bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular identification and lipid mobilization role of adipokinetic hormone receptor in Spodoptera litura (F.)
Authors: Dong Xiaolin , Chen Junyuan , Xu Rubing , Li Xihong , Wang Yang , Pan Xue , Zhang Cuici , Li Yanyan , Wang Fulian , Li Chuanren
Published: April 2022

Energy homeostasis is essential for organisms to maintain fluctuation in energy accumulation, mobilization. Lipids as the main energy reserve in insects, their metabolism is under the control of many physiological program. This study aimed to determine whether the adipokinetic hormone receptor (AKHR) was involved in the lipid mobilization in the Spodoptera litura. A full-length cDNA encoding AKHR was isolated from S. litura. The SlAKHR protein has a conserved seven-transmembrane domain which is the character of a putative G protein receptor. Expression profile investigation revealed that SlAKHR mRNA was highly expressed in immatural stage and abundant in fat body in newly emerged female adults. Knockdown of SlAKHR expression was achieved through RNAi by injecting double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) into the 6th instar larvae. The content of triacylgycerol (TAG) in the fat body increased significantly after the SlAKHR gene was knockdown. And decrease of TAG releasing to hemolymph with increase of free fatty acid (FFA) in hemolymph were observed when the SlAKHR gene was knowned-down. In addition, lipid droplets increased in fat body was also found. These results suggested that SlAKHR is critical for insects to regulate lipids metabolism.
A pinching estimate for convex hypersurfaces evolving under a non-homogeneous variant of mean curvature flow
Authors: Espin Tim
Published: April 2022

We study a variant of the mean curvature flow for closed, convex hypersurfaces where the normal velocity is a non-homogeneous function of the principal curvatures. We show that if the initial hypersurface satisfies a certain pinching condition, then this is preserved and the flow converges to a sphere under rescaling.
Making a spectacle of the colony: Producing and consuming Pasar Gambir in the Dutch East Indies
Authors: Asmira Esti
Published: April 2022

This article examines the first decade of Pasar Gambir as an annual week-long festival held in the Dutch East Indies in conjunction with Queen Wilhelmina's birthday. As a study of colonial spectacles, it seeks to address the dearth of scholarly literature that analyses how the Western exhibitionary complex functioned in a colonised environment. In producing Pasar Gambir, the Dutch colonisers did not adopt this exhibitionary complex in its entirety. As such, Pasar Gambir assumed the hybridised form of a jaarmarkt-tentoonstelling (fair-cum-exhibition) imbued with market-like characteristics. This reality distinguished Pasar Gambir from its metropolitan equivalents by involving the colonised not only as objectified exhibits on display, but also as active consumers and participants of the spectacle. Ultimately, this article argues that the hybridity of Pasar Gambir undercut Dutch efforts to use it as a vehicle that illustrated and vindicated their claims of benevolence and racial supremacy. Through the Malay language press’ appropriation of the spectacle to underscore the moral superiority of the colonised and the Indies Chinese’ successful boycott of Pasar Gambir in 1925, colonised communities contested the empire-building messages that the Dutch sought to convey through Pasar Gambir and inscribed their own nationalist readings and interpretations of the annual jaarmarkt-tentoonstelling instead.
The human fear paradox: Affective origins of cooperative care
Authors: Grossmann Tobias
Published: April 2022

Already as infants humans are more fearful than our closest living primate relatives, the chimpanzees. Yet heightened fearfulness is mostly considered maladaptive, as it is thought to increase the risk of developing anxiety and depression. How can this human fear paradox be explained? The fearful ape hypothesis presented herein stipulates that, in the context of cooperative caregiving and provisioning unique to human great ape group life, heightened fearfulness was adaptive. This is because from early in ontogeny fearfulness expressed and perceived enhanced care-based responding and provisioning from, while concurrently increasing cooperation with, mothers and others. This explanation is based on a synthesis of existing research with human infants and children, demonstrating a link between fearfulness, greater sensitivity to and accuracy in detecting fear in others, and enhanced levels of cooperative behaviors. These insights critically advance current evolutionary theories of human cooperation by adding an early-developing affective component to the human cooperative makeup. Moreover, the current proposal has important cultural, societal, and health implications, as it challenges the predominant view in Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) societies that commonly construe fearfulness as a maladaptive trait, potentially ignoring its evolutionary adaptive functions.
Rethinking China's Soft Power: “Pragmatic Enticement” of Confucius Institutes in Ethiopia
Authors: Repnikova Maria
Published: April 2022

This article examines China's most controversial soft power export – the Confucius Institute initiative – through the case study of its promotion and implementation in Ethiopia. As one of China's closest partners in Africa, Ethiopia presents a path-breaking case for examining the potential and the limitations of Confucius Institutes. In contrast to the existing literature that depicts Confucius Institutes largely as contested and limited initiatives, this article shows that Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms have thus far been relatively successful in Ethiopia. Specifically, China's fusion of practical or tangible benefits with language and cultural promotion – what I describe as “pragmatic enticement” – invokes support from key participants in this project, including university administrators, students and Chinese teachers. In the long term, however, even in the highly favourable context of Ethiopia, the sustainability of Confucius Institutes is questionable, as there are apparent gaps between the rising expectations of Ethiopian administrators and students, and the limited resources on the ground.
Risk, institutions, and policy in decisions to join a start-up party: evidence from the 2017 snap election in Japan
Authors: Asano Masahiko , Patterson Dennis
Published: April 2022

