bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A clinical trial to validate event‐related potential markers of Alzheimer's disease in outpatient settings
Authors: Cecchi Marco , Moore Dennis K. , Sadowsky Carl H. , Solomon Paul R. , Doraiswamy P. Murali , Smith Charles D. , Jicha Gregory A. , Budson Andrew E. , Arnold Steven E. , Fadem Kalford C.
Published: October 2015

Introduction

We investigated whether event‐related potentials (ERP) collected in outpatient settings and analyzed with standardized methods can provide a sensitive and reliable measure of the cognitive deficits associated with early Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods

A total of 103 subjects with probable mild AD and 101 healthy controls were recruited at seven clinical study sites. Subjects were tested using an auditory oddball ERP paradigm.

Results

Subjects with mild AD showed lower amplitude and increased latency for ERP features associated with attention, working memory, and executive function. These subjects also had decreased accuracy and longer reaction time in the target detection task associated with the ERP test.

Discussion

Analysis of ERP data showed significant changes in subjects with mild AD that are consistent with the cognitive deficits found in this population. The use of an integrated hardware/software system for data acquisition and automated data analysis methods make administration of ERP tests practical in outpatient settings.
Interobserver variability in histological diagnosis of serrated colorectal polyps
Authors: Baldin Rosimeri Kuhl Svoboda , Júnior Raul Alberto Anselmi , Azevedo Marina , Sebastião Ana Paula Martins , Montemor Mário , Tullio Luiz Fernando , de Paula Soares Luiz Felipe , de Noronha Lúcia
Published: October 2015

Objectives To compare the interobserver variability in the diagnostic of serrated and non-serrated adenomatous lesions and hyperplastic polyps of colon between two groups of pathologists.

Methods 310 colorectal polyps were studied, with histological diagnoses established by a group of pathologists comprising three general pathologists for initial diagnosis, and two gastrointestinal pathologists for expert diagnosis.

Results High interobserver variability was observed in the diagnosis of serrated polyps, when comparing the initial diagnosis with the expert diagnosis (kappa = 0.102). For the majority of both traditional serrated adenomas and sessile serrated adenomas (27/31), a diagnosis of hyperplastic polyps was established at the initial diagnosis.

Conclusions Poor agreement was observed in the diagnosis of serrated polyps between the two groups of pathologists. The accuracy in the diagnosis of these lesions is essential for the prevention of colorectal cancer.
VRE and VSE Bacteremia Outcomes in the Era of Effective VRE Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Prematunge Chatura , MacDougall Colin , Johnstone Jennie , Adomako Kwaku , Lam Freda , Robertson Jennifer , Garber Gary
Published: October 2015

BACKGROUND

Prior data suggest that vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) bacteremia is associated with worse outcomes than vancomycin-sensitive Enterococcus (VSE) bacteremia. However, many studies evaluating such outcomes were conducted prior to the availability of effective VRE therapies.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review VRE and VSE bacteremia outcomes among hospital patients in the era of effective VRE therapy.

METHODS

Electronic databases and grey literature published between January 1997 and December 2014 were searched to identify all primary research studies comparing outcomes of VRE and VSE bacteremias among hospital patients, following the availability of effective VRE therapies. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality, while total hospital length of stay (LOS) was a secondary outcome. All meta-analyses were conducted in Review Manager 5.3 using random-effects, inverse variance modeling.

RESULTS

Among all the studies reviewed, 12 cohort studies and 1 case control study met inclusion criteria. Similar study designs were combined in meta-analyses for mortality and LOS. VRE bacteremia was associated with increased mortality compared with VSE bacteremia among cohort studies (odds ratio [OR], 1.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38–2.35; I2=0%; n=11); the case-control study estimate was similar, but not significant (OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 0.97–3.82). LOS was greater for VRE bacteremia patients than for VSE bacteremia patients (mean difference, 5.01 days; 95% CI, 0.58–9.44]; I2=0%; n=5).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the availability of effective VRE therapy, VRE bacteremia remains associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality and LOS when compared to VSE bacteremia.

Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2015;37(1):26–35
Comparing Dutch and British high performing managers
Authors: De Waal André A. , Van der Heijden Beatrice I.J.M. , Selvarajah Christopher , Meyer Denny
Published: October 2015

National cultures have a strong influence on the performance of organizations and should be taken into account when studying the traits of high performing managers. At the same time, many studies that focus upon the attributes of successful managers show that there are attributes that are similar for managers across countries. This article reports on the development of empirically validated profiles of Dutch and British high performing managers. Based on a sample of 808 Dutch and 286 British managers and using the cross-cultural framework of Excellent Leadership by Selvarajah et al., the profiles of excellent Dutch and British managers was derived. The profiles of Dutch and British high performing managers can be described by a four-dimensional factor structure consisting of Managerial behaviours, Environmental influences, Personal qualities and Organizational demands. Based on these validated profiles, the similarities and differences in attributes for managerial success between Dutch and British high performing managers can be identified.
Derivation and validation of simple anthropometric equations to predict adipose tissue mass and total fat mass with MRI as the reference method
Authors: Al-Gindan Yasmin Y. , Hankey Catherine R. , Govan Lindsay , Gallagher Dympna , Heymsfield Steven B. , Lean Michael E. J.
Published: October 2015

