bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Common Domains of Core Competencies for Hospital Health Care Providers in Armed Conflict Zones: A Systematic Scoping Review
Authors: Mani Zakaria A. , Kuhn Lisa , Plummer Virginia
Published: April 2020

Introduction:

High rates of mortality and morbidity result from disasters of all types, including armed conflicts. Overwhelming numbers of casualties with a myriad of illnesses and patterns of injuries are common in armed conflicts, leading to unpredictable workloads for hospital health care providers (HCPs). Identifying domains of hospital HCPs’ core competency for armed conflicts is essential to inform standards of care, educational requirements, and to facilitate the translation of knowledge into safe and quality care.

Objective:

The objective of this study is to identify the common domains of core competencies among HCPs working in hospitals in armed conflict areas.

Methods:

A scoping review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute framework. The review considered primary research and peer-reviewed literature from the following databases: Ovid Medline, Ovid EmCare, Embase, and CINAHL, as well as the reference lists of articles identified for full-text review. Eligibility criteria were outlined a priori to guide the literature selection.

Results:

Four articles met the inclusion criteria. The studies were conducted in different countries and were published from 2011 through 2017. The methods included three surveys and one Delphi study.

Conclusion:

This review maps the scope of knowledge, skills, and attitudes required by HCPs who are practicing in hospitals in areas of major armed conflict. Incorporation of identified core competency domains can improve the future planning, education, and training, and may enhance the HCPs’ response in armed conflicts.
Focus: Mobility – A Bridge between the Past and the Present
Authors: Harwich Nikita
Published: April 2020

What follows is the result of a workshop on ‘mobility’ organized by the History & Archaeology Section of the Academia Europea at the AE Wrocław Knowledge Hub on 3 and 4 September 2018. The topic of ‘mobility’ is understood here in its paradigmatic sense. It takes into account the mobility of human beings, goods, animals and plants, diseases or knowledge, including infrastructure, effects on environment, societies and politics, gender issues, transport, etc. At the same time, a historical dimension may serve to bestow upon such a paradigm the perspective given by time when applied to different patterns of mobility. However, the bridge is not only between past and present, but also between disciplines, both within and beyond the realm of humanities and social sciences. The purpose of this workshop, therefore, was to consider strengthening the links between the two component disciplines of the Section concerned, namely History and Archaeology, while at the same time consolidating our disciplinary voice within the Academia Europaea and establishing a constructive dialogue with other sections of the Academia.
Suicidality and self-injurious behavior among adolescent social media users at psychiatric hospitalization
Authors: Shafi Reem M.A. , Nakonezny Paul A. , Romanowicz Magdalena , Nandakumar Aiswarya L. , Suarez Laura , Croarkin Paul E.
Published: April 2020

Background

The current study sought to examine the relationship between documented social media use and suicidality and self-injurious behaviors in adolescents at the time of psychiatric hospitalization.

Methods

We retrospectively identified adolescents (aged 12-17 years) hospitalized on an inpatient psychiatric unit during 1 year. Abstracted information included documented social media use, demographic variables, documented self-injurious behaviors, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and the Suicide Status Form-II. Logistic regression was implemented to examine the effect of social media use on the risk of self-injurious behaviors and suicidality.

Results

Fifty-six adolescents who used social media were identified and matched with 56 non-social media users. Those with reported social media use had significantly greater odds of self-injurious behaviors at admission (odds ratio, 2.55; 95% confidence intervals, 1.17-5.71;P = .02) vs youth without reported social media use. Adolescents with reported social media use also had greater odds of increased suicidal ideation and suicide risk than those with no reported use, but these relationships were not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Social media use in adolescents with a psychiatric admission may be associated with the risk of self-injurious behaviors and could be a marker of impulsivity. Further work should guide the assessment of social media use as part of a routine adolescent psychiatric history.
Socio-demographic characteristics, diet and health among food insecure UK adults: cross-sectional analysis of the International Food Policy Study
Authors: Yau Amy , White Martin , Hammond David , White Christine , Adams Jean
Published: April 2020

Objective:

To estimate food insecurity (FI) prevalence among UK adults and investigate associations with socio-demographic characteristics, diet and health.

Design:

Weighted cross-sectional survey data. FI was measured using the USDA Adult Food Security Survey Module. Data were analysed using adjusted logistic regression models.

Setting:

United Kingdom.

Participants:

2551 participants (aged 18–64 years); sub-sample (n 1949) used to investigate association between FI and overweight.

Results:

FI prevalence was 24·3 %. Higher odds of FI were observed among participants who reported that making ends meet was difficult v. easy (OR 19·76, 95 % CI 13·78, 28·34), were full-time students v. non-students (OR 3·23, 95 % CI 2·01, 5·18), had low v. high education (OR 2·30, 95 % CI 1·66, 3·17), were male v. female (OR 1·36, 95 % CI 1·01, 1·83) and reported their ethnicity as mixed (OR 2·32, 95 % CI 1·02, 5·27) and white other (OR 2·04, 95 % CI 1·04, 3·99) v. white British. Odds of FI were higher in participants living with children v. alone, especially in single-parent households (OR 2·10, 95 % CI 1·19, 3·70). Odds of FI decreased per year of increase in age (OR 0·95, 95 % CI 0·94, 0·96) and were lower in participants not looking for work v. full-time employed (OR 0·60, 95 % CI 0·42, 0·87). Food insecure v. food secure adults had lower odds of consuming fruits (OR 0·59, 95 % CI 0·47, 0·74) and vegetables (OR 0·68, 95 % CI 0·54, 0·86) above the median frequency, and higher odds for fruit juice (OR 1·39, 95 % CI 1·10, 1·75). Food insecure v. food secure adults had higher odds of reporting unhealthy diets (OR 1·65, 95 % CI 1·31, 2·10), poor general health, (OR 1·90, 95 % CI 1·50, 2·41), poor mental health (OR 2·10, 95 % CI 1·64, 2·69), high stress (OR 3·15, 95 % CI 2·42, 4·11) and overweight (OR 1·32, 95 % CI 1·00, 1·75).

