated the occurrence and status of the leaf folder Cnaphalocrocis ruralis (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in accessions of Erianthus spp. maintained as a part of the world germplasm collection at the Research Center of ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Kannur, Kerala State, India. The nature, pattern, extent and year-to-year variation in damage were examined and accessions categorized based on relative incidence. The larvae of C. ruralis caused characteristic injury by feeding on chlorophyll bearing tissues leading to the formation of white and transparent streaks on the leaf blade. The grown-up larvae folded the leaf longitudinally with the adaxial surface inside the fold and exposing the abaxial surface, the edges being held in place by bands of silk thread at regular intervals. The length of leaf folds varied from 2.6 to 27.0 cm with a mean of 9.1 cm, which roughly constituted 7.3% of the mean length of the leaf blade. Leaf length, leaf width and leaf area were not correlated with either the leaf fold length or the number of webs. However, the leaf fold length was positively correlated with the number of webs. Attack rates (infestation rate) on cane basis (up to 69.0%) were generally higher than the damage rates (intensity) on leaf basis (up to 50.0%); infestation index ranged between 0.0 and 13.7%. Correlations between infestation rate and intensity varied among the three study years. Non-parametric analysis indicated significant differences among the three years for percent of infested canes and infestation index but not percent of damaged leaves. All accessions showed C. ruralis incidence in at least one experimental year, indicating that none of the accessions tested was immune to its attack. When all 74 accessions were considered on the basis of infestation index, 85.1% were placed in low and moderate categories and only 14.9% in high incidence category. Within the accessions of Erianthus spp., leaf area was not related to infestation rate of cane or damage rate of leaves but positively related to infestation index. The dynamics of the leaf folder in the predominantly paddy ecosystem were discussed in the light of its first occurrence in Erianthus spp. accessions in India and the world.
XRPD and Rietveld refinement for Al5NdNi2 compound
Authors: Li Degui , Luo Kun , He Bing , Liang Liuqing , Qin Ming , Lu Tian
Published: April 2018

A new ternary compound Al5NdNi2 was prepared by melting a stoichiometric mixture of aluminum, neodymium, and nickel in an arc furnace and annealing in vacuum. The crystal structure of Al5NdNi2 was studied by X-ray powder diffraction technique and Rietveld analysis. All diffraction lines of Al5NdNi2 were indexed, and the lattice parameters were refined with an orthorhombic structure type of space group Immm (No.71) using Rietveld analysis program DBWS-9807. The lattice parameters are presented, a = 7.0508(1) Å, b = 9.5690(1) Å, c = 3.9792(1) Å, V = 268.47 Å3, Z = 2, ρ = 4.91 g cm−3, and RIR = 1.23.
Research Replication: Practical Considerations
Authors: Michael Alvarez R. , Key Ellen M. , Núñez Lucas
Published: April 2018

With the discipline’s push toward data access and research transparency (DA-RT), journal replication archives are becoming increasingly common. As researchers work to ensure that replication materials are provided, they also should pay attention to the content—rather than simply the provision—of journal archives. Based on our experience in analyzing and handling journal replication materials, we present a series of recommendations that can make them easier to understand and use. The provision of clear, functional, and well-documented replication materials is key for achieving the goals of transparent and replicable research. Furthermore, good replication materials enhance the development of extensions and related research by making state-of-the-art methodologies and analyses more accessible.
Snack food as a modulator of human resting-state functional connectivity
Authors: Mendez-Torrijos Andrea , Kreitz Silke , Ivan Claudiu , Konerth Laura , Rösch Julie , Pischetsrieder Monika , Moll Gunther , Kratz Oliver , Dörfler Arnd , Horndasch Stefanie , Hess Andreas
Published: April 2018

Objective

To elucidate the mechanisms of how snack foods may induce non-homeostatic food intake, we used resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), as resting state networks can individually adapt to experience after short time exposures. In addition, we used graph theoretical analysis together with machine learning techniques (support vector machine) to identifying biomarkers that can categorize between high-caloric (potato chips) vs. low-caloric (zucchini) food stimulation.