The reference organ-level body composition measurement method is MRI. Practical estimations of total adipose tissue mass (TATM), total adipose tissue fat mass (TATFM) and total body fat are valuable for epidemiology, but validated prediction equations based on MRI are not currently available. We aimed to derive and validate new anthropometric equations to estimate MRI-measured TATM/TATFM/total body fat and compare them with existing prediction equations using older methods. The derivation sample included 416 participants (222 women), aged between 18 and 88 years with BMI between 15·9 and 40·8 (kg/m2). The validation sample included 204 participants (110 women), aged between 18 and 86 years with BMI between 15·7 and 36·4 (kg/m2). Both samples included mixed ethnic/racial groups. All the participants underwent whole-body MRI to quantify TATM (dependent variable) and anthropometry (independent variables). Prediction equations developed using stepwise multiple regression were further investigated for agreement and bias before validation in separate data sets. Simplest equations with optimalR2and Bland–Altman plots demonstrated good agreement without bias in the validation analyses: men: TATM (kg)=0·198 weight (kg)+0·478 waist (cm)−0·147 height (cm)−12·8 (validation:R20·79, CV=20 %, standard error of the estimate (SEE)=3·8 kg) and women: TATM (kg)=0·789 weight (kg)+0·0786 age (years)−0·342 height (cm)+24·5 (validation:R20·84, CV=13 %, SEE=3·0 kg). Published anthropometric prediction equations, based on MRI and computed tomographic scans, correlated strongly with MRI-measured TATM: (R20·70−0·82). Estimated TATFM correlated well with published prediction equations for total body fat based on underwater weighing (R20·70–0·80), with mean bias of 2·5–4·9 kg, correctable with log-transformation in most equations. In conclusion, new equations, using simple anthropometric measurements, estimated MRI-measured TATM with correlations and agreements suitable for use in groups and populations across a wide range of fatness.
Acute effects of active gaming on ad libitum energy intake and appetite sensations of 8–11-year-old boys
Authors: Allsop Susan , Dodd-Reynolds Caroline J. , Green Benjamin P. , Debuse Dorothée , Rumbold Penny L. S.
Published: October 2015

The present study examined the acute effects of active gaming on energy intake (EI) and appetite responses in 8–11-year-old boys in a school-based setting. Using a randomised cross-over design, twenty-one boys completed four individual 90-min gaming bouts, each separated by 1 week. The gaming bouts were (1) seated gaming, no food or drink; (2) active gaming, no food or drink; (3) seated gaming with food and drink offered ad libitum; and (4) active gaming with food and drink offered ad libitum. In the two gaming bouts during which foods and drinks were offered, EI was measured. Appetite sensations – hunger, prospective food consumption and fullness – were recorded using visual analogue scales during all gaming bouts at 30-min intervals and at two 15-min intervals post gaming. In the two bouts with food and drink, no significant differences were found in acute EI (MJ) (P=0·238). Significant differences were detected in appetite sensations for hunger, prospective food consumption and fullness between the four gaming bouts at various time points. The relative EI calculated for the two gaming bouts with food and drink (active gaming 1·42 (sem 0·28) MJ; seated gaming 2·12 (sem 0·25) MJ) was not statistically different. Acute EI in response to active gaming was no different from seated gaming, and appetite sensations were influenced by whether food was made available during the 90-min gaming bouts.
Effect of dietary manganese on antioxidant status and expression levels of heat-shock proteins and factors in tissues of laying broiler breeders under normal and high environmental temperatures
Authors: Zhu Yong-Wen , Lu Lin , Li Wen-Xiang , Zhang Li-Yang , Ji Cheng , Lin Xi , Liu Hsiao-Ching , Odle Jack , Luo Xu-Gang
Published: October 2015

To investigate the effect of Mn on antioxidant status and expression levels of heat-shock proteins/factors in tissues of laying broiler breeders subjected to heat challenge, we used a completely randomised design (n 6) with a factorial arrangement of 2 environmental temperatures (normal, 21 (sem 1)°C and high, 32 (sem 1)°C)×3 dietary Mn treatments (an Mn-unsupplemented basal diet (CON), or a basal diet supplemented with 120 mg Mn/kg diet as inorganic Mn sulphate (iMn) or organic Mn proteinate (oMn)). There were no interactions (P>0·10) between environmental temperature and dietary Mn in all of the measured indices. High temperature decreased (P<0·003) Mn content, and also tended (P=0·07) to decrease copper zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) activity in the liver and heart. However, an increased manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) activity (P<0·05) and a slight increase of malondialdehyde level (P=0·06) were detected in breast muscle. Up-regulated (P<0·05) expression levels of heat-shock factor 1 (HSF1) and HSF3 mRNA and heat-shock protein 70 (HSP70) mRNA and protein were found in all three tissues. Broiler breeders fed either iMn or oMn had higher tissue Mn content (P<0·0001), heart MnSOD and CuZnSOD activities (P<0·01) and breast muscle MnSOD protein levels (P<0·05), and lower (P<0·05) breast muscle HSP70 mRNA and protein levels than those fed CON. Broiler breeders fed oMn had higher (P<0·03) bone Mn content than those fed iMn. These results indicate that high temperature decreases Mn retention and increases HSP70 and HSF1, HSF3 expression levels in tissues of laying broiler breeders. Furthermore, dietary supplementation with Mn in either source may enhance heart antioxidant ability and inhibit the expression of HSP70 in breast muscle. Finally, the organic Mn appears to be more available than inorganic Mn for bone in laying broiler breeders regardless of environmental temperatures.
Variability in the critical phase of stem elongation of perennial ryegrass genotypes: a source for breeding progress?
Authors: ULLMANN I. , HERRMANN A. , HASLER M. , CAI D. , TAUBE F.
Published: October 2015