Conclusions:

FI prevalence was high and varied by socio-demographic characteristics. FI was associated with poorer diet and health.
GaN digital microwave outphasing PA
Authors: Hoffmann Thomas , Wentzel Andreas , Flisgen Thomas , Hühn Florian , Heinrich Wolfgang
Published: April 2020

This paper presents a novel GaN-based digital outphasing power amplifier (PA) for the 800 MHz range. The PA reaches a maximum output power of 5.8 W at 30 V final-stage (FS) drain supply voltage. A novel output combiner circuit is used and efficiency is improved by resonant commutation of the FSs and optimized driver circuits for the two GaN push-pull FSs. 3D electromagnetic simulation of output network has been conducted to extract an equivalent circuit model and to access full information in terms of functionality and broadband impedance characteristics for optimized outphasing operation in the final design. Measured total efficiencies (ηtot) of 59 and 25% at 0 and 10 dB power back-off are achieved, respectively, fitting the simulation quite well. The proposed digital outphasing module is a promising candidate for fully digitized base-station architectures in future wireless communications.
Big Data in der Radikalisierungsforschung
Authors: Batzdorfer Veronika , Steinmetz Holger , Bosnjak Michael
Published: April 2020

Zusammenfassung. Die Erforschung extremistischer Radikalisierung hat durch digitale Verhaltensspurdaten, wie z. B. Social-Media-Posts oder öffentlich zugänglichen Medien, einen neuen Auftrieb erfahren. Vor dem Hintergrund, dass Big Data als „epistemologische Revolution“ angesehen wird, liefert die vorliegende systematische Literaturübersicht einen Überblick darüber, (i) welche Ziele, Datenquellen und Methoden im Rahmen von Spurdatenstudien in der Radikalisierungsforschung gewählt werden, illustriert exemplarisch einige Ergebnisse dieser Studien und (ii) analysiert welche Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede zu traditionellen Studien wie Fragebogen- oder Experimentalstudien bestehen. Grundlage für den Überblick liefern 63 Studien, von denen allerdings nur eine geringe Anzahl (k = 18) digitale Verhaltensspurdaten nutzten, während der Großteil aus traditionellen Zugängen (k = 52) besteht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Spurdatenstudien größtenteils darauf abzielten, Personen mit radikalen Einstellungen zu identifizieren und die Entwicklung radikaler Ansichten vorherzusagen. Insgesamt eröffnen sich durch Verhaltensspurdaten bisher ungenutzte Potentiale für die Analyse von Persönlichkeitsprofilen und die Untersuchung dynamischer sozialer Interaktionen derjenigen, die anfällig für extremistische Rekrutierung sind.Eine englische Übersetzung als Rohfassung dieses Artikels finden Sie als Elektronisches Supplement 1.
Climatological‐Scale Analysis of Intensive and Semi‐intensive Aerosol Parameters Derived From AERONET Retrievals Over the Arctic
Authors: AboEl‐Fetouh Y. , O'Neill N. T. , Ranjbar K. , Hesaraki S. , Abboud I. , Sobolewski P. S.
Published: April 2020

We investigated the climatological‐scale, monthly binned, seasonal variation of AERONET/Dubovik retrievals across six stations in the North American and European Arctic (multiyear sampling periods ranging from 8 to 17 years). A robust, spring‐to‐summer (StoS) increase in the radius of the peak of the fine mode (FM) component of the particle size distribution (PSD) was observed for five of the six stations. The FM aerosol optical depth (AOD) and the FM effective radius at the individual stations showed, respectively, a negligible to moderate StoS decrease and a significant increase. This was interpreted as a trade‐off between the waning influence of smaller FM Arctic haze aerosols and the increasing influence of large FM smoke particles. A springtime, pan‐Arctic PSD peak in the 1.3 μm coarse mode (CM) bin was attributed to Asian dust. It was suggested that the increase in amplitude of a second (4–7 μm) CM peak from July to August at the low‐elevation coastal sites was influenced by wind‐induced sea salt. The CM AOD went through a StoS decrease attributed to the decreasing amplitude of the 1.3 μm peak. A significant StoS CM effective radius increase was ascribed to the decreasing influence of the 1.3 μm peak. StoS FM fraction increases were largely due to the decrease of the CM AOD (decreasing influence of springtime Asian dust). This extensive and intensive climatology of remotely sensed, bimodal properties will, we believe, provide an important reference for future measurements and modeling of Arctic aerosols.
Groundwater Buffers Drought Effects and Climate Variability in Urban Reserves
Authors: Marchionni V. , Daly E. , Manoli G. , Tapper N. J. , Walker J. P. , Fatichi S.
Published: April 2020