Methods

Seventeen healthy human subjects with body mass index (BMI) 19 to 27 underwent 2 different fMRI sessions where an initial resting state scan was acquired, followed by visual presentation of different images of potato chips and zucchini. There was then a 5-minute pause to ingest food (day 1=potato chips, day 3=zucchini), followed by a second resting state scan. fMRI data were further analyzed using graph theory analysis and support vector machine techniques.

Results

Potato chips vs. zucchini stimulation led to significant connectivity changes. The support vector machine was able to accurately categorize the 2 types of food stimuli with 100% accuracy. Visual, auditory, and somatosensory structures, as well as thalamus, insula, and basal ganglia were found to be important for food classification. After potato chips consumption, the BMI was associated with the path length and degree in nucleus accumbens, middle temporal gyrus, and thalamus.

Conclusion

The results suggest that high vs. low caloric food stimulation in healthy individuals can induce significant changes in resting state networks. These changes can be detected using graph theory measures in conjunction with support vector machine. Additionally, we found that the BMI affects the response of the nucleus accumbens when high caloric food is consumed.
Possession identification in text
Authors: BANEA CARMEN , MIHALCEA RADA
Published: April 2018

Just as industrialization matured from mass production to customization and personalization, so has the Web migrated from generic content to public disclosures of one’s most intimately held thoughts, opinions, and beliefs. This relatively new type of data is able to represent finer and more narrowly defined demographic slices. If until now researchers have primarily focused on leveraging personalized content to identify latent information such as gender, nationality, location, or age, this article seeks to establish a structured way of extracting possessions, or items that people own or are entitled to, as a way to ultimately provide insights into people’s behaviors and characteristics. We introduce the new task of ‘possession identification in text’, and release a novel dataset where possessions are marked at different confidence levels. We present experiments and results obtained when seeking to automatically identify and extract possessions from the text.
Rustic figuration
Authors: Karlsson Ulrika
Published: April 2018

The entwined relationships between the physical and the computational continue to produce sensibilities where our understanding of the division between them is becoming blurred. The prolog to Rustic Figurations identifies a growing interest in disciplinary questions on the role of history and the history of digital tools and techniques of representation to support and understand the cultural context of architecture. The second part of the text tries to describe, define and situate rustic figuration as an aesthetic and material concept in architecture that has developed through the architectural design research of the practices servo and Brrum, in parallel with research into the history of rustication.

The notion of rustic figuration is imbued with architectural qualities that oscillate between the legibility of form and geometry and the disappearance of that legibility. Aspects of legibility are discussed in relation to related discourses in architectural history, as well as in the context of a few contemporary practices and projects that engage both computational and analogue techniques for design, communication and fabrication. The qualities of rustic figuration in the projects are neither bound by the unique properties of the building materials, nor by the computational information but happen in the translations between digital information and material manifestation or vice versa.
Blockchain for architects: challenges from the sharing economy
Authors: Coyne Richard , Onabolu Tolulope
Published: April 2018

Concepts of the sharing economy are gaining traction in retail, finance, business and law. What has it to do with architecture? We examine the sharing economy's basis in peer-to-peer exchange, and its relationship with the intriguing technology known as the ‘blockchain.’ We look critically as the practical applications of the technology to architecture in areas such as the exchange of digital assets and the automation of certain types of contracts, as well as the metaphors about the city it brings to light as a stimulus to design.
Global negative effects of nitrogen deposition on soil microbes
Authors: Zhang Tian’an , Chen Han Y H , Ruan Honghua
Published: April 2018

Soil microbes comprise a large portion of the genetic diversity on Earth and influence a large number of important ecosystem processes. Increasing atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition represents a major global change driver; however, it is still debated whether the impacts of N deposition on soil microbial biomass and respiration are ecosystem-type dependent. Moreover, the extent of N deposition impacts on microbial composition remains unclear. Here we conduct a global meta-analysis using 1408 paired observations from 151 studies to evaluate the responses of soil microbial biomass, composition, and function to N addition. We show that nitrogen addition reduced total microbial biomass, bacterial biomass, fungal biomass, biomass carbon, and microbial respiration. Importantly, these negative effects increased with N application rate and experimental duration. Nitrogen addition reduced the fungi to bacteria ratio and the relative abundances of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and gram-negative bacteria and increased gram-positive bacteria. Our structural equation modeling showed that the negative effects of N application on soil microbial abundance and composition led to reduced microbial respiration. The effects of N addition were consistent across global terrestrial ecosystems. Our results suggest that atmospheric N deposition negatively affects soil microbial growth, composition, and function across all terrestrial ecosystems, with more pronounced effects with increasing N deposition rate and duration.
Short-term dynamics and interactions of marine protist communities during the spring–summer transition
Authors: Berdjeb Lyria , Parada Alma , Needham David M , Fuhrman Jed A
Published: April 2018