Phenological development and its variation during reproductive growth have important effects on the yield and quality of forage grasses. In perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) genetic variation in heading date is well recognized, but there are no reliable studies about the variability in the length of the stem elongation phase. To determine the variation in phenological traits of single plants of perennial ryegrass genotypes, a field trial was conducted over three growing seasons (2011–2013) using plant material from eight different ecotype populations, sampled from old permanent grassland swards in Northern Germany. In addition to the phenological stages of jointing, heading and flowering, the critical phase of stem elongation was considered as a new phenological trait. It was hypothesized that the length of the critical phase between jointing and heading differs significantly among genotypes and thus offers a new tool for selecting for specific purposes, e.g. adaption to changing climatic conditions, cutting or grazing as well as yield and quality. The study revealed significant genotypic variation in the observed traits, which was highest for the critical phase (GCV = 0·21). Moderate heritability in jointing (h2 = 0·72) revealed a large environmental impact. In contrast, high heritability (h2 > 0·86) in heading, flowering and the critical phase imply a strong genetic effect. Moderate to high genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of correlation revealed a substantial linkage among the phenological traits. Results are discussed in the context of providing different approaches and strategies in forage crop production, especially with regard to regional weather conditions and future climate change. Significant differences among the tested ecotype populations indicate that existing diversity in permanent grassland can provide source material for further progress in grass breeding.
What the New Southern Studies Does Now
Authors: SMITH JON
Published: October 2015

For fifteen years, the New Southern Studies (NSS) has been doing battle on two very different fronts. To Americanists, we have tried to talk about what Houston Baker and Dana Nelson, in the essay that named the movement, called “the national formation of the United States and the dynamics of race, region, and citizenship entailed by, as it were, a putatively split and decidedly Manichean geography”; to southernists, we have talked about the need to get beyond what the same pair of writers called “our familiar notions of Good (or desperately bad) Old Southern White Men telling stories on the porch, protecting white women, and being friends to the Negro.” Although in both struggles we keep bumping up against putatively objective scholars’ unacknowledged and deeply self-serving fantasies about who “we” are (whether as “Americans” or “southerners,” “radical” Americanists or Atticus Finch-y liberal white southernists), the former arguments – as Baker and Nelson's diction suggests – have tended to be more abstract, theoretical, ambitious, interesting, and smart; the latter, in contrast, have always felt like a rearguard action.
Gesture, sign, and language: The coming of age of sign language and gesture studies
Authors: Goldin-Meadow Susan , Brentari Diane
Published: October 2015

How does sign language compare with gesture, on the one hand, and spoken language on the other? Sign was once viewed as nothing more than a system of pictorial gestures without linguistic structure. More recently, researchers have argued that sign is no different from spoken language, with all of the same linguistic structures. The pendulum is currently swinging back toward the view that sign is gestural, or at least has gestural components. The goal of this review is to elucidate the relationships among sign language, gesture, and spoken language. We do so by taking a close look not only at how sign has been studied over the past 50 years, but also at how the spontaneous gestures that accompany speech have been studied. We conclude that signers gesture just as speakers do. Both produce imagistic gestures along with more categorical signs or words. Because at present it is difficult to tell where sign stops and gesture begins, we suggest that sign should not be compared with speech alone but should be compared with speech-plus-gesture. Although it might be easier (and, in some cases, preferable) to blur the distinction between sign and gesture, we argue that distinguishing between sign (or speech) and gesture is essential to predict certain types of learning and allows us to understand the conditions under which gesture takes on properties of sign, and speech takes on properties of gesture. We end by calling for new technology that may help us better calibrate the borders between sign and gesture.
A model independent observer based output feedback tracking controller for robotic manipulators with dynamical uncertainties
Authors: Zergeroglu Erkan , Tatlicioglu Enver , Kaleli Egemen
Published: October 2015

In this work, we propose the development and the corresponding stability analysis of a novel, observer-based output feedback (OFB), tracking controller for rigid-link robot manipulators. Specifically, a model-independent variable-structure-like observer in conjunction with a desired dynamic compensation technique have been utilized to remove the link velocity dependency of the controller formulation. Asymptotic stability of the observer--controller couple is then guaranteed via Lyapunov-based arguments. An adaptive controller extension is also presented to illustrate the expansiveness of the proposed scheme. Experimental studies performed on a two-link planar robot with dynamical uncertainties are included in order to demonstrate the performance and feasibility of the proposed method.
Out(F3) Index Realization
Authors: PFAFF CATHERINE
Published: October 2015

By proving precisely which singularity index lists arise from the pair of invariant foliations for a pseudo-Anosov surface homeomorphism, Masur and Smillie [MS93] determined a Teichmüller flow invariant stratification of the space of quadratic differentials. In this paper we determine an analog to the theorem forOut(F3). That is, we determine which index lists permitted by the [GJLL98] index sum inequality are achieved by ageometric fully irreducible outer automorphisms of the rank-3 free group.
Pathogenesis of solitary right aortic arch: a mass effect hypothesis based on observations of serial human embryonic sections
Authors: Jin Zhe W. , Yamada Tomonori , Kim Ji H. , Rodríguez-Vázquez José F. , Murakami Gen , Arakawa Keiji
Published: October 2015