Groundwater can have a critical role in sustaining the functioning of natural ecosystems during droughts, especially in dry and seasonally dry climates. However, the response to droughts of ecosystems embedded in urban areas is not well known. This study investigates how different scenarios of groundwater availability control the water balance and vegetation productivity of two urban reserves hosting native vegetation in the Melbourne metropolitan area, Australia. Using a mechanistic ecohydrological model supported by field observations, long‐term simulations were run to explore the impact of groundwater flow on water, carbon, and energy fluxes under present climatic conditions, including the Millennium Drought (2001–2009), and in response to perturbations in key environmental variables (air temperature, atmospheric CO2 concentrations, and rainfall). It was found that the presence of a water table and its capillary fringe within the root depths supports ecosystem transpiration and vegetation productivity. The effects of declining groundwater were found to be more severe in predominantly sandy soils because of the lower water holding capacity, identifying that the water status of vegetation differs significantly depending on soil type. Differences in rooting strategies and groundwater availability also had a pivotal role in helping plants soften the impacts of increased air temperature (Ta) and make use of higher atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Increased Ta strongly affected evapotranspiration, enhancing the competition for water between different vegetation types. These results provide quantitative insights of how vegetation responds to groundwater depletion and climate variability, highlighting the essential role of groundwater resources in urban ecosystems characterized by seasonally dry climates.
The gut microbiota contributes to the development of Staphylococcus aureus-induced mastitis in mice
Authors: Hu Xiaoyu , Guo Jian , Zhao Caijun , Jiang Peng , Maimai T , Yanyi Li , Cao Yongguo , Fu Yunhe , Zhang Naisheng
Published: April 2020

Mastitis is one of the most prevalent diseases in dairy farming worldwide. The gut microbiota plays an important role in the regulation of systemic and local inflammatory diseases, such as mastitis. However, the regulatory mechanism of the gut microbiota on mastitis is still unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the function and regulatory mechanisms of the gut microbiota in host defense against mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infection. Increased blood-milk barrier permeability, and S. aureus-induced mastitis severity were observed gut microbiota-dysbiosis mice compared with those in control mice. Moreover, feces microbiota transplantation (FMT) to microbbiota-dysbiosis mice reversed these effects. Furthermore, established disruption of commensal homeostasis results in significantly increased abundance of pathogenic Enterobacter bacteria, while the relative abundance of short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs)-producing bacterial phyla (Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes) was significantly reduced. However, FMT to gut microbiota-dysbiosis mice reversed these changes. In addition, dysbiosis reduced the levels of SCFAs, and administration of sodium propionate, sodium butyrate, and probiotics (butyrate-producing bacteria) reversed the changes in the blood-milk barrier and reduced the severity of mastitis induced by S. aureus. In conclusion, this new finding demonstrated that the gut microbiota acts as a protective factor in host defense against mastitis and that targeting the gut-mammary gland axis represents a promising therapeutic approach for mastitis treatment.
Allelic polymorphism shapes community function in evolving Pseudomonas aeruginosa populations
Authors: Azimi Sheyda , Roberts Aled E L , Peng Shengyun , Weitz Joshua S , McNally Alan , Brown Samuel P , Diggle Stephen P
Published: April 2020

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that chronically infects the lungs of individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) by forming antibiotic-resistant biofilms. Emergence of phenotypically diverse isolates within CF P. aeruginosa populations has previously been reported; however, the impact of heterogeneity on social behaviors and community function is poorly understood. Here we describe how this heterogeneity impacts on behavioral traits by evolving the strain PAO1 in biofilms grown in a synthetic sputum medium for 50 days. We measured social trait production and antibiotic tolerance, and used a metagenomic approach to analyze and assess genomic changes over the duration of the evolution experiment. We found that (i) evolutionary trajectories were reproducible in independently evolving populations; (ii) over 60% of genomic diversity occurred within the first 10 days of selection. We then focused on quorum sensing (QS), a well-studied P. aeruginosa trait that is commonly mutated in strains isolated from CF lungs. We found that at the population level, (i) evolution in sputum medium selected for decreased the production of QS and QS-dependent traits; (ii) there was a significant correlation between lasR mutant frequency, the loss of protease, and the 3O-C12-HSL signal, and an increase in resistance to clinically relevant β-lactam antibiotics, despite no previous antibiotic exposure. Overall, our findings provide insights into the effect of allelic polymorphism on community functions in diverse P. aeruginosa populations. Further, we demonstrate that P. aeruginosa population and evolutionary dynamics can impact on traits important for virulence and can lead to increased tolerance to β-lactam antibiotics.
Dark septate endophyte improves salt tolerance of native and invasive lineages of Phragmites australis
Authors: Gonzalez Mateu Martina , Baldwin Andrew H , Maul Jude E , Yarwood Stephanie A
Published: April 2020