We examined the short-term variability, by daily to weekly sampling, of protist assemblages from March to July in surface water of the San Pedro Ocean Time-series station (eastern North Pacific), by V4 Illumina sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene. The sampling period encompassed a spring bloom followed by progression to summer conditions. Several protistan taxa displayed sharp increases and declines, with whole community Bray–Curtis dissimilarities of adjacent days being 66% in March and 40% in May. High initial abundance of parasitic Cercozoa Cryothecomonas longipes and Protaspis grandis coincided with a precipitous decline of blooming Pseudo-nitzschia diatoms, possibly suggesting their massive infection by these parasites; these cercozoans were hardly detectable afterwards. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated a limited predictability of community variability from environmental factors. This indicates that other factors are relevant in explaining changes in protist community composition at short temporal scales, such as interspecific relationships, stochastic processes, mixing with adjacent water, or advection of patches with different protist communities. Association network analysis revealed that interactions between the many parasitic OTUs and other taxa were overwhelmingly positive and suggest that although sometimes parasites may cause a crash of host populations, they may often follow their hosts and do not regularly cause enough mortality to potentially create negative correlations at the daily to weekly time scales we studied.
Maternal deprivation induces alterations in cognitive and cortical function in adulthood
Authors: Janetsian-Fritz Sarine S. , Timme Nicholas M. , Timm Maureen M. , McCane Aqilah M. , Baucum II Anthony J. , O’Donnell Brian F. , Lapish Christopher C.
Published: April 2018

Early life trauma is a risk factor for a number of neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia (SZ). The current study assessed how an early life traumatic event, maternal deprivation (MD), alters cognition and brain function in rodents. Rats were maternally deprived in the early postnatal period and then recognition memory (RM) was tested in adulthood using the novel object recognition task. The expression of catechol-o-methyl transferase (COMT) and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD67) were quantified in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), ventral striatum, and temporal cortex (TC). In addition, depth EEG recordings were obtained from the mPFC, vertex, and TC during a paired-click paradigm to assess the effects of MD on sensory gating. MD animals exhibited impaired RM, lower expression of COMT in the mPFC and TC, and lower expression of GAD67 in the TC. Increased bioelectric noise was observed at each recording site of MD animals. MD animals also exhibited altered information theoretic measures of stimulus encoding. These data indicate that a neurodevelopmental perturbation yields persistent alterations in cognition and brain function, and are consistent with human studies that identified relationships between allelic differences in COMT and GAD67 and bioelectric noise. These changes evoked by MD also lead to alterations in shared information between cognitive and primary sensory processing areas, which provides insight into how early life trauma confers a risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, such as SZ, later in life.
Downregulation of lumican accelerates lung cancer cell invasion through p120 catenin
Authors: Yang Cheng-Ta , Li Jhy-Ming , Chu Wing-Keung , Chow Shu-Er
Published: April 2018

The overexpression of lumican has been found in lung cancer cells; however, the functional role of lumican in lung cancer cells remains unclear. In this study, we found lumican functioned as a tubulin-binding protein and the depletion of lumican by transfection with its specific shRNA increased lung cancer cell invasion. Such alterations led to morphological changes and actin cytoskeleton remodeling, including the induction of membrane ruffling or protrusion and stress fiber formation, correlated with the increased activities of Rac and Rho. The downregulation of lumican was also implicated in macrophage-conditioned media (maCM)-induced cell invasion. Immunofluorescence images and immunoprecipitation assays revealed the co-localization of p120-catenin (p120ctn) and lumican. Reduction in the levels of p120ctn induced membrane ruffling and the activation of the Rho family, which accelerated cell invasion. Our data indicated that lumican is associated with microtubule-modulated p120ctn signaling, providing important insights into lung cancer progression.
Nuclear receptor binding protein 1 correlates with better prognosis and induces caspase-dependent intrinsic apoptosis through the JNK signalling pathway in colorectal cancer
Authors: Liao Yi , Yang Zihuan , Huang Jintuan , Chen Hao , Xiang Jun , Li Senmao , Chen Chunyu , He Xuan , Lin Feng , Yang Zuli , Wang Jianping
Published: April 2018