In general, solitary right aortic arch carries the left-sided ductus arteriosus communicating between the left subclavian and pulmonary arteries or the right-sided ductus connecting the descending aorta to the left pulmonary artery. Serial sections of fifteen 5- to 6-week-old embryos and ten 8- to 9-week-old fetuses suggested that the pathogenesis was unrelated to inversion due to dysfunction in gene cascades that control the systemic left/right axis. With inversion, conversely, the ductus or the sixth pharyngeal arch artery should connect to the right pulmonary artery. The disappearance of the right aortic arch started before the caudal migration of the aortic attachment of the ductus. Sympathetic nerve ganglia developed immediately posterior to both aortae, with a single embryonic specimen showing a large ganglion at the midline close to the union of the aortic arches. These ganglia may interfere with blood flow through the distal left arch, resulting in the ductus ending at the descending aorta behind the oesophagus. In another fetus examined, a midline shift of the ductus course resulted in the trachea curving posteriorly. Therefore, solitary right arch is likely to accompany abnormalities of the surrounding structures. The timing and site of the obstruction should be different between types: an almost midline obstruction near the aortic union needed for the development of the left-sided ductus and a distal obstruction near the left subclavian arterial origin needed for the development of the right-sided ductus. A mass effect of the sympathetic ganglia may explain the pathogenesis of any type of anomalous ductus arteriosus shown in previous reports of the solitary right arch.
HOW COSTLY ARE BORROWING COSTS? AN ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE FISCAL POLICIES DURING CRISES
Authors: Gumus Inci
Published: October 2015

Financial crises lead to substantial declines in output and consumption in emerging markets. The fact that fiscal policy is procyclical in these countries shows that the effects of a crisis are exacerbated by spending cuts and tax increases, which are usually attributed to borrowing constraints they face in bad times. This paper quantitatively analyzes the costs of reduced borrowing during crises by studying the effects of expansionary fiscal policies that would have been possible to implement, had the government been able to borrow more. The model shows that a 25% reduction of taxes on labor income, capital income, and consumption during the 1997 Korean crisis would have required an additional borrowing of 4.10% of GDP, while increasing output and consumption by 5.23 and 5.92 percentage points, respectively. When the effects of each tax rate are analyzed separately, labor tax reduction turns out to be more effective than the other policies.
Relative validity and reproducibility of a parent-administered semi-quantitative FFQ for assessing food intake in Danish children aged 3–9 years
Authors: Buch-Andersen Tine , Pérez-Cueto Federico JA , Toft Ulla
Published: October 2015

Objective

To assess the relative validity and reproducibility of the semi-quantitative FFQ (SFFQ) applied in the evaluation of a community intervention study, SoL-Bornholm, for estimating food intakes.

Design

The reference measure was a 4 d estimated food record. The SFFQ was completed two times separated by a 1-month period in order to test reproducibility.

Setting

The Capital Region and the Regional Municipality of Bornholm, Denmark.

Subjects

A total of fifty-four children aged 3–9 years were enrolled in the study.

Results

In terms of validity, the SFFQ generally overestimated intakes compared with the food records, especially for vegetables. For most intakes, the mean difference increased with increasing intake. Gross misclassification was on average higher for energy and nutrients (17 %) than for foods (8 %). Spearman correlation coefficients were significant for twelve out of fourteen intakes, ranging from 0·29 to 0·63 for foods and from 0·12 to 0·48 for energy and nutrients. Comparing the repeated SFFQ administrations, the intakes of the first SFFQ were slightly higher than those of the second SFFQ. Gross misclassification was low for most intakes; on average 6 % for foods and 8 % for energy and nutrients. Intra-class correlations were significant for all intakes, ranging from 0·30 to 0·82 for foods and from 0·46 to 0·81 for energy and nutrients.

Conclusions

The results indicate that the SFFQ gives reproducible estimates. The relative validity of the SFFQ was low to moderate for most intakes but comparable to other studies among children.
Indios on the move in the sixteenth-century Iberian world
Authors: van Deusen Nancy E.
Published: October 2015

Between 1572 and 1575, a man named Diego litigated for his freedom from slavery in several Spanish courts. Identified as an Indio (Indian), he claimed to have been born in the Spanish territory of Liampo (now Ningbo), China, and later carried on a Spanish ship to Mexico, and eventually to Seville. His master, the cleric Juan de Morales, asserted that he had bought Diego in Portuguese Goa and taken him to Mozambique and to Lisbon before finally bringing him to Seville. At issue was whether Diego was a Portuguese or Spanish imperial subject, since Spanish law strictly prohibited the enslavement of Indios in Spanish territories, while Portuguese laws did not. As witnesses (several of them former slaves from disparate locations including Panama, Lima, Goa, Mozambique, and China) tried to determine Diego’s imperial status, not only did they reveal their comparative fantasies about Portuguese or Spanish landscapes, but they also embedded their own diasporic tales of liminality and loss into Diego’s. Here is the ultimate example of the Indio experience in Castile: an attempt to affix imperial boundaries to a construct that was, in itself, a metaphor for how the rapidly changing globe was imagined, experienced, and compartmentalized. The use of the increasingly amorphous cultural label ‘Indio’ in Castile was symptomatic of tensions between imperial regimes’ desire to constitute and reify themselves as bounded entities and the global mobilities of some of the most marginalized subjects who informed those processes.
Wakefield, Marx, and the world turned inside out
Authors: Piterberg Gabriel , Veracini Lorenzo
Published: October 2015