Research has shown that Japan's parallel electoral system altered the incentives that parties and their members face when competing for lower-house seats, leading to, among other things, more policy-oriented and less personalistic elections. What is less well known is how these altered incentives affect the decisions of incumbents to stay with their current party organizations or exit and join another political party. We address this question by using data from the 2017 snap election in Japan, specifically, the exit decisions of Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) incumbents. Typically exit decisions involve considerations of electoral support, policy, or increased office benefits. Our results indicate that policy considerations were a primary factor in DPJ members' exit decisions but also that exiting legislators considered the risks associated with these decisions, which was molded by available party alternatives, each's electoral strength, and a unique feature of Japan's electoral rules, the fact that it reduced the electoral risk for some but not all incumbents who contemplated switching parties.
Multi-layer approach of polarization agile oscillating-type active integrated array antennas for RFtransmitter front-end
Authors: Hasan Maodudul , Nishiyama Eisuke , Toyoda Ichihiko
Published: April 2022

This paper presents a polarization switchable self-oscillating active integrated array antenna (AIAA) using a multi-layer approach. The antenna comprises two antenna elements, four PIN diodes, and a Gunn oscillator employing a microstrip line resonator. Reconfiguring the feed network of the array antenna realizes slant polarization (± 45°) switching. The multi-layer structure allows the patch spacing to be adjusted, thereby helping to minimize the antenna's sidelobe level. The Gunn oscillator, which employs a λ/2 microstrip–line resonator, is placed at the bottom layer. The proposed AIAA has an effective isotopic radiated power (EIRP) of + 18.25 dBm at the oscillation frequency of 9.47 GHz. EIRP is improved by better than 8.45 dB compared to the single-layer structure. The proposed AIAA features a transmitted power of + 8.45 dBm, DC-to-RF efficiency of 1.0%, and a low phase noise of −101.8 dBc/Hz at 1-MHz offset frequency with better than 12-dB cross-polarization suppression.
Seedbank management through an integration of harvest-time and postharvest tactics for Italian ryegrass (Lolium perenne ssp. multiflorum) in wheat
Authors: Maity Aniruddha , Young Blake , Schwartz-Lazaro Lauren M. , Korres Nicholas E. , Walsh Michael J. , Norsworthy Jason K. , Bagavathiannan Muthukumar
Published: April 2022

Italian ryegrass is a major weed in winter cereals in the south-central United States. Harvest weed seed control (HWSC) tactics that aim to remove weed seed from crop fields are a potential avenue to reduce Italian ryegrass seedbank inputs. To this effect, a 4-yr, large-plot field study was conducted in College Station, Texas, and Newport, Arkansas, from 2016 to 2019. The treatments were arranged in a split-plot design. The main-plot treatments were (1) no narrow-windrow burning (a HWSC strategy) + disk tillage immediately after harvest, (2) HWSC + disk tillage immediately after harvest, and (3) HWSC + disk tillage 1 mo after harvest. The subplot treatments were (1) pendimethalin (1,065 g ai ha−1; Prowl H2O®) as a delayed preemergence application (herbicide program #1), and (2) a premix of flufenacet (305 g ai ha−1) + metribuzin (76 g ai ha−1; Axiom®) mixed with pyroxasulfone (89 g ai ha−1; Zidua® WG) as an early postemergence application followed by pinoxaden (59 g ai ha−1; Axial® XL) in spring (herbicide program #2). After 4 yr, HWSC alone was significantly better than no HWSC. Herbicide program #2 was superior to herbicide program #1. Herbicide program #2 combined with HWSC was the most effective treatment. The combination of herbicide program #1 and standard harvest practice (no HWSC; check) led to an increase in fall Italian ryegrass densities from 4 plants m−2 in 2017 to 58 plants m−2 in 2019 at College Station. At wheat harvest, Italian ryegrass densities were 58 and 59 shoots m−2 in check plots at College Station and Newport, respectively, whereas the densities were near zero in plots with herbicide program #2 and HWSC at both locations. These results will be useful for developing an improved Italian ryegrass management strategy in this region.
Theory of Radar Polarimetric Interferometry and Its Application to the Retrieval of Sea Ice Elevation in the Western Weddell Sea, Antarctic
Authors: Nghiem Son V. , Huang Lanqing , Hajnsek Irena
Published: April 2022

Sea ice elevation plays a crucial role in sea ice dynamic processes driven by winds and waves, for which satellite radar remote sensing becomes indispensable to monitor snow‐covered sea ice across the vast polar regions regardless of darkness and clouds. To measure sea ice elevation, a theory of polarimetric interferometry for both monostatic and bistatic radars is developed based on analytic solutions of Maxwell's equations, accounting for realistic and complicated properties of snow, sea ice, and seawater. This analytic method inherently preserves phase information that is imperative for radar polarimetry and interferometry. Among a multitude of complex radar coefficients in the general polarimetric interferometric covariance matrix, the symmetry group theory is utilized to identify and select appropriate terms pertaining to the retrieval of sea ice elevation while avoiding radar parameters that may inadvertently introduce non‐uniqueness and excessive uncertainty. Theoretical calculations compare well with field observations for rough and old sea ice encountered in the Operation‐IceBridge and TanDEM‐X Antarctic Science Campaign over the Western Weddell Sea. The results show that the magnitude of the coefficient of normalized correlation between co‐polarized horizontal and co‐polarized vertical radar returns is inversely related to sea ice elevation, while the associate phase term is nonlinear and noisy and should be excluded. From these analyses, a protocol is set up to measure Antarctic sea ice elevation to be presented in the next companion paper.
Increasing Multiyear Sea Ice Loss in the Beaufort Sea: A New Export Pathway for the Diminishing Multiyear Ice Cover of the Arctic Ocean
Authors: Babb David G. , Galley Ryan J. , Howell Stephen E. L. , Landy Jack C. , Stroeve Julienne C. , Barber David G.
Published: April 2022