Nuclear receptor binding protein 1 (NRBP1) is a ubiquitously expressed and highly conserved pseudokinase that has important roles in cellular homoeostasis. Despite recent advances in understanding the biology of NRBP1, the role of NRBP1 and its underlying mechanism in colorectal cancer (CRC) have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we observed that NRBP1 expression levels were significantly reduced in CRC tissues compared with corresponding adjacent normal tissues, and high NRBP1 expression correlated with better prognosis in CRC. Overexpression of NRBP1 inhibited CRC cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, knockdown of NRBP1 expression increased cell proliferation and decreased the percentage of apoptotic cells. Moreover, overexpression of NRBP1 activated caspase-dependent intrinsic apoptosis. In addition, we further discovered that NRBP1 regulated the apoptotic pathway through interaction with JNK. Finally, NRBP1 overexpression led to attenuated CRC growth in a xenograft mouse model. Our study illustrates the suppressor role of NRBP1 in CRC and provides a potential therapeutic target.
Increased autophagy in EOC re-ascites cells can inhibit cell death and promote drug resistance
Authors: Liu Yu , Tang Jing , Liu Duanyang , Zhang Lei , He Yan , Li Jing , Gao Lei , Tang Dai , Jin Xiaoming , Kong Dan
Published: April 2018

Abstract

As the major and preferred treatment for ovarian cancer ascites, chemotherapy can reduce or inhibit recurrent ascites (hereafter re-ascites); however, some patients still experience re-ascites. Therefore, this study investigated cases in which epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients experienced re-ascites. In re-ascites cases, CA125, MDR1, LC-3, and Beclin-1 were highly expressed. In addition, CASP-9 and c-CASP-3 expression levels were decreased, and serum CA125 levels (highest 4348 U/ml) were increased compared to chemosensitive cases. The results suggest that high expression levels of Beclin-1 and LC-3, thus increasing the level of autophagy and inhibiting apoptosis in the no-chemotherapy group. In the chemosensitive group, survivin expression was decreased and CASP-9 expression was increased, which led to c-CASP-3 activation and increased tumor cell apoptosis. The results of the cell lines confirm that inhibition of autophagy can increase the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to CDDP and promote CDDP-induced cell death. Re-ascites, which appears after chemotherapy, may be associated with drug resistance. In addition, increased autophagy may protect tumor cells from chemotherapeutic drugs, thus inhibiting tumor cell death.
Stomatin-like protein 2 regulates survivin expression in non-small cell lung cancer cells through β-catenin signaling pathway
Authors: Yang Cheng-Ta , Li Jhy-Ming , Li Li-Fu , Ko Yu-Shien , Chen Jeng-Ting
Published: April 2018

The overexpression of stomatin-like protein-2 (SLP-2) is commonly observed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. In the present study, we transfected a number of NSCLC cells with an SLP-2 shRNA-expressing vector (AdSLP2i) and examined its possible effects on cell growth and apoptosis. We found that suppression of SLP-2 expression inhibited cell growth, and that the apoptosis induced by SLP-2 suppression was correlated with decreased survivin protein expression. Moreover, the reduced survivin expression was found to be associated with reduced β-catenin nuclear localization and appeared not to be modulated through the AKT signaling pathway. By using immunoprecipitation and proteomics to analyze protein–protein interactions in A549 cells with SLP-2 overexpression, we found that annexin A2 interacted with SLP-2 and β-catenin directly. Our data further suggested that the knockdown of SLP-2 gene affected the SLP-2/Annexin A2/β-catenin cascade formation, reduced the translocation of cytoplasmic β-catenin into nucleus, and downregulated downstream target genes. The results presented in this study, together with our previous findings, suggest that SLP-2 promotes NSCLC cell proliferation by enhancing survivin expression mediated via β-catenin pathway.
Adsorption-based atmospheric water harvesting device for arid climates
Authors: Kim Hyunho , Rao Sameer R. , Kapustin Eugene A. , Zhao Lin , Yang Sungwoo , Yaghi Omar M. , Wang Evelyn N.
Published: April 2018