Fungal endophytes can improve plant tolerance to abiotic stress. However, the role of these plant–fungal interactions in invasive species ecology and their management implications remain unclear. This study characterized the fungal endophyte communities of native and invasive lineages of Phragmites australis and assessed the role of dark septate endophytes (DSE) in salt tolerance of this species. We used Illumina sequencing to characterize root fungal endophytes of contiguous stands of native and invasive P. australis along a salinity gradient. DSE colonization was assessed throughout the growing season in the field, and effects of fungal inoculation on salinity tolerance were investigated using laboratory and greenhouse studies. Native and invasive lineages had distinct fungal endophyte communities that shifted across the salinity gradient. DSE colonization was greater in the invasive lineage and increased with salinity. Laboratory studies showed that DSE inoculation increased P. australis seedling survival under salt stress; and a greenhouse assay revealed that the invasive lineage had higher aboveground biomass under mesohaline conditions when inoculated with a DSE. We observed that P. australis can establish mutualistic associations with DSE when subjected to salt stress. This type of plant–fungal association merits further investigation in integrated management strategies of invasive species and restoration of native Phragmites.
Shared genetic etiology between obsessive-compulsive disorder, obsessive-compulsive symptoms in the population, and insulin signaling
Authors: Bralten Janita , Widomska Joanna , Witte Ward De , Yu Dongmei , Mathews Carol A. , Scharf Jeremiah M. , Buitelaar Jan , Crosbie Jennifer , Schachar Russell , Arnold Paul , Lemire Mathieu , Burton Christie L. , Franke Barbara , Poelmans Geert
Published: April 2020

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) in the population have been linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in genetic and epidemiological studies. Insulin signaling has been implicated in OCD. We extend previous work by assessing genetic overlap between OCD, population-based OCS, and central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral insulin signaling. We conducted genome-wide association studies (GWASs) in the population-based Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort (PNC, 650 children and adolescents) of the total OCS score and six OCS factors from an exploratory factor analysis of 22 questions. Subsequently, we performed polygenic risk score (PRS)-based analysis to assess shared genetic etiologies between clinical OCD (using GWAS data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium), the total OCS score and OCS factors. We then performed gene-set analyses with a set of OCD-linked genes centered around CNS insulin-regulated synaptic function and PRS-based analyses for five peripheral insulin signaling-related traits. For validation purposes, we explored data from the independent Spit for Science population cohort (5,047 children and adolescents). In the PNC, we found a significant shared genetic etiology between OCD and ‘guilty taboo thoughts’. In the Spit for Science cohort, we additionally observed genetic sharing between ‘symmetry/counting/ordering’ and ‘contamination/cleaning’. The CNS insulin-linked gene-set also associated with ‘symmetry/counting/ordering’ in the PNC. Further, we identified genetic sharing between peripheral insulin signaling-related traits: type 2 diabetes with ‘aggressive taboo thoughts’, and levels of fasting insulin and 2 h glucose with OCD. In conclusion, OCD, OCS in the population and insulin-related traits share genetic risk factors, indicating a common etiological mechanism underlying somatic and psychiatric disorders.
The nuclear envelope: target and mediator of the apoptotic process
Authors: Lindenboim Liora , Zohar Hila , Worman Howard J. , Stein Reuven
Published: April 2020

Apoptosis is characterized by the destruction of essential cell organelles, including the cell nucleus. The nuclear envelope (NE) separates the nuclear interior from the cytosol. During apoptosis, the apoptotic machinery, in particular caspases, increases NE permeability by cleaving its proteins, such as those of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) and the nuclear lamina. This in turns leads to passive diffusion of cytosolic apoptogenic proteins, such as caspases and nucleases, through NPCs into the nucleus and the subsequent breakdown of the NE and destruction of the nucleus. However, NE leakiness at early stages of the apoptotic process can also occur in a caspase-independent manner, where Bax, by a non-canonical action, promotes transient and repetitive localized generation and subsequent rupture of nuclear protein-filled nuclear bubbles. This NE rupture leads to discharge of apoptogenic nuclear proteins from the nucleus to the cytosol, a process that can contribute to the death process. Therefore, the NE may play a role as mediator of cell death at early stages of apoptosis. The NE can also serve as a platform for assembly of complexes that regulate the death process. Thus, the NE should be viewed as both a mediator of the cell death process and a target.
Phosphorylation of cGAS by CDK1 impairs self-DNA sensing in mitosis
Authors: Zhong Li , Hu Ming-Ming , Bian Li-Jun , Liu Ying , Chen Qiang , Shu Hong-Bing
Published: April 2020

The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) is a widely used DNA sensor, which detects cytosolic DNA species without a preference of self or non-self microbial DNA in interphase to initiate innate immune response. How cGAS is regulated to avoid self-DNA sensing upon nuclear envelope breakdown (NEBD) during mitosis remains enigmatic. Here we show that cGAS is mostly localized in the cytoplasm in interphase and rapidly translocated to chromosomes upon NEBD in mitosis. The major mitotic kinase CDK1-cyclin B complex phosphorylates human cGAS at S305 or mouse cGAS at S291, which inhibits its ability to synthesize cGAMP upon mitotic entry. The type 1 phosphatase PP1 dephosphorylates cGAS upon mitotic exit to enable its DNA sensing ability. Our findings reveal a mechanism on how the DNA sensor cGAS is post-translationally regulated by cell cycle-dependent enzymes to ensure its proper activation for host defense of cytosolic DNA in interphase and inert to self-DNA in mitosis.
Repurposing a chemosensory macromolecular machine
Authors: Ortega Davi R. , Yang Wen , Subramanian Poorna , Mann Petra , Kjær Andreas , Chen Songye , Watts Kylie J. , Pirbadian Sahand , Collins David A. , Kooger Romain , Kalyuzhnaya Marina G. , Ringgaard Simon , Briegel Ariane , Jensen Grant J.
Published: April 2020