This article focuses on Edward Gibbon Wakefield’s theory of colonization, on Karl Marx’s response to it, and on the role that settler colonialism as a global phenomenon played in shaping their thought. Marx’s rejoinder to Wakefield’s interpretation of an episode in the early colonization of Western Australia, when servants had deserted a wealthy colonist, was a foundational moment in the development of his general argument. Wakefield’s reaction to that episode was to develop the theory of ‘systematic colonization’, which he also proposed as an antidote to the prospect of impending revolution. Marx’s notion of primitive accumulation was entwined with his reading of Wakefield’s project. We argue that their different approaches to colonization, the prospect of settling ‘empty lands’ in other continents, can be seen as the starting points of two different political traditions. While revolutionary traditions are well known, this article outlines another global tradition, a political tradition that refuses reaction and revolution equally, and envisages displacement as the best method to produce social transformation.
Shopping at farmers' markets: Does ease of access really matter?
Authors: Shi Ruoding , Hodges Alan W.
Published: October 2015

With the rapid growth of farmers’ markets, roadside stands and U-pick operations in the USA, direct food distribution to consumers has become more important for agricultural producers. However, numerous studies have revealed that there are barriers preventing further development of these markets. One of the most often cited barriers is lack of access for consumers. This raises the question: to what extent does accessibility affect consumers’ participation in this food marketing channel? Based on data from a public mail survey, a binary probit model was developed to test whether the ease of access to farmers' markets would affect consumers’ participation decisions. The model included other control variables such as spatial accessibility to other traditional food retail stores, consumer demographics and perceptions of locally produced foods. The results showed that each additional farmers' market within a 5 km radius of the household significantly increased the expected probability of participation by 3.67%, and the effect varied with urban and rural areas. The presence of grocery stores, convenience stores and specialty food stores were statistically insignificant. Also, some demographic characteristics such as age, household income and household size, along with attitudes toward local foods, were found to be significant predictors of consumers’ behavior. Finally, we provide a number of implications for improving market locations, targeting interested consumers and developing strategies to promote farmers' markets.
Nassariid whelks hitch-hiking on Cancer pagurus: phoresis, commensalism or fouling?
Authors: Davenport John , McCullough Sheila , Thomas Robert W. , Harman Luke , McAllen Rob
Published: October 2015

The behavioural responses of scavenging animals to mackerel (Scomber scombrus) baits were studied by short-term video photography in shallow water (16–18 m depth) at Lough Hyne, Ireland. Earliest arrivals (after seconds/minutes) at baits were small fish or swimming crabs (Liocarcinus depurator), followed by crawling portunid crabs. After tens of minutes, juvenile whelks 2–4 mm shell length (Nassarius reticulatusand/orNassarius incrassatus) sometimes arrived to feed. They moved at a mean speed of 1.24 (SD 0.392) mm s−1. After tens of minutes or hours, single large scavengers arrived, consuming most of the bait; the most common of these wereCancer pagurusthat fed in a wasteful fashion, generating large quantities of mackerel scraps.Cancer pagurusmoved into view at a mean speed of 48.7 (SD 16.9) mm s−1(39 times the whelk speed). A single individual ofC. pagurus(197 mm carapace width) arrived at a bait carrying 24 juvenile whelks on the dorsal surface of its carapace. No whelks were present on walking legs or chelipeds. The crab fed for 6.8 min and 3 whelks fell off before it departed. The nature of this crab/whelk association is discussed; on balance it appears that it is a previously unreported example of phoresy/phoresis. No whelks were observed being carried by other edible crabs or upon large numbers of scavenging portunid crabs.
Eomesodermin-expressing T-helper cells are essential for chronic neuroinflammation
Authors: Raveney Ben J. E. , Oki Shinji , Hohjoh Hirohiko , Nakamura Masakazu , Sato Wakiro , Murata Miho , Yamamura Takashi
Published: October 2015

Development of acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) depends on Th17 cells expressing the nuclear factor NR4A2. However, in mice lacking NR4A2 in T cells, a late-onset disease is still inducible, despite a great reduction in acute inflammation. We here reveal that development of this late onset disease depends on cytotoxic T-cell-like CD4+ T cells expressing the T-box transcription factor Eomesodermin (Eomes). T-cell-specific deletion of the Eomes gene remarkably ameliorates the late-onset EAE. Strikingly, similar Eomes+ CD4+ T cells are increased in the peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid from patients in a progressive state of multiple sclerosis. Collective data indicate an involvement of granzyme B and protease-activated receptor-1 in the neuroinflammation mediated by Eomes+ CD4+ T cells.
Deterministic processes vary during community assembly for ecologically dissimilar taxa
Authors: Powell Jeff R. , Karunaratne Senani , Campbell Colin D. , Yao Huaiying , Robinson Lucinda , Singh Brajesh K.
Published: October 2015