Water scarcity is a particularly severe challenge in arid and desert climates. While a substantial amount of water is present in the form of vapour in the atmosphere, harvesting this water by state-of-the-art dewing technology can be extremely energy intensive and impractical, particularly when the relative humidity (RH) is low (i.e., below ~40% RH). In contrast, atmospheric water generators that utilise sorbents enable capture of vapour at low RH conditions and can be driven by the abundant source of solar-thermal energy with higher efficiency. Here, we demonstrate an air-cooled sorbent-based atmospheric water harvesting device using the metal−organic framework (MOF)-801 [Zr6O4(OH)4(fumarate)6] operating in an exceptionally arid climate (10–40% RH) and sub-zero dew points (Tempe, Arizona, USA) with a  thermal efficiency (solar input to water conversion) of ~14%. We predict that this device delivered over 0.25 L of water per kg of MOF for a single daily cycle.
Dedicated photoreceptor pathways in Drosophila larvae mediate navigation by processing either spatial or temporal cues
Authors: Humberg Tim-Henning , Bruegger Pascal , Afonso Bruno , Zlatic Marta , Truman James W. , Gershow Marc , Samuel Aravinthan , Sprecher Simon G.
Published: April 2018

To integrate changing environmental cues with high spatial and temporal resolution is critical for animals to orient themselves. Drosophila larvae show an effective motor program to navigate away from light sources. How the larval visual circuit processes light stimuli to control navigational decision remains unknown. The larval visual system is composed of two sensory input channels, Rhodopsin5 (Rh5) and Rhodopsin6 (Rh6) expressing photoreceptors (PRs). We here characterize how spatial and temporal information are used to control navigation. Rh6-PRs are required to perceive temporal changes of light intensity during head casts, while Rh5-PRs are required to control behaviors that allow navigation in response to spatial cues. We characterize how distinct behaviors are modulated and identify parallel acting and converging features of the visual circuit. Functional features of the larval visual circuit highlight the principle of how early in a sensory circuit distinct behaviors may be computed by partly overlapping sensory pathways.
Oxidative [4+2] annulation of styrenes with alkynes under external-oxidant-free conditions
Authors: Zhang Guoting , Lin Yulin , Luo Xu , Hu Xia , Chen Cong , Lei Aiwen
Published: April 2018

The sequenced Diels–Alder/oxidation reaction represents a powerful route for the construction of aromatic compounds in organic synthesis. The oxidative Diels–Alder reaction with H2 evolution would be a more ideal approach that can avoid the additional oxidation procedure and stoichiometric oxidant. Herein, an oxidative [4 + 2] annulation reaction of styrene derivatives with electron-rich dienophiles accompanying the H2 generation has been developed by using the synergistic merger of photoredox and cobaloxime catalyst. With respect to atom and step-economy ideals, this dual catalytic system enables the formation of high-value molecules from feedstock chemicals in a single step under room temperature.
O2 evolution and recovery of the water-oxidizing enzyme
Authors: Kawashima Keisuke , Takaoka Tomohiro , Kimura Hiroki , Saito Keisuke , Ishikita Hiroshi
Published: April 2018