Historically, multiyear sea ice (MYI) covered a majority of the Arctic and circulated through the Beaufort Gyre for years. However, increased ice melt in the Beaufort Sea during the early 2000s was proposed to have severed this circulation. Constructing a regional MYI budget from 1997 to 2021 reveals that MYI import into the Beaufort Sea has increased year‐round, yet less MYI now survives through summer and is transported onwards in the Gyre. Annual average MYI loss quadrupled over the study period and increased from ∼7% to ∼33% of annual Fram Strait MYI export, while the peak in 2018 (385,000 km2) was similar in magnitude to Fram Strait MYI export. The ice‐albedo feedback coupled with the transition toward younger thinner MYI is responsible for the increased MYI loss. MYI transport through the Beaufort Gyre has not been severed, but it has been reduced so severely to prevent it from being redistributed throughout the Arctic Ocean.
The 2021 Pacific Northwest Heat Wave and Associated Blocking: Meteorology and the Role of an Upstream Cyclone as a Diabatic Source of Wave Activity
Authors: Neal Emily , Huang Clare S. Y. , Nakamura Noboru
Published: April 2022

We investigate the meteorological and dynamical conditions that led to the extreme heat in the Pacific Northwest from late June to early July 2021. The extreme heat was preceded by an upper‐level atmospheric blocking that snatched a warm pool of air from lower latitudes. A heat‐trapping stable stratification ensued within the blocking anticyclone, raising the surface temperatures significantly. An upper‐tropospheric wave breaking and the concomitant surface cyclogenesis off the coast of Alaska initiated the block formation. The regional local wave activity budget reveals that a localized diabatic source associated with this storm critically contributed to an enhanced zonal wave activity flux downstream, whose convergence over Canada drove the blocking. A simple reconstruction based on the observed wave activity budget predicts a 41 percent reduction in strength and a 10‐degree eastward displacement of the block when the upstream diabatic source is reduced by just 30 percent.
l1 Trend Filtering‐Based Detection of Short‐Term Slow Slip Events: Application to a GNSS Array in Southwest Japan
Authors: Yano Keisuke , Kano Masayuki
Published: April 2022

The discovery of slow slip events (SSEs) based on the installation of dense geodetic observation networks has provided important clues to understanding the process of stress release and accumulation in subduction zones. Because SSEs with durations of days to weeks do not often result in sufficient displacements that can be visually inspected, refined automated detection methods are required to understand the occurrence of SSEs. In this study, we propose a new method based on which SSEs can be detected in observations derived by a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) array by using l1 trend filtering, a variation of sparse estimation, in conjunction with combined ‐value techniques. The sparse estimation technique and data‐driven determination of hyperparameters are utilized in the proposed method to identify candidates of the event onsets. In addition, combined ‐value techniques are used to provide confidence values for the detections. The synthetic test demonstrated that the new method can detect 22 events of total 23 events and has only 1% false detections with the detection threshold 68%. The proposed method was then applied to daily displacements obtained at 39 GNSS stations in the Nankai subduction zone in western Shikoku, Southwest Japan. The results revealed that, in addition to all known events, new 12 events can be detected with the proposed method. Finally, we found the number of low‐frequency earthquakes in the target region increased around at the onsets of potential events.
Estimation of Atmospheric PM10 Concentration in China Using an Interpretable Deep Learning Model and Top‐of‐the‐Atmosphere Reflectance Data From China’s New Generation Geostationary Meteorological Satellite, FY‐4A
Authors: Chen Bin , Song Zhihao , Huang Jianping , Zhang Peng , Hu Xiuqing , Zhang Xingying , Guan Xiaodan , Ge Jinming , Zhou Xingzhao
Published: April 2022

The rapid urbanization in China and the long‐range transport dust (LRTD) from arid and semi‐arid areas has resulted in an increase of PM10 concentration. In this study, an interpretable deep learning model [deep forest (DF)] with FY‐4A top‐of‐the‐atmosphere reflectance (TOAR) data were used to obtain the hourly PM10 in China. The optimal hourly average R2 of 10‐fold cross validation can achieve 0.85 (13:00 Beijing time); The R2 (RMSE, μg/m³) of the daily, monthly, and annual averages were 0.82 (24.16), 0.97 (6.53), and 0.99 (2.30), respectively. Using TOAR data, the DF model performed better than other machine learning models. The feature importance of the TOAR‐PM10 model showed that TOAR and meteorological elements both contributed significantly to the model. In spring, the PM10 in northern China was greater than that in southern China, which may be related to the LRTD. Excluding the dust weather periods, the areas with high PM10 values in China were mainly in cities and their suburbs, where were correlated with human activities. During a dust weather process, LRTD increased PM10 in northern China by 80.4%. During a mixture haze and dust weather process, the PM10 increased by 130.2% in northern China, of which LRTD led to an increase of 73.7%. The sources (from the Taklimakan Desert in China) and transmission paths of these two LRTD processes were similar. The contribution of LRTD to PM10 was related to dust intensity and meteorological conditions. The results showed that LRTD and local pollution to PM10 was both important in haze periods.
Seasonal Variations in Leaf Maximum Photosynthetic Capacity and Its Dependence on Climate Factors Across Global FLUXNET Sites
Authors: Wang Xiaoping , Chen Jing M. , Ju Weimin , Zhang Yongguang
Published: April 2022