The continuum hypothesis states that both deterministic and stochastic processes contribute to the assembly of ecological communities. However, the contextual dependency of these processes remains an open question that imposes strong limitations on predictions of community responses to environmental change. Here we measure community and habitat turnover across multiple vertical soil horizons at 183 sites across Scotland for bacteria and fungi, both dominant and functionally vital components of all soils but which differ substantially in their growth habit and dispersal capability. We find that habitat turnover is the primary driver of bacterial community turnover in general, although its importance decreases with increasing isolation and disturbance. Fungal communities, however, exhibit a highly stochastic assembly process, both neutral and non-neutral in nature, largely independent of disturbance. These findings suggest that increased focus on dispersal limitation and biotic interactions are necessary to manage and conserve the key ecosystem services provided by these assemblages.
miR-142-5p and miR-130a-3p are regulated by IL-4 and IL-13 and control profibrogenic macrophage program
Authors: Su Shicheng , Zhao Qiyi , He Chonghua , Huang Di , Liu Jiang , Chen Fei , Chen Jianing , Liao Jian-You , Cui Xiuying , Zeng Yunjie , Yao Herui , Su Fengxi , Liu Qiang , Jiang Shanping , Song Erwei
Published: October 2015

Macrophages play a pivotal role in tissue fibrogenesis, which underlies the pathogenesis of many end-stage chronic inflammatory diseases. MicroRNAs are key regulators of immune cell functions, but their roles in macrophage’s fibrogenesis have not been characterized. Here we show that IL-4 and IL-13 induce miR-142-5p and downregulate miR-130a-3p in macrophages; these changes sustain the profibrogenic effect of macrophages. In vitro, miR-142-5p mimic prolongs STAT6 phosphorylation by targeting its negative regulator, SOCS1. Blocking miR-130a relieves its inhibition of PPARγ, which coordinates STAT6 signalling. In vivo, inhibiting miR-142-5p and increasing miR-130a-3p expression with locked nucleic acid-modified oligonucleotides inhibits CCL4-induced liver fibrosis and bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in mice. Furthermore, macrophages from the tissue samples of patients with liver cirrhosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis display increased miR-142-5p and decreased miR-130a-3p expression. Therefore, miR-142-5p and miR-130a-3p regulate macrophage profibrogenic gene expression in chronic inflammation.
Stonin1 mediates endocytosis of the proteoglycan NG2 and regulates focal adhesion dynamics and cell motility
Authors: Feutlinske Fabian , Browarski Marietta , Ku Min-Chi , Trnka Philipp , Waiczies Sonia , Niendorf Thoralf , Stallcup William B. , Glass Rainer , Krause Eberhard , Maritzen Tanja
Published: October 2015

Cellular functions, ranging from focal adhesion (FA) dynamics and cell motility to tumour growth, are orchestrated by signals cells receive from outside via cell surface receptors. Signalling is fine-tuned by the exo–endocytic cycling of these receptors to control cellular responses such as FA dynamics, which determine cell motility. How precisely endocytosis regulates turnover of the various cell surface receptors remains unclear. Here we identify Stonin1, an endocytic adaptor of unknown function, as a regulator of FA dynamics and cell motility, and demonstrate that it facilitates the internalization of the oncogenic proteoglycan NG2, a co-receptor of integrins and platelet-derived growth factor receptor. Embryonic fibroblasts obtained from Stonin1-deficient mice display a marked surface accumulation of NG2, increased cellular signalling and defective FA disassembly as well as altered cellular motility. These data establish Stonin1 as a specific adaptor for the endocytosis of NG2 and as an important factor for FA dynamics and cell migration.
Islands contribute disproportionately high amounts of evolutionary diversity in passerine birds
Authors: Jønsson Knud A. , Holt Ben G.
Published: October 2015

Island systems generally have fewer species than continental areas due to their small size and geographical isolation. Low island diversity reduces the possibility of exportation of island lineages and island systems are not thought to have a major influence on the build-up of continental diversity. However, the view that islands represent the end of the colonization road has recently been challenged and islands do represent the origin of some specific continental lineages. Here we assess the net contribution of island systems to global diversity patterns of passerine birds, using a complete phylogeny (5,949 species), biogeographical regionalization and null-model comparisons. We show that, in contrast to major continental regions, island regions export relatively more evolutionary lineages than would be expected based on current distributional patterns. This result challenges a central paradigm in island biogeography and changes our perception of the relative importance of islands for the build-up of global diversity.
Dynamic acousto-optic control of a strongly coupled photonic molecule
Authors: Kapfinger Stephan , Reichert Thorsten , Lichtmannecker Stefan , Müller Kai , Finley Jonathan J. , Wixforth Achim , Kaniber Michael , Krenner Hubert J.
Published: October 2015

Strongly confined photonic modes can couple to quantum emitters and mechanical excitations. To harness the full potential in quantum photonic circuits, interactions between different constituents have to be precisely and dynamically controlled. Here, a prototypical coupled element, a photonic molecule defined in a photonic crystal membrane, is controlled by a radio frequency surface acoustic wave. The sound wave is tailored to deliberately switch on and off the bond of the photonic molecule on sub-nanosecond timescales. In time-resolved experiments, the acousto-optically controllable coupling is directly observed as clear anticrossings between the two nanophotonic modes. The coupling strength is determined directly from the experimental data. Both the time dependence of the tuning and the inter-cavity coupling strength are found to be in excellent agreement with numerical calculations. The demonstrated mechanical technique can be directly applied for dynamic quantum gate operations in state-of-the-art-coupled nanophotonic, quantum cavity electrodynamic and optomechanical systems.
Discovery of stable skyrmionic state in ferroelectric nanocomposites
Authors: Nahas Y. , Prokhorenko S. , Louis L. , Gui Z. , Kornev I. , Bellaiche L.
Published: October 2015