In photosystem II, light-induced water oxidation occurs at the Mn4CaO5 cluster. Here we demonstrate proton releases, dioxygen formation, and substrate water incorporation in response to Mn4CaO5 oxidation in the protein environment, using a quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical approach and molecular dynamics simulations. In S2, H2O at the W1 site forms a low-barrier H-bond with D1-Asp61. In the S2-to-S3 transition, oxidation of OW1H– to OW1•–, concerted proton transfer from OW1H– to D1-Asp61, and binding of a water molecule Wn-W1 at OW1•– are observed. In S4, W
n
-W1 facilitates oxo-oxyl radical coupling between OW1•– and corner μ-oxo O4. Deprotonation via D1-Asp61 leads to formation of OW1=O4. As OW1=O4 moves away from Mn, H2O at W539 is incorporated into the vacant O4 site of the O2-evolved Mn4CaO4 cluster, forming a μ-oxo bridge (Mn3–OW539–Mn4) in an exergonic process. Simultaneously, Wn-W1 is incorporated as W1, recovering the Mn4CaO5 cluster.
USP15-dependent lysosomal pathway controls p53-R175H turnover in ovarian cancer cells
Authors: Padmanabhan Achuth , Candelaria Nicholes , Wong Kwong-Kwok , Nikolai Bryan C. , Lonard David M. , O’Malley Bert W. , Richards JoAnne S.
Published: April 2018

Gain-of-function p53 mutants such as p53-R175H form stable aggregates that accumulate in cells and play important roles in cancer progression. Selective degradation of gain-of-function p53 mutants has emerged as a highly attractive therapeutic strategy to target cancer cells harboring specific p53 mutations. We identified a small molecule called MCB-613 to cause rapid ubiquitination, nuclear export, and degradation of p53-R175H through a lysosome-mediated pathway, leading to catastrophic cancer cell death. In contrast to its effect on the p53-R175H mutant, MCB-613 causes slight stabilization of p53-WT and has weaker effects on other p53 gain-of-function mutants. Using state-of-the-art genetic and chemical approaches, we identified the deubiquitinase USP15 as the mediator of MCB-613’s effect on p53-R175H, and established USP15 as a selective upstream regulator of p53-R175H in ovarian cancer cells. These results confirm that distinct pathways regulate the turnover of p53-WT and the different p53 mutants and open new opportunities to selectively target them.
Thermal management and non-reciprocal control of phonon flow via optomechanics
Authors: Seif Alireza , DeGottardi Wade , Esfarjani Keivan , Hafezi Mohammad
Published: April 2018

Engineering phonon transport in physical systems is a subject of interest in the study of materials, and has a crucial role in controlling energy and heat transfer. Of particular interest are non-reciprocal phononic systems, which in direct analogy to electric diodes, provide a directional flow of energy. Here, we propose an engineered nanostructured material, in which tunable non-reciprocal phonon transport is achieved through optomechanical coupling. Our scheme relies on breaking time-reversal symmetry by a spatially varying laser drive, which manipulates low-energy acoustic phonons. Furthermore, we take advantage of developments in the manipulation of high-energy phonons through controlled scattering mechanisms, such as using alloys and introducing disorder. These combined approaches allow us to design an acoustic isolator and a thermal diode. Our proposed device will have potential impact in phonon-based information processing, and heat management in low temperatures.
The CPLANE protein Intu protects kidneys from ischemia-reperfusion injury by targeting STAT1 for degradation
Authors: Wang Shixuan , Liu Aimin , Wu Guangyu , Ding Han-Fei , Huang Shuang , Nahman Stanley , Dong Zheng
Published: April 2018

Intu is known as a ciliogenesis and planar polarity effector (CPLANE) protein. Although roles for Intu have been reported during embryonic development and in the context of developmental disorders, its function and regulation in adult tissues remain poorly understood. Here we show that ablation of Intu specifically in kidney proximal tubules aggravates renal ischemia-reperfusion injury, and leads to defective post-injury ciliogenesis. We identify signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) as a novel interacting partner of Intu. In vitro, Intu and STAT1 colocalize at the centriole/basal body area, and Intu promotes proteasomal degradation of STAT1. During cell stress, Intu expression preserves cilia length and cell viability, and these actions are antagonized by STAT1 expression. Thus, we propose a role for Intu in protecting cells and tissues after injury by targeting STAT1 for degradation and maintaining primary cilia.
Oxygen radical character in group 11 oxygen fluorides
Authors: Li Lin , Stüker Tony , Kieninger Stefanie , Andrae Dirk , Schlöder Tobias , Gong Yu , Andrews Lester , Beckers Helmut , Riedel Sebastian
Published: April 2018