The maximum carboxylation rate (Vcmax) is an important parameter affecting the photosynthesis rate of plant leaves. In terrestrial ecosystem models (TEMs), Vcmax at 25°C (Vm25°) is often assigned as constants according to plant functional types (PFTs), while its variations with leaf temperature and nutrient contents are described using empirical functions. However, Vm25° could itself vary seasonally due to changes in the leaf physiological state that cannot be described by the empirical functions, potentially causing large uncertainties in simulated water and carbon fluxes. So far, the seasonal variation in Vm25° has not been systematically studied. Here, we generated a Vm25° data set of eight main biomes from 2000 to 2020 using eddy covariance (EC) measurements at globally distributed 176 sites. The boreal ecosystem productivity simulator was combined with a light response curve model (BEPS‐LRC) to invert Vm25° from EC data. We investigated seasonal variations of Vm25° and analyzed how different environmental and physiological factors, such as physiological (leaf chlorophyll content, LCC and Rubisco or RuBP) and climatic environment factors, including air temperature (Ta), solar shortwave radiation, CO2 concentration (CO2), and soil water content (SWC), influence this parameter. Vm25° values derived from flux data using BEPS‐LRC correlate well with Vm25° of the reference data set (R2 = 0.74, slope = 0.77, and root mean square error = 24.45 μmol m−2 s−1, p < 0.001). Leaf Vm25° has strong seasonal variations in all PFTs except for in evergreen broadleaf forests, but its seasonal variation patterns differ greatly among eight biomes. Air temperature (Ta) is the most important determinant of Vm25°, followed by SWC. The interactive effects of Ta and SWC on Vm25° vary among different biomes. The seasonal variation of Vm25° was strongly dependent on LCC. After the correction of temperature effect, the contribution of LCC to the seasonal variation of Vm25° averaged 26% among eight biomes. These findings provide useful information for better parameterization of Vm25° in TEMs.
Alteration of River Flow and Flood Dynamics by Existing and Planned Hydropower Dams in the Amazon River Basin
Authors: Chaudhari Suyog , Pokhrel Yadu
Published: April 2022

Hydropower dams have received increased global attention due to their detrimental socioenvironmental ramifications. Such attention has led to an increase in studies on the impacts of reservoir operation on river flow; however, a holistic understanding of the compounded effects of hydropower dams on different hydrological characteristics is lacking, especially for large river basins such as the Amazon where hydropower development is on the rise. Here, we mechanistically quantify the historical impacts of existing dams and the potential impacts of the collective operation of existing and planned dams on a basin‐wide scale in the Amazon for the 1981–2019 period. We build on the recently developed high‐resolution (3‐arcmin; ∼5 km) river‐floodplain‐reservoir model, the CaMa‐Flood‐Dam, which is enhanced to realistically simulate hydropower dam operation considering maximized power production. Flood simulations are further downscaled to 3 arc‐seconds (∼90 m) resolution to investigate the impacts of dams on fine‐scale flood dynamics across the basin. Results indicate that existing dams have substantially altered downstream river flow and flooding patterns across the Amazon River basin. Specifically, large dams in the Amazonian subbasins, including the Xingu, Madeira, and Tocantins, have altered downstream river flow amplitude by up to 3 orders of magnitude. Further, the collective operation of existing and planned dams could increasingly alter river flow patterns, causing ∼10% decrease in flood duration in many parts of the Amazon mainstem. Our results provide quantitative evidence on the severity of the hydrologic impacts of large hydropower dams and have important implications for sustainable hydropower operation and development in the Amazon and worldwide.
Salt Transport Under Tide and Evaporation in a Subtropical Wetland: Field Monitoring and Numerical Simulation
Authors: Liu Yue , Zhang Chenming , Liu Xiaocheng , Li Congrui , Sheuermann Alexander , Xin Pei , Li Ling , Lockington David A.
Published: April 2022

Tidal wetland ecosystems are sensitive to porewater salinity dynamics. However, it is unclear how salts move and distribute in these wetlands, particularly how the salts accumulated by evaporation get removed from the wetland soil, so that the salinity levels may stabilize to accommodate vegetation. We conducted a combined field and modeling study to identify the porewater flow and salinity patterns in a subtropical wetland subjected to tidal inundation and evaporation. Measured and simulated salinity contours indicated the formation of hypersaline porewater plumes in the upper intertidal zone and the fresher porewater zones with salinity close to that of seawater near the creek and in the supratidal zone. Simulations indicated the discharge of the hypersaline upper intertidal porewater to the creek with a discharge pathway developed under the fresher near‐creek porewater zone, and this was further confirmed by the field‐observed significant salinity gradient under the creek. Our model suggested that both water and salt discharge from the wetland soil occurred predominantly at the creek bank and creek bed. The porewater discharge is more intensive through the creek bank than the creek bed, while the salt discharge across both the creek bank and creek bed was comparable due to the much higher salinity level under the creek bed. Salt discharge driven by density gradients and tidal‐induced porewater circulation provides a mechanism for removing salts accumulated in the upper intertidal zone due to evaporation and could prevent salt flat formation and marsh plants dieback.
Global Environmental Change Perspectives on Integrated, Coordinated, Open, and Networked (ICON) Science
Authors: Koren Gerbrand , Ferrara Vincenza , Timmins Madeleine , Morrison Monica Ainhorn
Published: April 2022