Non-coplanar swirling field textures, or skyrmions, are now widely recognized as objects of both fundamental interest and technological relevance. So far, skyrmions were amply investigated in magnets, where due to the presence of chiral interactions, these topological objects were found to be intrinsically stabilized. Ferroelectrics on the other hand, lacking such chiral interactions, were somewhat left aside in this quest. Here we demonstrate, via the use of a first-principles-based framework, that skyrmionic configuration of polarization can be extrinsically stabilized in ferroelectric nanocomposites. The interplay between the considered confined geometry and the dipolar interaction underlying the ferroelectric phase instability induces skyrmionic configurations. The topological structure of the obtained electrical skyrmion can be mapped onto the topology of domain-wall junctions. Furthermore, the stabilized electrical skyrmion can be as small as a few nanometers, thus revealing prospective skyrmion-based applications of ferroelectric nanocomposites.
MiR expression profiles of paired primary colorectal cancer and metastases by next-generation sequencing
Authors: Neerincx M , Sie D L S , van de Wiel M A , van Grieken N C T , Burggraaf J D , Dekker H , Eijk P P , Ylstra B , Verhoef C , Meijer G A , Buffart T E , Verheul H M W
Published: October 2015

MicroRNAs (miRs) have been recognized as promising biomarkers. It is unknown to what extent tumor-derived miRs are differentially expressed between primary colorectal cancers (pCRCs) and metastatic lesions, and to what extent the expression profiles of tumor tissue differ from the surrounding normal tissue. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of 220 fresh-frozen samples, including paired primary and metastatic tumor tissue and non-tumorous tissue from 38 patients, revealed expression of 2245 known unique mature miRs and 515 novel candidate miRs. Unsupervised clustering of miR expression profiles of pCRC tissue with paired metastases did not separate the two entities, whereas unsupervised clustering of miR expression profiles of pCRC with normal colorectal mucosa demonstrated complete separation of the tumor samples from their paired normal mucosa. Two hundred and twenty-two miRs differentiated both pCRC and metastases from normal tissue samples (false discovery rate (FDR) <0.05). The highest expressed tumor-specific miRs were miR-21 and miR-92a, both previously described to be involved in CRC with potential as circulating biomarker for early detection. Only eight miRs, 0.5% of the analysed miR transcriptome, were differentially expressed between pCRC and the corresponding metastases (FDR <0.1), consisting of five known miRs (miR-320b, miR-320d, miR-3117, miR-1246 and miR-663b) and three novel candidate miRs (chr 1-2552-5p, chr 8-20656-5p and chr 10-25333-3p). These results indicate that previously unrecognized candidate miRs expressed in advanced CRC were identified using NGS. In addition, miR expression profiles of pCRC and metastatic lesions are highly comparable and may be of similar predictive value for prognosis or response to treatment in patients with advanced CRC.
Multisource Synergistic Electrocatalytic Oxidation Effect of Strongly Coupled PdM (M = Sn, Pb)/N-doped Graphene Nanocomposite on Small Organic Molecules
Authors: Wu Peng , Huang Yiyin , Kang Longtian , Wu Maoxiang , Wang Yaobing
Published: October 2015

A series of palladium-based catalysts of metal alloying (Sn, Pb) and/or (N-doped) graphene support with regular enhanced electrocatalytic activity were investigated. The peak current density (118.05 mA cm−2) of PdSn/NG is higher than the sum current density (45.63 + 47.59 mA cm−2) of Pd/NG and PdSn/G. It reveals a synergistic electrocatalytic oxidation effect in PdSn/N-doped graphene Nanocomposite. Extend experiments show this multisource synergetic catalytic effect of metal alloying and N-doped graphene support in one catalyst on small organic molecule (methanol, ethanol and Ethylene glycol) oxidation is universal in PdM(M = Sn, Pb)/NG catalysts. Further, The high dispersion of small nanoparticles, the altered electron structure and Pd(0)/Pd(II) ratio of Pd in catalysts induced by strong coupled the metal alloying and N-doped graphene are responsible for the multisource synergistic catalytic effect in PdM(M = Sn, Pb) /NG catalysts. Finally, the catalytic durability and stability are also greatly improved.
Lysine Methyltransferase SETD7 (SET7/9) Regulates ROS Signaling through mitochondria and NFE2L2/ARE pathway
Authors: He Shuying , Owen Dafydd R. , Jelinsky Scott A. , Lin Lih-Ling
Published: October 2015