Transition metal complexes bearing terminal oxido ligands are quite common, yet group 11 terminal oxo complexes remain elusive. Here we show that excited coinage metal atoms M (M = Au, Ag, Cu) react with OF2 to form hypofluorites FOMF and group 11 oxygen metal fluorides OMF2, OAuF and OAgF. These compounds have been characterized by IR matrix-isolation spectroscopy in conjunction with state-of-the-art quantum-chemical calculations. The oxygen fluorides are formed by photolysis of the initially prepared hypofluorites. The linear molecules OAgF and OAuF have a 3Σ − ground state with a biradical character. Two unpaired electrons are located mainly at the oxygen ligand in antibonding O−M π* orbitals. For the 2B2 ground state of the OMIIIF2 compounds only an O−M single bond arises and a significant spin-density contribution was found at the oxygen atom as well.
Metal-organic frameworks for precise inclusion of single-stranded DNA and transfection in immune cells
Authors: Peng Shuang , Bie Binglin , Sun Yangzesheng , Liu Min , Cong Hengjiang , Zhou Wentao , Xia Yucong , Tang Heng , Deng Hexiang , Zhou Xiang
Published: April 2018

Effective transfection of genetic molecules such as DNA usually relies on vectors that can reversibly uptake and release these molecules, and protect them from digestion by nuclease. Non-viral vectors meeting these requirements are rare due to the lack of specific interactions with DNA. Here, we design a series of four isoreticular metal-organic frameworks (Ni-IRMOF-74-II to -V) with progressively tuned pore size from 2.2 to 4.2 nm to precisely include single-stranded DNA (ssDNA, 11–53 nt), and to achieve reversible interaction between MOFs and ssDNA. The entire nucleic acid chain is completely confined inside the pores providing excellent protection, and the geometric distribution of the confined ssDNA is visualized by X-ray diffraction. Two MOFs in this series exhibit excellent transfection efficiency in mammalian immune cells, 92% in the primary mouse immune cells (CD4+ T cell) and 30% in human immune cells (THP-1 cell), unrivaled by the commercialized agents (Lipo and Neofect).
Size-dependent activity and selectivity of carbon dioxide photocatalytic reduction over platinum nanoparticles
Authors: Dong Chunyang , Lian Cheng , Hu Songchang , Deng Zesheng , Gong Jianqiu , Li Mingde , Liu Honglai , Xing Mingyang , Zhang Jinlong
Published: April 2018

Platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) are one of the most efficient cocatalysts in photocatalysis, and their size determines the activity and the selectivity of the catalytic reaction. Nevertheless, an in-depth understanding of the platinum’s size effect in the carbon dioxide photocatalytic reduction is still lacking. Through analyses of the geometric features and electronic properties with variable-sized Pt NPs, here we show a prominent size effect of Pt NPs in both the activity and selectivity of carbon dioxide photocatalytic reduction. Decreasing the size of Pt NPs promotes the charge transfer efficiency, and thus enhances both the carbon dioxide photocatalytic reduction and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity, but leads to higher selectivity towards hydrogen over methane. Combining experimental results and theoretical calculations, in Pt NPs, the terrace sites are revealed as the active sites for methane generation; meanwhile, the low-coordinated sites are more favorable in the competing HER.
Alcohol exposure disrupts mu opioid receptor-mediated long-term depression at insular cortex inputs to dorsolateral striatum
Authors: Muñoz Braulio , Fritz Brandon M. , Yin Fuqin , Atwood Brady K.
Published: April 2018

Drugs of abuse, including alcohol, ablate the expression of specific forms of long-term synaptic depression (LTD) at glutamatergic synapses in dorsal striatum (DS), a brain region involved in goal-directed and habitual behaviors. This loss of LTD is associated with altered DS-dependent behavior. Given the role of the µ-opioid receptor (MOR) in behavioral responding for alcohol, we explored the impact of alcohol on various forms of MOR-mediated synaptic depression that we find are differentially expressed at specific DS synapses. Corticostriatal MOR-mediated LTD (mOP-LTD) in the dorsolateral striatum occurs exclusively at inputs from anterior insular cortex and is selectively disrupted by in vivo alcohol exposure. Alcohol has no effect on corticostriatal mOP-LTD in dorsomedial striatum, thalamostriatal MOR-mediated short-term depression, or mOP-LTD of cholinergic interneuron-driven glutamate release. Disrupted mOP-LTD at anterior insular cortex–dorsolateral striatum synapses may therefore be a key mechanism of alcohol-induced neuroadaptations involved in the development of alcohol use disorders.
Chiral induction in covalent organic frameworks
Authors: Han Xing , Zhang Jie , Huang Jinjing , Wu Xiaowei , Yuan Daqiang , Liu Yan , Cui Yong
Published: April 2018