This article is composed of two independent commentaries about the state of Integrated, Coordinated, Open, Networked (ICON) principles (Goldman et al., 2021, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021eo153180) in Global Environmental Change and discussion on the opportunities and challenges of adopting them. Each commentary focuses on a different topic: (Section 2) Field, experimental, remote sensing, and real‐time data research and application; (Section 3) Earth system modeling. In Section 2 we stress the inherently integrated nature of global environmental change, which necessitates an integrated approach for the planning, execution and analysis of measurement campaigns, while highlighting opportunities for wider adoption of the other ICON principles. In Section 3 the highly integrated and networked nature of Earth system model development is discussed, with suggestions for how to increase openness and coordination to enhance model application by end‐user and stakeholder communities.
Styles of Trench‐Parallel Mid‐Ocean Ridge Subduction Affect Cenozoic Geological Evolution in Circum‐Pacific Continental Margins
Authors: Wu Yangming , Liao Jie , Guo Feng , Wang Xuan‐Ce , Shen Yongqiang
Published: April 2022

Distinct signatures are present in the circum‐Pacific continental margins (e.g., kinematics, magmatism, and basin evolution), possibly influenced by the input of mid‐ocean ridge. It remains enigmatic why the circum‐Pacific continental margins that have experienced trench‐parallel mid‐ocean ridge subduction show diverse geological evolution. Here we present geodynamic modeling results investigating trench‐parallel mid‐ocean ridge subduction and demonstrate two distinct types of model evolution. Type‐Ⅰ model includes a two‐stage steep subduction and is featured by slab detachment preceding the arrival of ridge at the trench. Type‐Ⅱ model is marked by a continuous flat subduction of mid‐ocean ridge with the opening of a slab window beneath intracontinental lithosphere. These two subduction styles produce diverse tectono‐magmatic responses. Our results could explain the magmatic gap and forearc uplift during the Izanagi‐Pacific ridge subduction and the intraplate magmatic flare‐ups and tectonic uplift during the Nazca‐Antarctic ridge subduction, respectively.
A10Be Moraine Chronology of the Last Glaciation and Termination at 49°N in the Mongolian Altai of Central Asia
Authors: Strand Peter D. , Putnam Aaron E. , Sambuu Oyungerel , Putnam David E. , Denton George H. , Schaefer Joerg M. , Radue Mariah J. , Dorj Ariunsanaa , Amarsaikhan Pagamsuren , Stevens Jessica , Cole Daniel G.
Published: April 2022

Determining what caused the global Last Glaciation and last glacial termination, despite opposing orbital summer insolation signatures between the polar hemispheres, remains a puzzle of paleoclimatology. This problem can be addressed by comparing chronologies of glaciation from different latitudes and different climatic regimes in both hemispheres. Here, we present a10Be surface‐exposure chronology of glacial landforms constructed during and since the local Last Glaciation in the continental environment of Central Asia in the high Mongolian Altai (49°N, 88°E). Four belts of lateral moraines document maximal phases of the former Khoton glacier at 35,440 ± 980 years ago, 23,430 ± 850 years ago, 20,780 ± 610 years ago, and 19,520 ± 550 years ago. Our chronology indicates that deglaciation from these maximal positions began as early as 18,810 ± 510 years ago, was well underway by 17,680 ± 510 years ago, and was nearly completed by 16,040 ± 490 years ago. Overall, our chronology shows that glaciation in western Mongolia overlapped with the global Last Glacial Maximum and that extensive recession from glacial‐to‐interglacial limits took place early in the last glacial termination during Heinrich Stadial 1. Khoton Nuur deglaciation led the demise of large Northern Hemisphere ice sheets and increases in radiative forcing agents by several millennia. We suggest that this rapid switch in the mode of glaciation implies the involvement of an additional climatic factor that could have produced locally rapid warming and deglaciation ∼18,800–16,000 years ago.
B-cell lymphoma 6 alleviates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice through suppression of fatty acid transporter CD36
Authors: Zhang Hao , Li Yue , Zhang Chao , Huang Kun , Zhao Jing , Le Sheng , Jiang Lang , Liu Hao , Yang Peiwen , Xiao Xiaoyue , Yu Jizhang , Wu Jie , Ye Ping , Xia Jiahong
Published: April 2022

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an ubiquitous disease that exists across a wide spectrum ranging from steatosis, steatohepatitis, advanced fibrosis, and liver cirrhosis. Hallmarks of NAFLD are lipid accumulation, insulin resistance, and chronic low-grade inflammation. However, there currently are no medications approved for NAFLD. B-cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) is a transcriptional inhibitor that is vital for germinal center B-cell formation. Our study identified BCL6 as a critical modulator of hepatic lipid metabolism and appears to contribute to the initiation and progression of NAFLD. In our research, we induced hepatic BCL6 overexpression using adeno-associated virus (AAV), as well as conditional liver-specific BCL6 knockout mice (BCL6-CKO). With these models, we noted that BCL6 overexpression improved insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis in mice models maintained on a HFD diet. Conversely, these parameters worsened in the livers of mice with downregulated BCL6 levels. Mechanistically, the translocase fatty acid CD36 was determined to be a transcriptional target of BCL6 that influences its role in hepatic steatosis. BCL6 bound directly to the CD36 promoter region, restraining CD36 transcription under physiological conditions. We conclude that the hepatocyte BCL6 inhibits the NAFLD progression in mice, including deranged lipid accumulation and glucose metabolism, through a CD36-dependent manner. These results indicate that BCL6 may potentially be targeted in NAFLD treatment.
Bloom syndrome helicase contributes to germ line development and longevity in zebrafish
Authors: Annus Tamás , Müller Dalma , Jezsó Bálint , Ullaga György , Németh Barnabás , Harami Gábor M. , Orbán László , Kovács Mihály , Varga Máté
Published: April 2022