How complex, multi-component macromolecular machines evolved remains poorly understood. Here we reveal the evolutionary origins of the chemosensory machinery that controls flagellar motility in Escherichia coli. We first identify ancestral forms still present in Vibrio cholerae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shewanella oneidensis and Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum, characterizing their structures by electron cryotomography and finding evidence that they function in a stress response pathway. Using bioinformatics, we trace the evolution of the system through γ-Proteobacteria, pinpointing key evolutionary events that led to the machine now seen in E. coli. Our results suggest that two ancient chemosensory systems with different inputs and outputs (F6 and F7) existed contemporaneously, with one (F7) ultimately taking over the inputs and outputs of the other (F6), which was subsequently lost.
Observation of giant spin-split Fermi-arc with maximal Chern number in the chiral topological semimetal PtGa
Authors: Yao Mengyu , Manna Kaustuv , Yang Qun , Fedorov Alexander , Voroshnin Vladimir , Valentin Schwarze B. , Hornung Jacob , Chattopadhyay S. , Sun Zhe , Guin Satya N. , Wosnitza Jochen , Borrmann Horst , Shekhar Chandra , Kumar Nitesh , Fink Jörg , Sun Yan , Felser Claudia
Published: April 2020

Non-symmorphic chiral topological crystals host exotic multifold fermions, and their associated Fermi arcs helically wrap around and expand throughout the Brillouin zone between the high-symmetry center and surface-corner momenta. However, Fermi-arc splitting and realization of the theoretically proposed maximal Chern number rely heavily on the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) strength. In the present work, we investigate the topological states of a new chiral crystal, PtGa, which has the strongest SOC among all chiral crystals reported to date. With a comprehensive investigation using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, quantum-oscillation measurements, and state-of-the-art ab initio calculations, we report a giant SOC-induced splitting of both Fermi arcs and bulk states. Consequently, this study experimentally confirms the realization of a maximal Chern number equal to ±4 in multifold fermionic systems, thereby providing a platform to observe large-quantized photogalvanic currents in optical experiments.
Enabling room temperature ferromagnetism in monolayer MoS2 via in situ iron-doping
Authors: Fu Shichen , Kang Kyungnam , Shayan Kamran , Yoshimura Anthony , Dadras Siamak , Wang Xiaotian , Zhang Lihua , Chen Siwei , Liu Na , Jindal Apoorv , Li Xiangzhi , Pasupathy Abhay N. , Vamivakas A. Nick , Meunier Vincent , Strauf Stefan , Yang Eui-Hyeok
Published: April 2020

Two-dimensional semiconductors, including transition metal dichalcogenides, are of interest in electronics and photonics but remain nonmagnetic in their intrinsic form. Previous efforts to form two-dimensional dilute magnetic semiconductors utilized extrinsic doping techniques or bulk crystal growth, detrimentally affecting uniformity, scalability, or Curie temperature. Here, we demonstrate an in situ substitutional doping of Fe atoms into MoS2 monolayers in the chemical vapor deposition growth. The iron atoms substitute molybdenum sites in MoS2 crystals, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and Raman signatures. We uncover an Fe-related spectral transition of Fe:MoS2 monolayers that appears at 2.28 eV above the pristine bandgap and displays pronounced ferromagnetic hysteresis. The microscopic origin is further corroborated by density functional theory calculations of dipole-allowed transitions in Fe:MoS2. Using spatially integrating magnetization measurements and spatially resolving nitrogen-vacancy center magnetometry, we show that Fe:MoS2 monolayers remain magnetized even at ambient conditions, manifesting ferromagnetism at room temperature.
Exciton diffusion in two-dimensional metal-halide perovskites
Authors: Seitz Michael , Magdaleno Alvaro J. , Alcázar-Cano Nerea , Meléndez Marc , Lubbers Tim J. , Walraven Sanne W. , Pakdel Sahar , Prada Elsa , Delgado-Buscalioni Rafael , Prins Ferry
Published: April 2020

Two-dimensional layered perovskites are attracting increasing attention as more robust analogues to the conventional three-dimensional metal-halide perovskites for both light harvesting and light emitting applications. However, the impact of the reduced dimensionality on the optoelectronic properties remains unclear, particularly regarding the spatial dynamics of the excitonic excited state within the two-dimensional plane. Here, we present direct measurements of exciton transport in single-crystalline layered perovskites. Using transient photoluminescence microscopy, we show that excitons undergo an initial fast diffusion through the crystalline plane, followed by a slower subdiffusive regime as excitons get trapped. Interestingly, the early intrinsic diffusivity depends sensitively on the choice of organic spacer. A clear correlation between lattice stiffness and diffusivity is found, suggesting exciton–phonon interactions to be dominant in the spatial dynamics of the excitons in perovskites, consistent with the formation of exciton–polarons. Our findings provide a clear design strategy to optimize exciton transport in these systems.
Latitudinal gradient in dairy production with the introduction of farming in Atlantic Europe
Authors: Cubas Miriam , Lucquin Alexandre , Robson Harry K. , Colonese André Carlo , Arias Pablo , Aubry Bruno , Billard Cyrille , Jan Denis , Diniz Mariana , Fernandes Ricardo , Fábregas Valcarce Ramón , Germain-Vallée Cécile , Juhel Laurent , de Lombera-Hermida Arturo , Marcigny Cyril , Mazet Sylvain , Marchand Grégor , Neves César , Ontañón-Peredo Roberto , Rodríguez-Álvarez Xose Pedro , Simões Teresa , Zilhão João , Craig Oliver E.
Published: April 2020