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis requires stringent regulation. ROS imbalance, especially ROS accumulation, has profound implications in various disease pathogenesis. Lysine methylation of histone and non-histone proteins has been implicated in various cellular responses. The main objective of this study is to investigate the role of SET domain containing lysine methyltransferase SETD7 (SET7/9) in the regulation of ROS-mediated signaling. Here we report that inhibition of SETD7 with siRNA or a SETD7 small molecule inhibitor in both macrophages and a human bronchial epithelial cell line (Beas-2B) were able to counter NF-ĸB-induced oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokine production. Meanwhile, inhibition of SETD7 elevates mitochondria antioxidant functions via negative regulation of PPARGC1A and NFE2L2. Using a co-expression system and purified proteins, we detected direct interaction between SETD7 and NFE2L2. These results indicate that lysine methylation by SETD7 is important for the fine-tuning of ROS signaling through its regulation on pro-inflammatory responses, mitochondrial function and the NFE2L2/ARE pathway. Up-regulation of multiple antioxidant genes and improved ROS clearance by inhibition of SETD7 suggests the potential benefit of targeting SETD7 in treating ROS-associated diseases.
Endometrial gene expression profile of pregnant sows with extreme phenotypes for reproductive efficiency
Authors: Córdoba S. , Balcells I. , Castelló A. , Ovilo C. , Noguera J. L. , Timoneda O. , Sánchez A.
Published: October 2015

Prolificacy can directly impact porcine profitability, but large genetic variation and low heritability have been found regarding litter size among porcine breeds. To identify key differences in gene expression associated to swine reproductive efficiency, we performed a transcriptome analysis of sows’ endometrium from an Iberian x Meishan F2 population at day 30–32 of gestation, classified according to their estimated breeding value (EBV) as high (H, EBV > 0) and low (L, EBV < 0) prolificacy phenotypes. For each sample, mRNA and small RNA libraries were RNA-sequenced, identifying 141 genes and 10 miRNAs differentially expressed between H and L groups. We selected four miRNAs based on their role in reproduction and five genes displaying the highest differences and a positive mapping into known reproductive QTLs for RT-qPCR validation on the whole extreme population. Significant differences were validated for genes: PTGS2 (p = 0.03; H/L ratio = 3.50), PTHLH (p = 0.03; H/L ratio = 3.69), MMP8 (p = 0.01; H/L ratio = 4.41) and SCNN1G (p = 0.04; H/L ratio = 3.42). Although selected miRNAs showed similar expression levels between H and L groups, significant correlation was found between the expression level of ssc-miR-133a (p < 0.01) and ssc-miR-92a (p < 0.01) and validated genes. These results provide a better understanding of the genetic architecture of prolificacy-related traits and embryo implantation failure in pigs.
Phonon transport control by nanoarchitecture including epitaxial Ge nanodots for Si-based thermoelectric materials
Authors: Yamasaka Shuto , Nakamura Yoshiaki , Ueda Tomohiro , Takeuchi Shotaro , Sakai Akira
Published: October 2015

Phonon transport in Si films was controlled using epitaxially-grown ultrasmall Ge nanodots (NDs) with ultrahigh density for the purpose of developing Si-based thermoelectric materials. The Si/Ge ND stacked structures, which were formed by the ultrathin SiO2 film technique, exhibited lower thermal conductivities than those of the conventional nanostructured SiGe bulk alloys, despite the stacked structures having a smaller Ge fraction. This came from the large thermal resistance caused by phonon scattering at the Si/Ge ND interfaces. The phonon scattering can be controlled by the Ge ND structure, which was independent of Si layer structure for carrier transport. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of ultrasmall epitaxial Ge NDs as phonon scattering sources, opening up a route for the realisation of Si-based thermoelectric materials.
An ace-1 gene duplication resorbs the fitness cost associated with resistance in Anopheles gambiae, the main malaria mosquito
Authors: Assogba Benoît S. , Djogbénou Luc S. , Milesi Pascal , Berthomieu Arnaud , Perez Julie , Ayala Diego , Chandre Fabrice , Makoutodé Michel , Labbé Pierrick , Weill Mylène
Published: October 2015

Widespread resistance to pyrethroids threatens malaria control in Africa. Consequently, several countries switched to carbamates and organophophates insecticides for indoor residual spraying. However, a mutation in the ace-1 gene conferring resistance to these compounds (ace-1R allele), is already present. Furthermore, a duplicated allele (ace-1D) recently appeared; characterizing its selective advantage is mandatory to evaluate the threat. Our data revealed that a unique duplication event, pairing a susceptible and a resistant copy of the ace-1 gene spread through West Africa. Further investigations revealed that, while ace-1D confers less resistance than ace-1R, the high fitness cost associated with ace-1R is almost completely suppressed by the duplication for all traits studied. ace-1 duplication thus represents a permanent heterozygote phenotype, selected and thus spreading, due to the mosaic nature of mosquito control. It provides malaria mosquito with a new evolutionary path that could hamper resistance management.
A new potential energy surface for the H2S system and dynamics study on the S(1D) + H2(X1Σg+) reaction
Authors: Yuan Jiuchuang , He Di , Chen Maodu
Published: October 2015

We constructed a new global potential energy surface (PES) for the electronic ground state (1A′) of H2S based on 21,300 accurate ab initio energy points over a large configuration space. The ab initio energies are obtained from multireference configuration interaction calculations with a Davidson correction using basis sets of quadruple zeta quality. The neural network method is applied to fit the PES and the root mean square error of fitting is small (1.68 meV). Time-dependent wave packet studies for the S(1D) + H2(X1Σg+) → H(2S) + SH(X2Π) reaction on the new PES are conducted to study the reaction dynamics. The calculated integral cross sections decrease with increasing collision energy and remain fairly constant within the high collision energy range. Both forward and backward scatterings can be observed as expected for a barrierless reaction with a deep well on the PES. The calculated integral cross sections and differential cross sections are in good agreement with the experimental results.