RecQ helicases—also known as the “guardians of the genome”—play crucial roles in genome integrity maintenance through their involvement in various DNA metabolic pathways. Aside from being conserved from bacteria to vertebrates, their importance is also reflected in the fact that in humans impaired function of multiple RecQ helicase orthologs are known to cause severe sets of problems, including Bloom, Werner, or Rothmund-Thomson syndromes. Our aim was to create and characterize a zebrafish (Danio rerio) disease model for Bloom syndrome, a recessive autosomal disorder. In humans, this syndrome is characterized by short stature, skin rashes, reduced fertility, increased risk of carcinogenesis, and shortened life expectancy brought on by genomic instability. We show that zebrafish blm mutants recapitulate major hallmarks of the human disease, such as shortened lifespan and reduced fertility. Moreover, similarly to other factors involved in DNA repair, some functions of zebrafish Blm bear additional importance in germ line development, and consequently in sex differentiation. Unlike fanc genes and rad51, however, blm appears to affect its function independent of tp53. Therefore, our model will be a valuable tool for further understanding the developmental and molecular attributes of this rare disease, along with providing novel insights into the role of genome maintenance proteins in somatic DNA repair and fertility.
METTL3-mediated m6A modification of STEAP2 mRNA inhibits papillary thyroid cancer progress by blocking the Hedgehog signaling pathway and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition
Authors: Zhu Yue , Peng Xinzhi , Zhou Qianlei , Tan Langping , Zhang Cheng , Lin Shaojian , Long Miaoyun
Published: April 2022

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is a common endocrine system malignancy all over the world. Aberrant expression of six transmembrane epithelial antigen of the prostate 2 (STEAP2) has been functionally associated with cancer progression in many cancers. Nevertheless, its biological function in PTC is still unclear. Here, we found that PTC tissues had preferentially downregulated STEAP2 as compared with noncancerous tissues. Low STEAP2 expression correlated with aggressive clinicopathological characteristics and dismal prognosis in patients with PTC. We performed gain- and loss-of-function experiments, including cell proliferation assay (Cell Counting Kit-8 assay), EdU (5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine) and colony formation assays, transwell migration, and invasion assays, and constructed a nude mouse xenograft tumor model. The results demonstrated thatSTEAP2overexpression inhibited PTC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and inhibited lung metastasis and tumorigenicity in vivo. Conversely, silencingSTEAP2yielded the opposite results in vitro. Mechanistically, bioinformatics analysis combined with validation experiments identifiedSTEAP2as the downstream target of methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3)-mediated N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification. METTL3 stabilizedSTEAP2mRNA and regulated STEAP2 expression positively in an m6A-dependent manner. We also showed that m6A-mediatedSTEAP2mRNA translation initiation relied on a pathway dependent on the m6A reader protein YTHDF1. Rescue experiments revealed that silencingSTEAP2partially rescued the tumor-suppressive phenotype induced by METTL3 overexpression. Lastly, we verified that the METTL3–STEAP2 axis functions as an inhibitor in PTC by suppressing epithelial–mesenchymal transition and the Hedgehog signaling pathway. Taken together, these findings strongly suggest that METTL3-mediatedSTEAP2m6A modification plays a critical tumor-suppressive role in PTC progression. The METTL3–STEAP2 axis may be a potential therapeutic molecular target against PTC.
circFAM120B functions as a tumor suppressor in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via the miR-661/PPM1L axis and the PKR/p38 MAPK/EMT pathway
Authors: Song Huan , Tian Dan , Sun Jian , Mao Xuhua , Kong Weimin , Xu Dian , Ji Ye , Qiu Beibei , Zhan Mengyao , Wang Jianming
Published: April 2022

Extensive changes of circRNA expression underscore their essential contributions to multiple hallmarks of cancers; however, their functions and mechanisms of action in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain undetermined. Here, we adopted a three-stage approach by first screening for significantly differentially expressed circRNAs in ESCC and performing an external validation study, followed by the functional analyses. The properties of circRNAs were evaluated using Sanger sequencing, RNase R digestion, actinomycin D treatment, subcellular localization analysis, and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Target transcripts were predicted using online tools and verified by dual-luciferase, RNA immunoprecipitation, qRT-PCR, and western blot. Biotin-labeled RNA-protein pull-down, mass spectrometry, and RNA immunoprecipitation were employed to identify proteins interacting with circRNAs. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were performed to uncover the roles of circRNAs, their target genes, and binding proteins in the proliferation, metastasis, and invasion. We observed that circFAM120B (hsa_circ_0001666) was frequently downregulated in cancer tissues and patient plasma, and its expression level was related to overall survival in ESCC patients. Overexpression of circFAM120B inhibited the proliferation, metastasis, and invasion of ESCC while silencing it enhanced malignant phenotypes. Mechanistically, circFAM120B was predominantly located in the cytoplasm, guarantying its sponging for miR-661 to restore the expression of PPM1L, a tumor suppressor. We observed that circFAM120B could reduce the stability of RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) by promoting its ubiquitination-dependent degradation and subsequently regulating the p38 MAPK signaling pathway, resulting in the repression of EMTs in ESCC cells. Our findings suggest that circFAM120B is a promising biomarker of ESCC, which acts as a tumor suppressor via the circFAM120B/miR-661/PPM1L axis and PKR/p38 MAPK/EMT pathway, supporting its significance as a candidate therapeutic target.
An obesogenic feedforward loop involving PPARγ, acyl-CoA binding protein and GABAA receptor
Authors: Anagnostopoulos Gerasimos , Motiño Omar , Li Sijing , Carbonnier Vincent , Chen Hui , Sica Valentina , Durand Sylvère , Bourgin Mélanie , Aprahamian Fanny , Nirmalathasan Nitharsshini , Donne Romain , Desdouets Chantal , Sola Marcelo Simon , Kotta Konstantina , Montégut Léa , Lambertucci Flavia , Surdez Didier , Sandrine Grossetête , Delattre Olivier , Maiuri Maria Chiara , Bravo-San Pedro José Manuel , Martins Isabelle , Kroemer Guido
Published: April 2022