The introduction of farming had far-reaching impacts on health, social structure and demography. Although the spread of domesticated plants and animals has been extensively tracked, it is unclear how these nascent economies developed within different environmental and cultural settings. Using molecular and isotopic analysis of lipids from pottery, here we investigate the foods prepared by the earliest farming communities of the European Atlantic seaboard. Surprisingly, we find an absence of aquatic foods, including in ceramics from coastal sites, except in the Western Baltic where this tradition continued from indigenous ceramic using hunter-gatherer-fishers. The frequency of dairy products in pottery increased as farming was progressively introduced along a northerly latitudinal gradient. This finding implies that early farming communities needed time to adapt their economic practices before expanding into more northerly areas. Latitudinal differences in the scale of dairy production might also have influenced the evolution of adult lactase persistence across Europe.
Integrative functional genomics decodes herpes simplex virus 1
Authors: Whisnant Adam W. , Jürges Christopher S. , Hennig Thomas , Wyler Emanuel , Prusty Bhupesh , Rutkowski Andrzej J. , L’hernault Anne , Djakovic Lara , Göbel Margarete , Döring Kristina , Menegatti Jennifer , Antrobus Robin , Matheson Nicholas J. , Künzig Florian W. H. , Mastrobuoni Guido , Bielow Chris , Kempa Stefan , Liang Chunguang , Dandekar Thomas , Zimmer Ralf , Landthaler Markus , Grässer Friedrich , Lehner Paul J. , Friedel Caroline C. , Erhard Florian , Dölken Lars
Published: April 2020

The predicted 80 open reading frames (ORFs) of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) have been intensively studied for decades. Here, we unravel the complete viral transcriptome and translatome during lytic infection with base-pair resolution by computational integration of multi-omics data. We identify a total of 201 transcripts and 284 ORFs including all known and 46 novel large ORFs. This includes a so far unknown ORF in the locus deleted in the FDA-approved oncolytic virus Imlygic. Multiple transcript isoforms expressed from individual gene loci explain translation of the vast majority of ORFs as well as N-terminal extensions (NTEs) and truncations. We show that NTEs with non-canonical start codons govern the subcellular protein localization and packaging of key viral regulators and structural proteins. We extend the current nomenclature to include all viral gene products and provide a genome browser that visualizes all the obtained data from whole genome to single-nucleotide resolution.
The new scope of virus taxonomy: partitioning the virosphere into 15 hierarchical ranks
Authors:   International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses Executive Committee, Gorbalenya Alexander E. , Krupovic Mart , Mushegian Arcady , Kropinski Andrew M. , Siddell Stuart G. , Varsani Arvind , Adams Michael J. , Davison Andrew J. , Dutilh Bas E. , Harrach Balázs , Harrison Robert L. , Junglen Sandra , King Andrew M. Q. , Knowles Nick J. , Lefkowitz Elliot J. , Nibert Max L. , Rubino Luisa , Sabanadzovic Sead , Sanfaçon Hélène , Simmonds Peter , Walker Peter J. , Zerbini F. Murilo , Kuhn Jens H.
Published: April 2020

Virus taxonomy emerged as a discipline in the middle of the twentieth century. Traditionally, classification by virus taxonomists has been focussed on the grouping of relatively closely related viruses. However, during the past few years, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) has recognized that the taxonomy it develops can be usefully extended to include the basal evolutionary relationships among distantly related viruses. Consequently, the ICTV has changed its Code to allow a 15-rank classification hierarchy that closely aligns with the Linnaean taxonomic system and may accommodate the entire spectrum of genetic divergence in the virosphere. The current taxonomies of three human pathogens, Ebola virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and herpes simplex virus 1 are used to illustrate the impact of the expanded rank structure. This new rank hierarchy of virus taxonomy will stimulate further research on virus origins and evolution, and vice versa, and could promote crosstalk with the taxonomies of cellular organisms.
Prevalence and speciation of brucellosis in febrile patients from a pastoralist community of Tanzania
Authors: Bodenham Rebecca F. , Lukambagire AbdulHamid S. , Ashford Roland T. , Buza Joram J. , Cash-Goldwasser Shama , Crump John A. , Kazwala Rudovick R. , Maro Venance P. , McGiven John , Mkenda Nestory , Mmbaga Blandina T. , Rubach Matthew P. , Sakasaka Philoteus , Shirima Gabriel M. , Swai Emanuel S. , Thomas Kate M. , Whatmore Adrian M. , Haydon Daniel T. , Halliday Jo E. B.
Published: April 2020