Synthetic control over chirality and function is the crowning achievement for metal-organic frameworks, but the same level of control has not been achieved for covalent organic frameworks (COFs). Here we demonstrate chiral COFs (CCOFs) can be crystallized from achiral organic precursors by chiral catalytic induction. A total of nine two-dimensional CCOFs are solvothermally prepared by imine condensations of the C3-symmetric 1,3,5-triformylphloroglucinol (Tp) with diamine or triamine linkers in the presence of catalytic amount of (R)- or (S)-1-phenylethylamine. Homochirality of these CCOFs results from chiral catalyst-induced immobilization of threefold-symmetric tris(N-salicylideneamine) cores with a propeller-like conformation of one single handedness during crystallization. The CCOF-TpTab showed high enantioselectivity toward chiral carbohydrates in fluorescence quenching and, after postsynthetic modification of enaminone groups located in chiral channels with Cu(II) ions, it can also be utilized as a heterogeneous catalyst for the asymmetric Henry reaction of nitroalkane with aldehydes.
Population genomics of finless porpoises reveal an incipient cetacean species adapted to freshwater
Authors: Zhou Xuming , Guang Xuanmin , Sun Di , Xu Shixia , Li Mingzhou , Seim Inge , Jie Wencai , Yang Linfeng , Zhu Qianhua , Xu Jiabao , Gao Qiang , Kaya Alaattin , Dou Qianhui , Chen Bingyao , Ren Wenhua , Li Shuaicheng , Zhou Kaiya , Gladyshev Vadim N. , Nielsen Rasmus , Fang Xiaodong , Yang Guang
Published: April 2018

Cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) are a group of mammals adapted to various aquatic habitats, from oceans to freshwater rivers. We report the sequencing, de novo assembly and analysis of a finless porpoise genome, and the re-sequencing of an additional 48 finless porpoise individuals. We use these data to reconstruct the demographic history of finless porpoises from their origin to the occupation into the Yangtze River. Analyses of selection between marine and freshwater porpoises identify genes associated with renal water homeostasis and urea cycle, such as urea transporter 2 and angiotensin I-converting enzyme 2, which are likely adaptations associated with the difference in osmotic stress between ocean and rivers. Our results strongly suggest that the critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoises are reproductively isolated from other porpoise populations and harbor unique genetic adaptations, supporting that they should be considered a unique incipient species.
Tuning defects in oxides at room temperature by lithium reduction
Authors: Ou Gang , Xu Yushuai , Wen Bo , Lin Rui , Ge Binghui , Tang Yan , Liang Yuwei , Yang Cheng , Huang Kai , Zu Di , Yu Rong , Chen Wenxing , Li Jun , Wu Hui , Liu Li-Min , Li Yadong
Published: April 2018

Defects can greatly influence the properties of oxide materials; however, facile defect engineering of oxides at room temperature remains challenging. The generation of defects in oxides is difficult to control by conventional chemical reduction methods that usually require high temperatures and are time consuming. Here, we develop a facile room-temperature lithium reduction strategy to implant defects into a series of oxide nanoparticles including titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), tin dioxide (SnO2), and cerium dioxide (CeO2). Our lithium reduction strategy shows advantages including all-room-temperature processing, controllability, time efficiency, versatility and scalability. As a potential application, the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance of defective TiO2 is examined. The hydrogen evolution rate increases up to 41.8 mmol g−1 h−1 under one solar light irradiation, which is ~3 times higher than that of the pristine nanoparticles. The strategy of tuning defect oxides used in this work may be beneficial for many other related applications.