Acyl-coenzyme-A-binding protein (ACBP), also known as a diazepam-binding inhibitor (DBI), is a potent stimulator of appetite and lipogenesis. Bioinformatic analyses combined with systematic screens revealed that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is the transcription factor that best explains the ACBP/DBI upregulation in metabolically active organs including the liver and adipose tissue. The PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone-induced ACBP/DBI upregulation, as well as weight gain, that could be prevented by knockout of Acbp/Dbi in mice. Moreover, liver-specific knockdown of Pparg prevented the high-fat diet (HFD)-induced upregulation of circulating ACBP/DBI levels and reduced body weight gain. Conversely, knockout of Acbp/Dbi prevented the HFD-induced upregulation of PPARγ. Notably, a single amino acid substitution (F77I) in the γ2 subunit of gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor (GABAAR), which abolishes ACBP/DBI binding to this receptor, prevented the HFD-induced weight gain, as well as the HFD-induced upregulation of ACBP/DBI, GABAAR γ2, and PPARγ. Based on these results, we postulate the existence of an obesogenic feedforward loop relying on ACBP/DBI, GABAAR, and PPARγ. Interruption of this vicious cycle, at any level, indistinguishably mitigates HFD-induced weight gain, hepatosteatosis, and hyperglycemia.
Identification of potent inhibitors of NEK7 protein using a comprehensive computational approach
Authors: Aziz Mubashir , Ejaz Syeda Abida , Tamam Nissren , Siddique Farhan , Riaz Naheed , Qais Faizan Abul , Chtita Samir , Iqbal Jamshed
Published: April 2022

NIMA related Kinases (NEK7) plays an important role in spindle assembly and mitotic division of the cell. Over expression of NEK7 leads to the progression of different cancers and associated malignancies. It is becoming the next wave of targets for the development of selective and potent anti-cancerous agents. The current study is the first comprehensive computational approach to identify potent inhibitors of NEK7 protein. For this purpose, previously identified anti-inflammatory compound i.e., Phenylcarbamoylpiperidine-1,2,4-triazole amide derivatives by our own group were selected for their anti-cancer potential via detailed Computational studies. Initially, the density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out using Gaussian 09 software which provided information about the compounds' stability and reactivity. Furthermore, Autodock suite and Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) software’s were used to dock the ligand database into the active pocket of the NEK7 protein. Both software performances were compared in terms of sampling power and scoring power. During the analysis, Autodock results were found to be more reproducible, implying that this software outperforms the MOE. The majority of the compounds, including M7, and M12 showed excellent binding energies and formed stable protein–ligand complexes with docking scores of − 29.66 kJ/mol and − 31.38 kJ/mol, respectively. The results were validated by molecular dynamics simulation studies where the stability and conformational transformation of the best protein–ligand complex were justified on the basis of RMSD and RMSF trajectory analysis. The drug likeness properties and toxicity profile of all compounds were determined by ADMETlab 2.0. Furthermore, the anticancer potential of the potent compounds were confirmed by cell viability (MTT) assay. This study suggested that selected compounds can be further investigated at molecular level and evaluated for cancer treatment and associated malignancies.
Biochemical abnormalities among patients referred for celiac disease antibody blood testing in a primary health care setting
Authors: Kårhus Line Lund , Kriegbaum Margit , Grand Mia Klinten , Lind Bent Struer , Møllehave Line Tang , Rumessen Jüri J. , Andersen Christen Lykkegaard , Linneberg Allan
Published: April 2022

To investigate possible biochemical abnormalities associated with celiac disease (CD) antibody positivity in a primary health care setting and thereby identify predictors that could potentially reduce diagnostic delay and underdiagnosis of CD. This observational cohort study included measurements of CD antibodies in the Copenhagen Primary Care Laboratory (CopLab) database from 2000 to 2015; CD antibody positivity was defined as tissue transglutaminase antibody IgA or IgG ≥ 7 kU/L and/or deamidated gliadin peptide antibody IgG ≥ 10 kU/L. Individuals with a prior diagnosis of CD were excluded. We examined differences between individuals with positive and negative CD antibody tests regarding the results of biochemical tests performed six months before and one month after the date of the CD antibody test. We identified 76,265 measurements of CD antibodies during 2000–2015, and 57,061 individuals met the inclusion criteria (706 antibody-positive and 56,355 antibody-negative). We found lower ferritin, hemoglobin, cobalamin and folic acid levels and higher levels of transferrin, ALAT (alanine transaminase), and alkaline phosphate among individuals with a positive CD antibody test. Furthermore, we illustrated more measurements below the sex-specific reference intervals for hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), ferritin, cobalamin and folic acid among individuals with a positive CD antibody test. This study identified several biochemical abnormalities associated with CD antibody positivity among individuals referred to CD antibody testing. The pattern of abnormalities suggested that micronutrient deficiencies were prevalent among CD antibody-positive individuals, confirming malabsorption as a sign of CD. These findings illustrate the possibility of reducing diagnostic delay and underdiagnosis of CD.
The gut microbial metabolite formate exacerbates colorectal cancer progression
Authors: Ternes Dominik , Tsenkova Mina , Pozdeev Vitaly Igorevich , Meyers Marianne , Koncina Eric , Atatri Sura , Schmitz Martine , Karta Jessica , Schmoetten Maryse , Heinken Almut , Rodriguez Fabien , Delbrouck Catherine , Gaigneaux Anthoula , Ginolhac Aurelien , Nguyen Tam Thuy Dan , Grandmougin Lea , Frachet-Bour Audrey , Martin-Gallausiaux Camille , Pacheco Maria , Neuberger-Castillo Lorie , Miranda Paulo , Zuegel Nikolaus , Ferrand Jean-Yves , Gantenbein Manon , Sauter Thomas , Slade Daniel Joseph , Thiele Ines , Meiser Johannes , Haan Serge , Wilmes Paul , Letellier Elisabeth
Published: April 2022