Brucellosis is an endemic zoonosis in sub-Saharan Africa. Pastoralists are at high risk of infection but data on brucellosis from these communities are scarce. The study objectives were to: estimate the prevalence of human brucellosis, identify the Brucella spp. causing illness, describe non-Brucella bloodstream infections, and identify risk factors for brucellosis in febrile patients from a pastoralist community of Tanzania. Fourteen (6.1%) of 230 participants enrolled between August 2016 and October 2017 met study criteria for confirmed (febrile illness and culture positivity or ≥four-fold rise in SAT titre) or probable (febrile illness and single SAT titre ≥160) brucellosis. Brucella spp. was the most common bloodstream infection, with B. melitensis isolated from seven participants and B. abortus from one. Enterococcus spp., Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae were also isolated. Risk factors identified for brucellosis included age and herding, with a greater probability of brucellosis in individuals with lower age and who herded cattle, sheep or goats in the previous 12 months. Disease prevention activities targeting young herders have potential to reduce the impacts of human brucellosis in Tanzania. Livestock vaccination strategies for the region should include both B. melitensis and B. abortus.
Multiband entropy-based feature-extraction method for automatic identification of epileptic focus based on high-frequency components in interictal iEEG
Authors: Akter Most. Sheuli , Islam Md. Rabiul , Iimura Yasushi , Sugano Hidenori , Fukumori Kosuke , Wang Duo , Tanaka Toshihisa , Cichocki Andrzej
Published: April 2020

Presurgical investigations for categorizing focal patterns are crucial, leading to localization and surgical removal of the epileptic focus. This paper presents a machine learning approach using information theoretic features extracted from high-frequency subbands to detect the epileptic focus from interictal intracranial electroencephalogram (iEEG). It is known that high-frequency subbands (>80 Hz) include important biomarkers such as high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) for identifying epileptic focus commonly referred to as the seizure onset zone (SOZ). In this analysis, the multi-channel interictal iEEG signals were splitted into segments and each segment was decomposed into multiple high-frequency subbands. The different types of entropy were calculated for each of the subbands and the sparse linear discriminant analysis (sLDA) was applied to select the prominent entropy features. Due to the imbalance of SOZ and non-SOZ channels in iEEG data, the use of machine learning techniques is always tricky. To deal with the imbalanced learning problem, an adaptive synthetic oversampling approach (ADASYN) with radial basis function kernel-based SVM was used to detect the focal segments. Finally, the epileptic focus was identified based on detection of focal segments on SOZ and non-SOZ channels. Eight patients were examined to observe the efficiency of the automatic detector. The experimental results and statistical tests indicate that the proposed automatic detector can identify the epileptic focus accurately and efficiently.
Author Correction: Contrasting functional structure of saproxylic beetle assemblages associated to different microhabitats
Authors: Micó Estefanía , Ramilo Pablo , Thorn Simon , Müller Jörg , Galante Eduardo , Carmona Carlos P.
Published: April 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Effect of Tahiti lime (Citrus latifolia) juice on the Production of the PGF2α/PGE2 and Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines involved in Menstruation
Authors: Robeldo Thaiane , Canzi Edione Fatima , de Andrade Priscila Maria , Santana Jhonne Pedro Pedotte , Teixeira Felipe Roberti , Spagnol Valentine , Maia Beatriz Helena Lameiro Noronha Sale , Carbol Maristela , Caneira Erika Gonçalves , Da Silva Maria Fátima das Graças Fernandes , Borra Ricardo Carneiro
Published: April 2020

Tahiti lemon juice (Citrus latifolia) (TLJ), as a natural source of flavonoids, has been used as an alternative to anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of dysmenorrhea and menstrual excessive bleeding, often associated with an imbalance of the prostaglandins (PG) levels. However, despite the positive effects, the mechanisms that rule menstruation control are still unknown. Therefore, the objectives were to characterize the TLJ and analyze its effect on the production of PGF2α, PGE2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines involved inmenstruation. Flavonoids from TLJ were discriminated by UPLC-DAD-MS/MS (Qq-TOF) and the effects of TLJ were studied in vitro by quantification of the contraction of myoblasts in culture and PGF2α and PGE2 productions. Further, the systemic and menstrual fluid levels of PGF2α, PGE2, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, AK1B1 and AK1C3 enzymes produced by women during the menstrual period were compared after exposition or not to TLJ or meloxicam. The results showed that TLJ induces an increase in the contraction of myoblasts and the PGF2α supernatant level. Regarding in vivo analysis, a higher concentration of PGF2α and an unaltered PGE2 level was also found in the menstrual blood of women treated with TLJ, in contrast with a lower level of PGE2 and PGF2α observed in the meloxicam group. Concerning cytokines, only menstrual TNF-α levels decrease after treatment with TLJ or meloxicam. In conclusion, TLJ may favor the control of menstruation events via a PGF2α mediated muscle contractile response.
Indoor incense burning impacts cognitive functions and brain functional connectivity in community older adults
Authors: Wong Adrian , Lou Wutao , Ho Kin-fai , Yiu Brian Ka-fung , Lin Shi , Chu Winnie Chiu-wing , Abrigo Jill , Lee Dustin , Lam Bonnie Yin-ka , Au Lisa Wing-chi , Soo Yannie Oi-yan , Lau Alexander Yuk-lun , Kwok Timothy Chi-yui , Leung Thomas Wai-hong , Lam Linda Chui-wa , Ho Ko , Mok Vincent Chung-tong
Published: April 2020

To investigate (1) the effects of indoor incense burning upon cognition over 3 years; (2) the associations between indoor incense burning with the brain’s structure and functional connectivity of the default mode network (DMN); and (3) the interactions between indoor incense burning and vascular disease markers upon cognitive functions. Community older adults without stroke or dementia were recruited (n = 515). Indoor incense use was self-reported as having burnt incense at home ≥ weekly basis over the past 5 years. Detailed neuropsychological battery was administered at baseline (n = 227) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment at baseline and year 3 (n = 515). MRI structural measures and functional connectivity of the DMN were recorded at baseline. Demographic and vascular risk factors and levels of outdoor pollutants were treated as covariates. Indoor incense burning was associated with reduced performance across multiple cognitive domains at baseline and year 3 as well as decreased connectivity in the DMN. It interacted with diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia and white matter hyperintensities to predict poorer cognitive performance. Indoor incense burning is (1) associated with poorer cognitive performance over 3 years; (2) related to decreased brain connectivity; and (3) it interacts with vascular disease to predispose poor cognitive performance.
Differential cytokine network profile in polycythemia vera and secondary polycythemia
Authors: Cacemiro Maira da Costa , Cominal Juçara Gastaldi , Berzoti-Coelho Maria Gabriela , Tognon Raquel , Nunes Natalia de Souza , Simões Belinda , Pereira Ítalo Sousa , Carlos Daniela , Faccioli Lucia Helena , Figueiredo-Pontes Lorena Lobo de , Frantz Fabiani Gai , Castro Fabíola Attié de
Published: April 2020

Polycythemia vera (PV) is a clonal disorder resulting from neoplastic transformation of hematopoietic stem cells, while secondary polycythemia (SP) is a disease characterized by increased absolute red blood cell mass caused by stimulation of red blood cell production. Although the physiopathology of SP and PV is distinct, patients with these diseases share similar symptoms. The early differential diagnosis may improve the quality of life and decrease the disease burden in PV patients, as well as enable curative treatment for SP patients. PV is considered an oncoinflammatory disease because PV patients exhibit augmented levels of several pro-inflammatory cytokines. In this sense, we examined whether analysis of the cytokine production profile of SP and PV patients would help to distinguish them, despite their clinical similarities. Here we reported that SP patients exhibited decreased plasma levels of, IL-17A, IFN-γ, IL-12p70 and TNF-α when compared with PV patients, suggesting that analysis of the cytokine production profile may be an useful diagnostic biomarker to distinguish PV from SP patients.
Separation and degradation detection of nanogram-per-litre concentrations of radiolabelled steroid hormones using combined liquid chromatography and flow scintillation analysis
Authors: Lyubimenko Roman , Richards Bryce S. , Turshatov Andrey , Schäfer Andrea I.
Published: April 2020

Detection of micropollutants such as steroid hormones occurring in the aquatic environment at concentrations between ng/L and µg/L remains a major challenge, in particular when treatment efficiency is to be evaluated. Steroid hormones are typically analysed using mass-spectrometry methods, requiring pre-concentration and/or derivatisation procedures to achieve required detection limits. Free of sample preparation steps, the use of radiolabelled contaminants with liquid scintillation counting is limited to single-compound systems and require a separation of hormone mixtures before detection. In this work, a method was developed coupling ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with flow scintillation analysis (FSA) for separation and detection of radiolabelled estrone, 17ß-estradiol, testosterone and progesterone. Adjustment of the flow rate of scintillation liquid and UHPLC mobile phase, gradient time, column temperature, and injection volume allowed the separation of steroid hormones and degradation products. The limit-of-detection (LOD = 1.5–2.4 ng/L) and limit-of-quantification (LOQ = 3.4–4.3 ng/L) for steroid hormones were comparable with the current state-of-the-art technique (LC-MS/MS) for non-derivatised compounds. Although the method cannot be applied to real water samples (unless spiked with radiotracers), it serves as a useful tool for the development of water treatment technologies at laboratory scale as demonstrated via: i) adsorption on polymer-based spherical activated carbon, ii) retention in nanofiltration, iii) photodegradation using a photocatalytic membrane.
Assessment of sulfonated homo and co-polyimides incorporated polysulfone ultrafiltration blend membranes for effective removal of heavy metals and proteins
Authors: Jafar Mazumder Mohammad A. , Raja Panchami H. , Isloor Arun M. , Usman Muhammad , Chowdhury Shakhawat H. , Ali Shaikh A. , Inamuddin  , Al-Ahmed Amir
Published: April 2020

Sulfonated homo and co- polyimide (sPI) were synthesized with new compositional ratios, and used as additives (0.5 wt%, 0.75 wt%, and 1.0 wt%) to prepare blend membranes with polysulfone (PSf). Flat sheet membranes for ultrafiltration (UF) were casted using the phase inversion technique. Surface morphology of the prepared UF membranes were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Surface charge of the membranes were determined by zeta potential, and hydrophilicity was studied by contact angle measurement. The contact angle of the membrane decreased with increasing sPI additive indicates increasing the hydrophilicity of the blend membranes. Filtration studies were conducted for rejection of heavy metals (Pb2+ and Cd2+) and proteins (pepsin and BSA). Blend membranes showed better rejection than pure PSf membrane. Among the blend membranes it was observed that with increasing amount of sPIs enhance the membrane properties and finally, PSf-sPI5 membrane with 1 wt% of sPI5 showed the improved permeability (72.1 L m−2 h−1 bar−1), and the best rejection properties were found for both metal ions (≈98% of Pb2+; ≈92% of Cd2+) and proteins (>98% of BSA; > 86% of Pepsin). Over all, this membrane was having better hydrophilicity, porosity and higher number of sites to attach the metal ions. Its performance was even better than several-reported sulfonic acid based UF membranes. All these intriguing properties directed this new UF membrane for its potential application in wastewater treatment.