The gut microbiome is a key player in the immunomodulatory and protumorigenic microenvironment during colorectal cancer (CRC), as different gut-derived bacteria can induce tumour growth. However, the crosstalk between the gut microbiome and the host in relation to tumour cell metabolism remains largely unexplored. Here we show that formate, a metabolite produced by the CRC-associated bacterium Fusobacterium nucleatum, promotes CRC development. We describe molecular signatures linking CRC phenotypes with Fusobacterium abundance. Cocultures of F. nucleatum with patient-derived CRC cells display protumorigenic effects, along with a metabolic shift towards increased formate secretion and cancer glutamine metabolism. We further show that microbiome-derived formate drives CRC tumour invasion by triggering AhR signalling, while increasing cancer stemness. Finally, F. nucleatum or formate treatment in mice leads to increased tumour incidence or size, and Th17 cell expansion, which can favour proinflammatory profiles. Moving beyond observational studies, we identify formate as a gut-derived oncometabolite that is relevant for CRC progression.
A controllable staining colorimetric method based on carboxylated cellulose membranes for early-warning and semi-quantitative detection of aflatoxins in water
Authors: Zhang Heng , Zhong Wenhui , Yang Yang , Liu Genyan , Luo Xiaogang
Published: April 2022

A controllable staining colorimetric method was proposed for antibody-free detection of AFs by exploiting controllable electrostatic-staining of CCMs with Hg2+-capped AuNPs.
Evaluation of the multifunctional activity of silver bionanocomposites in environmental remediation and inhibition of the growth of multidrug-resistant pathogens
Authors: Baruah Rebika , Yadav Archana , Moni Das Archana
Published: April 2022

Imperata cylindricacellulose supported Ag bionanocomposites purified industrial water and controlled the contagious diseases with high potential activity.
Visible light-driven carbamoyloxylation of the α-C(sp3)–H bond of arylacetones via radical-initiated hydrogen atom transfer
Authors: He Xing , Yao Xiangyang , Cai Shuai-Fang , Li Hong-Ru , He Liang-Nian
Published: April 2022

The O-β-oxoalkyl carbamates were synthesized via the visible light-initiated HAT pathway from CO2, amines and inactive substrates with the assistance of CBr4, leading to simultaneous construction of C–O and C–N bonds under ambient conditions.
Polymorphism and solid–solid phase transitions of hydrogen bonded 2-adamantanol and 2-methyl-2-adamantanol compounds
Authors: Salvatori Alejandro , Negrier Philippe , Massip Stephane , Muñoz-Duque Antonio , Lloveras Pol , Barrio Maria , Tamarit Josep-Lluís
Published: April 2022

The polymorphic behavior at normal pressure as a function of temperature of 2-adamantanol (C10H16O) and 2-methyl-2-adamantanol (C11H18O) has been investigated by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction as well as differential scanning calorimetry.
Magnetic anisotropy of two tetrahedral Co(ii)-halide complexes with triphenylphosphine ligands
Authors: Lv Wei , Cui Hui-Hui , Chen Lei , Zhang Yi-Quan , Chen Xue-Tai , Wang Zhenxing , Ouyang Zhong-Wen , Xue Zi-Ling
Published: April 2022

Magnetic anisotropy and slow magnetic relaxation of two tetrahedral cobalt(ii)-halide complexes with C3v symmetry were studied by magnetometry, HFEPR and theoretical calculations.
Combination of a nanocarrier delivery system with genetic manipulation further improves pesticide efficiency: a case study with chlorfenapyr
Authors: Yan Shuo , Yin Huan , Li Na , Chen Yao , Ji Chendong , Jiang Qinhong , Du Juan , Yin Meizhen , Shen Jie , Zhang Junzheng
Published: April 2022

The combination of nanocarrier delivery and genetic manipulation significantly improves chlorfenapyr efficiency and has great potential for sustainable crop protection.
Lactoferrin modulates gut microbiota and Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in mice with dysbiosis induced by antibiotics
Authors: Bellés Andrea , Aguirre-Ramírez Diego , Abad Inés , Parras-Moltó Marcos , Sánchez Lourdes , Grasa Laura
Published: April 2022

In situations of intestinal dysbiosis caused by taking antibiotics, lactoferrin, a bovine milk protein, improves intestinal health by modulating the intestinal microbiota and the immune system positively and can be used in functional foods.